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Chapter 102: Sage of the Stars (6)
The Sage of the Stars began explaining the book.
“This book was originally meant for the automaton guarding the observatory outside.”
“An automaton?”
“Hm? Didn’t you realize? All the attackers you encountered on this mountain were automata of my creation.”
Oscar froze at those words.
The mage he faced just before entering the mountain had such vivid eyes, reflecting emotions that seemed real.
If that weren’t the case, he wouldn’t have felt guilt or remorse for defeating them.
“By automaton, do you mean an illusion?”
“The concept is slightly different from an illusion.”
The Sage of the Stars waved a hand lightly, and countless fragments of starlight glimmered.
Just by looking at them, Oscar could tell who they were.
They were the attackers he had defeated while ascending the mountain.
“They were all those who perished on this mountain,”
The sage explained.
“Specifically, they died trying to steal invitations from others.”
“Ah...”
So, as punishment for their misdeeds, they were preserved here and lived on as automata.
Oscar thought of the ice mage he had defeated last.
“Then, does that mean the one guarding the observatory was also...?”
“Oh, no.”
The Sage of the Stars shook his head urgently, as if to dispel a grave misunderstanding.
“He’s the only one among my creations who voluntarily became an automaton.”
“He chose to become one?”
“Indeed. You can probably guess the reason to some extent.”
“...Ah.”
A bittersweet expression crossed Oscar’s face as he recalled something.
"All I want is one thing: to live as a mage and die as a mage. Nothing more, nothing less."
In a way, it could be said that the man had fulfilled his dream.
Though Oscar still thought that living and dying as a mage was more akin to self-imposed punishment.
If possible, he wished he could free him from that shackle.
“Don’t feel too sad, he was told that he could be freed anytime he wished.”
“...I see.”
Oscar nodded slightly, his gaze falling on the book that shone with radiant light even while closed.
“What magic is in that book?”
“It’s quite an old magic. A fragment left by a mage who failed to realize his dream 104 years ago.”
Swoosh!
The Sage of the Stars opened the book, and dazzling light spilled out, almost blindingly brilliant.
“This magic was the legacy of the one who froze the world... Hmm?”
But then, the light emanating from the book began to fade, eventually vanishing altogether.
Oscar stared blankly and asked,
“The light just stopped. Could something have gone wrong? It didn’t seem like this before.”
“I... I don’t know.”
“...Pardon?”
Oscar’s expression grew incredulous.
How could the librarian of this place, wielding absolute authority, claim ignorance?
But the sage, clearly shaken, shook his head.
Even his eyes, usually so composed, were trembling.
“This is the first time something like this has happened, even for me.”
“Are you joking?”
Even a being who had lived for nearly a millennium was encountering such an anomaly?
‘Why does something so rare have to happen during my visit...?’
As Oscar began to speak again, a series of sharp pops interrupted him.
Pop! Pop! Pop!
One by one, the lights from the books on the shelves extinguished, plunging the library into darkness.
The Sage of the Stars, his face grim, raised a hand protectively.
“Oscar, stay behind me. This could be dangerous.”
“I’m already behind you.”
“....”
Why, what?
The Sage, catching the meaning in Oscar’s gaze, reluctantly turned his head.
At the far end of the library, a book on a shelf flickered, its light pulsating slowly like a heartbeat, glowing and fading in turn.
“That book...”
The Sage approached it with a look of surprise, pulling it out and clicking his tongue.
“Tsk.”
The book, still pulsating, was tightly bound in heavy chains, as if to imprison a dangerous criminal.
“What is it?”
“...Let’s leave. You don’t need to hide behind me anymore.”
“Ah, alright.”
Finally stepping out from behind the sage, Oscar asked,
“So, what’s in that book? It feels like it’s calling to me.”
“Calling to you... That might be an apt description. It hasn’t allowed any other stars to outshine it in my presence.”
The Sage nodded in agreement.
“This is a spellbook I sealed myself. I deemed it too dangerous.”
“A sealed book... Is it one of the forbidden tomes?”
Typically, books classified as forbidden by the Magic Tower shared a common trait:
Anyone reading their contents would go mad and lose their mind.
“No, it’s not one of those. I wouldn’t allow such heinous forbidden books into this starlight library to begin with.”
“Then why is it sealed?”
“...372.”
Twitch!
The Sage pressed the writhing book firmly shut with both hands and explained:
“That’s the number of mages who desired to inherit this star. All of them were hailed as geniuses of their time. But the book always rejected them, and each of them fainted the moment they touched it. After that, I stopped showing it to anyone. It’s an arrogant thing that looks down on mages and tries to put them beneath its feet.”
“....”
That was far more geniuses subdued by a single spellbook than Oscar expected.
Driven by pure curiosity, he asked,
“What kind of magic could be so extraordinary that everyone wanted to claim it?”
“Hmm...”
The Sage hesitated, visibly debating whether to explain.
It was as though he was certain that once he did, Oscar would insist on trying to wield it.
Hum!
The book, as if urging him, rattled noisily.
“Tsk, fine. I’ll explain, but calm down first.”
The sage, who had finally surrendered to the pressure, calmed the book and opened his mouth.
“Oscar, what do you think is the greatest magical attribute?”
