Two days passed quickly after that.
Usually, after the presentations are over, it's common to spend the rest of
the exchange meeting period socializing. With so many young magicians, it
wasn't uncommon for some to pair off as couples.
However, the Imperial Tower was an exception.
Hedera quickly gave orders to gather the magicians of the Imperial Tower at
the Black Tower's lodging.
The Auditor had briefly recorded the other towers' presentations, and it was
necessary to meticulously check those and create scrolls of what needed to
be preserved.
As a result, the pressure was on.
"Are we really making scrolls of the advanced techniques from each
tower?"
"The Green Tower's advanced magic? I'm not sure if we even have a scroll
capable of holding that! What should we do?"
"What do you mean, 'What should we do'? Just record the recipe for now!"
"Isn't that the one I was using?"
"Huh? This isn't mine, is it? Ugh! They got mixed up again!"
If they could make just one perfect scroll, it would be an enormous benefit
to the Imperial Tower. But now, they were dealing with dozens, not just one
or two…
"Everyone, please calm down."
Anes encouraged the magicians as she spoke.
"Precision is more important than speed in this task. If we get too excited, it
won't look good."
"No! This is something we can't help but get excited about!"
Nox, a specialist in practical magic and scrolls from the Imperial Tower,
pushed up his glasses, his face full of excitement.
"The Imperial Tower is extracting and making scrolls of the advanced
techniques from each tower? There's never been anything this amazing
before! We've never experienced anything like this!"
"…Yes. Well, that's true."
It wasn't about selling these scrolls for profit. By keeping them, the scope
of magic research in the Imperial Tower would expand greatly.
Nox shouted, full of excitement.
"To put it extremely, if we research based on this and it goes well, the secret
techniques of other towers could be reborn in the hands of the Imperial
Tower!"
The other magicians couldn't help but express their admiration.
"How could something like this happen to the Imperial Tower?"
"This is really a first! Amazing!"
Anes quietly nodded.
"Well, that's because the Auditor wasn't in the tower until now."
"…"
The other Imperial Tower magicians blinked quietly.
Anes was openly praising the Auditor?
Anes, who always said that she didn't like him?
"Even more amazing things might happen in the future. Let's all do our
best."
The Imperial Tower members didn't know all the details, but wasn't it true
that something great had happened anyway?
There was no reason not to work hard.
At that moment, the door to the Black Tower's lodging opened. An Imperial
Tower magician brought in something that looked like a bundle.
"Anes, I've brought it."
"Ah, thank you for your hard work."
Anes quickly received the bundle.
As the bundle was being passed, there was a clinking sound as glass
containers knocked together. The flasks' necks were sticking out here and
there.
"Anes, what's that…?"
"These are the elixirs that each tower sent us during the exchange meeting.
I thought we should give them all to the Auditor without missing a single
one."
"One seems like Frost Essence, and another looks like Lava Brew… Aren't
these elixirs with opposite properties?"
"Even so, I plan to give them all to him."
"…"
…The Auditor isn't a cauldron, you know?
…Actually, even a cauldron might not withstand that.
…Is it really okay to pour that into a human being?
Well, in the end, no one objected.
Tether, the Second Princess's secretary, was also helping out on the side,
and she smiled contentedly as she observed the scene.
'The atmosphere has really changed a lot.'
Tether suddenly recalled the past state of the Imperial Tower.
Just thinking of Hedera's expression back then made the drastic change
clear. The Second Princess would sigh every time she reviewed the
documents concerning the Imperial Tower.
Of course, it was the same when she visited in person. The Imperial Tower
magicians always seemed indifferent to everything, with sunken eyes as if
they were stressed.
"What the?! I did it right, so why isn't it activating?"
"Huh? Wait, I did this one wrong, so why is it working?"
But now, isn't it so lively?
Even if they looked a bit ridiculous, it didn't matter. Just seeing everyone so
full of energy, working together with a single goal, was heartwarming.
And the cause of all this was just one person.
'Auditor Jaekiel.'
Amazingly, it was something he had accomplished on his own.
