It seemed that he had already lost the will to fight.
âNo way, there is no wayâŚ..â
There was a sense of embarrassment, but he realized that it meant nothing.
He resorted to the ultimate means, the black magic that burned off hundreds of human spirits.
He believed that even the 6th class sorcerer would not be able to resist.   After all, even the tower lord, who was a 5th class master, had been helplessly afflicted by it.  However, it didnât work.  Not against that Ian Page.
âHugh.â
Ian walked towards the tower lord with heavy footsteps. Â Irrespective of the outcome, he pressed his forehead, indicating that the moaning and pain that he had just suffered were real.
âMy lord.â
The reason why the black magic did not work on Ian.
The reason was more complicated than thought.  First off, the difference in the basic ability was enormous.  The gap between what the tower lord had estimated for a 6th class and a true 6th class was much wider.  It meant that the massive quantity and high quality mana is shielding both the body and the mind.
âAnd you were profusely denying that it wasnât black magic.â
The second factor was the âqueenâs amuletâ, which was given to Ian by Oliver, as a payment for accepting his request for 5 years of sparring. Â It was known to have the power to clear oneâs mind, and the effect was as described. Â It had thoroughly filtered the force of magi that was attempting to infiltrate his mind.
âDo you know what this is?â
ââŚ..?â
The third and the final reason.
It was the great black magical weapon, pink colored light powder, which Ian had taken some time to prepare before leaving for the tower lordâs residence.   One fistful of the powder was kept inside a pouch.
âIt is called the fairy dust.â
âFair, fairy dustâŚ..?â
âIt is the queenâs dust, among them.â
Fairy Queenâs Dust.
That was the most important factor of the day.
âPerhaps, you may know, the fairies are known to possess eyes that penetrate evil. Â Even able to filter them. Â Or annihilate them all together.â
The fairy queen referenced âmagiâ when she first saw Ian.  As she did not see that magi, she had relieved her people from any anxiety.  The eyes that see through or the power of filtering wickedness or magi was the âpowerâ that had been endowed upon the fairy race as the descendents of the dragon.
âThat is nonsenseâŚâŚâ
Other words, there was a good reason that gave him confidence in attempting a raid all by himself.  The innate power and the artifactsâ help, and even the fairy queenâs power, also known as the godâs method.  Ian, in his present form, is none other than a ânightmare for the black sorcerersâ.
âYou were too hasty.â
âYou were too hasty.â
The tower lord wanted to take advantage of Ianâs naĂŻve judgment.  However, it was Ian, who took advantage of incoherent judgment skill against his adversary.  From the tripartite agreements to the rise of a 6th class sorcerer, the many days filled with Ianâs every accomplishments that came like a storm made the tower lord anxious.
âIf you were in your usual tower lordâs mindset, you may not have attempted such a bad move. Â You must have been quite anxious.â
The tower lord took those words as ridiculing him.
In fact, it was ridiculing.
âBastard!â
Was it due to being mocked, the tower lord began his last stance after recovering from his sense of loss. Â Wielding his staff, the tower lord gathered the life energy and mana from the humans confined in the steel cage.
âDecay!â
Soon, the malady energy fiercely attacked Ian like poison. Â Of course, Ian did not even blink an eye. Â There wasnât even any counter magic. Â All that he did was spread a small amount of the fairy queenâs pink light powder into the air.
Whooooo-!
However, the effect was incredible.  As the fairy queenâs dust spread, it comingled with malady energy and burned in golden fire.  The black magicâs evil was being burned off.
âYour studious ability is dwindling.â
âArghâŚ.!â
âYou are the tower lord, after all.â
There was nothing even a tower lord could do.  The adversary was a 6th class sorcerer.  The basic elementary magic will not even provide a 1 percent chance of winning.  The only chance that he may have was to use a discernible black magic.  At least, it was the only way according to the tower lordâs assessment.
âLet the curse of pain beâŚ.!â
At the moment of the tower lord was, again, about to chant a black magic spell.
âBlink.â
Blink allows instantaneous transport within a short distance.
Through it, Ian has reached the tower lordâs back.
âDispel.â
Dispel spell was the nexus.
It was the magic that blanks out the adversaryâs technical ability to calculate for a few seconds.
âMana drain.â
Ianâs magic did not stop. Â He even began to absorb all of the tower lordâs mana. Â Ian was about to make the tower lord impotent to battle. Â Only then he can accomplish what he had hoped to accomplish.
âíŹíě´ě´ěľâŚâŚ!â
âAuuuughâŚ..!â
The extra mana was being quickly disappearing.  Any sorcerer would definitely feel the pain.  The tower lord was not an exception.  In fact, being a 5th class sorcerer would cause him to feel even more extreme pain.
âPlease rest. Â So, I can take care of business.â
The tower lordâs body fell slowly.
He was conscious, but his body was the problem.
