Equivalent Exchange of Emotion

Already half a month since arriving at the Floating Fortress. While Hughes was consumed by study in the Crystal Tower, Shay dedicated himself to recovery.

He’d fought a fierce battle with Nevida at the Root Tree, suffered the major injury of having both arms torn off, and pushed himself even after they were barely reattached. He’d even wielded a power that shouldn’t exist in this era, though he doesn’t remember it.

No matter how skilled his chi cultivation, or how precious his elixirs, the injury was too great. Only after Shay suppressed his rampaging chi and consumed elixirs and nourishing foods could he begin to recover. He clenched and unclenched his slightly trembling hands, readjusting his senses.

“There’s still some awkwardness in my movements. Though it doesn’t matter much, since I’ll control my entire body with sensory chi when I’m using strength….”

Injuries are injuries, and scars are scars. Shay isn’t a vampire; being torn apart and reattached left its mark on Shay’s body.

There was a crystal screen within the Mage Federation. Shay approached it and pressed the second gemstone. With a crystalline whir, the screen flipped, transforming into a mirror reflecting Shay. Gazing silently at his reflection, he stiffly removed his shirt.

A well-defined, healthy body was reflected in the crystal screen. Long ago, he’d been thin and unimpressive, but his body, honed through repeated regressions, now showed clear results.

However, the scars surrounding his shoulders stood out like blemishes.

Blood Manipulation, chi cultivation, elixirs, and Hughes’s surgery. They had reattached everything smoothly, but the scars remained. Though Shay rarely paid attention to his own body, seeing the large scars filled him with a strange, bitter feeling.

But soon, he shook his head, casting off his worries.

“It’s the body I’ll return to when I regress anyway, so what. It’s strange to even care.”

He didn’t even know why he was feeling this way. He’d never indulged in such self-pity about injuries before.

“Guess it’s from not moving my body. Too many stray thoughts.”

Shay re-bandaged herself and put her clothes back on. She glanced at the mirror that had been silently reflecting her, then turned back to the screen and spun around.

“Maybe I’ll go to the Crystal Tower.”

Studying’s never been my forte, but maybe I can pick up some magical knowledge.

And Hughes will be there.

Shay visited the Crystal Tower.

And witnessed Hughes wielding his hammer.

“Haaah! Crystal Amber!”

A mage cried out with surprising strength, hunching over. Immediately after, crystals sprouted from his body, encasing him tightly. Like a bug trapped in amber, the solidified mage rolled clumsily down the hallway.

Crystal Amber, a defensive spell devised by Amber, a disciple on the Crystal Tower’s sixth floor. It created a solid crystal around the caster, protecting them from attacks.

I slowly circled the mage trapped in crystal, scribbling on my paper.

“Casting time satisfactory. Crystal formation satisfactory. Caster’s condition… Ah, Senior. If you can hear me, roll your eyes up and down… Satisfactory.”

So far, so good. I nodded, then picked up the hammer I had set down and brought it down hard on Amber’s crystal. *Clang!* Shards of shattered crystal flew in all directions, and the recoil vibrated through my fingertips.

“Crystal strength satisfactory. Hmm, excellent. You could submit this to the demonstration showcase.”

*’Wait! The crystal’s too strong, I can’t break free! Help me, Hughes! I can’t breathe!’*

“Scratch that last statement. Still some tweaking to be done. We need to alter the structure to allow for internal crystal disintegration.”

Guess the effect was a little *too* good. I tied a rope around the trapped senior’s crystal, easily hefted it, and tossed it into the central elevator. A mage who was riding the elevator up just then saw the senior trapped in the crystal and gasped in surprise. I spoke to the mage.

“Senior Glacia. Please send Senior Amber to Senior Ditrox on the seventh floor. Tell him we need his crystal-melting abilities.”

“O-oh… Ditrox? That senior’s scary…”

“Just say I sent you. That I’ll forget about him dissolving my High Crystal last time. Understood?”

“Y-yes…”

The mage nodded and went up with the senior’s crystal. I turned away, not even watching him go.

“Senior Avant-garde.”

“Oh! Yes…!”

Avant-garde, who had been waiting nearby, rushed over like a puppy when I called her. I paused walking for a moment until she caught up. Avant-garde stuck close to my side, and we started walking together.

