Chapter 594 – Memories Deep Within the Tower

The grounds of the Sages’ Academy are divided into various facilities including research buildings and student dormitories.

As for the Tower we’re currently in, it’s a facility meant to conceal the academy’s secret techniques, while also serving as a living space for members of the Seven Families.

Therefore, the Tower is apparently well-equipped with everything needed for daily life without inconvenience – baths, kitchens, individual rooms, and so on.

And so, having finished our discussion, we were guided to the residential floors.

Leaving the Great Library and heading toward the Tower’s outer perimeter, we found a spiral pathway leading to the upper floors.

It wasn’t stairs… Rather, it was like a spiral slope that continued endlessly upward along the Tower’s inner wall. The pathway was quite spacious, giving the impression that four or five people could walk side by side.

“Do we climb this?” Sheila tilted her head.

“No, that’s not it,” Old Sigmund said as he touched a crystal ball embedded in the wall. Then, at the very bottom of the slope, a foothold just large enough for one person to stand on… grew out as if sprouting.

“We ride this to go up,” Old Sigmund said as he stepped onto the foothold, which then began sliding up the slope at a gentle pace.

“You have some freedom regarding movement – ascending and descending, plus acceleration, deceleration, and stopping. The footholds are designed not to collide with each other, and even if you were about to fall, the flat surface would expand to catch you. In extreme cases, you could even ride while sitting or lying down.”

It seemed the footholds were quite versatile. After moving a short distance, Old Sigmund stopped.

As if to demonstrate the explanation, Old Sigmund deliberately stepped forward as if missing his footing, but the foothold transformed to firmly catch that step.

“However, I can’t say you’ll never get injured. If someone is about to fall when there are people behind or below, it will be caught at the very end. This is to avoid involving those following in the foothold’s transformation. Well, all residents here can use Levitation at the very least, so there’s no need to worry about that.”

“So safety has been fully considered as well,” Rosemary said admiringly.

“Is this… an application of Golem creation technology? It feels somewhat similar to Theodore-sama’s Create Golem,” Ashley tilted her head.

“Ah… Yes. I think it’s probably controlling Golem movements while making them operate according to set rules.”

“Indeed. That’s correct. By the way, when going up, you use the Tower’s inner side. When going down, you use the outer side,” Old Sigmund smiled and nodded at my words.

…Interesting. Theoreme Castle had Floating Stone elevators, but this is like… a magical escalator without the risk of getting caught in it, I suppose.

While convenient, if the operation is stopped during an emergency, intruders who cannot fly would have no choice but to walk up the slope normally, making it serve as a countermeasure against intruders as well.

“This is quite fascinating.”

“As expected of the Sages’ Academy,” Alfred smiled as Princess Stephania responded and Princess Adriana nodded enthusiastically.

Marceska and Sigritta also looked very interested, while Sion seemed anxious about whether the two might do something reckless. Well… I get the feeling Alfred and the others have different vectors of interest.

“Then, let’s try using it right away,” I said, touching the crystal ball in the wall, which created a foothold at my feet. When I stepped onto it, the foothold began ascending along the slope. The movement was remarkably smooth. Going right or left was also quite free, and the foothold adjusted to my posture.

“Then, let’s head upward. If you have any problems, please call out,” Old Sigmund said as he proceeded ahead along the pathway. From behind, we formed three lines, each creating footholds, with everyone following along.

Marlene and Penelope were happily holding hands while riding their foothold, smiling cheerfully. Claudia watched them with narrowed eyes as if viewing something heartwarming.

The Familiars also stood on their hind legs to touch the crystal balls in the wall, but properly sized footholds were generated for each of their physiques. Corulis was no exception. It sat flat on its foothold in a seated position and was carried upward just like that.

“It’s quite… a strange sensation,” Grace said somewhat happily, exchanging smiles with Ashley beside her.

For me, while moving normally, it felt like riding an escalator. Perhaps that’s why it feels nostalgic.

When there are people ahead, speed doesn’t increase, so it naturally adjusts to match the pace of Old Sigmund and me at the front.

