Chapter 162
"I won't say I want it unconditionally."
"Then?"
"I'd like to at least divide the button that uses the magic challenging the authority of that god."
"Divide the button?"
He couldn't understand what he was talking about.
"The items we develop should be such that they can never be used without the approval of both of us."
"Hmm..."
If it's a magic that challenges the authority of a god, it's undoubtedly a power that can turn a whole nation into dust.
If such power can be used without any limitations, there was no guarantee that it wouldn't harm Reed himself, even if it's the fair Helios.
So they divide the authority.
"You're asking me to give you power."
"It could be interpreted that way."
Although he could be criticized for being blinded by his lust for power, Reed had no intention of giving up.
The Silence Tower had been at the bottom without any power in his entire life.
It was a tower so unstable that it wouldn't be surprising if it collapsed at any moment.
After the magic engineering, there was no one who ignored Reed.
He found out about the demons that could hide among humans, and he found a way to eliminate those species.
Not only that, but by allowing ordinary people to use magic, the number of means to protect themselves increased in the villages and territories that had to suffer mercilessly if they lacked magical power.
It wasn't a pleasant sound to the magicians whose positions were narrowing, but the fact that he contributed to the security of the continent remained unchanged.
Because of that much, Reed was convinced.
That he was allowed to have such power.
That he could assert it proudly to Helios.
Although Helios might be displeased, he would also know that this proposal was a reasonable one.
'It's just an item being made to check the birth of a new disaster.'
But if, as Reed said, Helios had sole control, it would be irreversible when he made a mistake.
If it's a weapon strong enough to challenge the power of a god, the checks must be carried out sufficiently.
"That condition seems fine too."
Helios accepted Reed's proposal.
"In that case, it would be better to give it to the Althea Order and the Empire as well. Rather, it would allow us to keep each other in check."
"What I want is something like that. It's to prepare for a time when the continent cannot handle what's coming. A power that can defeat such a powerful enemy that people who are at opposite extremes can unite."
Prepare for a universally recognized enemy, like the Demon King.
Make it so that no one else can use it except for those enemies.
That will be the penalty for a weapon that challenges the divine authority.
"Do you think these conditions are enough, Silence Tower Master?"
"It's such a good idea that there's no room for doubt."
Having equal rights with the three who achieve the best in religion, monarchy, and towers.
There was a feeling of being squeezed in between them, but that alone was enough.
"Thank you for taking an interest in our humble tower's technology, Sky Chamber Tower Master."
"Humble technology? Nonsense. It's a technology greater than magic."
Was it just flattery?
Though I'd like to think so, Helios was not the type to flatter.
"I became interested in your magic engineering when you saved the previous Wallin Tower Master."
An imperfect entity created to become identical to humans, not just to resemble them for a greater purpose.
He transferred Dolores' magic seed into it and succeeded in removing it.
Since then, he wondered if there was a magic that could replace it, but there was no efficient and intuitive method to remove the magic seed within the law of equivalent exchange.
He couldn't hide the question, 'What if I use magic engineering?'
For the first time in his life as a magic specialist, he became interested in something other than magic.
When he invented the bolt gun, Helios was convinced.
Magic engineering is an extension of magic, and through that extension, it can replace the magic that has not been solved so far.
"However, I can't easily research magic engineering."
Even if the Sky Chamber Tower was created by Helios, he couldn't change the minds of the members inside.
There would be nothing harsher than telling those who majored in pure magic and took pride in it to pursue magic engineering.
Unlike the arbitrary Freesia, he had all the virtues and the image required for his tower and tower master.
That's why the Sky Chamber Tower decided not to consider researching magic engineering.
Helios brought his research project to Reed.
"What do you think will happen in the future?"
Reed was curious about Helios' opinion.
He answered.
"I can't know everything, but if your research achievements continue like this, magic will be closer than we think."
It becomes closer.
Even though it wasn't a pleasant sound for magicians who thought of themselves as superior beings, Helios was smiling faintly.
***
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***
The always busy Silence Tower was quiet today.
There had never been a weekend off before, so it was a day when all the magicians took a break as a tower-wide event.
Reed wasn't on duty either.
There was one thing he had to do separately.
'Phoebe.'
After the slip of the tongue, they had been awkward and couldn't talk.
Reed headed to her room to talk about what had happened with Phoebe while taking a break.
Knock, knock-.
As he knocked lightly, a surprised sound came from inside.
At least she was inside.
"Is it, is it the Tower Master?"
Phoebe's flustered voice echoed.
"Yeah, it's me."
"What brings you here?"
"I want to talk. Do you have time now?"
"Can't we do it later...?"
Later.
Phoebe continued to dodge with that word.
Reed decided to be firm.
"I'd like it to be right now."
"Ugh..."
Phoebe hesitated with her lips pursed and opened the door.
Then it became clear why she had said it couldn't wait.
She was wearing very thin clothes.
Clothes that blatantly revealed the contours of her entire body.
Phoebe blushed and hesitated, and Reed quickly closed the door again.
