The Ineligible of the Magic Tower

“Overlapping magic circles… the depth of the magic circle increased by four, but the amplification is only doubled… Just as I feared. It’s far too complex for the amount of amplification gained.”

“In other words, with a little ingenuity, we can obtain amplified ignition mana, right?”

The research with Avant-garde, though small, did yield some results.

My problem is my ignition mana is critically low. What’s the point of designing elaborate magic circles if I don’t have the mana to activate and control them?

I can use my mana to turn on and off completed magic tools, but it’s difficult to cast magic on the spot. I can barely use combat-level magic with every ounce of my strength.

Naturally, this earns me a failing grade in this floating city teeming with monstrous mages.

“But overlapping magic circles are too convoluted. To replenish the mana needed to start a magic circle with the magic circle itself? It’s like picking up a fork with chopsticks, and then using that fork to fork something else.”

“Oh, I can do that.”

I’ve tried it when I was bored. It’s surprisingly doable.

“…I know you’re resourceful, junior! But it’s unrealistic and inefficient. Fingers should hold the fork, not chopsticks! The reactivity is also much lower!”

“What can I do if my fingers are abnormally short? What’s impossible is impossible.”

What can I do. Mana control and mana sensing are said to be not ‘ordinary’ abilities.

Avant-garde seemed more frustrated by my indifferent reply than I was.

“Junior. Aren’t you resentful? To be forced out of the floating city because of mana, despite possessing such intellect?”

“Ordinary people who couldn’t come to the floating city all have their own circumstances. I’m no different from them.”

“No! You’re different…! You, who has mastered at least knowledge!”

A mage’s brilliance was apparently separate from the ability to express emotions in words. Avant-garde kept trying to say something, but stopped just before the sentence formed.

It was as we were walking along the crystal tower. Someone approached. Avant-garde looked at the other party and flinched in fear.

“Hughes. Any progress?”

The tenth floor. Mage Lord Johannes of the double-digit floor. No longer even called a disciple, the great mage who studies on his own and no longer receives instruction.

One of only five in this crystal tower, a Tower Preceptor.

He had guarded this tower for longer than the Azure Tower Lord and possessed deeper knowledge in certain fields. A mage who was purely a researcher.

The aged man was casting a benevolent gaze upon me. I bowed my head in greeting.

“Lord Johannes. Thanks to your consideration, I am researching well.”

“And the results?”

“There was some progress… but frankly, it’s far from sufficient. It’s only natural, I suppose, trying to compensate for lacking ability with tricks.”

“Haha. Indeed. Righteousness would hardly be righteousness if it were otherwise.”

Johannes offered me a gentle smile, encouraging me. “With an intellect such as yours, you may yet find an answer someday. Persevere.”

“Thank you.”

“I must be going now. Do not hesitate to ask if you require anything at all.”

*A pity, a pity. Even a genius such as he is thwarted by the wall of talent, unable to realize his potential…*

They say people become more lenient as they age. Except for mages, that is.

Mages are those who must immerse themselves in their own world. And an old mage is said to be a true, undiluted concentrate of eccentricity, fermented for as many years as they’ve lived. Best not to deal with them.

The eccentricity of mages is so well-known that such rumors circulate, yet the old mage before me seemed to be a man of impeccable character to anyone who looked at him.

*If he had magic, he’d be even more difficult than Lankarht. His way with words is exceptional, and his personality isn’t bad either… Such a waste. With a mind like his, he’d have made a good assistant.*

Of course, that was the empathy I could afford to show, knowing I could never be a competitor.

I have a deficiency. With so little mana, I cannot directly threaten their positions. And because everyone knows this, the Crystal Tower has accepted me with such generosity.

What if mana were to suddenly awaken within me? How would they treat me then? Lord Johannes, at the very least, would regard me with caution. Just as he does Lankarht.

“Senior Hyuz, not yet. There are dozens of mana amplification techniques. Surely one of them will aid you!”

Avangarde was cheering me on with sincerity… But I don’t know. It’s starting to feel hopeless. Once the Descent passes, I’ll have to study on my own in the Lower Realm. Can I really discover a method alone, without the support of the Crystal Tower?