“Somehow… I imagine the children of the Seven Families might play in this passageway,” I remarked.

Old Sigmund didn’t explicitly say so, but if there were no people around, you could probably go faster. Imagining it… it would be like riding a skateboard without the risk of falling or colliding while moving rapidly down a slope?

“Hmm… Yes, that may be. It might happen among the Seven Families. Patricia was like that too, and there was even a time when a court noble visiting on business was spotted playing in this passageway,” Old Sigmund said with a wry smile. But for some reason, Valentina and the elders of the Seven Families averted their eyes.

…Ah, yes. I somewhat expected that about Mother. The elders also had their childhoods, and if it was the first time for Silvatoria’s court nobles to see something like this, I’ll let it slide.

As we proceeded along the spiral pathway—there were landing areas provided for each floor. Furthermore, since the design of the reliefs carved into the wall differed by floor, you could apparently tell which floor you were on.

When we reached the floor with the relief design of a goddess tilting a water jug, Old Sigmund spoke up.

“This way,” he said, continuing to slide along the horizontal section on his foothold. Everyone followed, and proceeding along the pathway connected to the Tower’s interior, we emerged into an open space. It was like a plaza, with tables, sofas, and other furnishings placed around. It had more of a salon-like atmosphere than a reception room.

The foothold movement seemed to end here. Meaning this must be the residential area.

“This floor and its vicinity are the residential floors for the Seven Families. This is the floor for the Wilcloud and Burgmüller families. This hall serves as a salon where members of the Seven Families gather to talk or receive guests,” Valentina briefly explained various things. Wilcloud family… meaning Old Sigmund and Mother’s family home, I see.

So one floor of the Tower, with half of it belonging to the Wilcloud family, I suppose.

“There are guest rooms, but since the Academy emphasizes secrecy, they’re not used very often. Well, they’re cleaned nonetheless. First, let’s put down our luggage and get settled,” Old Sigmund said, touching a crystal ball embedded in the wall of the plaza. Part of the wall dissolved and disappeared, and we proceeded further along the pathway continuing from the hall.

Opening a door in the pathway and entering… this appeared to be the Wilcloud family’s entrance. The interior was surprisingly ordinary. Without prior knowledge, you might not even think you were inside a Tower. Well, making living spaces too eccentric would probably make them uncomfortable anyway.

“You’re free to use this room and that room. Ah, Theodore, could I have a moment?”

After guiding us to the guest rooms, Old Sigmund called for me.

“Yes,” I nodded and followed Old Sigmund. Passing through the living room, I was guided to a room at the end of the hallway.

While there were no extravagant furnishings… from the placed furniture like the bed, dressing table, and dresser, it gave the impression of a noble girl’s room.

Among them, the out-of-place items—like the wooden skull Staff leaning against the wall and other accessories—eloquently told who this room’s owner had been.

“Mother’s room?” I asked with a wry smile, picking up the skull Staff.

Old Sigmund also smiled wryly and nodded. “Indeed. When we returned here, this room also showed signs of having been searched by Zadias’s faction. I couldn’t bear to show it to you until it was tidied up. Since nothing important was kept here, the personal belongings should still be intact though…”

…I see. Old Sigmund had mentioned his study being ransacked too, so the Sealing Shrine Maiden’s private room would likely be the same.

“You can stay here tonight if you like. If you find anything you fancy, feel free to take it with you.”

“Honestly, I wouldn’t feel very comfortable in this room,” I answered Old Sigmund with a small smile.

Not just because the interior was suited to Mother’s age at that time, but also because it’s a personal room, so I can’t exactly be here with everyone else.

“Moreover… I think I’d prefer to leave this room as untouched as possible.”

Especially since nothing important was kept here. This isn’t the room of the Mother from my memories, but rather the room of an only daughter from her grandfather’s memories.

“I see. That may be so,” Old Sigmund nodded quietly.

Picking up a quill pen left on the desk, I closed my eyes. Mother back then… might have brought books from the Great Library and studied Magic here.

Painting such a scene behind my eyelids, I returned the quill pen to its original place.

Yeah. I’m glad I got to see this room before departing for Beriondora.