Chapter 275 – The Mage Tower and the School (Two)

The place I arrived at following Gerard was a spacious office located on the top floor.

A U-shaped table was visible.

In the center sat an elderly man with white hair who appeared to hold the highest position.

To his left and right, individuals who seemed to be executives were seated separately.

And in the inner center, a small desk and two chairs were arranged separately.

‘So I’m supposed to sit here.’

The atmosphere was reminiscent of a hearing.

At the very least, it wasn’t a friendly setup.

Not particularly bothered, Ray naturally took his seat.

Gerard, looking thoroughly intimidated, followed and sat beside him.

The elderly man opened his mouth.

“Gerard, you’ve had a hard time. It seems you’ve returned safely from your long journey to the outside world, which is a relief.”

“Hard time? Not at all. On the contrary, I was honored to be entrusted with such an important task among many applicants.”

As the conversation continued.

Ray slowly shifted his gaze, observing the people in the office.

That the elderly man currently speaking was the School Master of the Mage Tower could be known not just by his seated position.

Because he was currently the only 5th Circle here.

The executives were all 4th Circles, except for a few 3rd Circles.

And.

‘The patterns of the emotions they harbor are similar according to their seated positions.’

It seemed the factions Gerard mentioned—those in favor of opening the Wall and those opposed—were seated separately to the left and right.

Then the topic of conversation changed.

“Is this the child? Gerard, the child you brought from Beyond the Wall?”

“Yes. That’s correct.”

Beyond the Wall—at those words, the executives began to murmur.

“Was that talk the school members were whispering about in the hallway true?”

“Beyond the Wall? Judging by appearance, he doesn’t look like it at all…”

Gerard seemed to shrink further under such an atmosphere.

“Everyone, quiet.”

The elderly man, raising a hand to quell the commotion for a moment, continued speaking.

“Gerard, I know you are prudent and never one to make careless judgments. You, who went outside to find clues to solve our city’s environmental problems, must have had a reason for bringing this boy here. Can you tell us what it is?”

“Yes, of course I will tell you.”

After taking a deep breath, Gerard slowly began his story about what he had seen in the outside world.

The massive sphere of light.

The Black Cloud being torn away.

The Sun-Following Order and the red-haired Saintess raising the sick.

“And while the development of Magic is certainly slower Beyond the Wall… in other aspects, it is not as backward as our general perception. Though I don’t know if it’s because I didn’t venture far enough.”

The murmuring grew loud again.

Waves of confusion and distrust surged.

Unyielding despite the commotion in the room, Gerard steadfastly continued.

“And I witnessed another miracle besides the Saintess. The Magic this boy used shattered existing laws and formulas, and I saw possibility in it. Perhaps, I thought, Magic of this kind might be able to solve the pollution problem.”

Thud!

A man slammed the table and stood up at that moment.

“Enough! Enough! You’ve poured your whole life into absurd research, and has your mind finally gone? Paying a fortune at the checkpoint to bring in a child of unclear origin from Beyond the Wall! Even if everything you said is true! But even then, you should have brought that girl called the Saintess! Not this boy!”

A golden nameplate reading ‘Research General Manager Herman’ shone on his chest.

Gerard quietly gazed at the man who was his long-time nemesis and could be called the leader of the Opposition Faction.

While the situation contributed to such fierce opposition, a long-held sense of inferiority towards Gerard likely played a part too.

“First, my words…”

Just as Gerard was about to open his mouth, he suddenly realized.

That the School Master and the executives were all silently watching this side.

The Opposition Faction was openly sending looks of distrust and derision.

Even those in the same camp, the faction in favor, couldn’t hide the confusion in their eyes.

In other words, there were no complete allies in this room right now.

“Proof, proof for my words…”

While Gerard’s thoughts momentarily stalled, Herman, not missing the gap, stepped forward and shouted loudly.

“You, Ray, was it? You know how to use Magic. How many Rings do you have?”

“Four.”

Herman flinched.

The level was higher than expected.

Briefly flustered, he soon regained his composure and blustered.

“How brazenly you lie.”

“I’m not lying. And Gerard’s research isn’t absurd either.”

“What?”

“The Black Cloud, the cause is indeed excessive use of Magic.”

Herman, momentarily dumbfounded, let out a hollow laugh and said to Gerard.

“Gerard, it seems you’ve wagged your tongue and bewitched this naive boy’s soul. No, seeing how he believes such nonsense, maybe he’s not naive but stupid.”

“No, I…”

“The stupid one would be you, Herman.”

Herman glared at Ray with wide eyes.

“Gerard’s choice to bring me wasn’t wrong. Because I intend to make it so the Black Cloud is no longer generated in this city.”

“Haha! Are you saying you, a mere brat, will solve a problem the city’s leading scholars haven’t been able to solve for over hundreds of years? The problem for which we’ve developed all sorts of Magic to eliminate the cloud, but all failed?”

“That’s the problem.”

Herman retorted.

“What?”

“The very act of developing Magic is the problem. The solution is simple: all Mage Towers stop developing Magic, and all residents reduce the excessive Magic used in daily life. Then, in less than a day, the amount of Black Cloud will decrease.”

“What nonsense─.”

“Wait, let me speak.”

