Chapter 132 – New Attendant

It was the gate guarded by the leadership of the Dharma Mage Division.

The presence of Zodiac was a bonus.

‘The possible means would be Starfall, Arcane Flower, and about the Great Big Bang.’

Among these, Starfall and the Arcane Flower could not be utilized.

Since Starfall was magic that only a Grand Dharma Officer could handle.

‘Then the only one left is the Great Big Bang.’

But this was also a headache just the same.

‘Do I have to trade with the Face Changer?’

Its power was not at all inferior to the previous two spells, but the problem was that its caster was a crazy mage called the Face Changer.

‘Wait, no. Maybe it’s actually fine?’

He was a mage who would do anything for money.

As long as there was money, that is.

‘I have plenty of money. This would rather be better.’

“Karl, deploy the investigators and look for a mage named Face Changer.”

Karl reacted.

“The Face Changer? It’s a mage I am hearing of for the first time.”

“There is such a person. But the location isn’t specified. He could be in the Balt Empire, or he could be on the Sky Island. Anyway, deploy as many people as possible to look for him. Once you find him, tell him I want to make a deal.”

“A deal? I understand. I will deploy as many investigators as possible to search.”

Karl departed.

Rashid, thinking about the meeting with him, also felt the necessity of a Plan B.

‘I shouldn’t rely solely on him. In case we fail to find him after all, I have to target it in another way.’

Rashid went to visit Kaiser, who was detained in the basement.

Since visitation was free, he had already called party members and was in the middle of talking with them.

“Please excuse us for a moment. I have something to discuss with the Party Representative.”

At Rashid’s words, the visiting party leadership excused themselves for a moment.

Rashid occupied that spot in their stead.

“Is there really no Arcane Flower left?”

“Didn’t I tell you already? We used it all up.”

“You’ve already used up all that good stuff?”

“Yes, we used it all up to stop Kane’s plan. You know, don’t you? That a significant amount of Arcane Flower was used when we blew up the Magic Tower back then.”

He knew that, but the regret was still there.

“Can’t you make more?”

Kaiser showed a troubled look.

“That is… it was an item Kane was involved in. If Professor Kane were alive we could get help, but currently it is just a distant prospect.”

“Didn’t Professor Kane only assist in the development process?”

“He did assist, and he also led the manufacturing itself. Practically, without him, you can consider the Arcane Flower to be finished.”

“What about the blueprints?”

“We have them, but the most crucial part is a blank. It would be in Kane’s head.”

“Sigh… to think we don’t have that good stuff.”

“I am the one who is actually regretful. But why are you so obsessed with the Arcane Flower?”

Rashid informed him about the assault on the gate.

“If it’s about that… Starfall immediately comes to mind. Or go find the Face Changer. Doesn’t he have the Big Bang?”

“I thought about the Big Bang too. But you know, right? Whether that crazy mage will help or not is a complete unknown.”

“Still, wouldn’t it be guaranteed in front of money?”

“Nothing must go wrong in the assault on the gate. If we attack once and fail, the next time will be even harder. Right now they might let their guard down slightly, but the second time they absolutely won’t.”

Additional explanation followed.

“Furthermore, it is a structure the Dharma Mage Division is building with all its might. It’s crawling with mages. If we fail, we won’t be able to stop the construction of the gate.”

“Or… how about striking the Mana Ore Vein directly underneath?”

“You want me to do something that crazy? If we do that, not just the gate, but the entire land will be blown away. Moreover, all the mines connected to the Mana Ore Vein will lose their function.”

“They say the world is perishing, so do those mere mines matter?”

“Anyway, no.”

Why did he say no?

Kaiser grinned.

“You bought it. The land connected to that ore vein. No wonder, I was wondering how you bought a bike that is unfitting for an inquisitor’s salary.”

Rashid couldn’t make an excuse either.

“It’s my retirement. It’s not like I’m printing national bonds like someone, is it?”

“Anyway, the Mana Ore Vein is a no-go. Ah, I found a way.”

Rashid focused on him.

“Did you find some good move?”

“That is… actually, the manufacturing of the Arcane Flower itself is possible for us too. We just don’t know the core process. But isn’t there one more technician besides Professor Kane?”

Who that was could be known without difficulty.

“That teaching assistant? The woman referred to as the little witch?”

“Yes, that woman. What happened to her after the incident back then?”

Rashid furrowed his brow as if in thought.

“I don’t know either. Because I haven’t contacted her since then.”

“Bring that little witch to me. Then we might be able to print the Arcane Flower again.”

Whether having the same thought, Rashid was already nodding.

“Fine. I will look for her. Searching for people is no big deal.”

What was certain was…

it was easier to find her than the Face Changer whose whereabouts were unclear.

So, when he returned to his office and requested Karl,

he could hear an unexpected reply.

“You were in contact?”

“Yes, it wasn’t intentional, but we were personally exchanging messages.”

It was surprising.

To think they were in contact when there didn’t seem to be such a large point of contact.

‘Fascinating.’

Since it was personal business,

Rashid, asking no further, said to Karl,

“Can you bring her here? It’s because I have something to ask about the Arcane Flower.”

“I will try to persuade her.”

To say he would try to persuade her rather than bring her…

it was a moment where suspicion solidified into a bit of certainty.

“More importantly, what is that child doing these days?”

“She is graduating soon, so she is looking for a job.”

Rashid stroked his chin for a moment.

