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He could read the contents but couldn’t understand them. This was because he, too, was unfamiliar with magic.

As he flipped through the pages one by one, Verdan let out a series of sighs.

“Ian.”

“Yeah?”

“As you probably know, even though our family has been rooted in the Magic Empire El Carda for hundreds of years, our knowledge of magic is still quite limited.”

Ian responded appropriately to Verdan’s remarks.

“Isn’t that right?”

“Why is that?”

“It’s probably because of those who are wary of us within the Empire.”

The Berger family is a powerful force in the East. The Red Spear Knights alone are a formidable military group, and they also have the Black Spear Knights composed of Level 6 or higher knights. Their strength is almost asymmetrical.

But that’s not all the Berger family’s power. They possess the capital and technology to manage vast lands and build fortresses, and they maintain close ties with the military.

If they were to independently build a magic tower and train mages? Their power would undoubtedly grow exponentially.

The central authority of the Empire feared this. Even though it’s unlikely, a rebellion could be catastrophic if it ever happened.

That’s why they were entirely opposed to the construction of independent magic towers.

Even so, since mages are essential, the central authority relocated two of the five magic towers that had sworn absolute loyalty to the Empire to the East.

The East benefits from cooperation with these magic towers. Ian was aware of this. And Verdan continued to examine the book while replying.

“That’s correct. In a world that is slowly heading towards ruin, the central authority is suspicious and cautious of us, fearing something that might never happen. It’s quite ridiculous, really.”

Verdan muttered irritably, letting out another sigh.

“Of course, it’s understandable. In a world where even traitors appear, it’s inevitable.”

“Hmm. You’re not trying to discuss politics with me, are you?”

“…Me? With you? This is just a gripe.”

Ian couldn’t hide his discomfort at Verdan’s dismissive smile.

“So what exactly are you trying to say?”

Verdan closed the book and set it aside before answering.

“I understand you went through a lot of trouble to bring these here, but unfortunately, our family lacks the ability to discern their value.”

“What do you mean? Compared to a magic tower, these are quite few, and it’s not like we have no mages in the family.”

“No, we don’t. Half of them are combat mages, and the rest are occupied with important tasks. They don’t have time to devote to unknown magic books and research journals.”

“But these might be the key to opening the outer gate?”

“If that’s the case, then even more reason to leave it to the magic tower.”

“Why?”

“Because we don’t have the capacity to handle this ourselves. Coldly assessing the situation, it’s best to leave it to the magic tower. So, you should take these to the Green Tower. Since it’s related to summoning, the Green Tower would be appropriate. Yes, you should visit the Green Tower.”

Ian made a dissatisfied face.

“Me? Why me? I’ve successfully completed all my missions. I’ve defeated the Dark Mage. I discovered the ruins. There were no casualties in the process. Shouldn’t I be getting a reward instead?”

“That’s why I’m sending you. Put in a request at the magic tower, and then take about a week to rest there. Whether you choose to sightsee or drink, do whatever you like. Oh, and a trip to Flaming might be nice, too.”

“…What’s this about?”

“Sometimes you need to take a break too. This is your reward. So, make sure to leave tomorrow.”

The proposal was welcome. Ian thought for a moment about the location of the Green Tower before nodding in agreement.

* * *

“Ian Berger, is that you?”

“Yes.”

A stern-looking man flipped through some papers, checked a few more things, and then nodded.

“Good. Everything seems to be in order. We’ll start the teleportation as soon as preparations are complete.”

Ian nodded.

“Our departure point will be the Third Green Tower in Lus, and the destination will be the resting area of the First Green Tower in Judith.”

The magical circle on the floor began to glow. Ian took a deep breath and mentally prepared himself.

The distance between Lus and Judith was considerable. This meant the teleportation would take a while.

As expected.

“Ugh.”

As soon as the teleportation ended, Ian felt his stomach churn and clamped his mouth shut.

The process took only a few seconds.

Though moving such a long distance in an instant should have been impressive, the fleeting moment felt like an eternity, making it quite uncomfortable.

It might become easier with time, but when that would be was unknown.

While he was barely managing to calm his stomach, he noticed someone staring at him. Turning his head, he saw a woman and two knights. The knights were in full plate armor with visors down, while the woman with dark teal hair had an attractive and confident face that was quite appealing.

When their eyes met, she sighed and approached with a sympathetic expression.

“Are you okay?”

Nodding weakly, she offered him a bottle she was holding.

“Drink this. It should help.”

Trusting that it wasn’t a suspicious substance, Ian opened the bottle and took a sip. It was warm and sweet.

“…Honey water.”

“Isn’t it delicious? I’m glad I prepared it after hearing that a distinguished guest was arriving from afar. Drink a bit more; a single sip won’t do much.”

Ian accepted it without reservation. Surprisingly, it went down well, and he felt much better after finishing half of it.

“Thank you. But who are you?”

“Nice to meet you! I’m Audrey Prettus, a mage from the Green Tower. I came out to greet you!”

Prettus? Hearing the familiar surname, Ian stared at the woman in a daze. The feeling that he had seen her somewhere before was faintly present. Then a name suddenly came to mind.

Elian Prettus.

One of the companions of the hero before his return, and a mage with outstanding skills.

