In the end, we all headed down to the Magic Tower together amicably. The Temple seemed somewhat inclined to dissuade us from doing so, but they didn't stop us in the end.

Though they did tell us to watch out for snakes and to send over anyone who got hurt.

For reference, while coming down, the Berserker attempted parkour just as she had warned.

I would like to go on and on about it, but to compress it as much as possible, it meant that DeB almost got his skull cracked open.

"From now on, I will absolutely do it alone."

"Are you backing out over just that, young hunter!"

"Stop forcing a path only you can take, you maniac!"

"It was quite helpful. It was somewhat difficult to keep up with the speed, but... I didn't know there were so many paths to take other than the road."

While DeB expressed disgust, saying that wasn't parkour, the Inquisitor tightly clenched her fists. Seeing her green eyes and flushed cheeks sparkling with a fresh light, it seemed to have been a pretty good experience for her.

From an observer's perspective, she didn't seem to have much aptitude for it, though.

"Demon Knight, next time you should also...!"

'No way. At least not in this city!'

I desperately averted my eyes from Kimchi Dumpling's sparkling gaze. If she thought that would lower my attack power, she was dead wrong, punk.

"Now, now, let's go inside."

At that moment, the Archmage calmly led us inside. The Magic Tower, which stood in the middle of the lake, welcomed us with its doors thrown wide open.

The design looked as if the dome portion of St. Peter's Basilica or St. Paul's Cathedral had been snapped right off and placed there.

"I thought the Magic Tower building was small, but the main building is entirely underwater...?"

"It wasn't originally like this, but it ended up this way as the city developed and the waterways shifted. Still, since the water keeps the noise from leaking out, both the Mages and the residents are satisfied with it, which is fortunate."

Regardless, to enter the Magic Tower, we had to get all the way over there.

We walked along the path laid over the lake. The water sloshing on both sides really made it feel like being on a boat. Even though it wasn't a suspension bridge but a firmly fixed one, it bizarrely made my stomach churn.

Is this also why there are no people passing by?

"The moment a crack appears in the walls, we all drown en masse..."

"Don't say such scary things. And it won't break that easily. Ever since it began to be submerged in water, the very first thing the Mages took care of was safety."

Usually, when you're that confident, it's the first thing to break. Though since it's a lake and not the sea, it at least seems easier to swim in.

I preemptively kept an eye on the direction where the shore was closest as I took my steps into the Magic Tower.

Through the open doorway, I could see things like an information desk. The interior decorations were simpler than I expected, but objectively speaking, they were on the extravagant side.

"I have come to see the Fierce White Wind. May I go in?"

"The Great Sage? Do you have an appointment...?"

The Archmage presented her token instead of an answer. At the proof that she was a Great Sage, the person at the desk leaped up. The legs that had been sitting stiffly straightened out, and their waist bent to form a 90-degree bow.

"I will guide you to the research ward!"

"Haha, there is no need to be so excessively formal."

"N-N-No, not at all. Archmage!"

The desk employee handed us visitor passes with trembling hands. They also accompanied it with an earnest request to absolutely never take them off.

Basically, the security in the research ward was so strict that if you didn't have a visitor pass, you'd be immediately detained and dragged off to an interrogation room or something.

However, wearing it around my neck was a tiny bit uncomfortable, so I wrapped it around my wrist like a bracelet. Since the employee didn't say anything, this was probably fine too.

"This way."

The employee guided us down one side of a forked path.

I didn't know what the opposite side was for, but seeing a couple of people in ordinary civilian clothes coming and going, I figured it was a related facility.

"We can't see outside."

"That is because it is more efficient to build the structure and carve reinforcement magic into it than to set up a barrier capable of pushing the water away."

"... Then there wouldn't be a single window, either?"

"That is likely the case. Unless a transparent material capable of withstanding the water pressure while allowing a view outside is introduced to the world, it will remain so forever."

We followed the employee's guidance and descended the stairs. The stairs, with not a single window and only lights present, strongly reminded me of a subway station.

"Hah. Could anyone stand to live in such a stifling place?"

"Haha, Mages look outside even less than rats do! So there's no need to worry about feeling stifled!"

Then, hold on. When we reached the bottom of the stairs and fully entered the research ward, a voice that did not belong to our party but was one I had heard before interjected.

"W-Wh-Wh-White Wind, Great Sage!"

"Yeah. I'll take it from here, so you can head back. And... it's been a while! I'm so glad you look healthy. Uh-huh. While we're at it, could you tell me in detail about how your seals got smashed on the way here? I did hear about it, but nothing beats hearing it from the person themselves, right?"

