Inside the Tower of Annihilation, reception room.

“Wait here for a while, I’ll bring back a reply. If you need anything, tell the golem beside you, and it will inform you.”

Saying only that, the mage left.

It wasn’t an attitude that could be called cordial even as lip service, but, how should it be put?

“…It’s more moderate than I expected?”

“Yes, indeed.”

Unlike the expectation that they would be made to wait indefinitely outside the door for a reply, or that even if let inside, they would be met with thoroughly hostile gazes, the treatment of the two wasn’t that bad.

The reception room was not luxurious but neat, and even among the mages they encountered on the way, none showed overt hostility.

Thump, thump.

The sight of a golem made entirely of wood, at most coming up to Adelaide’s chest, earnestly moving its short body to bring refreshments was honestly even cute.

Adelaide carefully stroked the head of the cylindrical golem, and the texture was very soft and fluffy.

After enjoying that sensation for a moment, Adelaide awkwardly removed her hand at the golem’s stare that seemed to ask if she needed anything.

“The taste is quite excellent.”

Seeing Sophia casually putting a cookie in her mouth, Adelaide, who was about to ask, “Is it okay to eat that carelessly?” soon realized that question was unnecessary.

Although she had been repeatedly taught by Dorothea that it was basic not to carelessly put food and drink from unfamiliar places in one’s mouth, there was probably no one more suitable for the role of poison checker in this world than Sophia.

Since the pressure that seemed to weigh down on their bodies had disappeared after entering the tower, the two could converse comfortably.

“I wonder why the tower’s attitude suddenly changed?”

“Well, we can speculate various reasons, but what comes to mind immediately is that we came in ‘officially’ as messengers. While it might be someone else’s business if someone who hadn’t even entered the tower collapsed on their own, if something dangerous happened to us inside the tower, that’s when responsibility would arise for the tower’s side.”

“You mean because of political risk?”

“That’s probably right.”

“We probably won’t be threatened any further. If we receive a reply and return, that can be considered the end. We’ll need to be careful on the way back, though. Haa”

Adelaide let out a sigh of relief.

In the City of Scales, I ended up needing help from others, but this time it seems I can resolve it on my own. Thank goodness… thank goodness?

Adelaide’s intuition rang alarm bells.

Considering her experiences so far, it was often when she thought everything was over that something additional would happen.

In Tin Knight’s terms, it was “no use planting flags unnecessarily”.

Just as Adelaide steeled herself again to be able to respond to whatever might happen.

Bam!

Without any notice or knock, the reception room door suddenly opened, and someone strode in.

A woman with a height taller than most men, long slender limbs, and a somewhat sharp and fierce beauty plopped down on the empty sofa.

“I am Frandol Herteite, head of the Tower of Annihilation.”

“…”

While Adelaide froze at the sudden turn of events, Sophia was indeed Sophia.

She brushed off the woman’s bold behavior, who introduced herself as the tower head as if it were natural, and calmly introduced herself, “It’s an honor to meet the strongest spear of the Magic State. I’m Sophia. This is Miss Adelaide.”

“Hmph, does that little one over there not have a mouth?”

“It’s because the tower head’s actions were so swift, please understand.”

At the sarcasm implying that it was because she had suddenly barged in without any greeting, Frandol snorted.

“I’ve read the letter. I wonder if the old man at the dojo has gone senile.”

“We are mere messengers, so we don’t know about the contents of the letter.”

“He wants to hold an exchange meeting. He says to hold an event where the dojo side teaches martial arts to us, and we teach magic to the dojo side. I was so dumbfounded after reading it that I came down here in one go.”

“…”

Sophia, unusually, just gave a bitter smile without rebutting.

It meant that even she thought it was quite an unreasonable proposal.

Adelaide, who had regained her senses a beat late, sent an anxious look to the silent Sophia, but soon realized there was no need for that.

If their goal had been something like “establish negotiations”, it would have been quite troublesome, but they were just messengers.

Whether positive or negative, if they just returned with any answer, that alone would complete their task.

However, there was one hiccup.

“—To begin with, it hasn’t been long since your side invaded through the eastern part of the continent. Put aside that nonsense about the reckless rampage of a branch family or whatever, tell that old man Norman to properly acknowledge and apologize for that incident first before pulling such tricks.”

Those words that flowed from Frandol’s mouth robbed Adelaide of that leisurely composure.

Before rational thought, words overflowed.

“W-wait a moment! That story, can you tell me more about it?”

“What?”

“I mean, about that invasion from the east.”

Perhaps sensing the bewilderment, confusion, and desperation in Adelaide’s voice.

Frandol stared at Adelaide with a puzzled expression.

As if examining the girl in front of her as an individual, not just as an errand runner to convey her words.

Her gaze moved between Adelaide’s hair and eyes, which had changed color due to Dorothea’s potion.

Perhaps judging Adelaide as a disciple rather than a member of the Lion Duke’s bloodline, Frandol shrugged her shoulders.

“It seems they don’t even educate their disciples properly at the duke’s house? Well, fine. I’ll specially bestow some mercy.”

With quite a haughty attitude, the head of the Tower of Annihilation began her explanation, “From about a year ago, various criminal incidents began to occur frequently in the area controlled by the Tower of Control. Investigation revealed that thieves flowing in from the lawless areas of the eastern continent had come over looking for fertile land. The Tower of Control sent troops to subjugate the thieves—and they suffered near-annihilating damage.”

A chilling coldness flowed from the tower head’s face.

“Those thought to be simple bandits were actually a hand-picked elite forces. Moreover, there were ambushes that hadn’t been detected in preliminary reconnaissance. It was a trap from the beginning. If their plan had gone smoothly and the subjugation force had been completely wiped out, it was such a threatening attack that the Tower of Control itself might have fallen.”

