Counterattack-2
A drawing room in the Black Mage Tower
Leonardo sat down and drank the coffee he gave him while looking at the manager of the Mage Tower on the other side.
“Sorry for calling you all of a sudden.”
“No. After all, I said I would sell it.”
The first wizard who said he would buy the corpse was Bernan Verdein, the master of the Black Mage Tower.
It was a slightly different flow from what Leonardo expected.
Even if it’s a blue tower that studies magic and mana itself, or a white tower that mainly focuses on the relationship between magic and living things.
It was because I didn’t think that I would be the first to work in the Black Tower, which specializes in magic tool science.
‘…Was it just because I was greedy? Or not…’
“I don’t know if coffee suits your taste.”
As Leonardo was thinking, Bernan asked about the taste of tea with a smile on his pale lips.
“Ameri deserves to drink without getting tired.”
Leonardo took a sip of his coffee as Ameri joked about it.
Coffee was not poisonous in terms of taste or sense.
It was because there was nothing strange about any assassination in the current situation.
“If I go straight to the point and pass the unique magic, will I give you a corpse right away?”
“…That’s not it. There is a unique magic confirmation process, and the transfer of the body has to be done according to the procedure, so I don’t think I can give it right away.”
It was an excuse for Leo, but he had a justification.
It was not easy enough to determine the authenticity of the unique magic formula just by looking at it.
Since the chimera corpse is also at risk of black magic, it was necessary to obtain a guarantee and permission,
I didn’t have to worry about the operation being discovered.
“…Is that so? I see.”
Bernan didn’t seem particularly dissatisfied.
It was to the point where he felt strange from Leo’s side because of his rather detached attitude.
“If it is a problem, you can write an additional warranty. Even if you ask for a penalty…”
“No, you don’t have to.”
Bernan opened his mouth briefly as he put down his half-filled cup of coffee.
“If it’s giving you unique magic, does money mean anything?”
“…That’s right. Are you going to trade?”
“…What do you think of your parents?”
Leo’s expression changed at the unexpected question.
While drinking tea, it was such an out-of-the-box question that Leo’s expression twisted.
“…I don’t understand the context of your question. Why are you asking such a question all of a sudden?”
“As a buyer of ‘things,’ I asked about your psychology.”
Leonardo calmly seized his wavering emotions again. His intentions are incomprehensible, but Bernan’s words were only meant to shake the spirit.
“…Is there anything to do but think? My parents have been separated since I was 10.”
So it was sad. I wanted to wait and believe that he would come back.
But you shouldn’t show that emotion now.
“My parents haven’t seen me for years, but it’s strange that I have feelings now. In the current situation, we are only considering whether it will be beneficial or detrimental.”
Leonardo replied with a rational and calm answer, with an attitude so dry that it could not be thought of as an answer to a question that touched his parents.
“…A good wizard. Very cold.”
For such an attitude, Bernan praised him as a mage.
It was to the extent that it could not be seen as a conversation of a person with emotions.
That’s why even though Leo received a lot of help and advice from Bernan at the Magic Tower, he didn’t have affection for him.
Bernan was a man who could be understood rationally, but could not be understood emotionally.
“…Then…”
Bernan suddenly deployed mana. The shadow at his feet rose like a spear, flowing and moving as if it had a will.
At the change of air current, Leonardo quickly changed his stance and prepared for the surprise attack. It was unbelievable, but the Black Pagoda Master was the enemy…!
“I hope I am not too surprised. I need time to show this.”
For the change that happened soon after, Leonardo had nothing to do but sit back down with a steamy expression on his face.
“…What is this?”
When I saw the crystal of the shadow rising like a spear, steam leaked out and I couldn’t resist.
“My own magic.”
The shadow was formed in the same shape as if it had been copied from Bernan’s coffee cup.
From the amount of coffee to the color, even the flower pattern engraved on the coffee cup was perfectly replicated.
“…You must be very surprised. Even pulling out the blade like that.”
“…I apologize for my actions, but you are playing too much.”
The black stone had already been transformed into the shape of a knife and held in his hand. The arm holding the knife was poised enough to cut Bernan’s neck at any moment.
Leonardo sat down, coughing in embarrassment.
“I’m sorry. Your behavior makes sense.”
The coffee cup melted black and flowed back into Bernan’s shadow.
“My unique magic ‘projection’ is able to instantaneously duplicate an object I think by using mana. However, there is a limit to the holding time.”
Leonardo also created his own magic, but it was clear that the levels were different.
‘Martial Arts and Magic Aria’ is a magic that is simple in itself, but cannot be executed if you lack practical skills and physical abilities to execute it.
‘Projection’ was an advanced magic that included advanced calculations from magic techniques. It was difficult even for Leo to be sure if he would be able to execute it with his own ability just because he saw it.
“If I have synthesized a spear or a bomb, a surprise attack is possible. I feel relieved when I respond like that.”
“…Why did you show me?”
“I’ll hand it over anyway, but there’s nothing to lose by showing it.”
Bernan put the data on the table with no hesitation.