It was the after effect s of acute loss of mana. Â The after effects were felt greater with older age.
âLight.â
âLight.â
Ian started up the light spell instead of night vision.  Night vision requires consuming of large quantity of mana.  In addition, it causes the entire world to appear in green, so the basic application was for different purpose.
Ian did not inspect the people in the steel cage. Â Instead, he inspected the artifact displays and many storage boxes first. Â Of course, he will rescue the people. Â Ian wasnât particularly a saint, nor was he an evil fallen one like the tower lord, who turned his back on humanity. Â There was a reason for it. Â The reason for him to come to this place all alone.
âI knew it.â
Ian showed a faint smile.
He wanted to verify it for himself with his own eyes.
The doubt that he had from the previous life.
That doubt was, in fact, now been verified to be true.
âIt was hidden, so just couldnât be found.â
The previous lifeâs tower lord was highly acclaimed in many ways.
He had paved the way for the unification of the continent as the Ivory Towerâs tower lord.
The Lord of the Ivory Tower was always kind and courteous.
He was the Ivory Tower Lord, who was known for being frugal and praised for integrity.
The last thing was what had bothered Ian for a long time.
âWhat integrity, how much has he laundered.â
After the previous lifeâs tower lord had died, even without any family members, the wealth that he had returned to the empire was negligible.  Others had believed him for his words, but Ian had traced it until the end.  He searched for the enormous private wealth that the tower lord may have hidden away, somewhere in the world.
âI had failed then.â
He wasnât able to locate them at that time.
He now realizes why he couldnât find them.
Itâs because they were hidden away in a secret location beyond the portal.
âItâs enormous.â
The number of artifacts that he was possessing was already overwhelming. Â That implies that the number of artifacts hidden here will be many more than the number of registered artifacts at the Ivory Tower. Â Gold and silver were also similar. Â How and why did he securely hide so much wealth and not even spend them? Â That is, until he dies and disappear.
âWere you planning to take them to the afterlife?â
âWere you planning to take them to the afterlife?â
Ian asked the tower lord, who was flabby, yet collecting his breath. Â He seemed to have recovered somewhat from the after effects. Â Itâs only that his old body could not follow his will.
âAre you coveting them?â
âA few of them.â
Ian did not hide his inner thoughts.
In fact, he was planning to set aside several items.
Especially set aside the book that opens this portal.
âI command your honesty.â
âIt is you, who kept them hidden away too much, my lord.â
After investigating the artifacts displays for a while, Ian, once again, approached the tower lord. Â Slowly, he wanted to keep things in order. Â Definitely organize them as how Ian wanted them to be.
âThen letâs finish.â
âWell, wait!â
Was the tower lord in fear as Ian approached, or did he think that Ian will not finish him off in a normal fashion. Â He shook both hands as he made a proposal.
âI am not sure what your intentions are, but nothing, good, will come out in the way of harming me! Â You could come to fervently regret it.â
âRegret?â
âDo you truly believe Marco is the only one? Â No, of course not! Â My many servants are out there. Â They are even more useful than Marco.â
âAnd?â
âHaaa! Â Do not play dumb, my child. Â They should be already on the move. Â Unless I give a signal, they will never stop. Â I have implanted an instruction in them from the beginning. Â To target only two things.â
The âtwo thingsâ the tower lordâs servants will target.
It was too obvious what he was implying.
âThe family and the crowned price.â
âWell. Â Do you wish to negotiate?â
The tower lordâs eyes flashed in grand fashion.
It appears that he had found an escape hatch.
âMy proposal is simple.  We both forget about what had occurred today.  If this portal is not uncovered, there isnât any evidence for me.   You will not be able to bring me down with only a few words.â
The yellowish eyes of the tower lord were fixated on Ian. Â The desire to keep everything alive was wiggling inside him.
âI reject it.â
However, Ianâs response was not what the tower lord had expected. Â Moreover, there wasnât even any hesitation. Â If there was even a smear of uncertainty, such definite response would not have been possible.
âThen only when your mother and the crowned prince dieâŚ!â
âDo try if you can.â
âWhatâŚ.?â
âI said, do try.â
Ian laughed as if it was absurd.
There was an aura of confidence in his continence.
***
(Do you dare the powder of this bodyâŚ.!)
The pink colored roof of a grand mansion.
There was a light pink colored furry cat, leisurely sitting in the middle of the roof. Â Actually, it wasnât really in leisurely fashion as its posture shows. Â Itâs only that Vanessa is showering the cat with extreme love, and the cute cat that came here to escape the torture from Douglas.
There was a light pink colored furry cat, leisurely sitting in the middle of the roof. Â Actually, it wasnât really in leisurely fashion as its posture shows. Â Itâs only that Vanessa is showering the cat with extreme love, and the cute cat that came here to escape the torture from Douglas.
