If speaking of the Dragon Gate, it is an event where hundreds, thousands of small fish swim up toward a single small gate. All of them yearning to become dragons, they push and strike each other, competing.
Historically, the Tower of Babel has never been used as a Dragon Gate, but what happened inside was exactly the same as in previous years.
Competition. Participants becoming problems for other participants, testing each other.
A problem that arises naturally without even needing to use one's head, and a discrimination that certainly eliminates one of the two. It is something an examiner would welcome with applause.
Though the actual parties fighting would feel daunted.
‘There are three over there too? I heard the Dragon Gate is an individual competition, did they take sides? Well, we came in a group too, so it's not strange.’
Even Cardinal Elton of the Northern Holy Church? A cardinal, a priestly order, and a paladin order?
That's army-level combat power!
Cardinal Elton approached with a benevolent smile. He had neither fear nor vigilance. Along with endless faith, full of pride in his own power, he did not fear a mere three pedestrians.
And not fearing the opponent was the same for us as well.
“Huh? Those clothes are of a high-ranking priest? At least the level of a High Priest. Hughes.”
“Why is someone like that here?”
“Probably came to find the Demon God?”
That's the problem! They're competitors!
Shay, who had a close relationship with the Holy Church in the previous round, was glad even to see the paladin order. However, feeling the fighting spirit emanating from the paladins, she stopped moving. Shay questioned.
“What is it? It seems like they want to fight.”
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“Because we are competitors to each other.”
In the end, only one person will climb up and obtain the Demon God. Therefore, it's better if others aren't around. Furthermore, they are a paladin order that infiltrated aiming to return the holy relic. It's certain they view mages as eyesores.
But they only exuded fighting spirit and did not attack first.
‘First, extend a hand of reconciliation to your opponent. Should that hand hold a weapon, rebuke them gently. Should they seek to harm you with that weapon, strike back. Yet let mercy reside in your actions. As a servant of the cloth, you must never strike the first blow.’
That's because the opponent is a cardinal, a priest fearsome for being second to none in devoutness. If not for that, they would have picked a fight long ago. Mages are rational, and attacking first is better than being attacked first. Mages are strong in prepared fights but weak against surprise attacks.
‘I will yield the first move. Try attacking first.’
Of all things, the first group we meet is a cardinal and a paladin order. If nothing else, their defensive power is world-class strongest. If I expend strength here, it'll become annoying.
Wait a minute. They won't attack unless attacked first? An interesting picture is forming.
While I was lost in thought, Lankart, who felt the fighting spirit, frowned.
“Fools believing in gods or whatever.”
Innate sorcery, the world of the right-handed.
Air currents swirled around Lankart. A spiral pattern was formed as if scratched by the wind on the wide carpet.
There is only one Demon God anyway. The opponents are all competitors. They must be attacked immediately to eliminate future troubles, and Lankart had the ability to do so. It was a rational judgment.
And when the expected response came, Cardinal Elton also drew the holy sign small and waited for Lankart's attack.
In the imminent situation, I stepped forward.
“Wait. Lankart. There's no need to fight right now.”
“Why?”
“The Tower of Babel still has a long way to go. We have to take numerous tests. But rather than spending time fighting them right now, wouldn't it be better to cooperate immediately?”
“?”
Lankart looked at me as if asking what I was talking about. He was asking why we should do something as annoying as cooperating when they were targets to be eliminated anyway.
It's annoying to explain. I drew the holy sign and greeted the cardinal.
“We give thanks for granting a guide to us who lost our way on a dark night. Meeting Your Eminence the Cardinal, I also feel as if I have found a lighthouse in the dark.”
Upon recognizing it right away, Cardinal Elton asked with a gaze full of curiosity.
“How did a lowly race like you know that I am a cardinal?”
“The Holy Church sends letters in the name of the Cardinal every year. But the Tower of Babel fell suddenly without any notice. An envoy with Your Eminence's letter wouldn't be able to climb the Tower of Babel without Your Eminence's permission. Unless Your Eminence permits it on the spot.”
Yeah. I read your mind. Once you know the answer, you just piece the story together.
“And, if one is a believer who believes in the Heavenly God, one would naturally have heard the name of Cardinal Elton at some point.”
“…Hmm.”
‘The lowly race wouldn't know unless they were a believer who learned theology… Are you one who learned theology?’
Okay. Let's go with that scenario.
I put my hands together slightly, taking the same posture as a theology student, and produced a flat tone as if reading the Bible. Right now, I was exactly like a theology student who only learned the basics and left.
