Poof, the thick hardcover was folded, and with a light flick of his fingers, Reinhardt put the book back in its place.
The library in the tower was very spacious, probably because it contained all the stories in the world over the long years. The problem was that no matter how much Reinhardt knew, he couldnât tell the contents of all these books, and it was impossible to extract them with magic.
âThanks to you, I have to go through all the contents one by one.â
There was no better way to waste time. If it was any consolation, it was that the part about the ancient magic circle was not as large as he had expected. Still, there were three bookshelves of roughly ten meters packed tightly together, so it wasnât exactly small.
âThis bookshelf is finished. Whatâs next?â
His red eyes took on a rare, tired look. Because he came in late at night when everyone else was asleep and stayed until before the library opened, he spent a lot of time just looking through the books. Yesterday, he had even taken about half of the books on one bookshelf and put a welcome spell on them all.
Sitting cross-legged on the floor, Reinhardt raised his arms to his knees and put his chin on them.
âI can almost understand the principleâŠâ
He only understood the principle. If he could look at it, learn it, and write it down, but if he couldnât understand the fundamentals and was asked to create a new magic circle, unfortunately he wasnât confident.
âIâm touched that Master is studying late at night.â
âDonât bother me. Just go and sleep more.â
Reinhardt replied casually with his chin propped up on his hand, then skimmed over the pages of his book. Then he moved his fingers and plugged it back into the bookshelf. He placed one of the books he had stacked beside him on the floor and flipped through the covers again.
ââŠâŠ Thereâs hardly any trace of it, even for a mass-casualty magic of that magnitude. Some of the less-than-complete limbs of the corpses are cross-sectioned, as if they were bitten by animals.â
This one was apparently very irregular to be called magic.
âSo what about Lost?â
âThis one has a high probability of magic. Itâs a little irregular, but itâs not impossible.â
âItâs still weird, though.â
He looked at the contents of the revived corpses just in case it was related to magic, but neither of them appeared easily.
Reinhardt pressed his eyelids with the palms of his hands.
âJust tell me what youâre looking for and Iâll help you.â
âDonât bother.â
Reinhardtâs eyes moved mechanically. The gaze from top to bottom contained no emotions.
âAnd I canât erase that obedience seal.â
It was powerful, even though he was sure that someone had placed another seal over the one that was on her. The question was, how could someone cast a spell so powerful that it could not be touched? Actually, to be precise, he could solve it if he wanted to, but it was dangerous because it was on her heart. (Vallettaâs heart)
âThe Master must know how to use the people under him. If you donât tell them honestly to help you, they are more likely to not notice.â
Barrio said as he approached and put his hand on Reinhardtâs stack of books. Reinhardt flicked his fingers lightly when he saw the hand that was about to take it.
Just at the same time, arrows made of ice formed in the air shone menacingly in front of Barrio as if to pierce his neck, his head and his heart.
âDo I look that fragile? I thought I told you not to bother and get lost.â
âIf itâs something youâre looking for, Iâm sure Iâll be helpful. I am older than you.â
âI donât need it. I told you I would take care of it.â
Reinhardtâs eyes flashed.
Barrio gulped for a moment at the menacingly glowing red gaze. As if he felt it, the red eyes warped, soon filled with cruelty.
Reinhardt slowly got up and walked up to Barrio.
âWerenât you trying to help Sokor instead of Valletta?â
âSo?â
âAs long as you give the order, everyone here will do what you say.â
Reinhardt looked into Barrioâs eyes. His brown eyes, which had faded over the years, did not avoid Reinhardtâs.
Reinhardt clicked his tongue and frowned
He didnât think Barrio would retreat easily just because he was old. If he moved his fingers, Barrio would die with the brain marrow trickling from his head, so why was he be unwilling to do so?
âAncient magic circle for killing.â
âIâll look for it.â
Barrio said, smiling gently. With a spontaneous laugh, Reinhardt flicked his fingers to clear the ice arrows, then sat down again on the floor.
