In this continent, the status of a mage followed a rather peculiar structure.
While their standing was generally high, as in most fantasy worlds, those belonging to a 'Tower' gained a status equivalent to nobility once they surpassed a certain Tier.
This was partly due to the sheer difference in skill between Tower mages and independent ones, but fundamentally, it was because of the Towers themselves.
The six Magic Towers in existence held a monopoly on various goods essential to the United Kingdoms, including items for high-ranking nobles. In short, the combination of a mage's combat power and the exclusive production of vital supplies elevated the authority of the Magic Towers to the level of the aristocracy.
And the authority of a Vice Tower Master—essentially the second-in-command of such an institution—was known to be sky-high.
...Even knowing that.
'Isn't this treatment a bit much?'
Alon looked at the Vice Tower Master with an absurdly flat expression, though inwardly he was taken aback.
She wore a blue cloak, the symbol of the Blue Magic Tower, and had matching blue hair that reached down to her waist. Currently, she was leaning her chin on one hand as if everything in the world was a chore, a pen held loosely in the other. Her name was Penia Kraysinne.
In Psychedelia, she was a mage who appeared once or twice in the main story—a genius of nonsensical talent who had reached the 7th Tier at the young age of twenty-two. She was also a powerful mage who possessed an Origin.
...Of course, at this point before the original story began, she hadn't become the Tower Master yet and seemed to be at the 6th Tier rather than the 7th.
"...As I mentioned before we met, I've come to discuss the Exam Question."
"What about it?"
Alon continued speaking as he watched Penia, who was struggling with a pile of documents without even glancing his way.
"I can eliminate the Exam Question."
At Alon's words, Penia's gaze shifted for a moment. Her hysterical eyes stared intently at his face. Her expression held a flicker of curiosity.
However, a moment later, she made a blatantly disappointed face and clicked her tongue.
Adopting an attitude that was dismissive to anyone watching, Penia lowered her head back to her work and spoke.
"If you're done talking, leave."
"...I haven't heard an answer yet."
"What answer?"
"I believe I said I could eliminate the Exam Question."
"Ha."
Penia let out an incredulous laugh and looked at Alon.
"Excuse me. Who did you say you were again?"
"Alon, Count of Palatio."
"Right. So, our dear Count Palatio can eliminate the Exam Question?"
"Yes."
"Is that so~? Our Count Palatio can eliminate the Exam Question, can he?"
"...Why are you acting like that?"
Alon asked, noting the blatant sarcasm.
"Look, do you think you're the only one? Do you have any idea how many people come here wanting the treasures you get from clearing an Exam Question? Huh?"
As Penia shook her head as if she were utterly fed up, Alon spoke.
"It's not a lie. If you lead me to the Exam Question, I'll show you immediately."
"How many people do you think have said those exact words to me?"
"I can definitely eliminate it."
At Alon's firm statement, Penia dropped the pen she had been holding with a sharp clack. Her brow furrowed deeply, and she suddenly unleashed a burst of mana.
Vrrr—!
It wasn't a spell. It was merely a surge of raw mana. A wave of energy released haphazardly, driven purely by her emotional state.
Yet, even so, that wave immediately began to cause anomalies within the office. The entire room shook as if an earthquake had struck, and scrolls and parchments on the shelves were sent flying.
In that chaos, she spoke.
"Listen."
Penia spoke in a low, hysterical tone. "I understand that you need a big win to turn things around now that people are realizing you only became a Count because the trash died off at the perfect time. But you shouldn't be throwing your weight around here, should you?"
Hearing her words, Alon realized two things.
The first was that despite appearing buried in work, she was surprisingly well-informed about the outside world. Just as she said, rumors had begun to circulate about Alon because he had lived quietly without interfering in the underworld since becoming the Count.
The second was that the anger he had felt rising at her disrespectful treatment seemed to vanish instantly, as if cured by a sudden realization.
'She's terrifying.'
Even without reaching the 7th Tier, she could create such anomalies just by venting her mana. Alon reaffirmed that she was a superhuman who had easily transcended the realm of mortals.
'I shouldn't mess with her. She'd fold me in half.'
Though he was a 2nd Tier mage himself, Alon fully recognized that his life would be in danger the moment this mana was actually shaped into a spell. He spoke.
"If you don't trust me, I'll wager my entire fortune."
"...What?"
Despite the fear he felt, Alon's expression remained as stoic as ever.
"Exactly what I said. If I fail to eliminate the Exam Question, I will donate my entire fortune to the Blue Magic Tower. No, since this is a person-to-person deal, I'll hand it all directly to you."
"...What nonsense is this?"
"Of course, you don't need to wager anything. Only I will. I'll even swear an oath if necessary."
"...."
Penia frowned at Alon's words, but he continued with the same expressionless face.
"I think these are pretty good terms for a small amount of your time. What do you say?"
After a brief silence, Penia finally answered.
"Draw up the contract."
*
Penia Kraysinne.
An unprecedented genius who had reached the 6th Tier at only twenty-one, she served as the Vice Tower Master under her mentor, the Master of the Blue Magic Tower. She led Alon down to the basement and stopped before a door.
"It's here. The Exam Question is inside this room."
Without hesitation, Alon moved to grab the doorknob.
"Keep in mind, now that we've signed a contract, I won't show any mercy. If you fail, the Palatio fortune is mine. Got it?"
Penia spoke as a warning, but Alon simply turned his head slightly to look at her. His emotionless eyes swept over her briefly before he spoke.
"That won't happen."
Creeak—
Watching the man's back as he opened the door and stepped inside without a hint of doubt, Penia recalled the public's evaluation of Alon.
