The Druid Who Swallowed Mother Nature - Chapter 36



Only Noblemtl

Episode 36. You’ll Regret It

Magic Tower, a kingdom built by wizards who seek the truth.

Although it is now an educational and research institution for an elite few, it began as a community for all persecuted magicians.

This remained a tradition, and branches of the Tower existed in every city.

In Galaga City, a city that used magical engineering as the driving force behind its development, its prestige was extraordinary.

“This is the Magic Tower branch of Galaga City.”

The Matap Galaga City branch was a tall, imposing building.

Oval-shaped, carved rock-like structures floated around the building, and instead of neon signs, giant magic stones embedded in every corner of the walls flashed intermittently.

However, despite the mysterious appearance, its shape was not that of a tower, contrary to its name.

If you said it was the headquarters of any other company, I would have believed it.

“How do you feel about coming to the Magic Tower? It’s a place that every wizard dreams of, even if it’s just to step over the threshold.”

I shook off Colin’s fuss.

“It’s not the Tower, it’s the Tower branch.”

“Is that any different?”

“Even if you try to talk nonsense, it won’t work.”

There were differences that only those involved knew about and outsiders did not.

Of course I knew.

“… … I should have brought my disciples. It’s no fun when they know everything about you even if you try to joke around.”

Colin smacked his lips in regret.

The group consisted of just him and me.

Although he has enemies on the roof, it is Colin’s first visit in a long time.

Before officially accepting disciples into the Magic Tower, there were many things to prepare.

‘In Layla’s case… … it’ll be difficult.’

She will never be able to set foot on the roof again.

It was entirely due to the presence or absence of talent.

It may seem cruel to discriminate between disciples, but that was the kind of place Matap was.

It was mercy that made it impossible to even look at a tree that could not be climbed.

“He’s a special friend, he knows me even though most of the juniors at the Magic Tower don’t. He’s a contractor, so he’s very knowledgeable.”

It was thanks to my experience living on the rooftop… … that I didn’t need to correct him when he said he would figure out my mistake.

Boom boom!

The interior of the building was so crowded with people that it was impossible to see the internal structure.

Overall, there were more outsiders than wizards.

They were salespeople who visited to request the purchase of artifacts or dispatch of personnel, which were the main sources of income for Matap, and regular customers who came to admire Matap.

“Don’t look away, you might get lost, so follow carefully.”

Colin made his way through the crowds with ease and headed toward a dead end.

Even in the midst of the crowded crowds, there were few people here.

Because there is no reason, logically speaking, to head down a dead end.

But I knew why Colin had led me here.

It’s a doorway hidden by welcome magic.

It was the primary filter to weed out those without magical talents.

I followed Colin into the dead end.

There was a path leading inside the wall that we entered without any resistance.

At the end of the winding road, a huge door stood in front of us.

The inside was hollow, and something transparent was rippling through it.

It was a bizarre structure, the likes of which were hard to find.

“Do you know what this is?”

“It’s a portal.”

“Tsk, you know this too? I guess there’s something you don’t know.”

Portal, an Oparts that connects space and space.

The original technology was held only by Matap, and it was a treasure that Matap cherished to the point that it even had restrictions on the number of users.

The portal had such a fuss that it deserved it.

Woohoo!

Colin, who had told them to wait a moment, activated the portal.

As the massive body was filled with majestic magical power, a huge vibration like a dragon’s cry shook the hall.

As power was supplied, the crack inside the previously transparent door gradually took shape and revealed an unidentifiable location.

“It seems connected, so let’s go.”

The dizziness that made my stomach turn over only lasted a moment.

The moment I closed my eyes and opened them, the scenery before my eyes had changed 180 degrees.

“Whew, it’s been so long since you’ve been here, I was worried, but you arrived safely.”

Colin chuckled jokingly.

I observed my surroundings carefully.

It was an exotic landscape.

In the cloudy sky, snowflakes were falling, and the horizon that could not be seen in the city hidden by the concrete jungle stretched out beyond.

The coordinates associated with each branch portal are further north than the Northern Winter City.

An extreme region, also known as the ‘Snowfield of the Bitter Cold’.

It was a place where civilians were prohibited from entering.

The Magic Tower, a community of persecuted magicians, was born there.

“ha.”

The breath I exhaled turned into white frost and scattered.

It was a land where if you stepped foot on it without any protection, your whole body would freeze, but strangely enough, the temperature didn’t feel that low.

It is a magical harmony that manipulates Mother Nature.

“It’s over there.”

I followed Colin’s pointing finger.

The centerpiece of this bizarre landscape was a huge tower.

The overwhelming height that stretched through the clouds made people look up at it without any special decoration or unique structure, and it even felt like it forced a sense of sublimity.

It was a miracle achieved through pure magic, with technological prowess that transcended the times.