Reed finally realized the meaning of 'later' and closed the door.
"I'm sorry. I didn't know that's what you meant."
"No... Please wait a moment."
A moment later, Phoebe appeared wearing slightly thicker casual clothes.
"What did you want to talk about?"
"It's about the conversation we had last time."
"Ah..."
Unable to forget or perhaps unaware that Reed would bring up the conversation, Phoebe hesitated with her lips pursed.
"Please forget about it. I made a mistake in my words. I don't want to ruin the relationship between Dolores and the Tower Master."
Her face showed that she wanted to move on somehow.
"No."
But Reed wouldn't allow it.
"The fact that you said that to me means there must be something that made you say it unintentionally."
At Reed's words, Phoebe nodded her head.
"Can you tell me what happened that made you have no choice but to say that to me?"
Reed came out forcefully.
Under his pressure, Phoebe fiddled with her lower lip.
"Actually..."
Phoebe spoke.
The story goes back to when the hero attacked the Silence Tower.
When Phoebe killed her nine siblings and collapsed on the floor, she heard a very faint moan.
She thought she had killed them all, but one was still breathing.
"Phew... Phew... As expected... you are the Captain."
Rather than admiring, she tilted her head.
"Didn't you die?"
"I'll die soon. As it is... we can't live even if we try together."
"Then I'll kill you."
Phoebe meant to show mercy since it would be painful.
The man waved his hand and said.
"I'm fine, Captain. Let's just talk."
"Are you trying to buy time?"
"That too, but since we met again, it would be a bit awkward to just go like this."
Phoebe seemed to agree with his words, withdrew her hand, and sat next to him.
"I heard you personally buried us. Will you bury me again like that?"
"I have to. In the place where you guys broke through."
"I can't just put the body in this time. Please cremate it."
"I will."
Although she hadn't thought about cremation, Phoebe responded as if she knew.
Her pride was the same as before, and the man burst into a snicker.
"Captain, your way of speaking has become a bit strange. Why are you acting like a fool?"
"…Because I am a fool."
Hearing that from her mouth, the man looked up at her with a dumbfounded expression.
"Yes, that's right. The captain is a fool."
"That's too much."
"I have to say it since there's no more dying to be done here."
The man's breathing became rough, and his hair disheveled.
Phoebe swept his hair to the side so it wouldn't poke his eyes.
He was extremely despicable, but the fact that they were her siblings remained unchanged.
"Anyway, your skills haven't died, Captain. I thought it would be similar to that time..."
"If you guys had attacked me back then, I would have won."
"Weren't you bluffing back then?"
"Don't you know that it's harder for me to kill you than to subdue you?"
They attacked with the intention of dying, and Phoebe always had to control her strength well to subdue them.
The man laughed bitterly as if he was disappointed.
"If it's the strongest on the continent, it must be the captain. Your tactics are always... outstanding."
He wanted to say it was cowardly, but he changed his words knowing that the loser had no right to say that.
"I won't apologize."
"I won't apologize either. It was a choice for the Captain too."
"Is the brainwashing not completely gone yet?"
As Phoebe glanced at him with narrowed eyes, the man flinched.
Even though he was about to die, her gaze still made him shiver.
"Captain, this is not brainwashing. It's just my thoughts from beginning to end."
"Did you intend to drag me out of there and make me unhappy?"
"Yes. But not to make you unhappy. That man, the hero... there's something bigger behind him."
"Something bigger?"
"Run away, Captain. I'm saying this for you. And at the same time... for that man too."
Phoebe grabbed the collar of the man and lifted him.
"Speak up. What on earth is going on?"
The dying man's breathing quickened.
"... Roderick, the origin of the dragon that the head of the family was looking for has returned."
"...!"
The origin of the dragon.
If you are from the Astheria family, you know what that is.
The father of all dragons, such as the Yellow Dragon, Blue Dragon, and Black Dragon, and the god of dragons.
It was an absolute being that existed only in records like the Eternal Hall.
What the head of the Astheria family wanted to create was the origin of the dragon.
It didn't just come into being, but returned.
"What are you talking about...? The origin of the dragon is just a legend."
"No. That... was undoubtedly the origin of the dragon. Even though I only saw a part of it for a short time, I instinctively felt that I couldn't resist it. If you see him, Captain... you'll understand what I'm talking about."
"Is this origin of the dragon... targeting me?"
"He is targeting you. And... the little girl too."
"The young lady...?"
"I don't know the reason. But... I know only that as long as that child exists, neither you nor that man can be happy."
A word full of conviction.
Phoebe didn't want to listen to his words, but she couldn't help but think about them.
It wasn't just her own danger, but everything she cherished was in danger, so she had to think about it.
"Captain... please run away. If you face him, you'll die without a chance to do anything. If you face the origin of the dragon... you won't be able to resist him. So... run away now. Do... what you... want to..."
His eyes grew dim, and he stopped speaking.
The breath he had been gasping for finally ceased.
Phoebe closed his eyes and lowered her head.
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