novelraw Chapter 89 : Chapter 89
Chapter 89 : Chapter 89
Chapter 89: Quill Pen (3)
-Such a crude tool. It's so inconvenient. What about a communication sphere?
-They said there were no spares.
Only one communication sphere.
It seemed the Liberation Tower only knew about one or two mages in the Ivory Tower.
-Who was it that gave you this?
-A 3rd Rank mage of the Ivory Tower, Pitel.
-A good-for-nothing.
I wrote with force.
The quill pen conveyed that emphasis as well.
"Do you know who that is?"
"I do not."
The quill pen wrote a message.
-Please tell me who you are.
-Like an ignorant fool, you have no fundamentals.
-I am Kunlutsban, a 4th Rank of Liberation and a servant of the Bone Awl.
Bone Awl.
It meant that was Kunlutsban's Origin.
"The ignorant fool is pretending to be an Otherworld mage. In the Otherworld, they introduce each other like that. In my case, it would be Cassion of the 5th Rank of the Moon, who follows the dot... Ah. The expression 'follows' here is usually as one feels..."
"Sir Cassion, I'm not curious at all. It's not important at all."
"Yes."
It was just as Cassion had said.
Kunlutsban had introduced himself as Otherworld mages do.
-You're not entirely unlearned.
I wrote as elegantly as possible.
A brush that draws strokes. Psina, who possessed that as her Origin, would have had such a handwriting.
-I am Psina of the 5th Rank of the Ivory Tower, of the great brush.
-Ah.
Kunlutsban expressed his admiration in writing.
It was praise for a mage who had reached the state of manifestation.
"Why Psina?"
"The news of Ios's death was delivered to the Ivory Tower. Psina, enraged by it, left the Otherworld."
The Otherworld would not know of her death.
They would just think, she must be on the continent.
"Isn't it a bit risky to use a real person?"
"5th Ranks are few. I can't create a fictional character."
As they are precious and great, the mages would all know the 5th Ranks of their own Magic Towers.
"Do you have to be a 5th Rank?"
I was obsessed with being a 5th Rank.
Ellen pointed that out.
"That way, I can shut that Pitel bastard's mouth. Think of it as a knight."
To use a knight as an analogy, Psina was a Sword Master.
"An ordinary knight doesn't have a close relationship with a Sword Master. They can't even speak to them."
"Ah."
Ellen understood at once.
"Even if this communication is relayed to Pitel, that bastard won't dare to doubt it."
Even if there are suspicious points, Pitel cannot doubt this side.
A 5th Rank was that kind of being.
"You're good at this..."
This was why I hadn't immediately revealed the name.
Ellen was impressed by my thoroughness.
It was not the skill of someone who had lied once or twice.
-It is an honor to meet you, even in this way.
What kind of person was Psina?
She was only deeply affectionate towards Ios.
She was numb to the deaths of Jesult and Compaso.
And she was more naive than I thought.
She lacked experience for her Rank.
'She's a model Otherworld mage. Ios must have learned by watching Psina.'
Ios had treated continental mages as country bumpkins.
Psina would be even more so.
-I do not wish to prolong the conversation. State your business.
-Are you with the mage who contacted Lady Psina?
Right now, I was communicating with Kunlutsban through the quill pen.
The owner of that quill pen was Isotta.
-If you mean the mask, it has returned to possibility.
It meant the mage who was the vessel had died.
Thus, the Origin called the mask would reside in a new life.
-The woman who was that vessel was incompetent, so I killed her.
-If it is not a discourtesy, may I ask the reason?
The quill pen completed the message slowly.
If you looked closely, the writing was trembling slightly.
-She had the audacity to ask for help when she had lost everything she had worked for. Even death was a light punishment.
-I understand.
The writing trembled a little more.
However, Kunlutsban did not ask further.
It must have meant that he knew the brokers had been displayed in the square.
-Did you also kill the mage of earth?
-I did. If you wish to repair the broken work, call another earth.
-With all due respect, there is no one who can.
Is there really no one?
