Chapter 21: Naïve Father (1)

Surrounding a round table carved out of stone, seated on the seven chairs, which appeared to have been carved together when the round table was made, were renowned wizards from across the continent.

In the past, when the seven towers were built, the first ‘Tower Master’s Meeting’ was held here. Because it was such an important place, in order to come to this place, one had to become a tower Master and use the unique teleportation system available in each tower. 

Only the tower Masters who were present here knew where this place was located, and mentioning the location was impossible due to an oath, making this place completely isolated from the outside world.

If the giants of the magical realm gathered in a place like this, one would think they were planning something huge and significant, but that was not the case. 

Of course, there were several events in the past where this meeting rewrote the history of the magical realm, but the reason this place was created, in the first place, was for the harmony and interaction of the seven towers scattered throughout the continent. Hence, their descendants were following their ancestors’ intentions without deviation.

Since everyone present in this place had risen to the position of the Archmage, the highest level for wizards, the mana in the atmosphere was bound to become heavy, but that didn’t mean the atmosphere of the place was heavy too. 

Once all the tower Masters took their seats, a young man with sky-blue eyes looked around and stood up, making a declaration.

“From now, we will start the 7836th Mage Tower monthly meeting.”

The Archmage known to have achieved the highest level of achievement among the current tower Masters, Theodor Aiolos, The Master of the Tower of Winds, was in charge of the meeting.

In general, as the hierarchy rose, the aging process of wizards slowed down, so his youthful appearance was proof that he had overcome the ‘wall’ unlike others.

After Theodore’s declaration, the tower Masters began to bring out the materials they had prepared.

Although the purpose of this meeting was for friendship between the towers, they were also scholars who studied magic with the name of Arcmages, so even if it was not their field of expertise, their spirit of inquiry into the study of magic itself was greater than that of any other mage.

In fact, for them, the meaning of ‘friendship’ also meant the exchange of knowledge with each other, so it was natural in a way.

The first opportunity to present was taken by the Tower Master of Scarlet Flame. She floated her materials in the air for everyone to see and began to speak.

“As a result of our research team’s attempt at pyrotechnic refining this time, we succeeded in completely removing the impurities generated during the refining process and made it about 1.37 seconds faster than before. It seemed that the refining speed could be further reduced with a little more research.”

“Ohh. It’s a refined formula. Isn’t that something that hasn’t changed for quite some time? Could it be that this year’s membership fee is going to be taken by Scarlet Flame?”

The Master of the golden tower, who was sitting still and watching the data Scarlet Flame Tower master had shown, applauded and praised her. but what the golden tower Master said about the membership fee made the people sitting in their seats prick up their ears.

The membership fee…

No one knows exactly when they started collecting them, but at least during the first Tower Master’s meeting, they did not collect them. It was probably something that came up later, but regardless of its origin, the membership fee became an important part that added meaning to the Tower Master’s meeting.

This tower meeting, which was held every month, started with collecting membership fees from each tower. They didn’t do anything to make money here, but the membership fees collected every month would be used as prize money for the ‘Best Research of the Year’ at the end of the year.

Every year, each tower earns an enormous amount of money through the mystical technology of magic, but the money paid in membership fees came from the personal expenses of the Tower Masters, not the assets of the towers, so it has an even deeper meaning. As Tower Masters, the membership fee they paid every month was not a small amount.

Most tower Masters had a deeper desire for new knowledge than a desire for money, but that didn’t mean they hated money.

After all, they needed money to start new research and keep the towers running.

A huge amount of money was collected from seven Tower Masters every month, and to think it went on for the whole year. The amount collected was enough to make even the emperor of the empire speechless.

But above all, what drives them was nothing other than their competitive spirit.

Each of The seven mage towers was developed with a focus on different fields.

Even though there was an absolute concept of hierarchy, it didn’t show everything. This was not an individual evaluation as a wizard, but an evaluation of the tower they were leading as the Master.

All the materials presented by the tower Masters were the results of their independent research by the wizards who were taught in the tower. This was the best example of showing the ability of the tower they were the Master of, not the ability of the tower Master.

That was why the desire to win couldn’t help but burn.

If one were simply asked to choose the most outstanding magician, Theodore Aiolos, who was currently the charge of meeting, could not be surpassed.

