Make Dark Fantasy Great Again

Chapter 65 I woke up today and checked the calendar, only to be shocked. What have I been doing that more than a month has already passed since I was appointed as a mage of the Gray Magic Tower? During this time, not a single thing from my originally hopeful [Things to Do When I Become a Magic Tower Mage★♥] list had been accomplished. Checking how citizens' attitudes change depending on whether I wear the Magic Tower robe. Throwing on the Magic Tower robe in confrontational situations as if it were some kind of badge. Those very rewarding and thrilling activities, I mean. 'Why is there so much to do?' Contrary to expectations, it was because of the incredibly busy time that followed immediately after becoming an Honorary Mage. It wasn't the Magic Tower's fault. The countless handshake requests shown by the Blue and Green Magic Towers and the Religious Order before they left the Magic Tower. With various factors overlapping, the Gray Magic Tower was maintaining an unnecessarily kind attitude toward me. -Are there matters I should be aware of as an Honorary Mage of the Gray Magic Tower, and mindsets I must maintain? -Matters to be aware of. Of course there are! -Ugh, memorization again? What is it? -Keep in mind the fact that we're proud of you! -What. -Act with the mindset that our Magic Tower is your mirror! -You said it backwards though. -Oops! Did I perhaps say that? That you're the mirror of our Magic Tower? Sorry for speaking out of turn! -No. You said the Magic Tower is my mirror. -Ah, then I said it correctly. -... Our Risir can do whatever he wants. That was the overall stance of the Gray Mages toward me. I was truly grateful and thought it was incredibly sweet inside, but if I greedily devoured it all because it was sweet, it would be perfect for ruining my body. I must not forget. The fact that their evaluation of me is excessively inflated. The Gray Magic Tower is treating me as if I were the greatest genius in history who could even blaspheme against gods. But the reality? Magically, I'm just a novice who hasn't even mastered basic theory, and socially, I'm just a newbie who has barely shed his bastard status and gotten a new business card. If my brain melts from all the pampering and I really do whatever I want, my true nature will be exposed in no time. Therefore, immediately after my appointment, I spent time learning the qualities befitting an Honorary Magic Tower Mage. The history of the Gray Magic Tower, the external position of the Gray Magic Tower, matters to be careful about and aspects to handle properly in relation to that. And whenever I had time, I spent moments here and there building magical foundations with Sir Meltas. Perhaps because I had already learned it through my body, the process of accepting theory and filling in the empty gaps wasn't as difficult as I had worried. This morning too, I was receiving magical lessons thanks to Sir Meltas's goodwill. "Sir Meltas. Thank you once again. For taking such precious time for me." "Do you know what the Masters are saying about this matter lately?" "Ugh. I don't know what it is, but I'm already sorry." "They're condemning me not to monopolize you. We almost had a trial." "Damn." "Anyway, the point is. There's no reason for you to thank me. There's a whole carriage worth of people who want to put their own spit on you, and I too, as one of those people, feel great satisfaction in being given this opportunity." "Sir Meltas, you're truly like a model scholar. You suddenly remind me of my Master." "Ahem. I'd prefer if you didn't talk about your master in front of me." "Please don't talk like a jealous childhood friend. It's really difficult." "Hmph, you little- By the way, I'm curious. If that master of yours had taught today's content, how do you think she would have taught it?" "She probably would have made me spar with Senior Mummum." "...I can't even imagine what kind of lesson that would be." Around the time when the hours of learning from Sir Meltas exceeded the time I had learned from my Master, I too began to feel considerable doubt. Now, who is the real master? But that doubt didn't last long. What mattered wasn't how much teaching I received, but what I received. When I was truly nothing at all. It was my Master who first acknowledged me and extended her hand. If it hadn't been for my Master, I wouldn't have realized my potential or made it this far. Regarding this matter, Sir Meltas also expressed agreement by mentioning how he had initially dismissed me as a bastard. -Ugh... Still, I'm confident I could do better for you... I plan to quickly forget that he showed another jealous childhood friend-like reaction in the midst of it all. About an hour had passed since the lesson began like that. -Teaching basics to Risir, could there be any greater waste than that? -There isn't. Of course not. If it were me, I would first- -That's good too, but if it were me- Masters who happened to discover us while passing by gathered one by one, forming an audience and began pressuring Sir Meltas. Figures of Master level possessed by Tapgol Park Duelists, nitpicking and giving unwanted advice at every turn - it was either spectacular or ridiculous. Sir Meltas tried to ignore them and wrapped up the lesson content. "Well, it's getting noisy around here, so let's stop here for today. Oh right. Risir. Don't forget what I just said. The Bondaless North Back Alleys are not normal these days, so if you have any reason to go there, be sure to be careful." "Understood." "And, as I keep saying, I respect your judgment to slowly rebuild your foundation from the basics again. You must have already felt it in various aspects including overload, but the path you want to take from now on is incomparably more treacherous than before." "That's true." "Even someone like you won't be able to pass through as easily as before. Always maintain the same humble beginner's mind as now. I dare say, if you don't, even someone like you-" "Ah, Sir Meltas, I'm sorry. Just a moment-" I was in the middle of listening to Sir Meltas's advice