Chapter 53
Three Fingers.
This is the na given to the green magic tower located in Judith.
At first, I didn’t understand why it was called that just by hearing it, but seeing it in person, it really did look that way, standing side by side.
The three magic towers were connected by bridges on various floors, allowing movent between them. Looking up from below, I could see several people crossing the bridges.
As I took in this sight after a long ti, Audrey, who was ahead of , called out.
“What are you doing? Co on!”
“Oh, right.”
The green magic tower, known for researching summoning and alchemy, was bustling with people and various races moving about inside.
As Ian passed through them, he followed Audrey deeper into the tower.
With a puzzled expression, Ian stopped Audrey.
“Where are we going? The reception desk is over there.”
“Didn’t I ntion it?”
“ntion what?”
“The tower master wants to check the contents personally. So, we’re headed to see the tower master.”
There was no need to worry about climbing the tall tower.
Following Audrey onto the circular platform in the center, I found it easy to move between floors. Before long, the platform ca to a stop.
“We need to go up one more flight of stairs.”
Nodding at Audrey’s explanation, I ascended the spiral staircase. The door leading to the top floor was wide open, revealing an old man with a long white beard, leaning on a staff.
“You finally made it! You’re late. Co in!”
There was no ti for greetings. The old man welcod us warmly and gestured for us to sit. A table in front of him was laid out with refreshnts that seed prepared long ago.
Audrey placed the belongings she brought via a golem next to the table and quickly left, leaving just the two of us.
Ian, who had just taken a seat, quickly stood up to greet the old man properly.
“Ian Berger, the third son of the Berger family, greets the master of the green magic tower.”
“Pleasure to et you. I am Herdian Pretus. Now, sit down and partake.”
Ian accepted without hesitation, taking a sip of the tea. The subtle aroma indicated it was expensive.
Herdian watched with satisfaction as he continued speaking.
“After receiving word from your family yesterday, I was so excited I could hardly sleep at night!”
“Was it because of the Outer Gate?”
“Exactly. The Outer Gate was opened artificially. That’s unbelievable. Yet, it actually happened, and you witnessed it firsthand?”
“…Yes.”
“It’s not that I don’t believe you. I simply wanted to hear about the entire process directly, which is why I arranged this eting. So please, share your experiences with .”
It wasn’t too difficult a request. In fact, getting to know the master of the green magic tower in this way wasn’t a bad idea, and if it heightened awareness of the Dark Mage, that would be welco.
Perhaps it could even help prevent the opening of the Outer Gate.
Ian detailed everything that had happened at the ruins to Herdian.
“…Riorg Ribella. I see. You encountered him? You were quite fortunate. If there hadn’t been a Hero present, you and your companions would have surely perished there.”
“Do you know him?”
“He’s a demon born of the El Carda Empire. Ordinary folks may not know him, but anyone who has delved into magic is aware of that na. He was once part of the Golden Tower, hailed as the best among all the towers due to his shining talent. When I heard he had turned to the Dark Mage, no one believed it.”
“Golden Tower….”
“Well, that’s a tale from the past. It’s sothing you needn’t worry about.”
“I see.”
“Still, I’m grateful. Thanks to you bringing back that na, it’s a reminder to not to underestimate Dark Mages.”
Ian nodded as he sipped his tea.
“You’re right, Tower Master. If I may say so, the strength of the Dark Mages is not sothing to be taken lightly. Not all of them are like that, but the one we faced was powerful enough to go toe-to-toe with a Hero. With that in mind… I leave those items in your capable hands.”
“Don’t worry. In fact, I should be the one thanking you. You must’ve been in chaos, yet you still had the presence of mind to gather all of this.”
“I know so little about magic, so I just collected everything I could see. There’s probably so useless stuff mixed in.”
“No matter. Who knows? There might be sothing important in there. Don’t worry about it. I’ll work with trusted individuals to research it and get back to you with results as soon as possible.”