But apart from that, what if one were asked to choose the most outstanding mage tower?

Of course, creating a great mage was also an important factor, but there was no Mage Tower in the world that had not had a great mage like Theodore among the previous tower Masters. Even the tower Masters who were here right now were those who were called geniuses among geniuses, and if they had time, they were likely to rise to such a position someday.

That was why they decided to compete with the results of the mage tower they lead rather than their own talent.

It should not be thought that the competitiveness of those who had reached the position of tower Master was within the normal range of human beings. They may be more rational than anyone else as high-ranking mages, but on the other hand, they could also be more childish and immature than anyone else.

“It’s too early to jump to conclusions. Look at the data I’ve prepared.”

“Anyway, isn’t it the same marine creature habitat map as last time?”

“No! This is a very important issue. According to recent research results, the number of Kingstar crabs caught in the Glucaman Islands has declined significantly!!! There is a very complex reason for this…”

“Anyway, the conclusion is that we can’t eat the Kingstar Crab. Why are you talking about it here? You should tell the Chancellor of the Germania Maritime Union, where you have your mage tower. Instead, we are talking about the schematic diagram of the modified golem created by one of my disciples this time…”

“Kingstar Crab is a major issue!”

“Oh come on.”

The presentation continued with the marine creature habitat map of the Blue Sea, new golden golems, and various other items, but it was still early in the year, so the only significant thing was the modified refining method of the Hwajung Stone that Scarlet Flame had mentioned.

Now it was time for the tower Master who had not yet made a presentation…

The Dawn Tower Master, Joachim Edelweiss, known as an Elemental Master who uses all five attributes, had always brought a good, if not innovative, item to the tower Masters’ meeting, so some tower Masters were waiting for his turn.

But now, there was nothing in front of him. It was like he hadn’t prepared anything this time.

When the Tower Masters who felt something strange, looked at his face, he definitely seemed to have some kind of worry. Even Chairman Theodor, who had been participating in the Tower Masters meeting for the longest, had never seen Joachim look so troubled, so he asked with concern.

“*Yeo-myeong. Is there something wrong with you? You don’t look well.”

“Ah, I’m sorry. I was just thinking about something for a moment.”

“Isn’t that friend a little out of shape? It seems that his daughter has reached puberty.”

“It’s not like that.”

In response to the Hwanghon’s teasing remark, Joachim replied coldly.

‘It’s about his daughter.’

Although Joachim denied it, the Tower Masters could tell from his reaction that his daughter Elena was the cause of his current state.

All of the children of the tower Masters, including Elena, had met with the people here. Elena, they remembered, was a small, tender, introverted little girl who made them want to carry her in their arms.

A look of regret began to shine on the faces of the tower Masters at the thought that such a child had now reached the age of puberty. In the meantime, there was someone who spoke to Joachim, and it was Heron Sepier, the Master of the Recording Tower, who also had a daughter.

“Don’t worry too much. Just like how children grow up quickly, this phase will pass quickly too. It’s just a moment of irritation.

.

.

.

But now they won’t even talk to me…” he added, as his green hair, full of vitality, began to wither in an instant. Joachim was taken aback by Heron’s depressing behavior after he suddenly spoke out and hurriedly tried to correct Heron’s misunderstanding.

“What? No, it’s not because of adolescence. Don’t misunderstand.”

“Then what are you so depressed about? If you have anything to worry about, besides Elena, what else is there?”

“Um…”

Everyone’s eyes began to focus on Joachim.

In front of all the Tower Lords, Joachim spoke in a low voice.

“I haven’t heard from my daughter…she hasn’t contacted me.”

***

“Everyone’s making a big deal out of it for no reason…”

Joachim muttered as he walked towards his research room.

The most anxious person upon hearing Joachim’s words was the Master of the Tower of Twilight, Franz Erthuwen.

‘What? You can’t get in touch with her?? No, why are you here!! We need to go find your daughter right away!’

‘No, it’s not that she’s missing, I sent her to her fiance’s house and I haven’t heard back from her.’

‘Fiancé???? You… my son, Richard!!! What about him?’

‘I don’t know why your son’s name came up, but Elena is now at Kraus’ Castle.’

‘K-Kraus?? Arthur Kraus. Why did Elena go to their house!! You, did you make a secret engagement with them without telling me?’ 

