The Problematic Child of the Magic Tower
Chapter 17: Guardian of the Herb Field (5)
“Thank you. Truly, thank you.”
Morning had come after surviving a night of bloodshed.
Ivan, who seemed like someone incapable of expressing emotion, even hugged them to show his gratitude.
“If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have lived to see this morning's sun.”
“Oh, come on. I didn't really do much... It was this guy who handled it all.”
Despite Fran's humility, Oscar shook his head.
“I missed checking the opponent. Ivan's life wouldn't have been guaranteed if it weren't for you.”
"Wh-what...?"
Fran, who hadn't expected any praise, widened his eyes in surprise.
Oscar gave him a light punch on the chest and spoke.
“You did well. I'm glad you came along.”
“Uh, uh... Yeah, thanks.”
Fran, who seemed momentarily out of sorts, quickly pulled himself together and changed the topic.
“Anyway, you know this isn't over, right?”
“Hmm.”
Ivan’s face darkened at those words.
It was obvious that the failed assassin would send someone even stronger next time.
Especially since the one suspected to be behind this incident, Dvor Powell, was more than capable of doing so.
“To be honest, I was quite surprised myself. I never thought he would go so far as to try to kill me...”
“Right? He should know that targeting a national treasure would prompt the royal family to take action.”
“It’s probably because of us.”
Oscar chimed in.
“Seeing you with us must have made him anxious, prompting him to act.”
To be fair, Dvor's judgment was rather sharp.
Had he not moved, the White Tower would have likely revived the herb industry with Ivan's help.
“But now that his gamble failed, it's time for him to face the consequences.”
“Right. Just informing the royal family that he tried to kill a national treasure should be enough for them to take care of it.”
“The royal family, huh...”
However, Ivan's expression did not brighten at all.
“I’m not sure if we’ll be able to match the timing. The royal family is a massive organization, so they tend to handle matters slowly and cautiously. If Dvor launches a full-scale attack during that gap...”
“Oh, you don’t need to worry about that. The royal family will move faster than light.”
Oscar smiled at the confused Ivan, who blinked his eyes, not understanding.
The reason for Oscar's confidence was simple:
Today was the day when the royal family was signing a contract with the White Tower for the treatment of the Cadena flu.
“What? Failure?”
Dvor’s face twisted with rage.
He slowly approached the secretary standing before him.
“Hey. Be honest with me.”
“Y-yes?”
“You want me to fail, don’t you?”
The secretary almost reflexively answered "yes," but quickly forced a stoic expression.
“Of course not. That’s impossible.”
“If that’s impossible, then why do you always handle things this way? I thought those guys were supposed to be good?”
“Well, they should be. They’re the Gunsman Jack crew, aren’t they? Said to make even crying children stop...”
“Bullshit.”
Wham!
Dvor kicked the secretary in the shin and yanked his hair, growling.
“Are those guys really skilled? Did you verify it properly? Or did we get scammed?”
“B-but Gunslinger Jack is notorious in the North...”
“Screw their reputation, we needed results!”
Dvor, clicking his tongue, threw the secretary’s head to the ground and lit a cigar.
“First, erase all traces. Make it seem like those guys had nothing to do with us.”
Attempting to kill a national treasure—if word got out, even execution by beheading would be too lenient.
Both men knew that better than anyone, so their next steps were clear.
“There won’t be a speck of evidence left.”
As the secretary bowed and was about to leave the room, a group of men and women suddenly burst in.
“W-what is this? Who are you?”
The one who answered the bewildered secretary was a man at the front, dressed in a deep navy uniform.
“I’m Chief Walker from the Imperial Ministry of Internal Affairs' Security Bureau.”
“I-Imperial Ministry of Internal Affairs? And a Chief, no less...?”
Dvor, who had been puffing on his cigar, widened his eyes in shock.
He knew very well what the Imperial Ministry of Internal Affairs' Security Bureau was like.
An infamously feared organization that would even summon the souls of the dead to gather evidence if there wasn’t any.
And a Chief was the highest rank in the Security Bureau, short of a ministerial position.
The fact that such a person had come for him made Dvor's hands tremble.
“You must be Dvor Powell.”
Chief Walker, verifying the photo on a document, approached Dvor and spoke.