Herdian raised his cup to drink more tea but realized it was already empty.
“Hm, it seems I’ve kept you here for too long. My apologies.”
“Not at all.”
Sensing the conversation was wrapping up, Ian stood up from his seat.
Herdian accompanied him to the door. As Ian prepared to leave, Herdian asked, “Are you planning to head back to Lus now?”
“No. I think I’ll stay in Judith for a while.”
“A good decision. Judith is beautiful and has plenty of delicious food, so it’s a great place to rest. If you need a place to stay, you’re welco here. There are guest rooms, and I’ll make sure they’re prepared.”
“Thank you.”
“It’s nothing. Well, let’s et again if the opportunity arises.”
After exchanging farewells and descending the stairs, Ian found Audrey waiting for him.
“Did everything go well?”
“Yes, he’s a good man.”
“Right? Unlike the other tower masters, he’s not authoritarian. He really listens to you.”
Recalling Herdian’s kind deanor and the peaceful atmosphere he exuded, Ian found himself agreeing with her.
“By the way, have you been waiting here the whole ti?”
“There’s sothing we need to resolve first.”
“Resolve?”
“The test.”
It dawned on Ian that Audrey intended to assess his skills as a treasure hunter. Following her, they soon arrived at a room filled with books—it was a library. Ian leaned slightly over the railing and saw that the space was vast.
“We use five floors for this library, and it houses all sorts of books, including magical tos. Please, take a seat for a mont.”
Audrey returned with several thick books. As she opened one and skimd through it, she raised her hand and began waving it in the air.
Ian wondered what she was doing until glowing blue letters began appearing in the air, tracing her hand’s path.
“Alright, try translating this.”
“It’s a farewell ssage. If I interpret it… ‘You bid farewell. Hesitant for a long ti. Before those words left your lips, how many tis did you play this scene in your mind? How many tis have we parted?’”
“Oh? Then what about this one?”
“‘Your voice that once called my na. Your face that once smiled at . I can no longer hear it, nor can I see it.’”
Every phrase that appeared in the air seed to be related to farewells.
“Are you showing only these on purpose?”
“Yes. Isn’t it touching? I guess it’s because I’ve been through a few goodbyes myself, but reading them always leaves a deep impression. That’s why I like tragic stories. They linger with you for a long ti.”
“You’re the opposite of .”
“You prefer happy endings, don’t you?”
“…Yes.”
Ian nodded. Knowing what the future holds, it was only natural to do so.
Even though things had gone smoothly since his return to the past, there was no guarantee they would continue to do so.
Many people would die. Many people would grieve. The foreign disaster, no different from a natural calamity, would co crashing down.
Audrey smiled softly.
“True, it’s a matter of preference. Anyway, you did well. Seeing how you translated so smoothly without hesitation, it seems there are no issues.”
“That way, I won’t make poor decisions during expeditions.”
Of course, there were tis when the ability to interpret ancient texts wasn’t necessary, but it was always better to know than not.
Audrey closed the book.
“I think that’s enough with the ancient texts… As for traps, I don’t think we need to test that.”
“Are you sure that’s okay?”
“They say if you know one thing, you know ten. Even if you’re wrong, it’s fine. If we encounter a trap, I’ll just have my golem smash through it.”
She wasn’t wrong. The traps at the Rogolrod ruins were primitive and straightforward. As long as one had a golem and so magic, they could be easily overco.
Audrey stood up and said, “Hungry? I’ve made a reservation at a restaurant. How about we grab a al?”
“Can I eat as much as I want?”
“You can, but it’s a pretty expensive place, so it’ll be deducted from your commission.”
“That’s fine. I’m sure the al will be worth it.”
Ian followed Audrey to the restaurant.
Though it was a bit of a distance from the tower, it wasn’t far enough to be a hassle.
And it wasn’t an exaggeration to call it expensive—the building’s exterior was different from others, exuding class.
The interior had unique decorations and a clean, cozy atmosphere.
