Adopted Daughter Role Overdone Chapter 129

‘How does he know the way inside the 6th Magic Tower?’

Looking back, there wasn’t really a description stating that Zeno didn’t know the path inside the 6th Magic Tower.

However, there was also no mention of Viola, the original character, offering guidance when she entered the tower.

Both A-rin, the reader, and Viola didn’t find it strange that Zeno didn’t know the way.

The Magic Tower was that closed off.

‘Then…….’

The setting of the novel hadn’t completely changed.

‘In the original story, Viola wasn’t given directions, but now she is?’

Viola could only surmise this.

“I’m going to scour the slums of the Magic Tower.”

“There are no slums in the Magic Tower, Your Highness.”

“Well, that’s what they say publicly.”

The Magic Tower was like an ideal world.

With clear, warm weather all year round, everything was in place under the control of the tower.

You could survive without working, and mages could solely focus on their magic research—like a dream world.

But a world can’t have only a bright side.

“What do you mean ‘publicly’? What does that mean, Your Highness?”

“There must be places where those without magical talent are living together.”

They were the outcasts.

Magic was a discipline heavily influenced by talent.

Without talent, one couldn’t even dream of it.

Thus, magic was a despairing discipline for those born without talent.

“The Magic Tower needs people to handle menial tasks, too.”

No matter how developed magic was, annoying tasks definitely existed.

For instance, mages preferred hiring someone to clean over using ‘cleaning magic.’

Although they could create meals rich in necessary calories and nutrition through magic, they much preferred tasty food made by humans.

Those born without magical talent lived as cleaners, cooks, shoeshiners, gardeners—jobs referred to as the 3D jobs by mages.

“The Magic Tower calls those without talent ‘beggars’ and the places where they live ‘slums’.”

It was different from the ‘Beggar Gang’ of the outside world.

After all, they were still part of the Magic Tower, and at least they were provided with minimal food and spare clothing.

The necessities of clothing and food were provided, but

‘Housing was an exception.’

“It seems you know quite a bit about the slums.”

“Roughly, our noble mages can’t live mingled with beggars, so the beggars are eventually driven to secluded or filthy places and create villages. That’s the slums of the Magic Tower.”

Typically, these were places like underground areas, beneath bridges, or very remote regions, seldom seen by mages.

“You seem to have studied hard.”

“It’s public knowledge.”

This was information anyone with a little interest could easily learn.

But most people didn’t care.

“There’s no official slum in the Magic Tower, but in my personal opinion, there are a few places that could be considered slums. Shall I guide you there?”

“Sure.”

The first place Zeno led them to was beneath a bridge over a river, impressive with its silver waves.

It wasn’t quite big enough to be called a river, yet too large to be called a stream.

Under the bridge, there was a large hole against the wall that looked like a cave.

“The beggars of the Magic Tower will likely be extremely averse to contact with outsiders.”

“I know.”

The ‘beggars’ were seen as a ‘blemish’ from the tower’s perspective.

An imperfection they wanted to erase.

They were people the tower wished to hide, and were those who could be executed immediately if they caused any trouble by contacting outsiders.

“If any issues arise, the responsibility would be too great.”

Zeno smiled faintly.

“Indeed, you understand one thing and grasp ten.”

I always feel that insight is not something a thirteen-year-old should possess.

And he also knew that a girl with such insight wouldn’t seek out the slums without a plan.

‘What will the princess do?’

Zeno felt the pleasant thumping of his heart as he observed Viola.

*

Elcina was the disciple of the great wizard and master of the 6th Magic Tower, Sirson.

She possessed magical talent that could leave Sirson dumbfounded.

Many news articles had covered her deeply.

<If there’s Medea in the sword art, there’s Elcina in the magic art.

Medea, the genius in swordsmanship, is always hailed.

Elcina was a genius amongst geniuses, comparable to Medea.

However, over time, their evaluations began to diverge.

Medea, who spread her wings. Yet Elcina could not.)

Medea became a 1-star knight and quickly rose to fame.

She slaughtered the assassins of the western continent and was known as the White Cold Wind, earning respect and fear from the people of the continent.

However, Elcina gradually fell behind.


Was Elcina destined to be the first outcast disciple?

Although she was still publicly recognized as a disciple of the 6th Magic Tower Master, it could be said she had practically been expelled.

To be precise, she had thrown away her own position.

She was born with magical talent, but her heart was too warm to become a successful mage.

Once, she had asked Sirson:

“Why do I get to live in such privilege?”

“That’s because you were born with talent and never slacked off in your efforts.”

“But they also work hard to live.”

