Chapter 618 - Omniscient First-Person’s Viewpoint

"What? The floating fortress is going to crash into the ground?" No wonder. Even after ascending to the fortress, there was an aura of hesitance. One shouldn’t try to build a nest on a broken branch. And facing an attack from the Sword Saint? That’s a much more terrifying ordeal than plummeting from this altitude. A fall can be managed, but a single strike from the Sword Saint cannot be countered. Alright, I've decided. Let’s quickly wrap up our business here and escape. ‘Wait a moment. Now that I think about it, isn't this the floating fortress before its descent? Perhaps this is an opportunity. Maybe we can stop the downfall or at least weaken it.’ Do you have telepathy or something similar? How is it you flip your stance as soon as I reconsider my thoughts? Shei, her demeanor slightly mellowed, spoke. “Alright. Since I’m already here, I’ll cooperate with you.” The Green Tower Lord furrowed their brow at Shei’s sudden change in attitude. It wasn’t because she had become more cooperative. “You humans don’t seem to understand. It’s only natural for you to cooperate with us. Dressing up duty as a favor? How presumptuous. Are you expecting a reward?” “You might want to oblige. We're bringing information about the Devil.” And the mere mention of the word Shei casually let slip sent the wizards into a clamor. “The Devil?!” “A human knowing about that existence?!” Even for the mages living in the mystery of the floating fortress, the name of the Devil carried weight. In fact, the better they understood magic, the more significant it seemed. The mages, who had paid little mind to Shei and me during our escort, began to gather and whisper among themselves. “Lancart. So he was pursuing the Devil, it seems.” “Is it true that he belongs to the Devil’s cult?” ...Uh-oh. Did I say something I shouldn’t have? Sorry, Lancart. Shei revealed it, not me. I hold no responsibility here. “Regardless of the information you humans have brought, my duty remains unchanged. My assigned task is to arrest you and hand you over to the Security Bureau.” Even the single-minded Green Tower Lord hesitated momentarily, such was the impact of Shei’s words. Yet, the one who made the statement remained unperturbed. “Information on the Devil isn’t within their jurisdiction, is it? Summon Elisha.” A strange name issued from Shei’s lips. It was unfamiliar and sudden to me, but not to the Green Tower Lord. “Elisha…?! How does a human know that name?” “Yeah. I assume she belonged to the Intelligence Department.” “Intelligence Department, you say. You human. Are you speaking without knowing who that is?” “Who?” ‘The only thing I know is that she’s an agent of the Federation's Intelligence Service after the great descent. All mages were difficult and self-righteous, but Elisha was the only one I could communicate with. She was almost a colleague.’ “You truly have no idea. That’s the name of the Blue Tower Lord.” “What? Really?” The five magic towers supporting the floating fortress, among them the Blue Crystal Tower that governs the magic of ice and crystal. The identity of the mage who aided Shei during her regression was the Blue Tower Lord. That is to say, the Blue Tower Lord is considered one of the most powerful mages in the world... but Shei wasn't too surprised. It wasn’t particularly helpful, but she had stood alongside the Sword Saint and Demon King on the battlefield before. “That’s convenient. Then guide us to the Blue Tower.” “…Hold on. This is a bit confusing.” The Green Tower Lord held her brow, deep in contemplation. Other mages were the same, intrigued by the unique presence of Shei. “What exactly is she? She knows of the Devil and the Blue Tower Lord’s name?” “A human knowing about the Devil could happen. But knowing the Blue Tower Lord’s name is impossible without hearing it from someone within the fortress. I had even almost forgotten myself.” “I heard the Intelligence Department had recruited several human informants in the lower realms. Perhaps they are those informants?” “There’s a flaw in your hypothesis. When the Intelligence Department recruits human informants, they approach discreetly. Information from the magic-ignorant humans only pertains to the movements of each nation, making it unnecessary to reveal their identity.” “No. Lancart is a federal investigator from the Intelligence Department, so if he brought them, it makes sense.” “I heard humans even have ranks among themselves. Perhaps they’re important humans.” “Important humans? That’s like saying hot ice. They should spend time learning magic and aim to become superior beings instead of ranking among themselves.” The mages had started to ignore us and engage in their own discussions. They were much more animated debating among themselves than when they were working earlier. This is typical of mages. Their curiosity takes precedence, and they only fulfill duties or responsibilities to the extent necessary. If their affiliations start to feel like shackles, they’re ready to drop everything and wander off at the drop of a hat. Some call them antisocial, but that’s a misnomer. To be antisocial, they must acknowledge and accept society’s strong influence more than anyone else. Mages merely construct their world—in harmony or conflict with society, they don’t care. “Hold on. There’s something we need to confirm.” The Green Tower Lord was the same. She might be single-minded, but she isn’t a thorough principlist. She inclined more toward a public servant who wanted to get things done efficiently. Though the situation called for handing us over to the Security Bureau, a curious Green Tower Lord didn’t hesitate to aim an umbrella at Shei. “Shot.” The gem sparkled, and a magical