“You are hereby under arrest for charges of inciting murder, intimidation, illegal property acquisition, and attempting to damage a national treasure.”
“...Arrest, you say?”
Dvor jumped in shock.
“You’ve got the wrong person! I’m a respectable businessman!”
“We’ll decide that, so keep your mouth shut. Handcuff him.”
Staring at the approaching officers with handcuffs, Dvor’s eyes darted wildly.
‘Damn it. This is beyond what I can handle alone.’
The only person he could think of to rely on now was one, so he forced a composed tone and spoke.
“At least give me a moment to smoke a cigarette before I go?”
When the investigators hesitated, Chief Walker gave a dry order.
“What are you waiting for? Cuff him and take him away.”
“Y-you there! Do you know who I am? Do you even know who’s backing me...?”
“Whoever it is, it doesn't matter. But if their rank is higher than His Majesty the Emperor, then feel free to say their name.”
In a situation where he might be charged with treason against the royal family, Dvor had no choice but to lower his head.
Like a meek chick, he allowed himself to be handcuffed and led away.
Watching this, Walker approached a window, exhaling a cloud of smoke as he muttered.
“...Tastes good. Criminals always seem to smoke the most expensive stuff.”
“Chief, I’ve got a question.”
A subordinate approached and asked quietly.
“Why did we move on this guy in just a day? This is the first time we’ve ever acted so quickly.”
“...It was an order from above.”
“From above?”
“Yeah. His Majesty has a deep fondness for the White Tower. To an exhausting degree.”
“Pardon? What does that mean?”
“It’s adult business, kid.”
This morning, a tip-off was received during the contract process between the royal family and the White Tower for the treatment.
It detailed the crimes committed by a certain businessman, leading to the current situation.
“Damn.”
Walker clicked his tongue, looking displeased with the whole affair.
The White Tower... Sure, they achieved heroic feats in the past.
But that was 20 years ago—an ancient tale by now.
Walker was one of those who believed that the royal family had already paid its dues.
In fact, he thought they had compensated them more than enough.
‘No matter how much you lift a bird with broken wings, the only difference is the speed of its fall.’
He coldly concluded that the current White Tower neither had the capability nor deserved the treatment they were receiving.
However, he was also somewhat curious.
"......Doran, how old are you this year?"
"I'm twenty-three, sir."
"Then you must have been three years old, twenty years ago."
It wasn't much different for him, either.
When he was about twelve, humanity won the war against the demons and finally achieved true liberation.
The memories of that time were as hazy as diluted perfume.
'What kind of existence was the White Tower back then? Why do the higher-ups still reminisce about them, unable to let go of their expectations?'
Walker pulled out a document from his coat and flicked away his cigar ashes.
"......Oscar Crucian, Fran Sirius."
These two mages recently captured the infamous outlaw group known as Jack's Gang.
Though they were mercenaries by name, they were nothing more than criminals.
However, their skills were undeniably formidable.
'I just don't get it. I truly don't understand. Are these two youngsters really the 'new wind' the White Tower has been waiting for?'
Yet, they had undeniably preempted the Cadena flu, which could have led to a terrible epidemic, exposed the wrongdoing of a corrupt businessman, and apprehended criminals disrupting public order.
Lost in thought, Walker folded the document neatly and returned it to his coat, then turned around.
"Let's go. There's one more place to visit on our way back."
"Huh? Wasn't this the last item on today's agenda?"
"......To the west."
Doran, wide-eyed, hurriedly followed behind.
"What's the destination, sir?"
Walker replied curtly, as if annoyed.
This matter was related to the White Tower, but it was a task he had added independently, not by the emperor's order.
"We're going to issue a suspension order for the factories near Wolfgang for illegally discharging wastewater and pollutants."
With that, the repayment for capturing Jack's Gang was concluded.
Deputy Tower Master Hamel Grimwiz read the morning newspaper alongside his travel report.
[Gunsman Jack's Gang, a menace in the northern region, killed by White Tower mages.]
[The ugly truth behind a respectable businessman: A special report on the Dvor Powell incident.]
[The Imperial Family awards the White Tower's two mages with the Brave Citizen Award for protecting a cultural asset.]
Tap tap.
The Deputy Tower Master folded the newspaper with a smile.
