Episode 12: Meeting With Fate

Monika and Bong-sik stared at me in disbelief as they watched the desk go flying across the room.

"Th-that! Do you have any idea where you are right now—!"

"Kid?"

The only one who hadn't been caught off guard was Ha-ryeong—she'd been watching me the moment I started gathering Ether.

"My, my… what a fascinating little one."

I crossed my arms and addressed Ha-ryeong directly.

"Do you honestly think Monika and I would stay here and put up with this sort of treatment? We'll simply go to another country. Put that Bong-gu or Bong-sik or whatever his name is on the announcement instead. We're leaving because this is beneath us."

"Oh-ho."

Ha-ryeong giggled and added her own commentary.

"So that would mean a Level 7 mage, Monika, and the apprentice she personally chose were driven out by our dear Bong-sik's tyranny."

At those words, Bong-sik seemed to snap back to his senses, blinking hard.

The oppressive atmosphere from moments ago had vanished entirely, replaced by a pair of wide, deer-like eyes.

"Ah, um—the apprentice mage? Her name was…"

Bong-sik checked his tablet and spoke in a rush.

"Miss Yoo Eun-ha, a mage's immigration isn't something decided so easily…?"

"So you're going to stop us? A Level 7 mage wants to leave—can you actually stop her?"

"……"

Bong-sik swallowed hard.

"What on earth are you counting on to keep pushing back? Your job isn't to make life difficult for mages, sir."

He didn't answer, so I pressed further.

"Am I right or wrong."

"Y-you're right."

"Confidentiality. May I ask for your cooperation?"

I glanced over at Ha-ryeong, and she doubled over laughing.

"Ahahaha! Monika! Where on earth did you find this child! Bwahahaha. A near-perfect Casting Hold at that age. She'll make a fine battle mage."

"So will you do it or not. Don't change the subject."

Ha-ryeong nodded.

"Don't worry about confidentiality. Retired or not—I'm more than capable of handling one man like this."

Ha-ryeong smiled and turned her gaze to Bong-sik, the Minister of Magic Administration.

"My specialty is mental control, after all."

"Oh…"

*So that's why he seemed a little… vacant.*

Hearing that, I felt just a touch of pity for Bong-sik.

*

We left the Federation President's office and headed straight for the Association's data room.

The security processing of the Abyss data required discussion with the Federation's operational staff.

"Phew."

Yuri, who had apparently been tense the whole time, kneaded her stiffened tail.

"Kid~ do you have extra lives or something~? Standing your ground against Ha-ryeong like that."

Yuri clicked her teeth together with a shudder.

"If that had been the old Ha-ryeong, you'd have died five times over."

"What about Bong-sik?"

"Him? Maybe six times?"

"Then I lost."

"Ahaha~ is that really how that works~"

Monika kept patting my head, apparently finding me endlessly amusing.

"Our little one. Turns out she can get angry too."

"Hmph. That man was ugly."

"Bwahaha! That's too much~ you can't just say the truth out loud like that, kid."

Yuri held the keycard Ha-ryeong had given her up to the security panel on the door.

[Gangnam Dungeon Data Room]

"Right then."

Yuri gave me a little push on the back.

"You go play for a bit."

"Am I not needed?"

"Hmm~ Monika, does the Federation headquarters have a daycare~?"

"There should be one… first floor, on the right…"

"A daycare?! What nonsense are you talking about!"

I frowned and pointed down the corridor.

"Then I shall take a brief walk."

"Are you sure you'll be alright, kid? The Federation headquarters is enormous."

"I will be fine! My spatial awareness is top-tier."

I stepped out of the data room with a sly smile.

*This is a good opportunity to learn more about the Magic Tower Federation.*

The higher I intended to climb, the more important it would be to cultivate the right connections.

I was humming to myself as I walked down the corridor when my eyes landed on a photograph of the Abyss hanging on the wall.

In the image, a white-haired mage was making preparations to challenge the Abyss.