“We arranged to borrow Senior Amber’s lab today. We’ll be practicing layered magic circles there. Of course, Senior Avant-garde will be. I don’t have any mana, so I’ll just be observing from behind.”

“U-um… Junior!”

“Yes?”

“I, I’ve discovered a new method for mana amplification… It’s called Resonance Amplification… Maybe…”

Avant-garde, as if having made some great decision, hesitated, trying to get the words out.

“Hughes-nim, Disciple of the Sixth Floor. A guest is here.”

“Pardon?”

Turning at the sound of my name, I saw the apprentice mage from the first floor, Shay in tow, calling out to me. I excused myself to Avant-garde and approached them.

“Ordinarily, we shouldn’t allow outside guests past the lower levels, but…”

“I appreciate it. Thank you. I’ll repay the favor someday.”

“…Please carry on your work comfortably. I always hold you in high regard.”

The apprentice mage, barely on the third floor, bowed deeply and retreated. Last time, I gave him a few high-crystal shards from the eighth floor, and he’s been offering me various conveniences since then. You see, it pays to treat people well. You get something back in return.

‘…Strange. Hughes seems so at home here, like he’s been here for years. Did he brainwash them or something?’

You don’t need years to become friends with someone. And definitely not brainwashing. Do you need brainwashing to befriend people?

“Shay-ssi. What brings you all the way to this crystal tower?”

“Ah, just… I’ve recovered, so I thought I’d try learning some magic.”

‘Saying I’m bored and have nothing to do… is a little embarrassing.’

So, bored.

The Floating City is the core of the Magic Federation and a city in the sky ruled by the Demon King. Extremely safe and stable. It’s a stroke of luck, maybe, but the only thing you can gain from the Floating City is magic.

“Is that so? I was just about to practice layered magic circles. Would you like to observe, Shay-ssi?”

“Layered magic circles? What’s that?”

“It’s a method of artificially creating magic power distortion by overlapping two magic circles, and using that distortion to amplify the magic power. The complexity doubles and it’s difficult to control because it’s unstable, but the amplification is tremendous. My only weakness is low magic power, so I’m aiming for magic power amplification through layered magic circles.”

“Hmm…. Ah, that thing?”

‘What thing? Aren’t magic circles just drawings? You can amplify magic power with them?’

Look at her nodding along, pretending to understand when she doesn’t have a clue. How much easier would it be if she just admitted she didn’t know.

Shay put on her regression-induced facade.

“I’ll take a look too. Maybe I can be of assistance.”

“Yes. Follow me. Avant-garde senpai, Shay-ssi wants to observe as well. Is that alright?”

“Ugh….”

Avant-garde’s face was contorted with dissatisfaction.

“U-um, senpai! You shouldn’t show the crystal tower’s knowledge to outsiders!”

“Well, Shay-ssi does have a badge, doesn’t she? A guest one, but still.”

“B-but! This is my research! Even guests can’t just look at someone else’s research!”

‘Who is this woman, suddenly showing up out of nowhere!’

Avant-garde stubbornly opposed. Hmm. What to do. If I send Shay away, that’ll become annoying as well. But I can’t disregard Avant-garde either.

“I should soothe you.” I said, facing Avangarde.

“It’s our research, isn’t it? A mana amplification method for me, jointly researched by Avangarde sunbae and I.”

“That’s right! Our research!”

“But, Avangarde sunbae. I’m desperate. This isn’t a time to be picky about means or methods.”

“Huh?”

I lowered my gaze, wearing an expression of near-resignation, and continued.

“The Descent is in a week, right? When the Floating Fortress descends near the Lower Realm, I have to disembark from the Fortress and prepare for the Ascension Gate.”

The Floating Fortress is a place only the most select of the Chosen can come. The fact that I’m even here is a kind of privilege.

They can’t just toss me out, so they let me stay for now, but I have to leave the Floating Fortress when the Descent happens. I only have a week left.

It’s enough time to learn the knowledge of the Crystal Spire, but it’s too short to fix my chronic constitution.

“I can’t afford to be choosy about people or methods. If I go down to the Lower Realm like this, I’ll fail due to a lack of mana before I even get to the Ascension Gate.”

Then Avangarde shook his head, shouting.

“Ah, no…! Hubae. You absolutely must come to the Crystal Spire! If you’re here, the Crystal Spire can break its long stagnation and rise even higher! I, too, became a disciple of the Sixth Floor thanks to you!”

