Ch 210
The Tower Master’s summons brought the Tower’s Masters together in one place.
A heavy atmosphere hung in the air.
It was highly unusual for the Tower Master to summon the Masters like this.
The Masters’ anxious expressions created a subtle stir.
“What in the world is going on…?”
“Isn’t this related to the Tower Master’s prolonged stay at the Tower?”
“Prolonged? It’s only been a few days—oh, it has been a long time.”
“The Tower Master’s stay has lasted for days…!”
“I had a feeling something was amiss. The Tower Master staying at the Tower this long…”
“Has some incident occurred at the Tower?”
“An incident that only the Tower Master knows about?”
“Putting it that way, the situation seems rather serious.”
“But—if it were such a serious problem, wouldn’t the Tower Master have given Yerika a hint?”
“You know the Tower Master’s personality. They intended to resolve the problem Yerika didn’t know about, without Yerika’s knowledge, and then leave again.”
“…Then, the reason for summoning Yerika now—”
“Is that a problem has arisen at the Tower, one that even the Tower Master’s abilities cannot solve?”
gulp.
Over the sudden silence, the sound of someone swallowing dryly was added.
Thus, the Tower Master’s actions, breaking the unspoken convention, were causing the Masters great doubt.
At that moment.
“Master Melthas, Marina. Have you arrived? And—!? Duke Pallag, what brings you here…!”
The Masters expressed surprise at the identities of those who had arrived late.
Master Melthas and Marina, trusted by the Tower Master, were one thing, but the outsider, Frozen Breath, attending as well!?
“Your Tower Master summoned me, saying there was an urgent matter to discuss.
Pallag’s expression was quite serious.
Should I say stubborn?
Or should I say responsible?
Lumiere, the person he knew, was not someone who usually confided their worries and problems to others.
“For that stubborn and great wizard to seek the opinions of others… I hope it’s not too serious a situation.”
“…”
Pallag’s monologue.
Tension and worry began to color the Masters’ expressions.
The Gray Girl appeared shortly thereafter.
“Lumiere. You’ve come.”
“…Yes.”
Pallag’s greeting.
And Lumiere’s reply.
Even in that short conversation, Pallag and the others were greatly shocked.
‘Is that really Lumiere…!’
That immense self easily pierced through the girl’s youthful atmosphere, asserting its presence.
Unpredictable and capricious, a mysterious being whose inner thoughts were impossible to fathom.
That was Lumiere, as they knew her.
But look at her now.
Her voice lacked strength, even in her short reply, and her expression failed to hide her overwhelming anguish.
Just how.
How serious a problem must it be to elicit such a sight from the Wandering Star, Lumiere?
Thump.
Thump.
The short moment Lumiere took to move to her seat felt like an eternity.
And finally.
“Now that everyone’s here, let’s get to the main point.”
Lumiere began to speak.
“Recently, I’ve experienced something very confusing, and I can’t figure out how to take it—I’m seeking your opinions.”
“…Tower Master, will our opinions be of any help?”
Master Melthas spoke cautiously on behalf of the Masters.
Although her appearance was that of a young girl, Lumiere possessed a deeper mystery and firmer conviction than anyone present.
Lumiere’s statement caused them to wonder.
Could they possibly.
Could they possibly offer a suitable answer to a problem that even Lumiere couldn’t solve?
“…”
As if sharing the same thought, the Gray Girl offered a skeptical smile.
It was the usual superhuman demeanor, one that didn’t seek the understanding of ordinary people.
But, that was only for a moment.
That skeptical smile soon turned into a bitter smile.
“Whatever, it’s better than agonizing over it alone, right?”
“…!”
They were more shocked than before.
For the capricious and stubborn Wandering Star to say such a thing?
The great wizard who carried everything on her shoulders, wandering for an unknown reason.
It was the moment she let go of a part of herself.
She no longer tried to shoulder everything herself.
It was the moment the Wandering Star, who had wandered for half a lifetime, finally settled down.
Feeling great excitement at this realization, they momentarily set aside their worries.
Their desire to help her, however small, surpassed everything else.
“Understood, Tower Master. We will listen.”
As Melthas said, all the Masters were listening to her.
“…”
Ha.
Lumiere chuckled softly.
Her expression was filled with complex emotions.
Soon, she opened her mouth.
“As I said earlier, I’ve experienced an event I can’t understand at all. If I accept it readily, the entire world I’ve built up throughout my life will be denied. If you were in my situation, what would you do?”
Lumiere revealed details of the event.
The Star Giant.
The Source of Backflow.
An event that was impossible to accept with reason and common sense.
After the story ended.
Lumiere looked at the audience with a self-deprecating expression.
Because she knew what their reaction would be.
Surely they would say it was nonsense—
“Ah, is it something related to Lisir?”
“…?”
The Masters spoke as if they understood everything.
“How—”
Lumiere hadn’t mentioned anything about Lisir.
Because she knew it would be meaningless.
However—
It became a meaningless act in a different sense than Lumiere had thought.
For the name was immediately mentioned by the Masters.
“How did you know…?”
“Heh heh.”
Pallag chuckled, looking at the bewildered Lumiere.
What.
I worried for nothing.
That was the reaction that could be heard.
The heavy atmosphere in the room had lightened as if nothing had happened.
Lumiere was simply bewildered by the situation.
“No, how did you know?”
Lumiere raised her voice in frustration.
Thus, vitality was added to her weak voice.
“How did we know? It’s obviously related to Lisir.”
Melthas nodded in agreement with Pallag’s words.
“By the way, a Guardian Saint. Lisir. That friend of his has now mastered sorcery.”