(Ah, my fate. Â I lived much too long.)
On top of that, there was an order to be cautious of the surroundings. Â And the order was from none other than the kid, Ian Page. Â That was what was bothering the most.
(Why did they grant the power of kinship to humansâŚ..?)
It was not understandable no matter how hard it was tried.
To borrow the humanâs vulgar expression.
(Telling me to go screw myself?)
The cat thought like that for a while, no, the fairy queen transformed herself back into her natural form and shook her head wildly.
(What, what am I thinking about nowâŚ.!)
Itâs impure. Â Itâs extremely impure and vulgar. Â How could, I, their greatest descendant, could speak in such vulgarity? Â This is all humanâs fault. Â I must have been tainted by vulgarity since Iâve been with the vulgar entities.
âWho is it?â
It was at that time.
A voice was heard from beneath the roof.
It was the voice of Vanessa, Ianâs mother.
It was when it rediscovered herself as the startled fairy queen gave a sigh of relief. Â It looks like a human guest has come.
(âŚ..Uh?)
The fairy queen glimpsed over at the guests beyond the gate. Â Through her clear eyes, she saw a conspicuous mist. Â Â The eyes that can see magi, the ability to see the truth has kicked in to action.
(They areâŚ..)
The reason that Ian had ordered to be cautious about the surroundings.
It appears as if those exact reasons have come.
With such dark and abhorrent magi in their hearts.
(Theyâve no fear.)
How dare they come to the residence of the fairy queen, the queen of the fairy race that sees and chases away magi? Â Only a magiâs underling?
(OK. Â I shall welcome you today!)
As a matter of fact, it was looking for an opportunity to find ways to relieve stress.  There was much embarrassment and stress derived from this irritating cat act, and isnât it about the time to release all these emotions all at once?
KrrrrrrrrâŚâŚ!
Dark clouds came in the skies over the residence.
The lightingâs energy has also slowly gathered around.
The âwrath of the godsâ, which will remain a mystery of the empire throughout the hundreds of years to come, is about to commence with the start of the fairy queenâs emotional release.
Kkkk-kwa-kwang! Â Kwang! Â Kwang! Â Kkkkk-kwa-kwa-kwang!
âAaak!â
The great lighting and loud thunder shook the entire capitol.  As a result, the crowned price, which was on his first secret inspection mission, was startled to his core.
âMy lord, are you okay.â
âWhat, what is this sudden thunder and lightning?â
âWhat, what is this sudden thunder and lightning?â
Immediately leaning on Oliver, the crowned price looked up in the sky. Â No matter how long he looked, it was just dark, not necessarily in condition to create lightning. Â This is what one calls bolt of lightning out of the blue sky?
âMy heart just about stopped.â
âThe godâs anger seems severe. Â Please return to the castle.â
âWhat? Â Already? Â No, nothing was accomplished,â
âBut, my lord.â
It was after a long consideration that the crowned prince had undertaken this secret inspection mission. Â Â Not too long ago, there were only praises for Ragnar, no matter where he went, but now his popularity has reached a new height. Â It seemed to be the right time to explore.
âHowever, now. Â I am curious about one thing.â
âPlease issue your order, my lord.â
âWell, that isâŚ. That is.â
After a short pause, the crowned price continued.
âIs it possible for me to learn sword fighting?â
âBy sword, do you mean.â
âNothing too fancy, just for self defenseâŚâŚ is it too late even for that?  Then just to be fanciful.  Like skills to draw the sword from its casing in great form, perhapsâŚ..â
Cheee-ing!
Was it a demonstration of how to draw a sword in great form.
Or was his ego been rubbed in a wrong way as a knight.
Oliver suddenly drew his sword.
The force was as if he was about to slash something.
âNo, I didnât mean to teach me right nowâŚ..â
âMy lord.â
âI will learn diligently for once.â
âPlease, stand behind me.â
âWhat?â
Oliver fixed his treasured âMundileâ, the sword artifact that he had received from the emperor. Â Even the crowned prince was startled by that. Â Oliver never draws the Mundile sword as the first choice for a weapon. Â However, it was different this time.
â2nd knights of the emperor, protect the lord.â
Immediately following the command, plain clothed knights gathered from all around and surrounded the crowned prince.
âShow yourself.â
Oliver was quietly growling in low tone of voice. Â Then there, a woman in black robe slowly appeared. Â Except Oliver, the other knights could not even feel any entityâs presence. Â It was definitely magic.
âIt was you.â
Oliver recognized the woman in black robe.
It was a very famous and familiar face.
Once the hood has been removed, it was even more certain.
âLady Helene, high ranking sorcerer of the Ivory Tower.â
Oliverâs eyes have sunken deep.
She was, at one time, the 2nd highest ranked sorcerer of the Ivory Tower.
Displaying a murderous intent, she was approaching.