Chapter 77

◈ Chapter 77. The Dignity of the Chief (1)

"I will temporarily suspend the regular meeting."

─The Weight of the Chief (Repeat)▲

●Proceed with the verification in the Topaz Hall. (Success)

●Successfully hold the regular meeting. (In Progress)

The quest objective is to successfully hold the regular meeting.

Should I skip the last presenter, Bangrit, and end the meeting?

That wouldn't be considered a successful conclusion.

My pride told me as much.

"Bangrit Tom. When he steps up to the podium, I will resume the meeting."

I will make sure to have Bangrit stand in the Crystal Hall!

Still, can I proceed with the meeting as I see fit?

Such a concern suddenly crossed my mind.

But I only thought about it.

If you're annoyed, you shouldn't have asked me to do it.

In that sense, Bangrit Tom.

I don't know where he has disappeared to.

But one thing was certain.

"Of course, I will hold him accountable for the current situation."

If there is no valid reason.

That is, if there is no reason that my pride deems appropriate.

Bangrit Tom, Senior Mage, will have a tough time.

*

Silence—

At least, Ho-yeol stepped up to the podium.

Ho-yeol, who values etiquette and formality above all else.

Not to mention, he even mentioned the word 'procedure.'

How could anyone dare to chat or not listen attentively?

Murmur—

When Ho-yeol left the Crystal Hall,

the players finally began to speak cautiously.

"Hey, isn't this a quest?"

"Looks like a quest, doesn't it?"

"Will the quest start when Bangrit Tom is found?"

It smelled like it.

More specifically, it smelled like a major quest.

After all, a senior mage of the Magic Tower had gone missing.

The players began to take notice.

Receiving an invitation to the regular meeting?

It means they have a keen eye, thanks to their accumulated experience.

"Let's just wait and see. It might end rather anticlimactically, you know?"

The possibility of an anticlimactic ending.

It referred to the scenario where Bangrit Tom was inside the Magic Tower.

For example,

"Maybe he's just sleeping somewhere, having relaxed too much."

That was the possibility.

But even so, it was hard to imagine.

"Can a senior mage really do that?"

Given that they are a mage class.

Players who are well aware of the greatness of the Magic Tower.

It was hard to understand how a senior mage could make such a mistake.

So, the wait wasn't long.

Starting with Ho-yeol.

The moment all the senior mages left the Crystal Hall,

the players began to move from their seats.

"It's certain. Bangrit Tom is outside the Magic Tower!"

"Did you hear? We must find Bangrit Tom!"

"…What does he look like? Wait, I've never seen him properly!"

Crystal Hall.

The only person left in that spot was

Jesse Hainness alone.

Jesse spoke.

"What do you think?"

The cap did not waver as it replied.

-This is indeed unprecedented.

Even if its reputation has faded now,

it was still the regular meeting of the Magic Tower.

A mage who disappeared before giving a presentation at the regular meeting?

Even as a grand mage, I have no memory of such an event.

Moreover, Bangrit Tom is a senior mage.

"I heard he had high expectations for this research…"

Jesse, who frequently visits the Magic Tower and has many conversations with apprentices and skilled mages, knew well how to handle Bangrit. Jesse muttered,

"…Something must have happened to him."

-By the atmosphere, it seems so. However, my student.

"Yes?"

-Do not get involved in this matter.

"…?"

It wasn't out of concern as a teacher.

This was something that could be understood with a little thought.

Jesse, realizing the hidden meaning, was taken aback.

"…Is it possible for something to happen to Senior Bangrit?"

Indeed.

Bangrit Tom.

Apart from his standing in the Magic Tower, he is a senior mage.

A being closer to a superhuman than a human.

Having observed closely, Jesse knew well what the senior mages of the Magic Tower were like.

If something were to happen to such a senior mage,

Jesse immediately stood up from her seat.

"…This is not the time to think about quests like everyone else!"

This was not a normal situation.

Following the teacher's advice, even being involved could be dangerous.

*

Magic Tower.

The disappearance of Senior Mage Bangrit Tom.

The news was also relayed to the AAU.

"Senior! How did you get this scoop?"

"Hey, you're here? There was a streamer who was live-streaming the regular meeting from the beginning. Quite bold, isn't it? What if he gets caught?"

"Is there a replay? Can I watch it?"