‘Right.’

‘This… you motherfuckers!! It was the same at the academy, you leave me alone and hang out with each other!!!!’

Talking about an engagement like that, was a bit too much.

Franz frothed as if he recalled memories of the past, but the other tower masters were looking at Joachim with interest.

In the end, Joachim couldn’t stand the gaze and went back to the tower.

“Was it really visible on my face like that?”

It was true that he felt bad about his daughter these days, but it wasn’t to the point where others should be worried. His daughter wasn’t even in such a dangerous place, and after all, she was by the sword master’s side, the safest place on earth.

He even received word from Arthur that Elena had arrived safely. Once she had entered the Kraus Lordship, there was no danger of her being exposed to the outside world.

The only thing to worry about was that he hadn’t heard from Elena through the communication device she was given.

‘Could someone be intentionally blocking the contact…’

For Joachim, there was no reason for Elena not to contact him. Elena was a good daughter who always listened to her father and her mother. So he naturally had no choice but to turn his thoughts to someone blocking her contact.

“It’s not Arthur…then what about him?”

Joachim immediately shook his head to clear the thoughts that came to his mind. He had seen with his own eyes that night two years ago what kind of guy would be Elena’s fiancé.

The face of the little boy who was rolling in the mud with many injuries to save his people was still not erased from his memory. 

As soon as he saw that he scolded him for behaving so recklessly, and told him that he would bring tears to Elena’s face for no reason if he behaved like this.

“It can’t be…”

In all these years, he hadn’t heard any concerns from Arthur about his son, let alone compliments.

He erased the miscellaneous thoughts that filled his head and sat down to look at the crystal ball.

He wanted to contact her directly, but he didn’t want to give the impression of being too eager, as he had done at the Tower party.

Suddenly, the crystal ball began to glow.

This time, Joachim thought he had finally received a call from his daughter and looked at the crystal ball with a broad smile, but soon after seeing the face reflected in it, his face began to rot quickly like a corpse caught in rotting black magic.

“What…this funny sight is?”

[It’s ridiculous to openly laugh at people’s faces. That’s harsh.]

“Are you living without looking in the mirror?”

The call that Joachim received was none other than from Arthur Kraus, the owner of the castle where Elena currently resided and a long-time friend of Joachim himself. Although they contacted each other frequently, the image of Arthur that appeared in the crystal ball today made Joachim wonder if he was ill.

“When you’re all grown up, why are you wearing a crown on your head?”

[This? This was made by my youngest. I think he has good dexterity because he resembles me.]

“It must be Arwen, not you. Did you go on a picnic or something?”

Joachim stopped talking. He could vaguely sense that the thing the guy in the crystal ball was trying to show him was not just a crown made by his youngest son.

“You can’t.”

Sure enough, the guy in the crystal ball flashed a mischievous smile, just like he used to in the old days, and said.

[And this bracelet was made by my daughter-in-law…]

“You disgusting…!”

As soon as Joachim saw the flower bracelet Arthur showed him, he spat out curses.

The Edelweiss family territory, Merrohim, where the Tower of Dawn was located, had a very cold climate. Because of this, there were not many types of native flowers, but Joachim created a small flower garden in the castle for his daughter, who likes flowers, using climate control magic and traders.

His daughter’s grateful smile at that time was one of the best moments of his life that Joachim still remembers.

And after the flowers had grown to a certain extent, he picked a pretty and fragrant flower and handed it to Elena, and he also clearly remembered being beaten by his daughter for the first time.

Joachim knew very well that a variety of flowers grow in the southern part of the country where that disgusting bastard was located. He went to play often when he was young, and he saw the huge flower garden that Arthur boasts of and the flower fields all over the manor many times.

So, unlike here, flowers were not so precious there. It was a flower garden all over the place, so unlike when Elena was here, it was quite understandable whether the flowers were woven into a corolla or a flower bracelet.

That was how Joachim’s reason accurately understood the situation, but his jealousy as a father couldn’t forgive the guy in front of him.

[No, why are you so angry…]

“Call.”

[What?]

“Call your son and Elena immediately. Before I teleport there.”

[TN: Yeo-myeong means Dawn, maybe the author was trying to call him here as The Dawn Tower Master, but only Dawn was written, so, I used the original word.]

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