Chapter 43

EP.43 Tower of Magic - 5

Until now, Leonardo could boast that he had experienced every kind of battle.

Even the berserker known as the human butcher could not kill him, and the necromancer king, called the lord of curses and death, fell to Leo's hands. Even the ancient demon resurrected in modern times could not ultimately devour Leo and died.

Even such a Leonardo...

"Leo..."

He was certain that the current situation was the most terrifying he had ever faced.

"Explain."

"...Huh? What...?"

Thud

The sword was embedded in the marble floor of the corridor. It went in as smoothly and cleanly as if piercing soft clay, leaving only a sword mark without any cracks.

She smiled as she pulled out the sword.

In that smile, he could feel death creeping over his body.

[...Don't worry. If you die, I'll give you a good ghost life.]

Though it's strange to base it on death, there's nothing to deny.

"Miss Ariasfil...? Please calm down...!"

"Shut up."

"Y-Yes...?"

Ariasfil expressed her anger with a distorted face. Her murderous smile from earlier seemed almost cute in comparison.

"Did you do it?"

"Y-Yes? What do you mean...?"

"Did you do it!! Answer me...!!"

Without using a subject, it was impossible to understand what she was saying. Moreover, with his thoughts paralyzed by fear, he had no time to speculate or deduce.

"...What do you mean...?"

"Shut up...!! I don't want to hear it...!!"

He no longer understood what was happening.

Why was she venting such anger?

Whether she wanted an explanation or silence, he couldn't tell.

In the meantime, Ariasfil exploded with fury and malice.

"...I...! I...!! I wanted to do it with Leonardo for the first time...!! Why...!! Why did you betray me...!!"

Now it was beyond our comprehension. Ariasfil was wailing almost in tears. Tears were gradually streaming down her face.

<...Why is she like this...?!>

[I don't know... What is this, it's scary...]

As the two men felt fear and confusion,

At that moment, a graduate student wiped away Ariasfil's tears.

"I'm sorry. I, an adult, made a hasty decision. I should have considered Miss Ariasfil's feelings..."

"You're the same...!! How could you do such a thing to Leonardo...!!"

Just as she was about to draw her sword, she embraced Ariasfil.

"I'm really sorry. As someone who reveres the same person, it was my fault for not understanding Miss Ariasfil's feelings."

"...Ugh... Ah..."

She shed tears again. If someone asked what chaos and madness were, Leonardo would immediately describe this scene without thinking.

"So, let's do it together now."

"...Huh...?"

Ariasfil's tears stopped. Her anger hadn't disappeared, but Ameri's words were incredibly shocking to her.

"...What...!"

"Since we both like and respect the same person... it will definitely be good for everyone if we do it together! It will be more meaningful too!"

Clearly, Ameri's intention was centered around the Sage's legacy.

To Ameri, Ariasfil must have seemed just like Leonardo, searching for the Sage's legacy.

Therefore, she thought Ariasfil felt jealous and angry for not being included in the discovery of the Sage's legacy.

If she were in her position, she would have felt the same way.

The real problem was...

'...Three people...?! Could it be... all together...?! Such a violent... thing...!!'

Ariasfil interpreted it in a completely different way. In her mind, a party of lust and betrayal was unfolding.

"...Such a shameless act...!! I would never want it...!!"

"...Shameless...? Oh! I forgot about Rios! Let's do it all together with Rios! That would be great!!"

Ariasfil's face was on fire. The pleasure of illusion and the heat of betrayal were a fatally tempting allure to the young girl.

A moment of calm, explanation, and clarification was needed.

***

"...Ugh..."

Ariasfil covered her face with her hands and buried her head in the table.

Given the awkward situation, everyone remained silent, not knowing how to apologize.

If the story were to come up now, Ariasfil might faint from shame.

"...I'm... really... sorry..."

Gritting her teeth, Ariasfil tried to utter the shameful apology.

"No!! No!! It's actually stranger if you don't doubt it!!"

Ameri quickly accepted the apology. After all, it would be awkward for her to see her friend and junior acting like this.

When she first explained the Sage's legacy to Ariasfil, she repeatedly expressed her doubts.

Given the circumstances and the late hour, there were plenty of reasons to be suspicious.

Fortunately, when she showed the cut wall in the bathroom and the box and ring, Ariasfil finally believed it.

<...But what did she misunderstand?>

[I don't even want to know. Don't ask me, a wise person.]

Even though it was a joke, Leonardo nodded and gave up on the question. If a wise person didn't know, it was better not to know.

"...But what will you do with the ring?"

To change the subject, Ariasfil asked, looking at the ring in her pocket.

"Yes... I think we should report to the Tower of Magic's masters first. Since it's the first discovery of the Sage's legacy in the history of the tower..."

