◈ Episode 77. The Dignity of a Chief (1)
“I will temporarily suspend the regular conference.”─The Weight of a Chief (Repeat)▲●Conduct the verification in the Topaz Hall. (Success)●Successfully proceed with the regular conference. (In Progress)
The quest objective was to successfully proceed with the regular conference.
End the conference by skipping Bangrit, the final presenter?
That could hardly be called a successful conclusion.
My pride was telling me so.
“Bangrit Tom. The moment he stands at the lectern, I will resume the conference.”
I would make sure Bangrit stood in the Crystal Hall!
By the way, was I even allowed to run the conference however I pleased?
For a moment, that concern crossed my mind.
But I could only think once again.
If you had a problem with it, you shouldn’t have put me in charge.
In that sense, Bangrit Tom.
I had no idea where he had hidden himself.
But one thing was certain.
“Of course, before that, I will hold him accountable for the current situation.”
If he had no proper reason.
In other words, if there was no reason that Pride deemed justified.
You were going to have a fairly hard time, Senior Mage Bangrit Tom.*Silence─Even if it had been no one else, Hoyeol had taken the lectern.
Hoyeol valued courtesy and formality more than anything.
And on top of that, he had even brought up the word “procedure.”
So how could anyone dare to chatter or fail to listen?
Murmur, murmur─Once that Hoyeol left the Crystal Hall.
Only then did the players carefully part their lips.
“……
Hey, isn’t this a quest?”
“It screams quest no matter how you look at it, doesn’t it?”
“So if we find Bangrit Tom, it connects into a quest from there?!”
They could smell it.
And not just any smell, but the smell of a major quest.
After all, a mage of the Magic Tower, and a senior mage at that, had gone missing.
The players began to read the room.
The fact that they had received invitations to the regular conference?
It meant they had enough experience built up to know how things worked.
“First, let’s watch and see. It might end more anticlimactically than we expect, right?”
The possibility that it would end anticlimactically.
They were talking about the case where Bangrit Tom was still inside the Magic Tower.
To give an example.
“Like, he got so relaxed that he’s dozing off somewhere or something.”
That kind of possibility.
But no matter how they looked at it, it was hard to imagine.
“Could a senior mage, of all people, really do that?”
As mage-class players.
They knew the greatness of the Magic Tower well.
It was difficult to understand a senior mage making such a mistake.
And so the wait was not long.
Starting with Hoyeol.
The moment all the senior mages left the Crystal Hall.
The players also sprang from their seats and began to move.
“It’s certain. Bangrit Tom is outside the Magic Tower!”
“You heard him, right? We have to find Bangrit Tom, no matter what!”
“……
What does he look like? Wait, I’ve never actually looked at him properly?!”
The Crystal Hall.
Only one person remained there.
Jesse Heinness.
Jesse opened her mouth.
“What do you think?”
The cone hat answered without stirring.
-It is certainly unprecedented.
Though its reputation might have faded now.
This was none other than the Magic Tower’s regular conference.
A mage disappearing right before presenting at that regular conference?
Even when he searched through his memories as an archmage, there had never been such an incident.
Moreover, Bangrit Tom was a senior mage.
“I heard he staked a lot on this research…….”
Jesse, who frequently came and went from the Magic Tower, had many conversations with apprentice and skilled mages. Because of that, she also knew Bangrit’s situation well. Jesse murmured.
“……
Something must have happened to him.”
-Judging by the atmosphere, that seems likely. However, my disciple.
“Yes?”
-Do not involve yourself in this matter.
“……?”
It was not a master’s needless worry.
Because this was something one could understand with just a little thought.
Realizing the meaning hidden in those words, Jesse flinched.
“……
Is it even possible for something to happen to Senior Bangrit?”
That was right.
Bangrit Tom.
Setting aside his standing in the Magic Tower, he was a senior mage of the Magic Tower.
An existence closer to a superhuman than a human.
Because she had observed them up close, Jesse knew well.
What sort of beings the Magic Tower’s senior mages were.
If it was something serious enough to endanger Bangrit’s safety?
Soon, Jesse sprang from her seat.
“……
This isn’t the time for everyone to be thinking about quests!”
This was truly no ordinary matter.
Just as her master said, it was dangerous even to become involved.*The Magic Tower.
The disappearance of Senior Mage Bangrit Tom.
That news was also delivered to AAU.
“Sunbae! How did you get your hands on this bait?”
“Oh, you’re here? There was a NetTuber streaming. They broadcast the regular conference from the start. Pretty gutsy, isn’t it? If they got caught, how were they planning to handle it?”
“Was there a replay left? Can I skip ahead a bit?”
“Of course.”
Yun Sugyeom clicked the rewind button.
Then the chat window that had appeared also began to flow backward.
Seong Hyeonjun, who was watching the chat window, flinched.
But why was the chat window full of the same words……?
“Homen. Homen. Homeeeen? The spam is no joke today, is it?”
