Chapter 35

(34)

Gestarte sighed deeply and handed over the bag containing the magic tool.

As I rushed out of the room, I said, “Don’t be too obsessed with Urglim’s penpoint.”

“?”

“The elders might think they can decipher ancient grimoires with it, but it’s not that extraordinary. In fact, the automatic writing magic itself is pretty clumsy magic.”

“What?”

“It was a disastrous plan that outputs uncontrolled knowledge at will, corrupting intellect and ultimately leads everyone down the path of corruption.”

“You. How do you know that?”

Gestarte lifted her head.

“There was a similar incident in the imperial court, let me put it that way. That’s the cost of this magic tool I’m handing over.”

“Wait…!”

Having said that, I immediately left the room.

As soon as I got into the elevator, Sererassie looked at me.

“I was tense thinking you’d stab Master with a dagger.”

“Me? Are you crazy? I’d get burned to a crisp doing that!”

“Then you weren’t going to stab?”

“The worst-case scenario was me getting stabbed.”

“What?”

Seeing her flustered, I continued speaking.

“I was going to threaten you with attempted theft, and if that didn’t work, I’d bring up the penpoint. If it had worked, I would have almost ruined the Ivory Tower. I was planning on getting the magic tool as payment for revealing that.”

In fact, the probability of success was much higher on this side.

“Then why didn’t you do that?”

“Because of you.”

“What?”

“I thought you had some lingering feelings for the Ivory Tower.”

Her feelings towards the Ivory Tower were more likely not ‘I was driven out’ but rather ‘I learned everything I could and left without being able to contribute.’

“I believe you would choose the Ivory Tower over the imperial court when it came down to it.”

People can never betray the happy memories of their youth.

Sererassie did not deny it.

“There are still many relics and magic tools in the imperial court. I thought you might try to take some through your sister at the Ivory Tower.”

“What does that mean—?”

I said coolly, “I told you. Urglim’s automatic writing can become a tool of destruction depending on how it’s used.”

“So you were talking about the cruelty of the Ivory Tower?”

“No.”

I do not like lies.

“The Ivory Tower monopolizes many secrets and dangers, and no secular power can control them. They need someone to watch over them, and that person has to be somewhat of an insider.”

I laid out all the facts as if I were giving a confession.

“You.”

“That person shouldn’t have any lingering feelings for the Ivory Tower, but should basically have a favorable opinion of it.”

Sererassie smiled bitterly.

“Was the magic tool just an excuse?”

“No. I did come to buy the magic tool. But when I saw your sister’s expression in the lobby below, I thought if I didn’t make it clear this time, she might just turn back.”

“How did you know I would take your side?”

“It’s not easy to support someone who has acknowledged they were abandoned.”

“Do you think laying everything bare like this will help our relationship? It sounds like you intentionally tried to distance me from the Ivory Tower. Almost as if you were watching my reaction on the spot, simultaneous with the magic tool negotiations.”

As the elevator approached the first-floor lobby, I replied, “Right.”

My sister had been chased by the Ivory Tower throughout her life before the return, and yet she was used by the Ivory Tower, never being able to hate it in the end.

And she never fully acknowledged that the Ivory Tower hadn’t protected her.

People cannot deny the happy memories of their childhood, and it is too difficult and miserable to admit being used by loved ones.

But I needed Sererassie, the ‘Court Mage,’ and I hoped she would emotionally detach from the Ivory Tower.

Even if it caused her pain, it would benefit Jeilliris.

“I did that.”

In this world, some things change no matter how much you shout and argue, while others change just by speaking them out loud.

What changed today was the latter.

Now she would never forgive me.

“Thank you, you worthless brother.”

Sererassie struck the ground with her new staff.

Flash!

Blue lightning burst forth.

* * *

“What on earth happened?”

In front of the lobby, Rudi was surrounded by dozens of paper birds, wearing animal ear headbands and holding street food in both hands.

I covered my hands, which were bruised from burst blood vessels, with white gloves and said, “Your sister miscalculated the power adjustment while trying to test the new staff.”

Anyway, it wasn’t a lie.

Sererassie, who nodded, looked quite tired as she said, “Rudi. I’m going back first. Have fun playing with Valencianus.”

“Uh?”

