The Tower Master thoroughly searched his memories, but unfortunately could not recall the face of that noble.

‘He had a high rank. Was he a grand duke?’

He was the only noble that had interested the Tower Master, who was indifferent to the power structure within Newton.

Even then, it was only because he had been introduced as an uncommon Sword Master that he had caught the Tower Master’s eye a bit more than other nobles.

As luck would have it, due to the backlighting at the time, his face was shadowed, leaving only a vague impression of a bear-like build and intense presence.

‘But that fellow is not a Sword Master.’

No aura was felt from the large figure that had disappeared from view.

Other than the common trait of having a unique constitution, he was ordinary.

The Tower Master, who had little interest in others, quickly lost interest and turned his head away.

“This way are the villagers who collapsed from mana poisoning.”

The Tower Master entered the hut, following the village chief’s guidance.

The mages from the Crofl mercenary group scattered quickly, startled by the Tower Master’s sudden visit.

“It’s impressive they’re hanging on.”

Generally, if accumulated mana in the body cannot be circulated as magical power, it eventually burdens the heart and leads to death.

Hmm. After briefly checking the patients’ conditions, the Tower Master’s gaze turned to the medicine bottles placed on the floor.

They contained herbal medicines, not potions used by mages.

“Seems there’s a skilled doctor, but it still got this bad?”

As the Tower Master shook a medicine bottle and asked, the village chief shook his head.

“These are medicines prescribed by a doctor who came for an outpatient treatment from outside.”

“Outpatient treatment to a hidden village?”

The Tower Master briefly marveled. It must be a skilled doctor with either good business acumen or a strong spirit of service.

Just looking at the herbal combinations used for the patients showed signs of careful consideration for mana poisoning. The appropriate prescriptions had somehow enabled the patients to hang on.

‘…Ah, could this doctor who made this be the meddlesome outsider the village chief mentioned?’

The Tower Master revised his assessment of the outside doctor. Not meddlesome, but a doctor with both skill and inclusivity.

But that was all; the Tower Master didn’t develop any further curiosity.

There wasn’t much occasion for a mage to be friendly with a doctor.

“After treating the mana poisoning, rehabilitation shouldn’t be a concern.”

The Tower Master immediately snapped his fingers.

A magic circle unfolded beneath his feet, and the mana stones he had been wearing like accessories all floated up at once.

A dazzling light, incomparable to that of mercenary mages, flickered in view.

“Haa… I don’t know how long it’s been since I felt this exhilarating.”

The Tower Master couldn’t contain his rising smile and spread his arms wide.

Whoosh-! The magic circle expanded to encompass the patients and the area around the hut.

“Th-there!”

“The spots…!!”

Exclamations burst out simultaneously from the huts within the magic circle’s range. The fluorescent spots that had been encroaching on the patients’ bodies began to resonate with the Tower Master’s magical power. The large amount of mana that had been stagnating in the patients’ bodies flowed out through the spots, as if melting.

“Step back!”

“You mustn’t touch it!”

The mercenary mages hurriedly ushered people out of the huts.

Regardless, the Tower Master gathered the large amount of mana in one place with a flick of his fingertip.

“It would be too much to consume it all now.”

The Tower Master, licking his lips in regret, stretched his hand towards the ceiling.

Crack-! The hut’s ceiling was cleanly punctured. In an instant, the evening sky spread out above. The Tower Master’s long hair fluttered in the cool evening breeze and the magical power.

“This village will soon become widely known, so shall we decorate it in advance?”

With sparkling eyes, the Tower Master launched the huge mana mass high into the sky. The entire village was watching the spectacle of the massive mana mass soaring into the sky.

Moving his finger joints this way and that to control the magical power, the Tower Master then clapped his hands together.

Craaack…!

A massive sound like stone breaking echoed across the sky.

“It, it broke…!”

The mercenary group members, whose legs had gone weak from the Tower Master’s power, widened their eyes.

As the huge mana mass shattered, it created a spectacular scene of falling stars. While people were momentarily stunned by the overwhelmingly beautiful sight, the shattered mana stars began to fall from the sky towards the village.

The mercenary mages hastily raised their staffs to generate protective barriers.

“What…!”

However, the falling mana fragments all exploded simultaneously in mid-air before even touching the barriers.

Without giving the startled people time to dodge, the entire village was enveloped in a flash of light. People reflexively shut their eyes tight, overcome with fear.

“……”

As the heavy, tense silence continued for a while.