that would become my flesh and blood. At this untimely interruption, I immediately frowned. "What's the matter?" "My magical power is trying to increase again. Wait a moment, let me organize it with Blue Breath. If I leave this damn magical power alone again, it seems like it'll be unmanageable." "..." "Ah! Sorry for making you wait. Please continue what you were saying." "...I was going to say don't mind what anyone says and go your own way." "Huh? That seems a bit different from what you just said-" "Be quiet. Then just know it that way." Sir Meltas let out a deeper sigh than when he was being bothered by the Tapgol Park Duelists. "That magical power growth. Didn't you say it was a secondary phenomenon that follows when you use the power of normalization?" Sir Meltas asked me with confusion. I answered with a face that showed I was even more confused. "That's what I'm saying. There must be something else I don't know about." I thought I’d pinned it down to reacting to villains’ normalization, but if this is the case, how’s it any different from a seizure? 'Could it be that? Already completed normalization affecting another place and causing a chain reaction-' When I shared that possibility, Sir Meltas made deflating sounds. "Risir. Do you know? For reference, it took me 60 years to get this far." "...I'm sorry." For some reason, feeling like I had to, I bowed my head deeply to Sir Meltas in apology. It was winter. *** And another week passed. 'I wonder if Fienne and Rona are doing well? They must be busy, they haven't shown their faces lately at all. Well, it's not really something I can say when I've planted my stake in the Magic Tower.' Life at the Magic Tower was still incredibly busy, and I couldn't even spare time to go out briefly to meet my companions. However, that wasn't necessarily all disadvantages. 'Damn. It's comfortable. It's good. The Magic Tower's free room.' From after the Gerhen incident until now. I was still staying in the lodging within the Magic Tower that the Magic Tower had prepared for me. This space prepared for Masters and distinguished guests was undoubtedly better than the District 9 lodging I had stayed in before. Even more so because it was free. If it were up to my heart alone, I would have wanted to lay my eggs here permanently. But who am I? A guy who knows what shame is. And therefore an even cooler guy. I couldn't maintain basic living by relying on the Magic Tower's goodwill forever. Students pay tuition and focus on their studies. Masters achieve academic accomplishments and bring practical benefits to the Magic Tower. To truly consider myself a member of the Magic Tower, I shouldn't take for granted the rights that my colleagues had struggled to obtain. In other words- 'I can just do it, right? Earn my keep.' I couldn't achieve results through academics like students, nor accomplish academic achievements like Masters. Was there a way for someone like me to contribute to the Magic Tower? There was. *** The Magic Tower, being firmly situated in a city teeming with all sorts of interest groups, couldn't be a completely independent institution. For peace and continued existence, interaction with the outside was inevitable. The most representative problem was money. The Magic Tower. In other words, it was a money-eating monster. Astronomical amounts went into the Magic Tower's research and facility maintenance costs. There were limits to covering it with students' tuition alone, so the Magic Tower solved funding problems through various methods. There were those whose interests aligned in this aspect. The Magic Tower, which had abundant honor and power but lacked money. Merchants and lower nobles who lacked honor and power but had abundant money. They maintained good relationships by sponsoring large amounts to the Magic Tower. The Magic Tower became their political patron, and they became the Magic Tower's financial patrons. Folda, who led a mid-sized trading company, was one of the Magic Tower's sponsors. Folda became a sponsor of the Magic Tower when his company's sudden growth left his influence unable to keep up with his wealth. Money that would be extorted by city nobles and criminal organizations anyway if left alone! Better to give it to the Magic Tower! That must have been his calculation. Even the city nobles and criminal organizations that thoroughly pick others' pockets inside and outside the city would need resolve to extort a Magic Tower sponsor. That's how it works, for example. The Magic Tower was providing sponsors with a 'Hey, who's bothering our sponsor' service. It was how the Magic Tower, which enjoyed scholarship as a killing technique, survived. Of course. Given the weight that the name Magic Tower carried, situations where help was provided to sponsors were strictly limited. 1. It must be a situation that does not have a political nature. 2. It must be a situation that does not have an aggressive nature. 3. It must be a situation that definitely requires magical assistance. Folda judged that his current situation met all those conditions and came to the Magic Tower. -The Red Box guys are storing our goods, but we can't get in touch with them. Red Box was a warehouse business operating with their base in northern Bondaless. It was an open secret that they were a subversive group related to 'Leather Chain', the criminal organization that controlled northern Bondaless, but nevertheless many merchants had to become business partners with them. Because groups that provided storage space for large quantities of goods to outsiders within Bondaless were few and far between. Take the risk and work with Red Box. Get thoroughly fleeced by city nobles without worry. In this hellish binary choice, merchants' options were predetermined. -I want to go directly to their place and have a showdown, but there are rumors that the atmosphere there is ominous these days, right? So, despite my shame, I'd like to borrow the Magic Tower's help. Folda's request was simple. 