Chapter 58

The edge of the continent.

There, facing the end of the world, stands a towering spire that pierces the sky.

A tower that is both wondrous and strangely enormous. No matter how much one looks up at the sky, the end cannot be seen. The summit disappearing into the hazy clouds seems to touch the realm of the gods.

A lighthouse of the world.

A peak of knowledge.

A tower of truth.

With countless other epithets, it is referred to by people as the ‘Magic Tower.’

The tower of mages, the Magic Tower.

This place is not simply a venue for academic study. It is akin to a sanctuary for those who gather to uncover the secrets of the world and transcend the boundaries of reality.

To those who hone the discipline of magic, it serves as a holy temple where dreams and ideals can be realized.

Such is the public image of the Magic Tower. However, the reality differs slightly. Those who know even a little about the Magic Tower speak in unison.

It is a cruel laboratory for madmen seeking to obliterate the boundary between gods and humans, and a warehouse of infinite desires.

A border where madness and genius intersect, a graveyard for mages pursuing truth.

In the face of the grand cause of seeking truth, the morality defined by humans serves as no bastion for them.

The mages of the Magic Tower are those willing to conduct human experiments if it means realizing their ideals.

The Magic Tower is a place built upon the endless greed of those seeking power beyond the laws of the world.

Edmund was no different.

Edmund Alexius Wilmore.

A senior member of the Magic Tower.

Now a member of a ruined marquis family.

He was the traitor who caused his entire family to perish after being discovered researching forbidden magic.

Yet, Edmund bore no guilt. To him, even his family was merely fuel for a greater cause. Of course, he had escaped to survive.

With a bounty on his head and nowhere to go, Edmund’s footsteps led him to the Magic Tower.

Whether a serial killer who had massacred dozens or a traitor who sold out his country, as long as one was an exceptional mage, the Magic Tower would accept them.

Upon reaching adulthood, Edmund secured a position as a court mage. As soon as he entered the Magic Tower, he received a personal research lab and ample support, allowing for significant progress in his work.

Thanks to that, he stood tall as a great mage and exacted revenge on those who had insulted him as a heretic.

It took him 40 years to reach that point.

In the remaining years, Edmund had intended to leisurely polish his magic as a mage rather than be a vengeful specter, but recently, a concern had arisen.

What Edmund was researching was transformation magic. Among those, he was focused on the taboo of taboo: the magic that turns humans into puppets.

The puppeteering of living humans.

It was possible to modify not only the body but also the mind and personality to fit one’s taste. The stronger the base, the better the performance of the transformation.

In other words, he wanted to turn a child with untapped potential into a puppet, modifying it to his liking.

‘It also needs to be pretty.’

An ugly child would not do.

A puppet must be beautiful, after all.

‘Where can I easily capture such a child?’

The promising stars are all scions of noble families. Searching the slums for one would be like trying to pluck stars from the sky.

Ah, perhaps somewhere there is a gem of a grand mage wandering about.

As he mumbled ridiculous hopes to himself, Edmund walked the streets laughing like a madman.

“Hm?”

As he walked, his eyes fell upon a maid girl sitting alone on a dawn bench.

With navy blue hair and a round, cute face.

Her petite figure suited her maid outfit well.

The short skirt barely reached her thighs, exposing the girl’s delicate bare legs.

‘A slave.’

The maid was not a hired servant but a slave, as indicated by the black shackles around her neck.

However, what caught Edmund’s attention was the staff she held tightly.

‘W-What is that?!’

A silver handle adorned with a shimmering light.

On top of it sparkled a blue crystal.

Edmund instantly recognized what it was.

It resembled the Celestial Covenant used by the great sage Arselia, found in the [Legendary Weapons Collection adored by ancient heroes].

But as is often the case with legends, few believe them truly. It is nothing more than a story from legends.

So, could it be a fake?

Even so, it exuded an unusual aura.

As a mage, curiosity drove Edmund to approach the maid girl.

The girl’s eyes, embodying a shimmering color. And for a brief moment, he clearly saw a flickering navy blue magic spark in her pupils.

This girl is a child born with the blessing of mystery.

“Child.”

“…?”

“You must have been surprised when a suspicious old man suddenly spoke to you. I apologize. As I age, I can’t seem to suppress my curiosity.”

Edmund tried to speak to the girl in the kindest voice he could muster.

“Where did you get that staff? It looks just like one I know.”

“It’s a staff given to me by someone precious.”

“I see. I’m just an old man curious about it, but could you let me take a look at it?”

“I don’t want to. Why should I?”

“Um?”

Edmund blinked in surprise at the girl’s bold rejection, which seemed as if she had never left her mother’s side.

The girl’s sulky expression. Now that he looked closely, her eyes were sunken, resembling someone suffering from insomnia. This made her cute face appear somewhat sinister.

“If you have no other business, I’ll be leaving.”

“W-Wait a moment!”

Edmund called out urgently. This girl might very well be the child he had been searching for.

“You’re… a slave?”

“Do I look like a slave?”

“Huh? Oh, that’s not what I meant…”

“Thank goodness…”

“Hmm?”

The girl’s fierce expression suddenly softened. She smiled bashfully like a girl of her age.

Is being a slave popular among kids her age nowadays?