“Wow, this is insane…”

“…Oh my.”

The mercenary mages’ murmurs broke the silence.

One by one, the villagers cautiously opened their eyes. And everyone’s mouths fell wide open.

Especially the village chief next to the Tower Master looked like his eyes might pop out.

The log walls surrounding the village had transformed into sturdy castle walls, and the villagers’ houses had changed to neat and robust exteriors. Even the village paths, once full of dirt and grass, were now all neatly paved.

It was as if it had been modeled after the imperial capital’s scenery.

“Hmph~ As a village under the protection of the Tower Master, shouldn’t it be at least this much?”

Despite having unleashed all the magical power in his body to control the mana, the Tower Master smirked without a single drop of sweat on his face.

Thanks to drawing not only the mana stagnating in the patients’ bodies but also the mana accumulated throughout the village, such a large-scale transformation magic was possible.

Although the Tower Master’s taste, which diverged from that of the modest villagers, was reflected, the village’s defenses had become more robust as a result.

“Tower Master, what in the world is this…”

“That concludes the down payment. Other issues will be dealt with after handling the land ownership matter.”

Leaving behind the village chief who had finally come to his senses, the Tower Master moved on with a light step.

He actually felt lighter after using up all the hanging mana stones.

The Tower Master hummed.

“If I go now, the timing should be just right.”

Though night had fallen, it was still too early for the Emperor to have retired to bed.

In fact, the later it got, the better. Summoning Darhan Bridend to the imperial palace at a late hour would be one of the enjoyable sights to behold.

The Tower Master covered his mouth and chuckled wickedly.

‘I’ll make your sleep restless tonight.’

He was too excited to see what expression Darhan Bridend would make at the ceremony of receiving land from the Emperor.

The thought of engraving in his mind the sight of the proud leader of the noble faction failing to maintain his composure, to recall whenever he had the chance, filled him with glee.

The Tower Master immediately unfolded a spatial transfer magic. After setting the coordinates to the imperial palace, the Tower Master snapped his fingers. With that, he vanished from the village.

As soon as the Tower Master’s presence disappeared, the Crofl mercenary group revealed themselves.

The mercenary members who had been watching the Tower Master from all directions throughout gathered at once at the village’s main gate.

“−He’s finally gone.”

Karun shook his head with a pale face.

Though they hadn’t even exchanged a few words, he strangely felt all his energy drained. The members behind him shared the sentiment.

“He really did it in grand style. As expected of the Tower Master.”

“Typical of the Tower Master to act first without thinking of the consequences.”

“And as expected, our sister who anticipated such a Tower Master is truly remarkable.”

“Ah, agreed.”

“Quiet−.”

As Karun drew the greatsword he had been carrying on his back, the mercenary group fell silent at once.

Behind him, Bireta walked up slowly, her hands clasped behind her curved back.

Bireta naturally stood beside Karun and faced the mercenary group.

“Thanks to the Tower Master’s flashy performance, I think you’ve roughly grasped the situation.”

The mercenary group’s rowdy atmosphere changed instantly.

In the tense atmosphere that had become sharp and keen like before a hunt, Bireta slowly straightened her back.

Creeaak−. The village gate opened behind her.

“Catch all the rats that have entered your sight.”

Led by Karun, the Crofl mercenary group rushed out of the village all at once. Dozens of mercenaries scattered into the darkness. All of them followed the scent of the prey they had detected.

The spies who had been circling around the village waiting for the death of Ashu’s villagers were now likely fleeing for their lives from the mercenary group’s pursuit.

All thanks to the Tower Master’s unnecessarily showy and eye-catching grand magic.

“How arrogant.”

Bireta stroked the scabbard at her waist with a sneer bordering on contempt.

If Darhan Bridend had planted mages around the village as a precaution against unforeseen circumstances, the spies wouldn’t have been hunted down like prey as they were now.

However, Darhan Bridend, anticipating possible betrayal, had not informed anyone of these ‘resources for rebellion’. Especially mages, sensitive to the flow of mana, he would have trusted even less. He was a cunning man, greedy and self-serving.

‘Well. Without Sha, there wouldn’t have been such a variable.’

The existence of a doctor who made house calls to a hidden village was naturally kept secret by the villagers who feared incurring the wrath of Marquis Bridend. The closed-off village that had until now been secretive as instructed, valuing their lives, not seeking help from outside – this was what Darhan Bridend was most certain of.

‘It’s only natural.’