As I swallowed my melancholy and forced a smile, Avangarde, fidgeting, suddenly embraced my arm tightly. Is this supposed to be comfort…? Hmm. Perhaps it’s the soft body of someone who never exercises. But it *is* comforting.

It was then that the elevator doors opened and the Blue Tower Lord emerged. Striding forward with purpose, the Blue Tower Lord noticed Avangarde and me and observed with interest. She hesitated for a moment, but Avangarde’s presence was no reason for her to hold back. The Blue Tower Lord strode over and patted Avangarde on the shoulder.

“Hello, Avangarde. Sorry to interrupt a pleasant time, but could I borrow him for a moment?”

“Y-yes? Lady Elisia?!”

“It must be hard dealing with my disciple. I just had an idea and came to reclaim him for a while.”

The Tower Lord of the Crystal Tower. The guardian of the history and knowledge of the Crystallic School. At the Blue Tower Lord’s request, Avangarde recoiled in surprise and released my arm. He kept glancing at me, looking somewhat regretful, but there was nothing I could do for him at this moment.

“Senior Avangarde. See you later. I’ll visit you when I’m done.”

“O-okay…!”

Avangarde nodded and scurried away. He lingered just around the corner of the hallway, peeking at me, but I decided to pretend I didn’t notice.

The Blue Tower Lord asked me, “How were the results?”

“Just as you predicted.”

“If there were a no-risk method of amplifying mana, every mage in the world would be using it. It’s only to be expected.”

“Come to tease, have you?”

“Perish the thought. Even when I tease, I don’t do it empty-handed. Ta-dah.”

The Azure Tower Lord held up four gems clasped between their fingers. Gems swirling with crimson magic from within. Crystal formations I’d seen enough of to last a lifetime in the Crystal Tower.

“Magic-infused crystals, high crystals, aren’t they? Judging by the type, bloodstones, perhaps?”

“Indeed.”

“If they’re high crystals brought personally by the Azure Tower Lord, they must be exceptional… But, well. I wonder if they can truly resolve my problem?”

“My disciple’s had a hard time of it, it seems. Complaining up a storm.”

A smirk playing on their lips, the Azure Tower Lord held the gems in hand and gestured for me to approach.

“Showing them off here is a bit much. Shall we retire to my chambers?”

“By all means.”

With floors and walls comprised entirely of crystal, the Azure Tower Lord’s chambers exuded the same overwhelming presence as always. Now accustomed to it, I took a seat, and the Azure Tower Lord, as was their habit, poured heated tea into a crystal cup and offered it to me.

Taking a slow sip, and setting the cup down as a signal, the Azure Tower Lord broached the subject.

“Do you recognize what these high crystals are?”

“High crystals are crystals oversaturated with magic. Because magic must be contained in the gems beyond their limit, it requires the design and control of a high-ranking mage. And since the master of the Crystallomancy school, the Azure Tower Lord, crafted them by hand, they must possess tremendous value.”

Accustomed to my sudden praise, the Azure Tower Lord responded casually.

“Anyone can sing praises. Though you do have a knack for it. But that’s not what I’m asking. Tell me what peculiarities you’ve observed.”

Tch. Perhaps my flattery is losing its effectiveness. I pretended to examine the high crystals intently, reading the Azure Tower Lord’s mind and repeating it verbatim.

“The fluidity is unusually high. Magic is leaking out without even touching them. They’re far too unstable for high crystals… surely the Azure Tower Lord hasn’t made a mistake, so is there a reason for this?”

“There is.”

The Azure Tower Lord reached out and pulled my left hand towards them. Then, smoothly rolling up my sleeve, they removed the bracelet I was wearing. With such bold movements that I abandoned all resistance, the Azure Tower Lord revealed my hidden secret.

A bio-terminal. An Aki Avatar branded onto the bodies of all citizens of the militant nation.

To put it nicely, an Aki Avatar. A magical method for measuring the human body and creating a conduit for injecting magic from the outside. Its primary purpose is to identify and restrain the nation’s citizens.

“Traces of a ‘Human Catalyst’ ritual, typical dark magic. Looks rather uncomfortable.”

Looking displeased at the bio-terminal, the Azure Tower Lord clicked their tongue and inserted the high crystal into my bio-terminal.

