Inside the Magic Tower, various administrative departments exist.
To operate such a massive tower, which is not just a simple building but almost like a living organism, it requires a considerable workforce.
With its deep history, each floor has undeveloped areas or places restricted by the school holding ownership.
If an incident occurs in such places, the response can inevitably be delayed.
Therefore, all departments participate in the “Round Table”, which aims for early detection of internal risks and promotes information sharing and close cooperation among departments.
For dormitory supervisors, belonging to the living department, it was an inconspicuous yet convenient position to casually eavesdrop from the back of the meeting room.
“I heard that the lectures opened by the Glesia School this time are receiving great reviews among the apprentices.”
“Wasn’t it Vina Niflheim? It seems like new talent is emerging from the Ice Palace.”
“Tsk, tsk, ice magic that can’t even descend below absolute zero is called the extreme, what a shame.”
“For the Mittier School, isn’t magma perfectly compatible with fire?”
“What!? You…!”
Even before the meeting began, the elderly men with beards engaged in intense debates, representing each school.
Perhaps because they were all magicians from different factions, just gathering them together seemed to stir up intrigue.
“Let’s cool down a bit. How do you plan to survive this summer without Glesia’s refrigeration?”
“It’s because of attitudes like yours that the continent’s average temperature rises every year! Those who can’t even turn turbines with magic have no interest in the ecosystem!”
“Well, turbines might be fine, but if research on the pinnacle of ice magic, ‘Time Stop’, were to be successfully commercialized…”
“Oh my! Setting aside alchemy, why is that your magic anyway!!”
“Well, you can turn turbines with wind too…!”
After the eve of the Elemental School, which was the largest school and each had a strong influence, the full-fledged meeting began.
Security Chief Professor Stolene explained about the recent power outage incident.
“A while ago, darkness engulfed the entire First Floor due to an unknown magical reaction.”
“Was it due to an attack or intrusion by monsters?”
“The cause has not yet been determined, but Security is primarily investigating whether it’s due to the facility’s aging.”
The power outage incident they referred to was when the forum’s Dark Mode was activated.
Even now, if you switch the Dark Mode on the Administrator account’s Note, the lights on the entire First Floor go out.
Of course, they couldn’t find the exact cause or a way to control the lighting.
“Clark, we’re not involved in this incident, are we?”
“No, we’re not involved.”
“Alright, let’s focus on our tasks.”
I casually answered the inquiry from the Living Department Supervisor regarding the facilities inspection.
“If something similar happens again, we’ll evacuate only the apprentices on the First Floor first. We can’t rule out the possibility of intrusion or attack from the outside.”
“Since the First Floor is always open, it seems like necessary measures. Understood.”
“Now, let’s move on to the recent trends in royal support for research funding…”
The following topics were all so unrelated that they could induce yawning.
While trying to pass the time by browsing on the forum again, I accidentally bumped into someone.
At first, I thought it was just a mistake in the narrow meeting room and ignored it, but a moment later, I was bumped again.
As I rose along the folds of boots, stockings, and a top tucked into shorts, I was met with sharp emerald-green pupils.
A woman who, despite her height, wielded a sword somewhat longer than her stature.
She was my former peer.
*
“Long time no see, Shien.”
“Don’t do anything else during the meeting, Clark.”
“There’s nothing else to do anyway.”
“What if our conversation leaks through Witch Note in such an important meeting? Close it now…!”
Was it about that ice magic and fire magic earlier? It doesn’t seem like a big deal if it leaks out.
It was doubtful how well confidentiality would be maintained at a meeting attended even by dormitory supervisors.
Shien seemed displeased with my indifferent attitude.
“So, how long are you going to stay on the first floor?”
“Where are you now?”
“39th floor. I’ve been in the Intelligence Department for the last two years, taking a break from climbing.”
Even by the standards of a five-year climb, the 39th floor was a considerably high level.
In the Magic Tower, where the higher the floor, the more places one can access, the Intelligence Department was a department where only exceptionally skilled mages were affiliated.
She, too, was remembered for achieving the highest grades among our peers.
It’s truly nostalgic to see her face again at the Round Table.
“Do you want to see it too? There’s an interesting plot twist happening right now.”
