Chapter 129 – The Mage’s Apprentice

The Imperial Magic Tower stood tall in the eastern part of the capital, alongside the Imperial Palace, Great Temple, and Imperial Academy, as landmarks known throughout the continent.

After delivering belongings to two other bereaved families, I headed to the renowned tower to give the final items to the mage there.

When I gave the mage’s name to the receptionist on the first floor, I was able to meet her immediately.

A female mage with disheveled hair and worn robes came running down the stairs.

Other mages and the receptionist on the first floor frowned at her appearance, but she paid them no mind.

“Are you the people sent by Master?” she asked.

Seeing her bright face as she ran over, I could only sigh softly.

Unfortunately, it seemed she hadn’t heard the news yet.

Though I had promised myself, delivering bad news to those left behind was still difficult.

I calmly told the mage about the battle mage’s final moments.

About crossing to another world with him as scouts, and how he lost his life stepping on a landmine during reconnaissance.

At my words, the mage’s expression froze briefly before she unleashed a storm of questions.

She kept asking questions about landmines and the other world.

While roughly answering her questions, I reached for the pouch at my waist.

She fell silent when she saw me reaching into the space-expansion pouch.

“These are the items the mage asked me to deliver.”

She stared not at the items I had taken out, but at the pouch on my waist.

Come to think of it, this pouch was given to me by the deceased mage.

But she just stared at the pouch without saying anything.

She showed no interest in the items the old mage had asked to be delivered.

“My goodness, is that a magic stone? I’ve never seen one so large!”

“That magic staff doesn’t look ordinary either.”

Rather, the other mages on the first floor lit up seeing the items I took out.

The female mage briefly looked at the items I handed over, then tucked the staff into her belt and placed the magic stone in her chest.

“The deceased mage said those two items would ensure no difficulties growing in the tower.”

Looking at the mages’ gleaming eyes, those words seemed accurate.

The mage ran her fingers along the staff at her waist before asking me:

“Did he say anything else?”

“Those were his last words.”

At my words, the female mage shook her head.

Then she said to me:

“Could you wait a moment? I’ll be right back.”

With those words, she ran back up the stairs.

Unlike the old mage, his apprentice was something of a whirlwind.

As I stood there awkwardly, she came running back down the stairs.

She now carried a backpack on her shoulder, and her attire had changed as well.

Instead of tower mage robes, she wore plain traveler’s robes without decoration.

Coming down the stairs, she walked to a middle-aged mage sitting inside the first floor and placed an envelope before him.

“This is my resignation letter. I’ve always carried it, but only now get to use it.”

The middle-aged mage looked at the paper placed before him, then back at her.

Sighing softly, the mage spoke:

“Are you serious? With the items you just received, you could buy enough time until your name is engraved in the tower.”

“Yes, I’m serious. You know that time might be infinite.”

“Tsk tsk, nothing to be done then.”

Clicking his tongue quietly, the mage placed his hand on Elena’s resignation letter.

“Though just a formality, I’ll ask. Does Mage Elena intend to leave the Central Tower?”

As the mage spoke, his hand and the paper beneath began to glow.

“Yes. I will leave the tower.”

At Elena’s answer, the paper glowed brighter.

“Elena will no longer be able to call herself a tower mage anywhere.”

“I understand.”

“You won’t receive the tower’s help, and the tower won’t recognize you as a mage.”

“Yes. That’s fine.”

The paper grew blindingly bright as the questions continued.

With the bright envelope before him, the middle-aged mage said:

“You haven’t brought any tower items. Good. I, Victor, as a tower mage and elder of the faction, acknowledge Elena’s resignation.”

With those words, the glowing paper dimmed again.

When the mage removed his hand, a large magic circle was engraved on the paper.

“Thank you for everything.”

“Though late to say this, I’m sorry. Being apart, I couldn’t help at all.”

“Even just those words mean a lot. There were few like Mage Victor in this tower.”

At Elena’s words, the mage clicked his tongue and tucked the paper away.

“Go quickly. With those items and without the tower’s protection, many will target you.”

Elena bowed to the middle-aged mage and then ran to us.

She said to me:

“As things turned out, I need an escort right away.”

Caught off guard, I was at a loss for words.

It was supposed to be a simple task of delivering belongings to the bereaved.

Though unpleasant, everything had gone as expected until now.

But at the tower, things took an unexpected turn.

I glared at the mage shouldering her backpack and spoke:

“Though I have many questions, let’s leave this place first.”

The moment Elena made her resignation oath, the mages on the first floor began moving busily.