However, it was bustling as expected. After being guided to their table by the staff, Audrey ordered everything on the nu.
“Isn’t that too much?”
“Don’t worry. I’m not asking you to eat it all alone. Besides, the food won’t co out right away.”
“It sounds like we’re expecting more company.”
“You’re quick. That’s right. Actually, this table wasn’t just set for you.”
“For soone else?”
“For the rcenaries I hired. It’s good to at least know each other’s faces, don’t you think?”
“Should I save so of the food, then?”
Audrey blinked in surprise before flashing a gentle smile.
“No need for that. If we run out, we can always order more. I’m only telling you so you won’t feel upset that this isn’t a private al just for you.”
“I don’t mind.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
As they were chatting about trivial matters, Audrey’s gaze shifted.
“They’re here.”
Three rcenaries walked in, one after the other, through the open door. Judging by their awkward deanor, it seed they didn’t know each other and had just happened to arrive at the sa ti.
Audrey waved, signaling them to co over and take the empty seats.
“Welco! You’re all right on ti.”
“Couldn’t risk making a bad impression on the client from the start,” one of the rcenaries said. Audrey nodded in agreent.
“That’s right. Punctuality is crucial for building trust between us. Now that we’re all here, how about we start with introductions?”
The rough-looking man was the archer, Diem.
The woman with a smiling face was the life priestess, Lise.
A man with a gentle face but a large build introduced himself as the shield warrior, Grio.
Then, when it was Ian’s turn, he spoke.
“Nice to et you. I’m Ian.”
“Just in case you don’t already know, Ian’s family na is Berger. You’ve heard of him, right?” Audrey added.
The rcenaries stiffened. Even though they were fellow rcenaries, Ian was a nobleman, and they couldn’t treat him carelessly. No matter how bad the rumors about him might have been, a noble was still a noble.
“Wait, does that an this guy… I an, this gentleman…”
“You don’t have to be so formal. I’m a rcenary too,” Ian said, trying to ease the tension.
Diem hesitated for a mont, then shook his head.
“…This feels more comfortable. So, is this gentleman taking the frontline role?”
“Yes, along with Grio,” Audrey confird.
“And what about the treasure hunter?” Diem asked.
Audrey shrugged and looked over at Ian.
“I considered hiring one, but Ian here said there’s no need.”
“Why’s that?” Diem asked, looking puzzled.
“Because I’m a treasure hunter myself. Pathfinding, searching, tracking, interpreting—if you leave it to , I can handle most of it,” Ian answered.
The rcenaries glanced at him skeptically, but then they looked at Audrey, and said nothing. It seed they trusted her decision. If he couldn’t prove his abilities, they could always turn back, but Ian was confident that wouldn’t happen.
Soon, the pre-ordered food arrived, and everyone began to eat.
As they ate, Lise, the priestess, spoke up while slicing her at.
“When are we setting off?”
“If no one has any other plans, let’s leave tomorrow. Ideally, I’d want to go right away, but I’m sure everyone needs so ti to prepare. I expect the journey will take about a week, though it’s hard to say for sure,” Audrey replied.
“What about the location? Is it a plain, a mountain range, or underground?” Lise asked.
“It’s in the mountains. The outer gate occasionally opens, so various monsters have taken root there. We try to clear them out periodically, but you know how it is. It’s going to be tough—both the sleeping arrangents and the food will be less than ideal. So, enjoy your al today, no matter how much it costs. I’ll cover it!” Audrey said cheerfully.
“Can we order so alcohol?” Lise asked with hopeful eyes.
Audrey responded with a bright smile. “Of course! But if you wake up tomorrow with a hangover and can’t travel, you’ll be paying a penalty fee!”
“…Oh.”
“…Hmph.”
Maybe it was because there was no alcohol, or perhaps because of the noble presence at the table, but the al continued in a quieter atmosphere than expected. After finalizing the eting ti and place for tomorrow, the group dispersed.
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