Here comes the research maniac.

"How did you know we were coming and come out to greet us?"

"Huh? Ah. It's not a greeting, it's a coincidence! Some idiot was secretly experimenting in a magic-restricted zone, broke a wall, and nearly turned us all into water ghosts. But on my way back from scolding them, I spotted you guys!"

The Fierce White Wind, Murloc, delivered a completely unfunny story with a grinning face that went 'kyahaha'. The party's faces turned pale.

"Mage Boss, you said it wouldn't break easily...!"

"... I had forgotten about the enemies within. I apologize. I take back what I said about safety."

"Hey!!"

"Hmm. The Berserker knows how to swim. If there is an emergency, I can just swim to the surface of the lake and escape!"

"Boss Berserker, is it fine as long as you survive?!"

DeB, clutching his head, looked at the Inquisitor as his last hope. Kimchi Dumpling, with a somewhat resolute face, opened her mouth solemnly.

"I can block the water by putting up a shield, so while I hold it back, everyone, please evacuate...!"

This side was at least normal, but it was based on self-sacrifice. DeB finally smacked his palm against his own face.

I wondered if this was a scene from a sitcom.

"Now, now, let's go anyway. Do you know how long I've waited for you guys to arrive!"

"Oh dear. I didn't know you were looking forward to it this much. It breaks my heart. You're going to have to step away from that research."

"Why?!?!"

Even White Wind, who was horrified like a puppy whose food bowl got snatched away, made it absolutely perfect.

"What do you mean, 'why'? It's because I have something to say to you. I'm sure you didn't research the seals all by yourself; there must be a Mage who did the research with you, so leave it to him, and you and I will have a little chat."

"No! No!! Do you know how much I looked forward to this moment! I even had a favor I wanted to ask him!!"

"Ask the favor of me."

White Wind whined, but the Archmage was resolute. She called the Mages who were waiting behind White Wind and issued orders.

Even though White Wind was likely the master of the branch, it was a little funny that the Archmage's orders took precedence over White Wind's.

"Now, let's go. Demon Knight."

... It makes me so sad thinking that I have to step into the center of that madness now.

"You all take a tour of the Magic Tower as well. Who knows, you might discover something helpful. Especially you, Inquisitor; if you ask them to lend you a place to test your skills, they will gladly lend you one, along with their wisdom. Keep that in mind."

"U-Understood."

"As it happens, the Berserker wanted to experience magic. I'll take this chance to test if I can withstand it!"

"... I will go with Boss Berserker."

"I'm counting on you."

And so, our party scattered in different directions.

Since I had come to a proper facility, I repeated what happened in Canaves in order to obtain more definitive figures.

Meaning, I spammed my skills again to check the output.

"Does the demon perhaps talk to you or anything like that?"

The Mage who was squeezing me dry during that process asked.

I did have to stop the demons, so I would cooperate, but taking into account my 'concept' of being in an endlessly foul mood, I raised the eyebrows I had viciously furrowed.

"It is a question asked to obtain precise data."

The Mage had better social skills than the Fierce White Wind. Instead of pressing me, she provided a reason why I needed to speak up. It was an effective approach.

I barely parted my gritted teeth.

"No."

But concept playing is concept playing, and the truth is I've never experienced anything like that. How could an in-setting demon talk to me?

"Is that true?"

"I said, no."

Conscious of the gazes focused on me, I gripped the armrest of the chair more tightly. The iron armrest crumpled, letting out an unpleasant metallic sound.

The Mages immediately turned their heads away.

"Then what does it feel like when the demon seizes control from you?"

However, the Mage was different. She continued her questioning coolly. It was so businesslike that it made me like her more.

"... You!"

But a favorable impression is a favorable impression, and a concept is a concept.

I kicked the chair back, stood up, and glared at the Mage. For someone of the Middle race, she was very short, so I practically had to bow my head down.

"Please explain."

"I believe I already told the Great Sage."

"Then it shouldn't matter if you repeat what you told the Great Sage."

'Wow, her guts and eloquence are no joke. If someone a whole head taller than me was growling right in my face, I'd instantly chicken out.'

I marveled at my opponent's boldness and pondered my future course of action. If I was sticking to the concept, I'd probably run away from here, but would that be okay?

BANG!

"Ah!"

'Why wouldn't it be?'

"Ah, the measurements aren't finished yet!"

I stormed out of there. I had been getting constantly urged to show my right arm anyway, so there was no reason to hesitate.

My concept was that I'd rather bite my tongue and die than show my right arm to others, so what does it matter? This was something I hadn't yielded on, even to the Fierce White Wind.