The tower head’s words were discussing a hypothetical situation.

Conversely, this meant that such a situation did not occur.

“But despite their encircling attack, some of the subjugation force survived and returned to report the situation, and the Tower of Control side was able to barely reorganize. Although part of the domain was burned, they eventually finished off the thieves. However, when they removed the helmet of the commander who had been covering his face, golden hair and violet eyes popped out.”

Adelaide’s hands on her knees trembled violently.

“We naturally pressed the Empire side. Not only was the leader of the bandit group rampaging in our country a member of the Lion Duke’s bloodline, but we had received intelligence that there was additional troop movement near the Empire’s border. But the Empire side denied it. Do you know what those bastards said?

“‘We have never given such an order.’

“‘It was just the independent action of a branch family with little connection to the main family.’

“Control and us wanted revenge, and Foresight and Protection wanted mediation. After several negotiations, it ended with the words ‘an unfortunate misunderstanding between both sides’. Such lukewarm bastards.”

“Unfortunate… misunderstanding…”

Adelaide bowed her head deeply.

Perhaps interpreting this as “shame at the petty behavior of the dojo she had received teachings from”, the tower head spoke in a very slightly softened voice, “It seems the Empire side either forged completely different content about the incident or concealed the incident itself entirely? If you ever think of leaving where you are now, you can come to our ‘Annihilation’ side. Unlike those stuffy Foresight guys, I don’t discriminate whether someone is a mage or not if they’re capable. With the spirit to withstand the pressure of the three spirits and come before me, there should be somewhere I can use you.”

Instead of Adelaide who couldn’t open her mouth, Sophia answered, “Thank you for the kind and detailed explanation, Head of the Tower of Annihilation. However, judging by the way you speak, it seems you didn’t directly experience or witness that battle?”

“I wanted to fly there as soon as I heard the news, but our side’s assigned front line is down in the southwest. With the lion crouching in Nemea Castle, we can’t carelessly move our forces.”

“Then, did you hear the story from others?”

“It’s based on what I heard from those Control guys, with additional investigation added.”

“I see. It was an informative time. Well then, we’ll be heading back now. We’ll think deeply about your offer.”

Perhaps satisfied with Sophia’s final words, the tower head wrote a reply without showing any further prickly attitude.

It was a letter instantly scorched with flames instead of ink on a suitable parchment, but a reply was a reply nonetheless. It was sufficient as proof that they had completed their task.

On the way walking out of the tower.

Tap, tap!

Seemingly worried about Adelaide who had been silent all along, the bone mouse tried to elicit a response by clashing its teeth and jaw or climbing on top of Adelaide’s head, but to no avail.

The bone mouse looked at Sophia as if to say something needed to be done about this, but Sophia quietly shook her head.

As if to say that now they should wait until Adelaide spoke first.

How much time passed like that?

“Sophia.”

“Yes.”

“The story we just heard—do you think it’s true?”

There was a tone in Adelaide’s voice that seemed to be hoping for something.

Knowing this, Sophia still spoke calmly, “It could be true, or it might not be.”

“…”

“One of the most important points to be careful about when reading a book is not to blindly believe that the contents of that book are absolutely correct. The same goes for conversations with people. The head of the Tower of Annihilation might have lied to deceive Adelaide, she might have misunderstood something—or everything could be true.”

Her voice was a little more serious than usual, and a little heavier.

Like an adult who had to teach a child how to doubt someone.

“What I can tell Adel for certain is that there’s no need to rush to judgment.”

Slowly.

With a very sluggish motion, Adelaide nodded.

As if that was enough for now, Sophia stroked Adelaide’s head.

“Then, shall we go back for now? Or—“

“—Let’s go to the dojo. There’s something I want to ask there, too.”

At Adelaide’s words, Sophia agreed, saying, “Let’s do that.”

The bone mouse seemed a bit disgruntled, but soon hid itself again among Adelaide’s hair as if it couldn’t be helped.

At the main gate of the Lennart dojo.

Dong—! Dong—! Dong—!

The unchanged bell sound, somewhere between light and heavy, rang out, and the young man whose face they had seen before appeared again.

When Sophia waved the parchment in her hand, the young man’s eyes widened.

“My goodness. You really succeeded! It was something no one, including myself, had been able to do. It’s truly amazing.”

“Thank you for the compliment. Is the representative instructor here?”

“He is, but, um.”

The young man showed a hesitant look for a moment before explaining the situation.

“While you were gone, people from the Lennart main family came. A whole bunch of them. The instructor is currently dealing with them, so it might be a bit difficult to meet him right away like last time. Could you wait for a little while?”

Perhaps knowing that Adelaide was a skilled person who had already obtained more than three tokens.

Even though she was hiding her bloodline-specific appearance, the young man’s attitude was extremely polite.

Just as the two were about to nod in agreement.

“—Ah, it’s you?”

Right behind them.

From a place so close that they could feel the breath, someone’s voice was heard.

Before reason could feel alarmed at the fact that they hadn’t noticed someone approaching to that extent, instinct honed through training with the Tin Knight burst out as if screaming instead.

Clang!

Sparks flew as sword met sword.

The sudden intruder, realizing that it would be difficult to withstand Adelaide’s sword strike with force, skillfully deflected the direction of the force and widened the distance.

Beautiful golden hair was disheveled.

Violet eyes as deep as Adelaide’s flickered with delight.

The unknown girl of the Lion Duke’s bloodline curled up the corners of her mouth and said, “—You struck first?”

***

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