"Brother, brother. I'm here."
As a restaurant prepared to close for the day, a woman of seemingly twenty-something years arrived on the scene. Her exquisite beauty was truly captivating, akin to a sculpted masterpiece, although such a description might sound cliché.
Every feature she possessed was flawless—her eyes, nose, mouth, and ears held no imperfections. Her eyes shone like precious gems, while her skin, smooth and unblemished, resembled the purity of porcelain. It was as though the most enchanting aspects of womanhood had been artfully assembled to form her very being.
"What brings you here?”
As the woman arrived, the restaurant employees promptly summoned the proprietor, who happened to be her brother. In contrast to his sister's striking beauty, the brother possessed a handsome appearance, characterized by broad shoulders and a robust physique, befitting of a Galos man.
However, it should be noted that he was not overweight. On the contrary, his well-defined abdomen resembled a chiseled cutting board, and his tightly toned arms showcased the evidence of his diligent self-care and physical fitness.
"I was curious about how your business is doing… How's it been lately?"
"Same as usual."
"That means it's going well. After all, your food is delicious and good for health."
Indeed, it was undeniable. The food prepared by the woman's brother possessed not only exquisite flavor but also surprising health benefits. The sick found their health restored after just a few meals, the elderly regained their vitality, and even those who had lost the bloom of youth experienced a rejuvenating effect.
Due to these remarkable results, despite the exorbitant prices and stringent conditions, the Galos nobility, nouveau riche, and even the royal family eagerly queued up, ready to exchange their wealth for the revitalizing dishes.
"How about you? How's college life?"
"Well, it's fun. There's a lot to learn in my own way, and it's fun hanging out with the kids…..I feel like I've become ten years younger."
"Ten years wouldn't be enough."
At her brother's mischievous remark, the sister slapped his arm.
"It hurts."
"I hit you because I wanted it to hurt."
Sensing that his sister had something important to discuss, the brother subtly flicked his finger, a signal for the employees engaged in store cleanup to momentarily withdraw. Without hesitation, the diligent workers promptly obeyed his instructions, their demeanor reflecting a sense of solemn servitude, as if they were devoted slaves attending to their master's command.
With their withdrawal, a serene calm settled over the store. Seizing the opportunity, the sister gracefully took a seat at an unoccupied table and began to speak.
"I always feel this, but your disciples are very disciplined.”
"That's how the restaurant operates properly. It's also our strength….. Did the ham I sent you have any problems?”
"Ham? Oh….. No, it's fine. It tastes better than I thought, and it's high in nutrition. Look."
The sister raised her hand, channeling and compressing an incredibly dense concentration of mana within it. The mana was remarkably pure, its power difficult to assess. In fact, it was one of the most exceptional displays he had witnessed throughout his hundreds of years of existence.
"That's impressive.”
"Isn't it? However, because the nutrition is so high, it takes some time to digest, so I have to eat it in portions. I've probably eaten about a third now? …Well, I'm getting used to it, so I think I can eat it faster.”
"I'm glad to hear that. So, what did you come here to talk about?”
"Do you think I only come when I have something to discuss?”
"Weren't you?”
Slap-!
The sister slapped her brother's arm again.
"It hurts.”
"Ouch, I hit you because it's supposed to hurt… Well, you're not wrong. I came here to discuss something."
"So, why did you hit me… What do you want to discuss?"
"Um… Do you remember Bathory?"
"…I remember."
Her brother paused for a moment but soon controlled his emotions and responded, so his sister couldn't read his emotions.
"Of course, I remember, they are one of the hostile forces against us, even though they've been quiet recently. But why?"
"Hmm… I have an informant in their camp."
"In the Bathory family?"
"Yes. No matter how elite a group is, there's always at least one coward, right?"
"….So?"
"It seems like there's a problem in the Bathory family."
She casually remarked, seemingly unconcerned, while meticulously examining her nails. However, the gravity of the situation was far from insignificant.
Despite the fact that the Bathory family was under their watchful eye, they were still a force that stood against them and was counted among the influential families among the chosen nations.
While they may not have matched the influence of the Eternal Life Puppet, the Eternal Youth Fan, and the Pied Piper, including their own Human-meat Chef faction, the Bathory family remained a formidable force, not falling far behind the others except for these four prominent figures.
A critical issue had arisen within the Bathory family, surpassing the realms of ordinary concerns. Particularly at this juncture, when the prophecy might have begun.
"Do you have any proof?"
"There's no visual evidence, but there are circumstantial ones. Bathory supposedly took her slaves to England for personal business, and suddenly lost contact from there."
"Isn't it just a communication issue since they are across the sea?"
"Brother."
She blinked her eyes.
"Why are you like this? You know how they communicate, right? Would there be a problem whether it's across the sea or on the other side of the earth? Or… do you still have some lingering feelings for her?"
Her emotions surged with great intensity, causing the mana that had been accumulating within her body for hundreds of years to erupt. The mana, which inherently responded to her emotional state, swiftly took control of the surrounding space, reducing tables, desks, and ornaments to mere wreckage.
Such was the strength of her mana that, if she desired, it had the power to crumple the very fabric of space as easily as one would crumple a tin can.
"No. Not at all. I was just asking to confirm. It's an unusual incident."
The brother humbly knelt down, positioning himself at eye level with his sister, and began to speak. His gaze, fixed upon her, held a clarity that defied any notions of him being a cannibal.
"Ah… is that so? I'm sorry then."
She smiled as if she hadn't been angry, and the mana that dominated the space was instantly released.
