Chapter 17
Money is an absolutely essential element for humans to survive in a harsh society.
And that was true for—
“Money!”
—one pitiful mage tower master who was desperately starving for cash.
She waddled along like a duck, clutching a bundle of treasures she had scavenged like a dog through the workshop.
“So this is the weight of life! It’s heavy, but meaningful!”
Just as Sion had said, Bash’s workshop held a surprisingly hefty amount of accumulated wealth.
Not enough to completely wipe out the Blue Tower’s debt—but enough to significantly reduce it.
“S-Sion… Is it really okay for me to use all of this?”
“Of course.”
Sion smiled gently as he replied to Lumia.
“You’re just taking back what was stolen from you. I’m not so shameless as to take even that from you.”
“Sion…”
Serentia, who was also carrying an armful of valuables, looked at him with deeply moved eyes.
“To think we misunderstood someone like you all this time…”
“Haha.”
Sion let out a magnanimous, easygoing laugh.
Seeing that, Akasha spoke with disbelief.
[Human… didn’t you just secretly pocket the key to Bash’s hidden vault in his capital mansion?]
‘Hey. Keep it down.’
You take what you can when you can.
The secret key Bash had been carefully keeping on his person—that was now in Sion’s possession.
It was probably what Bash had been wearing as his “real pocket,” but there was no need to mention that.
[Do you even have a conscience, human?]
‘Did you really think something that warm was still left in me?’
[This is insane.]
‘Relax. I’ll put it to good use.’
There was a reason Sion had kept some assets for himself.
‘I need money I can use freely. And I still need to look into my own workshop.’
[That much is true.]
Akasha immediately agreed.
[Strictly speaking, we do need funds that the Blue Tower’s “enemies” aren’t aware of.]
‘Exactly.’
[…That’s really the reason, right?]
‘Hmm.’
[Human?]
Akasha asked again, but Sion simply avoided answering.
In any case, they all returned to the Blue Tower with satisfied expressions.
* * *
As soon as they returned, Sion restored the mana flow to normal.
It wasn’t difficult.
The cause of the mana drain had already been dealt with—he only needed to fix the tower core.
Soon, facilities that hadn’t functioned in ages began operating again.
“W-What? Was the tower always this bright?”
“Wait, even the library that’s been closed this whole time is open!”
“T-The golems are moving!”
Magical tools and golems that had been unusable due to high power requirements were operational again.
Some needed repairs after years of neglect, but the important thing was that they worked.
At last, the Blue Tower was functioning like a proper mage tower.
“…So that’s it.”
Eira muttered blankly as she watched the changes.
“I wondered why the tower’s facilities weren’t working properly. It was just a lack of mana supply.”
With her innate talent, she immediately grasped the cause.
“…Was mana being siphoned off externally? Not equipment failure, but someone deliberately—”
Then…
“You seem deep in thought.”
At the voice, Eira turned.
“Professor.”
Sion Rosteri stood there, smiling softly at her.
Her pupils shook.
‘When did he get this close? I didn’t even notice him approaching.’
She quickly regained composure.
“I was just… thinking.”
“About why the main tower suddenly started functioning properly?”
“….”
“Or about why it wasn’t working all this time?”
“…!”
Eira frowned.
It was unpleasant—those eyes looked as though he understood everything she was thinking.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about…”
“I just thought so because you looked unusually serious.”
Sion smiled faintly.
“Pointing out a professor’s mistakes openly during class usually means you’re very confident, doesn’t it?”
“I—I’m sorry about that.”
Eira bowed immediately.
She didn’t like Sion.
But regardless of that, she had indeed been rude.
“B-But honestly, I never thought you could do it.”
“I figured.”
“High-level computation magic tools inevitably need a certain size. And to perform incantationless casting like that…”
“It would have to be at least the size of two adult men.”
Which would make it impossible to carry and nearly useless.
Using subspace had been proposed, but mana interference made coexistence impossible.
Yet Sion revealed a portable computational magic tool.
It defied common sense.
If a master craftsman from the Workshop Alliance had announced it, she might’ve accepted it.
But Sion?
Someone her age accomplishing what veteran masters couldn’t?
That would require him to be generations ahead of current craftsmen.
“And the building systems working again… was that also your doing?”
“Well, yes.”
“That couldn’t have been easy. Even if the tower core was intact, other systems—”
“It wasn’t difficult for me.”
