Chapter 566
Two hands shot out of the wall and clamped over Simon’s mouth.
“?!”
[Quiet!]
But they were just ghostly arms, and couldn’t actually seal his lips—passing straight through instead. The phantom arm pointed forward.
[That wall,over there! Stick to it!]
‘The Ghost of Time!’
Following its words, Simon dashed over and pressed his back against the wall.
Chwarurururuk!
The wall spun like a revolving door, and Simon was pulled into a new space.
Startled, he darted his gaze around.
[Heh−heh−heh! The Tower of Time is full of hidden passages and labyrinths!]
The Ghost of Time emerged through the wall after him, laughing with delight.
[These are corridors only I know, after living here for 300 years!]
“Ah, thank you for helping.”
Simon calmed his pounding heart and pressed his ear to the wall.
Thump—thump—thump—the footsteps were growing fainter.
Soon after, the presence of Girdon completely vanished, likely having moved up to another floor.
[Your next stop is Room 10, isn’t it? This way!]
“By now, we’re almost reading each other’s minds.”
Room 10 was just next door.
Arriving without issue, Simon spread open his briefcase and activated the artifact. Blurry gray figures flickered, merging and splitting in succession.
[Then, are you ready again?]
“Yes.”
The artifact’s scan completed, and once more, it was time to look into the past.
“But… I do wonder one thing.”
[What is it?]
“Does watching Maelyn and Serne’s past really help us with the current situation?”
[Heh−heh! Didn’t I tell you?]
He spread both hands wide.
[You already possess everything, and can do anything. What matters now is simply this: the motive behind your judgment and actions, once you know the truth.]
“It’s almost like…”
Simon leaned his chin on his hand and smiled.
“…you’re saying the past, present, and future are one.”
[Quick to grasp! As expected of a current student.]
He waved his hand in the air.
[Then let us begin.]
* * *
Maelyn, having overheard the conversation between the Ivory Tower Master and Serne, found it nearly impossible to stay sane from that day on.
—I promise. I’ll make you the next Master of the Ivory Tower.
—Maelyn doesn’t have what it takes! I’ll be the Master of the Ivory Tower!
Two stories.
Two faces of Serne.
Which one was the lie, and which one the truth?
Maelyn agonized in silence.
Meanwhile, everything around her shifted in Serne’s favor. Especially the adults, who constantly summoned both girls, sitting them down to compare their black magic.
The result was always obvious: one-sided praise and applause for Serne.
The adults must have been searching for it.
The justification for rewriting the Tower’s laws, just to install Serne as the Ivory Tower Master.
The excuse to soothe their guilt and burden of conscience.
They roared, veins bulging, applauding Serne in a frenzy.
In the midst of the deafening cheers, Maelyn lowered her head like a silent criminal.
—It’s okay.
Each time, Serne would whisper softly:
—No matter what the adults say, the next Tower Master is you, Maelyn.
Maelyn hadn’t yet confessed what she had overheard. But that single line nearly flipped her mind into pure rage.
Finally, after the magic demonstration ended, Maelyn summoned Serne to their secret spot.
Thud!
“I heard everything, Seri.”
Maelyn shoved Serne harshly against the wall.
“W-what’s wrong, Maelyn? You’re scaring me.”
Serne shrank back with frightened eyes. That very sight made Maelyn seethe all the more—it felt unbearably fake.
“A week ago, when I came on an errand, I overheard you talking with the Tower Master.”
“……!”
“I’ll recite it word for word. ‘Look at this! I froze this much of the Ice Orb! Maelyn can’t do that!’”
Before Serne’s now-pale face, Maelyn spat coldly:
“I’ll be the next Tower Master!”
“……”
“That’s what you said, isn’t it? Care to make an excuse?”
Serne, who had been shrinking like a scared child, suddenly let out a deep sigh.
Then, with an icy face, she smirked.
“If you’ve found out, there’s nothing I can do.”
Maelyn involuntarily flinched.
This was a face she had never seen before, even after years spent together—the face behind Serne’s mask.
“Yes, you’re right. I plan to become the Master of the Ivory Tower.”
She would have preferred even a flimsy lie.
Even another betrayal, another deception, anything but this.
“Then… then what about when you said you’d make me the Tower Master? That promise…!”
“You actually believed that?”
Serne sneered.
“I thought you’d know better. But just like your magic skills, your way of thinking is hopeless.”
Maelyn’s voice trembled violently.
“Th-then why did you even pretend to be close to me? What about all the time we spent together…!”
“Mm, it was fun. I enjoyed it.”
