It was an ice art that required a total of five spells.
Recently, the technology of magic scrolls had been remarkable, but most of
them had developed in practical aspects. In other words, there were still a
few scrolls that mixed art, like the seven-colored ice.
In other words, the success and form of magic that required a touch of
inspiration depended solely on the caster. It could be considered an art,
using mana as paint.
Jaekiel spat out the Sun Grass, then turned his palm to face the sky, and the
boy unconsciously focused.
…What kind of magic would unfold?
A chill began to swirl above his palm.
It was incomparable to the lump the boy had tried to form with all his
might. The shape was more refined, and it was several times larger.
…
The boy unconsciously held his breath.
The ice rainbow. As he became certain he would see something he had
never seen in his life, his heart began to race.
But the man's eyes were somewhat nostalgic.
As if the realm someone could struggle a lifetime to reach was extremely
easy for him.
As if a spectacle that ordinary people might see once in a lifetime was too
familiar to him.
Just like reminiscing about a common scene from the past.
"…This brings back memories."
Jaekiel muttered just that.
Meanwhile, 30 minutes ago. The bustling area near the Imperial Tower.
Widro, the head of the Theoretical Faction of the Imperial Tower.
He stroked his white beard and spoke.
"There are only a few hours left until the inauguration ceremony. Was the
reservation made without any issues? You didn't forget to send the letter,
right?"
"Of course. We reserved Sunset's Breath, the most renowned place around
here. The Practical Faction guys must be feeling bitter by now."
"Well done."
Nodding in satisfaction, he led his group through the bustling area. The
reason was to strategize for today's inauguration ceremony.
As they moved toward Sunset's Breath.
Shatter!
Everyone frowned at the sudden noise.
Just as musicians had highly sensitive hearing, magicians were extremely
sensitive to the sounds produced by magic.
And the sound just now was extremely unpleasant.
The sound when magic manifestation failed miserably. It was like the
bizarre noise of smashing an instrument randomly.
Shatter!
Shatter!
The series of failures and noises continued.
Even if he turned his head towards the source of the sound, the caster's
figure was obscured by the crowd. Widro had to suppress his urge to knock
everything over.
"It looks like someone is begging with magic."
"Is this how the bustling area usually is? It has changed a lot since I last
saw it."
"Yes. This kind of thing is quite common."
In fact, Widro wasn't well acquainted with the affairs of the bustling area.
He was a highly authoritative magician who disliked spending time in
bustling areas because he considered it too common.
"They want to practice magic but lack the talent to support it, and they
don't have the money for magic but don't want to do physical labor…
Those kinds of people often beg with magic."
"Hmph. Young people these days take magic too lightly."
Widro scoffed.
Magic was not a field that could be handled lightly by lowly individuals.
Not only were the spell's difficulty levels high, but each manifestation
carried the dignity of nobility. Additionally, an enormous amount of money
was required for other magical activities.
"There's no need to worry too much. They will naturally disappear if they
fail at begging."
"The person making the noise is the most curious. How can he keep trying?
Doesn't he feel any shame for creating such a thing with his own hands?
Isn't he embarrassed?"
People seemed to share the same sentiment as they began to leave the
streets one by one. It must have been more dreadful up close.
Finally, the caster was identified as a beggar boy, and the area around him
emptied out as if a barrier had formed.
Except for one person.
A man with well-groomed white hair falling to his shoulders and a tall
figure remained by the boy's side until the end.
Widro gestured towards the man.
"Why doesn't that guy leave?"
"He must be a stranger. It's understandable he's curious."
"Is he watching that because he's curious? He's got a strong stomach."
Widro didn't want to pay attention to the near-trash manifestation, so their
conversation topic naturally changed.
"Let's talk about the new auditor."
He took out something rectangular from his pocket. It was a letter envelope.
"He already sent a reply? Quite a bold fellow."
"Wouldn't it be good to check the contents? Who knows, maybe he wrote
that he's looking forward to working under you, Widro."
"I've already read it. The reply is even bolder."
Widro chuckled mockingly.
"He only wrote down a location. Is he summoning me or what? Does this
commoner not see anyone?"
"It is indeed strange. A commoner with no experience dares to show such
guts against you, Widro?"
Although the auditor was higher in rank, Widro's understanding of the
internal situation and practical experience were overwhelmingly higher.
In other words, even if he came to the tower with just the auditor's title, he
wouldn't be able to do anything. He'd only hear complaints that he didn't
know the local situation if he tried to push various tasks.
If he understood the flow, he wouldn't have shown such boldness.
"When you know nothing, you become braver. With an auditor like this, the
world is truly in decline."
Widro clicked his tongue.
"Anyway, he'll surely choose our side, right?"
"There's no way he'll side with the Practical Faction. If he knows even a
little about your position, Widro, he won't do that."
Only then did Widro's lips curl in satisfaction.
"I think so too. I should start thinking about what to do if he sides with us.
There are so many things I've been planning."
What Widro had been lacking while working at the Imperial Tower was a
higher position and stronger power.
If he gained even that, he could get rid of all the obstacles. Just the thought
of it was exciting.
"Will you deal with the Practical Faction guys first?"
"Of course. It's strange to let parasites who cling to scrolls into the tower
and call them magicians."