That building, reminiscent of the legendary Tower of Babel, was the Magic Tower, the cradle of magicians.

“No matter when I come here, nothing has changed. It’s ironic that the center of innovation, Matap, has changed the least.”

It must be a long-awaited return for Wanderer Colin.

A deep sense of reminiscence was felt in his muttering voice.

“I don’t know if my lab will still exist. There are quite a few people here who don’t like me.”

With one last ominous sound, he opened the door to the magic tower.

“… … Hmm?”

Tried to open it.

The door did not open.

“Why won’t this open?”

Colin struggled and tried pulling and pushing the door.

“Ugh!”

Then the door suddenly opened.

Colin fell inside, unable to control his momentum at the sudden opening of the door.

“… …Colin Sieghar, the Wanderer.”

A chilling voice fell on the back of his fierce head.

“Did the defendant appear for trial?”

The gazes pouring down on us.

The lobby was packed with people, as if all the wizards currently on the magic tower had gathered there.

‘Red Sun Fiona, Watcher Jerry… … Even the elders have appeared.’

They were all familiar faces.

That made the situation even more puzzling.

Why do people who are losers stay in their labs unless something really bad happens?

‘I think something’s wrong.’

At least it wasn’t a procession that conveyed a sense of welcome.

I kept a close eye on the situation without letting my guard down.

***

“Ahem, I’m sorry about this.”

The reception room of the rooftop tower.

As befitting the center of magic, it was filled with all sorts of magical phenomena.

Without me having to touch it, the kettle floated up on its own and filled the teacups with water.

The ornaments in the display case were dazzling as they swapped places with each other.

It was a feast for the eyes, like a makeshift circus show, but our circumstances did not allow us to observe it leisurely.

Colin, sitting in front of me, kept scratching the back of his head with an expression that looked like he was dying of apology.

“First of all, I would like you to explain. Wasn’t the reason you left the Magic Tower to study the relics?”

“No, it’s exactly as you explained. It seems like there was a problem with the procedures that followed.”

The handcuffs on Colin’s hands jingled.

It is a special product that seals magical power, created by the Juggernaut school he belongs to.

He continued speaking with a thin, muffled sigh.

“I’m wearing a hat that’s annoying. It’s the head of the Juggernet School, and it’s a hat that I didn’t even ask for.”

Before being called the Wanderer, he contributed greatly to the advancement of magical engineering and the development of common magic.

I knew he had a reputation for his achievements, but did he even rise to the position of school president?

When I was active in Matap, I heard that the position of the Juggernet School Leader was vacant, but either they just kept it a secret or they treated him like he didn’t exist internally.

“Being the head of a school comes with a lot of tedious duties. For example, you have to attend the school’s meetings at least once a quarter, or once a year. Is there also the disclosure of your personal research results? In any case, there are many other things.”

“… … Oh, by any chance?”

“You know, I’m a wanderer. I don’t care about duties or anything.”

As the benefits of being a magician belonging to the Magic Tower are varied, so too are the duties that follow.

If you are at the level of a school leader, it is common to have a personal secretary to take care of your schedule.

It was unreasonable to expect a wanderer who had returned after several years to take good care of it.

Even Colin was a free spirit by nature.

Maybe you forgot and didn’t even care.

‘You must have been waiting in the rooftop for a long time.’

It must have been very frustrating not to be able to easily replace the school leader and not be able to contact him.

If things had gone as planned, wouldn’t the position of the school leader have been quietly swapped after a discussion with Colin at the future magic tower?

But the story is that I brought him to the rooftop early and it blew up at this point.

“I’m sorry about this. I didn’t expect to be welcomed, but I thought I wouldn’t be treated badly. I’m so embarrassed to suddenly be treated as a fellow criminal.”

Colin looked like he wanted to hide in a hole.

He shamefully displayed his disgrace in front of the guardian of his new disciple.

I thought it was a mistake to establish dignity.

He was fascinated by Sage’s talent and watched me closely to see if I might change my mind.

“There’s nothing we can do about what’s already happened. What about the promises we made?”

Even though things turned out this way, I never doubted his skills or character.

It was only now that I found out that he was the school leader, so even if he was stripped of his position, I had no intention of leaving the sage to someone else.

The only thing I was worried about was the Druid’s legacy.

“That’s the problem.”

Colin shared my concerns.

“Until you stand trial, you will be restricted from doing anything, but since you came as my guest, you will be detained as well.”

“I guess we’ll have to wait until the trial is over.”

“I guess so.”

I wondered why things were going smoothly.

But it wasn’t like the schedule was completely off.

“How long do you think it will take?”

“If I admit my guilt, it will be over in a week at the earliest.”

“I guess I can wait that long.”

About a week.