“It couldn’t be helped. It was no joke. Just now.”
“Even so, spamming for hours? But instead of kicking them, everyone’s joining in on the spam? What on earth happened?”
Explaining it again would take a while.
Slurp─Yun Sugyeom sucked on his Americano and preached today’s miracle.
He was not exaggerating.
What Hoyeol had shown was truly close to a miracle.
Seong Hyeonjun, who had been quietly listening, asked back in shock.
“He t-taught the skilled mages instead?!”
“Yeah. He even laid out the direction of their research for them.”
“Does that make any sense? No, I don’t understand.”
Hoyeol was merely a player.
How could he possibly teach mages of the Magic Tower?
Seong Hyeonjun still seemed unable to accept it.
Unfortunately.
“But that’s not what’s important.”
“……
Right. Because there’s something even harder to accept.”
“Bangrit Tom.”
The fact that a senior mage of that Magic Tower had gone missing.
That was the real reason an emergency had fallen upon AAU.
Seong Hyeonjun clutched at his hair.
“Where did he suddenly run off to?”
“That’s what we have to figure out from now on.”
“No, seriously. If, well, some other NPC. No, if some other Arcanian went missing, I’d say, I see. That’s unfortunate. And move on……!”
As stated before.
What kind of beings were the mages of the Magic Tower?
And Bangrit Tom was even a senior mage among them.
The more one knew, the more one saw.
AAU understood the gravity of the situation.
“To begin with, they weren’t NPCs designed to be active on the Arcana Continent, were they? The mages of the Magic Tower, I mean. If they start moving in earnest. Whether it’s the Empire or whatever, there’s nothing that can stop the Magic Tower…….”
Yun Sugyeom clicked his tongue.
“Don’t overdo it. Who said the Magic Tower moved as a group? It’s just that Bangrit Tom vanished on his own.”
“That alone is no ordinary matter, sunbae! What if. Just what if. As the players are speculating, a quest related to Bangrit Tom pops up. Let’s be blunt and say the players end up having to face Bangrit Tom.”
“Hey. I don’t even want to imagine that.”
Because they knew to some extent, they could say it with certainty.
If Bangrit Tom became the players’ enemy.
He might become an enemy even more powerful than the Demon King, Decarabia.
“What got tangled up for a situation like this to happen, seriously?”
Aaaaargh─Even as he groaned and tore at his hair, nothing came to mind.
That was why Seong Hyeonjun had no choice but to find it strange.
Even though he knew the gravity of the situation better than he did.
His sunbae, Yun Sugyeom, did not seem worried.
“……
Sunbae, are you okay?”
“Hm? About what?”
“No, in the past, you’d have been the one causing more of a fuss than me…….”
“Ah, I’ve gained faith.”
“Faith? Sunbae, did you start believing in some religion or something?”
“Religion?”
Yun Sugyeom chuckled.
“Well, you could see it that way, I suppose?”
Then he clicked the play button.
The video began to play again.
Hoyeol’s voice flowed from the speaker.
-“Bangrit Tom. The moment he stands at the lectern, I will resume the conference.”
“!”
Yes, there was Hoyeol.
Bangrit Tom, who had gone missing.
A position even higher than that supposedly incredible senior mage.
Hoyeol, who was being treated as equal to none other than the Chief Mage.
“Think back to the Magic Tower’s settings. Even if he was lucky enough to sit in the seat of chief co-researcher, if he hadn’t proven his ability, he would have been stripped of the position in no time. Because that is what the position of chief in the Magic Tower is.”
Yun Sugyeom continued.
“So I can’t help but believe in him.”
And as if that was not enough, had Hoyeol not activated the final weapon, the Kuirnberg Machine Tower.
Opening the curtain on a full-scale counterattack?
Seong Hyeonjun opened his mouth.
“Homen, Homen. I think I understand why the spam wouldn’t stop now.”
Of course, simply trusting Hoyeol alone.
Would be no different from dereliction of duty.
The thoughts of the two men communicated without needing to be said.‘Information that could be of help to Hoyeol.’The exchange of glances lasted only a moment.
Tadadak─!
Seong Hyeonjun and Yun Sugyeom began diligently tapping away at their keyboards.
“It’s no longer a game. So it’s not as if a bug occurred.”
“Then there must be some purpose behind him disappearing, right?”
“Exactly. We need to know that purpose before we can even guess where he might have gone. The problem is how we find out that purpose……. For now, shall we start by digging through the Magic Tower settings?”*Yes.
Every action has a purpose.
There must be a purpose behind Bangrit’s sudden behavior this time as well.
So what was Bangrit’s purpose?
If you asked me.
“Even if he had been in urgent need of relieving himself, I could have understood if he had asked for permission.”……
Wait, no matter how important etiquette is.
How could anyone bring up the word bathroom in the Crystal Hall?!
People have something called a sense of shame, Granfell.
As you can see, no nutritious answer could come from me.
But unlike me, who brazenly spouted nonsense.
