Chapter 98

The End of the Long Winter (2)

Adlan was furious over Kraven’s abuses. He was huffing and puffing, his ragged breathing showing no sign of settling down.

“Isn’t a mage tower supposed to be a sanctuary of knowledge, where people study and research magic? And Langrid Mage Tower, of all places!”

Langrid Mage Tower had been established by Arcanis Rilsein, the first mage. Its founding purpose was to provide an environment where anyone could freely research and create magic.

But as the long years passed, Arcanis’s pure aspirations had been forgotten. Those who should have devoted themselves to the truths of the world monopolized knowledge for their own gain.

They colluded with the powerful and formed a privileged class of their own, robbing other mages of opportunities.

It wasn’t as though I hadn’t known that.

‘Still, I didn’t realize it was this bad.’

I hadn’t imagined they were this corrupt.

I had only ever experienced one mage tower: the allied army’s Magic Command. With Iliana as its commander, it could have been called the continent’s only mage tower at the time.

Anyone in the allied army could join so long as they were willing to learn, and the study and knowledge of truth were open to all. There was a reason Magic Command’s motto was [We Seek Truth at the Edge of the Battlefield].

That had led me to assume all the continent’s mage towers were similar. But they weren’t. The present-day Langrid Mage Tower was thoroughly corrupt.

Perhaps Iliana had kept Magic Command under such strict control precisely to avoid repeating Langrid Mage Tower’s abuses.

“Still... it seems he hasn’t laid a hand on Miss Iliana, at least.”

Adlan said it as though that made him recyclable trash, at least. But trash was still trash.

‘I do need to deal with him.’

I had to do something about this endowed chair mage, Kraven. I couldn’t leave Iliana under a piece of trash like him.

But...

‘Handling it myself isn’t feasible.’

Langrid Mage Tower wasn’t as easy to ambush as Veneron viscounty. To put it bluntly, assassinating Kraven was impossible.

The security at the continent’s foremost mage tower was not something to take lightly. Neither was an endowed chair mage’s standing.

Recyclable trash or not, he was still an endowed chair mage. His abilities were not to be underestimated.

Even supposing I somehow managed to assassinate Kraven, I couldn’t be sure my identity would remain hidden. And then I wouldn’t be able to get away with it as I had with Viscount Veneron.

In truth, even the Viscount Veneron incident hadn’t simply blown over. The royal court’s investigators were still conducting a thorough inquiry.

Langrid Mage Tower would likewise investigate the assassination of an endowed chair mage thoroughly, and mages were more meticulous in their investigations than one might imagine. So assassinating him myself would be difficult.

In that case, there was only one option.

THUNK!

I took a large chest out of my Inventory and set it on the counter.

“Five thousand platinum coins. Five million gold in total.”

“Eeeeek?!?!”

Adlan nearly leaped out of his skin. As an officer of the merchants’ guild, he knew all too well what five million gold was worth.

“Use this money to establish a shell trading company and approach Kraven.”

“An undercover operation...!”

“Yes. Gather evidence of Kraven’s abuses, piece by piece.”

But that alone wouldn’t be enough. Just as foul-smelling people could mask their stench by huddling together, the tower would be full of people covering for Kraven. Evidence of his wrongdoing alone wouldn’t bring him down.

THUNK!

I took out another chest, this one containing ten thousand platinum coins—ten million gold.

“Use this money to work with the mages’ association and buy off Langrid Mage Tower’s elders.”

“Y-you mean...!”

“First, we isolate Kraven politically within Langrid Mage Tower. Then—”

I had no intention of stopping there. The underlying cause was Langrid Mage Tower’s corruption. This wasn’t just a matter of Kraven alone. If Iliana was to live in peace without mental stress, I had to change the entire tower.

“Gather every piece of information you can on the activities of both the elders we buy off and Langrid Mage Tower as a whole. Outside contacts, exchanges, meetings, transactions—everything.”

“The entire tower, sir...?”

“Yes. And don’t forget to keep meticulous ledgers.”

“W-why is that...?”

