I began with a thorough analysis.
If it had been just me and Pink-Haired Lesbian, things might have gotten a bit chaotic. We would have had to use either the Academy or the Purple Magic Tower's laboratory, or perhaps rob a nearby artifact store and stock up on Mana Stones.
But we had the Tower Master with us. I held out my hand like a surgeon asking for a scalpel.
“Tower Master?”
“Eung, here.”
Ta-da . The Tower Master extended her hand.
The Tower Master was like a walking Mana Generator. It wasn’t for nothing that I grew up drinking the Tower Master's yawns. We clasped our hands, forming a strong connection.
With the vast amount of Mana I received from her, I built an artificial brain on the spot. A holographic image, resembling a mannequin's head, appeared in the air.
I transferred the Illusion Magic implanted in the boy's head to the artificial brain and activated it. I identified specific effects of the magic based on the Mana flow and feedback from the artificial brain.
This was Illusion Magic that targeted the unconscious mind.It had the function of 1) Preventing the victim from noticing that they have been affected by it, 2) Making them obey orders, and 3) Making them commit suicide if discovered by others.
It had three functions: 1) Preventing the victim from realizing they were affected, 2) Forcing them to obey commands, and 3) Compelling them to commit suicide if discovered.
After hearing my explanation, the Tower Master seemed to have a realization.
"⋯⋯Hypnosis App?”
I was so shocked my face turned pale. How did she know that?
“What kind of Manwha were you reading?”
“No, I just stumbled upon it by accident⋯⋯!!"
Maybe I needed to censor the Modern City map we left behind at the Magic Tower. It seemed I was inadvertently revealing everything I had encountered in my past life, and the curious Tower Master was seeing things she shouldn’t.
Based on the analysis so far, it was an ordinary Hypnosis App.
Until this point, even an average wizard could figure it out with enough time and effort, but there was something… cleverly hidden in the magic. Could it be a hidden feature?
What kind of trigger did it respond to? Visual cues? Nope. Sound? Not that either. I checked all five senses⋯⋯ maybe time? There was a response to the passage of time. I accelerated the artificial brain's perception of time by hundreds of times.
Palalalack. Approximately a week passed for the artificial brain.
Like a tightly closed flower bud blooming over time, the twisted part of the magic untangled, and a hidden fourth function activated. The artificial brain began praying to someone in a hypnotic state while its consciousness was asleep.
And then, it mumbled out some encrypted and compressed information. Let's summarize.
“So, the person victimized by this Hypnosis App releases information somewhere regularly every week.”
"⋯⋯⋯⋯."
It was magic that used people as a CCTV. The overall level was quite advanced, and the hidden parts were difficult for anyone but me to uncover. Who made this shit?
Pink-Haired Lesbian, listening next to me, had a serious expression on her face.
“So, there was Illusion Magic. Can anyone in the Purple Magic Tower use magic like this?”
“No, most of them can’t. It would have taken me about 6 months to finish it from scratch⋯⋯ so that would mean it would take years for a skilled Illusion Wizard.”
Pink-Haired Lesbian asked, and I answered honestly. This was a significant issue.
We had no way of determining how many people were under the influence of this magic. However, if it had already been cast on a random pickpocket, the potential spread could be far more extensive than anticipated.
This implied that there were a significant number of unwitting spies present within the Imperial Capital. Spies who were entirely unaware of their own roles.
Pink-Haired Lesbian adjusted her glasses.
“I can't omit this from my report. I'll notify the higher-ups and then head to the Purple Magic Tower for an inspection.”
“I'd actually p-prefer that," the Tower Master stammered. "I don't want to r-raise unnecessary suspicions."
The Tower Master nodded reluctantly, adding,
“B-But it won't be from inside the Magic Tower. I'm… c-certain I erased everything cleanly and completely. None of our ongoing research… includes anything like this.”
Her voice wavered with a mix of trust and uncertainty in her team at the Purple Magic Tower. It was a fragile confidence, more a hope than a conviction.
