Not so long ago, there was a land whose only pride was its clear skies.
With nothing else to boast of but its clear skies, that land became a destination for travelers who came seeking stars twinkling in the dark night. Admiring the transparent heavens, they built towers on the cold, empty land and inscribed the beauty of the stars and their movements.
They made telescopes, drew star maps, wrote books, and gradually filled the empty land with knowledge.
The cold, dry, desolate land became a kingdom of sages sparkling with knowledge.
Brilliant knowledge was the city's pride and the symbol of civilization. And barbarians inevitably covet the fruits of civilization cultivated by others. They invaded to steal the knowledge accumulated by the sages and the inscriptions on the towers.
The sages, who sometimes submitted and sometimes compromised, quickly realized that dialogue was not a good solution. Eventually, the sages resolved to convert their knowledge into power and put their heads together.
That was magic.
A ritual that converts knowledge into power.
And thus, there was one who protected this land with the power of magic against the mighty and barbaric empire.
Keeper of the Tower.
The Omnipotent Sage.
The Crow on the Shoulder.
Though he had countless nicknames, even those were insufficient, so the magicians likened him to a king of beasts and called him thus.
King of Magic. The Demon King.
His hair was swept back coolly, fully revealing thick eyebrows and distinct features. A slightly open collar revealed firm muscles beneath. His attire was a light shirt and leather pants. And trained bare hands.
Rather than a magician, it looked like they'd brought in a handsome sailor from a large lake.
That's the Demon King? He doesn't look as fearsome or powerful as his name suggests. Rather, he looks somewhat familiar. This is the strongest being supporting this era?
Good opportunity. Even the strongest is human. I cautiously read his mind….
Huh?
Far away?
"However, this world is too fragile to embrace your dreams! Is there anything as sad and futile as suppressing oneself and giving up on dreams even when capable! It is an old person's duty to prepare a foundation for the young. I! Shall prepare a space for you!"
The Demon King, who declared powerfully, twisted his hand and clenched his fist.
Bubble bubble. Foam erupted everywhere.
At the center of the Floating Star is a dazzlingly bright artificial sun. It brightens in the morning and darkens in the evening, governing day and night of the world called the Floating Star. Right now it's daytime. The light of the artificial sun is pouring down dazzlingly.
Foam formed in the space surrounding the battlefield, and light scattered distortedly into the swollen space.
The Black Tower Master, the Green Tower Master. The Blue Tower Master and Shay standing between them. Even Rankart and I who were nearby. Everyone was caught in the spatial foam. Without moving a single step, our distance from each other grew nearly ten times farther.
An innate magic that dominates space? Depending on the principle and type of innate magic, there were abilities that could interfere with space, but to dominate space itself?
"Now! This place is the space inside my pocket. Break it, burn it, tear it, freeze it, crumble it—it's all within the pocket! Worry not and clash with your full power!"
The Demon King, seeming delighted, spread both arms wide and urged the fight, but… ironically, because of his very appearance, the battle entered a lull.
"I've shown you an unsightly side, Master. I apologize."
"Eek! M-Master…! I just got caught up in it!"
The Green Tower Master folded her umbrella and withdrew One-Way Street. The Black Tower Master's Vanishing Point crumbled in thin air.
It's hard to fight when someone is watching intently. Especially when that someone is far more powerful and mature, showing a gentle smile of interest in the fight itself.
Vanishing Point, One-Way Street too. Compared to the Demon King's power, they were merely trifling and unsightly.
The two Tower Masters stopped being unsightly and gathered their power. And the same was true for the Blue Tower Master, who had intervened to stop them.
"Haaaa…."
The Blue Tower Master withdrew her power very cautiously. Air Crystal was a storm suppressed by her innate magic. So powerful that it risked destroying even herself. If she didn't withdraw the power delicately, Air Crystal would be unleashed and sweep away the surroundings.
It was when the Blue Tower Master took a deep breath and slowly released her innate magic.
"You're withdrawing your power? I'll help."