Even the receptionist who had guided us left their post, and employees were running around.

If not for the space-expansion pouch received from the old mage, I would have just left.

But having received something, I couldn’t ignore this.

This is precisely why one shouldn’t carelessly accept gifts from mages.

We left the tower with the mage.

Though everyone in the tower watched us, no one tried to stop her from leaving.

After passing through the tower’s grand entrance and walking down the street, I asked the mage:

“So, how far do you need an escort?”

“To the other world.”

I stared at her silently at those outrageous words.

The mage quickly continued:

“I want to go to that other world where Master went. To get there, I just need to join the expeditionary force, right? Though I just left, I was a tower mage until moments ago, so I’m more useful than most battle mages.”

“His last words to me were clearly to succeed in the mage tower.”

At my words, Elena’s expression turned gloomy.

“That was because Master didn’t know this tower and me well. I can’t become an orthodox mage.”

Listening to her words, I frowned and drew my sword.

Though we had been walking on the main street, somehow we were now in an alley.

And it was a deserted back alley with no people.

“It’s a type of mind magic that confuses senses to make you take a different path. Someone’s done something crazy, setting a magic trap in the middle of the capital.”

Elena’s words explained what had happened.

This was ridiculous.

Though I had sensed something unusual about the mana while walking, I never expected to fall for such magic.

It wasn’t magic suggesting suicide, spewing flames, or throwing people into the sea.

With no direct threat, even my senses hadn’t caught it.

Having only faced monsters, undead, and battle mages until now, I had no experience with this kind of magic.

‘Come to think of it, is this my first time facing an orthodox mage?’

Perhaps I had underestimated orthodox mages, only seeing them gather to cast large spells and handle gates rather than fight directly.

No, as Elena said, I never thought someone would use magic in the imperial capital center.

The old mage’s gifts must have been extraordinary enough to warrant this.

Standing at the dead end of the alley, people gathered from the opposite direction.

They were thugs and mercenaries in leather armor carrying swords and various weapons.

The approaching people stopped when they saw us.

One mercenary shouted behind him:

“Damn, this is different! It’s not just a mage. Isn’t that a knight? Are you trying to get us all killed?”

Behind the people where he shouted, there were three people in black robes.

One spoke from within their robe:

“Just bind their feet. We’ll handle the rest.”

Hearing this, the mercenaries grumbled:

“Damn, we’re just meat shields.”

“Can’t be helped. It’s orders from the noble mages. Block the way!”

The mercenaries and thugs blocked the alley.

With the armed men blocking the way, the alley seemed packed with people.

Behind them, the robed mages began chanting spells.

I sighed looking at the sword in my hand.

Though those blocking the way weren’t a problem, the ones behind were mages.

Probably mages who had followed us from the tower.

The borrowed sword would surely break again.

As I sighed, Elena’s voice came:

“I never thought those aiming to engrave their names in the tower as orthodox mages would do this.”

Elena seemed to know who the robed figures were.

At Elena’s words, one of them spoke:

“Unlike you, with that staff and magic stone, we could immediately engrave our names in the tower, so it’s worth the risk. Conveniently, you’ve left the tower too, so there won’t be consequences.”

“Is that so.”

Elena nodded and slowly walked forward while saying to me:

“When learning magic following Master, my magic skills were quite impressive. I quickly surpassed Master, and even Master thought I was a genius.”

As she spoke, she spread her hands.

‘Grease.’

A magic spell echoing in the mind.

“Aagh! What is this!”

Those blocking the way rolled on the ground.

“But entering the tower, I realized I wasn’t a genius. I didn’t learn faster than others, my mana didn’t grow quickly. My mind wasn’t that good either.”

Flash!

This time light burst from before her.

*flash*

“Aagh, my eyes!”

“I can’t see!”

Though it just seemed like bright light to us, it must have been much worse for them.

The mercenaries rolling on the ground screamed while rubbing their eyes, and even the chanting mages covered their eyes.

“Feeling sorry for Master, I tried various methods, but nothing changed.

Finally I realized recently. That I could never become a proper orthodox mage.

So I planned to tell Master when he returned and leave the tower, but you came instead of Master.”

Magically created awls kept appearing in her hands.

*papapak*

The awls shot forth like bullets from a machine gun, striking the mercenaries rolling on the ground.

“I wasn’t a genius at orthodox magic. But at combat magic using the body, I’m better than anyone.”

The battle mage’s apprentice turned to look at me, leaving dozens of mercenaries sprawled behind her.