As heartbreaking as it was, I had to put a dent in that optimism.
“But, Tower Master. This thing here—”
“Eung⋯⋯."
“Doesn’t it look similar to Senior Scarface's magic?”
"⋯⋯With Lo-Lorei’s magic?”
Her eyes widened in surprise. Pink-Haired Lesbian opened her notebook, scribbled a note, and asked for clarification.
“Are you talking about 『Puppet』 Lorei?”
“If h-he's saying Senior Scarface, then it’s Lorei. W-Why do you think that?!”
“The basic structure of the magic is identical. I’ve read the Senior Scarface’s thesis before. But I'm not accusing him. The structure is similar, but the final result⋯⋯ it seems like a mix of various influences. "
“M-Move aside. I need to examine this.”
The Tower Master placed the artificial brain on the floor and gave it a light kick. Crack , the Illusion Magic shattered, scattering fragments of mana and beams of light across the floor.
Recognizing the familiar structure, the Tower Master crouched where she stood, a gloomy expression on her face.
“This, really is Lorei’s⋯⋯."
“Let’s dig a little deeper into this. If our research has been compromised⋯⋯ I think it’s something for the Magic Tower to take an action as well.”
“Eu-Eung. If it was l-leaked. We⋯⋯ we’d have to erase everything.”
"⋯⋯⋯⋯."
I closed my eyes in resignation. The Purple Magic Tower was where I had spent half of my life. Though I couldn’t recall everyone's names, the memories I had with them were vivid in my mind.
It was uncomfortable to suspect people I had known for a long time. I felt uneasy about it.
It must be worse for the Tower Master. I patted her shoulder in consolation, but she gently removed my hand.
“It’s okay.”
Shake.
With that one word, a flicker of ominous resolve surfaced in her eyes. It was a blend of anger and sadness⋯⋯ a form of determination. If sin had taken root, she would uproot it herself.
It felt like a massive meteorite, ready to fall after wandering in space for so long. At the sight of this powerful force ready to move with its own will….
I think I felt a chill.
===============================================================
I needed to locate the caster first.
To begin with, I assigned a codename to the magic:『Big Brother』.
『Big Brother』 was a form of magic, indicating the involvement of a caster who deployed and embedded it. With a victim previously ensnared by this magic in our custody, retrieving memories of the caster's appearance could swiftly resolve matters.
Extracting images from a person's mind and rendering them in 3D was a piece of cake. Even if the information was faint or fleeting, I could extract it from any remaining traces in the brain.
However, reality wasn’t that simple.
“I-I really⋯⋯ I don’t remember ever being under a spell like that.”
“I am Yuri Lanster, an agent of the Imperial Defense Bureau. I have an unrestricted license to kill while investigating level 2 or higher dangerous individuals. Think carefully and reconsider your answer. Do you have any information or not?”
"⋯⋯⋯⋯."
“There’s no need to press him further. This boy, he really doesn’t know anything.”
"Confirmed."
“Instead, let’s⋯⋯ go to your place together. I need to take a look at your living area. As long as you comply with my instructions, you won't be a danger to those around you.”
"⋯⋯Y-Yes.”
I followed the boy into the alley.
No memory huh.
I could only think of two potential scenarios: either the caster was skilled enough to erase the memories of their victims, or the victim themselves had fallen under the Hypnosis spell unsuspectingly.
I was leaning more toward the latter.
Manipulating someone's memories naturally was extremely difficult. If it was difficult for me, a genius, it would undoubtedly be difficult for others as well.
The human mind and memory interacted with each other in complex ways. It was quite possible that even minor memory alterations could result in significant personality shifts. And things like that were easily noticeable by those around the victim.
If I were in the caster's position, I would opt for a more practical cover-up rather than resorting to a complex and arduous memory wipe.
“You should have developed magic like this and sold it. Then you wouldn't have to worry about research funding.”
“If it were that simple, I would have been besties with the Imperial Defense Bureau long ago.”
