Chapter 44.2

Chapter 44 – The Real Condition

The first Magic Tower from seven years ago still remainえｄ the same. The gloomy place with the cold air and the cold stone walls – even the cold gaze thrown at her.

‘No… it seems to have gotten worse.’

Ashia straightened her back and proudly widened her shoulders as she walked through the crowd of wizards. Her steps were leisurely and elegant as she slowly passed them by and walked to the sofa.

“She’s Ashia Bliss, right?”

“Where does she think this place is that she can come in shamelessly?”

“Who is that?”

“There is that person. She was kicked out of the Magic Tower a long time ago.”

“She was kicked out? Why?”

“Yes, there was a huge accident.”

“Accident? What kind of accident?”

Ashia’s expression didn’t change even in the face of their whispers.

They were being very talkative

She sat down on the sofa as if their stares didn’t matter. Not a long time after, the group of wizards split into two and an elderly wizard came in.

“It has been a long time.”

“Yes, it has been a while, Redanes.”

It was Redanes, the wizard who taught Ashia the basics of alchemy. A lot of memories flashed into Ashia’s mind in this brief meeting, but she couldn’t remember any good ones, so a bitter laugh instead came out.

“A wizard that has been expelled usually cannot enter the Magic Tower.”

“I know.”

Redanes clicked her tongue at her answer and her forehead scrunched. “Even more than that, a wizard that had been kicked out after making a big accident… No, the moment you left the tower, you could no longer be called a wizard.”

There was a thorn in her tone and gaze. The smile on Ashia’s lips disappeared after that, because she wasn’t so kind so as to just smile at obviously unpleasant treatment.

Her blue eyes turned to Redanes, who sat opposite her. “…Keep on annoying me and see… whether the Elemental Cube split or crushed and turned into powder… See if it can go back to its original state.”

Redanes’ lips twisted as she let out a sigh. “You must’ve been thinking you’re something….”

“That’s right. I was thinking I have plenty of cards in my hands right now, but does Redanes have another opinion?”

The older woman’s eyes contorted at Ashia’s remark, who cut off her words confidently. She couldn’t even refute what she said, since in this situation, she might be the only one who could handle the Elemental Cube, and they didn’t know when the Magic Tower’s Master will arrive.

“…the Elemental Cube is not something that can be easily handled just because you have a strong magical power.”

“Then what are you going to do? Other than me, is there anyone here who has enough magical power to handle the Elemental Cube? Ah, the barrier wouldn’t have collapsed like that if there was such a person.”

“…”

“What will you do if I really succeed? Besides, other than the current Magic Tower’s Master… I am more capable of handling it with stability.”

Redanes gently closed her mouth at Ashia’s bold and sharp words.

‘What on earth are you believing in to act so proud?’

The Elemental Cube was on the top floor of the Magic Tower and could not be approached without the Magic Tower Master’s permission, the Elders’, or some professor wizards’. Of course, it was also possible for a person to use it if the Elemental Cube itself chose that person as its master. If an unqualified person tried to use it, all the magic in their body would be absorbed, and they could even die in the worst-case scenario.

As for the danger, Ashia must also be well aware of that since she had been constantly warned about it and taught to her a lot.

‘But she says it too casually…’

They stared at each other wordlessly for a while. It was a battle where the one with the most regrets lost. Clearing her throat, Redanes drew back her sharp gaze away and opened her mouth first.

“It’s not like you’re going to help out without any conditions.”

Ashia nodded slightly. “Gold.”

“…So you’re here to make a deal.”

“Because I am a merchant.”

“Can I just give you gold?”

The Magic Tower had a lot of gold as she had guessed, not raked in through corruption. She thought that this wasn’t a bad business even if they gave her a few pieces of gold coins in exchange for stabilizing the barrier until the Magic Tower’s Master came back – even if she failed to stabilize it and get seriously injured or even die…

But Ashia had no intention of ending it with that alone. “There is one more thing. Gold is just an additional reward that must be followed.”

“…”

“The real conditions are different.”

“What are they?”

“If I can stabilize the Elemental Cube and restore the barrier,” Ashia paused and put a business-like smile on her lips, “I am saying if there is peace again…”

“Continue.”

The parlor of the Magic Tower became more silent than ever as the wizards waited for the next words that would come out of Ashia’s mouth. And in the stillness, Ashia’s clear voice resounded clearly.

“I will have the same power as the Magic Tower’s Master.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Redanes jumped up from her seat and glared at Ashia as if she would kill her right away.

“This crazy…!”

The energy of the other wizards gathered wasn’t that different from her. It was as if Ashia was detonating a bomb in the middle of the enemy camp, where she had no allies.

(T/N: It means while Ashia was trying to save them [by detonating the bomb or rather stabilizing the Elemental Cube and restoring the barrier], they don’t believe in her, as she was a kicked out wizard [from another camp]. )

Unbothered by their anger, Ashia buried herself in the back of the sofa and continued talking, “Please gather the Elders and hold a meeting.”

A wizard’s expulsion from the tower and the discussion of the Magic Tower’s course of action was only possible through a meeting of the Elders.

“Don’t you dare tell them to come and go.”

“There’s nothing I can do if you don’t like it—because I have nothing to regret.”

“…”

“Then I will just watch if this condition is not accepted.” Ashia slowly turned her head towards the window. She pointed her chin toward the window of the tower where the half-remaining golden barrier could be seen. As if looking at a spectacular view, she said with a smile, “First, shall we watch as the barrier melts like ice?”