He wasn’t sure, but at least it was good. He wanted to continue this pleasant atmosphere.

“Why are you out here so early in the morning?”

“I’m looking for my master. He’s very far away.”

“Hmm, so your master is far away, yet you’re looking for him without running away. Your master must be a good person.”

“That’s right. My master is a good person.”

Edmund got the rough idea.

This child takes pride in being a slave. Her master clearly treats her with great care.

The ‘precious person’ who gave her the Celestial Covenant must be her master. To give a slave such a thing….

“Child, is your master a noble?”

“He’s someone greater than a noble.”

The threads tangled in Edmund’s mind unraveled in a straight line.

To be greater than a noble means he is at least of royal blood. In other words, this child became a slave after catching the eye of a royal family.

She was a wandering mage traveling to improve her skills and expand her influence. Now she was on her way back after completing her mission.

‘I cannot let her go.’

She could become a masterpiece of all time.

If he let her slip away here, he would regret it for the rest of his life.

“It’s getting late; how about coming to my house instead of staying here? There’s a research lab for grandpa in that tall tower.”

“Isn’t that the Magic Tower?”

“My grandpa is a great mage. By the way, are you perhaps interested in magic? If you want, my grandpa could teach you a bit of magic.”

“Magic…?”

This time, the girl did not outright reject him but showed signs of hesitation. The dull look in her eyes sparked with liveliness.

Indeed, this child was of the same ilk as him.

Even if she had an important mission, she couldn’t suppress her desires in the face of new knowledge. A magic enthusiast.

Then, the answer was naturally one.

“Well then, just for a moment…”

***

“This is my research lab.”

While enticing her with “Grandpa will buy you delicious candy,” Edmund brought the girl to his personal research lab.

If she hadn’t followed, he would have forcibly brought her, but he was grateful that she came willingly.

Edmund’s lab was located on the 49th floor, just below the top floor, accessed either by using the magic stone elevator installed in the Magic Tower or flying through a giant hole in the center.

Among the various kinds of magic, flight magic is considered extremely advanced. It was magic that literally allowed one to fly through the sky like a bird.

However, even great mages, few can freely soar through the skies. Usually, they can only achieve temporary levitation by wrapping telekinesis around their bodies.

Most are merely levitation spells rather than true flight spells.

But even that is only possible for those adept in it; naturally, Edmund, being a senior member of the Magic Tower, was expected to master it.

However, today he chose to use the elevator out of consideration for the girl. She was a flower gifted with innate magical talent but still yet to bloom.

‘I will make that flower blossom.’

Currently, the lab was perfectly prepared for the transformation.

When activated, the device absorbs the target’s magical power. It extracts magic, invades the weakened mind, and eliminates personality.

Then, it’s just a matter of modifying the empty shell of a body as desired.

Getting her here wasn’t difficult; once she stepped into the lab, it would already be over.

“Are there many books like this in the tower?”

“That’s right. The accumulated research materials and knowledge of mages over centuries are piled up like mountains. It’s a place like paradise for mages.”

“Hmm.”

The girl stared intensely at the magic books, seemingly interested. Even if she didn’t understand the meaning of what she read, it was irrelevant. Once she was made into a puppet, they could inject knowledge into her.

While she was distracted, he pinpointed the target.

Edmund activated the device.

Magic circles appeared above and below the girl.

Crackle!

A white electrical barrier enveloped the girl. Simultaneously, the device began absorbing her magical power.

The girl’s navy blue magic was explosively extracted. Sensing something odd, the girl looked at Edmund, but it was already too late.

Once caught in that device, even the great sage Arselia, the one who possessed the Celestial Covenant, wouldn’t be able to break through.

“I’m truly sorry for deceiving you. It’s all for your future. Grandpa will transform you from just a slave into the world’s strongest combat weapon.”

“…….”

Her magic continued to flow out.

Continuing.

Continuing.

Continuing…?

Why… isn’t her magic stopping? By now, even a great mage should be reduced to an empty shell.

‘Is something wrong?’ At that point, doubts began to creep into his mind.

Edmund startled at the flow of magic. The girl was glaring fiercely at him.

“I am my master’s slave. I will be my master’s slave even in death.”

“What?”

“If anyone interferes with our relationship, I won’t let them go.”

Thud.

The girl slammed the Celestial Covenant against the ground. Just that single action scattered the barrier. The magic device that Edmund had dedicated his lifetime to designing shattered into emptiness.

Edmund hurriedly reached out to cast a spell, but his magical control was not yielding to him. His magic was being suppressed by something.

Rumbling…

The space trembled.

The tower vibrated.

It was merely the ripple of magic emitted by the girl. The amount of magical power exceeded anything conceivable.

“What absurd magic…!”

Overwhelmed by the impact, Edmund fell, landing on his backside. His body shook, and various emotions stirred in his eyes as he looked at the girl.

Fear.

Terror.

And another was awe.

What filled Edmund’s face as he faced the girl’s power was ironically delight. He thought that this child might be the one the Magic Tower had long awaited.

This child should not be reduced to nothing more than a puppet. She was a benefactor who could fulfill the wishes of mages.

Unintentionally standing up, the elderly man knelt in front of the much younger girl.

And he said:

“Child, would you be interested in becoming the Top Master?”

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