“I’m here on a business trip, you know. I’m already late.”

“Ah. Take care.”

With Sererassie gone, Rudi looked at me.

“Your Excellency. You fought with Sererassie, didn’t you?”

“No? Why?”

It wasn’t a fight.

One person merely exchanged playful banter, while the other dealt with electric magic.

Rudi sent me a momentarily disrespectful glance before shaking her head lightly.

“I’m always on your side, but I have to say this. When doing something for someone else, make sure to ask them first. Nothing feels more self-righteous than irresponsible consideration.”

I smiled bitterly and nodded.

“Right.”

“It’s for your sake. If the other person’s not asking for it, suffering alone and getting scolded is foolish.”

“True.”

“Don’t think someone will recognize it eventually. People’s hearts don’t change easily even if the outcome was ultimately right.”

Rudi was right.

Jeilliris’ cruel decisions before my return were mostly right in the end, but even I couldn’t just defend them.

The problem was that they were right.

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

I slowly started to walk.

I had magic tools to buy today.

It was something frequently made as assignments at the Ivory Tower, so there should be at least one available.

Rudi followed me, saying, “You’re not listening to me, are you?”

“No. Why?”

“You have the same expression as back then.”

“When?”

“When you invited Lady Trentia and burned the incense of unmarried ladies.”

Hearing that, I instinctively touched my face.

“You have something you can’t tell anyone, don’t you?”

I couldn’t answer.

Rudi’s green eyes sparkled.

It felt as though my soul was being pierced through.

“You’re strange. You’re different from people who rush in with ‘I might need your help’ and ‘I’m right.’ Those people always act with unwarranted confidence. They think they’re amazing just because they got it right a few times. But Valencianus, you’re too composed most of the time. Then sometimes, you burn with passion in a way that’s odd, as if you know you should.”

After a while, she went “Ah,” and bowed her head.

“I overstepped. I always said I would trust you; I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine. It’s okay.”

I understood her reaction.

As she said, matters between people don’t wrap up neatly into outcomes.

“Where are you headed now?”

“Ah, I actually needed to go that way.”

“That shop from earlier?”

“Yeah.”

The alley was much darker than before.

The shopkeeper bent deeply at the waist when he saw us return.

“What are you looking for, sir?”

“Do you have any suitable glasses for my maid? Focusing glasses? What do you call them? I can’t quite remember.”

“Oh. Are you looking for focusing glasses? Yes, I have a few. But you don’t seem like someone who uses bows or ballistas…”

“Are they not for sale?”

The proprietor hurriedly ran to the back of the shop.

Rudi tilted her head and asked, “What are focusing glasses?”

“Magic tools that automatically aim at a target. As long as you have the strength to pull the bowstring, anyone can become a sharpshooter.”

“Wow. That’s an incredible magic tool. I’ve never heard of it. Is it very rare?”

“Well… it’s not the easiest to make. You need to be able to engrave various spells on it. But it doesn’t involve extraordinary techniques. It’s just a typical advanced assignment from the Ivory Tower, I guess?”

“Then why doesn’t everyone use it?”

I momentarily recalled my memories before the return.

“Even if you use it, the power of bows or ballistas doesn’t increase. The enchanted armor engraved with incantation circuits can’t be pierced by just bows or ballistas. And it doesn’t precisely inform you of the armor’s weak points, so it’s not very useful in battles between knights either.”

As casting becomes long but powerful area spells became mainstream in the magician community, the need for precise aiming diminished.

“As far as I know, you can also inscribe incantation circuits on arrows to boost their power. Doesn’t that mean you could pierce armor too?”

“Ordinary soldiers don’t have the money to buy these glasses and such arrows. Knights or high-ranking mercenaries who can afford those wouldn’t need such glasses or those arrows to fight well.”

“Then why for me…”

Just then, the proprietor returned, opening a flat box to show us.

“Here you go. I think this would suit your maid well.”

It was a pair of glasses with large round lenses and a thin frame and arms made of black metal.

“Aren’t they too fragile?”

“No. Go ahead and bend it. It’s made of good alloy material with enhancement magic, so it won’t break easily.”

“Enhancement magic too?”

“Yes, yes. They say it was an A+ rated assignment.”