The School Master, who interjected then, spoke to Ray with eyes full of deep interest.

“I’ve listened well to your story. Assuming Gerard’s research is true, the method you just mentioned could be considered a proper solution. But it’s a method with extremely low feasibility. Who will stop all the Mage Towers’ experiments, and by what means? Even if we request it, would they comply? To use an analogy, it’s like the entire city holding its breath simultaneously.”

“It’s not difficult.”

Ray’s calm voice continued.

“Because all we need to do is establish a new School and build the highest Mage Tower.”

The silence didn’t last long.

Because Herman, having understood the meaning, soon burst into uproarious laughter.

“Hahahaha! Good heavens! You’re going to establish a new School! Gerard, thank you! Thanks to the boy you brought, I’ve recovered a laughter I’d forgotten!”

The derisive laughter from his camp, the Opposition Faction, also followed loudly.

“Did you hear that? That young fellow says he’ll make a School.”

“Haha, don’t mock him. Since he’s a resident from Beyond the Wall, we should understand if he’s a bit slow, shouldn’t we?”

The arrogant attitude made the expressions of the faction in favor uncomfortable.

Gerard tried to step in, but Ray raised a hand to stop him.

After a while, the commotion subsided.

“I heard officially establishing a School isn’t that difficult.”

“Ha, you fool. Seems you don’t know anything, being from Beyond the Wall, so let this merciful me explain once. Yes, establishing a School isn’t difficult. Only, on the premise that there exists a Magic theory that will be its core. But all theories worth presenting to the world have already appeared. There’s nothing new left in the world. The Schools are saturated. Understand?”

The executives nodded.

Even if one succeeded in creating some new theory, building the highest Mage Tower in this fiercely competitive city was practically an impossible task.

“That there’s nothing new left is just your thinking.”

“You don’t understand. You stupid brat, you might have been able to swagger around with four Rings outside, but this place isn’t so easy. Because 4th Circles are a dime a dozen here.”

“You’re young, but you’re the same Circle as him. Must have hurt your pride.”

Herman’s eyebrows twitched.

“Impossible.”

“No, your emotions are saying that. You harbor an inferiority complex towards Gerard and many people here. You’re a lump of inferiority.”

“You little brat…!”

Whoosh──!

Mana began to be sucked into Herman’s hand, and a strong wind started to swirl.

A situation on the verge of explosion.

Everyone was momentarily flustered.

“…He touched Herman’s fiery temper. It won’t end with just a little injury.”

“Shouldn’t we stop it?”

“But the School Master is staying silent for now…”

Emotions rippling hazily here and there.

Ray turned his gaze and looked at Herman, who had extended his palm towards him.

“You won’t be expelled immediately since you were brought here at great cost. But you won’t be able to stay here without correcting your manners. Let me give you a little correction.”

Perhaps his complex was properly pricked.

Herman’s gaze had turned venomous.

Whoosh──!

The figure of the boy, standing motionless before the wind whose rotation was speeding up, looked far too precarious.

“S-School Master, shouldn’t we intervene?”

“Gerard! Come over here first!”

Amid the escalating atmosphere.

Finally, when the wind was released.

Kwaaaang──!

Surrounding objects and documents scattered, and an ear-splitting collision sound rang out.

However, contrary to everyone’s expectations, it came from very far away.

Those who turned their heads discovered Herman’s figure, embedded in the opposite wall, groaning in pain.

“Guh…! Gurgle…!”

As if all the bones in his body were broken, he convulsed, unable to get up.

The School Master muttered lowly.

“…I don’t know if this is possible, but if what I felt is correct, he manipulated the Elemental Fusion at the moment the Magic was completed and changed its direction itself.”

“Huh…? What does that…”

The surprise didn’t end there.

Because where their gazes were fixed, a Magic they had never seen before was floating.

“Wh-what am I seeing now…?”

“Natural Elements that are mutually antagonistic are fused together…?”

Luminously floating in the air was a Blue Flame emitting cold energy.

It was an unprecedented phenomenon that couldn’t be explained by any known theory.

And also a shocking phenomenon that shook the very values of being a Wizard.

Flicker.

The dreamlike Blue Flame moving here and there following the boy’s hand gestures.

Everyone in the room forgot about Herman.

As if entranced, they followed its trajectory.

They knew instinctively.

This was no trick.

Then, finally, when the boy extinguished the flame.

“Ah…!”

“Aah…!”

Without exception, everyone let out a deep sigh of regret.

“I think this is sufficiently a new type of Magic.”

Though Ray spoke softly, no answer came back.

Because everyone was still in a state of deep shock and awe.

Even Gerard, who knew the nature of the Magic Ray used, was no different.

In the seemingly eternal stillness, the first person to open his mouth was the School Master.

“Huh, you say it’s new Magic?”

“Yes.”

“New, indeed. It feels like darkness covering my eyes is lifting and light is pouring in. If you wish, you can certainly establish a School. No, beyond simply establishing one, it will undoubtedly cause a tremendous stir in the city.”

The School Master tried his utmost to remain composed.

But the tremor in his voice was unavoidable.

“If it’s alright, may I ask what the core theory of the Magic you just used is?”

“…….”

Ray fell into thought for a moment.

Soon, he parted his lips to answer.