“Wind.”
It was a question that required no hesitation.
Since ancient times, wind had been regarded as the king of attributes, capable of encompassing all others.
“Wind, indeed. A fine attribute. It blends well with others and can be harmoniously controlled. Then let me ask you another question. Do you know how many types of magic humanity has recorded to date?”
“...I don’t. But surely, it must be countless.”
Even just counting the origins of magic would yield at least tens of thousands.
Including individual refinements and completed forms, the number would grow exponentially.
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For instance, even a personalized version of Wind Shield could be considered a distinct form of magic.
“Here’s an idea.”
The Sage of the Stars snapped his fingers.
Countless lights emerged between them, forming a structure akin to an atomic model.
“A total of 42,785 types of magic have been recorded so far. That number includes only those regarded as original forms.”
“...Including the variations developed by individuals, the number would easily exceed tens of millions.”
The sheer number of lights, each representing a type of magic, was overwhelming.
The Sage of the Stars spoke again.
“Let me ask once more: among all this magic, do you still believe wind is the greatest attribute?”
“...Ah!”
Oscar finally understood what the Sage of the Stars wanted to convey.
If someone failed to grasp it even after seeing this, they wouldn’t deserve the title of a mage.
“Are you perhaps referring to attribute-less magic?”
“Precisely.”
Indeed, compared to the attributes of the four great towers, and even those of the less mainstream towers, wind stood unrivaled.
Oscar had no desire to deny or retreat from this opinion.
After all, he had dedicated his life to the White Tower, living as a master of wind magic.
‘But if the scope includes attribute-less magic...’
The story changes.
He muttered the words he had always used when teaching magic in his previous life.
“Time flows endlessly, an unstoppable river, and space stretches infinitely, an unfillable sky.”
“Hmm, quite a fascinating expression. And correct.”
The sage chuckled softly and gently shook the book bound in chains.
“To borrow your words, this book contains the mysteries of the unfillable sky.”
“...!”
Oscar’s eyes widened as he looked at the book.
Just moments ago, it had seemed like a rude, presumptuous object, choosing its master with insolence.
Now it appeared as a treasure, fully deserving of its majesty.
“Isn’t spatial magic something only those born with unique abilities can wield?”
“Generally, yes. But isn’t this the Starlight Library?”
As the Sage of the Stars had previously mentioned, this was a place where all magic existed—except what didn’t.
“If you possess the necessary qualifications, even unique magic can be learned here.”
“I never knew.”
“Because very few meet those qualifications. Only one emerges every few centuries.”
Once every few centuries.
Oscar gazed silently at the book that seemed to be calling him and asked:
“...Is the original owner of this magic someone I know?”
“Sharp observation. Yes.”
The sage nodded.
“This star belonged to Ado Vail, the first Tower Master of the White Tower. It is his unique magic.”
“...So, is it because I am his descendant that it seeks to recognize me as its master?”
“Didn’t I say earlier? I’ve never seen anything like this before. I have no idea what this book is thinking.”
The Sage of the Stars unbound the chains restraining the book and held it out.
“This is spatial magic, one of the abilities people revere as divine power. Naturally, its pride is immense. For the answer to your question, you’ll have to ask it yourself.”
“...”
Swallowing hard, Oscar took the book with both hands, his expression resolute.
Whirrr!
As if it had been waiting, the book opened on its own.
An immense light burst forth, as if to engulf the space they occupied.
“Hm... Even this old man is curious now. Will he become the 373rd failure?”
The Sage of the Stars muttered to himself, left alone in the library.
“Or will he be its first true master?”
* * *
It was a place both familiar and unfamiliar.
The White Tower.
The stark white circular structure was only half-built.
“...”
As he gazed up at it, Oscar muttered reverently,
“So this is what the first Tower Master’s magic felt like.”
Finishing his words, he turned around to see an old man in a white robe sitting at the edge of the forest.
The man’s wistful eyes were fixed on the half-constructed White Tower.
“Oscar Sage, 17th Tower Master. Do you know why I called you here?”
“...Yes.”
Oscar nodded slowly.
His expression bore the solemnity and determination of a warrior heading to battle.
“To test whether I am worthy of inheriting your ‘Space’ magic, is it not?”
He was confident he could pass any test laid before him.
Finally lowering his gaze, the first Tower Master looked into his nervous eyes and said,
“Hm? No? I was going to give it to you anyway. Honestly, there’s probably no one who could handle it better than you.”
“...What?”
Oscar’s face immediately went blank.
His mouth opened and closed like a fish.
Then why had he been brought all the way here?
As he blinked in confusion, the old man spoke.
“Hey, 17th Tower Master. Come sit in front of me for a moment.”
“...?”
Oscar, without realizing it, obediently sat down in front of him.
He didn’t know why he felt compelled to sit so quietly.
It just seemed appropriate.
“Now listen carefully to what I’m about to say, all right? Back when I ran the tower, do you know what was absolutely unthinkable? Losing all the research materials! We worked day and night, studying and compiling magic, so you descendants could have a foundation...”
“...”
The first Tower Master’s lecture continued for two full days.
Oscar had no family or relatives, but now he felt he could finally empathize with people dreading holiday family scoldings.
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