He was also affiliated with the Green Tower, and due to their shared fondness for alcohol, Ian had developed a close relationship with him.

Occasionally, Elian had mentioned his younger sister.

Unfortunately, she was said to have died while independently exploring ruins after hiring mercenaries. This woman before him might just be that younger sister.

Perhaps due to staring too long, she tilted her head.

“Why are you staring?”

“Oh, it’s nothing. I should have introduced myself earlier. I’m Ian Berger.”

“Hmm, Ian…?”

Audrey blinked and continued speaking.

“I know it’s very rude to say this on first meeting, but you’re quite different from what I had heard.”

“In a good way?”

“Yes. To be honest, my first impression of you was actually quite positive. It’s understandable why you were staring. I am quite pretty.”

“Such a strong sense of pride you have.”

Audrey smiled broadly at Ian’s comment.

“Isn’t it true?”

Indeed, if she weren’t a fool, she would have heard constant remarks about her appearance.

“So don’t fall for me. I don’t want to become a woman with many sins.”

Ian gave an awkward smile. Audrey maintained a gentle smile and nodded.

“Just joking. Let’s move your luggage first and continue our conversation.”

Ian looked back. The magical circle held the bundles of luggage that had come with him.

All of it was taken from the ruins, including research journals of dark mages, unknown magical books, and various tools they had used.

Even though he had tried to be selective, he wasn’t sure what was important, so he had brought everything. The amount was quite substantial.

Snap!

Audrey snapped her fingers, and the two knights who had been standing still like statues approached.

Ian felt a sense of unease from them. Their movements were natural, yet there was a rigidity and weightiness different from ordinary people.

It wasn’t just a matter of demeanor but a heavy, almost tangible presence. Most importantly, they lacked the breathing sounds that should be heard from a living being.

“…Golems?”

Audrey gave a sly smile.

“Yes, exactly. Don’t they seem quite lifelike?”

“Did you make them yourself?”

“Yes. With support from the tower, but I handled the design and creation myself. They barely qualify as White Iron rank.”

“White Iron?”

Golems are classified into six ranks: Bronze, Steel, White Iron, Platinum, Gem, and Meteor.

White Iron is the third rank in the order but is by no means low. The standards are different from those for humans.

“You look quite young, and you not only made golems yourself but managed to achieve White Iron rank… Impressive.”

“Ha ha ha. Indeed! They are my masterpiece. If you need a reliable guardian in the future, contact me. If you have sufficient funds, I can make you the best golems. Now, let’s go.”

Following Audrey’s lead, Ian stepped outside the building and looked around.

‘…Judith.’

A city in the East that supports the region as a major agricultural area and where the Green Tower, skilled in summoning magic, is located.

Although the architectural style was similar to Lus, being in the same region, the distances were broader and more pleasant. Unusual entities like golems and spirits could be seen moving around with their masters.

Perhaps he had been too obvious in turning his head. Audrey, leading ahead, spoke with a smile.

“Is this your first time in Judith?”

“Yes.”

Though he had been here before his return, this was his first time in this life. So, it wasn’t a lie.

“Really? I thought, since it’s quite famous for tourism, you might have visited at least once. It’s surprising.”

“I’ve heard a lot about it, but unfortunately, I never had the chance to come.”

“Hmm, that’s really unfortunate. In autumn, the fields here before the harvest are truly beautiful. There’s the pleasure of leisurely viewing from a carriage, and there are many delicious things… So I dare say.”

“What is it?”

“You’ve missed out a little in life so far.”

“Is that so?”

“Indeed! So, when the time comes this year, make sure to visit at least once. I guarantee you won’t regret it.”

Considering the world might become less accessible for tourism in a few years, it might not be a bad idea to see it at least once before then. It’s a bit exciting.

“Oh, we’ve arrived.”

Audrey stopped in front of the most luxurious carriage among those parked on the street and opened the door for Ian.

“Please, go ahead and get in.”

Without hesitation, Ian boarded the carriage and took a seat. The carriage rattled as the golems loaded the luggage into the storage compartment. Audrey then sat down in the seat opposite Ian.

Ian watched her close the door and asked,

“What about the golems?”

“They’re in the storage compartment. Even though the carriage is spacious, it would be uncomfortable to have them inside with us.”

“Is the storage compartment… okay for them?”

“It’s perfectly fine. This carriage was specially designed to carry golems. Of course, if I had a spatial pocket, I wouldn’t need this, but spatial pockets aren’t something anyone can just open and close.”

“Is it possible to grant golems spatial pockets?”

Audrey tilted her head slightly as she replied,

“Well, it’s not impossible. But it’s quite a luxury. If it were Platinum rank, it might be a different story, but for White Iron rank, adding such high-end features reduces their performance. The output isn’t sufficient for that. Essentially, only Platinum rank golems can have such options.”

“And what about Gem or Meteor ranks?”

“They have such excellent output that they inherently possess features like spatial pockets.”

“Ah, I see.”

“Is there anything else you’re curious about?”

Ian had another question in mind but shook his head. Audrey flashed a knowing smile.

“Mr. Ian Berger.”

“Yes, Ms. Audrey Pretus.”

“It feels a bit awkward to say this, but I’m quite interested in you.”