“I, too, am one who studies Saint Rene. To a theology student like me, this is but a brick to build the tower, so I crafted it with care. I am confident that my studies are not insufficient, even if I do not reach Your Eminence.”
“Haha. To meet one who has read the Bible here. It is the guidance of heaven.”
“No matter how good a text is, it must be illuminated by light to be read. I believe the light that illuminated my text led to today's meeting.”
‘They don't intend to fight? Hmm… That's a bit tricky.’
At my polite and respectful attitude, Cardinal Elton was considerably flustered.
Mages are arrogant and rational. They do not easily overturn a decision once made. Because they usually make rational and accurate decisions.
The option of temporarily cooperating with an enemy one must eventually fight is not easy to choose. It is even more so if the opponent is a paladin order. If a mage allows them to get close, they are starting half-defeated.
‘I didn't expect a mage to be so polite and have such deep faith. If only they had been rude like the mage in the back, I would have taught them a lesson. Tsk. It can't be helped. I have no choice but to leave them alone until they reveal their ulterior motives.’
“You said you were asking for directions, right? I also just arrived here, so I haven't assessed the situation. What is going on?”
Cardinal Elton relaxed his body and answered.
“May the Light protect us. Upon reaching the 2nd floor, this hall appeared before us. We split up to look for stairs going up, but couldn't see them anywhere. We tried opening the door where you appeared from, but beyond it was only endless emptiness. We couldn't set foot in it.”
“It seems the space wasn't connected.”
“That's right. We couldn't figure it out at all, so we decided to respect the original use of the chairs and tables. The moment everyone sat on the chairs, you suddenly appeared from the hallway on the opposite side.”
“Is that so? It seems the space is connected now. Just a moment.”
I turned around as it was and pulled the door, feeling something strange. When we came in, I pushed it open, but now it didn't pull at all. Just in case, I gave the door a slight push, but the space I came up from was nowhere to be found, and only a vast emptiness remained.
The space connected when entering and when leaving is different.
“It seems unlocking the secret of this door is the second test.”
“The lowly race has already figured out that much. The problem is the method.”
“One method comes to mind. A Lumen magic circle using light.”
I pointed to the ceiling with my finger. Chandeliers emitting light from each lamp illuminated the banquet hall, shining like jewels. When the light touched the transparent tables and chairs, it broke beautifully, leaving a trajectory.
“The now-vanished Lumen family is said to have drawn magic circles with light containing magical radiance. They arranged prisms as cores and used light rays as lines to accomplish magic. It is said that the casting speed of the magic was superior to anything else. This is an application of that.”
Let's see. Here and here, like this.
I dragged the chairs, twisted the tables, and changed their positions little by little. Then, the light scattered all around gradually gathered into one. It was similar to gathering straw with a rake or sweeping dust with a dustpan.
At the gradually formed shape of light, the paladins had quite surprised eyes. To them, light was an object of faith and the guidance of the Heavenly God, not an object that could be shaped like this.
“Oho. Such a thing.”
“Could you please move out of the way? And if possible, stick to the wall. I have to gather all the light coming from the chandeliers.”
“Ah, um. I understand.”
The paladins, surprised by the miracle I was displaying, rose from their seats awkwardly. As I methodically turned the chairs, I felt as if the space itself was gradually narrowing.
The space where light did not reach at all became dark and empty as if there was no space there in the first place. If one were to put a hand in there, it felt like they would disappear forever. But probably that wouldn't happen. Because before the light shone earlier, that space was definitely there.
But, is it definitely there?
If there is nothing to illuminate the space, how can one know that the space exists?
“It's like… weaving light.”
Someone among the paladins muttered thus. Hundreds of light rays extending from the chandeliers were gathered and combined into one. As all the light was gathered, the brightest and most dazzling single ray of light was completed.
The countless rays of light reflected on the chairs and tables gathered to the center of the banquet hall. The condensed mass of light was caught on the largest and most ornate table, sparkling like a bead.
Shay muttered unconsciously.
“It's pretty.”
“If we send this light ray beyond the stairs and illuminate it, the internal space will be revealed.”
When the light was shot out, the light that pierced through space illuminated the emptiness far away.
The light that pushed away the abyssal darkness, which could be mistaken for emptiness, illuminated the stairs, albeit dimly.
It is impossible to tell whether the stairs were there from the beginning and we just couldn't find them, or whether the stairs appeared after the light was shot.
But the important thing is one. I solved the problem and found the stairs to go up. That is all.
I earned the qualification to head to the 3rd floor.
And I smiled softly at the paladin order.