Notes and books on the desk were not written with a printing press or magic, but were all written by hand.
“This is…”
“This is the material I found when I created my own magic.”
The content of the words did not go well with the casual tone. If that statement is true, it means that the old booklet contained the absurd magical secret of replicating objects using only shadows.
“…Prepaid?”
It was a question I asked without even touching my notes and books. It could also be interpreted as meaning to hand over the corpse because I will give you a unique magic now.
“No. Just take it.”
“…Yes?”
Leonardo had no choice but to ask.
Did that man just say he would pass on his unique magic?
“…You mean you won’t accept the corpse?”
“I’m sure I’m interested… But I don’t have much time. I know what your purpose is.”
Black Tower Lord Bernan said with a pale face and a smile.
“There must be a traitor within the Mage Tower. Isn’t it?”
Leonardo was silent for a moment at Bernan’s words.
“…Ah, maybe it would be better to explain it like this. To the extent of saying, ‘Someone is sharing information with vampires in the Magic Tower.'”
“…Since when did you know?”
Leonardo asked without hesitation. At the point where Bernan showed his unique magic, it was as if he had proven himself.
Even if that was a lie, then it was enough to swing the sword right here.
For now, the first thing to do is to listen to the information from the Black Tower Master.
“…Are you sure it was when you caught the battle tesse when you saw your unique magic?”
“…Was that a psychological warfare?”
“At least I was certain that you suspected one of the mage tower masters as a traitor.”
There was truth in Bernan’s words.
I am also the owner of the mage tower, so it would have been quicker to check it myself by threatening it with my own magic.
“…Do you know who the traitor is?”
“…Unfortunately, I’ve been guessing for a long time, and it’s hard to pinpoint who it was.”
Soon, Bernan said while drinking coffee again.
“That’s why I helped you because you wanted the plan you were making to succeed.”
“…Proof that you are not Bernan…”
Bernan eventually pointed at the unique magic data he handed over with a faint smile.
“There’s no way a traitor would give you unique magic data that is no different than all of your own magic.”
“…”
That was not wrong. But Bernan couldn’t understand his behavior even more.
I wondered if it was meaningful to earn Leo’s trust enough to endure such a sacrifice, since it would have cost me a lot in the end.
“…Time is running out. Ameri has been looking for you, so why don’t you take a look?”
“…Let’s do that.”
The time has come and there is nothing more to ask.
I wondered if he would even answer a question.
Leonardo chose to leave as he had to receive the goods made by Ameri before the plan could be carried out.
“Excuse me…”
The moment Leonardo was about to leave with his journal,
“Leonardo.”
Bernan called such Leonardo and stopped him for a moment.
“…Since things have changed since before, I will ask you again.”
His pale lips, which seemed to hesitate for a moment, moved again.
“…Was the reason you rejected my pupil and adopted son because of your birth parents?”
“…”
Leonardo received several scouting offers and love calls during his four years at the Mage Tower.
There were more than 100 cases in the external mage organization alone, but there was no way they wouldn’t suggest that they were the mage tower owners.
It was the same for Black Tower Lord Bernan Verdein.
Bernann had proposed adoption to Leonardo at the time, and when he refused, he asked if he would like to be a direct disciple.
Of course, as can be seen now, Leonardo firmly rejected even that proposal.
“…No. As I said back then, it was better for me to be Reinhardt’s knight. He became the head of the Black Tower and he didn’t even have the confidence to take responsibility for the Black Tower.”
“…As if it were only natural that he was confident of being the next Black Pagoda Master.”
“Because of being overly humble, I was criticized a lot.”
At those words, the Black Tower Master laughed. It was a big smile that would be out of place considering his usual pale and dreary mood.
“…Thank you for telling me. Thank you for giving me a big laugh.”
It was definitely a big laugh, but I didn’t think it was a lively laugh.
Leonardo greeted and opened the door again, looking at the black pagoda, looking pale.
“…Then let’s go.”
“… Ha… I’m sorry I held on to you for so long. Ameri will be waiting for you.”
The moment I was about to cross the threshold,
“…Lord of the Black Tower.”
Leo continued what he hadn’t been able to say until the end.
“…Thank you so much for everything you’ve done so far. While I was in the Magic Tower, I was greatly indebted to the tower lord.”
The fact that the Black Pagoda Lord voted against dissection for Ain,
For helping to create unique magic,
And the fact that you gave yourself your own magic right now,
I deserved to thank you.
“…Thank God. To be helpful.”
Leo’s red eyes and the black tower master’s red eyes faced each other.
Soon after, Leonardo finished his greetings and went out of the room.
“…Thank God…”
Bernan raised his cup again to drink coffee. However, the teacup fell from her trembling hands.
Clanging…!
The teacup was shattered, and the remains poured onto the floor. If the parlor hadn’t been equipped with soundproofing magic, the sound wouldn’t have resonated outside.
“… Cool…”
A cough followed by a mistake.
I hurriedly tried to cover it with my sleeve, but the hem left a red mark.
“How little time is left…”
Bernan repeated that with blood on his mouth.