He became a Guardian Saint.
Can that simply be summarized as mastering sorcery?
“Anyway, Lumiere, why are you so surprised? From what I hear, Lisir didn’t actually become the Star Giant, but the power that consumed Lisir’s energy merely showed another illusion?”
“…Isn’t that not the point of the story?”
“Huh? Then what is the point?”
“…”
Oh?
Wait.
That’s right.
What is the point?
The Gray Girl’s thoughts suddenly came to a halt.
And.
When she came to her senses—
“What, it wasn’t a big deal? Yeah. I made a demon into a spirit, so what if it becomes a Guardian Saint?”
“Heh heh! That’s right, that’s right! Now I can finally see!”
Pallag and the Tower Masters looked fondly at the Gray Girl.
Hahaha.
Their cheerful laughter echoed as one.
Anyway.
It was the moment the Wandering Star, who had wandered aimlessly until now, settled among them.
✦✦✦
『The Wandering Star joins the base.』
『Base value increases dramatically!』
✦✦✦
The Tower Master’s sudden return.
As a result, the Gray Tower was enveloped in a bustling atmosphere.
Lumiere first met with the Tower’s wizards.
It was to understand the personnel of the Tower as the Tower Master.
Lisir was also included among those to be interviewed—
“…Lisir, I’ll postpone our interview.”
“Yes?”
“Unlike other interviews, it won’t be an impromptu, casual one. There’s a lot to consider and prepare for.”
“Oh, I’m fine with that.”
“I’m not. More than anything—”
The Gray Girl looked at Lisir and rubbed her temples wearily.
“I’m not… ready to face you yet.”
“…I’m sorry?”
“Anyway, that’s how it is, so let’s postpone our interview—instead, I have something to tell you.”
“Something to tell me?”
“Yes. Do you know that those guys are at Bondales right now?”
Yellow Tower.
Lumiere mentioned the name and sighed deeply.
The Gray Tower, with its relatively short history and weak power, was often ignored by other Towers—
This was especially true of the Yellow Tower due to its nature.
“Since you say ‘those guys,’ it’s not just one or two. There must be a reason for them to come to Bondales in a group. Do they have business with our Tower?”
“I don’t know. That’s why the leader of the Tower is trying to find out, and that’s why I’m telling you this.”
The Gray Girl pointed at Lisir with her little finger.
“They want to work with you, if possible?”
“Yes? They chose me? Who are they—”
Master Didoa.
The name mentioned by Lumiere.
✦✦✦
Immediately after talking with the Tower Master, Lisir went to find Master Didoa.
His destination was the mansion of a Guild Master where the Yellow Tower officials were staying.
Goose Manor.
Lisir thought it was fortunate.
He had been planning to visit Halona to check on Klana’s condition.
Recalling Halona’s words that he would soon be able to deliver good news—
He arrived at Goose Manor.
“Ah, Mr. Lisir!”
The guard immediately recognized him and let him into the mansion.
Moreover, he offered to guide him personally and asked about his business.
“Halona… no, no. Is Master Didoa here right now?”
“Ah! You’re looking for Master Didoa! I’ll guide you!”
The reception room of the mansion, reached by following the guard.
A woman with a characteristically expressionless face sat there.
“Didoa?”
“Oh? My dear friend Lisir?”
Didoa.
With an expressionless face, she raised the corners of her mouth with her fingers, expressing her welcome.
As Lisir greeted Didoa and they were catching up, it happened.
Feeling a sudden gaze, he looked at the seat opposite Didoa.
“…”
A woman wearing a gold cape, proving her affiliation with the Yellow Tower, was looking at Lisir and Didoa.
The woman lightly bowed her head when her eyes met Lisir’s.
Very lightly.
To the point of being almost pointless.
‘What? A showdown?’
Lisir unconsciously got that impression.
“Master Didoa? That person—”
“Yerika, a Master of the Yellow Tower. We’re waiting for someone together.”
“Oh, did I interrupt?”
“No. It’s good you came. An awkward silence was flowing because we had run out of things to talk about.”
“Oh… that’s a problem. We’re about to run out of things to talk about as well.”
“Really? Then, Lisir, can we talk about the Spirit Core for a bit?”
“Spirit Core? Ah, Perin’s—What’s the matter?”
“It’s not anything else. Many students and Masters want to extract the Spirit Core for research.”
“Ah.”
“But as my friend Lisir knows, the quantity of Spirit Cores isn’t that sufficient, is it? More than that, it’s not something that can be extracted so easily—”
Ahem.
A coughing sound was heard then.
Lisir and Didoa’s gazes turned to one place.
Yerika, the Yellow Tower Master.
A sly smile had appeared on her lips.
“Master Didoa? If you’re having that kind of problem, why didn’t you tell me?”
“Huh?”
“The Tower’s students and Masters are unable to conduct research due to a lack of supplies. My goodness. In the Yellow Tower, such a thing is unimaginable, I dare not even imagine it.”
If the Gray Tower’s defining characteristic is its ambiguity or free-spirited nature, like gray—
The Yellow Tower’s defining characteristic was its abundant resources, like gold.
Master Yerika fully expressed that pride on her face.
Thus, she looked down on the two wizards of the Gray Tower.
“We have more than enough Spirit Cores in the Yellow Tower—how about it. Shall the Yellow Tower help the Noble Tower?”
“Oh, then I—”
“Wait a minute, Didoa!”
“?”
Didoa, forgetting what had just happened, immediately clung to her.
Lisir, bewildered, tried to stop her.
Master Yerika’s brow furrowed at their unexpected reaction.
✦✦✦
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