Chapter 331

Chapter 331. The Mage Tower Master’s Request (3)

When ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍the Spirit of the Library and Radel carefully made their way through the bent corridor, a massive door appeared before them.

“……!”

Its ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍sheer presence was overwhelming at a glance.

The ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍enormous iron door had succumbed to the passage of time, rust blooming across it in patches, yet its majesty had not faded in the slightest. Across the entire surface of the door, intricately carved magic circles—both embossed and engraved—were layered in complex patterns.

There ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was no doubt about it.

This ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was the “iron door that never opens” Vargas had mentioned.

Countless lost laborers must have despaired before this door, wandering aimlessly after failing to pass it.

For the Spirit of the Library, this was nothing less than a chance to wash away the humiliation he had suffered moments earlier.

‘At last, my moment to shine!’

He still had not fully recovered from the shock of encountering the “cleaning golem” earlier.

To think that an ancient weapon of destruction had turned out to be nothing more than a cleaning golem that would not tolerate even a speck of dust.

And to have failed to recognize that, then caused such a fuss in front of Radel.

It was an incident that had dealt a deep blow to the pride of a great spirit.

Even so, he could not afford to let his guard down. The uppermost floor was clearly different, starting with the very flow of mana itself.

The space was warped in places, and if one was careless, even an outstanding mage could be dragged into it.

‘Of course, with this great being at that clumsy fellow’s side, that will not happen.’

The Spirit of the Library snorted.

Then, brimming with confidence, he shouted,

-Look! Behold the complex barrier magic engraved upon this door!

Radel leaned in closer, studying the door with open curiosity.

The magic circles, tangled together in layers numbering in the hundreds—no, the thousands—looked like a work of art in their own right.

“It must have required an incredible amount of craftsmanship. It also looks quite old.”

As Radel ran his hand across the surface of the door, the Spirit of the Library was already boasting of his vast knowledge, seeing straight through the barrier.

-Hmph, just looking at the shape of the barrier tells me everything I need to know. This magic circle is an extremely advanced construct combining ancient guardian magic with spatial distortion magic! To undo it, you would first have to decipher the password written in an ancient language, then calculate precisely the current phase of the moon and the mana flow around the Mage Tower. After that, you would reverse the flow of the third and fifth magic circles to make them collide, and then use the resulting vacuum of magic power to—!

The spirit rambled on without pause.

His explanation was undoubtedly grand and accurate, but Radel was already letting the words go in one ear and out the other.

Radel’s gaze was fixed on something entirely different.

What caught his attention was not the splendid and complex magic circles.

It was the joint that had borne the immense weight of the iron door for centuries.

The hinge.

‘This is…?’

Radel took a small bottle of oil from his pocket.

Without hesitation, he uncorked it and began pouring oil onto the red-rusted hinge.

Drip.

-You fool, what do you think you are doing?!

Applying ordinary cooking oil to a door engraved with such powerful magic circles!

The Spirit of the Library screamed in alarm, but Radel did not stop, carefully oiling both the upper and lower parts of the hinge.

Then he pushed the door.

Creeeak.

Something astonishing happened.

The massive iron door, which had remained firmly shut for so long, began to open with the sound of grinding metal.

-Wh-what is that supposed to mean…?!

The spirit’s stunned voice echoed in Radel’s head.

Radel replied calmly,

“The hinge was worn out. No wonder it would not open, no matter how hard anyone pushed.”

Ever since seeing the cleaning golem, he had had a vague suspicion.

During the few days he spent working as a laborer in the Mage Tower, he had learned something important.

The mages here had almost no experience doing things with their own hands. Cleaning, cooking, laundry, even tidying up their laboratories—every unpleasant task was left to the laborers.

The problem was that from the upper floors onward, laborers were strictly forbidden entry.

Then who, exactly, maintained the facilities on the topmost floor?

Most of it was probably handled with magic, but even that had its limits.

A house, after all, needs the touch of human hands in every corner.

Since the residents here did not maintain the place themselves, was it any wonder such absurd issues arose?

The high-ranking mages who stayed on the topmost floor could probably use spatial movement magic without a second thought, but thinking of the poor laborers who must have gotten lost and wandered for years because they could not open this door made Radel click his tongue.

He shook his head with a look of pity.

“This place is terribly managed. With just a little care, it could be much better.”

-Th-this makes no sense…!

‘To think my great knowledge was defeated by nothing more than oil…?’

The Spirit of the Library was utterly dumbfounded by Radel’s words, which treated the Mage Tower like some neglected country house.

***

The air of the Abandoned Collection Area was damp and chilly.

A vegetable garden lay peacefully nestled among magical beasts that had taken the form of plants.

There, a man with violet hair stood.

His red eyes were fixed on the back of his elderly master, who was tending the garden with his back turned.

Aaron Daryu’s eyebrow twitched slightly.

“Nonsense? When have I ever done such a thing?”

His voice was polite, yet an icy chill lurked beneath it.

Without turning around, Helio Valerian, who had been picking vegetables, spoke.

“I know you took the key.”

At those words, Aaron’s expression stiffened.

He tried to hide his emotions, but even the faint trembling of his fingertips betrayed him.

“It was left behind by the Great Sage. Any mage of the Mage Tower ought to protect it. If you intend to use it for personal purposes…”

Helio bent his waist without changing his expression and reached out.