"Oscar always exceeds my expectations."
When he mentioned going to check the herb garden, Hamel thought he just wanted some fresh air.
So he generously gave him some spending money for a good time...
"To think he would achieve such remarkable feats there."
"To be honest, I didn't expect it either. It was just good luck."
Oscar shrugged humbly, and the Deputy Tower Master gave him a warm look.
"Most people miss the opportunities that come their way and end up regretting it. Only those prepared can seize them. It seems the White Tower should also give you a reward. Is there anything specific you want?"
"Hmm... Ah."
Oscar, recalling something, spoke up.
"There is information I would like to have. Would it be possible?"
"There's nothing I can't provide. What information do you want?"
"What I want is... information about the families or descendants of the mages who were present at the 'Night of Purge' when the former White Tower Master, Oscar Sage, confronted the Grand Emperor."
Upon hearing this, Deputy Tower Master Hamel Grimwiz was slightly surprised.
"That's quite an unexpected request. Could you tell me why you want this information?"
"How can those who forget the past build a good future?"
Though his words were rather vague, the Deputy Tower Master understood the core of his message precisely.
"Those who forget the past have no future... Haha, I see."
"Apologies if I seemed presumptuous."
"No, it's rather embarrassing that we, the White Tower, have neglected the families of the distinguished figures due to the harshness of reality."
Even a young man of just twenty years old understands such basic decency... Hamel mumbled to himself and sighed in embarrassment.
"I'll have the information properly investigated and provided to you. It might take some time. If they need financial assistance, the White Tower will handle it first."
"That would be greatly appreciated."
It would be more appropriate if the influential White Tower provided support directly.
"Very well. I'll let you know once the results are out..."
Rrrrrrrr!
At that moment, the phone on the Deputy Tower Master's desk rang loudly.
Hamel gave an apologetic glance and picked up the receiver to start his conversation.
'Silence.'
Due to the spell 『Silence』 cast by the Deputy Tower Master, none of the conversation could be heard.
However, it was clear from his darkening expression that something serious was being discussed.
"Hmm."
The Deputy Tower Master, looking rather fatigued, put down the receiver.
"Is something wrong?"
"No, it's nothing for you to worry about... Well, maybe it is."
The Deputy Tower Master lifted his head and spoke.
"The call was from the owner of the Sirius Trading Company."
"Sirius Trading Company...?"
"Ah, it seems you don't remember. The Sirius Trading Company is the largest in the Empire, known by everyone."
The name Sirius Trading Company felt oddly familiar.
Oscar, pondering why, asked:
"Is it related to that guy, Fran?"
"Yes, Fran is the youngest son of the Sirius family."
"Huh."
Oscar was genuinely surprised.
He hadn't expected that slippery guy to be the scion of such a prestigious family.
"Does that mean the person who called is from Fran's family... What was the conversation about?"
"They said they'll be sending someone from the Sirius family to pick up Fran today."
"Pick him up...?"
"Yes, they mentioned that they've discussed it with him, but I don't know the details."
The Deputy Tower Master looked directly at Oscar and continued.
"Personally, it's quite disappointing. I had high hopes for Fran and enjoyed watching his growth."
Oscar's expression turned sour.
He instantly understood the implications behind the Deputy Tower Master's words.
'The Deputy Tower Master can't step in himself, so he's asking me to persuade Fran to stay.'
Well, it wasn't a bad deal for him either.
They needed as many talented mages like Fran to rebuild the White Tower as possible.
'Not to mention, he possesses the Wind Spirit.'
If nurtured properly, he had the potential to rival even dozens of high-ranking mages.
Having organized his thoughts, Oscar nodded.
"I'll do my best to persuade him."
"Haha."
The Deputy Tower Master laughed heartily, like someone whose itch had just been scratched.
"That wasn't my intention, but I hope it turns out well."
"......Yes."
With a reluctant reply, Oscar left the room, and Hamel Grimwiz stared at the closed door.
"The Night of Purge, huh."
From what he knew, it was the operation name for the grand hunt against the Great Emperor twenty years ago.
Since the emperor declared that day a national holiday, it had been known as 'White Night's Day.'
'Even I haven't heard that term in twenty years.'
How did a mere twenty-year-old kid come to know that name?

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