Since I didn’t receive any special requests, I was able to waste my time like that.

“You don’t have to worry too much. It won’t interfere with your ability to teach students in the future, and sharing research projects is a common occurrence, so unless you’re specifically caught, it won’t be rejected… … .”

“No, you won’t be able to achieve any of your goals.”

The door suddenly opened without warning.

What had rushed in was a group of magicians with the common symbol of the pentagram carved into them.

The one who spoke was a dry, middle-aged man with a tough expression who stood at the front.

“… … Long time no see, Galen. How have you been?”

“I wish you wouldn’t greet me so warmly. I was doing well until you came. I thought I wouldn’t see you again until I died. What kind of whim is this?”

The tone of the conversation was not very pleasant.

It was uncomfortable to see them looking at each other with such displeasure, like they were mortal enemies.

Considering the relationship between the two, it was natural.

‘Gallen Busting, the nobleman.’

He was the head of the Illeman school, which dealt with the elements.

If we follow the tradition, it is a school with a long history that dates back to the establishment of Matap.

It was an antagonistic relationship with Juggernaut, a new school of thought that emerged with the advancement of the times.

Although he was a fallen noble, Galen was also a descendant of actual nobles.

It was natural that he, who valued dignity, would dislike Colin.

‘The person himself is not good.’

Arrogant, narrow-minded and obsessive.

He was the epitome of a wizard who lived for his own selfish desires.

Apart from its good performance, it was also the reason for its poor reputation.

I also clashed with him several times during the rounds when I had enemies on the roof.

His visits rarely came as a good omen.

I had a feeling this case would be the same.

“I came back with a guest and a new disciple. Did something go wrong?”

“Even if it was wrong, it was wrong for a long time. The Magic Tower is not cheap enough for you to shamelessly show off your face after abandoning your duty and running away under the weight of great pressure.”

“Abandoning your duty! I just forgot!”

“… … That’s even more problematic. It’s hard to believe that he’s a wizard belonging to a great, traditional magic tower.”

He shook his head and gestured to the group behind him.

“Take it and go.”

“What! What the hell is this!”

The wizards forcibly grabbed us by the shoulders and lifted us up.

It was a rough act of transporting a criminal.

“I told you before. You will never achieve any of your goals.”

Gellan licked his lips, looking down at the rebellious Colin haughtily.

“What would a wizard who is not part of the Magic Tower do in the Magic Tower?”

“What is that… … !”

“In this trial, you will lose the enemy of the Tower and be driven out. I plan to make it happen on my own responsibility.”

“Gallen!”

“Take him to the chairman. The trial can begin immediately.”

‘… … As expected.’

His visit was not a good omen.

I expected it to take a week, but it’s a same-day trial.

In the blink of an eye, the situation devolved into catastrophe.

***

Colin and Galen had a notorious feud.

They entered the Matap at the same time and studied in opposing schools.

Galen was a promising talent, while Colin was treated as a loser.

But contrary to expectations, it was Colin who showed outstanding performance.

In the end, he overcame many concerns and was selected as a disciple of Matapju.

Galen, who could not admit this, became resentful.

They had been fighting over each other, treating each other as a thorn in their side, and now they finally found an excuse.

So, my guess was that it happened like a flash of lightning.

‘Did Galen prepare for this?’

This was also an event that had never been experienced before in any of the previous episodes.

But it was worth it at the time.

Before Galen could do anything, Colin would have been demoted first at the Tower of Eden, having reached the limit of his patience.

“Did Colin say you were the guardian of the new disciple? You’re in for a shame.”

After taunting Colin as much as he wanted during the transport, Galen seemed satisfied and soon came over to me, a complete stranger.

“Don’t think of it as bad luck. No, it would be right to blame your poor judgment for holding the string wrong. But since you’ve crossed the threshold of the magic tower, consider it something to be proud of for the rest of your life.”

“Don’t you plan on making a fair decision in court even now?”

“Exile is the only just punishment. You gave me life, so it is mercy.”

Galen’s resolve was firm.

His eyes were burning brightly as he glanced at Colin.

I even felt a madness that made me want to somehow cut off the source of my inferiority complex.

‘… … I can’t do anything about it now that it’s come to this.’

At first, I just watched, but if I leave it alone, I won’t even be able to recover my initial investment.

‘I need to clean up the inside of the tower before I do anything with Colin.’

It wasn’t a problem that could be left to him alone.

If Colin were to be expelled, not only would Sage’s education be affected, but the druid’s relic collection would also be disrupted.

It was a hassle, but it was worth the effort.

“You will regret it.”

“Huh! Are you threatening me now? How dare you say that I am safe!”

“It’s not a threat.”

Fact notice.

Well, I’ve been through this before.

The reenactment wasn’t that difficult.

Because he is the person I kicked out of the tower.