A magic-infused crystal is entering my body. I feigned surprise but didn’t pull away. I had already foreseen what the high crystal was for.

The instant the high crystal seeped into my bio-terminal, I could feel an overflowing surge of magic, even with my dulled senses.

“Oh? You can feel the magic?”

“Bloodstones possess properties most similar to the human body. Magic was imbued into the bloodstones and given fluidity. So that the magic flowing from the high crystals could permeate you. How does it feel?”

“I can feel the magic, I suppose… But the gem’s magic isn’t my own, so I can’t control it as I wish.”

“One cannot expect to be full on the first bite. Not even me. Above all, this is still not completely adjusted.”

With a light flick of Blue Tower Master’s wrist, the high-crystal embedded in my bio-terminal sprang free with a *thunk*. He appraised its state with magic sense, then scribbled something with a fountain pen.

“Recorded your heartbeat and mana flow. I’ll adjust the high-crystal to sync with your pulse. That’ll make it easier to tap into the mana within the gem.”

“Oh…! It’s not like I *don’t* have mana, just not enough. If the dispersing mana of the high-crystal piggybacks on my own, I can enjoy a mana amplification effect!”

“Spot on, my student. Can’t push it past the principle of diminishing returns, of course. But I reckon we can reach a 1.8x amplification.”

“It’s a blessing to have such an exceptional mentor! Thank you! I’ll always hold you in high esteem!”

Technically, it’s akin to doping, and once the high-crystal’s mana depletes, I’ll revert to normal, but still, this is something. Such minor advancements, accumulated, are the seeds of great discoveries.

Blue Tower Master scrutinized the high-crystal, then asked as an aside, “How’s Avant-Garde? You two are always together these days.”

“Avant-Garde, the senior? He’s a good senior. Compared to a refined mage like you, Blue Tower Master, his level is lower, but he shares his know-how from a less elevated perspective, so I learn a lot.”

I subtly laid it on thick that you’re my one true mentor. Senior Avant-Garde is useful, but doesn’t hold a candle to Blue Tower Master. When there’s a superior and an inferior, you should always elevate the superior, after all.

Blue Tower Master gave an enigmatic smile. “Just as Lancart said.”

“Hm? What is?”

“I understand now what kind of genius you are.”

Out of the blue. What expectations could he possibly have of someone like me, who hasn’t accomplished anything yet?

He twirled his fountain pen as I stared blankly, and then began to explain.

“Avant-Garde is a master of mana amplification through resonance alignment. A mage who concentrates on the scale of mana itself. Fifth floor too. Not a high level, which is what makes it easier for him to keep pace with you. He’s the most helpful mage for you right now, wouldn’t you say?”

“Yes, he is. I’m receiving a lot of help.”

“How did you end up choosing Avant-Garde?”

“I didn’t choose him. Senior Avant-Garde challenged me to a duel. He offered to teach me if he won, and it turned out he knew a lot.”

I was rather lucky. It’s not easy for something like that to happen…

“Rumors were circulating that you were lacking in mana. Unable to control it or sense it. Having someone with those deficits receiving tutelage from a tower master of the Crystal Spire was bound to cause a reaction.”

“Turf wars exist everywhere, after all. Doesn’t bother me.”

“Indeed, it wouldn’t. Considering *you* were the one who spread the rumors, that is.”

*Tch*. I averted my gaze, licking my lips. Blue Tower Master fixed me with a stare and smiled.

“I never mentioned your mana deficiency outside, mind you. What kind of mentor would broadcast their student’s weaknesses? Even if you weren’t my student, I wouldn’t point out another’s shortcomings.”

*Because most people are inferior to me, and I’d never stop pointing things out if I started.*

How wonderful.

“But rumors had already spread throughout the Crystal Spire. They wanted a sure bet, so they challenged you. Avant-Garde, being the lowest ranked mage researching mana amplification, probably wanted to jump at the chance.”

“Just my good fortune.”

“That… truly was luck?”

The Azure Tower Lord, with a gaze that seemed to penetrate my very being, posed the question. I gave a frank nod in response.

“Yes. Luck. Even if I were to design it, there’s no guarantee they’d follow through. Humans are fickle creatures, after all.”