Chapter 31
The Kirhausen Family’s magic tower, Pasquier, was the most powerful magic tower in the Luxorin Empire.
The tower, established the moment Edmund received his title, had grown in strength and influence over the past thirty years, surpassing even the imperial magic tower in its dominance.
At its heart stood Joan Basilisa, the current master of Pasquier and director of its institute.
Leodimir had revealed that she was the mastermind behind the attack on Noah.
“At first, she was dressed like the assassins, leading them directly. But it didn’t take long to realize she wasn’t one of them.”
Recalling Joan, Leodimir relived the horrific memories of that day twenty-eight years ago.
Following a clue left by Jasper, Palamedes had located the safehouse.
But by the time they arrived, every resident of the village, including those in the safehouse, had already been killed.
“Some of the assassins weren’t even mages,” Leodimir recounted.
In desperation, Palamedes searched through the bodies, killed in various brutal ways, looking for Noah.
Soon after, hidden assassins ambushed them, turning the search into a bloody battle.
But the fight didn’t last long.
As the assassins began to falter against Palamedes, massive fireballs suddenly rained down from the sky.
“My men pursued her as she fled the battlefield, but a wide-area magic circle had already been cast in the sky. We were too busy defending against it to keep chasing her.”
“Did your men identify her?” Eddie asked.
“Sadly, most of them didn’t survive. But one who barely made it out testified that ‘a young woman with a Candia accent activated a massive artifact.’”
“Candia?” Eddie questioned.
“Yes. Realizing her accent had given her away, she included even her own assassins in the bombardment’s range.”
Even after the female mage vanished, the magic circle continued to rain fireballs.
It attacked indiscriminately, friend and foe alike, only stopping when the entire village was reduced to a sea of flames.
Naturally, no evidence remained.
“It seems she planned to kill all the assassins from the start,” Leodimir said.
“That way, it would seem like ‘the objective was achieved, so it doesn’t matter,’” Eddie added. “It’s the cleanest way to erase evidence.”
The battle left the assassins wiped out, and Palamedes suffered significant losses as well.
In exchange for those lives, they gained only two things: a bloodstained fragment of Noah’s blanket and a single piece of information about the female mage.
Unfortunately, no further clues about Noah’s fate or whereabouts were ever found.
But they managed to uncover quite a bit about the female mage.
“Joan Basilisa, was it?” Eddie asked.
“Yes, that’s right,” Leodimir confirmed.
“I saw her face in the main hall when we entered through the back. There was no hint of her accent then… She must’ve worked hard to hide it completely.”
“The Candia people are barred from advancing in the magical world due to past crimes,” Leodimir explained.
“Someone like that, with no connections, would be fiercely loyal if recruited,” Eddie mused, his lips twisting into a grimace.
He recalled that the disguised bomb that killed him in his past life was also her creation.
Joan Basilisa. She might very well be the Kirhausen Family’s blade, responsible for killing both him and his grandson in his past life.
“Phew…” Eddie exhaled deeply, reigning in his rising anger.
Discussing Joan had darkened Leodimir’s expression considerably as well.
“It must’ve been frustrating, investigating so much without being able to confront her,” Eddie said.
“Politics is a tiresome business,” Leodimir replied.
The reason Leodimir hadn’t exposed Joan’s crimes wasn’t for lack of effort.
While evidence could be gathered through investigation, politics prevented any action from being taken.
Palamedes had been effectively disbanded, leaving only a few, like Leodimir, with enough standing to maintain a tense standoff with the current Kirhausen Family.
In such a situation, it was wiser to build strength quietly and rise to a position where the Kirhausen Family couldn’t touch them, rather than picking a fight without solid evidence.
That’s why Leodimir, who once cared little for power, had relentlessly grown his influence, earning the title “Prophet of Mana.”
His goal was to ensure that the scattered remnants of Palamedes could return, using him as their shield.
“You must’ve fought countless battles alone, with the Kirhausen Family trying to eliminate you,” Eddie said.
“There were many attempts, of course…” Leodimir gave a faint, complex smile.