In my memory, there were several mages with earth-related Origins in the Liberation Tower.
'He doesn't believe it. The Liberation Tower would want a connection with the Otherworld.'
There was a high possibility that personal feelings were involved.
Kunlutsban seemed to have been quite fond of Isotta.
I grinned.
It was an intended crack.
-You don't even have the ability to repair. Do you truly wish to join Paradise?
I wrote as if I were completely dumbfounded.
-I should gouge out the eyes of the 3rd Rank Pitel. His discernment is so poor.
-Please calm your anger. There are not a few capable mages in the Liberation Tower's headquarters.
-That standard was also set by the same ignorant fool.
-There are also those who have been verified by mages from other Magic Towers, not the Ivory Tower.
Among the Magic Towers of the Otherworld, the Ivory Tower is the weakest.
How would Psina act?
If her power is weak...
-Was there a 5th Rank among them?
-No.
The answer came late.
'Either there really isn't one, or Kunlutsban doesn't know.'
Either way, it doesn't matter.
It was enough to have found out that they also had contact with other Magic Towers.
-I raised the standard, but even that is low. What should I believe?
-If you give me a chance, I will prove it.
The writing was openly trembling.
If the trembling before was anger over Isotta's death, now it was fear that things would go wrong.
The latter seemed more important than the former.
'Isotta died for breaking a promise. There must be a promise engraved on Kunlutsban as well.'
Kunlutsban seemed to be afraid of the mage of the promise.
-You've botched the job, and repair is impossible. Then at least get your revenge properly.
I wrote that and then looked up.
"Kubel, could you bring me a mirror?"
"Yes? Yes."
Kubel brought a hand mirror, though he was puzzled.
It was pink.
I held the hand mirror in my left hand and reflected my face. With my right hand, I moved the quill pen.
The result was not writing, but a drawing.
I sent a self-portrait to Kunlutsban.
-Kill that man. He is the one who has interfered with your work and lured Serzila into the deep underground tunnels. His name is Harad.
-I shall surely carry it out.
The answer came much later.
It must have taken time to copy the portrait.
"This should be enough."
I didn't write any more and put the quill pen in my pocket.
An ending like this would make Kunlutsban more desperate and impatient.
"What are you doing now?"
A cold voice suddenly pierced my thoughts.
When I looked up, Ellen was glaring at me even more coldly.
"You're the first bastard I've seen to put a hit out on himself."
Cassion was impressed.
Kubel fled to the kitchen.
* * *
The Liberation Tower.
They should be treated similarly to the Empire or the Church, I had once thought.
It meant it wasn't a force to worry about right now.
'They'll probably have more leeway than the Empire or the Church.'
Kubel was the proof, if there was one.
The heart addict of the past life. The 5th Rank called the Crocodile was now with his daughter in the annex of the Serzila Inner Fortress.
In fact, the Liberation Tower was not on the same level as the Empire or the Church.
They definitely become a nuisance in the future, but at this point, they weren't that much of a problem.
And in this life, they won't become a nuisance.
Slowly, I intended to make it so.
What I had to focus on now was still the north.
And the Otherworld.
'The Boundary too. I have to keep approaching the Red Tower's magical item.'
I had stopped for a moment because of the giant I had encountered on the Deep Sea Path, but there were plenty of ways to go back. The Boundary is a vast land.
'There are still ten unconfirmed tunnels.'
The tunnels had different values depending on the location of the exit.
Rick didn't know anything, but it meant the brokers had a rough idea of the exit locations.
So if I compare those values, I should be able to estimate the location of the tunnel exits to some extent.
It wasn't a job for me. It was passed on to Arika. Because the order from Grand Duke Aratus that had been cancelled had been issued again.
'Go to the 3rd Knights.'
I was walking north to carry out that order.
"It's quiet."
"Should I make some noise?"
Ellen retorted bluntly.
"Not you. I mean the Liberation Tower is quiet."
Three days had passed since I had instigated Kunlutsban, but there was still no reaction.
It meant there were no Liberation Tower mages hiding in the Serzila domain.