“I want that too. In order to do that, I need a method to amplify my innate mana.”

“I’ll find it for you!”

“I trust you will. But, not searching for other methods is just self-indulgence. As sunbae searches, I must diligently search too. Even if it means receiving someone’s help.”

Though Shea was unlikely to be of any help.

Avangarde couldn’t win against me either. With a disgruntled expression, he went to Amber’s lab, inserted the disposable key, and channeled mana through it. The disposable crystal key melted away, and Amber’s lab opened.

Shea grumbled, looking at Avangarde.

“What is it? Getting all worked up over watching a little magic.”

“I have to get worked up. Even gigong masters try to hide the fact that they’re training when trying to hide a weakness, how much more so for magic? This is a Magic Tower. Follow the common sense of mages.”

“…Oh, so you’ve become a mage now! Good for you!”

I could say for sure. Shea was of no help whatsoever.

“Why are you amplifying such a small amount of mana? And the amplification isn’t even that much?”

Shea said listlessly, staring at the flow of mana with her seven-colored eyes.

Mana? Shea has frequent contact with all sorts of treasures and relics, and drinks all kinds of elixirs. Her mana capacity is comparable to that of the Tower Lord.

Mana sensing? Shea’s seven-colored eyes even visualize mana. In addition, her unique sensitivity makes her react sensitively to all kinds of power.

Truly a talent as if born for magic.

There was a reason why the Green Tower Lord called her Chosen, and why the Azure Tower Lord tried to take her as a disciple.

She was the complete opposite of me.

Including comprehension, too.

“The mana flowing through the magic circle isn’t mine, is it? I’m saying I need to raise my starting mana! Please distinguish between starting mana and manifesting mana.”

“Enough, newbie. It’s no use talking to you. Let’s just do it ourselves.”

Avant-garde was treating Shay like a complete simpleton. Accurate insight, worthy of a mage.

Shay was a simpleton, but a simpleton who knew when he was being treated like one. With a pouty face, Shay perched on a chair and asked,

“Hughes. You really intend to become a mage?”

Well. What do you think?

I cut off Avant-garde, who looked ready to explode, and answered.

“Shay, I think I’ve finally found my calling.”

“What do you mean?”

“Actually, it was weirder that I was trying to brute force everything with my body until now. People should do what they’re suited for. Someone with a lofty and brilliant intellect like me should do work befitting it.”

“You really intend to ascend the Dragon Gate and learn magic at the Floating City?”

“Yes. Who knows? If my chronic lack of mana is resolved, I might gain an incredible card to play!”

‘Certainly. If you’re a king, you can use magic. Even the Demon God can, so why couldn’t you?’

“And wouldn’t a magic-adept me be even more helpful to you, Shay?”

It was meant to be persuasive, but Shay considered it for a moment and then shook his head.

“Not really. You’re sufficient as you are now.”

How can he say such heart-fluttering things so nonchalantly? It was probably a thoughtless remark, but anyway.

“They say those who ascend the Dragon Gate can receive special advice from the Demon King. Whatever question you have, the Demon King will answer with whatever knowledge he has.”

“Wait. The Demon King?”

Shay’s expression changed at the mention of the Demon King. The only person Shay has business with at the Floating City is the Demon King.

The Demon King, holding the button for the Star of Destruction, ‘Pride,’ was a crucial key.

“Yes. If I ascend the Dragon Gate and have a one-on-one meeting with the Demon King. Wouldn’t that be the greatest achievement of all?”

“You haven’t forgotten.”

“How could I forget? Something so important. That’s the highest priority.”

‘And here I was thinking you were putting Pride on the back burner while you learned magic.’

Having unloaded one worry, Shay got up from his seat with a light heart. He headed towards the lab door with a refreshed face that was a complete contrast to when he arrived.

“I don’t think I’ll be of help. Do your best, Hughes. I’ll make some moves too.”

“Yes. See you later.”

“And… Avant-garde? Take good care of Hughes.”

“Tch!”

A clicking of the tongue escaped Avant-garde. Shay, wearing the smile of a victor, cheerfully departed the laboratory, unfazed by the sound.

So, he was simply bored. If it improved his mood, that was enough.

“Focus, junior! You said you were short on time; stop dawdling!”

For some reason, Avant-garde seemed to grow more irritated as Shay became more cheerful. What’s with you now.