âAnd is there a way to make magic non-normatively stronger? Itâs a way to have powers you canât normally have.â
âI canât think of anything right away, but Iâll think about it.â
Barrio replied as he sat down across from Reinhardt. Reinhardt started running his hand over the bookshelves again. Then he scratched his neck and frowned in annoyance.
Reinhardt took his hands off the bookshelf and tilted his head.
He could see the night sky that covered the high ceiling of the library. It was so uniquely designed that someone thought it might be a wizardâs tower.
âI miss you.â
He couldnât sleep much, and it was the first of many nights that he stayed up all night without a wink of sleep. At this point he wanted to sleep in Vallettaâs arms. He would have gone to see her it wasnât for this task.
âNo matter how much the Master is born knowing, there can always something he lacks. Even if there is nothing, I have my years.â
âNoisy.â
âSo feel free to use it and ask.â
Reinhardtâs expression twisted in annoyance. Why there were so many people who are so outspoken these days? Slowly, his patience was coming to a limit.
Reinhardtâs lips twisted slightly.
âYou are the most powerful master of all time.â
âI know.â
The muffled voice was not filled with annoyance. Respect, admiration, jealousy, time. He had already know and understood most of the feelings in his head. There was nothing new to feel.
Only Valletta gave him new feelings.
The emotions of the existence of âReinhardtâ that only âReinhardtâ could feel, not understood or felt in his head. It was a feeling that no one had ever felt before in the history of The Tower Lord.
Reinhardt, who had been flipping through the pages, was about to turn to the next page, but he turned to the next page and came back to the front again. He read that page silently for a while, and eventually turned to a few more pages ahead. Then he started reading slowly. At the sight of him, Barrio gently pushed his head to look inside it.
âBlack magicâŠ.â
At the sound of Barrioâs voice, Reinhardtâs gaze slowly turned towards him. He lifted his head from his slump and looked at Barrio.
âDo you know anything about black magic?â
Reinhardt searched his mind. There was no memory left in his memory for black magic.
âYes, black magic is one of the ancient magics. It is classified as an abomination among abominations because of its poor quality among ancient magics.â
âAn abomination of abominations.â
It sounds like something that would be attractive to the crazies.
âYes. The use itself is strictly forbidden by the laws of the Magic Tower, and all related books should have been destroyed.â
âDestroyedâŠâ
He found it hard to believe that such valuable things were all discarded due to the nature of people who were obsessed with the study of wizardryâŠ
Reinhardt narrowed his eyes as he propped his chin up.
âThe reason why the tower was created was also because there were too many people who were affected by black magic and violated the unspoken prohibition during that period.â
âHmmm⊠I didnât know there was such a story.â
âYes, itâs a story that often appears in history books, so if you didnât grow up in the tower or on the sky island, you might not know it.â
Somehow, he had no memory of the tower masters. All that existed was a variety of formulas and magic methods. Other than that, there were useless emotions and things that the masters had to do.
âSo the twelve wizards of the beginning built a tower in a place where humans could not come and go, and created a country for wizards.â
âThe Wizard of the BeginningâŠ..â
Reinhardt narrowed his eyes. Come to think of it, there was one person who called him that name.
The edge of Reinhardtâs mouth curled up slightly.
âAnd the first thing they did when they built the tower was to create taboos, establish laws, and lay the groundwork for sanctions. In fact, there is a wizardâs prison at the bottom of the tower.â
âIs that the so-called Tartarus?â
At Reinhardtâs words, Barrio nodded. Barrio opened his mouth again and explained.
âYes, Sokor thinks that Tartarus refers to this tower, but to be precise, it refers to the prison that can only be reached through the lowest level of the tower, underneath the sky island.â
âIs that right?â
Reinhardtâs curved eyes were full of interest. If the wizards of the beginning created the tower and the forbidden magic began to disappear, then the wizards of the beginning must be well aware of the taboo.
âIf thatâs the case, you should ask him yourself.â
âWhat âŠâŠ?â
âIs that right, watchdog?â
Reinhardt turned his head back slowly.
Caspellius, who had been hiding in an invisible corner, revealed himself with his head down.
âYou came and you didnât even say hello, dog.â