It was surprising, but White Wind hadn't forced it, either. Under such circumstances, I had no reason to listen to the words of her subordinates!

"W-Wait a moment!"

'Yeah, I'm not listening.'

I shook off the Mages' hands and exited the building. The path was a little complicated, but tracing it backward to escape was easily doable. Kehehe.

"Hehe, if I just submit this, my paper for this month will..."

"Pomegranate tea, that damn pomegranate tea was the problem. If I just hadn't drunk that pomegranate tea, I wouldn't have been dragged here. Sob."

"I am a talking potato... a potato that only knows how to talk..."

"Hey, hey! Emergency! I hear the Mage of Cheongha is taking all the materials and facilities and fleeing to another branch! Quickly tell the kids in that lab!"

However, in the process, I was able to get a slight glimpse into the Mages' daily lives. I couldn't not see them when they were sprawled out like zombies on my way out.

"Sage... please just pass my paper..."

"Chief Mage, it's all pointless. Whether you're a chief or an ordinary one, we're all just slaves to the Mage..."

It seemed the hierarchy roughly went in the order of Great Sage (Archmage), Sage (Mage), Chief Mage, and Ordinary Mage...

Honestly speaking, just listening to them chatter, it was exactly like grad school. I had never seen a real grad school, but I had heard the rumors.

"Ugh, this is suffocating. Rather than getting ground down here like this, it'd be better to go to Lord Blue Coral's Magic Tower..."

"Are you an idiot? Why would they accept a Mage who couldn't even endure Lord White Wind?"

"I heard they even accepted a Mage without mana, so wouldn't someone like me be fine...?"

"Are you a complete moron."

"Accepted or not, if you go there, you'll be mobilized to catch mermen, you know?"

"Damn it!"

I only had the image of them being research maniacs, but Mages lived surprisingly tough lives too.

I felt sorry for them for no reason. It was a feeling that would immediately sour if I remembered the gazes that used to view me as a research subject in the past.

"Who are you, for a civilian to be coming from the research ward..."

I subtly angled my arm so the visitor pass on my wrist was clearly visible, and then climbed the stairs. I saw the desk, the lobby, and the exit door.

Finally, I'm outside.

SWOOSH.

After returning the visitor pass as if tossing it, I hastily approached the bridge.

Whether I had gotten a bit stressed from being in a place with absolutely no natural light for two or three hours, a wave of refreshment immediately washed over me.

I didn't know it, but I guess I like open spaces. Then again, that's why I rarely took the subway.

"If you go too close to the railing, you might get eaten."

But who is offering such kindness... Wait, not 'you might fall in', but 'you might get eaten'?

"Did you not see the warning sign?"

I turned my head slightly and examined the person who warned me. Wearing a robe and a badge, they looked like a Mage. Though they were very... young.

"Anyway, step back. There are dozens of people who met with disaster doing exactly that."

Looking at the child who barely came up past my chest, I became a little flustered.

Of course, getting too flustered just because they were young would be rude, so I quickly composed myself. They might just be short and actually an adult, after all.

"What are you doing? I said step back."

More than that, aside from the kindness, their tone of voice was extremely blunt. I guess there are a dozen people a day who stand near the railing without reading the sign like me.

"You really don't listen. Are you deaf because you're blind—"

But a personal attack is crossing the line, isn't it!?

"Dodge!"

I brought my hand to my waist and drew my sword.

SLASH!

The surface of the lake was lightly sliced open, spraying red bodily fluids. It was something that had broken through the water to target me.

"You picked the wrong person to warn, kid."

'So what was it that attacked me... Ugh, this isn't Central or South America, so why is a giant water snake coming out of here.'

Shouldn't they be banning entry to the lake altogether rather than just saying not to get close to the railing?

No wonder the Temple people told us to watch out for snakes when we said we were going to the Magic Tower!

"Th-The snake, in one strike."

I gave a brief glance at the water snake sinking into the water after being cut in half, and then stepped away from the railing.

I wasn't really scared of them attacking, but I didn't want to stay glued to the railing after hearing that fiery personal attack either.

"Wait, wait!"

But the fiery insulter grabbed me again. The hand I had been about to fiercely smack down lost its strength the moment I took in their tiny frame. With just a soft tap, the hand grabbing me was pushed away.

"Do you take commissions by any chance?! If you do, can't you take care of those snakes for me?!"

'Separate from everything else, this leads to a side quest?'

"Please, I'm begging you! If this keeps up, all the customers who come to buy magic will disappear!!"

'Is this a sweet deal...?'