Chapter 160
First Light (1)
The happiest moment for a human is when they feel safe with themselves.
In that sense, the bolt gun was an incredibly revolutionary item for the nobles.
It was incomparable to simple recording devices and tea leaves.
-They say it's an item that allows non-mages to use magic, right?
-Most items made in the Silence Tower are like that. But this time, our nobles can use offensive magic.
-And they say it's very easy to use?
While there were many methods for those proficient in magic, from a commoner's perspective, it was simpler than anything else.
Press a button, pull back the hammer, and pull the trigger.
With these simple actions, they could use magic, making it the perfect self-defense weapon for the nobles who disliked inconvenience.
This weapon attracted everyone's attention, but it was especially loved by Morgan II.
"I really appreciate the item you made, Tower Master."
"Do you?"
"You wouldn't know how much I use it. I look forward to training with it every morning when I wake up."
There was no way he wouldn't know.
This simple compliment was already repeated twelve times.
Twelve times within this meeting.
However, Reed could understand Morgan II.
Born with a warrior's spirit, Adonis was worried about Morgan II's health every day.
The best method she knew was exercise, and she personally guided him to build up his physical strength.
Although physical training had a clear purpose, Morgan II hated Adonis's swordsmanship training terribly.
"Is she not complaining these days?"
"Of course, she still complains that I shouldn't neglect swordsmanship, but having a way out is so nice. At least I can practice shooting during the time I have to learn swordsmanship to protect myself, and it feels great."
For Morgan II, who didn't fit well with swordsmanship, it was one of the few convenient items that could be used for self-defense.
It was a long-range weapon like a bow, but it didn't require the strength to withstand tension, and all they needed was enough strength to aim and withstand the recoil.
Morgan II enjoyed practicing shooting and was actually the best shooter in the Hupper Kingdom.
Adonis had no choice but to admit it.
Morgan II naturally became interested in the parts and structure of shooting tools.
How can the accuracy be increased? How can the effective range be extended?
Morgan II, who had been interested in various civilian facilities, gradually began to focus on weapons derived from bolt guns.
"Did you know? Nowadays, nobles duel with bolt guns."
"A duel, you say?"
"Yes. They walk about seven steps away from each other with their backs turned, and then they turn around and shoot at each other."
It was a rule similar to a duel in the real world.
It seemed barbaric, but they decided to accept it since the eras were roughly similar.
"I recently thought of a few ideas derived from bolt guns."
"Ideas are always welcome."
As Reed welcomed the idea, Morgan II began to chatter excitedly.
"What about throwing a spell like a bolt gun? Magic that either causes an explosion right there or explodes after a time delay to strike at the opponent's weakness."
"Spell throwing, you say? That's a good idea. I'll suggest it. We're currently considering a method that accumulates mana and then fires it in rapid succession."
"Oh! Like a bombardment. But wouldn't the recoil be too strong? Would that be okay?"
"If we fix it to a stand on the ground, we can increase the accuracy."
"That would undoubtedly be good for defensive firepower... and also great for attacks!"
Morgan II became happier as they talked, like a child receiving a toy.
Boys do love robots and guns after all.
'My modern memories aren't complete, but...'
Being able to suggest in that direction was a big help.
There were many similarities with modern firearms in terms of difficulties and problems.
Morgan and Reed's idea conversation continued.
***
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***
Elites who showed promising qualities as mages also became interested in magic engineering and expressed their desire to enter the Silence Tower.
As a result, the number of applicants doubled this year.
Reed could pick more useful talents by checking each person individually, so it was a good deal in any case.
After the ghost incident in the past, the now well-recognized Tower Masters asked Reed this question.
"Do you have any plans to make the tower taller?"
Every time, he would answer like this:
"I think the current height is enough."
"Really?"
They tilted their heads as if they didn't understand Reed's words.
The size of the tower was as good as the face of the Tower Master.
They thought that the Silence Tower, with the lowest floors, would consider adding at least five more floors.
It wasn't that Reed had no ambition, and that's why he postponed it.
He had his own thoughts.
'Magic engineering consumes too much mana.'
The amount of mana consumed was different when simply researching magic.
In the case of magic research, a specific period, demonstration, or overload test consumes a lot of mana.
Therefore, if you take enough time to accumulate it, there would be no shortage.
However, in Reed's case, research and development were ongoing, and the tests were three times more than other towers.
'And then make the tower taller?'
In that case, the required basic mana demand would increase.
It would cause disruptions not only to external defenses but also other plans.
Postponing the expansion plan was the wisest thing to do right now.
He became even busier with the Barchan Alliance, the Hupper Kingdom, and recently, the merchant alliance.
Raising the tower would only make it easier to collapse during an attack.
Reed didn't obsess over unnecessary honors with only good appearances.
Right now, it was a precarious time to hold onto substance.
Knock-.
"Come in."
Someone entered, and Reed, who was busy approving documents, glanced up.
It was Phoebe.
"Here is a letter from the Hupper Kingdom."
Phoebe handed it over politely in a drawn-out tone.
Reed cautiously took the letter.
Her perfect posture and demeanor were the same as usual.
'But...'
Phoebe's face rarely smiled.
No, the vibrant atmosphere of not knowing when flowers would bloom disappeared.
