426. The Seeker (5)
When Kalande, the sub-master of the Purple Magic Tower’s Sub-Tower, ran back out, even forgetting the message he was originally supposed to convey to Alon.
“Boss, is it really okay for us not to go with you?”
“Sir, are you alright?”
“I’m fine.”
Alon nodded at the concerns of Ryanga and Historia.
In fact, considering that there was no telling what would happen at the Central Tower, it would have been best to take as much combat power as possible.
But there was a problem: if he took these two with him, Divine Land would be left practically unprotected.
“While I am gone, take care of Divine Land.”
“Understood, boss!”
“Uh-huh.”
After assigning them that task, he looked at Silly.
“Have a safe trip! While you are away, I will make sure to show results!”
She promised, full of confidence.
Likewise, behind her, Seamus looked at him with a strangely moved expression and nodded.
Alon also responded with a nod.
“Then, let’s depart.”
The carriage started moving.
Alon tore the letter just as Penia had taught him earlier.
The letter tore with a riiiip.
The paper, destroyed without much resistance, emitted a purple energy shortly after.
Then it began to glow faintly and floated gently toward the front of the carriage.
It was as if it were saying, follow me, fluttering like a firefly.
“That… feels different from magic and divine power.”
Evan and Penia sighed in admiration for different reasons.
But then, Penia let out a heavy sigh.
“Are you tired?” Alon asked.
“Mm… yes, a little.”
“Because of the magic?”
“Yes.”
Penia squeezed her eyes shut with a groan.
“I hadn’t noticed it because Alon uses it so easily… but using this is much harder than it looks.”
“......Really?”
“More or less. It’s just that you have to imagine and calculate at the same time. Let’s see, to explain it simply: in normal magic, it’s enough to do the calculations correctly; but with this, you have to imagine it too.”
“It seems complicated.”
“Yes. Mages of a low Circle wouldn’t even be able to use it.”
She muttered that at a minimum, a Circle 4 or 5 would be needed to handle it decently.
Alon looked at her for a moment and then asked:
“...That high?”
“Yes, quite. But if I keep practicing and get used to it, I think I’ll be able to use it well.”
After thinking for a moment, Alon added:
“…Then, if I grant my power to the mages, could they also become useful forces?”
“Mm… probably yes.”
“A mage stronger than me might even appear.”
It was a reasonable possibility.
“Ah, no, that won’t happen.”
Penia denied it immediately.
“No?”
“No.”
“Why?”
Penia chose her words carefully and replied:
“If Alon shares his power, most mages will become stronger. The magic of a True Mage is difficult to learn, so its ceiling is very high.”
They might even manifest magic that was impossible to perform until now.
Penia explained:
“But even so, no mage will be able to surpass Alon. We cannot use the ‘Phrases’.”
“Ah.”
Alon let out a sound of understanding.
It was true.
Until now, he had been able to use such powerful magic because he could use it without requiring a precise image. He realized it once again.
“True.”
“But just being able to use the Phrases is already a great help.”
Alon was once again facing the magnitude of his abilities.
While the group advanced toward the tower guided by the purple light resembling a mirage…
The Purple Tower. Norton, the Master of the Tower, looked with disbelief at the man—no, at the sub-master she had entrusted with a mission—Kalande.
Silence between the two.
She didn’t know how much time had passed.
“Haah…”
Norton sighed deeply.
She pressed her temples, her head already aching.
“......So, you saw him, but you returned halfway because you suddenly remembered you had something else to tell him?”
“Yes.”
“And that was so important that, even though you saw him in the distance, you didn’t even convey the original message to him?”
Kalande flinched a little, but nodded with resolve.
“…Am I supposed to believe that?”
“But it is the truth.”
Kalande’s expression showed no lie whatsoever.
Norton knew him well.
He was arrogant when not in front of her and had enormous pride.
In other words: a rather unpleasant guy.
But even though he had that crappy personality, he didn’t usually lie.
“Very well, tell me then what was so urgent.”
Kalande opened his mouth:
“…Penia Crycine. You know her, right?”
“Few mages don’t know that eccentric. Why?”
“…She…”
Kalande swallowed hard.
“She used the magic of Marquis Palatio.”
“What…?”
