New food naturally attracts new bugs.
Babel's residency rights were a dream to the lower realm's commoners. And it was a dream that could be bought with money. They wanted to live in Babel even if they had to liquidate all their possessions.
And those who sought to exploit such hope also emerged.
"Here. This is Babel's residency right."
Dealers who used alchemy to replicate and sell residency rights had appeared.
Naturally, the residency rights they possessed were fakes. But it didn't matter. If the consumers believed they were real, they could be sold at that price.
"I-Is this, surely real, right?"
"Of course. I procured this through a friend I know in Buuseong. Look. From the magic glow to the pattern. It's nothing short of art. Could this be replicated in the lower realm?"
Like all other swindlers, he possessed excellent eloquence.
Moreover, that residency right was an elaborate forgery made by somehow obtaining a genuine one and modeling after it. Even fellow magicians would be confused, let alone commoners.
"The magicians of Buuseong have no need for residency rights. They already live in Buuseong, and most are descendants of prestigious families, so why would they settle on empty land? They just want to sell them for a lump sum. But they're people who've only held staffs at desks their whole lives, so they don't know how to sell things. I promised to sell them for them and brought these..."
"Oooh."
"Bring the promised money and I'll give it to you."
"Here, here you go!"
"Hmm. Twenty high-grade alchemy coins... The alchemy value is 170,000 alkein? It's short by 30,000 alke."
"I've liquidated my entire fortune! And in times like these, where would you find pristine alchemy coins? They say they're busy restoring Buuseong, so they don't even do alchemy coating!"
Since alchemy coins held value in the currency itself, people with expertise in alchemy or magic would often convert alchemy coins into immediately usable tools or magic. Alchemy coins whose value had been partially consumed in this way could not be used in official settings.
However, alchemy coins were the only currency left in this world. Commoners had no choice but to use alchemy coins even if their value had slightly diminished.
The swindler spoke with a displeased expression.
"Hmph. The agreement was for twenty alchemy coins, so... Fine. Take it."
"Alright! Now we're residents of Buuseong too...! We'll be able to learn Buuseong's magic!"
I received the residency right with delight. The residency right with a faint magic pattern remaining emitted a brilliant light, making it look like the real thing.
Well made. Alchemy indeed. No wonder the country fell.
Having carefully tucked it into my embrace, I secretly asked him.
"By any chance, do you have a few more?"
The swindler then answered with an intrigued expression.
"The quantity isn't that large, but... Why do you ask?"
"I know some people in other territories besides here, and they also want residency rights."
"How many?"
"Twelve."
'Twelve? If I sell all those fake residency rights to them, I'll make a fortune. I was going to sell just a few and leave since it'd be dangerous if the falsehood was discovered, but... This is worth the risk.'
The swindler, licking his lips, feigned difficulty.
"The amount is too large. I'll need more money to procure them."
"Money is fine. They are the chosen ones of magical prestigious families, but they've been pushed out of the power structure. I scraped together twenty alchemy coins by borrowing here and there, but they'll provide pristine ones."
"Hmm. Then come tomorrow."
"Tomorrow? That quickly?"
"Besides me, I have other friends doing similar work. I'll ask them to try to procure some."
Creating fakes that look real consumes considerable costs. Even if the other party were commoners, they were residents of the Magic Federation. They knew how to roughly measure the face value alchemy value. To avoid their suspicion, real alchemy coins had to be used.
"Come at this time tomorrow. I'll prepare them once."
Those who are deceiving others find it difficult to realize they are being deceived themselves. The swindler moved to procure the fake residency rights without any particular suspicion.
He cooperated with other swindlers selling fake residency rights, spending close to 200,000 alke to create fake residency rights. And to sell them, he contacted me once again.
Of course, I looked a bit different then.
"Hello. Security Bureau. I heard you've been distributing fake residency rights? This is the sales money? Okay, confiscated."
"N-No! My entire fortune!"
"Now it's my fortune... No, it's the Magic Federation's fortune."