"That shouldn't be done immediately."

The one who interrupted her was Leonardo, who had found the ring with her.

"Yes...? Why...?"

"First, we need to confirm if it's real, and there's a high chance they'll take it to verify its authenticity."

"...So, it's not a good idea...?"

Leonardo sighed in frustration but reluctantly answered the question with a sympathetic look.

"Would they just give it back? It would be a miracle if they didn't switch it."

Not all the masters of the tower were evil, but the Sage's legacy was a valuable treasure both historically and practically.

It wouldn't be strange for them to have ulterior motives.

Especially if the owner was someone as weak as her, their greed would be even more intense.

"...Is that really the case...?"

"What if they offered you a doctorate in exchange for the ring?"

"I would take it!!!"

That answer wasn't out of foolishness or stupidity.

It was just that, having lived as a slave for years, she reflexively yearned for freedom.

"See?"

"...Uh... Yes."

Ariasfil almost lost her words at the pitiful sight. A genius born with a silver spoon couldn't understand such impoverished thinking.

"...Yes... Indeed...?"

"Then, let's try the ring once and decide. That way, we can determine if it's real as a magical tool."

The two companions were lost in thought at the suggestion. Meanwhile, the creator of the ring whispered to Leonardo.

[But will it be okay? If she puts it on...]

<It's fine. I said to do it.>

[...Well, it does make the most sense for her to use it.]

As if waiting for the Sage's approval, Ameri hesitated before putting the ring on her finger.

"...Something... feels different..."

"....What?!"

The first to be surprised was Ariasfil.

"...Why...! Why...!?"

"Look at your eyes! The bloodshot parts...!!"

At her words, Ameri used the black surface of the watch to reflect her face.

The dark circles were still deep, but the dry, bloodshot eyes gradually filled with moisture and became clearer.

"...Now that I think about it, I'm not sleepy at all. My head is also very clear...!"

"It must be real. That's a relief."

[Knowing it all... Your deception is amazing. Really.]

Whether it was a compliment or an insult, the result was good, so he decided to take it as a compliment.

"...Then, what about the ring now..."

Without the time to enjoy the happiness, the diligent slave tried to take off the ring for the graduate school.

"...Huh? Why...?"

Ameri, looking puzzled, tried to take off the ring with her opposite hand while extending her ring finger.

"Why is it...?"

"That... This ring... Miss Ariasfil, can you hold it for a moment?"

"Y-Yes... Yes."

At Ameri's request, Ariasfil lightly held the ring. Ameri, trusting her strength, pulled her body back.

"Ugh...!! It hurts!! Ahh!!"

"Ah... I'm sorry."

Ameri screamed, and Ariasfil covered her mouth with her hand in apology.

[Arias, didn't you laugh just now?]

<Y-Yes? Did I? Maybe it was a mistake?>

What was there to laugh about here? It was probably a mistake due to the darkness or the Sage's worsening eyesight.

"Now... What should we do...? If it doesn't come off..."

"It's fine. Since we found it, the ownership is either Ameri or me. Comparing the contributions, Ameri has the larger share."

From the beginning, the plan was to give it to Ameri.

The ring's healing power could resolve the various ailments in her body.

[But is it okay to give it for free?]

<There's no need to be stingy. If it weren't for her, we wouldn't have obtained it...>

Leonardo looked at her with a sympathetic gaze.

<Sometimes, hard work should be rewarded.>

And who knows, maybe it would help her achieve greatness in this life, as she was a top-tier magician in her previous life.

<It's an investment. It will make it easier to get help for finding other legacies.>

[I'm here, you know.]

<Ah, I see. Well, the help of a wise person who likes light Americanos and is allergic to red apples is desperately needed. Very desperately, yes.>

[Your torture is not just a national treasure, but a world cultural heritage.]

That's quite a compliment. It was an exaggerated evaluation.

"...That's important, but... I'm not even married... What should I do with this...?"

Ameri's ring finger, where the ring was placed, was the ring finger. No one in their right mind would fail to understand the significance of a ring on the ring finger.

"What if I can't get married...?"

<...>

The small, irresponsible person subtly glanced at his own back.

[...]

The irresponsible rogue shook his head and gave a hopeless answer.

The small person and the rogue expressed their condolences without responsibility. It was a pity.

***

The next day, despite various commotions and incidents, the situation passed relatively quietly.

First, following Leonardo's advice, they decided not to reveal this matter immediately.

Certainly, there would be many objections, and in the worst case, someone might cut off a finger or even assassinate to get the ring.

The wall in the bathroom was filled and restored with Ameri's magic, and the group returned to their respective dormitories.

And that night, they agreed to meet at a certain place.

[...But do we not need to catch the late-night mages?]

<We can catch them with this.>

[That's true, but this test might be more difficult than expected...]

