Chapter 109
It's obvious, but searching for someone in a place with tens of thousands of people is extremely difficult.
However, if the person you're looking for is a mage, it's actually easier than you might think—for all you need to do is ask around randomly, and you'll quickly get a rough idea of their location.
Erich grabbed a passing soldier to strike up a conversation.
"Do you know where the Mage Tower is stationed?"
"... Uh, I think it's over that way."
"Thank you."
There were two types of people who were easiest to find in this military camp. One was the Incensus order.
That's because they try to preach and proselytize to every soldier in sight, turning the area where they've set up into a kind of avoided zone.
And the second was the place where the Mage Tower was stationed. The reason was simple: a bunch of suspicious guys cloaked in robes, always huddling together and talking about things only they understood, had naturally earned themselves the reputation of being weirdos.
Anyway.
After asking around among the passigng soldiers, Erich finally reached the area near where the Mage Tower was stationed. He stopped a soldier and asked,
"Is this where the Mage Tower is garrisoned?"
"Yes, sir, this is the place. But I wouldn't go any further, my lord."
"Because you're scared?"
"Rumor has it they grab soldiers late at night and eat their livers."
"... Their livers? That sounds a bit salty."
"...! Eek!"
Erich grinned as he watched the look of horror on the soldier's face and turned away.
'These sorts of wild rumors tend to go around.'
To most people, mages weren't familiar beings. In fact, they were closer to an eerie and gloomy image.
Naturally, rumors about people who were difficult to befriend only tilted toward the negative—never the good.
Then Erich arrived at the outskirts of the camp, where hardly any soldiers passed by. There, people in robes stood guard, and as soon as they saw Erich, they became visibly tense and wary.
"Stop. This is where the master of the Mage Tower resides. You cannot pass freely."
"I am Erich von Krupp, deputy-commander of the Watch. If you let the Tower Master know I'm here, he'll readily grant me entry."
"... You're Erich?"
From beneath the hoods, pale eyes gleamed out of the shadows. The robed figures exchanged glances, closed their eyes briefly, and simply stood still.
"He's been informed. You may enter."
Erich gave a short laugh. He didn't know what kind of trick they'd used, but it seemed they had a way to communicate without exchanging words.
If such abilities could be used on the battlefield, it would be a huge help....
'But most of the time, mages cause more harm than good. A real pity.'
For now, he could only covet their abilities.
Anyway, the mages standing guard escorted Erich inside.
But perhaps because he was an unfamiliar face, everyone inside stopped what they were doing to focus all their attention on him.
Being stared at by a crowd of suspicious, robe-clad figures was downright chilling.
'No wonder strange rumors spread among the soldiers.'
The place where the Tower Master resided was bigger than the other barracks, but what stood out was that its exterior was stacked with piles of stone.
Why it was built that way, Erich had no idea. Trying to understand mages was harder than reading a cat's mind.
Once inside, Erich was greeted by the sight of countless books and strange experimental tools radiating an odd atmosphere.
In the midst of it all, an elderly man, buried in tomes, turned a page and spoke.
"Requesting to see me is a rare occasion, sir Erich."
"I greet the wise sage of the Mage Tower, Laurenti."
"Just state your business. I'm busy."
The Tower Master, Laurenti.
A mage, his white beard trailing all the way to his navel, lowered his hood to reveal his face. His exposed skin was densely covered in black tattoos. Surprisingly, each tattoo was said to be a sign of a mage's prowess.
'Wasn't it called inscribing a magic circuit? I don't know how it works, but I can feel an immense power.'
A tremendous presence that could be sensed even without using the 'Eye'. Indeed, it was fitting for the head of the mages.
But that aside, even with Erich right in front of him, Laurenti remained engrossed in his work.
As if treating an unwelcome visitor.
"You seem to be busy, so I'll get straight to the point. Did you come here to research the dead beyond the Great Wall?"
"... Hmm."
― Thud.
Laurenti closed the book he had been reading.
Whether he was annoyed by Erich's words or found them interesting was unclear, but what was certain was that Erich's words had elicited some sort of response from him.
"Do you think I planned to send someone over the Great Wall using the death of a mage belonging to the Tower?"
"Am I wrong?"
"Do you have nine lives or something?"
A flicker of displeasure passed through the old mage's eyes. But just for a moment; then Erich spoke.
"Does this offend you?"
"Socially speaking, yes, it would be considered offensive. If you came to pick a fight, you can leave."
"What a pity. I actually came to make a proposal that could be mutually beneficial."
"... For instance, are you referring to the crystal imbued with that power you're hiding in your clothes?"
Erich's eyes narrowed. He hadn't used his eyes, and yet the Tower Master could see right through his belongings....
'But I was correct. What they're after is simple.'
Inside Erich's coat was a dimmed 'core' taken from defeating a necromancer. He took it out to show Laurenti, and for the first time, he noticed Laurenti's expression twitch.
"I knew you'd be interested. There are wonders across the Great Wall that don't exist in the Empire. This is one of them."
"Still, it feels much too cheap to trade that item for your life."