Originally, her destiny was to become a witch or a member of the Magic Tower.

“It’s not like dating is impossible just because one is an investigator. If you want, I can seat her next to you. How about it?”

“No, it’s not. I wasn’t contacting her with that kind of intention.”

“No. Aside from that, a mage advisor was always needed anyway. And you will also improve a lot if there is a mage beside you.”

Rashid asked further.

“Seeing you naturally deploy silent barriers, your skills seem to have improved quite a bit. How much did they improve?”

“It did improve a little after receiving help. But it is still very lacking.”

Help from whom?

A question arose, but he decided not to ask.

“There’s no need to neglect magic too much just because it’s the Order. To catch the enemy, you eventually must know about the enemy. Anyway, bring her here. To this place.”

“Yes, I understand.”

* * *

[The mask worn by vampires becomes the fashion of the streets -Capital News-]

[Mask craze spreads nationwide… The start was ‘that vampire’ -Imperial Daily-]

The craze of wearing masks, which started in the Vampire Order,

was now covering the entire Capital.

In the trend-setting social gatherings, it was now a situation where everyone wore masks and laughed.

This was something that had never happened before, a social phenomenon Rashid was also experiencing for the first time.

And today,

Rashid intended to draw a future that he had also never faced even once.

Knock, knock!

Revealing herself after the knock was she who came to visit.

“You’re here? Come over here and sit.”

After Karl brought her and left the room, Luna stood awkwardly before walking to the seat Rashid pointed to and sitting down cautiously.

When she let out a soft gasp while looking around the neatly organized room,

Rashid, sitting in the seat of honor, spoke to her first.

“Have you been doing well since then?”

Her expression became gloomy, and she showed several complex expressions.

“I’m overcoming it bit by bit.”

“I’m sorry about Professor Kane’s matter. But you are an adult now. Of course, I know it’s not an easy thing, but still, you must overcome such things easily.”

“Yes…”

“By any chance, do you resent me?”

She shook her head immediately.

“No. I don’t resent the inquisitor for that. The Professor… clearly committed a wrongdoing.”

“Is that so? Then that is a relief. I thought you resented me even a little.”

“No way. The Professor committed too great of a sin for that. And… to me as well.”

Nodding, Rashid slowly began to broach the subject.

“I heard the gist of the story from Karl. I hear you stay in contact with each other?”

“Pardon? No. It’s just that he asked me to help him learn magic, so I only helped him a little.”

She even waved her hands.

“It’s absolutely not romance or anything like that!”

“It’s fine to contact each other personally. So you don’t have to worry too much.”

Luna was surprised.

“Pardon? Aren’t investigator monks supposed to distance themselves from the opposite sex?”

“That is not necessarily the case. Of course, if he were an ordinary investigator, it would be a taboo. But Karl is my attendant. His position is closer to an attendant rather than an investigator. So he can be somewhat free from the rules of investigators. If he discards the investigator title entirely, he will be even freer.”

“I didn’t know that. The Order… somehow felt like a very stuffy place.”

“I heard from Karl. You are looking for a job after graduating?”

“Pardon? Yes…”

“Is there a place you have in mind?”

“I’m looking around here and there.”

Luna spoke while watching his reaction.

“I’m not sure if it’s okay to say this to the inquisitor…”

“You can speak comfortably like before. Since you are a person of the Magic Tower.”

“Recent invitation from the Purgatory Witches did fly in. There is an entrance exam, but…”

Rashid said flatly.

“Should a precious talent like you really pay attention to something like a witch that the world doesn’t look kindly upon?”

“Still, I heard the performance bonuses are very high. They say it’s a place where you take as much as you perform…”

She also expressed the difficulties she was currently experiencing.

“And since the Professor who was sponsoring me passed away, living has become very tight lately…”

Rashid scribbled a figure on a blank check he had prepared in advance and placed it in front of her.

“It’s 10,000 credits.”

Her eyes opened wide.

“1-10,000 credits?”

It was an amount she had never seen or touched in her life.

Since her balance had never exceeded 100 credits.

“Would you work here? Doing inquisitor work, the help of a mage is needed in many ways without realizing it. With your skills, I think it wouldn’t be bad to work together.”

She asked with curiosity.

“Aren’t we unable to work here? I heard the people of the Order… extremely hate people of the Magic Tower. They just hate magic itself. They call it Satan’s study…”

“There’s nothing wrong with that. Everyone probably hates it. But separately from that, it is absolutely necessary.”

His words continued.

“As you know, the people of the Order are ignorant of magic. They distance themselves from it, calling it Satan, but they cannot actually throw it away. And this world has no intention of abandoning magic either. In the end, it means we must walk together even if we hate it.”

The offer that followed was one she could not easily refuse.

“If you come to work here, you may keep that as is. Originally, the position of an attendant is not a high-earning job, but I plan to take care of you separately. The salary will be similar to that, and I will also give you separate performance bonuses.”

If she became a witch, what she earned would be more than that.

Therefore, Rashid did not think the amount he presented was excessive.

“Of course, this is what I am paying privately. This is the Order, and I also earn a meager salary. Do not expect anything from the Order. This is entirely my decision.”

Having frozen in front of the 10,000 credits,

she cautiously asked,

“Um… Inquisitor. Will my salary separately come from the Order?”

Rashid’s lips curved slightly.

“Of course it comes separately. Furthermore, everything you receive here is tax-free. How could they dare levy taxes on a servant who follows God.”