There was someone who could guess that purpose.
“Indeed, something comes to mind.”
It was Marcelo.
Marcelo widened his sunken eyes.
“I do not know what you may think, sir. But I believe I know the man named Bangrit well. His ability is outstanding, but the lack of confidence that hinders his development is also a problem.”
I see. Then it made sense that he had tried to hand me a bribe disguised as sincerity. Since he lacked confidence, he must have tried to rely on something like a bribe.
Nod, nod─As I nodded, Marcelo continued.
“However, that is merely a personal problem. Some have suggested that Bangrit, under psychological pressure due to his diminished standing, vanished ahead of the conference……. But I do not agree.”
His voice was filled with conviction.
“Because he is the senior mage of pure mana studies.”
Marcelo’s meaning was simple.
It meant that a senior mage of the Magic Tower was not so weak.
That he would vanish under pressure from something as insignificant as this.
I agreed with that more than anything.
“That is why I will tell you.”
While I was nodding repeatedly, having no room to refute him.
Marcelo spoke meaningfully.
“It is about the Round Table Conference.”……
So there was a reason you were taking your time!
The Round Table Conference was a gathering of the Magic Tower’s leadership.
What on earth had they discussed at that leadership meeting?
It was true that I had been inwardly curious.
Of course, none of it showed on my face.
At times like these, I was truly grateful for my poker face. Truly.
“The scheduled Round Table Conference was postponed.”……
But what? It was postponed?!
Wait a minute, then why did I go through all that trouble!!
For a moment, an indignant feeling boiled up within me.‘Grateful for my poker face, my foot!’I take back that gratitude.
At this rate, I might die young from pent-up rage.
However, in the same motionless tone as ever, I asked back.
“When was the postponement of the Round Table Conference decided?”
“As you have guessed. It was decided during the regular conference.”
“!”
“That is correct. It is similar to the time when Bangrit left the Crystal Hall.”
What those words meant was simple.
Did this not mean that Bangrit Tom’s disappearance was connected to the Magic Tower’s leadership.
The Tower Master, or perhaps an elder mage?‘……’
‘I’m not misunderstanding this for no reason, am I?’ Clearly, Marcelo had brought it up with that very meaning in mind.
This wasn’t some conspiracy theory.
When the higher-ups suddenly came into the picture, I couldn’t help but flinch.
But as I said, I didn’t let it show.
At my dry response, Marcelo gave a small laugh.
“As expected, you had surmised that as well.”
“?”
“That is correct.”
What exactly had I supposedly surmised?
It sounded as though there was still something left to be surprised by.
I braced myself, but it was useless.
“This is the circumstance of the Magic Tower that I could not speak of.”
At that moment, the quest window flickered.
[Quest: The Truth of the Magic Tower]
A contradiction exists within the Magic Tower.
Uncover the contradiction.
Set the Magic Tower and the truth right.─Secure Bangrit Tom, who is entangled with the Magic Tower’s leadership. (In progress)……
So it had all been connected like this?
Just how tangled was this from the top down?
I’d had a hunch ever since Marcelo found it difficult to speak.
But now that I knew the truth, the shock seemed to multiply.‘Not just an ordinary mage of the Magic Tower, but the leadership.’Yet contrary to what I felt inside.
I replied.
In an utterly shameless voice.
“I understand your hardships, Chief Mage Marcelo.”*“I’m telling you, they’re idiots. They should use their heads!”
The lobby of the Magic Tower.
There, several players were waiting.
“What are they going to do by just charging out blindly? Is he going to go ta-da and come out to greet them?”
Setting out to find Bangrit Tom was one thing.
But they needed some kind of clue before they could find him.
In that sense, everyone was wasting their time.
“Exactly! If you don’t know, you should at least have some tact. Like us.”
The person those players were waiting for was Hoyeol.
Hoyeol was sure to set out in search of Bangrit Tom as well.
And who was Hoyeol?
The Magic Tower’s chief co-researcher.
Naturally, he would have more information about the Magic Tower than anyone else.
“If we just follow Lee Hoyeol, something’s bound to turn up.”
If they followed him, and found Bangrit Tom before Lee Hoyeol did?
The quest and its rewards would be theirs.
That was the purpose of the players waiting there.
Click-clack─At the end of their wait.
The sound of shoes approached.
“Lee Hoyeol is…….”
But that impure purpose.
“……
Daaah?!”
Was shattered miserably.
There wasn’t only one set of footsteps.
Because Hoyeol was not alone.
“What’s that skeleton behind him? A skeleton?”
It wasn’t a skeleton.
It was merely a man as gaunt as one.
It didn’t take long.
For them to realize that man’s identity.
Because the mage players who recognized him couldn’t hide their shock.
“H-How is Chief Mage Marcelo all the way here……?”
“Wait, they’re heading for the portal. Those two!!”
“Has the Magic Tower started moving? Don’t tell me, because of Lee Hoyeol?!”