Iceline, the newest member of the Seven Mages, the Ice seat, was heading to a certain place with one goal: she had to revive the old Rebrecca Family in the new Avalon Empire. However, she couldnât leave right away due to the Magic Towerâs old rule. The only way to be no longer part of the Magic Tower was to relinquish everything that the mage had received from the Magic Tower, including knowledgeâbut that was really unfair for Iceline as she had joined the Magic Tower when she was already a Class 6 mage.
Of course, she had a way to avoid the relinquishment, which was to make an achievement of undeniable importance. Right now, Iceline was about to accomplish such an achievement.
It was truly a bizarre sight. Aqua, the only primordial stone that was yet unknown to the world, was in the center of a frozen ocean.
âThis is Aqua, the primordial stoneâŠ?â Iceline blankly murmured, captivated.
The primordial stone wasnât even underwater. It was just floating in the air above the boundless ocean.
Iceline had heard about Aquaâs whereabouts by coincidence. A fisherman living by the vast ocean located on the southern outskirts of the Truke Kingdom witnessed the bizarre sight after going fishing further in than he usually did. When the report had come to the Magic Tower, Iceline had happened to be the only member of the Seven Mages that was always present in the Magic Tower, so she had come here immediately. However, even if the other Seven Mages had been present, they wouldnât have come this far; dozens of reports like this came into the Magic Tower every day, after all.
Iceline stroked Aqua and beamed beautifully. âI got it!â
She was so happy that her arms shot up into the air.
* * *
Nevertheless, life wasnât easy. She had returned to the Magic Tower after a month, but she was feeling very unpleasant.
âWhere is the Tower Master?â Iceline asked.
âHe went off on a journey again. As you already know, he really is like the wind.â
No matter how great an achievement she made, she needed permission from the Tower Master since she was about to leaveâbut that very Master of the Magic Tower was gone now.
âOn a side note, Iâm his substitute. You know that, right?â
âUrghhhâŠâ Iceline groaned.
On top of that, Marcus, the Earth, was substituting for the Tower Masterâand he was famously inflexible. She needed to ask for an exception, but he was the last one who would make an exception. Things couldnât get any worse.
âBy the way, Miss Iceline.â A man appeared and interrupted the conversation. âIf my information is correct, you found the last primordial stone?â
His name was Parma trun Ganjaebi, the new Lightning. He had been the royal chief mage of the Terra Kingdom, but he had joined the Magic Tower as soon as the kingdom had fallen.
âIf itâs okay, why donât you show us it?â Parma asked.
âAm I misunderstanding something here? I thought a mage is allowed to own an item they acquired in private.â
âHuh, how can that be the item you found in private? You located it based on a report that the Magic Tower received.â
âAnother law of the Magic Tower states that an item that a mage found belongs to that mage if they pay the right fees for the information they received.â
The new Lightning flinched when Iceline mentioned another of the Magic Towerâs laws since he had joined the Magic Tower recently.
ââŠHmph. It wonât do you any good to act that cold,â Parma grumbled.
âItâs the truth.â
âIsnât your goal to leave the Magic Tower to revive your family?â Parma asked.
âWhy are you mentioning that right now?â Iceline frowned slightly.
âI looked into the Magic Towerâs laws, which you mentioned, in detail. You would already know that even with the Master of the Magic Towerâs permission, you need the consent of at least three of the Seven Mages to leave the Magic Tower without relinquishing everything, right? But⊠would they do that for you right now, Miss Iceline? They already do not look at you in a good light because youâre trying to leave the Magic Tower out of greed,â Parma sneered.
ââŠUgh.â Icelineâs frown deepened.
Although she had been determined to make an achievement, she became greedy after she saw Aqua, the primordial stone, because Joshua currently possessed the other four primordial stones. If he also got AquaâŠ
ââŠHeâll like it, right?â Iceline muttered to herself.
Parma wasnât sure what she was imagining, but she was now lost in her own little world. Parma misunderstood why her face turned red.
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âDonât be angry,â Parma said, the corner of his mouth rising. âYouâll need to give that up in order to leave the Magic Tower, right? My terms are simple: lend me the stone just for a week, then you have my vote for you leaving the Tower.â
Iceline frowned. âHeâs gotta be kidding me. There is no telling what heâll do with the primordial stone for a week.â
âDonât cut in line, Parma. I wonât allow it.â
Someone she hadnât expected showed up and saved her. Two men opened the door to the highest floor of the Magic Tower and entered. One man was the owner of this room, but the other man shouldnât have been there.
