41. War with the Magic Tower (2)
Old nobles and people with the same circumstances as the elderly moved toward the newly established Ministry of Magic.
Inquiries about the mage tower of the imperial palace and the aristocrats were pouring in.
At the same time, due to the sanction of the Mage Tower, remaining raw materials or workshops that had stopped working came to the Imperial Palace Mage Tower.
Then, it was the existing mage towers that were taken aback.
“… … You got it right.”
“What was expected? There was no way the emperor would leave the mage tower alone.”
The two middle-aged wizards laughed as they looked at the mages inside the Mage Tower who were confused.
I didn’t know about the others, but I knew that the two people I was talking to would be like wolves.
They were the elders belonging to the central mage tower, which had the most powerful influence within the empire, but the two had no power.
He rose to the rank of elder with his own ability, not by riding the line, but he was treated as an idiot even within the Mage Tower because he had no personal connections or power.
In particular, it was perfect for the two main fields to be rejected.
Albert, the 6th elder wizard who is crazy about engineering.
Madison, the 7th elder, a life mage expert.
Both of them had abilities, so they couldn’t throw them away.
However, since they were the ones who walked the opposite path of the Mage Tower, in the end they were thoroughly abandoned.
To be honest, if I had immersed myself in magic like the mages belonging to the mage tower in general, I was talented enough to have built a mage tower on my own.
Even so, it is because of my family that I remain in the Mage Tower.
Even if they build a mage tower as their main field, they will be ignored.
That’s why juniors who have no ability are sitting in the mage tower enduring the humiliation of rising higher.
“It’s fun to go back.”
“Say that. How will it be?”
The two elders laughed as if they were interested and predicted the future of the Mage Tower.
However, no matter what predictions were made, the future of the Mage Tower was bleak.
The emperor had no intention of making a deal with the Mage Tower.
In the eyes of the two, the Magic Tower had only two options left.
Either put down your vested interests and bow down to the emperor to ask for forgiveness, or resist to the end and perish.
“No matter what, the influence of the Mage Tower is certain to diminish.”
“I guess so.”
Even though it was a place where he stayed for a long time, he looked at the future of the Mage Tower calmly.
After escaping from the cluttered Mage Tower, the two elders walked down a quiet street. The scenery outside the Magic Tower, which had been out for a while, was quite secluded.
“The emperor was determined.”
“I know.”
Maybe they decided to destroy the mage tower, but there were almost no people who were always crowded.
As funds were cut off, the surrounding banks were closed, and the workshop was empty as supplies did not arrive.
In addition, most of the merchants who traded with the central mage tower were also arrested, so only a few who traded individually visited the mage tower.
Even that, everyone was paying attention and didn’t come unless it was an urgent situation.
“The appointment time is running out. Move slowly.”
“Yes.”
A friend who was once a colleague at the Mage Tower invited them to have a drink after a long time.
Clint, a friend who was pushed out while they were elders and ended up as a contract worker at a small academy.
The professorship was full, so I signed a contract with the promise that if there is a vacancy in the future, I will be a professor. It’s not the elder level, but the reason why a well-known wizard has to endure this kind of humiliation is because he didn’t ride the line.
Without connections or school ties, most common mages had to endure humiliation to live despite their abilities.
“long time no see.”
Two middle-aged wizards smile as they see Clint greet them from afar.
“Let’s go get a beer first.”
“Is that right?”
“this person! We didn’t even eat.”
“You can fill your stomach with snacks.”
Even though I hadn’t seen them in a while, I greeted them as if I had met them yesterday and went into a nearby restaurant.
At that moment, the smiling faces of Albert and Madison hardened.
“you… … .”
“Sit down for now.”
Powerful people who dominate the inside of the restaurant.
All of them were eating, pretending not to be all of them, but all of them were holding the two elders in check.
Like those who reached the 5th stage, they felt it at once and looked at their friends.
“you… … Are you in debt?”
“If you’re trying to arrange a nobleman because of debt… … talk to us We’re doing well in our own way!”
“It’s not like that, so sit down.
As Clint managed to calm the two excited friends, then a man in a robe walked out with a group of people.
Upon seeing it, Albert and Madison cheered up.
As soon as he exhaled his momentum at those who wanted to use his precious friend, intense momentum immediately erupted from the surroundings.
‘All of them are terrifying.’
‘Among the noble families, there is one who uses warriors of this level as escorts… … .’
While wondering what kind of family the two elders were, Clint got up and bowed his head.
“It became.”
A man wearing a mask took off his hood and was lightly greeted by a friend. At that moment, two quick-witted elders, Albert and Madison, hurriedly bowed their heads.
“Meet Your Majesty.”
I didn’t even have to check his face. Just because the moment I saw the red hair, I immediately knew what was going on… … .
“You are quick-witted.”
Kariel looked at the two elders with admiration.
It felt unusual for the two elders, who immediately noticed that there were unusual people in the restaurant and that they were caught.
“Sit down for now.”
After Kariel sat them down, he observed them calmly.
“I was looking forward to seeing that they are friends of people I care about… … .”
At Kariel’s words, Albert and Madison swallowed their saliva.
Their friend Clint, restless by the Emperor’s side, also looked disappointed.
“They are pretty good people.”
Kariel, who deliberately made the two elders nervous, said with a smile.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a friend, and I can’t take my time. I’ll just tell you the gist.”
Having said that, Kariel ordered an attendant to hand over the two contracts.
“Come to the Imperial Palace Magic Tower.”
“Yes?”
“Yes?”
The two stared blankly at Kariel.