If that were the case, maybe it could have added a cyberpunk-esque vibe to the city.
Wizards who control people's minds, agents who protect the city from the dark, and the skinny Emperor⋯⋯. all of this felt like material straight out of a role-playing session.
However, I felt a little disoriented encountering all of this in real life. Suspecting familiar faces weighed heavily on my conscience, and an investigation by the Defense Bureau into the Purple Magic Tower only added to my unease.
I had quite a lot of research materials, some of which I couldn’t easily share with others.
“Hey, Pink-Haired Lesbian. Would it be possible for you to inspect my room?”
“What⋯⋯ Do you have records of human trafficking or something?”
Pink-Haired Lesbian gave me a skeptical look, as if questioning my intentions. It seemed she was debating how much she needed to cover up for me. Hastily, I clarified that it wasn't difficult to show per se, but rather...
“It’s not that. But it’s something you inevitably discover as you go through your energetic teenage years⋯⋯."
“My curiosity is piqued.”
I was worried about how fellow agents would perceive me if they were to investigate. Fortunately, Pink-Haired Lesbian took an interest. I don’t think there was a need to develop the 『Embarrassment Suppression』 spell.
A shadow loomed over the capital of our grand empire.
In a dirty and obscure alley, concealed behind bustling streets, I ventured where ordinary citizens seldom went. I looked around.
It didn’t seem that disorderly or serious. There were no signs of corpses littering the streets or people dying while high on drugs. It seemed like they were doing their own things in their own way.
Surprisingly, they also seemed relatively wealthy. Despite being labeled as a den for the poor, it just represented the poor class of the ‘Imperial Capital’. Their bodies seemed pretty healthy as well.
Several pairs of eyes glimmered in the darkness. They were observing us through the cracks in the windows and doors. Wary of outsiders, check.
There was always some semblance of order in these communal living spaces, but such places were more like the wilderness than civilized society.
What happens in the wild when one group of animals invades another’s territory?
“Hey, this isn’t a place for outsiders to roam freely.”
“Hm, classic.”
"⋯⋯Don’t make things difficult for yourselves. Just fuck off.”
A punk with a shaved head emerged and threatened us. Despite his intimidating appearance, his speech was fairly refined and polite. Since they knew the boy in our group, it seemed they approached us cautiously.
The Tower Master nervously fidgeted her fingers.
“Sh-Should I get rid of him⋯⋯?"
“I’ll handle him, Tower Master.”
In every wilderness, there exists a clear hierarchy. They wouldn’t dare show their teeth if I showed them that I was far above them.
While I could intimidate them by saying things like ‘I came from the Magic Tower’ or that the pretty voluptuous girl wearing the suit by my side was from the Imperial Defense Bureau, the process of proving that would be too complicated.
In this instance, it was better to use a universally recognized force...
I flicked a gold coin.
“⋯⋯Just this won’t do anyth-.”
I flicked a gem.
“I don’t know where you are from, but⋯⋯."
I flicked a large ruby.
“You are a noble. Just say the word, I will guide you anywhere.”
A substantial amount of money could serve as validation of one's status. Of course, I wasn’t a real noble⋯⋯ but our Tower Master by my side was from a proper noble family, so it was not wrong to say that.
Bow .
He assumed the highest level of obedience. Activating my Arrogant Noble Mode, I waved my hands lazily while Pink-Haired Lesbian swiftly caught on and supported me.
“The wizard who my young master hired ran away, and we were tracking him down but⋯⋯."
“Do not disturb me, you peasant. I won’t ask for your help. I shall conduct my investigation on my own and leave. I will pay you double the price if anything is destroyed, so go tell everyone else to keep their mouths shut.”
The baldy bowed his head deeply and vanished into the shadows. He likely wouldn’t disturb us⋯⋯ at least for a while. I patted the boy’s back as he was currently wondering whether he should greet me again with a 'I didn’t know you were noble' even if it was belated.