For your information, I went and shook down all the other swindlers too. As expected, shaking down fellow swindlers was the most delicious.
Hilde fiddled with the fake residency rights taken from swindlers across various regions and said.
"Wow. Just the fake residency rights are over 280 sheets with an alchemy value exceeding 5 million alke~. The Magic Federation has so much money~. But what should we do with these forged residency rights? Should we convert them back to alchemy coins?"
"Then the alchemy value would be consumed. Let's re-stamp the serial numbers and use them as real residency rights."
And even recycling. It was the efficient utilization of resources.
---
"Azure Tower Master. The Five Towers are academic societies recognized by our common master, but there aren't only the Five Towers in Buuseong."
The elder magicians of Buuseong. They were too old to stand on the front lines, but with numerous disciples and extensive networks, they were the backroom old folks holding the real power in Buuseong. Dissatisfied with the recent events, they officially criticized the Azure Tower Master.
"The essence of Buuseong is a city, the dream, goal, and foundation of all magicians. Handing that over at cheap wholesale prices cannot be decided by the Azure Tower Master's arbitrary decision alone."
The elder magicians lacked nothing. Having already acquired money, honor, status, and family, why would they feel any need to live with commoners?
However, I knew what they were missing.
"Now, now, now. Shall we have a little talk?"
I grabbed the academic society president's shoulder and went to have a conversation. He valued history and tradition, and believed that Buuseong should show the same authority from the same position as before.
In other words, he was saying to float Buuseong back into the sky.
However, I had an in-depth conversation with him, and just an hour later, he shouted with a highly excited face, fuming.
"How dare they attack Buuseong! Azure Tower Master. Just say the word! Though our bodies may have declined, our minds still shine with brilliant intellect. There is no retirement in a magician's nation. We'll show that magicians grow more powerful as they age!"
"Goodbye~."
I waved at the departing elder magicians. After they disappeared, the Azure Tower Master asked.
"Their influence exceeds that of a tower master, and that conservative and stubborn attitude was the biggest headache. What words did you use to sway them?"
"Deceived and coaxed them. The truth is, the reason Buuseong fell is because it was attacked, we engaged in battle with the Sword Saint, and there could be friction with the Empire. I told them that all our current actions are stockpiling for Buuseong's independent operations."
Those who are stubborn and conservative naturally respond sensitively to external attacks. Especially if it's the Empire. The Magic Federation is neither a weak nation nor a vassal state, so if told it was attacked, they would inevitably be enraged.
The Azure Tower Master, hearing my triumphant words, replied.
"You didn't deceive them. It's all true."
The Magic Federation rebuilding Buuseong and filling it with people wasn't simply for funding. This too was part of military preparation.
Since the Empire's attack actually occurred, it was to prepare for that time.
"Originally, all deception is achieved by exaggerating some parts of the truth and concealing others. When I perform card magic, I don't use real magic. I just show certain cards clearly and quietly hide the others."
"Ah. Processing the truth to persuade people. Is that the way to handle humans?"
"This can only be used on people who share the same goal, though. Whether it's you or the elder magicians, we all think of the Magic Federation the same way."
If someone wished for the Magic Federation's destruction, they couldn't be persuaded through deception.
"Hehe. I see. I thought those old people were the most distant from me."
Having resolved the biggest headache, the Azure Tower Master looked quite relieved now.
---
Not everyone disliked the change.
"We blocked the meteor, so some damage to Buuseong is unavoidable, right?"
"We don't oppose the Azure Tower Master's policy. Who's going to cover the repair costs? We have to do at least this much."
"It's actually good. Buuseong was severely lacking in young men and women."
Many young and talented magicians had come up to Buuseong, and they were tired of Buuseong's static and stuffy atmosphere. Buuseong was a city, but its form and purpose were closer to an academic institution. Love that sprouted within it had difficulty blooming properly.
"They're all respectable magicians, but as husband material, well... Weak, frail, and..."
"Ugly or nerds who only know studying."