Crunch.

His wrinkled hand mercilessly snapped the stem of an overgrown vegetable.

“You know very well what will happen.”

At his master’s quiet warning, Aaron’s face twisted, an undeniable blaze flaring in his red eyes.

Words he had heard countless times while growing up.

That those who defied the will of the Mage Tower would be punished.

When he was young, it had sounded like a legend meant to make the tower itself feel like a living, breathing entity.

But to Aaron now, it was nothing more than a ridiculous tale from a bygone age.

And even if it were true, Aaron was unshaken.

The future of the Mage Tower rested not in the hands of a withered master or outdated legends, but in his own.

Was he not even now leading the Mage Tower as its proxy in place of his weakened master?

In the end, his master would soon realize that Aaron had been right all along.

“Then you should not have let it catch your eye.”

Aaron spat the words out as if chewing them.

Resentment and anger were mixed thickly into his voice.

“Why do you think the masters of the Mage Tower sealed the key all this time?”

“They were likely chosen by the master.”

Aaron’s emotionally charged reply was sharp and vicious.

Helio closed his eyes briefly, then answered in an even tone,

“It was the will of the Mage Tower.”

At that answer, Aaron’s anger exploded.

“And you expect me to believe that?”

What will could a tower possibly have?

To him, his master’s words sounded like nothing more than an excuse to evade responsibility and justify his past decision to choose Armandy.

Gritting his teeth, Aaron forcibly swallowed the emotions rising up his throat.

Now was not the time to argue with his master.

“…No matter how much you try to hide it, it will not matter. I will find it.”

Leaving behind those ominous words, he disappeared into the darkness.

Once the sound of his footsteps had completely faded, Helio straightened his bent back and looked up at the night sky, faintly damp with dew.

“Was that enough time bought?”

He knew there was no way to change his disciple’s heart. There had been only one reason he had summoned Aaron here today.

It was to buy time for Radel to safely infiltrate the topmost floor.

“I can only hope you succeed.”

The old man’s quiet murmur scattered softly beneath the starlight.

***

The Spirit of the Library was at a loss for words.

The topmost floor of the Mage Tower he had imagined all this time, while residing in the Academy library, looked nothing like this.

A forbidden realm where ancient curses breathed, space-time was twisted, and weapons of destruction roamed, reducing unauthorized intruders to dust.

That fantasy had already been shattered by cleaning golems and rusty hinges, but he had still believed this place would be different.

The depths of the topmost floor.

A forbidden zone reserved only for high-level mages.

-Surely here, at least…!

But it did not take long for even that final shred of hope to collapse.

-Th-that… those are the unidentified shadows that wander the corridors…?!

The most dangerous beings on the topmost floor, which Vargas had warned about in a low voice.

Their true identities were high-ranking mages who had grown absent-minded from exhaustion.

“Ughhh… formulas… the formulas just will not unravel….”

“To exist while not existing… to not exist while existing… that is the very essence of magic….”

“My thesis! My perfect, beautiful thesis is stuck!”

With bloodshot eyes, they stared into empty space, wandering the corridors like ghosts.

Their disheveled hair, as if they had gone days without sleep, and the dark circles sagging down to their jaws made them look no different from a horde of zombies.

-Unbelievable! Those ghoul-like creatures are supposed to be the high-ranking mages responsible for the Mage Tower’s future?!

The Spirit of the Library cried out in a voice mixed with shock and disappointment.

Radel let the lament pass through one ear, then slackened his shoulders and adopted the same vacant expression as the others.

-Wh-what are you doing?

“It is easier if I act like them.”

Swaying like a zombie, he casually passed through the group of mages. Perhaps thinking he was one of their own, they paid him no attention at all.

Just as it seemed he would pass through without incident—

“Wait. Who goes there?”

An ice-cold voice shot out from behind, gripping Radel by the ankle.

Feigning ignorance, Radel muttered along with the rambling mages and turned the corner. But the chilling voice did not give up, drawing ever closer.

Tap. Tap.

The footsteps echoing through the corridor stopped directly behind him.

-It is that man from before! The mage from the sealed archive!

The Spirit of the Library shouted urgently.

Inside his robe, Radel’s eyes flickered.

There was no doubt about it.

The violet-haired mage who had taken the blue key from the sealed archive.

His instincts screamed danger, but it was already too late to run.

“That is some suspicious mana.”

Suspicion was thick in Aaron’s voice.

His threatening footsteps closed in behind Radel.

Whoosh.

The moment a rough hand grabbed Radel’s robe and tore it away—

“…What? Marronnier?”

The killing intent vanished from Aaron’s voice in an instant.

He gave Radel’s face a brief glance, then turned away as if he had lost interest.

“Perhaps I was on edge. Go on your way.”

Watching him behave as if he had seen an entirely different person, Radel was left confused.

But the confusion lasted only a moment. He sensed the faint trace of mana that had been clinging to him.

Illusion magic.

Someone had cast illusion magic at the critical moment, making Aaron see Radel as someone else.

The instant he realized this, an incredulous voice sounded from behind him.

“This is insane… am I seeing things?”

Radel slowly turned around.

Down the corridor.

A figure hidden in the shadows stared at him in disbelief.

“Why… why is Your Highness the Prince here?”

The one who had saved him was none other than Armandy.