"I didn't know my life was in your hands, Tower Master. Besides, can you even get something like this from the Mage Tower? You're undervaluing it."
Sure enough, Laurenti showed interest in the core filled with a power markedly different from anything Erich had seen before.
Laurenti rolled up his sleeve and held it out toward Erich.
"I'll know for sure once I check."
Erich placed the core in the old mage's palm. Laurenti brought it before his eyes and scrutinized it intently.
"... Hmm, yes. It's a power I've never seen before. A collection of remnants of strength left in the bodies of the dead—so this is what it would look like, I suppose."
Erich extended a hand to Laurenti, indicating he wanted the core back. After a moment's hesitation, Laurenti returned it.
The head of the Mage Tower shook off his fascination and straightened up.
"Well, it is curious, but that's all. It's not that impressive. If you bring me something even more extraordinary, now that might be different."
"Is there anything more important to mages than novel artifacts?"
A smile tugged at the corner of Erich's mouth. He couldn't understand mages' behavior, but their principles weren't complicated.
What drove them was 'overwhelming curiosity'. Especially in the face of new objects, they couldn't resist.
'Even if he acts indifferent, he's probably thinking of thousands of things he wants to dissect and experiment on right now.'
Ultimately, Laurenti was pretending to be nonchalant, but inwardly, he was itching for it. Erich saw right through him.
And since the old mage was not a fool, he too realized that Erich had already piqued a mage's curiosity.
"As far as I know, you're from the southern Empire. It's extremely rare to meet mages there. Yet, you seem very familiar with how to speak with us."
"When would I have had the chance to meet a mage? Everyone desires something. I've simply figured out what that is, quickly."
"So what do you wish for? Do you want us to drop the trial if you give us this?"
Erich shook his head. As curious as this artifact was, what was happening was no minor matter.
'Even the Emperor of the Empire sent a letter directly. You can't smooth this over with something this trivial.'
This incident was probably a hot topic in the Empire itself. There must have been quite a commotion in the Tower over the death of one of their own mages, too.
In that sense, a trial for Erich, now the most famous person in the Empire, was too big of a matter to shrug off with, 'Let's just forget it,' over a single trinket.
But Erich had already anticipated that much. He wanted to establish a more productive relationship.
"I can bring you even more of these cores."
"Wouldn't it be better to tell us where to find them?"
"That would only lessen my value."
When Erich gave a short laugh, Laurenti stroked his beard and continued.
"You might not know, but the Tower has a Mage Council. Though I manage the Tower, I cannot simply ignore their opinions. And their opinion was that you should stand trial as an example."
"By that, you mean—if I provide enough cores to keep even the other council mages busy, their anger could be calmed?"
"You truly are sharp. You speak well, are you sure you don't want to become a mage?"
"I'm not much for desk work, so I'll pass."
It wasn't that Erich disliked reading; he had always studied history, strategy, and tactics avidly. But the books mages read were something else entirely.
Laurenti then responded with a faint smile.
"We'll postpone the trial, then. That is, if you bring us a sufficient amount of these 'cores'. Have you already decided where you'll go to collect more?"
"Yes, I have."
"Good. In that case...."
Laurenti snapped his fingers. A spark flickered in the air.
*Snap!*
Nothing else happened. But Laurenti crossed his arms, as if he had accomplished something.
"I've just sent a message about this conversation to my apprentice. I'd like you to bring him along when you go to collect the cores."
"He'd better be a decent fighter. These aren't just stones you can pick up off the ground."
"Don't worry. Didn't I say he's my apprentice?"
"I'll trust you. So, is he coming with me now?"
"He'll find you soon."
Erich nodded. Mages were a difficult and eccentric bunch to deal with, but their strength was something even Erich acknowledged.
'I remember when fire rained down on the dead armies.'
Long ago, there were mages who supported the Watch under Erich's command. It hadn't turned the tide by itself, but their group could shape the outcome of a battle.
Well, that aside.
Erich had achieved what he came here to do: to defer his trial. Of course, in principle, 'postponement' means the trial will be held someday, but—
'I don't know when the trial will happen, but after the imminent battle with Ungrim, there'll be a showdown with the dead. When that happens, no one will care about trials or any of that nonsense.'
Well, an unexpected companion was now tagging along, but if the apprentice was a high-level mage and could be managed well, it wouldn't be a loss.
As Erich was about to leave the Tower Master's quarters, he stopped for a moment and turned back to ask Laurenti one last question.
"By the way, was Joseph really a mage affiliated with the Tower?"
"... Who knows? What do you think?"
Laurenti answered with a smile instead of words. Erich let out a quiet breath and hurried on his way.
In the end, everyone pursues their own interests. Those mages are no exception to that rule.
Erich gave them what they wanted and got what he wanted.
That was all.
Erich slowly resumed walking. There was only one way to obtain more of these cores: defeat a dead who was strong enough to possess one.
And Erich already knew where to go to find such a foe.
After all, there was a task at hand waiting for him.
'Albrecht.'
By tracking him, he would naturally encounter high-ranking dead.
-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】