Bireta recalled the gold badge engraved with the scorpion emblem that she had demanded as payment for the request.

A gold badge engraved with a noble family’s emblem had many useful applications. Especially in the hands of someone with a grudge against that noble family, its utility became a whole different dimension.

‘This too, is only natural.’

Bireta’s eyes gleamed a chilling blue as she fiddled with her sword handle.

The murderous intent she had vowed while recalling the young granddaughter who had to come alone to find her grandmother began to stir. From the moment she first saw the bloody infant grandson, embers were again spreading from the ashes piled in one corner of her heart.

“But of all things…”

The only thing that weighed on her mind was Sharti’s existence. The fate that had once been consumed by the empire’s flames now seemed to be showing signs of turning its flames towards Sharti again.

Bireta heaved a deep sigh.

Perhaps it was also natural for Sharti to become entangled with the nobility of Newton.

“Just as she’s beginning to shine brilliantly.”

Suddenly, the image of the dark mutt standing guard beside Sharti came to mind.

Bireta clicked her tongue.

“What to do.”

It’s a connection that Sharti has made. That’s why, even though she could have removed it, she had only been watching until now.

However, the connections and fate increasingly intertwining around Sharti were now nothing but worrisome.

Bireta raised her head to look up at the night sky.

As large clouds gradually covered the moon, the village was consumed by darkness.

“Still, the darkness will only be momentary…”

Bireta shook off her musings with a low murmur.

Soon, she quietly concealed herself in the darkness. The night was long, and the beginning of the request was just now.

[This is the timeline separator]

At a time when all lights had been extinguished and only dim lamps illuminated the night of the imperial palace, a carriage bearing the scorpion emblem of the Bridend Marquis family passed through the main gate of the imperial palace late at night.

As the carriage that had arrived at the front of the Emperor’s palace came to a stop, Darhan Bridend, Marquis, with his hair neatly combed back, alighted.

“Welcome, Marquis.”

The Emperor’s chief attendant bowed respectfully. Darhan, who had stopped in front of him holding a walking stick, looked up at the dark imperial palace with a subtle expression.

As Darhan moved forward, the chief attendant followed behind.

The moment he crossed the threshold of the imperial palace, Darhan gritted his teeth.

“…Is the Tower Master here?”

The interior of the imperial palace, which had appeared completely dark from the outside, was as bright as day.

Only the Tower Master could create such an elaborate scene that could confuse reality as soon as one crossed the threshold.

“Yes, that is correct.”

At the attendant’s calm reply, Darhan forcefully pulled down the corners of his trembling mouth.

“Ah, you’ve arrived.”

As soon as Darhan entered the reception room, the Tower Master, with his long hair tied up high in a single ponytail, waved his hand with a bright smile. The unusual point was the Tower Master’s simple attire. Unlike usual, he was not adorned with jewel-like crafted mana stones.

“Welcome, Marquis.”

The Emperor, sitting in a single armchair next to the Tower Master, was already having a light drink with him, holding a wine glass in his hand.

Being invited to a drinking session that the noble faction was never included in was not a particularly pleasant situation.

However, Darhan Bridend was a man who knew how to skillfully conceal his emotions.

“I am in the presence of Your Majesty, the owner of immaculate glory.”

“Sit down for now.”

The Emperor, who didn’t even offer a drink out of courtesy, turned his gaze to the Tower Master as soon as Darhan sat opposite him.

“Well then, as the Tower Master wished, I have summoned the Marquis here. Now speak.”

“……”

At the words that it was the Tower Master’s summons, not the Emperor’s, Darhan also looked at the Tower Master.

The Tower Master, with a leisurely gesture, tucked his stray hair behind his ear and looked at Darhan.

“Ah, I’ve found a piece of land I want.”

It was an abrupt opening, but Darhan had an inkling.

[If you form an alliance with our Newton Empire and support the war, I will give you, by my authority, any land the Tower Master wishes, regardless of imperial law. However, if it’s a noble’s territory or the land area exceeds a certain size, the procedure becomes complicated.]

“So, where is it? I’ve been waiting, even drinking, curious about the land the Tower Master has chosen.”

“……”

At that moment, as Darhan’s eyes met the Tower Master’s, he raised an eyebrow with an ominous feeling.

Before Darhan could deduce his answer, the Tower Master turned to the Emperor with a grinning face.

“Please give me a mountain bordering the northeastern border, Your Majesty.”

“…!”

Blood vessels stood out on Darhan’s hand resting on the handle of his walking stick.