<What? Do we need to guess the date of the Sage's first kiss or something?>

Whether it happened or not, by the Sage's standards, indirect kisses would be included... so it's better to think it did.

[Shut up, brat.]

<Why would they set such a question?>

[I honestly thought we could solve it in a week! They were all my close friends!]

Honestly, if they were really close friends, it could be solved immediately, but unless they were exceptionally brilliant or crazy, no one would solve it that way.

Even if someone did, the friend who solved it might no longer be a friend.

"A! Leo!"

"Are you here? Mr. Leonardo."

In front of the library, two people were already waiting.

"Sorry to call you out so late."

"No! To find the Sage's legacy, I wouldn't mind not sleeping for a week, or even a month now!"

He knew that statement was sincere, not just a show of agreement. Otherwise, he wouldn't have that smug expression.

"But is the legacy really in the Tower of Magic's library? So many people come and go..."

"True, but the bathroom is a place people visit frequently. They must have targeted the darkness under the lamp."

The two nodded in agreement.

[...Of course, that's the reason. Haha.]

If he hadn't said anything, they might have believed it, but this guy deliberately added unnecessary details, creating suspicion. It was so pitiful that he didn't point it out.

"...But I've been here before... This place is really huge. How many books are there...?"

"Roughly 8 million... including the underground rare book section, there are 300,000 more."

Ariasfil's mouth dropped open at the number.

In fact, the Tower of Magic had an obligation to pass on academic materials to future generations, and the students and professors at the tower used this vast resource to their advantage, cooperating with the tower. Therefore, it was worth managing all these books.

"But how should we search?"

"...Actually, the Sage left a hint in the library."

[My wisdom is embedded in the library. The remaining wisdom here will remain forever, even if we sleep.]

"...So, everyone has tried various methods in the library."

Some slept on the books, tore them, and even burned them.

"But those who did such things, whether professors or students, were all expelled. For damaging materials and property..."

Sleeping on the books was punished with a lecture or a written apology, but tearing or burning them was indefensible.

[Of course. Where did they sell their principles?]

<That's what the Sage would say. Besides, the method is mixed in with what I just said.>

Saying that, Leonardo started pulling out books.

"...Are these clues?"

"No. Actually, any book will do. Just pull out as many large and thick ones as possible."

"...Really? Are you sure?"

Leonardo nodded in response and started pulling out various books. Seeing his actions, they all seemed a bit suspicious but decided to go along with it, each pulling out a book.

"Is this enough?"

Looking at the tower of books on the table, Ameri asked.

"Yes, that's enough."

"Then what do we do now?"

"Now, we need to make a good bed."

"Bed...?!"

He didn't understand why she was so shocked by those words. Was it that shocking a method?

"...I tried that, but it didn't work. Sleeping on books is already..."

"Not just sleeping on them, but making a coffin out of books to lie in."

"...What?"

Leonardo wasn't surprised by her reaction. He had the same reaction when he first heard it.

-[So, 'sleeping' has two meanings: real sleep and death. That's how it's hidden.]

-<...It's surprising and feels right, but the fact that no one has done this in hundreds of years... is a bit...>

It was indeed a novel method, but it was a bit suspicious that no one in the tower, known for its eccentrics, had tried it.

[Actually, even if you know the method, it's meaningless if you can't pass it in one go.]

<Why?>

[Exactly. I can tell you the method to enter, but even if I tell you how to pass it, it won't help once you're in the test.]

He didn't understand what he meant, but since he often talked nonsense, he decided to understand it.

[But if one person succeeds, you can get the item, so there's no need to worry.]

As the Sage said.

This time, like the previous test, the more people, the better.

It was probably meant to encourage everyone to work together to succeed, but...

'Even with a patent, it's hard to expect that from mages who would tear each other apart.'

While pondering this alone, Leonardo trimmed the edges of the books to form a coffin.

"It's roughly done."

"Me too. I didn't expect 'sleeping' to mean this."

"Then, should we lie down?"

Leonardo nodded, checking the completed book coffins.

"Since one person's success is enough to win, don't put too much pressure on yourselves."

"We must succeed!"

"I'll do my best too!"

Each declared their determination and lay in the coffins. Leonardo also lay down and said,

"Good night."

The group closed their eyes.

***

...

......

.........

"Get up..."

"...Huh...?"

Someone was shaking Leonardo's body.

"...Get up, Leo..."

Unable to resist the shaking, Leonardo slowly opened his eyes.

"...Where am I..."

It was his home. Had he dozed off? There was a bit of warm saliva at the corner of his mouth.

"...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to... fall asleep."

"It's okay. We're close, so it's fine~"

Ariasfil smiled brightly in response. She was wearing an apron, which she had found somewhere, as if