“When the time comes, we’ll blow up the shell company and expose all of Langrid Mage Tower’s corruption in one explosive scandal.”

GULP...!

Adlan swallowed, his eyes trembling. Apparently, he hadn’t expected me to go this far.

But I was the man who had wiped the lawless city of Violess off the map. Granted, Langrid Mage Tower was a far greater power than Violess, but that didn’t mean it couldn’t be done.

“B-but, sir...!”

Watching my expression, Adlan pointed at the chests of money on the counter. Fifteen million gold in total. It would have been strange if he weren’t watching for my reaction.

“Even after doing everything you’ve instructed, this is far too much...”

“Whatever’s left is your fee. Put it to good use.”

“Eeeeeeeek?!?!?”

Adlan began trembling as though he’d been electrocuted by Lightning magic.

“This will be difficult to handle alone, so work with the mercenaries’ guild and carry it out with mercenaries you can trust.”

For some reason, Adlan didn’t answer. Sure enough...

“Grrrglglgl?!?!”

... He had passed out, foaming at the mouth.

* * *

After a fair amount of trouble, I managed to explain every detail of the operation to Adlan.

By the time I left the shop, the sun was slowly setting, bathing all of Frecce in the stillness of dusk. Beneath a sky ablaze with red and gold, I walked through the streets and organized my thoughts.

‘I can leave the mage tower business to Adlan.’

The problem was the pressure from House Segretus. I had made a bold declaration, but dealing with it wouldn’t be easy.

Marquis Segretus, chancellor of the Kingdom of Battenberg. The authority and influence a chancellor wielded as a political leader were tremendous. They were beyond anything a mere county—much less the remote Whitewolf county—could contend with.

‘I need to build up the county’s power and influence, not just my own strength.’

For a number of reasons, I needed to devote effort to strengthening Whitewolf county and expanding its influence.

‘I was planning to establish the allied army anyway.’

I called up the Territory Quest information before my eyes.

==[Here Come the Recruits!] ==

[Objective] - Train the Visters into a standing army.

[Reward] - A large amount of experience

[On Failure] - Restrictions on 「Management Mode」 functions

A standing army was a military force dedicated exclusively to preparing for combat. Unlike a conscript army, which imposed compulsory military service on residents, it continued training without disbanding even in peacetime. In short, the quest was telling me to turn those criminals into soldiers.

The completion reward was a large amount of experience—an extremely important reward, and one I needed. But the penalty for failure was also very significant...

‘Come to think of it...’

There was another Territory Quest I had yet to clear.

==[A Lord’s Authority Comes from Responsibilities and Duties]==

[Objective] - Raise the residents’ affinity to [Trust] within 90 days.

[Reward] - <Lord> authority

[On Refusal] - Loss of 「Management Mode」 functions.

I’d received this quest two months ago.

‘So I have about a month left.’

The residents’ affinity was currently at [Friendliness], one tier below the [Trust] required to clear it.

Restricted functions versus losing them entirely. Naturally, losing them was the harsher penalty, but...

‘I can take care of both at once.’

All I had to do was resolve them both.

I strode through Frecce’s sunset-drenched streets. Just then—

“Lord Adrian!”

A staff member of the Predator Merchant Company was running toward me from a distance, panting for breath. He stopped before me, breathing heavily. It looked as though something had happened.

“What is it?”

“Hah... N-nothing’s happened, sir...”

He took a moment to catch his breath, then pulled something neatly rectangular from inside his clothes and handed it to me.

“What’s this?”

“A letter left by a lady named Iliana.”

“... Iliana?”

I accepted the letter. Its tight seal confirmed that no one had opened it along the way. When I broke the seal and looked inside, I found pages filled with carefully pressed handwritten letters.

* * *

Hello, Lord Adrian.

I originally wanted to say goodbye in person, but you seemed busy... and I didn’t feel I could face you... and even if I did, I don’t think I could get the words out properly... so I’m leaving you this letter. Though I’m still worried it might be rude of me to write to you like this.

When I return to the mage tower, I’m going to take the exam to become a fully qualified mage!!