âJo-Joshua?â Icelineâs eyes widened like a rabbitâs.
The reactions of Earth and Lightning were not that different from hers.
âWh-why is the Emperor of Avalon hereâŠ?â Parma muttered in disbelief.
âHeâs my guest.â
Thetapirion Whitesox, the Master of the Magic Tower, was the leader of all mages and the only human Class 8 mage. His words finally silenced Parma. By now, everyone in the continent knew that the current Master of the Magic Tower and the Emperor of Avalon were close friends.
âThe primordial stones began howling, so I came right away,â Joshua stated.
Theta raised his hand. âI happened to be with him at the time.â
The veins on Marcusâs forehead bulged slightly. âWhen in the world did you get to Avalon?â
âHehe, go easy on me, Uncle Earth. I really canât be the type who quietly sits beside a desk.â Theta giggled mischievously.
âAre you aware of your position?â Marcus bemoaned, massaging his aching temples.
âWell, youâre substituting for my role perfectly, Uncle Earth. Wonât the other mages now think that the real Master of the Magic Tower is Marcus, the EarthâŠ?â
Theta trailed off when he noticed Marcus huffing and puffing in fury.
Marcus gave up on talking any further and turned to Thetaâs guest with a sigh. ââŠPhew. By the way⊠is everything okay for you, Joshua Sanders?â
âWhat do you mean?â Joshua asked.
âYou and the Tower Master are the same. You must be the only emperor who travels freely around the continent. What are you going to do if someone plansââ
âDonât bother,â Joshua bluntly replied. âWho in this continent would dare to challenge me?â
* * *
The Master of the Magic Tower summoned an emergency meeting of the Seven Mages, gathering its members in one room for the first time in a long time.
âThen letâs begin the discussion of Iceline zin Rebrecca, the Ice, leaving the Magic Tower, shall we?â Theta immediately began.
Parma had been preparing for this moment and immediately sprang up from his seat. âShe canât leave the Magic Tower without going through the relinquishment! Once we make an exception, itâs not even an exception anymore. Are you just going to say goodbye if a similar case occurs again?â
Parmaâs face reddened in fury.
âItâs wrong!â he shouted. âWhat would the other mages think of the Magic Tower? Wonât the other mages think of the Magic Tower as a pushover? Theyâll think they can suck the Tower dry and then just leave!â
âCome on, weâre talking about the Iceline zin RebreccaâŠâ Theta protested.
âIâm talking about the rules here!â
Theta quietly smacked his lips and took a look around. All the members of the Seven Mages had changed, so it was his first time meeting all of them like this. Of course, all of them had started as ordinary members of the Magic Tower and had been working for the Tower for a very long time.
Theta quickly got to the point. âWho else consents to Iceline leaving the Tower? Iâm in since I donât really see a reason to make this a big problem.â
Despite the fact Theta raised his hand first, no one responded. But after a moment of silenceâŠ
ââŠI also consent.â
âOh, Marcus.â
Two members of the Seven Mages now consented, but it wasnât enough yet. However, no one else gave their consent.
âMmm⊠so everyone is on the same page?â Theta tilted his head.
âWell, who knows? If she donates the primordial stone to the Magic Tower⊠she might have more consent for her contribution.â
Parmaâs remark brought an undisguised look of greed to the eyes of some of the Seven Mages; the primordial stone was indeed tremendous.
âGosh, your greedâŠâ Theta clicked his tongue discontentedly for a very long time. He turned to look at Iceline. âWhat shall we do? I have no other methods in this case.â
Without answering, Iceline turned her head to Joshua, who was watching the meeting with the permission of the Master of the Magic Tower.
ââŠI really wanted to give this to him as a presentâŠâ Iceline sighed quietly and gave up.
Her priority right now was reviving her family, not gaining Joshuaâs affection.
âThen the primordial stoneâŠâ Iceline began.
âThere is a way, actually,â Joshuaâs low, sonorous voice interrupted.
Iceline quickly stopped talking as Joshua walked toward the round table and grinned.
âA way to leave the Magic Tower without giving up the primordial stone.â
ââŠWhatâŠ?â
âDonât you remember that a precedent already exists?â Joshua said. All of the Seven Mages gave him a wide-eyed look.