Countless spatial distortions arose around her. The Demon King's 'pocket' enveloped Air Crystal, and Air Crystal, freed from the Blue Tower Master's control, was unleashed.
Air Crystal returned to its original form, generating an immense storm. It was a power so strong she couldn't use it easily, but….
Even this was nothing compared to the Demon King's power.
The storm that had been stirring space for a while stopped. Inside the Demon King's pocket.
The Blue Tower Master's full power that threatened the Floating Star was merely a storm in a teacup to the Demon King.
The fight ended almost too easily. The Blue Tower Master wore a gentle smile and bowed her head to the Demon King.
"Thank you for intervening, Master. Thanks to you, I was able to calm the excited children."
She couldn't stop the Green Tower Master and the Black Tower Master. Magicians have difficulty interfering with others' magic. So the Blue Tower Master deliberately manifested her innate magic to draw the Demon King's attention. Because he could end this situation without any problem.
Realizing this, the Demon King smacked his forehead and laughed heartily.
"Well now! Was I used!"
"The Green Tower Master and the Black Tower Master wouldn't withdraw their power unless you did, Master."
"That's right. My two beloved disciples have engraved my teachings in their hearts and faithfully follow them!"
Looking at the Green Tower Master and the Black Tower Master with a proud laugh, the Demon King showed affection and faith as firm as his words. Though my telepathy couldn't reach, so I don't know what his true feelings were.
"L-love, you say. How embarrassing."
"Hoiii…."
Judging by the Green Tower Master and the Black Tower Master's reactions, it didn't seem entirely one-sided. You call them disciples? It seems a bit closer than that relationship.
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The Demon King, sending a trustworthy smile toward his clever disciples, turned his gaze away from them. Then, with cold question on his face, he asked the Blue Tower Master.
"But. Blue Tower Master. I have one question. Why must you withdraw your power?"
Unlike the soft and warm smile given to his disciples, a cold and rational question flowed out.
"My city is a paradise and an earthly paradise for the chosen people. Therefore, they must be omnipotent and free within this city. They must not be constrained by the common sense of fools."
It was the fierce elitism worthy of the King of Magic, the king of magicians. I wondered where the elitism rampant in the Floating Star came from, but there was no need to look further.
"Was it necessary to call me to save fools? Blue Tower Master, my interest and love flow toward you. Not for the fools who would be under your shade."
"…It was necessary."
"You have a different opinion. Can you persuade me?"
What the Demon King called 'persuasion' meant clashing with one's own knowledge and opinions. The Blue Tower Master thought.
'There's no way I can do that…. Master.'
Even the endlessly confident and arrogant Blue Tower Master was as insignificant as a bug compared to the Demon King. Even her innate magic, which she couldn't use at full power because it endangered herself, was merely an awl in the Demon King's pocket, a storm in a teacup.
'If I know, I can't pretend not to. The gap between Master and me is greater than the gap between me and the fools. The way Master looks at me is the same as the way I look at fools….'
Refutation and argument were meaningless. Under wordless pressure, the Blue Tower Master grabbed her own arms and bowed her head.
Seeing her look so desolate, I approached quietly and draped my coat over the shoulders of the Blue Tower Master, who was still frozen.
'Warm…?'
The Blue Tower Master, who hadn't even noticed me approaching, raised her head at the sensation on her shoulders.
"Fool? Why are you here."
"Huh? Oh, because you looked cold."
She did look cold. Ice crystals were clinging like scales, after all. Seeing my awkward posture, the Blue Tower Master smiled slightly.
"Thank you, fool. I was cold."
"I thought so. Even magicians feel the cold."
I replied lightly, then cautiously surveyed the situation.
Did I approach because she looked cold? That's true. Of course, that wasn't the only reason. It also served to change the atmosphere.
I couldn't just stand by while someone who took my side was being lynched.
"Wait a minute. The ones who didn't do things properly are those two Tower Masters, Mr. Right-Hand King."