“…For me, you say.”
Eira let out a hollow laugh.
This was a mage tower—the pinnacle of modern magical engineering.
Solving its problems so casually…
Looking at him, she understood.
‘He’s on a completely different level.’
As she thought that, Sion spoke again.
“What a waste.”
“Pardon?”
“Your talent. You understand what my actions mean, don’t you?”
Eira swallowed.
Seeing her reaction, Sion continued.
“You have extensive knowledge of magical engineering. Or perhaps innate genius.”
Maybe both.
Her fist clenched slightly.
“I…”
“My offer still stands. If you’re interested, come.”
“…You mean as an assistant?”
“You’re sharp.”
Sion chuckled and walked past her.
Then suddenly stopped.
“Oh—by the way, Miss Eira. How’s your relationship with your parents?”
“…!”
Her pupils trembled.
Her parents?
Of course…
—Daughter, please clear your master’s unjust disgrace…
‘Damn it.’
She narrowed her eyes irritably.
“Why are you suddenly asking about that?”
“Just curious.”
Sion shrugged casually.
“I think I get it.”
“What? What do you—”
Before she could react, he walked away.
“…What was that?”
Eira stood there for a long time, pondering the meaning of his question.
* * *
“Ehehe.”
Lately, Lumia had been smiling foolishly more often.
Her biggest concern—money—was finally easing.
And more than that, the mage tower was returning to full operation.
It felt like the Blue Tower back when her master was still alive.
And the one responsible was Sion Rosteri—who had been a nuisance just weeks ago.
“No one could’ve guessed a problem child would turn into treasure overnight, right?”
“Treasure?”
“Of course—!”
Lumia paused.
Treasure… treasure…
It sounded crude, but still—
“He’s treasure! He brings in money!”
“Lumia, is your idea of treasure actually a treasure goblin?”
Serentia shook her head in disbelief.
But even she couldn’t fully disagree.
‘Thinking about it… he’s basically a benefactor.’
Sure, he’d been a headache for a long time—but the results spoke louder.
Frankly, he might even be more suited to be Tower Master than Lumia.
“…Hmm.”
“Huh? Sis? Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Oh, nothing.”
Serentia set aside the blasphemous thought.
“Anyway, we’ve paid off a large portion of the debt. Things should be calmer for a while.”
“It’s not all settled yet. You know what worries me most…”
She was about to caution vigilance—
Knock knock.
—Tower Master, may I enter?
The door opened, and Sion walked in as casually as if it were his own room.
“Oh? Were you talking?”
“Perfect timing.”
Serentia smiled.
“We were talking about you, actually.”
“About me?”
Sion sat down casually.
“Nothing good comes to mind… Is it about my family?”
“You noticed.”
“I can’t deny they’re a problem.”
The Marquis Rosteri family—one of the most prestigious houses on the continent.
Their influence came from the Marquis himself.
“Their influence over the Blue Tower is massive. The funds they’ve poured in are overwhelming.”
“…Yes. And they’ve used that as leverage to demand shares in the tower.”
Even with recovery underway, they couldn’t ignore the Rosteris.
“And it’s your family, whether you like it or not.”
“True.”
“Won’t they try to pressure you after hearing this news?”
Entirely possible.
The Rosteris exploit everything useful.
Once they learn Sion is at the center of the tower’s revival—
“They’ll definitely try to exert influence. Using blood ties makes refusal difficult.”
“Hmmm.”
“And their auditors will be coming soon.”
“They periodically send auditors to assess investment value.”
“Ah, right.”
Sion nodded.
“Though they’re administrators, the ones who really matter are—”
That was when—
—How long will this continue?
A memory surfaced.
—Even if you’re direct family, I won’t let a worthless leech tarnish our name.
A woman’s cold gaze.
—See you soon, little brother.
Fear surged.
Sion let out a hollow laugh.
“S-Sion?”
“I’m fine.”
He shook his head.
“These memories surface bit by bit.”
Then—
“I remember now.”
“…Yes?”
“The auditor coming this time… may be special.”
“Special?”
“Do you know the name Cornelia Rosteri?”
“Of course. Your sister—the eldest daughter. Known as cold-blooded—”
Lumia froze.
“…Don’t tell me.”
“Yes.”
Sion grinned.
“It seems my dear sister will be visiting the tower.”