'Please come with me to talk with those difficult guys and give them some intimidating looks.' The Magic Tower reviewed it. Does Folda's request have a political nature? No. Then does it have an aggressive nature? No. Does it require magical assistance? -I know the warehouse where the goods are stored. There's a barrier there, and I'd like to be able to break the barrier and retrieve the goods in case of emergency. Yes. Thus, the Magic Tower decided to provide the sponsor with the 'Hey, who touched our sponsor' service. I volunteered for it. *** "I'm Risir, the Honorary Mage of the Magic Tower who will be responsible for solving this problem. Please treat me well." "...Please treat me well too." Folda warmly smiled while clasping the young mage's extended hand. 'Are you kidding me?' On the surface, that is. Folda recalled the sponsorship money he had sent to the Magic Tower so far. It wasn't enough to raise his voice against the Magic Tower, but he thought it was sufficient to receive proper treatment. At the very least, they would send a Formal Mage - that had been Folda's expectation. But what was this? 'An Honorary Mage?' The sound of it was quite nice. But the man's appearance. 'He's cute, but-' A youthful appearance without a trace of wrinkles. Yes. He was too young. As far as Folda knew, mages of his age were limited to 4th Rank at best. A level that absolutely couldn't match a Formal Mage. Folda thought of Kal, the head of Red Box, and his subordinates. They were called warehouse workers, but they were essentially no different from mercenaries. When I thought they would protect my goods, they seemed so reliable, but looking back now, I can't believe I trusted such people with my goods. Folda assumed the worst-case scenario. Could the young mage before his eyes handle that situation? "..." It wouldn't come to mind at all. The sight of this kid subduing those vicious mercenaries. From the start, having such a kid by his side as a Magic Tower mage seemed like it would create problems that wouldn't have existed otherwise. Because they would obviously know what it meant to storm into a business with a Magic Tower mage in tow. 'This is maddening.' What should I do? While he was pondering, they arrived at the District 13 streets where Red Box's business was located. The atmosphere of the rundown streets. The faces of those walking the unpaved streets covered with filth everywhere were full of lawless expressions. It was a moment when the delicate young mage's appearance particularly stood out. If he hadn't been wearing the Gray Magic Tower's robe, trouble would have started long ago. "Let's go." Yet Risir stepped forward with a carefree face showing not the slightest tension. "Ah, uh..." Folda followed behind him restlessly. The place they entered was a tavern located in a remote part of District 13 streets. Kal, the head of Red Box, mainly spent his time here, one of the businesses he owned. "..." A corner seat in the empty shop. A bald man with a large scar sat there. Kal. He was checking ledgers with coins piled like a mountain on the table. "..." He recognized Folda and turned his gaze toward them. He didn't offer any greeting. For someone who had embezzled others' goods and ignored their calls, his attitude was quite brazen. He was even showing displeasure toward Folda. Anyone watching would think Folda was the one who had embezzled the goods. Kal might actually be thinking that way. That Folda had come to steal goods that were now his. If that weren't the case, there would be no reason to have ignored Folda's calls until now. 'Damn.' Folda struggled to overcome the intimidation and brought up the main point to him. To return the goods he paid money to store in his warehouse- It was an extremely reasonable and rational request. "Not right now." An extremely unreasonable and irrational answer came back. "What do you mean it can't be done! I'm a customer who paid a fair price to use your warehouse! Therefore, this isn't a request but a legitimate demand! You have an obligation to comply!" "Hey, customer. We have our circumstances too. If you come at us like this, it's difficult for us too." Kal glared at Folda. Then his gaze turned to Risir. Gray robe. And youthful appearance. A sinister smile crossed his lips. "You've brought quite a scary problem-solver, haven't you?" "..." Folda's expression openly contorted. There was only one thought in his mind at this moment. If only a proper Formal Mage had come, Kal wouldn't have been able to act like that. "It looks like you came here thinking you'd finish this without considering our circumstances at all- If that's how it is, we have our own thoughts too. Hey." Kal kicked the table's leg. The tavern filled with noise as those occupying the seats stood up and surrounded them. "You're out of your mind. Don't tell me you're planning to mess with a Magic Tower mage?" "Of course not. We're just politely asking. Leave while we're being nice." The situation Folda had worried about honestly occurred. Risir's approachable atmosphere had created problems that wouldn't have existed otherwise. Those mere mercenary bastards intimidating a Magic Tower mage? Then. Risir stepped forward and spoke to Kal. "I'm Risir, the Honorary Mage from the Gray Magic Tower here to mediate this problem. Could we talk for a moment?" Folda screamed internally. You're stepping forward in this situation? Are you sane? As expected. Kal burst into ridiculous laughter. Bang! He slammed the desk threateningly. After the loud noise faded, heavy and uncomfortable silence filled the place. "Risir..." That's when it happened. Kal's eyes became hazy, then he belatedly mulled over that name. "...!" He hurriedly stood up from his seat and gestured toward the opposite seat. "R-Risir sir! Ah, please sit down!" It wasn't just Kal. Everyone in the place was bowing their heads toward Risir. "...?" What? What's going on? 'Risir? Am I the only one who doesn't know that name?' ───── [Target is under Word of Command] [Target is under Word of Command] [Target is under Word of Command] [Target is under Word of Command] [Target is under Word of Command] ───── (E/N: It's not even funny but I'm laughing)