Norton asked without thinking.
Although her voice didn’t change, her eyes trembled slightly.
After the silence:
“She used Palatio’s magic?”
“Yes, I saw it clearly.”
“Did you not see it wrong?”
“I thought that too at first. The magic he uses cannot be replicated even by those who study primeval magic. Even we couldn’t imitate it. But…”
Kalande fell silent for a moment and affirmed:
“—The magic she used was definitely Palatio’s magic. That magic completely deviated from natural laws.”
Norton was left speechless.
There was no lie in Kalande’s eyes.
Maybe he saw it wrong?
She questioned herself once more, but shook her head.
Kalande…
He was inferior to her in ability, yes, but he was still the sub-master of the Purple Tower.
And would a sub-master be confused upon seeing magic?
Virtually impossible.
Especially if he reported it with such conviction.
“…Yes, I understand why you ran like a madman.”
Norton finally accepted his exaggeration.
The meaning of someone else using the magic that only Palatio could use…
It meant that there was a method for others to use it as well.
‘Palatio’s magic…’
Norton swallowed hard.
The magic of Palatio.
A magic so desirable that no mage would be able to ignore it.
If she could learn it—
Perhaps she could protect the tower from the lineage of the bearers of Divine Bloods.
While she was lost in thought—
“There is still something I didn’t tell you.”
“…What is it?”
“I also heard the way to be able to use the magic of Marquis Palatio—”
“What!?”
She stood up, startled.
“Is that true!?”
“Yes.”
“And what is that method!?”
Norton almost grabbed him by the neck out of desperation.
Kalande, with all seriousness, conveyed word for word what he had heard from Alon a few days ago.
After listening to it all in silence, Norton muttered:
“…If you receive his blessing, you can use the magic?”
“Yes, that is what he said. Penia Crycine directly received his blessing and was able to use the magic. He said it clearly.”
“…With just receiving a blessing… you can use that magic…?”
She repeated the words, stunned.
“Kalande.”
“Yes.”
“I think we must create a much closer relationship with him.”
“I think the same.”
“......As for the territory we are preparing, we will make everything of the highest quality, much more than the Brown Tower. And without them finding out.”
“Yes.”
“And I have to prepare things personally.”
She burned with determination as if she had received the greatest mission of her life.
At that moment—
“If you receive the blessing, you can use it…?”
Manlam, the Master of the Brown Tower, who had come to meet with the Purple Tower, was…
Standing at the door, muttering the same phrase as if he were in shock.
A week later.
As Alon continued his path toward the Central Tower—
He met someone unexpected.
“......Yuman?”
“Greetings, brother. No, perhaps I should call you Your Majesty now.”
It was the Saint, Yuman.
He greeted him as if he were glad to see him.
“That’s not necessary.”
“I knew it.”
Yuman smiled. Alon asked:
“But what are you doing here?”
“I am going for the same matter as you, brother.”
“Then—”
“Yes.”
Yuman’s gaze turned to the side. Alon followed the direction and saw the purple light shining stronger than before.
“We also received the letter.”
“I see.”
“Do you wish to travel with us?”
At the proposal, Alon nodded.
“Fine.”
“Then wait a moment. We will prepare everything right away.”
Behind Yuman, the paladins were breaking camp.
“By the way, did Yutia not come with you?”
“No, Cardinal Yutia is also here, but… Mm? She was here a moment ago…”
“Where to…?” he muttered while looking around.
But she was nowhere to be found.
“Mm… she was here just an instant ago. She must have gone somewhere.”
“Where……”
“She sometimes disappears for a while.”
As Alon tilted his head—
“Here I am.”
Yutia’s voice came from behind the carriage.
Alon turned to greet her naturally.
“Excuse me, something came up that I had to resolve and I got delayed a little, Master.”
She walked over with her typical calm smile.
But Alon could not reply immediately.
And it was because—
“…? Master?”
Yutia’s hairstyle had changed.
And it wasn’t just any hairstyle: she was wearing twin tails.
…Considering her age, it wasn’t a style that fit her very well.
And then—
“…!”
Penia, seeing her as she got off the carriage, gasped for air.
In an instant, all gazes were fixed on Yutia.
…And complete silence fell.
A strangely heavy silence.