“Now, let's go together.”
“…Um!”
The tense paladin order and Cardinal Elton hesitated at my words.
They probably thought I would monopolize the strategy and kick away the ladder. They even noticed a plan to take the initiative and push me out. The problem was that I conveyed goodwill with a smiling face, and thanks to that, the paladin order was left hanging.
It is uncomfortable to trust a stranger. It is even more so if they are competitors. But they are a paladin order to the bone. They cannot move without a just cause.
Cardinal Elton clicked his tongue looking at such a paladin order.
‘The paladin order still lacks magnanimity. One must respond to goodwill with goodwill. Even if that goodwill is fabricated. But they only haven't drawn their swords, they are already full of thoughts of attacking them. It can't be helped. Paladins are swords to protect the faith, so they must be weighed down by such a sense of duty.’
Right. So what if my goodwill is fabricated? Are you going to stab me in the back?
Try it. As long as I have mind-reading, I won't be hit in the back of the head. Even though you probably can't do that.
‘We are completely losing the psychological warfare. We are like clergymen, but that man is not like a mage. As long as that man does not try to fight, we cannot attack first. We have no choice but to get on the same boat.’
For the paladin order who was full of tension, Cardinal Elton changed his attitude and spoke to them.
“I understand that you are a guide worth following. But I want to share this story beforehand. The seat of the Dragon Gate is one, and we are many. Is it okay to go with us?”
This is Cardinal Elton asking on behalf of the other priests and paladins. Respecting his will, I answered diligently.
“Of course. I also wanted to be with you all.”
“Really? I wouldn't want to show a sight of fighting disgracefully with such an outstanding, virtuous, and deeply faithful guide.”
“Why should we fight? We are just people who follow the teachings of Saint Rene.”
Saint Rene.
A saint revered by the Holy Church, and a historical teacher who created the system of the Mage Federation.
She who created sub-spaces had tremendous power, but did not use it to harm others. In the era when knowledge was considered heresy and scholars were made demons and executed, she wandered the North and shared knowledge. That became a great model for both the Mage Federation and the Holy Church.
I continued speaking, mentioning her.
“Saint Rene said that knowledge is only completed by sharing. That is the same for the magic of the tower, the mystery of the floating castle, and the holy relics. I wish for the relics left by Saint Rene to be revealed to the whole world. Because if knowledge belongs to everyone, there is no need for anyone to fight.”
“That is a dangerous thought. The world has much dangerous and harmful knowledge, like demon gods and taboos.”
“That may be so. But at the very least, shouldn't Saint Rene's relics follow Saint Rene's wishes? Saint Rene shared knowledge her whole life, so wouldn't it be a contradiction to monopolize that knowledge?”
“Ahem.”
Cardinal Elton was also one who followed the teachings of Saint Rene. Even if he didn't completely agree with my words, he acknowledged it was a valid point.
“I have something to say about that, but…”
“Rather than fighting, it would be better to have deep conversations as we climb. Because that is the spirit of Saint Rene.”
“I understand. Let's go. We are not the only ones in this tower.”
Cardinal Elton and the paladins relaxed their combat stance and moved in an orderly fashion. I let them go up first. I know the solution to the problem anyway, so I can go up at any time.
“Did you mean to use them as a shield? Then are you thinking of discarding them at the last moment? Should I prepare a magic to collapse it from the inside?”
Lankart made a terrifying suggestion, but I shook my head abruptly.
“It's fine. Surprise attacks are meaningless against paladins.”
“Is it because of Combat Precognition? You just have to make it more meticulous. If you use a trap using this space itself, Combat Precognition will be useless.”
“No. If there were only paladins, maybe, but there's a cardinal. It's better not to fight, and even if we fight, we must win with a frontal attack.”
“Yes. I understand.”
Lankart followed my command without a word. This was the reason I was with Lankart even while feeling a huge burden. As much as he follows me, he trusts my judgment.
Of course, the first reason I have no choice but to bring him along is because he's smart and knows a lot. Look. We solved both the 1st and 2nd floors thanks to Lankart.
The paladins all went up. We also followed behind them, heading towards the stairs where a ray of light shone.
‘…Anyway, I didn't pay attention to the problem on the 2nd floor this time. It's because I was wary of the paladins and preparing magic, but Hughes realized that the problem on the 2nd floor was a Lumen magic circle and calculated the answer even in that situation. What I lack compared to Hughes is not just knowledge. Hughes and I have different perspectives. To catch up with Hughes, I need to change my perspective…’
Leaving behind the thoughts that loomed like a shadow from Lankart.