"Of course."

Yoon Soo-kyum clicked the rewind button.

The chat window that had appeared also began to rewind.

Seong Hyun-joon, who was looking at the chat window, was taken aback.

But, why are the same messages filling the chat window…?

"Ho-yeol. Ho-yeol. Ho-yeol? The spam today is out of control!"

"It couldn't be helped. It was really out of control, earlier."

"Even so, to spam for hours? And instead of kicking them out, they're spamming together? What on earth happened?"

It was a long story.

Click—

Yoon Soo-kyum sipped his Americano and began to recount the day's miracle.

He wasn't exaggerating.

What Ho-yeol demonstrated was almost miraculous.

Seong Hyun-joon, who had been listening silently, was shocked and asked.

"S, did he even teach the skilled mages?"

"Yeah, he even suggested research directions."

"Is that even possible? I don't understand."

Ho-yeol, a mere player.

How could he teach the mages of the Magic Tower?

Seong Hyun-joon still couldn't believe it.

Unfortunately,

"But the important thing is not that."

"…That's true. There's something even harder to believe."

"Bangrit Tom."

The senior mage of the Magic Tower going missing.

That was the real reason for the emergency at the AAU.

Seong Hyun-joon pulled his hair.

"Where did he suddenly go?"

"We need to figure that out now."

"Seriously. If it were any other NPC, or any other Arcanian, going missing, we might just say, 'What a pity,' and move on…!"

As he said,

What kind of beings are the mages of the Magic Tower?

Especially, Bangrit Tom is a senior mage among them.

The more you know, the more you see.

The AAU was beginning to realize the severity of the situation.

"Initially, the NPCs were not set to be active in the Arcana continent. The mages of the Magic Tower? If they start moving properly, whether it's the empire or anything else, there's nothing that can stop the Magic Tower…."

Yoon Soo-kyum clicked his tongue.

"Don't overreact. Who said the Magic Tower is moving as a whole? Bangrit Tom just disappeared on his own."

"That's not a normal thing, Senior! If, hypothetically, a quest related to Bangrit Tom arises as the players suspect, and if the players end up opposing Bangrit Tom…"

"Hey, I don't even want to imagine that."

Given what he knew, he could confidently say:

If Bangrit Tom becomes the enemy of the players,

he might be a more formidable enemy than the Demon King, Decarabia.

"What kind of twist led to this situation, anyway?"

Groan—

No matter how much he groaned and pulled his hair, nothing came to mind.

So, Seong Hyun-joon couldn't help but be puzzled.

Despite knowing the severity of the situation better than anyone else,

Senior Yoon Soo-kyum didn't seem worried.

"…Are you okay, Senior?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Well, in the past, you would have been more agitated than me…"

"I, I have faith now."

"Faith? Senior, did you start believing in some religion?"

"Religion?"

Yoon Soo-kyum chuckled.

"Well, you could see it that way."

Then he clicked the play button.

The video started playing again.

Ho-yeol's voice came from the speakers.

-“Bangrit Tom. When he steps up to the podium, I will resume the meeting.”

"!"

Yes, there was Ho-yeol.

Bangrit Tom, who had gone missing.

A position higher than the great senior mage.

Ho-yeol, who received treatment equal to that of a chief mage.

"Think about the Magic Tower's setting. Even if he luckily got a seat as a chief joint researcher, if he couldn't prove his abilities, he would have quickly lost his position. That's the kind of position a chief in the Magic Tower is."

Yoon Soo-kyum continued.

"So, it's natural to have faith in him."

Moreover, Ho-yeol, who activated the ultimate weapon, the Quirnberg mechanical tower,

and initiated a full-scale counterattack.

Seong Hyun-joon spoke.

"Ho-yeol, Ho-yeol. I think I understand why the spam didn't stop."

Of course, just having faith in Ho-yeol

would be tantamount to dereliction of duty.

The unspoken thoughts of the two.

'Information that could help Ho-yeol.'

A brief exchange of glances.

Tap-tap-tap—

Seong Hyun-joon and Yoon Soo-kyum began to type busily on their keyboards.

"It's not a game anymore. It's not a bug."

"Then there must be a purpose behind his disappearance."

"Right. We need to figure out that purpose to guess where he went. The question is, how do we find out that purpose…? Let's start by digging into the Magic Tower's setting?"

