C156: Unwelcome Guests (2)
"I think I heard it wrong, so could you repeat?"
"I'm a fan!"
After taking a deep breath, Luchek exclaimed. Rudger looked at Luchek with a bewildered gaze and turned to the sorcerers of the New Tower who came with him.
The expressions of the New Tower wizards, who felt solemn just a while ago, were all hardened with extreme tension when examined closely.
"……."
Rudger took the paper carefully.
"The pen…"
"Here you are."
Perhaps prepared in advance, another wizard suddenly took out a pen. Rudger, who received the pen, scrawled his name on the paper with a fine handwriting.
Everyone stared intently at the scene, holding their breath. There were 20 people standing, and only the sound of pen and paper rubbing echoed through the hallway.
'……I'm suffocating.'
At this point, Rudger seriously pondered whether this was a new type of torture.
"……Here it is."
"Thank you!"
Luchek slipped Rudger's signature into the frame he had prepared in advance. Some clapped their hands to congratulate him, while others stared at Luchek with envious eyes.
Given that others are not coming forward, it seems that Luchek has agreed to come forward as a representative and get an autograph.
Unable to hide his excitement, Luchek realized who he was standing in front of and changed the atmosphere by coughing.
"Thank you for giving us this precious time and congratulations on winning. It was a great victory."
They couldn't see anything because he was covered by the light. What great victory? However, their expressions were sincere. Rather, the eyes facing him were burdensome and made Rudger feel bloated.
'I thought they would be proud and arrogant because they were magicians of the Tower. That's surprising.'
The image of the wizards belonging to the Tower was not so good. There was a strong perception that they were basically clogged up and very authoritarian.
But the New Tower was different. It was a place where people disillusioned with the old-fashioned atmosphere and unchanging customs of the Old Tower gathered.
The magicians of the New Tower are those who break away from authoritarian relationships and constantly challenge new things, so-called romance and dreams.
'Even so, this level of respect is a bit strange.'
Luchek smiled, scratching his head awkwardly.
"We're all graduates of Theon."
"Ah."
It was only then that Rudger understood the reaction they were showing. The reason why the sorcerers of the New Tower admire him is that most of them were graduates of Theon. In addition, Rudger was a teacher of Theon and even created a magic called source code that had never existed before.
There was nothing strange about the sorcerers of the New Tower showing this reaction.
"I saw the source code made by Mr. Rudger. It was amazing and I can only admire how you could come up with that way of casting spells!"
"… … It is not worthy of such praise."
From Rudger's point of view, the source code had no innovation at all. After all, he did nothing more than imitate the Earth's Knowledge Program and put it into magic.
In other people's eyes, it would be a creation that sprouted from the barren land, but for Rudger, it was nothing more than an imitation of what was there.
'Should I be happy about it if I am praised for walking along the road that already existed?'
It's not something he pioneered, or something he sharpened. Could he boast that he's applauded by someone just for the fact that he walked on a road that already existed?
—I'm not.
It was for this reason that Rudger did not consider himself truly great.
"No! How can you say that? You can be more proud of your achievements."
For wizards who didn't know that, they had no choice but to think that Rudger was just humble. Moreover, the magic that transcends space was even a high-level skill that an ordinary wizard could never even imitate.
Rudger replied instead by nodding his head, judging that they wouldn't understand whatever he said.
"Here's my business card. I'd like to have a serious discussion with Mr. Rudger about magic later on. Please feel free to visit our New Tower. We welcome Mr. Rudger."
"Thank you."
The wizards of the New Tower rushed away after receiving his autograph and giving Rudger a business card. They were a little strange but were not bad people.
'The New Tower?'
If the base of the Old Tower was in the form of a tower that soared high as if it could touch the sky, it was different in the case of the New Tower.
'I've been there once before, but it's been quite a while since then, so a lot has changed. It wouldn't hurt to visit at least once.'
He wondered if other nobles would chase after him, but fortunately, no one came after Rudger. He glanced over the corner of the hallway and saw that President Elisa was holding onto the others hard and talking. Then at that moment, he made eye contact with her, and the president winked at Rudger with one eye.
