Third-Rate Villain Of Fantasy Novel-Chapter 44: Meeting Of Tower Masters [2]

Every year, each mage tower earned an enormous amount of money through the mystical technologies born from magic itself.

However, the membership fees paid to maintain the council did not come from the towers’ official assets.

They came directly from the personal wealth of the Tower Masters.

Because of that, the meaning behind those payments ran far deeper than mere numbers on a ledger.

For a Tower Master, the monthly membership fee was anything but small.

Most Tower Masters pursued knowledge with a passion far greater than their desire for money.

That did not mean, however, that they despised wealth.

After all, money was necessary—necessary to fund new research, to acquire rare materials, and to keep their towers functioning without interruption.

Every month, a massive sum was collected from the seven Tower Masters.

And that amount continued to pile up, month after month, throughout the entire year.

By the time it was tallied, the total was enough to leave even the emperor of the empire at a loss for words.

Yet more than money, more than pride, what truly drove them was competition.

Each of the seven mage towers had been developed with a focus on a different field of magic.

Alchemy, summoning, enchantment, elemental research—each tower walked its own path.

Although there existed a clear hierarchy among mages, that hierarchy did not tell the whole story.

This was not an evaluation of individual talent as a wizard.

It was an evaluation of the tower itself, judged through the achievements produced under the Tower Master’s leadership.

The materials submitted by the Tower Masters were the result of independent research conducted by the wizards trained within their towers.

They were not displays of personal brilliance.

They were proof of how well a tower cultivated talent, managed resources, and pushed the boundaries of magic.

That was precisely why the desire to win burned so fiercely.

If one were asked to name the most outstanding magician alive, few would hesitate to answer.

Theodore Aiolos, who currently presided over the meeting, stood head and shoulders above the rest.

His mastery of magic was unquestionable, his reputation absolute.

But if the question changed—if one were asked to name the most outstanding mage tower—then the answer was far less certain.

Silence filled the circular chamber.

Seven Tower Masters sat around the long obsidian table, their expressions composed and dignified on the surface, yet sharp and calculating beneath.

Before each of them lay stacks of documents, sealed scrolls stamped with arcane sigils, and crystalline memory plates that faintly glowed with stored projections. The air itself felt heavy with authority—and impatience.

Scarlet Flame was the first to speak, tapping a finger lightly against a pile of notes.

"Scarlet Flame did well," one of the Tower Masters said calmly, "but let us not forget my research. It’s far too early to jump to conclusions. Please, look at the data I’ve prepared."

A soft sigh came from across the table.

"...Isn’t this the same marine creature habitat map you showed us last time?" another Tower Master asked, tilting his head.

"No!" the researcher snapped, irritation slipping through his composed tone. "This is a very important issue. According to the most recent findings, the number of Kingstar crabs caught in the Glucaman Islands has declined significantly!"

Several brows furrowed. One Tower Master leaned back in his chair.

"And?"

"There is a very complex reason for this," the researcher continued quickly, waving his hand as layered projections appeared above the table. Migration routes, temperature shifts, mana currents. "Oceanic ley-line instability, predatory imbalance, and—"

"Anyway," someone cut in bluntly, "the conclusion is that we can’t eat Kingstar Crab."

The room fell silent for half a second.

"...Yes," the researcher admitted stiffly.

"Then why," another Tower Master asked dryly, "are you telling us this? You should report it to the Chancellor of the Germania Maritime Union. That’s where your mage tower is located."

He gestured toward the far end of the table, where a new projection was already forming.

"Instead, we’re supposed to be discussing the schematic diagram of the modified golem created by one of my disciples this time."

The researcher bristled. "Kingstar Crab is a major issue!"

"Oh, come on," someone muttered, rubbing their temple.

Despite the bickering, the presentation dragged on.

Maps of the Blue Sea shifted into view—marine creature habitats, mana-rich currents, and danger zones marked in red. They were followed by designs for newly developed golden golems, their joints refined and cores stabilized. Several Tower Masters nodded with mild interest, others merely skimmed the data.

But it was still early in the year.

In the end, the only topic that truly stirred the room was Scarlet Flame’s modified refining method for Hwajung Stone. That, at least, sparked questions, brief arguments, and reluctant admiration.

Eventually, the discussions wound down.

Silence settled over the table.

Now, it was time for the one Tower Master who had yet to present.

The Dawn Tower Master—Joachim Edelweiss.

Known as an Elemental Master who wielded all five attributes, Joachim had a reputation for consistency. His contributions were rarely revolutionary, but they were always solid, practical, and valuable. Because of that, several Tower Masters had been quietly waiting for his turn.

Yet now...

There was nothing in front of him.

No documents. No scrolls. No glowing crystal plates.

Just empty space.

One by one, the Tower Masters noticed it. Their gazes shifted from the bare tabletop to Joachim’s face.

He looked... troubled.

His usual calm composure was still there, but beneath it lay a tension that was impossible to miss. His fingers were clasped together a little too tightly. His eyes, usually steady, seemed distant, as though he were weighing something far heavier than a research report.

Even Chairman Theodor—who had attended Tower Masters’ meetings longer than anyone else present—had never seen Joachim like this.

Concern crept into the old man’s eyes.

"Joachim," Theodor said gently, breaking the silence, "is something the matter?"

The room grew quiet once more.

Joachim inhaled slowly, then exhaled.

"...There is," he said at last.

Every Tower Master straightened slightly in their seat. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

"And it isn’t something I can summarize with a schematic or a projection."

A faint ripple of unease passed through the table.