“Personally, I researched both of them. The treatment I received at the Mage Tower wasn’t very good. Even though I had the ability, I was pushed back by worms.”
The expressions of the two elders darkened at Kariel’s words.
“It’s not like the two of you have feelings for the Mage Tower anyway.”
“that… … .”
“That’s true, but… … .”
The reason the two remained in the Magic Tower was to make a living.
The only place to use the two already taken in the world of magic was the central magic tower. The Mage Tower knew that and used them thoroughly.
The reason I gave him the title of elder, albeit in a word, was largely to avoid hurting his pride and letting him leave.
All important places were occupied by juniors who were far behind him, and juniors who rode the line well had already become high-ranking elders or even set up mage towers or workshops.
“Both of them know that it costs a lot to feed their families.”
Having said that, Kariel ordered an attendant to place two small boxes on the table. Then he opened the box himself and showed the contents to the two.
“gold… … Gold bars!”
“Ugh!”
The two elders went blind when they saw not one but several gold bars.
“This is just your recruiting cost. Salary is three times the previous salary. In addition, when your development is commercialized, a certain percentage of the profits will be given away. Well, within 1% at most, but… … .”
It’s 1%, but if it was used for a national-scale business, a huge amount could be earned.
“I will tell you in advance, but I intend to use you with great care. It means that I have no intention of using it simply as a tool to keep the Magic Tower in check.”
Saying that, Kariel glanced at her, and the person nearby, feeling that her turn had come, began to explain.
It was that Clint, who was working as a contract worker at the academy, had recently been working on an important project.
“Then why are you still a temporary professor?”
“It’s a contract job… … .”
“Because they are on a secret mission.”
Instead of Clint, who was at a loss for words, Kariel spoke directly.
“I don’t think the magic tower will collapse to this extent.”
Having said that, Kariel let me know that he intends to use the academy to develop magic and engineering extensively in the future.
One of the key figures in the plan was Clint.
Although he is still at level 4, he has more knowledge than the two elders in terms of magic engineering and magic circuits, so he will play a key role in developing the empire in the future.
“You are interested in life magic, and you are interested in engineering?”
“that… … It is so.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Especially, I heard that Madison secretly practiced alchemy as well.”
“That is… … .”
“ah! It’s not illegal anymore, so there’s nothing to be afraid of. It’s just that I’m just saying that if you enter the Imperial Palace’s Mage Tower, you’ll have to research alchemy as well.”
Saying that, Kariel showed the report containing the major projects of the Imperial Palace Magic Tower in her arms.
All of them were intertwined with big businesses, and at the core of them was the Imperial Palace Mage Tower.
“What is it? Wouldn’t you like to try it?”
At Kariel’s question, the two elders frantically nodded. Kariel, with a satisfied smile, slowly told me to look at the contract.
“ah! But the cancellation fee… … .”
“ah… … .”
Suddenly, the two elders looked worried.
There was no small price to pay for unilaterally breaking the contract by a person who was not a normal wizard, but at the level of an elder of the Mage Tower.
“Are you worried about that in front of Jim? Luggage will pay for all that pennies, so don’t worry and just come.”
The two elders blankly stare at Kariel as she leaves after laughing as if she is worried about nothing.
After a while, when Kariel completely left the cafeteria, the men in plain clothes also left the cafeteria all at once.
At the diner where everyone had left, Clint explained what had happened to him as he watched his friends sit on chairs with their legs weak.
One day, it is surprising that the two princes suddenly entered the academy, but they came to him and secretly gave him an assignment to reform the academy together.
He also explained that the money he received at that time was twice as much as the elders received.
Seeing Clint proudly showing off, Albert and Madison finally punished him with relaxed expressions.
“therefore… … Are you going?”
“If you don’t go, you’re an idiot.”
“Your Majesty already knows we are going.”
Clint smiled as he looked at the two of them, and took the two of them with an expression of good luck.
“Let’s try our best.”
At Clint’s words, Albert and Madison nodded their heads.
* * *
In that way, Kariel, who had removed the elder-level personnel from the central tower, was busy moving to another place.
From important technicians in the magic workshop, who are treated as worms by the magic tower, to the wizards who change jobs, they moved directly to the palace tower and workshop.
“We have pulled out all the personnel we were aiming for.”
After saying that, Kariel smiled.
All key personnel targeted were withdrawn. They exceeded the target by taking out those who were ranked second, so there was no need to move directly from now on.
“Tomorrow will be fun.”
The secretly recruited talents were deliberately arranged to be moved on the same day, so they would go to work at the same time at the same time, instead of the Magic Tower or the existing workshop, to the imperial palace.
* * *
If a large number of people suddenly leave, no matter how huge the magic tower or workshop is, it will be embarrassing.
What would happen if news broke that even key personnel had fled in a situation where they were already being beaten by the government?
The results were immediately apparent the next morning.
“How did this happen!”
As Guilliman, the lord of the central mage tower, shouted, the elders around him lowered their heads.
Two elders who were pushed out due to lack of connections.
Along with the word that not only them, but also many of the mages who had been relegated to low positions became members of the Imperial Palace Mage Tower, a huge amount of penalty money was delivered directly to the Mage Tower owner.
When the penalty was delivered directly to the hand of an official dispatched from the imperial family, Guilliman fell into a state of panic.
“Even at the workshops we signed, many people quit!”
“It’s a big deal! It is said that many of the important mages of the fair in the Mage Tower that contracted with us have quit as of today!”
“Top Lord!”
The urgent voices of wizards were heard from afar.
Hearing that, Guilliman grabbed his throbbing head.