sphere emerged, targeting Shei. It was an abrupt, unexpected attack. It wasn’t meant to kill, but it carried enough force to break several ribs of an ordinary person. Of course, Shei was no ordinary person. The detection field caught the attack and reacted almost instantaneously. Before the umbrella’s recoil could follow through, Shei had already freed herself from the ropes and grabbed her celestial weapon. With the hiss of a sudden breeze, a blade of wind cleaved through the magical sphere, which split in two and disintegrated in the air. “What’s the meaning of this?” The Green Tower Lord stared at Shei’s celestial weapon, imbued with magical power, and spoke. “Controlling the wind like that can’t be just martial arts. Are you a spirit user?” “…I don’t particularly rely on spirits.” "They say spirits refer to any external force not stemming from one's own will. While you don't directly cast magic, you incite magical effects by stimulating the consciousness imbued in your weapon. No wonder an odd magical aura was surrounding you." Though Cheon-aeng and Jizan are Shei's weapons, they aren't solely her power. Shei was merely the one chosen at this moment; if another were chosen, they could wield similar strength. Perhaps Cheon-aeng and Jizan are bound by the restraint that is Shei. Yet using a good tool is a skill in itself. The Green Tower Lord acknowledged Shei. "If you've been chosen by a spirit, you might not completely be a human. If you couldn't grasp things even on an intuitive level, the spirit wouldn't have chosen you." As if a mystery was finally unveiled, the mages chimed in one by one. "Ah, so she's a spirit user? Then she can't just be considered a simple human." "A bit lacking to be deemed one of the enlightened, but acceptable." Isn't their attitude remarkably different? When they considered her a mere human, they ignored her and half-heartedly listened to everything. But as soon as they discovered she wasn't an ordinary human, their stance shifted. Suddenly, I felt a surge of ambition. I understand now why the people in the Lower Realms so revere mages. With such a difference in treatment, even ordinary people would be tempted to learn magic. "Your illegal intrusion into the floating fortress can't be overlooked, but if you're not just a mere human, we might consider your circumstances. We'll report you to the Intelligence Bureau." "Well, I don’t care what you think." "But that only pertains to you. The human next to you has no right to wander the fortress. He must remain here." "What?" As the targeted human, that's rather annoying. Ah, should I show off my skills after a long break? Even though I lack magical power, I can certainly pretend with my mind-reading skills. ‘Oh, they don’t know Hughes? He may not be exceptional, but he can use magic.’ After concluding her impolite thoughts, Shei pointed to me and said. "Hughes can use magic too." "I don’t sense any particular magical energy from him." "His magic power may be limited, but in terms of knowledge, he's quite formidable. Even Lancart conceded to him in that regard." "Lancart did…?" The Green Tower Lord's eyebrows twitched again. Shei, perhaps unintentionally, succeeded in piquing the Lord's curiosity by mentioning Lancart. "Yes. He was an associate of Lancart in the military. What was it? He ranked first, even surpassing Lancart." "Hoho. In that case, why don't you show us?" Is it time? The chance to display my magical prowess? The stage was set. I cleared my throat and extended my arms before the mages. “Hmm, ahem. Now, watch closely. Though I may not compare to the distinguished mages of this floating fortress, I too wield magic…” “You’re being noisy. If you want to prove something, show us with magic, not words.” "...Alright. I shall proceed." How cold. But a true entertainer should ignite the audience's cold reception. I formed a simple sign and drew upon my magic before them all. "Set, Re." I drew magic from within. The military's standard magic, quick and easy, using the body as a medium. Weave this magic and cast a trick. Even the mages from the floating fortress might not resist. "Fahrenheit." A flame flickered to life at my fingertips. I intended to envelop the flame with wind to perform a spectacle. “Waaaaa!” But then, the mages all suddenly began yelling in unison. I was taken aback by their intense reaction. “What? I haven’t even started yet.” All I did was light a fire on my fingers. Even children in remote villages wouldn’t be surprised by this. Have the mages' thresholds become low while living isolated in the fortress? ...or so I thought, but seeing the dozens of wands aimed at me, I sensed something amiss. “Dark magic!” “Seize him!” Huh? What? Dark magic? This? "I only used standard magic… wait, mmmph!" I had no chance to object. A magical whip ensnared me, and an unseen force sealed my lips. Dozens of suppression spells bound me tight. Simultaneously, an invisible barrier surrounded me. I sensed danger, reached out, but my hand was blocked by an inexorable wall. “To use dark magic in a sanctum of white magic, what nerves… or perhaps not. Judging by your reaction, it seems you cast unwittingly, only showing your folly.” Along with vigilance, I felt looks of pity and disdain cast my way. Feeling unjustly accused, I writhed and shouted. “What’s this? I was only trying to show magic!" “Calling you a foolish human suits perfectly. Take him to the Security Bureau and detain him in the special confinement room as a dark mage.” Leaving that remark, the Green Tower Lord turned her back, clearly not needing to hear more. YW9peUx5cktZYXhyU2hzY1VsMkQ0Uk9qK1RPd0IyUURFQkEwT3ZYbFo0RFhQNE9oZ0hMMWVMYkpDSlp4bkJMdA Click. And thus, I found myself locked in a special confinement room, alone.