She seemed more scared than when he first possessed the game.
Since that day, he hadn't seen her smile except when she came to visit for official matters.
At best, she faintly smiled when their eyes met occasionally.
'It must have been hard for Phoebe.'
Phoebe personally buried the nine corpses she killed again.
When they first died, she buried them alone.
She said that since they were her family, she had to bury them herself, so Reed just watched her from the side.
She dug, buried, prayed, and cried.
She repeated that nine times.
But when she buried them again, she didn't cry.
Reed guessed it was because her siblings were with her.
When they brought the nine corpses, Saul and Gorgan were there, and they helped.
This time, they cremated all the corpses and put them in jars.
Whether she thought someone would use her family again if they were simply buried, she chose to turn them into ashes.
He thought she had been coping well since then, but it seemed that wasn't the case.
'She doesn't look affected, but that day must still bother her.'
Reed couldn't just leave Phoebe like that and inadvertently called her name.
"Phoebe."
"Yes?"
Phoebe raised her head.
An impromptu meeting began.
"How's your life these days?"
"Are you asking about my life? It's fine."
Phoebe weakly nodded her head.
"Let me know if there's something I can help with."
"......"
Phoebe looked at Reed with wide-open eyes.
Golden eyes that matched her blonde hair.
The sharpness contained within them.
Some avoided her eyes, saying they brought misfortune, but Reed didn't avoid her gaze.
She was undoubtedly contemplating something as she looked at Reed.
Her gaze was a bit overwhelming, but Reed stared back at her eyes without saying a word.
Phoebe, who seemed lost in deep thought, didn't blush with embarrassment.
"I..."
Finally, her cherry-like lips moved and she uttered a word.
"Can I like you, Tower Master?"
At that moment, time froze.
Reed doubted his ears.
Tower Master... what?
"What?"
"Ah......"
As Reed asked back, Phoebe covered her mouth.
Her face turned bright red as if she had said something she shouldn't have, and then she turned around quickly.
"I'm sorry."
Reed stood still, staring at the closed door.
What did she say?
Does she like me?
Did she just say that she likes me now?
That fact wasn't surprising.
Honestly, if you have eyes to see and ears to hear, you could have noticed that much.
'But it's unexpected that she said it directly.'
The reason is that Reed recently found out why she couldn't say that, as his memories were completely mixed.
***
Phoebe's room.
Given her personality, it wasn't decorated in a feminine way.
There was a large bed, a desk, and a chair each.
There were also stuffed dolls made of the faces of people she knew as a hobby.
The only things in that room that were more than two, were the stuffed dolls in Reed's likeness.
She lay in bed, blaming herself for her recklessness.
"Why... when I've been doing well so far."
She believed that she was undoubtedly acting well.
She didn't even know that she was obviously showing signs because she wasn't smart.
She had never told Reed that she liked him.
Knowing who she was and what she had to do, she focused only on her role.
'It's because that child said that...'
One of her siblings, who she couldn't kill in one go, barely spoke to her in a state where he could only speak.
Those words kept echoing in her ears.
So she unintentionally revealed her true feelings.
'How should I face the Tower Master now...'
Phoebe couldn't know what Reed was thinking.
As she was thinking that, she heard footsteps coming towards her room.
The owner of the footsteps opened the door without knocking.
Phoebe already knew who it was.
"Phoebe unni."
It was Rosaria.
Phoebe raised her head and asked.
"Why did you come to Phoebe's room?"
"I was worried about you! There was no one in the secretary's office, so I came! Dad is secretly spying for a long time."
"The Tower Master?"
"Oops."
Rosaria covered her mouth, but the words had already slipped out.
Rosaria tried to cover her eyes and pretended to be surprised, but it wasn't easy.
"I shouldn't have said that... I guess I'm a fool."
Phoebe laughed at Rosaria, who was blaming herself.
Was it a kind of homogeneity that fools could understand?
Seeing her, the thought of being on guard melted away.
"It's okay. Being honest is a very good thing."
She hugged her to her chest as if this purely honest creature was lovely.
"Unni."
"Yes."
"Can I touch your horns?"
"Ah, horns are off-limits~."
"Phew."
Rosaria let out a deflated sound and nuzzled her face against her chest again.
Then she sat down next to Phoebe.
"Do you like Dad a lot?"
"Yes."
"Then can you tell him?"
As she said that, Phoebe's face, which had been smiling brightly, changed subtly.
More seriously, but without showing it.
Phoebe said.
"Lady, I can't tell the Tower Master that."
"Why?"
Rosaria tilted her head.
"Because he has Lady Dolores."
"Aristocrats can have more than one wife, right? Dad is an aristocrat."
"That's right."
"Then isn't it okay?"
Phoebe pursed her lips.
"Bloodline is important for a mage. That's why, unlike other aristocrats, they tacitly agree to have one wife. If I try to break that, I would cause trouble for Lady Dolores. And..."
Should she say this? With further hesitation, she opened her mouth.
"I don't have the right to do that."
"Why? Why don't you have the right?"
In the end, Rosaria asked what she didn't want to be asked.
Phoebe told Rosaria the truth without any exaggeration.
"Because I once tried to kill the Tower Master."
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