What Elcina referred to was ‘they’—the beggars of the Magic Tower.

“They are the disabled. They are different from us.”

“They just lack magical talent.

They can’t use magic, that’s all.”

Today, Elcina enjoyed a grilled fish carefully prepared by her personal cook.

It was delicious enough to bring tears to her eyes.

Why were they called beggars when they cooked so well?

As time passed, Elcina began to question magic.

“The essence of magic is to widely benefit humanity, isn’t it?”

So why are the poor treated almost like livestock and disregarded?

Why do mages find it unpleasant to even breathe the same air as them?

They couldn’t use the same roads or share facilities.

Beggars were thoroughly ostracized by mages.

Moreover, they had often been reduced to tools for human experimentation under the guise of magical advancement.

“Elcina, stop thinking useless thoughts. They chose to stay here of their own will; they are too cowardly to leave the Magic Tower.”

“No. The Magic Tower made them this way.”

In reality, beggars could leave the Magic Tower.

They just had to apply for it.

That’s how it was publicly stated.

However, in practice, it was nearly impossible for beggars to leave the Magic Tower.

“They haven’t received the education they deserve. They believe that outside is only filled with monsters.”

They had known this since childhood.

A vague fear weighed down on them, preventing them from leaving the Magic Tower.

“And when they submit the paperwork, will it even be accepted?”

The clerks accepting the paperwork were all mages.

They hated beggars, and it was clear they wouldn’t process any paperwork presented by them.

“No. Can they even fill out the paperwork in the first place?”

The Magic Tower speaks the language of mages.

‘Official documents must be written using magic.’

“Practically, they were half-brainwashed, so they can’t muster the courage. Even if they manage to summon the courage, they can’t fill out the paperwork. Even if they somehow do, the clerks won’t accept it.”

People thought of the Magic Tower as a city of dreamlike ideals.

But Elcina didn’t see it that way.

Something was very wrong.

From that moment, Elcina stopped studying magic.

If this is what magic is, she didn’t want to learn it.

Instead of pouring her passion into studying magic, she wanted to educate the ‘beggars.’

She wanted to help them develop the ability to write at least and share proper information about the outside world.

At the very least, she wanted to prevent them from becoming victims of human experiments.

Naturally, the powerful people in the Magic Tower and the older generation couldn’t understand Elcina and pointed fingers at her.

Unfortunately, the beggar gang also rejected Elcina’s teachings.

They were afraid, and not ready to learn something new.

‘……this is Elcina’s background.

In the end, Elcina ditched her status as the Master’s disciple and, having sealed away her mana, blended into the beggar gang.

Elcina became the first genius mage to willingly become an outcast.

‘A person overflowing with love and warmth.’

And she had a great passion for teaching someone.

In fact, she was not just a genius in magic, but had an even greater talent for education.

A genius mage and an even greater genius teacher.

‘She will become Benato’s best teacher and mother of the heart.’

Thus, Viola chose Elcina.

Zeno’s voice was heard.

“Everyone is still holding their breath.

It seems they don’t want to encounter us.”

“Indeed.”

Viola stood before the cave.

Zeno’s heart began to race.

What kind of sight would she show today?

With what mask would she confront the outcasts of the Magic Tower and seize what she desired?

How elegant and beautiful would her mask be?

Viola spoke.

“I’ll give you three counts.”

A puddle of water appeared at Viola's feet.

It was the energy of Pongpong.

Then, from Viola's ring, a faint light invisible to the eye began to seep out.

It was responding to the masterpiece of Kurumkurum filled with the water spirit Pongpong and the flower field.

“If you don’t come out, I’ll kill you all.”

While confidently declaring this, Viola's heart raced.

Saying such things never got any easier.

To kill them all—that was horrific.

And Viola knew very well how she would be perceived by saying such.

“Three.”

From deep inside.

She began to sense presences in the cave.

“Two.”

Crash bang!

Sounds echoed.

“One.”

Several people tumbled out in a panic.

“W-who are you?

Why are you persecuting us? We’ve done nothing wrong.”

“P-please spare us.”

“I’ll behave. If you tell me to leave, I’ll leave. I’ll hide and live without being seen.”

They were trembling in fear.

Even though they hadn’t done anything wrong.

It seemed impossible for those who had always lived in intimidation and were pointed at to think of such a protest.

‘How upsetting.’

Viola’s heart ached.

They were all the same people, just lacking magical talent.

Being despised for not being able to use magic was unacceptable.

As Viola thought this, she smiled as warmly as she could.

“I have something to ask you.”

Viola began to unravel the situation like the White Bellatu.