“But as a grand mage from the Devens family and the head of an academy with strong ties to the knightly orders, I’ve been able to detect most attacks before they even happen.”
“Is that so…” Eddie met Leodimir’s eyes quietly.
His gaze held both guilt and pride.
Leodimir’s dream had been to research magic and live happily with his family. Yet, he had fought so fiercely to survive…
‘To live. To protect.’
As the sole hope for the near-destroyed Palamedes, the years Leodimir endured were a debt Eddie owed.
And Eddie intended to start repaying that debt by infiltrating Pasquier himself.
“Then we shouldn’t delay. I’ll head out immediately.”
“Are you sure you’re okay going in person? She’s not as formidable as the current head of the family, but Joan Basilisa is no easy opponent,” Leodimir said, his eyes filled with concern as Eddie prepared to leave.
But Eddie had no intention of backing down.
Since Leodimir and his allies couldn’t move freely, it was up to him to act.
And acting now would set the course for the future.
“Don’t worry,” Eddie said, giving a confident smile to Leodimir, who stood respectfully.
“It’s the tower I built. What trouble could there be in entering it?”
***
The next night, close to midnight.
Leaving a sleeping Marcel behind, Eddie stood by the window.
Despite the late hour, he wasn’t in pajamas but in dark, practical clothing.
“…”
He gazed out at the silent academy grounds, lit only by minimal lighting.
After taking in the quiet night, Eddie turned toward his bed.
There, he saw another version of himself sleeping soundly, breathing evenly.
It was a 2-star creation spell, Gemmelusia, a replication magic.
The reason for creating a double was Marcel, who was a light sleeper and easily woken.
Eddie turned back to the window, slowly moving his wand.
First, to conceal his mana, he cast a stronger spell than Hide Mana—Mana Cloaking.
This was to bypass the detection spells covering the entire academy grounds, allowing him to use 4-star or higher magic.
As Leodimir had warned, there was no room for carelessness or underestimation.
This infiltration of Pasquier was both a stage and a trial to test the full extent of the power he had regained.
Swish—swish—swish.
On top of Mana Cloaking, Eddie layered three stealth spells with Piling.
Invisibility to hide his form.
Anti-Sonus to mask sound.
And the advanced stealth spell Anti-Robur to conceal all traces of his presence.
His hands moved busily, casting high-level spells he usually restrained from using.
With all four spells active simultaneously, Eddie vanished completely from the room.
‘Now, for teleportation.’
Closing his eyes, he quietly drew up his mana.
This was a long-distance teleportation, nearly crossing the entire empire.
Creating a portal would be ideal, but portals emitted mana that was hard to conceal.
Thus, he needed the 6-star long-distance teleportation spell, Iter.
In his days in Shainborough, such a high-level spell might have failed.
But the current Eddie could manage it.
‘The destination is Bell’s Wilderness.’
Visualizing the coordinates, he performed near-instinctive, high-speed calculations.
His mana circle resonated near his heart.
Thump.
And in the next moment…
“…”
Opening his eyes, Eddie found himself before a vast wilderness, with the towering Pasquier standing majestically at its center.
***
In Antana, a western frontier city of the Luxorin Empire, lay the Kirhausen Family’s vast private estate, Bell’s Wilderness, with the grand magic tower Pasquier at its heart.
Rumble—Boom!
Flash!
Even now, various magical experiments and research were being conducted throughout Pasquier’s grounds.
As the empire’s premier magic tower, producing the finest magical items and elixirs, the magic unleashed by its researchers was extraordinary in power.
And in the largest laboratory, the First Synthesis Chamber—
Zzt—Zzt—Whoosh!
“Damn… burned to ashes again.”
The researchers’ mana synthesis experiment was failing spectacularly.
A middle-aged researcher shook his head, looking at the charred remains inside the chamber.
This was their eleventh failure.
The research to create a groundbreaking offensive magical item by fusing fire and light attributes was hitting unexpected obstacles.
“Bring new mana gems,” the middle-aged researcher ordered a junior, watching the debris being cleared.
His eyes betrayed deep fatigue, and he nervously bit his dry lips.