Serne gave a twisted smile.
“But that’s all. And when you hang around the official heir to the Tower, the adults naturally start to see you as her equal. Even now, the reason I stay close to you is because—”
Her lips curled higher.
“—I wanted you to willingly hand me the position of Tower Master. It makes for such a pretty picture, doesn’t it—”
Smack!
Serne’s head whipped to the side.
Maelyn’s bloodshot eyes glistened as her trembling palm hung in the air.
“My, my.”
Serne touched her reddened cheek, chuckling.
“So you can lash out when angry.”
“Serneeee…!”
Maelyn lunged, but—
“What’s going on?!”
The noise had drawn the adults, rushing in.
Panicking, Maelyn hid her palm behind her back.
“The truth is…”
Serne waved her hand.
“There’s one secret I haven’t told you yet.”
And Maelyn saw it.
With a flick of Serne’s fingers, alien white feathers scattered in the air.
And then—
“……”
“……”
The adults froze, rooted in place. Then, without scolding or interfering, they simply turned and walked away.
Embedded in the back of each of their necks were those same white feathers.
“The truth is, I can control people at will. It’s my ability—one I was born with.”
“You…!”
Maelyn’s lips quivered violently at the revelation.
“Don’t tell me you used that power to control the Tower’s people and rewrite the laws?!”
“Who knows?”
Serne, silver hair fluttering, clasped her hands behind her back and walked away, smiling slyly.
“I’ll leave that to your imagination.”
* * *
Everything was decided at a breathtaking pace.
Contrary to the adults’ lessons—that the Tower’s laws were sacred, unchanging after hundreds of years—they overturned them like flipping a hand.
And so, today became the day of Serne’s official appointment as successor.
“……”
Maelyn gnashed her teeth, standing behind the door.
Beyond it flowed music, wafting food aromas. The Tower’s nobles, drunk on wine, chattered excitedly about the new successor who would one day surpass Keyzen.
At the center stood today’s star.
Serne, in elegant attire, conversing merrily with the elders.
‘I can’t let it end like this.’
She resolved to speak plainly.
That Serne had used her power to control the people of the Tower. That they were all deceived.
Maelyn strode forward, flinging the door open.
“Wait a moment, everyone!”
All heads turned. Even the drunken nobles looked at her.
“I am Maelyn Villene, the original heir to the Ivory Tower. And I have something to say!”
With resolute steps, Maelyn strode forward and stood before Serne.
“I… am…!”
At that very moment—
Maelyn’s pupils went hazy.
After that, she remembered nothing.
When her mind cleared, she found herself being carried by attendants, on the way to the infirmary.
Shaking, she muttered,
“W-what… just happened back there?”
The attendants repeated the words she herself had spoken only moments ago.
—I, Maelyn Villene, hereby relinquish my claim to the succession without regret.
Beneath her garments, a white feather slid down, drifting to the floor.
Until the very end, Serne had deceived Maelyn.
* * *
Simon returned to the dorm in the foulest of moods.
At least the way back had been made easier thanks to the secret passage revealed by the Ghost of Time.
Hooo—hooo—
Merida lay sprawled on her bed, dead asleep. Since this room had two beds, Simon collapsed on the other, staring blankly at the ceiling.
His mind churned with unease, nausea rising in his gut.
For now, he didn’t want to make any judgment about the two women’s pasts, nor their actions. Instead, he turned to thoughts of the mission.
Two days left.
Something was bound to erupt within the Tower.
Yet, so far, the only clue he had uncovered was that the two had once quarreled. The sole real harvest was the message sent from Keyzen’s side, and even that required time to decode back at headquarters.
Contacting headquarters directly was impossible. The information he had wasn’t decisive enough to justify Keyzen’s direct intervention, and with the barrier enclosing the Tower of Time, external communication was sealed.
If he tried ripping through it with Legion power, the Ivory Tower would know instantly.
‘Complicated.’
His mind spun, but his body and spirit were exhausted. Simon could no longer fight off his sinking eyelids.
‘I still have two days. Tonight, I’ll restore my condition.’
Before dawn fully broke, Simon stirred awake—tossing and turning as Merida muttered curses in her sleep.
‘…!’
When he opened his eyes, shock jolted through him.
On the ceiling of the dorm hung the rabbit mask of the Ghost of Time.
‘What the—’
Beside it, letters appeared.
[A grave problem has arisen!]
Simon shot upright. As though aware of his gaze, the words shifted:
[The future has changed. Someone from outside has interfered with the Tower! Time has accelerated! The Tower’s downfall is not the day after tomorrow—]
His eyes locked on the final line.
