After casting a sleep magic on the mage that would put them to sleep for ten days, I passed right by. First, I skimmed through the materials and reports the mage had been researching on the desk.
Chimera research related to monsters and other miscellaneous drug experiments. After quickly skimming through the contents, I confirmed even the name of the sleeping mage written in the report, then passed by the chimera mixed with monsters chirping inside the iron cage and flung open the dusty wardrobe. There was an armful of black, gloomy robes, so I borrowed one to wear and left the room.
Was the dining hall on the 20th floor? When I came to the Magic Tower with Ruvlian before, I had learned how to move between floors within the Magic Tower, so I could easily go to the place I wanted. As I entered the dining hall, I could see several mages holding paper and pen while eating or not eating.
I plopped down next to the one among those mages who seemed to have the darkest circles. Then I poked the insane mage who kept repeating only “Almost, almost done…!” without even giving me a glance.
“Huh, huff! Wh-what are you doing!”
Then the expected reaction flew at me. I tilted my head crookedly as if to say ‘what’s the big deal.’ At this, a sharp scream that seemed even angrier scratched my ears.
“Y-you poked me! Ugh! I-I was about to succeed and I forgot!”
The insane mage grabbed their own hair and let out a scream. Glancing at it, it was permanent memory storage magic. Since it was a magic circle already developed when I was the Hero, I could tell at a glance what was lacking.
“Here.”
“What?”
“Write the connecting word here and link it. You’ve already written all the formulas related to selecting which memory and permanent preservation. Don’t you just need to connect them?”
I snatched the pen and filled in the blank space to complete the magic circle. They did everything and made a fuss about forgetting it right at the end. The mage blinked their eyes wide, then immediately cast the magic. And shed tears.
“Finally…! Fi-finally I can remember Carol Edward Donald the Third…!”
In our country, it would be like a name equivalent to Cheolsu Younghee Miae the Third. Next to the mage making sobbing sounds, I resolved. Once I leave this world, let’s never come to the Magic Tower again.
The sobbing sounds that I thought would stop after some time passed didn’t stop. They might faint at this rate. Moreover, I had approached them to obtain information, and time wasn’t that abundant either.
Eventually, I decided to use a different method. Most mages overflow with desire for fame. When they research and create magic circles, they always want to put their name on it independently, so I brought up words that would steal half the credit like a thief.
“You know it’s thanks to me, right?”
“Wh-what? Th-that’s not true! It’s just that I forgot for a moment because you poked me!”
Immediately stopping the crying, the mage lifted their face that had been buried in their hands. Since there was no need to act like an innocent and pure mage here, I looked at the mage indifferently as I originally am.
The mage who had been staring at me finally asked.
“B-but you’re a face I haven’t seen before? Wh-who are you?”
“A face you haven’t seen, is that once or twice?”
“N-no. That’s not it. B-but I know all the mages who come and go to the dining hall?”
The suspicious gaze wouldn’t be withdrawn. Here, and at the ducal residence. I’m receiving all the suspicion I would have received over several months these days. Since it’s not like someone I trusted is stabbing me in the back, I don’t really mind though.
“The right room on the 39th floor, you know it?”
“Th-that crazy Charles who’s always blowing things up?”
“I’m working there as an assistant and apprentice.”
“…H-he takes on assistants?”
The suspicion deepened even more. It was understandable. Especially mages absorbed in their own research don’t take in disciples. When they’re busy with research, do they have time to take care of others?
Since these were questions I had anticipated, I snatched the mage’s water cup and took a sip while answering monotonously.
“Have you seen Charles come out of his room in years? Since I’ve lived being worked like a slave for years from the day he started new research, how would you know my face?”
The report contained not only progress but also detailed writing of what time to what time he researched. Even roughly skimming through the pile of reports, I couldn’t not know. That since he started chimera research, he hadn’t shown his face outside the room even once for years.
“In the first place, you know that unless a mage within the Magic Tower brings you, you can’t come because you don’t know the location. I don’t understand why you’re suspecting a face you’re seeing for the first time so pointedly.”
“Y-you really only lived inside a room? You didn’t hear that news?”
“News?”
What news are they talking about? At my question back, the suspicion that had formed in the mage’s eyes completely disappeared. It seemed they were mistaken that I didn’t know what was going on because I didn’t come out of the room.
“Th-the Magic Tower Master lost the Belitent firstborn he was supposed to kidnap and is in that ducal family’s underground prison, you know.”
Ah, that. Seeing that it’s already spread, there must have been accomplices. I was at the center of that incident, but I pretended not to know and asked again.
“The Magic Tower Master?”