Previously, he was seen as the mastermind of the Count's family, the one who killed all the heirs to take the title. But that reputation had changed drastically over the last three years. Now, people thought it was all a coincidence—that he was just a lucky guy who became Count by default because the other heirs died.
Of course, some still whispered that he was staying quiet for a reason, but having met him in person, Penia felt the rumors were closer to the latter.
'His aura might be top-tier, but the fact that he came here looking like that to close an Exam Question proves he's finished.'
Penia wasn't blind to the unusual atmosphere Alon projected. Those inorganic eyes. A face so thoroughly devoid of emotion that it was hard to believe he was a normal human. For a moment, even she had been silenced by his presence. But that was just an atmosphere. Once she assessed his talent, she couldn't help but scoff.
'He has talent. But it's only slightly better mana sensitivity than average. His mana hole is far too small, and his Tier is at the tail end of the 2nd at best. He doesn't even have the 'Eye' required to reach the 6th Tier.'
Count Palatio was surprisingly devoid of any real gift. He lacked the 'Eye'—the essential talent for becoming a high-ranking mage—and possessed no significant mana capacity. His magic was only at the 2nd Tier, and while his mana sensitivity was decent, that was it. Sensitivity was far from the most important trait a mage needed.
Ultimately, to Penia, the fact that he confidently claimed he could eliminate an Exam Question with such meager talent confirmed that the rumors of his luck were true. Wearing a pathetic expression, she looked toward the 'gap' glowing with purple light in the center of the room.
The gap—known among mages as the Exam Question—was a troublesome phenomenon connected to a subspace of unknown origin. These Exam Questions, which typically formed in places where mages gathered or where magic was frequently used, caused significant damage to their surroundings. For instance, otherworldly entities might cross through the gap, or it might suddenly devour all nearby mana, creating a mana vacuum in the area.
'I heard they tried all sorts of things to erase Exam Questions in the early days.'
As far as Penia knew, not a single mage had ever succeeded in erasing one.
'If research had continued, there might have been a chance to find a way.'
But at least for now, no such method existed. Usually, even if an Exam Question appeared suddenly, it would naturally vanish after one to three months, spitting out a single relic in the process. Since the principle behind this was still unknown, mages didn't bother spending vast amounts of time and money researching a method they couldn't even grasp.
...The problem for the Blue Magic Tower, however, was that this particular Exam Question, which they thought would vanish in a few months, had been stuck in their basement for over two years, refusing to disappear and causing constant trouble.
As Penia was lost in thought, she stared at Alon, who had approached the Exam Question but was standing still without taking any action.
Time passed, and Alon remained motionless. Just as Penia clicked her tongue and opened her mouth to speak—
Tap.
Alon formed a mudra.
"?"
Penia watched with a curious expression as he suddenly raised his hands to form the Wisdom Fist Mudra. She had only ever read about mages who used their own hands as a medium rather than a staff—a method the academic world didn't even acknowledge, labeling it as 'primitive' in ancient magic texts.
"Just come out."
Despite her curiosity, Penia had no intention of giving Alon any more time. She didn't believe for a second that someone who hadn't even learned magic properly and used primitive methods from strange books could close an Exam Question.
However—
"───"
The moment he whispered something under his breath.
"Ah, just come—"
Penia's annoyed voice stopped. No, it wasn't just her voice. Everything stopped.
Her mouth, which had been opening to speak. Her eyes, narrowed in irritation. Her body. Even her very breath. Everything froze.
And then, she saw it.
The thing manifesting in front of the Count.
Riiip—
Right where Penia's gaze was fixed, something that had been merely black opened with a sickening sound. It was an Awakening.
Upon realization, she saw it was an eye. An eye with two red rings. That was simply how it appeared.
If it had ended there, it might have been fine. But—
"—"
Penia's talent—the 'Eye' that was mandatory for anyone seeking to rise above the 6th Tier—instinctively pierced through to the entity's essence. She didn't know what it was. But she perceived it. Through that perception, Penia realized a single piece of information.
It was a word so simple.
It was──────
"Guh—!"
The moment she was about to grasp it, Penia forced herself to stop. Her mana, which had been frozen along with her breath, moved instinctively to cut off her train of thought.
She knew. That thing standing before the Count was something that must never be understood. It was no different from a poisoned holy grail—a truth that guaranteed ruin the moment it was realized.
Thus, the moment she barely managed to stop her thoughts, her breath hitching—
Grin—
The eye that had been staring intently at her seemed to smile. Then, with a black hand that had formed out of nowhere, it raised its index and middle fingers and placed them gently against Penia's lips.
Absolute silence.
Understanding that this was Alon's demand, Penia blinked, her eyes now brimming with terror. As the eye vanished, the magic came to an end.
*
In the spot where the purple gap had disappeared, Alon let out a soft sigh.
'It's over.'
From Alon's perspective, having closed Exam Questions numerous times in the game, the task wasn't actually that difficult. One didn't close an Exam Question with magic; it was done by using specific items and methods.
However, since there were several more items he could obtain through Exam Questions in the future, Alon had intentionally used one of the more plausible-looking spells he knew to deceive Penia.
"...?"
As he picked up the relic and turned around, Alon's expression turned to one of confusion. Penia's behavior seemed a bit strange. She looked as if she had seen something she was absolutely never supposed to see.
Puzzled, Alon wondered if she had figured out the trick to closing the gate. He was about to speak, feeling a bit sheepish that his bluff might have failed, when—
"I-I will absolutely n-never tell anyone."
"...? Well, I'd appreciate that, but you don't necessarily—"
"N-No, absolutely, I will never tell. I'm actually very good at keeping secrets."
Penia was breathing heavily, her eyes welling with tears as she nodded frantically, even switching to formal speech.
"...?"
'Why is she suddenly acting like that...?'
Alon could only tilt his head in confusion.