༺ What Were You Doing ༻
I went looking for the Tower Master because I had something to ask, but nobody seemed to know where she was. Not even Senior Scarface who was passing by.
“She is probably right next to you, on top of you, behind you, or below you, Esteemed Junior.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“It means that it’s Esteemed Junior who is always stuck right next to Tower Master every day, so how am I supposed to know where she is?”
That was the kind of response I got. If someone heard that, they would think I slept with the Tower Master and even showered with her.
Of course, there were times when that sort of thing happened.
Like accidentally falling asleep while researching together until late at night or the Tower Master washing me because I dozed off while showering.
But that didn’t mean there were any indecent things that happened. The third thing I was most conscious of in my life at the Magic Tower was this.
Relationships with the opposite sex.
Once you started being conscious of each other in that way, it became endlessly awkward. There was no turning back. After all, wasn’t it said that a single wrong confession could crumble a relationship that had accumulated for many years?
The Tower Master was like family to me. I didn’t want us to drift apart because of some unforeseen mistake.
That was where the almighty Illusion Magic came in. I……had managed to prevent any physical reactions even if I felt Eros sliding in the window. Things like blushing, I mean.
Anyway.
The reason I was looking for the Tower Master was to ask about ways to increase my combat power. After a fierce fight with the Guardian Golem during the previous outing, I realized that using Illusion Magic thoughtlessly could get me beaten up even by a duster.
So, I prepared various countermeasures, but I was still uncertain if they would work, you know?
I wanted the Tower Master to assess them and I thought I might need some career counseling as well. I had seen the First Princess become a Flying-Princess after unleashing a storm zone, hadn’t I? Having witnessed that, I couldn’t possibly hold back.
Metamorphosis.
I wanted to achieve Metamorphosis too.
The First Princess’s 『Wind Gloves or Ravine』 was magic I could use too. Just because I specialized in Illusion Magic didn’t mean I was limited from learning other magics. But the Wind Gloves she cast was truly the very definition of a storm.
After seeing such a scene, I thought, ‘Perhaps I could too?’ and quietly mumbled 『Bloodwind』. Of course, it didn’t work, and only a breeze at the level of a mini fan sputtered out.
Metamorphosis seemed like a sort of ultimate move or awakening skill. At a glance, it seemed like a technique that worked with a strength of mind, but no matter how much magic I cast with all my sincerity, nothing worked.
Yuna, the Purple Magic Tower Master as well as Archwizard, had reached a realm beyond Metamorphosis called Sublimation, didn’t she? Since she was practically a Senior when it came to ultimate moves, I thought I might get a method from her….…No, not even. Even a hint would be fine.
As such, I checked the bathroom (all I did was knock), entered the bedroom, visited the seniors’ and juniors’ lab to see if she was hiding in the research building, and even threw a low kick in place of the Tower Master.
And finally, in the simulation room, where I thought she definitely wouldn’t be, I found the Tower Master. She was lying on a magic circle, connected inside, so I called out to her through the general voice chat from outside.
“Tower Master, what are you doing there?”
-I, I was just……playing! Eung!
“Ah, yes, well. I can see that.”
When I looked at the display, it showed the situation inside in the form of dot graphics. While the control room inside the simulation allowed for a 360-degree full-RD view, the outside was shown in dots due to budget and mana issues.
The Tower Master’s dot indicated that she was sweating profusely. Maybe she was flustered because she got caught playing alone.
Next to her were dots of Centra and Pero, along with all kinds of miscellaneous items. It was hard to make out the details because it was in dots, but I could tell there were swords, dresses, and cakes.
I asked indifferently.
“Do you want to play together?”
-Uh, e-eung?”
“It’s more fun to play together than alone, right?’
-Uh, I-I’m fine, though.
“Did you want to see how the After Story unfolded? If you wish, we can go through it a bit more. Or we can reset it and make the Tower Master the main character for the 2nd Round. Of course, I’d tweak the plot a bit.”
-N-No, nO RESETS……!!
===============================================================
While Tower Master Yuna was desperately gazing at the sky and playing defense, Cenra and Pero were witnessing a sharp confrontation between a wicked Evil God and a kind Righteous God.
