Chapter 176

#176 Episode: The Tin Knight and the Tower of Prophecy (3)

“……”

Light kept silent.

As a skilled wizard belonging to the Tower of Prophecy, he was not engaged in a battle of wits with the suspicious fortune teller… rather, he was captivated by the beauty of the black-clad woman before him.

For a grad student who spent most of his life buried in books and experimental equipment, the striking contrast of her pale skin and black veil was utterly intoxicating.

As the ongoing silence began to irritate the black-clad woman, her delicate features frowned, and the green-haired attendant beside her let out a quiet chuckle.

“Hehe, seems like you’re a bit choked up. Here, let’s start off with a cup of tea.”

“Uh, um, th-thank you. The tea’s taste, no, aroma, is quite lovely.”

Only after the teacup was placed in front of him did Light realize the embarrassing display he had been putting on and hurriedly tried to compose himself.

His attempt at a taste evaluation without even taking a sip didn’t have much effect, to be honest.

If it were the usual Light, he wouldn’t touch some mysterious drink from an odd shop, but right now, he didn’t have the energy to think that far.

As he gulped down the tasteless tea as if it were mere water, the black-clad woman said,

“I’ll ask again. What are you curious about?”

Wizards of the Tower were considered nobility in other countries. Yet, the woman spoke comfortably in informal language.

Even stranger was how natural it seemed, making it oddly not unpleasant for Light to hear.

Clearing his throat, he replied.

“I heard you can see the past, is that true?”

“Pointless question.”

“What?”

“If I say it’s true, will you believe everything else I say? If I say it’s false, you’ll happily leave convinced it was a lie? It wouldn’t be, would it?”

“……”

“Decide for yourself what’s right and wrong. Light Graubich. That’s the principle upheld at the Tower of Prophecy, isn’t it?”

This time, Light’s eyes widened in surprise.

He never mentioned a word about his identity.

Normally, one would assume she’d done prior research, but the flow of conversation gave Light a new possibility.

‘Could it be? Is it really true that I can know the past?’

“Such a waste of time.”

The woman lazily lowered her eyelids, appearing bored.

“Fine, if my question is too hard, I’ll just start on my own.”

Between her half-lidded eyes, a red glow spilled out.

“─You’re searching for your lost parents. You said you don’t care about your foster parents, but deep down, you’ve been holding onto that longing. Yet, all you have is vague memories, and even those are fading over time. So, you delve into the magic that can provide information.”

Light let out an involuntary sigh.

In panic, he asked,

“W-wait, you can even know where they are right now!?”

“Magic isn’t all-powerful. The fragments you hold are mere scraps. You know that, right?”

“Even the tiniest clue would be enough.”

The black-clad woman stared at him intently.

Seeing her inexplicable gaze, Light swallowed hard.

“Okay, close your eyes. You can’t open them until I say it’s okay.”

Completely overwhelmed by the atmosphere, Light complied and shut his eyes.

And the next moment, an immense pressure enveloped him.

‘Huh!’

A wizard’s ability to sense and manipulate surrounding magical power is almost a basic skill.

Yet, Light couldn’t feel anything from his surroundings.

With his vision blocked and magic unperceptible, an extreme sense of unease wrapped around him.

In his ear, the woman’s voice whispered.

“…Go visit your foster parents’ house. In the second-floor study, there’s a book on the top right shelf that holds what you’re seeking. You can open your eyes now.”

“Now, let me show you the way back.”

Even as he was guided by the green-haired attendant, Light couldn’t shake off the feeling of being enchanted.

And exactly half a day later.

In his deceased father’s study, as Light discovered the records of his biological parents’ whereabouts, he let out a sigh.

“It’s real, it really is…!”

***

“Thanks to the fortune teller, I was able to find the brooch I lost! It was a gift commemorating my entry into the tower, so it was truly precious to me!”

“I reconciled with a friend because of that person. It turns out some of the letters we sent to each other were missing, leading to misunderstandings.”

“Me? I didn’t have much. They told me I had no ties that warranted looking back into my past.”

“Codes! I finally found the code I’ve been struggling with for ten years!!”

“Catherine has been secretly seeing another man? For such a long time? No, no!! I didn’t want to know this!”

“This isn’t a scam! It’s real!”

The tales about the fortune teller in front of the Tower of Prophecy spread rapidly.

Initially met with indifference, the wizards of the tower, when gathered, couldn’t help but discuss the matter, making it impossible to ignore.

Some would even say the wizards had to make separate lines for magic users and regular people because the queue became overwhelming.

Of course, as with all things, negative opinions followed suit.

“Everyone, calm down! What kind of disgrace is this for the esteemed wizards of this historic tower!”

“The information from that fortune teller seems excessively biased. I went looking for information A but got bombarded with completely different info B! That’s just not how it works!”

“Honestly, it creeps me out. Doesn’t it mean my past can be read just by looking? There are quite a few in the tower who know confidential matters, so how can we handle the fallout if such information gets out?”

The uproar became a controversy, which led to a heated debate, sparking a verbal clash.

At least the arguing was sticking to words without any fistfights or pointing fingers, keeping some semblance of dignity for the tower.

“You fools! It’s clearly a gimmick! A scam! I’m ashamed to be associated with the same tower as fools who fall for stuff like that!”

“What’s your issue? Hey, idiot. They presented clear evidence right in front of you, but you refuse to consider it and just deny it? Are you still a scholar!?”

“That fortune teller’s ability is far too dangerous! To protect our tower’s secrets, we need to apprehend them immediately!”

“What nonsense are you spouting? Did they even kidnap our wizards? They voluntarily went to see a fortune teller out of curiosity, and you’re suggesting they would kidnap them because they are deemed dangerous? What kind of nonsense is that?”

“This is a conspiracy! They’re plotting some grand scheme to split our Tower of Prophecy from other towers!”

“Shouldn’t we first get a grasp of their identities and motives? They didn’t just drop from the sky to read fortunes for no reason, did they?”

Then one day, a bombshell dropped that would instantly quell all their debates.

“Hey, Valem. Why do you look so lost? Did the fortune-telling not go well? I told you not to have high expectations; while that place is quite capable, the results vary from person to person, so don’t be too disappointed…”

“…I’ve got it back.”

“What?”

“The magical book that had half of its content weathered and unusable. They revealed everything there! Oh! Oh heavens! To be showered with such fortune!!”

Not only can one know the past of a person, but the past of objects as well!

Moreover, it’s said that the past of objects can be even more accurate than that of people!

The Tower of Prophecy’s main task is to collect, organize, and restore all manner of magic that has existed throughout history.

However, the period during which magic began to be systematized and detailed as it is now isn’t very long, and wizards weren’t exactly eager to share their magic easily.

While enough materials have accumulated concerning magic that emerged after the establishment of the tower, there are hardly any remnants regarding magic from earlier eras left intact.

If a few fragments remain, one could at least infer the missing parts from what’s left, but for spells with more missing pieces, the chances of restoration were slim; they’ve been just sitting in storage with the hope that “maybe we can recover it someday.”

But now, they could confirm some of that missing content?

It’s not just about records; can they learn how mysterious magical devices were used in the past or gain info about their manufacturing process?

The wizards of the tower found themselves wide-eyed, like PC users upon hearing news of an internet archive restoring a corrupted hard drive.