"It's been a long time since I've felt something interesting. Kid, how many years have you had the name, Jade?"
"The name Jade... It's been 11 years."
That meant she had been in the Tower of Wallin for over 10 years.
The wizards of the tower had an additional surname.
In the case of Silence, it was Roton, for Wallin it was Jade, and for Black Sky, it was Darkrider.
They would insert that surname after their full name to both announce their affiliation and strengthen the bond within the tower.
"I have lived for 100 years and 3 months as Freesia Vulcan Darkrider. During those 100 years, I have lived as I pleased as a Tower Master, but I have never experienced any fun."
Everything was boring.
She had attained everything to the point where there was no reason to become an adult.
"But for the first time, I found something I want."
"Why are you telling me that?"
Freesia turned her head and looked up at Dolores.
"Can I take him?"
"Uh, I have nothing to do with that man..."
"It doesn't matter. I know. I just wanted to tell you to give up any lingering feelings you might have."
"How could I have such feelings?"
An age-inappropriate sinister smile.
A face that could only come from a heart full of malice.
As they conversed, they somehow arrived at the first floor.
"Well, slow isn't always bad. It's been a long time since I've had such a calm conversation."
Freesia saw wizards holding magic books and dyes walking.
They must have been the wizards in charge of the tower's security magic.
"Ah, hello!?"
"We greet the Tower Master of Black Sky!"
They politely greeted her, and in response, Freesia glanced at the wizards.
"Hi, hiik!"
Just making eye contact was enough to make them flustered.
Freesia retracted her intimidating aura and smiled.
"If you ever make a magic formula like this again, I'll break down the front gate. Got it, kid?"
"Ah, understood!"
"Good work."
She waved her hand briefly and walked away.
Freesia stretched her hand into the air and swirled it around.
Her shadow deepened like a swamp, and from it, a broomstick and a wide-brimmed witch's hat emerged.
"I'm annoyed that I couldn't get what I wanted, but I had some fun. Keep an eye on the Tower Master of Silence."
"......I will."
As Dolores hesitated, Freesia hopped onto the broomstick and flew into the sky.
Freesia's figure turned into a black dot in an instant.
Dolores, who had left the tower, stood there blankly for a while.
It was as if she had a fever.
"Tower Master?"
At the secretary's words, Dolores jumped in surprise.
The driver of the sky carriage, which had its engine running, was looking at her.
"You need to depart."
"I know."
As Dolores boarded the sky carriage, it silently rose into the sky.
Usually, she would have opened her planner to check her next appointment, but she just stared blankly out the window.
'Reed...'
A name she usually wouldn't have cared about.
A name she avoided thinking about as it made her emotions fluctuate.
For some reason, she couldn't get his image out of her head today.
She should have hated him, should have disliked everything about him...
Why weren't those feelings coming first now?
Why?
Why?
- Even if it costs me my life, I won't hand over that child.
'Damn it, cursed, despicable man.'
That single sentence wouldn't leave her mind.
Normally, the man would have trembled and retreated, emitting his energy in fear, but now he stood proudly as an equal to Freesia.
Only she, the Tower Master of Wallin, looked pathetic.
It was a foolish appearance that should have made her angry.
So, was this anger directed at herself?
No.
It was half due to the emotions of seeing Reed again.
And the other half was an unknown emotion.
As the two emotions mixed, a bizarre anger made her heart race.
"Don't ruin your pretty nails that you just had done."
"What?"
The witch driving the sky carriage glanced up at the rearview mirror and grinned.
It was only then that Dolores realized she was biting her left fingernail with her red lips.
She hastily withdrew her hand.
"It's unusual. Tower Master, you're biting your fingers, which must mean you're troubled. Was it that difficult?"
"It wasn't difficult. I always resign myself when I have to meet such trash."
"So you mean something hit a sore spot?"
"Just focus on driving."
"Yes, I apologize."
Yes, she had been hit in a sore spot.
She had unconsciously recalled her childhood with that man, even if just for a brief moment.
A young girl and an old man with gray hair who gently held her hand.
She always looked at his back when they walked, but even that made the girl happy.
She utters the name she can never call again.
"Brother..."
She whispered it softly and returned to her adult self.
* * *
There are 13 towers on the Cloud Continent, and each tower has its strengths.
The Black Sky Tower, led by Freesia, specializes in Necromancer magic.
The Beollin Tower, led by Dolores, focuses on ice magic.
Magical research and project operations vary across all fields, but the primary direction of development usually depends on the Tower Masters' magical expertise.
Thus, entering a specific tower as a student meant learning that particular field of magic.
That was also the reason why people mocked the Tower of Silence as the weakest.
Having no notable strengths, the Tower of Silence was inevitably weaker compared to the other towers.
With no particular advantage, it was a mediocre existence, and its prospects for magical development were continuously declining.
That's why Reed, the Tower Master, decided to push a concept he couldn't achieve otherwise.
Magical engineering.
A field of study that applied magic as electricity to operate machinery.
Magicians fundamentally disliked magical engineering.
The reason could be summarized in one sentence:
- Studying magical engineering is like giving up being a magician and becoming a merchant.
Magicians believed that expanding the popularity of magic, which only the privileged class could possess, would degrade its quality.
And the magicians in the Tower of Silence were also among those who held such notions.
"The Tower Master is focusing on researching magical engineering?"
"He's only researching it himself for now, and we're told to continue with our research as it is."
"Idiot, it's a reform. Once the project is over, we'll have to gradually shift our research in that direction."
Opinions were divided, but the opposing views were stronger.
However, to Tower Master Reed, it was the most optimal choice.
What Reed was looking at was the research status and personnel allocation data organized by Phoebe.
Phoebe smiled uncomfortably and said,
"It's a mess, isn't it?"
"It is."
One didn't need to look at the data of other towers to know.
Everyone was focused on research with potential results, leaving the trivial ones empty-handed.
"Rearrange everything. Make it mandatory for all students and apprentice magicians to study magical engineering, and evenly distribute personnel among the projects I've currently presented for those of general rank or higher."
"It will cause quite a stir."
Action and reaction.
Bold initiatives often meet with resistance.
In response to her words, Reed said,
"Tell them to come see me if they have any complaints."
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