'Arika has done a good job of cleaning up.'
Thus, the Intelligence Bureau's abilities were outstanding.
In the fall of the north in the past life, Serzila's arrogance had played a larger role than the incompetence of its vassals.
...If only they had thought a little more, paid more attention, and given better orders.
It was a problem that the regressed me could solve.
'If not Serzila, then at least Elaine must eventually become arrogant.'
Elaine was a person who had to be that way.
The regressed me had to take care of the aftermath.
The Liberation Tower mages are probably rushing to the north right now.
There was some time until that planned attack.
Because the north is a very distant land.
"Why did you do it?"
"I told you, for Kubel and Shura."
I didn't have to focus on the Liberation Tower right away.
A small check was enough.
However, some level of extermination was necessary.
"Kubel is also a target of the Liberation Tower. Of course, they won't just target Kubel. A child is always an excellent hostage."
I had made the Liberation Tower's attention turn to myself.
Because unlike me, Kubel was still lacking.
"The Inner Fortress can handle it."
"I know. But Shura will lose her freedom. Suppressing a child. Isn't that what the north hates the most?"
Ellen had been convinced three days ago.
But her expression hadn't relaxed for three days.
"You said you shouldn't be known as a mage."
That was the reason for killing Pelatz.
The fact that I am a mage had to be kept strictly secret.
"I didn't say I was a mage. I just gave my name and face."
"They'll know when they meet you."
"They won't. I have no intention of letting them live."
"What if you can't kill them?"
"You'll kill them for me."
I smiled brightly.
Even now, Ellen was heading to the 3rd Knights with me.
Because she was conscious of the Moon's Prophecy.
At the same time, that was also the reason for her expression.
Ellen did not want my death.
To the point of crying just a little.
Honestly, I was happy about that fact.
"Are you saying you sold yourself to the Liberation Tower because you trust me?"
"Can I not?"
"..."
"I'm disappointed. I could even die for you."
"Whatever."
Ellen looked like she didn't believe me.
But her expression wasn't that bad.
The 3rd Knights' garrison is located to the left of the 1st Knights' garrison.
In terms of direction, it's northwest.
'The Watchtower's smoke was to the west.'
Perhaps it would be a straight path from the 3rd Knights' search route.
Of course, I don't know if I'll be able to leave the search route this time.
"By the way, Ellen, you."
"What?"
"Did you get permission from His Grace the Grand Duke?"
I asked, just in case.
The order to go to the 3rd Knights was mine.
"It's okay. I won't do anything when I get there. I'll only help when I think you're in danger."
"I asked if you got permission."
"No?"
"..."
I relaxed.
Anyway, Grand Duke Aratus wants me to hang out with Elaine.
Of course, the Grand Duke's anger resulting from that was a separate matter...
'It's a problem that can be solved by being pressed down once.'
So for now, I had to be satisfied with the fact that Ellen was living by her cock to her heart's content...
* * *
Garrisons looked similar wherever you went.
They were shabby, built of wood, but they had everything they needed.
In fact, the shabbiness was just in appearance. The wood that made up the buildings was stronger than most stones.
It was wood that had once contained magic power, which the knights had cut down themselves in the Boundary.
"The 3rd Knights are the most valiant knight order in Serzila."
"I know the 3rd Knights Commander is not a Sword Master."
"That's why they're the most valiant."
The 3rd Knights' strength was not in their power, but in their hearts.
'Valiant.'
But I could not agree with that word.
As I remember it, it wasn't valiant.
One of the knights was standing in front of the garrison.
He seemed to have come out to greet us.
"That's the 3rd Knights Commander."
At Ellen's words, I tilted my head.
"Wasn't the 3rd Knights Commander Sir Ahite?"
"Sir Ahite is the Deputy Commander. The 3rd Knights Commander is Sir Kalinos over there."
"Until when?"
"...Shouldn't you be asking since when?"
I furrowed my brow.
I had never heard the name Kalinos before.
The meaning was clear.
'He's going to die soon.'