Therefore, no one had any objections to the suggestion of giving all those
precious elixirs to the Auditor.
Everyone knew all too well.
There was something only Jaekiel could do, and the fact that he was
bringing enormous benefits to the Imperial Tower.
And so the work continued for quite some time.
Naturally, they encountered obstacles along the way.
"Anes, I really don't understand this."
"I don't know how to recreate this."
Anes responded as she watched them blink in confusion.
"You still have to try. What else can you do?"
"I think we should ask the Auditor himself…"
"Don't be so dramatic."
"It's not an exaggeration. No, just look at this…"
The magicians handed her a note with trembling hands.
[ 3, 4, 213. It's easy, so no explanation is needed. ]
"…"
After looking at the note, even Anes was at a loss for words.
'What is this?'
It seemed like something Jaekiel had jotted down after observing the magic
of another tower, but the problem was that even Anes couldn't understand
it.
And the final blow was the last line.
[ It's easy, so no explanation is needed. ]
"…Easy? What exactly is easy?"
She muttered to herself absentmindedly.
Anes then looked around the inside of the lodging once more. Now she
noticed a stark contrast.
The magicians working from the notes that Tether and Anes had taken were
busy creating something, while those around Jaekiel's notes were tearing
their hair out.
"Let me see some more of those notes."
Anes gathered several notes and examined them.
[ Overview of the Red Tower's 'Flowing Flame' ]
[ 1. After gathering energy as shown in the diagram, secure the circuit
and prepare to manifest the flame element.]
[ 2. Manifest the flame element while keeping the water element in
mind. Slowly…]
This was generally how Anes's notes looked.
Since she didn't know much, she had to write down as much as possible.
On the other hand, Jaekiel's notes were…
[ 324, 135, 1333. Weakly. ]
"…"
[ ←↑→↓↗↙→→↑ Manifest ]
"…?"
What is this?
In any case, it was the complete opposite of Anes's notes.
Jaekiel knew so much that he didn't need to write much down. The problem
was that most of the magicians couldn't make sense of it.
In the end, she rubbed her temples.
"…I'll have to ask him about it later."
Even after recording all the presentations, the Auditor muttered, 'I'm not
satisfied with just this,' and went off to the social hall. In other words, he
wasn't here right now.
It was then.
"You've all worked hard."
With her characteristic dignified aura, the owner of the Imperial Tower, the
Second Princess of the Empire, Hedera, entered the lodging.
"We greet the owner of the Imperial Tower, the Second Princess!"
All the magicians paused their work and stood up to show their respect.
Hedera nodded, as if she didn't mind the mess in the large lodging.
"You've all been working hard. Did I come here for nothing?"
"…"
Everyone avoided her gaze at that remark.
…Because this was already her tenth visit today.
It was expected that she would keep visiting for a long time. She had been
coming every hour.
'Wouldn't it be better if she just stayed?'
The magicians couldn't help but think that, as it was harder than expected to
stop concentrating and rush to show respect every hour.
"Hmm."
Hedera glanced around.
Her eyes first landed on the bundle of elixirs.
"Are those elixirs?"
"Yes, they are."
Anes answered on behalf of the group.
"Hmm, storing them haphazardly like that could be a problem. The potency
might decrease."
"Ah, we were planning to deliver them immediately anyway…"
"And nothing should get on the scrolls, but it seems the inside of the
lodging isn't very clean."
"Yes, we'll take care of that."
"Has the Auditor visited here yet?"
Anes fiddled with her cube, looking troubled.
This was the tenth time today that this situation had occurred.
It was clear that the Second Princess cherished the Auditor deeply, but each
visit required them to show respect and answer various questions, which
kept slowing down their progress.
Finally, Anes spoke up.
"Your Highness."
"Yes. I'm listening."
"I…"
Anes cautiously moved her lips.
"I'll handle it myself."
At the same time, a silence fell over the area.
Tether, watching from the side, swallowed nervously.
This strange power struggle.
No, this strange battle of nerves wasn't over yet.