“Don’t get too close!”
“Do you want to debate which is stronger, sword or spear?”
“What? Obviously the sword… No! That’s not important!”
Glancing around, she hastily backed away from me and eyed the Witch Note. Then she chuckled and said,
“Hmph, that forum you’ve been clinging to since you first entered the Magic Tower will soon be closed down.”
“What?”
Just then, it seemed her superior from the Intelligence Department was speaking at the Round Table.
His plump belly and mustache were impressive.
“Recently, due to a fight that broke out in the forum, Earl Kuplan’s son sustained severe injuries. This is an absolutely unacceptable issue and a clear case of assault…”
The forum, which was somewhat tolerated within the Magic Tower as a place for apprentices’ convenience and various activities, was being used by everyone.
However, the official stance of the Intelligence Department was that they couldn’t allow an unapproved community to exist without knowing who owned it.
“Why would the forum be closed down?”
“We in the Intelligence Department have found a remarkable solution.”
“What’s that?”
“Keep listening.”
Indeed, this was a problem that couldn’t be overlooked even by me.
The Intelligence Department was an institution where the most skilled magicians in the Magic Tower gathered.
If they were to focus on monitoring and tracking me, it would surely impose limitations on my activities.
In the worst case scenario, I might be dragged into a trial, so I had to be careful.
“We’ve discovered a consistent pattern through years of meticulous investigation.”
“What is it, Chief Vernong?”
“It’s that every year around this time, there’s an announcement for selecting a Sub-Manager for the forum!”
However, the solution proposed by the laymen who had no understanding of the forum was embarrassingly awkward.
“Sub-managers are those who can get closest to the mysterious mage who is the real owner of the forum. Once appointed, it shouldn’t be difficult to uncover their identity.”
“What are the selection criteria?”
“Let’s see… it’s said that the administrator’s approval and the number of comments are important. I’m not sure, but with the skills of our agents in the Intelligence Department, we should be able to pass.”
The reason for recruiting sub-managers at this time was because it was the busiest period for me with the arrival of apprentices.
But since we already selected some last year, I’m hesitant to do it again this year.
Moreover, I’ve never directly shared my identity with anyone, including the current sub-managers.
It’s such a simple matter that even knowing it by browsing the forum shows how low the standards of the Magic Tower’s Intelligence Department have fallen.
It seemed Shien had similar thoughts, as she blushed slightly and made a comment that sounded like an excuse.
“Director Vernong hasn’t been appointed for long, so that’s why.”
“Really?”
“Well, that’s… true! Actually, the Intelligence Department has significantly reduced in size compared to a few years ago. All because of that forum administrator pretending to be the Tower Master!”
I can confidently say I’ve never pretended to be the Tower Master. They just call out whoever they want.
“When witches first started to cause trouble in the apprentices’ notes, the Intelligence Department poured immense resources and money into casting tracking spells on the forum owner. High-level magicians above the sixth rank stuck around for months, receiving support from the Finance Department and the Research Department.”
I vaguely remember the server being unstable during my first year, causing brief disconnections.
I’ve had enough stress for a lifetime, and half of it was because of you guys.
“Did it succeed?”
“No, the spell was cast, but nothing changed.”
“What do you mean?”
“The pointer that was supposed to indicate the target’s location didn’t move at all.”
It was a large-scale spell that drained magical power and resources like a bottomless pit, targeting the entire Magic Tower, even though it only lasted for a few seconds.
However, despite testing various parameters for a week, the red dot remained fixed in one place.
In the end, pouring resources beyond the limit, the Intelligence Department suffered huge losses, nearly going bankrupt.
A large-scale restructuring took place, and it was such a significant event that the then head of the Intelligence Department was dismissed.
“I guess they intentionally set false coordinates by reversing the magic. Is it possible for the owner of the forum to be on the first floor, or rather, not to come out of his room for a week at a time? … !!”
“…”
“It’s a case where the entire Intelligence Department was thoroughly ridiculed in the past, but nobody mentions it now. Because of that guy.”
Shien trembled with anger; her hands clasped on her knees.
I couldn’t bring myself to respond with something like “That’s life.”