Then, moments later—
Clack, clack, clack.
The source of his anxiety arrived with the sound of steady footsteps as a man entered the First Synthesis Chamber.
“You’re here.”
“W-Welcome, Deputy Director.”
The researchers bowed, tension evident in their movements.
The man, tall with a sharp demeanor, was Mikael Sarzio, Pasquier’s deputy director.
His piercing gaze swept the chamber through his glasses.
The middle-aged researcher hurriedly approached, reporting the experiment’s progress.
“There are still many mana gems we haven’t tried. We could also adjust the refining method. So, as quickly as possible…”
“Enough.”
Mikael cut off the near-excuse with a single word.
Turning slowly, he looked at the researchers.
They instinctively bowed under his sharp gaze.
Looking at their lowered heads, Mikael spoke in a firm, dry tone.
“Since when did Pasquier tolerate lengthy excuses for failed experiments? Save your explanations for when you bring successful results.”
With that sharp rebuke, he turned and left the chamber.
But the middle-aged researcher, summoning his courage, followed Mikael.
Standing before him, he bowed deeply and pleaded.
“Deputy Director, please ask the director to reconsider the experiment deadline just once…!”
“…”
“Fire and light are both aggressive attributes, making fusion difficult. Succeeding within three weeks is simply impossible…!”
“…”
“Please, I beg you…”
“Step aside.”
Despite the desperate plea, Mikael’s response was cold and unyielding.
He brushed past the researcher, who stepped back with a bowed head, and headed for the central staircase.
A deep sigh from the researcher echoed behind him, but Mikael paid it no mind.
Or rather, he couldn’t.
He was no longer in control of his own words or thoughts.
***
Inside the office of Pasquier’s deputy director, Mikael Sarzio.
Eddie sat at Mikael’s desk, scanning the documents strewn across it.
He was maintaining the same four spells he’d used to slip out of the academy.
Raptor-Corpus to control the body.
Raptor-Animus to control the mind.
And the tracking spells Sequor and Tracker to perceive what the target saw and heard.
Including Mana Cloaking, five spells ensured his infiltration went undetected.
Even for a skilled mage, maintaining such high-level spells consecutively risked mana disruption.
But the bloodstained fragment of Noah’s blanket in his pocket fueled Eddie’s focus.
The duty to uncover information overpowered any fear of being caught.
‘Joan Basilisa. Suspicious, volatile, and cruel,’ Eddie recalled.
According to Leodimir’s investigations, she kept few people close.
The only ones allowed near her were Mikael, the deputy director, and a handful of senior researchers.
Even they had to pass rigorous checks to enter her laboratory.
‘It’s fortunate Leodimir investigated Pasquier as a precaution.’
Upon infiltrating, Eddie had followed the information Leodimir provided.
He tracked down the deputy director, tailed him, and seized control of his body and mind with Raptor-Corpus and Raptor-Animus.
Transforming into Mikael would’ve been more natural, but it was the best option.
Transformation magic clashed with Mana Cloaking, making prolonged use difficult.
It was better to bear the mana cost and use mind and body control spells.
Shaking off his thoughts, Eddie manipulated Mikael’s body toward Joan’s laboratory.
Pasquier, seen through Mikael’s eyes, felt unfamiliar.
‘It’s grown far larger than thirty years ago. The rumors of it generating immense revenue through its own enterprises, beyond family funding, were true.’
Unlike the old Pasquier, which operated solely on family funds and focused purely on research, it now had a commercial edge.
Its expanded, ornate appearance reminded Eddie of modern Shainborough.
He moved Mikael through the top-floor corridor toward the director’s laboratory.
Soon, Mikael stood before Joan’s laboratory door.
The corridor was lined with dozens of invisible Mana Barriers, one every five steps.
But it was Mikael in the corridor, and Eddie’s perfectly executed Mana Cloaking concealed his mana entirely.
Confirming no alarms were triggered, Eddie passed the biometric lock via the door handle.
As the door opened and Mikael stepped into the laboratory—
“You insolent fool!!”
A sharp voice pierced the air, and countless objects flew toward Mikael.