*

Indeed.

Every action has a purpose.

Even Bangrit's sudden behavior must have a purpose.

So, what is Bangrit's purpose?

If I were to ask,

"Even if he had an urgent need to use the restroom, he could have asked for understanding and it would have been understandable."

…Wait, even if etiquette is important, it's not that extreme.

How could anyone mention the word 'restroom' in the Crystal Hall?!

People have a sense of shame, Grandfel.

Obviously, no meaningful answer could come from me.

But unlike me, who spouted nonsense shamelessly,

there was someone who could guess the purpose.

"Indeed, I have a hunch."

It was Marcello.

Marcello's sunken eyes widened.

"I don't know how you will think, but I believe I know Bangrit well. He is highly skilled, but his lack of confidence is a problem that hinders his development."

Indeed, that explains why he tried to offer a bribe disguised as a gift to me. He must have relied on such means due to his lack of confidence.

Nod—

As I nodded, Marcello continued.

"But that is a personal issue. Some suggest that Bangrit, feeling psychological pressure due to his reduced standing, disappeared before the meeting… I do not agree."

His voice was full of confidence.

"He is a senior mage in pure magic."

Marcello's meaning was simple.

A senior mage of the Magic Tower is not someone who would hide due to a mere sense of pressure.

I couldn't agree more.

"Therefore, I will tell you."

While nodding in agreement,

Marcello said meaningfully,

"It's about the Round Table meeting."

…So that's why he brought it up!

The Round Table meeting is a gathering of the Magic Tower's leadership.

What kind of conversation took place at that leadership meeting?

I was genuinely curious.

Of course, I didn't show it.

In such moments, I'm grateful for my poker face.

"The scheduled Round Table meeting was postponed."

…What? It was postponed?!

Wait, then why did I go through all that trouble?!

A surge of frustration welled up inside me.

'Gratitude for the poker face, my ass!'

I cancel that gratitude.

I might die young from a stress-related illness.

But, as always, I asked in an unchanging tone.

"When was the decision to postpone the Round Table meeting made?"

"As you might guess. It was decided during the regular meeting."

"!"

"That's right. It was around the time Bangrit left the Crystal Hall."

The meaning was clear.

This suggests that Bangrit Tom's disappearance is related to the Magic Tower's leadership,

the Tower Master or the Elder Mages.

'…Am I misunderstanding something?'

Clearly, Marcello meant it that way.

This isn't some conspiracy theory.

But with the sudden appearance of high-ranking figures, I couldn't help but flinch.

But as I said, I didn't show it.

Marcello chuckled at my expressionless reaction.

"Indeed, you had a hunch as well."

"?"

"That's right."

What hunch? What did I have a hunch about?

It seemed there was still something to be surprised about.

I tried to calm myself, but it was in vain.

"This is the situation of the Magic Tower that I couldn't reveal."

At that moment, the quest window flashed.

[Quest: The Truth of the Magic Tower]

There is a contradiction in the Tower of Mages.

Reveal the contradiction.

And set the Magic Tower and the truth straight.

─Secure Bangrit Tom, who is involved with the Magic Tower's leadership. (In Progress)

…So, it was connected like this?

How complicated is this, from top to bottom?

I had a hunch from the moment Marcello hesitated to speak.

But now that I know the reality, the shock is doubled.

'Not just a mage of the Magic Tower, but the leadership.'

But contrary to my inner thoughts,

I replied.

In the most shameless voice.

"I understand your difficulties, Chief Mage Marcello."

*

"They're idiots, they need to use their heads!"

In the lobby of the Magic Tower.

Some players were waiting there.

"What will you do by rushing out? Will he magically appear to greet you?"

To find Bangrit Tom,

you need to find some clues.

In that sense, everyone was wasting their time.

"Right! If you don't know, you should at least have some sense, like us."

The players were waiting for Ho-yeol.

Ho-yeol would surely set out to find Bangrit Tom.

Who is Ho-yeol?

A chief joint researcher of the Magic Tower.

Naturally, he would have more information about the Magic Tower than anyone else.

"If we just follow Ho-yeol, something will come up."

If we follow and find Bangrit Tom before Ho-yeol,

the quest and rewards will be ours.

That was the purpose of the waiting players.

Click—

After a long wait.

The sound of footsteps.

"It