“Yeah. H-he failed trying to kidnap last night. Originally he was going to bring them, put a curse on them, then the M-Magic Tower Master was going to raise them, but it became a huge mess. But that was because of a mage from the Magic Tower who was seen for the first time. So n-new faces are all being suspected because sparks might fly their way, you know? The Magic Tower Master position has also become vacant and the ducal family is in a mood to declare w-war on the Magic Tower, so e-everyone’s in a bad mood.”
Disguising as an apprentice was well done. And certainly, whether it’s war or giving the compensation the ducal family wants, friction with the Belitent family would be unavoidable. Since the circumstances that the Magic Tower Master tried to kidnap were clear, it was impossible for the Magic Tower to deny it.
“But what curse?”
When I asked probingly because the word curse bothered me, the mage excitedly spilled everything. Once the suspicion completely disappeared, their mouth opened easily.
“W-well, it’s a curse so that other people wouldn’t think of the Duke and Duchess when they see the Belitent firstborn. B-because they’re high-ranking nobles, he said he did it in case they got involved in troublesome matters.”
Strength entered my fist. So that’s why, even though they resembled each other so much, no one noticed that Ruvlian was of Belitent blood. Enduring my anger, I asked what I had originally wanted to extract while fiddling with the rim of the water cup.
“I see. Ah, but who’s the mage researching dimension travel or spatial magic?”
Perhaps because there was no particular reaction even though they had conveyed big news, or because of my plain tone, the mage squinted and stared at me. I could see the suspicion I had cut off trying to bloom again. They seemed uncertain.
“Have you ever seen a mage not cause trouble?”
Even the list Ruvlian mentioned, I don’t know how many there are. They said he constantly breaks into the Temple to use magic and deliberately sets off sirens. It probably won’t be much different now from then.
“I h-haven’t seen one…?”
“Exactly. Besides, I don’t have any particular feelings or interest in the Magic Tower Master. It’ll work out somehow. I’m just thinking of doing what I have to do. So do you know or not?”
When I looked at them pathetically as if to say ‘you don’t even know this?’, the indignant mage immediately opened their mouth.
“I-I know! That guy Beltin on the 48th floor and the Magic Tower Master researched it. B-but why are you suddenly looking for someone who researches that side? Crazy Charles has absolutely n-nothing to do with that side.”
“I’ve been worked under him for years so now I want to be independent. To do that, I need to make it big once. Even now, I’m on my way after putting Charles to sleep, who was working me without a single nap. He’ll be quiet for a while, right?”
Having answered indifferently, I got up from my seat since I had obtained all the information I wanted. There was no reason to stay here any longer. The mage who had been looking at me was nodding, agreeing that it could be so. It was possible because most mages are extreme egoists and crazy.
At least it seemed like the guys in the dining hall would know useful information and could communicate, so I came. Fortunately, my guess was right. Ignoring the shouting from behind that they created the magic circle and wouldn’t include my name, I moved to the 48th floor.
Right room and left room. Having forgotten to ask which room it was, I opened the left room door that had locking magic on it first. Then I immediately struck the nape of the mage who was the room’s owner without giving them a chance to counterattack, just like I had knocked out Charles. The door clicked shut, and I cast sleep magic so they would stay asleep for about a day.
On the desk, reports and documents were neatly organized. Next to it, a book had ‘Beltin’ written as the name. I guessed with a 50% probability and got it right. I saved myself trouble.
It seemed I just needed to read all the research reports and books here before dawn. Even then, if no clues came out, I’d have to rummage through the Magic Tower Master’s room and the imperial palace library.
I sat in the chair without a speck of dust and started reading from the reports. Around when I had read half the reports, checking the time showed that it was almost the time the maid came yesterday. Still, I had somewhat grasped how to draw the magic circle.
Having teleported to the guest room in the Belitent residence, I withdrew the magics I had cast. As if timing it perfectly, knock knock sounds could be heard. While wearing the face of an innocent and pure mage, I deliberately moved so my presence could be easily felt and opened the door.
“Did you sleep well, Mage-nim?”
“Yes, good morning. And you don’t have to attend to me today either.”
“Yes, I understand. His Grace and the Duchess are busy, so you’ll have to eat breakfast alone. Shall I bring it to your room?”
When I nodded at the knight’s question, she left the room with the wash basin and clothes like yesterday. After washing and even casting clean magic, I changed clothes. Made of soft material no different from what I wore yesterday, they were clothes comfortable for activity.
“Hey.”
As I came out from the bathroom to the room, the direct mage who came early in the morning and was leaning against the door caught my eye. I was reflected in those suspicious red eyes. Like they were dyed in blood.
“Why are you calling me?”
“Why do you keep— Uwaaaah!”
And the direct mage who had been putting on airs staggered when the knight who brought breakfast opened the door, barely maintaining balance. Their face turned red, perhaps from embarrassment. To see someone who isn’t even Ruvlian blushing from early morning. I didn’t feel good.