'I've been helped.'
Rudger thought that he should get away while the president dragged on the clock and immediately stepped back. At that time, he felt a strong sense of surprise behind his back.
Rudger turned slowly around, barely holding his hand in reflexively.
"Flora Lumos?"
With blue hair tied in half twin tails, a haughty look and sharp eyes Flora calmed her surprised chest and asked Rudger questioningly.
"I was surprised. How can you suddenly step back like that?"
"I'm sorry if I did. What are you doing here?"
"It's just… well…… Congratulations on winning."
Flora said so shyly, but Rudger knew she wasn't just here to celebrate his victory. Rudger recalled one of the nobles who visited the hospital room a while ago.
A cold-blooded looking man in his mid-30s, his hair, which was long enough to curl and come down to the neck, was clearly dark blue like the Flora he sees now.
"Is that so?"
Rudger noticed what Flora had come for.
"Are you here to see your father?"
"What?"
"The duke is having a conversation with the president right now. It would be better to go in a little while."
"Wait. It's not like that."
Flora responded with tears in her eyes, but in reality, it was closer to the reaction of a person that was caught red handed.
"Then why are you here?"
"Why? It's just, it's just……."
Flora couldn't bear to finish her sentence. It's true that she came to see her father but it was ambiguous to say that.
Rudger found a strange sense of alienation in Flora's response.
'You have a delicate reaction to your father. There's a strange expectation, even though you seem afraid.'
Rudger recalled Caiden Lumos. He was a man who looked like he would not bleed even if he was stabbed with a needle and after speaking a few words the other nobles were reluctant to approach him. He's probably quite strict with his children, too.
"More than that, sir. Is my father really over there?"
"If it's really hard, I can ask for you."
"No! Don't do that! Never!"
There was something strange about Flora's embarrassment.
'She came to meet her father, but she's reluctant to face him in person. Are they having a family feud?'
This was all that could be inferred from Flora's response. But Rudger was probably half sure this was right.
"Flora, are you not on good terms with your father?"
"Why are you suddenly asking me that?"
"As a teacher, let's say it's a common question."
"It's just… It's not bad. It's not a good thing either."
"Is your father uncomfortable?"
"……."
"That's true. It certainly seemed so. Duke Caiden looked like an overly cold and hard man. He must be a little hard to get along with."
Flora, who heard Rudger's words, stared at Rudger with her disbelieving eyes wide open.
"That's not what you're going to say, is it?"
"What do you mean?"
"……No. If you don't know, that's fine."
Flora gathered her courage and tried to say something, but eventually gave up and dropped her shoulders.
"……Anyway, congratulations once again on winning. I'll be on my way now. I have a match to play."
"Are you going to participate in this event?"
Now that the teacher competition is over, the next event is, of course, the students' duel.
Flora Lumos is a student who is so talented in magic that even second graders can't compare. Of course, if she participates, she'll win the championship.
"But?"
"I see. If you're good enough, you'll win."
Flora was embarrassed by the unexpected cheering, but soon smiled and raised her nose.
"That's a given. I don't want to lose against anyone."
Flora snorted and said.
When he said something that was a little encouraging and saw that the response came right away, he thought that a student was still a student.
"Then, will you come to see me?"
"Do you mean me?"
"Yes, well. Honestly, if you're busy, it doesn't matter if you don't come."
Rudger made a gesture of contemplation for a moment. Flora was nervous at the sight and waited for Rudger's next words. She wanted Rudger to come even if she pretended not to.
"I have time so I'll come and see how well the students are using magic."
Flora's face quickly turned bright in response, but she immediately went into facial expression management mode and coughed.
"You won't regret that choice. Then bye."
Flora disappeared with a light step that is comparable to when she approached him.
As a teacher, Rudger found it very difficult to please the students.
'But I'm glad I feel like I've regained my energy.'
Rudger recalled Caiden Lumos, the Lumos family head and Flora's father. But Rudger had a strange feeling from him. As soon as he saw him, he was convinced that they wouldn't get along.
However, Rudger, who judged that they had nothing to do with each other, shook his head.