The Evil God mentioned ‘reset’ far too easily, as if it was nothing to him. That would mean the end. Centra and Pero stood petrified, trembling in place. Yuna, hiding her hands behind her back, desperately signaled to the two.
I’ll take care of this no matter what, so just stay quiet and don’t attract attention…….! was what she signaled.
Meanwhile, the Evil God continued to spout dreadful possibilities.
-A crossover of worldviews is a good idea, Tower Master. And Centra seems like she would do well even in a wasteland.
“No, t-that’s not it! I-I j-just tried moving it because I was bored……!”
One suggestion the Evil God spoke of was to send Centra away from all her memories and experiences that were melded into Crownhall and to a strange, unfamiliar world.
-IF games are fun too. What if Pero was a woman or Centra was a man? Something like that. Maybe I should tweak the modeling a bit? Tower Master likes butlers, after all.
“That’s…No, forget that and…….!”
Another was a gender bender. (Centra seriously pondered how she would explain the situation to Irid if such a scenario actually occurred.)
And so, to counter such dreadful possibilities spouted by the Evil God, Righteous God Yuna bravely shielded them, deflecting his many suggestions. The voice of the Evil God grew darker and more sinister as time passed. It was because he was a little sulky that the Tower Master didn’t want to play with him.
-Well, I guess there could be times when you would want to play alone…… Alright. I’ll go into the research building and work, so if you have some spare time after playing, please give me some advice.
“Okay, I’ll be out soon…..!!”
Click.
The voice thundering from the sky cut off.
The Tower Master slumped, letting out a Phewwwwwww. It seemed he was a bit miffed, but she could either play along with him in carving modelings for three hours or…… If that still didn’t cheer him up, she could just say the magic words.
‘I’d like to hear about your thoughts on characters’ panties.’
It would mean enduring a rambling speech for an hour, but it was better than leaving him sullen. After all, if he was sulky, it would become a bit bothersome.
“……I-Is it over, God…..?”
“Eung, we……survived.”
“We survived……!!”
Pero cheered with both arms raised. At the same time, the boy realized why this world was filled with so much suffering. It was undoubtedly because that Evil God was the one who unleashed it. Now wonder God couldn’t explain the reasons clearly!
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
The Tower Master decided to take to her grave the fact that it was she who had come up with the idea of massacring Pero’s village.
===============================================================
After some time passed, the Tower Master came looking for me. And after glancing at my face with an expression that was so obviously walking on eggshells, she said this.
“‘S-So, I’d like to hear about your thoughts on c-characters’ panties……”
Mm.
It seemed like my miffed act worked. Thinking that this was my chance, I seized the moment and started listing the kinds of panties that would suit the Tower Master best. I stopped just before her face was about to explode in embarrassment.
And then we moved onto a more productive and wholesome topic. I’m talking about my original purpose.
“How do I do Metamorphosis?”
“……Does it bother you?”
“It seems useful and……a man can’t resist when it comes to ultimate moves.”
“Ummm, it might be a bit difficult for the present you, though……”
“Why is that.”
“W-WAHHH! D-Don’t lean your f-face in so close!”
“At least give me a convincing reason.”
“You really, really want it, huh……?!”
How could someone hold back when it came to ultimate moves? I know for a fact that I can’t.
The Tower Master pushed my chin and forehead away gently with her soft hands and explained why.
“Metamorphosis and Sublimation involve changing your soul to gain strength. And the most fundamental way to change the soul’s shape is by drawing out intense emotions from memories. But……your memories aren’t complete, are they?”
“……What?”
Suddenly, I was suspected of having early-onset dementia. I opened my mouth to refute── But then closed it. After carefully thinking it over, I realized there indeed were parts that I couldn’t remember clearly. Quite a lot, actually.
My past life’s memories were still vivid. But the memories of my current life were……vague. To be more specific, I couldn’t remember the names of my parents who farmed potatoes. Also, I thought there was a childhood friend heroine I used to play with in the neighborhood……
Did I have early-onset dementia?
“Uh, don’t worry too much! Since it can be fixed. Eung. I’m working hard on it!”