"…Anyway, the contact was suddenly cut off. They found it strange, so some of her slaves went to England to check directly, and there, they heard an interesting rumor spread…"
"An interesting rumor?"
"Yes. Bathory was supposedly beaten by some solver and an employee of Magic Tower."
"……."
"Isn't it interesting?"
She said with a smile.
⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩
"Are you back?"
Oliver, who had returned to Magic Tower through the portal from the Outpost branch, was greeted by Kevin.
"Professor?"
"You look as if you didn't expect to see me."
"Ah, I'm sorry… I just didn't expect you to come out to meet me."
"Do I look that unfriendly to you?"
"No, I just didn't expect you to be this friendly."
"……."
At Oliver's candid response, Kevin frowned and silently looked at Oliver.
"Well… It's not entirely wrong. I didn't intend to greet you in the first place."
His words were genuine, devoid of any ill intent.
As a professor at the Magic Tower, Kevin's responsibilities were numerous and befitting of his position. It was not uncommon for him to be unable to greet an employee who had been on a business trip on his behalf. Such practices were considered customary within the Magic Tower, where priorities and demands took precedence.
Given Kevin's meticulous nature and dedication to his work, the fact that he had made an appearance in this particular setting meant that he must have had a valid and significant reason for doing so.
"Is there something going on?"
"If I said no, it would be a lie. Come with me for now."
Kevin ordered, and Oliver immediately followed. After all, Kevin was Oliver's employer at Magic Tower.
"Hold on."
Just as Kevin was about to take Oliver out of the Central Tower, they ran into two men.
Judging from the ‘Rod of Asclepius' emblem engraved on their chests, they seemed to belong to the School of Life Magic, and judging from the mana inherent in their bodies, they seemed to be at least formal wizards.
"Oh… Professor Kevin."
One of the men tried to be courteous. He tried to hide it, but he revealed his discomfort towards Kevin.
However, this discomfort was not because Kevin was a Redman, but similar to the feeling of encountering an obstacle when doing important work.
"Do you need something from me?"
The two wizards from the Life School looked at each other and frankly opened their mouths.
"Yes, Professor. To be precise, we have something to discuss with your staff."
At the mention of having something to discuss with him, Oliver tilted his head, but Kevin did not. Instead, he seemed calm, as if he had expected it.
"What is it?"
"Um… If you permit, could we borrow your staff member for a moment?"
At the unexpected request, Kevin remained silent, and the two men from the Life School awkwardly opened their mouths.
"It's an order from above… We won't forget your favor if you help us."
"Okay."
"Really?"
"Yes, according to the rules of Magic Tower, you can borrow an employee as long as there are procedures and consent."
After all, the position of personal staff for a professor was highly varied and could entail a wide range of roles and responsibilities, each differing depending on the professor in question.
Some personal staff members were merely seen as wage earners or errand runners, while others were actively involved in research and served as invaluable assistants. The nature of their role could range from being a dedicated personal servant to the professor, or even encompassing a broader role as a public servant for the greater good.
Given the nature of this unique position, Oliver wasn't overly surprised by the unexpected request.
"However, I have something to do with him now, so send a cooperation request later according to the procedure. That's the order to ask for help from an employee of another school. Excuse me now."
As Kevin was about to move on again, the Life school wizard was surprised and blocked his way.
"…What?"
"I'm sorry, Professor. It's just that our master-"
"-You seem to have forgotten that the person in front of you now is also a master."
Kevin spoke in his unique stern tone, and like most people, they shut their mouths at the pressure.
"Moreover, I'm not even from the same school as you guys. But how dare you make such a request to me out of the blue? How should I take this rudeness?"
"…I'm, I'm sorry."
"I'll accept your apology. I know you're in a hurry. But in the future, distinguish between public and private affairs. And……"
"……."
"Don't dare to take my employee arbitrarily in the future. If you need help, formally request cooperation according to the school rules… What are you doing? I'm forgiving your mistakes and even giving you advice, you should answer."
"…Thank you."
"Good, clear the way now."
Upon Kevin's words, the two wizards from the Life School parted to the left and right, clearing the way, and Kevin confidently passed them. Oliver also followed, bidding farewell to the two wizards.
When they had passed the two wizards to some extent, Oliver asked Kevin.
"Did something happen at the Magic Tower?"
"Yes, there was."
"Um… What happened?"
"That's what we need to talk about now."
⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩
Having left the Central Tower, which manages the administration of the entire Magic Tower, coordinates relationships between each school, and manages diplomacy for the entire Magic Tower, Oliver moved to the Elemental School Tower with Kevin.
During the journey, Oliver could feel a sense of awkwardness.
It's the feeling of déjà vu when returning from a vacation and going back to work.
After seeing a student looking at him and bowing their head, Oliver asked Kevin while looking around.
"This interest will die down in a week, right?"
"Well… I think it might take longer than a week?"
"Really?"
"For now, let's go and talk."
As instructed, Oliver kept his mouth shut and followed Kevin to the professor's office in the farthest corner of the Elemental School Tower.
As soon as they entered, Kevin flicked his finger to spread soundproof magic throughout the room, and then opened his mouth.
"Alright, now tell me what happened. Both the fiction version for reporting to Magic Tower and the non-fiction version."
As if he saw through everything, Kevin moved on to the main topic.
Oliver asked, "Which one, fiction or non-fiction, should I tell you first?"
(To be Continued)
OR
$5/month6 chap ahead + 5 chap/week$15/month12 chap ahead + 5 chap/week$30/month19 chap ahead + 5 chap/week$45/monthAll advance chap + 6 chap/week