'Is this the end of today's schedule? It's been a long time since I've had free time.'
But he couldn't relax just because it was free time. The First Order Esmeralda will move in the next three days. Until then, he had to figure out what to do with her.
Fighting was inevitable but if he had to fight he must decide how to do it. Knowing the opponent abilities and powers in order to take appropriate countermeasures was not an option but a necessity.
'I can't do it alone.'
Rudger left the stadium and came out of the festival. Perhaps because of the upcoming duel, most of the guests were gathered in the stadium, so it was surprisingly quiet outside.
Rudger strutted between the festival's barracks. It was when he reached the fountain, which was the place of appointment.
"Let's go see that! Let's go see it! Go see it!"
"No, what are you doing? Didn't you hear me wait here?"
"Is that important? There is a new golem starting ceremony right now!"
Rudger shook his head and headed to the place where the noisy voices were. In front of the beautifully carved marble fountain, Hans was desperately holding Seridan and blocking her from going anywhere.
Seridan struggled to escape Hans while People around were happily watching the scene, thinking that they were a grumbling daughter and a father.
Rudger stepped in between the two, feeling a recurrence of the gradually reduced headache.
"You were early."
"Oh, you're here?"
"Ah! Nice to see you, sir!"
Seridan and Hans were called by Rudger himself for a possible situation. Now that Theon festival started, the main gate was wide open, so it was easy for the two people to come in.
"Let's talk while walking for now. Is there any place you want to go?"
"I don't have one."
"Me! I have one! They're releasing a new Golem over there! Let's go see it!"
Rudger asked Hans' intention when Seridan shouted with her eyes shining while Hans shrugged his shoulders.
"Well, she wants to go, so what can I do?"
"You'll see when we get back! I'll poke you with my mouse teeth when you sleep!"
"No, brother told me to wait here first! I just did what I was told, so why?"
"The two of you are still good friends. Anyway, Seridan wants to go, so let's go there."
With Rudger's permission, Seridan took the lead and walked with a happy expression on her face. The place where the three of them arrived was the starting ceremony of a new golem.
Just as the event of floating dry ships in the sea for the first time was called the launching ceremony, the start ceremony was called the golem maneuvering ceremony.
Several people gathered at the demonstration hall, mostly children who came to see the new golem and their parents. Children had toys in their hands, mini golems made of the basic structure of a machine.
"I don't think there are that many."
Hans murmured as he glanced at the people.
"Golemology is not such a popular field."
"Huh? Still, in the factory and redevelopment site industries, golems were an indispensable factor."
"It may be the case in the field where labor is precious, but the story is different in a strong academy where everything it's about magic."
"Isn't that magic, too?"
"To be exact, it's a mixture of magic and machines. In fact, there was a lot of controversy until Golems were added in the Summons."
The controversy over whether Golems should be regarded as a "Summon" has continued steadily since the Golems prototype came out. This is because, unlike other summons, the golem was closer to the 'making' side.
Therefore, there were many opinions that it would be right to move Golems, which can be made by anyone, to science rather than magic.
However, the main driving force for moving Golems was Mana Stones, and it was only possible for wizards to move Golems and give them commands through such Mana Stones.
These days, if you have the ability, you can handle Golem even if you are not a wizard, but there is a limitation that you can control it yourself or it can only execute basic commands.
Fine, movement, and high-level behavior were only possible for wizards.
"Hmm. That's why it's not popular."
"Here we go!"
Just in time, someone came up to the stage of the demonstration hall. He wondered who it was, and it was Bryno, a first-year teacher who was appointed to Theon with Rudger.
Although he was fat, he had a good impression in a different way from Hugo, and he greeted the audience.
"Nice to meet you. My name is Bryno, a first-year golem teacher in Theon. Thank you to the audience who came to the start of the Golem we made today, and we're going to start the ceremony right away."
He went straight to the point as if he was itching to show the new golem
"Then please take a look. The new Golem DT-3000 developed by Theon!"
Bryno peeled off the cloth that was covering a huge object. Then, the appearance of a huge golem hidden inside was revealed.