“Let’s go. Stick to your usual routine. Where you sleep, what route you take after you wake up in the morning, where you eat, etc. Just as it is.”
“Y-Yes⋯⋯."
The boy stuttered before leading us through the back alleys. From the houses of young pickpockets to their gathering spots, we scoured the streets they frequented, even trailing him to the restroom.
Despite looking carefully, I couldn’t find anything out of the ordinary. This⋯⋯Should I release a surge of Mana and conduct a wide-area scan? Or should I enlist Niolle from the Academy to investigate?
While I was thinking of a way, Pink-Haired Lesbian pressed the boy for more details.
“Is there anything else noteworthy? Think hard. There must be a place you visit regularly, in some way.”
“Uh, t-that⋯⋯ so, I mean, ah. We have something called a Prayer Meeting every week.”
“You should have mentioned that from the start!”
It always seems important information only comes to light after an exhaustive search!
===============================================================
It's often said that underground power shifts as swiftly as the changing seasons. In the past, the Red Viper faction reigned over the back alleys, and in the past past, a wealthy merchant entered a shady business and expanded his influence, before vanishing in a blink⋯⋯.
For the pickpocket boy, who was at the bottom of the pecking order, such power struggles seemed like distant tales. Their lives remained unaffected amidst the clashes and fistfights.
It was merely the collector that changed occasionally.
If an outsider ventured into the pickpocket den and demanded tribute, they would simply nod in agreement.
However, the power that began to dominate the back alleys approximately a year ago was slightly different from its predecessors. This was because it bore a somewhat religious hue.
They held Prayer Meetings once a week in the town square they now controlled. They erected a stone statue of someone in the center and instructed people to pray for anything they wanted in front of it.
According to the boy's description, the stone statue depicted a figure whose gender was indistinguishable. He said that its face was so collapsed that he felt uncomfortable looking at it.
At least it didn't seem to be a statue of the Goddess. Because statues that typically depicted the Goddess clearly had bigger boobs.
Anyway.
Failure to pay the tribute could lead to some beatings using a club, but missing the Prayer Meeting had severe consequences. There was a firm verbal warning and.
He had a friend who fell ill and missed the gathering. Shortly after, he completely disappeared.
After hearing this story, I silently prepared my magic. Though it might be preconceived, the unmistakable scent of the Dark Wizard lingered in the air no matter where I looked. Pink-Haired Lesbian seemed to share my unease, warming up her body in preparation.
I felt a battle coming.
Sure enough, as we entered the town square under the boy's guidance, a large crowd was ready to welcome us. Their eyes gleamed with anticipation, showing just how eager they were to greet us.
There were about⋯⋯ 70 of them.
Had they gathered to kick out the outsiders? Or, were they trying to put up a fight?
As I observed the scene, a middle-aged man with slicked-back hair grabbed a spear and pointed it toward us.
“You guys have been meddling too much.”
It seemed to be the latter. How generous of them.
Among them, the baldy who had taken the gem caught my eye. I would have to take it back once the fight was over.
Had I been alone, I would’ve ran away. It was a dangerous situation where a Dark Wizard could be lurking among them and there was a chance I would get caught off guard by an unexpected attack.
However, the fact that we had the Tower Master on our side was reassuring. She was the strongest spear that could pierce through any obstacle if necessary.
Pink-Haired Lesbian, a master of close combat, also shielded my front.
So, armed with a formidable frontline and contingency plans in place, what can a wizard do? The answer was simple.
I started an incantation as I withdrew three bottles of reagent from my robe pocket, dispersing them across the ground. Red, blue, and green reagents intermingled, spreading across the surface.
Magic permeated the space, ensnaring it, as doors began to materialize on the objects’ surface. From mundane wood to sturdy iron, doors of every conceivable form. With the incantation complete, I chanted.
“A thousand doors, a thousand stairs, a labyrinth where neither eyes nor hearts find respite. 『Step into a Door, Ascend into a World (踏門昇界)』.”
Almost everything.
***
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