If it was an A+ from the Ivory Tower, it made sense.

I readily accepted it and whispered the price, knowing Rudi would surely want to carry them around if she heard.

“Forty gold coins?”

“Sir, you would have to give me eighty coins. I bought it for fifty coins.”

The owner whispered quickly in shock.

“Nowadays, it’s mostly used to help crossbowmen get a feeling for aiming, so why would you price it that high? Fifty-five coins.”

“Seventy coins. I can’t lower it more.”

“Sixty coins. Isn’t it enough to make more than the salary of ordinary people?”

“Sixty-five coins. The rent here is outrageous.”

“Fine. Sixty coins. I understand.”

I was still short on money.

“Yes. Yes?”

“I’m sure I said yes!”

“…Ah, I’ve been had.”

I leaned my body towards the counter so Rudi wouldn’t see, and I paid the price.

“Try them on.”

“Thank you.”

Rudi received the glasses with a bright smile.

I worried her eyes might look small, but since they weren’t prescription glasses, it turned out fine.

Rather, the thin black frame seemed to enhance her eye shape, making it look better.

“How do they look?”

“Everything is really visible. It’s like, uh, the things I want to see are marked with a red dot? I can aim here. Just like this.”

“Nice.”

“How about me?”

“Hmm?”

“Do they look good?”

“Yeah. They suit you very well.”

She murmured, “I’m relieved.”

“I won’t take them off except when I’m sleeping or washing up.”

“Great. Make sure to wear them.”

As we exited the shop, Rudi asked, “But will you teach me to use a bow or ballista? I might not be able to pull it properly since I’m weak.”

I lightly tapped the square bag and replied, “I’ll answer you when we get back. There are too many ears here.”

* * *

“Magic tool?”

Back in the room, Rudi said in a bewildered voice after hearing my explanation.

“What’s that?”

I opened the square bag and said, “The finest masterpiece and hidden shame of magicians.”

“If it’s a masterpiece, it’s a masterpiece, and if it’s a hidden shame, then it’s a hidden shame. Why are those two the same thing?”

“Because it’s made so well that ordinary magicians become unnecessary?”

“Ah.”

Inside the box were two revolver-style magic tools packing a total of six shots.

Both seemed to have been well taken care of, shining brightly, and everything, from the handle to the barrel, was made of silvery metal.

“It looks like a small ballista with the bow part removed. The handle curves down sharply.”

“You have to shoot it like that for it to be comfortable.”

“Shoot? You mean?”

“This is a weapon used for shooting.”

I pulled out a box of bullets and a belt from inside the bag.

The bullets were aerodynamic alloys the size of a pinky finger, inscribed with incantation circuits.

I didn’t tell Rudi, but they sold for over one silver coin each.

“You load these bullets into here, pull back the bolt, and pull the trigger. Then, the air explodes due to magic, and the bullet accelerates and shoots forward. If you have bullets inscribed with additional explosive spells, you could take on knights too.”

“How far does it go?”

“As far as I know, about 500 meters?”

“What? If I shoot from underneath the magic tower, will it reach the top?”

“Yeah.”

Rudi quivered and pushed the box back towards me.

“I don’t think I should take something like that. It’d be better if Your Excellency kept it.”

I firmly shook my head.

“Rudi. I fought infiltrators just yesterday.”

“What? Infiltrators? They’re in the capital?”

Ordinary people went to the church every week, and priests taught about the infiltrators every Sunday.

They were monsters who sold their souls to demons for power.

“I can’t watch over you all day. No one can. You have to be able to defend yourself.”

“Ah.”

“I’m going to have many enemies, not just infiltrators. There will be even more in the future. It’s possible someone will take you hostage to threaten me.”

“I don’t want that…”

I lowered my head and spoke softly, “This is a request. I don’t want you to get hurt because of me. You need to grow the power to protect yourself.”

Rudi waved her hands in a panic.

“Y-yes! I understand, so please lift your head. I’ll learn anything.”

* * *

The magic tool was quieter than expected.

Looking at the hole on the target, I murmured, “Rudi, aren’t you shooting too well?”

“Valencianus, I think… I could do it even without the glasses.”

I couldn’t deny her words.

There was only one hole in the target.

Rudi had passed all ten shots through that single hole just now.