TMLOH 120

Chapter : 120

Mage Tower.

For the past few weeks, the Mage Tower had been putting all its efforts into finding just one person.

A proposal had even passed the Bregemin (High Council): the quest to find the future apprentice of the Archmage!

The lower-ranked mages, who were easily dismissed for being “impatient,” didn’t understand why. But all the mages stationed at the Sky Tower were desperate.

“We even put out advertisements.”
“We even made music boxes to distribute.”
“What’s missing?”

Just come!

If you just come! Whatever you want—wealth, fame, whatever it may be—we will give it all to you!

With everything the Mage Tower had accumulated!

The Tower’s strong determination to throw all its resources into the search unexpectedly turned into a windfall only for the newspapers that carried their expensive ads. It produced countless aspiring mages who wanted to become overnight millionaires, yet the actual goal was not achieved.

“Why…?”
“Why isn’t anyone showing up…?”
“What are we lacking…?”
“Our dedication…?”

The impatient mages, who only had research materials and funding, suffered.

It was like catching a glimpse of the light that could free them from the burdens of being a mage, only to have it snatched away after tasting it—a mixture of anger, sorrow, and frustration they couldn’t resolve.

By now, even the impatient mages had to start thinking seriously.

“Could it be…?”
“…that they don’t want to become a mage?”

The arrogance of the mages—who had convinced themselves that under no circumstances would that ever happen—began to crumble.

They became serious.

“No, shouldn’t we take a more proactive approach?”
“We can’t be saved just by waiting passively for them to come!”
“Yes! We will find them ourselves!”

Finally, the mages, driven nearly to madness, came up with a method.

“Let’s call back all the children who participated in that event and check again.”

“…!!”

They truly were a group of geniuses.

Mages were indeed composed of intelligent people.

How could they come up with such a brilliant idea!?

“But… did we keep records?”
“No?”
“How can we track them if not?”
“When they pass through the final door, a basic elimination spell is cast. I don’t know if it would work after a long time, but since not much time has passed, we might be able to track the residual magic.”
“Oh!”

Tasks were quickly distributed.

“I’ll reverse-engineer the magic circles.”
“I’ll calculate the mana amounts.”

The mages sent “Letters of Fortune” to the people they traced. Many who had originally participated, regardless of age or gender, revisited the Mage Tower for the chance to become the Archmage’s apprentice.

For those who didn’t return, two impatient mages were sent in pairs to find them.

“All we have to do is follow the path of the letters. Convenient and easy.”

Mutti, chosen by the [Darkly Burning Star] to become a fire-element mage of the Elemental School, was shocked when she arrived at the mansion after tracking the trail.

“Halbern?”

A few days ago, another mage had tried to trace someone to the royal palace but was blocked by the palace barrier (they later obtained permission to enter). Yet here she was, at Halbern.

Mutti’s partner, Laki, tilted his head.

“Aren’t we being kicked out?”
“Come on, we’re impatient mages. That won’t happen.”

Contrary to their worries, Halbern welcomed the mages’ visit without resistance.

However…

“Miss? She went out.”

The lady of the house, who had definitely participated in the Mage Tower event, happened to be away.

“What do we do?”
“What do you mean, we’ll come back later.”

Reluctantly, the mages left, disappointed.

“Do you think this plan will really work? What if we all just hallucinated back then…”

Laki voiced his doubts, expecting a response, but there was silence.

“Mutti?”

When he turned to look, his vision suddenly darkened.

The Empire’s Millionaire, Sperom.

Sperom’s ability, “Golden Eye,” had distinct characteristics even among the imperial family and the five great ducal houses.

Not only was it visually striking, but the concept of “seeing value” differed from person to person—what they considered valuable and how they displayed it varied.

Thus, the Sperom family boasted the largest number of relatives among the five ducal houses and had never experienced internal strife.

How was this possible?

Because everyone’s numerical assessments were transparent to each other, and their abilities varied slightly, collaboration became necessary, forming this family tradition.

“So, the Sperom family is basically playing a construction-management simulation game using abilities.”

It was astonishing enough that a duke’s family ran a business like a modern conglomerate in a fantasy world. But even more surprising…

“A business exhibition?”

Suddenly, the twins dragged her to a grand mansion owned by the Sperom family.

It wasn’t the main residence, more like a hotel or annex, but it was still magnificent. And today, a business exhibition was taking place there.

“Yeah, people from across the country come to showcase their startups or expansion plans.”
“The family watches, scores them, and decides whether to invest.”
“Other merchants come too.”
“It’s really fun!”

Okay… that makes sense. But why was she here?

“We’re doing business.”
“Arelin has to help.”

“You’re still minors.”
“The Speroms have their own businesses from a young age.”
“A Sperom without a business isn’t a real Sperom.”

The twins bragged that the dragon byproducts they sold at auction earned them plenty of capital.

Looking at the twins with a dubious expression, they clearly didn’t fit the event.

Pession and Harun were watching them. Pession, in particular, looked uneasy.

“Twins.”
“Hmm?”
“Why are you talking when Arel hasn’t said a word?”

Ciel and Noel looked at each other.

“Well… Arel’s expressions are all visible.”

Ciel smiled mischievously.

“Are you jealous, Your Highness?”
“Hmm, do we look closer than you?”

The twins clung to her while Pession frowned, and she sighed deeply between them.

“Twins, I’ll help you, so stop teasing Shion.”
“We weren’t teasing.”
“I mean it.”

The twins immediately raised their hands in surrender. Harun quietly stayed in place.

“Shion is understandable… but why did you bring Harun?”
“Noel blinked.
“Brought him because Arel might get bored.”

Harun fluttered his lashes, looking aggrieved.

“Just admit you’re holding him hostage so we don’t leave, you devils.”
“Caught us.”

The twins laughed.

Noel held out something to her, eyes sparkling.

“What is it? A sticker.”
“Put it on me.”

Seeing the twins present their cheeks reminded her of some careless person, and she sighed automatically.

This trend… still isn’t over?

“I’ll take the big heart-shaped one.”
“Me too!”

As the twins chose shapes, suddenly a white hand snatched the stickers. Pession gave her another sticker to use instead.

“Twins, use these.”

Oh? She had prepared some too.

“Chee!”
“Your Highness, that’s unfair!”

The twins protested, but it was pointless. She silently chose star-shaped stickers and placed two or three on each twin’s cheeks.

“Hehe.”
“Hehe.”

The twins laughed happily.

Quietly, she put a star sticker under Harun’s tear mark too.

“Pession, do you want one?”
“A heart.”
“?”

Wasn’t that the one taken from the twins earlier?

Seeing Pession boldly offer the heart sticker made her laugh unconsciously.

Sure, why not.

She placed the heart sticker on Pession’s cheek, and Pession took one and stuck it on hers.

Pession’s pretty, proud smile looked very satisfying.

“Now, let’s go inside.”