Rankart was the same. Rather than calculating the atmosphere and acting like me, he probably just didn't like this situation.
"The process of bringing Huey was legitimate. The Green Tower Master arbitrarily went berserk and told us to lock them all up. If you're going to criticize someone for acting as they please, you should mind your own disciples first."
It was hard to tell if he was speaking formally or casually. At his still insolent attitude even before the Demon King, sparks flew from the Green Tower Master's eyes, but the Demon King didn't care.
"Rankart. The dragon that leaped over the Dragon Gate. Is that fool you brought?"
"Fool? Huey is different. When right-handers look at left-handers and say they're uneducated or stupid. They're just left-handed, that's all."
"Hmm. The left-hander and right-hander you speak of. It must be related to the world of right-handers, which is your innate magic."
That's unexpected. The Demon King seemed to treat Rankart with considerable respect. Because Rankart isn't his disciple? Because he's a dragon that leaped over the Dragon Gate?
If I could read his thoughts, I'd know for sure…. It's still far away. Even my telepathy can reach quite a distance when I concentrate. But farther than that?
The Demon King, whose thoughts I couldn't know, soon softened his attitude.
"Those who have not inherited the wisdom of ancient sages but reached the Floating Star by building their own towers alone deserve such treatment. Very well. I won't pursue this further."
"Master! Rankart brought a black magician!"
The Green Tower Master shouted, but the Demon King shook his head.
"I won't pursue it, Elliot Pascal. This time, do it for this Master's face and let it pass."
"…Ugh!"
It was the word of the Master she respected. The Green Tower Master couldn't pursue it further and swallowed her words.
'It's not an exaggeration, Master. You may wrap Rankart around the city, but Rankart is a madman who reveres that identity-unknown fool more than you!'
If given the chance to speak privately with the Demon King, she would probably persuade him more passionately. Though it probably wouldn't make much difference.
Thanks to that, the situation was temporarily resolved. Shay, who had barely gathered herself and approached, spoke.
"Wait a minute. Demon King!"
The Demon King, as if he couldn't even hear Shay's voice, ignored her and instructed the Green Tower Master and the Black Tower Master.
"Elliot Pascal. Lune Francesca. If you wish to rebut the Blue Tower Master and Rankart, clash with everything in the space I created! If you withdrew your power with half-hearted resolve, I too have no choice but to accept it as such."
"Demon King. I have something to say! About the crisis of this Floating Star! The King of Sin might be revived. If so, then 'that thing' above this Floating Star is no longer yours!"
Shay, now with nothing to hold back, shouted the most shocking knowledge from before his regression. But the Demon King gave no reaction to Shay.
Whether he was ignoring a voice he could hear, or whether he couldn't hear it at all, I didn't know. Because I couldn't read his thoughts either.
And then the space grew distant.
The space that had swelled like foam returned to its original state. The difference from before was that the two Tower Masters and the Demon King had disappeared.
It seemed the Demon King had taken our side. Strictly speaking, he took the Blue Tower Master and Rankart's side, but anyway.
"Phew. That was a breather."
"Thanks to you. You had good sense too."
"Even a raised puppy knows which side is which. This much is basic素养."
"The coat, I mean. For something you just lightly draped, it was warm. Magic?"
Ah, did they notice? My small kindness.
"With formulaic magic, I can at least warm clothes. Even black magic has its uses depending on how you use it, right?"
"I can't agree with that, but I think it would have been even better if you had learned white magic. Or, I could teach you?"
"Come to think of it, maybe the reason I couldn't learn white magic was because I didn't have a wonderful teacher to teach me."
"Hehe. That would be rewarding."
Thanks to the Blue Tower Master's help, we achieved our goal of joining Shay. The Demon King also decided to look favorably upon us, so we should be safe for now. Now I need to go to Shay and ask what those words earlier meant.
When I turned to look at Shay, she was watching the Blue Tower Master and me with a very displeased expression.
"…Since when did you two get so close?"
That's strange. Is it because I gave her my coat? Suddenly it feels cold.