But there was someone nearby who expressed concern.
"But, Widro, I have a bit of a concern."
"What is it?"
"Isn't this year's schedule for the Imperial Tower too tight? We have to
present our achievements from the past decade, and there's competition
between the towers…"
The achievements of the six towers were presented every ten years.
In fact, thanks to that, it wasn't noticeable, but the Imperial Tower hadn't
done much in the past decade. It was no exaggeration to say it was just a
shiny shell.
…In fact, it was a very big deal.
For the Imperial Tower to maintain its current position, it had to accomplish
something that would surpass the achievements other towers had steadily
built up over the past decade.
Widro stared at him sternly.
"So, what are you trying to say? To use scrolls for immediate results and to
win the competition?"
"No. That's definitely not what I mean."
"Then?"
"This year's schedule is so big that I'm worried the Imperial Tower might
not survive…"
"How foolish of you!"
Widro scolded him before he could finish.
"Why should I worry about such a problem?"
"What? What?"
"If there are problems at the Imperial Tower, that's the auditor's
responsibility. I just need to get rid of those eyesore Practical Faction guys
from the tower!"
"If the entire Imperial Tower collapses like this…"
"That will never happen. The Imperial Tower's tradition is too old to
disappear. Only the auditor will change, and that's it."
Another quick-witted person quickly joined the conversation.
"That's right. Get rid of the Practical Faction guys, and the auditor can take
responsibility for the results… Maybe after that, you can be the auditor
yourself, Widro."
"Auditor… Me? Hahaha…"
A sly desire filled Widro's face.
As they walked, the Theoretical Faction stopped.
They had encountered unwelcome faces. The other side also stopped
abruptly.
It was the Practical Faction led by Nox and his group.
"Move aside."
Despite Widro's words, both factions glared at each other with hostile eyes,
and neither side moved first.
"I said move. Are you in a hurry because you reserved a restaurant with
such high status? Is that why you're trying to interfere like this?"
"What nonsense."
Nox slightly pushed up the middle of his glasses with his ring and middle
fingers. His eyes behind the lenses were expressionless.
"Magicians competing based on the restaurant's reputation is such a
childish and pathetic idea, don't you think? We don't do that. We compete
with skill."
"What?"
"I understand your feelings. You must be in a hurry. You've spent years on
each magic technique, but seeing young people manifest with just one scroll
activation must make you so frustrated."
Widro's expression also became more hostile. The atmosphere between the
Practical and Theoretical Factions was increasingly tense.
Widro slowly stroked his beard.
"Do I really have a reason to feel that way?"
"Why tell such obvious lies? An old man desperately struggling without
realizing he's already been pushed out."
"One recently died too, right? From the Practical Faction."
…?
Nox's eyebrows twitched.
"Accidental death. That's how it was announced."
…
"Ridiculous, isn't it? The magician didn't die because his magic was
countered or because he was trapped in a place where he couldn't handle
mana. He just died because he didn't have a piece of scroll paper."
Widro clicked his tongue with a look of contempt. It was as if he heard
news of a bug being accidentally crushed under someone's foot.
Blatant contempt, undisguised disregard.
…
Nox quietly fiddled with a scroll in his pocket. At the same time, Widro
began to gradually gather mana.
Just as the argument was about to turn into a fight, someone shouted.
"Hey, hey! Look at that!"
It was an understandable shout.
The key figures of the Imperial Tower were openly confronting each other
in the street, a scene that was bound to draw attention. Widro and Nox
continued to glare at each other, as if they wanted to kill each other.
Nox pushed up his glasses and spoke.
"Do you want a taste of that piece of paper?"
"Were you planning to die in an accident today too? I didn't know."
At that moment, someone else shouted.
"That…! What is that?!"
"Uh, uh, uh, uh!"
The people's reactions, somewhat out of sync with their own actions, made
Nox and Widro turn their heads simultaneously.
And then they understood.
The people around them were not interested in them.
"Hmm?"
"Umm…?"
Nox and Widro both murmured in confusion.
Far away in the sky, a sphere of ice surrounded by a cloud of cold was
spinning. It was enormous, scattering immense energy everywhere as if it
were the source of mana.
At the same time, people started shouting continuously.
"Isn't that dangerous?"
"I-I don't know! I've never seen anything like that before!"
Like an egg shaking right before a bird breaks out of it, the sphere in the
sky vibrated with a cracking sound. It was an ominous phenomenon to
anyone who saw it.
"It's going to explode! It's really going to explode!"
"Everyone, run away!"
If that enormous cold exploded…
No one could guarantee what would happen to the surrounding area.
Crack! Crack!
The ominous sound of impending disaster.
People scattered in all directions in a panic.
But…
One person shouted amidst the chaos. It was the guy next to Nox.
"Uh, uh, that man…!"
He pointed with wide eyes at the man responsible for the commotion.
"No doubt about it! It's definitely that man!"
The gaze of the surrounding people quickly turned to him.
Knowing the person who caused such a huge commotion, they couldn't
help but turn their heads out of curiosity.
Immediately, the next words were even more shocking.
"The auditor! The one who is being inaugurated this time!"
This time, the eyes of both factions turned to the auditor.
The auditor's expression was strange.
It was the expression of a mischievous rascal.