"But we couldn't even go down to the lower realm, and now we can bring our fiancés, isn't that great?"
"It'd be even better if we could get fresh ingredients here too."
The magicians of the younger generation welcomed the change, and this directly formed a faction supporting the Azure Tower Master. Especially for the young who lacked a foundation, the residency rights they received were an incredibly precious asset.
"I'm going to sell mine and make a profit."
"Money is enough. With just this, I can bring my fiancé from the lower realm and live."
"Too-smart women are exhausting, you know."
"Even if they're dumb, innocent is better."
Lankart, hearing their words, replied.
"Indeed. So that's why Huey only has stupid women."
"What about you,"
Among all the women I've met so far, the only truly stupid one is Shea, and ironically, nothing happened between me and Shea.
Lankart, who had brought up the topic playfully, soon lowered his voice and said.
"But Huey. The Azure Tower Master is clever enough that I once acknowledged her as a man. You might get your ankles caught without realizing it."
"That won't happen."
I'm reading her thoughts from time to time. The Azure Tower Master is a magician and bases things on common sense and logic. Her efforts to seduce me are also part of that, an attempt to win me over after seeing my capable side.
However, the Azure Tower Master won't go further than that. If she needs my cooperation, my will must be respected above all. This is why people must show their capability. If I show an unpredictable nature like in the Mist Duchy, she might try to restrain me.
As long as things don't suddenly progress in places I don't know about, there won't be any problem.
---
Hilde received a mysterious invitation. It was a suspicious invitation that she would normally be wary of, but it was so sudden and out of nowhere that it sparked Hilde's curiosity. So Hilde personally set foot in a place she normally wouldn't have visited.
"Hmm? Hmm~?"
The Azure Tower Master's office. In a space surrounded by crystal on all sides, Hilde sat awkwardly. A transparent crystal cup dropped in front of her.
"You said you're Hilde. Come and sit. Would you like some tea?"
"I'll have the most expensive one please~. I haven't been treated well much since coming here."
"Alright."
The Azure Tower Master took out a tea crystal and dropped it into the cup, then snapped her fingers. The crystal melted and was heated at the same time.
Magic. Once, the Military State envied the magic that the Magic Federation used as naturally as breathing, and tried to reproduce even a part of it. Formulaic Magic was the result.
'It was only half a success, though. How enviable. If the Military State had such power, Yuel and the signal soldiers could have done better too.'
Watching Hilde sip, the Azure Tower Master crossed her legs and said.
"You're composed."
"No. I'm surprised. It's a bit sudden~. Since we have no personal connection between us after all."
"Even without personal connection, we have information about each other. Both you and I."
The Azure Tower Master went straight to the main point.
"Lankart brought you. He thought you were a friend, and brought you as an acquaintance of a friend. Naturally you were expelled, but come to think of it, Lankart wouldn't have brought an ordinary human to Buuseong."
"Heh. You noticed."
Hilde said as if throwing a tantrum.
"That person with broken morals doesn't have any friends in the first place~. Even claiming to be friends with my father is a one-sided assertion, he's actually making things difficult for my father, isn't he? I'm several times better!"
"You seemed to know that Huez is the King of Humans. You've been consistently observing from his side and acting as if you want something. Like..."
"Like you?"
"...So are you."
The easiest way to understand someone is to reach the same position. The Azure Tower Master felt a sense of kinship from Hilde. And she watched a bit more carefully.
What the two wanted was the same. But Huez's body was one. That meant they were competing with each other. Hilde seemed to have reached that thought, flinching and looking wary.
"Surely, the Azure Tower Master didn't call me here to eliminate a competitor, right? Ahaha. No way~."
"Competition? I think of it as a cooperative relationship. Huez was never anyone's to begin with."
Clack. The Azure Tower Master set down her cup and met Hilde's inquisitive eyes. Her transparent eyes were filled with new desire for inquiry and curiosity.
"I need to know. About the phenomenon called the King of Humans."