[It’s today! Escape immediately!]
Knock knock knock.
Even before he finished reading, knocking rattled the door.
“This is the Ivory Tower guard! Students Simon and Merida, open up!”
Cold sweat trickled down Simon’s back. Merida, however, still slept soundly.
‘Those are the Tower Master’s men. We must not go with them!’
First, he had to spirit Merida out. Simon crept to her bedside and layered Sleep spells over her to keep her from waking.
‘Sorry.’
Bang! Bang! Bang!
“Simon! Merida! Open this door!”
It was no longer knocking—they hammered and kicked with brute force.
‘Not much time!’
Simon swiftly lifted Merida into his arms and moved to the window. At the same time, he summoned Akemius from subspace.
‘Akemius, get Merida to a safe dorm room and return.’
[Understood, Young Master.]
Simon scribbled frantically in continental script, shoved the note deep into Merida’s pocket.
‘Meet up with me later. Go now!’
[Yes!]
BANG! BANG! BANG!
The pounding grew louder, curses erupting outside as they threatened to smash the door down.
Akemius leapt out the window, gliding low against the wall with Merida in tow. Simon quickly shut the window.
At that instant—
KWOOM!
The dorm door exploded, and Ivory Tower guards stormed in with staves raised.
“Mmmhh…”
And there lay Simon—rubbing his eyes with a groggy look.
“What’s the commotion?”
A guard approached, his expression cold.
“Why didn’t you open the door?”
“Ah.”
Simon spread his palm, showing a Sleep magic circle.
“I suffer from insomnia in strange places. I had to cast Sleep on myself.”
“……”
“What’s going on?”
Since reports already noted Simon and Merida’s unusual reliance on Sleep magic, the guards dismissed suspicion.
“Where is your partner?”
“Don’t know. Bathroom?”
Another guard checked, shook his head.
“She’s not in here.”
“Ah, then it must be that.”
Still feigning drowsiness, Simon added,
“Merida specializes in Sleep magic, but she’s got terrible habits. Sometimes she fires curses in her sleep, even sleepwalks.”
“……”
The guards glanced at the room—indeed, scorch marks and curse traces marred walls and floor.
“I was shocked at first, but now I’m used to it. She probably wandered out again.”
“Any idea where?”
“Likely just roaming nearby, blank-faced.”
The guard gave a signal with his chin. Others rushed out at once to search.
“Then what’s this about?”
Simon scratched his messy hair.
“The Tower Master himself wishes to speak with you both. You’ll come with us.”
Even a powerful Keyzen student was still only a dispatched trainee during deployment season. They were bound to the host’s summons.
The guard phrased it in a way that left no room to refuse.
Simon nodded obediently.
“Still, I look a mess… may I wash first?”
“Now. Immediately. The Tower Master awaits.”
The commanding tone brooked no argument. Simon reluctantly rose.
Step. Step.
He walked alongside the guards.
Thankfully, his compliance—or perhaps his title as Keyzen Student Council President—kept them from laying hands on him.
“By the way.”
Simon yawned as they went.
“It was loud upstairs last night. Even with Sleep curse, I woke. What happened?”
A guard replied curtly, face blank.
“Girdon, imprisoned on the 70th floor, ran amok.”
“No way… did he escape?”
“He attempted to, but we suppressed him. No need to worry.”
“Good.”
While chatting, Simon slyly opened his right palm.
‘Ready.’
Warnings of the Tower Master’s schemes echoed in his head. This was enemy ground, and he had already set precautions.
‘Corpse—’
He clenched his fist.
‘—Poison Explosion!’
BOOM-BOOM-BOOM!
Explosions erupted around them. Guards panicked, staves raised.
“What the—?!”
“An attack! Beware!”
It wasn’t ordinary blasts.
The room filled with a pale gas, laced with Kabara poison. Out of the haze, Simon’s waiting ghouls surged in, unleashing another round of Corpse Poison Explosion.
In an instant, thick smog swallowed the corridor.
“Blow it away!”
“Ghh—! This smoke… my magic won’t channel right!”
“Do something!”
Fwoooosh!
Struggling, the mage cast wind magic, scattering the mist.
And then they realized—something was wrong.
Simon was gone.
Chzzik—
One guard snatched his crystal communicator.
“The Keyzen Student Council President has vanished! Repeat! He has vanished!”
“Merida Hugh Ikel is also missing! Find them swiftly, discreetly, before the guests notice!”
The situation had spiraled—beyond all control.
Superb.
When are we getting more free chapters?
Thanks for the new chapters