To be honest, I agonized over it. Whether someone like me deserved that kind of help. Why you would sponsor someone like me. You said I had exceptional potential, but I wondered whether I could really live up to your expectations.

But!! I’ll work hard to learn and grow every day, and do my best to become a wonderful mage you can be proud of!!

My efforts and enthusiasm may not amount to much, but I’ll give it my all, in the hope that they can serve as some small repayment to you!!

If there’s anything you’re curious about, any research you need done, or anything else you need me for, please tell me anytime! I’ll find a solution, even if I have to stay up all night! Even if it’s research into infinity, I’d be happy to!

I want to repay your faith in me, even if only in this small way. I know you said you wanted nothing in return, but still!!

And lastly... please stay healthy!! Every single day, I’ll be wishing sincerely—really, truly, from the bottom of my heart—for your days to be filled with health and happiness!!

-Respectfully yours, Iliana-

P.S. I’ll be in touch lots, often, f-frequently—I’ll send you letters!!!

* * *

It happened the moment I finished reading the letter.

◆Iliana’s affinity toward you has reached its maximum!!

A translucent message concerning Iliana’s affinity suddenly appeared before my eyes.

◆Error: Iliana is a character who cannot reach the [Affection] state.

◆Affinity obstacles - A fatherlike sponsor

◆The [Affection] state cannot be reached unless the affinity obstacle is removed.

◆Iliana’s affinity toward you is at [Trust].

... That was rather bewildering. It was only natural that she couldn’t reach [Affection], but the commander of Magic Command thought of me as a father? Granted, I was giving her a considerable amount of money, but a father?

‘... Well.’

Iliana had grown up knowing nothing of a father’s love. Her mother had died after giving birth to her, too, so she had never experienced a parent’s unconditional love.

Right now, Iliana was only sixteen. Unlike in my previous life, she was still a girl who needed a parent’s care and love.

What was more, her intellectual senses were so acutely sensitive that everything and everyone caused her mental stress. Yet conversely, that meant she could understand and empathize with everything and everyone more deeply.

‘It’s not too late.’

If I took good care of her from now on, Iliana wouldn’t have to break.

If I helped her better understand and make use of the innocence and emotions she still possessed... If I gave her the right environment in which to grow, and a foundation she could trust... Then Iliana could become someone who illuminated the continent with her own unique light. She could grow into an Archmage who surpassed even her previous self.

After all, even when she had been mentally broken, she had become a hero of the allied army for the sake of others.

I carefully folded Iliana’s letter and placed it in my Inventory. And that was when it happened.

◆Seraphia’s affinity toward you has reached its limit!!

A translucent message about Seraphia’s affinity suddenly appeared before my eyes? And it said her affinity had reached its “limit,” not its maximum—

◆The residents’ affinity toward you is increasing tremendously!!!

Now, out of nowhere, there was even a message saying the residents’ affinity had risen?

◆The residents’ affinity toward you has reached [Trust]!

◆Characters at [Trust] believe in and rely on you completely, and will follow your lead in anything.

◆The residents will willingly accept personal losses for your sake.

Just like that, their affinity reached [Trust] in an instant—

◆You have cleared the Territory Quest [A Lord’s Authority Comes from Responsibilities and Duties]!

◆You have gained 1,714,500 quest experience!

Then the Territory Quest went and cleared itself—

◆You have leveled up!

◆You have leveled up!

◆You have leveled up!

And my level rose by three.

‘What the hell?’

... Whatever they were getting up to back in the county, my head was already beginning to throb.

* * *

A soft tickle brushed the corners of Seraphia’s eyes. At that strange sensation, she slowly opened them.

Yet something about the feeling was unfamiliar. She felt strangely refreshed and clearheaded, as though she had awakened from a long, deep sleep.

When had she last slept so peacefully? She could scarcely remember. And this was the first time she had ever opened her eyes without pain anywhere in her body...

‘Huh...?’

For some reason, her body felt so light and warm. In other words—

‘Huh... what...?’

... Nothing hurt at all?