“……There was a novel I enjoyed reading in my previous life, you know? Mm, it was about breeding a protagonist who periodically loses his memories like cattle.”
“Do you even know how much I suffered?! But yoUUUUU……!!”
The Tower Master, angered by the surprise slander attack, pinched my cheeks. Though I said that, I wasn’t suspecting the Tower Master. I listened to her explanation further.
“So, maybe you should aim for Metamorphosis after recovering your memories. That’s what I think. As I said before, unstable Metamorphosis is similar to Demonic Arts. What if you achieve it when you’re unstable and fall into a state of Qi Deviation, Eung? Right?”
“……But from what I’m hearing, it seems like there are other methods?”
“Eung. Since the condition for gaining power is changing the shape of the soul. You can artificially induce Metamorphosis. By crushing or injuring the soul.”
“So, those who directly manipulate their soul in such a way……..are called Black Wizards, right?”
“Exactly. That’s why Black Wizards still maintain their power and authority. Despite the whole world uniting against them, they aren’t eradicated. Why? Because they’re strong. Each magic they typically cast is essentially Metamorphosis.”
The conclusion of the consultation was postponement.
She assured me that she would protect me reassuringly, so I should just relax and play around. That we could take things slowly once everything was alright.
Sometimes, I wondered why the Tower Master was so good to me. Maybe she liked my intermittently handsome face or maybe my pheromones were working hard.
It also felt like she was projecting someone else onto me. Just like how Elaine did.
===============================================================
“I’m thinking of visiting my hometown.”
“……Hometown?”
“Yes. The gaps in my memory are bothering me. I’ll just check really quickly and come back.”
It suddenly troubled me.
Upon careful reflection through organizing the gaps in my memory, it seemed like my early-onset dementia occurred in order of the lowest priorities. So what that meant was that the useless memories were erased first and the most cherished memories would be lost last.
It really was a blessing to be born with a good brain. How could a human mind even deduce the voids in their memory? That was the makings of an Archwizard. And that was yours truly.
Thinking inversely, it meant that the memories I had forgotten now were of low priority. What was so wrong about my time farming potatoes in my hometown that I so cleanly forgot it all?
“The academy is starting soon, so it seems like now is the only spare time I have. Put away the necklace, Tower Master.”
“But, I told you, it’s dangerous outside…..!”
“And as I told you, my neck breaking under the weight of that is more likely. Besides, I’m not going alone. The Second Prince promised to assign someone to accompany me, you know? He said we’d be together throughout my academy life, so since it’s come to this anyway, I thought it’d be a good opportunity to foster friendship through an outing…..”
“A girl?!”
“Yeah, she’s a girl.”
“NO!”
The Tower Master growled.
Right as I was feeling bewildered by the opposition that came from an unexpected direction, the sound of high heels clicking approached. Then, a woman in a sharply tailored suit with a ponytail entered the reception room.
She looked cool and sharp and even wore horn-rimmed glasses, but her hair was pink. Though it was a prejudice, according to long-standing tradition, pink hair meant──.
“I am Yuri Lanster, field agent of the Imperial Defense Bureau. As of today, I am assigned to accompany Mr. 『Crazy Wizard』.”
“G-Girls are not allowed! I obj……!”
“I like girls. I look forward to your kind cooperation.”
“Uh, uhuh…….”
The Tower Master, who was about to yell her objections, froze at the sudden revelation of preferences. I, too, stiffened as I grasped the situation.
My sharp, smart, bright mind quickly identified the problem. If what she said was true, then didn’t that mean she was planning to send those wily glances at the Tower Master? After all, the Tower Master was cute.
Even worse, she was already doing it. When I followed the gaze of that Pink Hair, I noticed her staring intently at the space between the Tower Master’s stockings and skirt── the zettai ryōiki1refers to the area of bare skin in the gap between overknee socks and a skirt or shorts, so to speak. This was unacceptable. Though I wasn’t quite sure why it was unacceptable.
“Let’s get along well, 『Pink-Haired Lesbian』.”
“Yes, I am looking forward to working with you, Mr. 『Crazy Wizard』.”
Sparks flew between Pink-Haired Lesbian and me as we shook hands.
