As always, white snow swirled outside the office of Gray Castle.
From within came a repeated sound—
—CLINK, CLINK.
Like someone running their hands through gold coins.
—CLINK....
No, it was not merely “like” someone was doing so.
Inside the office, Walter was actually grinning as he scooped up gold coins with both hands—
Then let them pour through his fingers again with another clatter.
“Heh heh... heh... heeheehee...!”
Each time, he smiled from ear to ear, unable to contain the laughter escaping him.
To Walter, the sound of gold coins was sweeter than any classical music.
It was a blessing.
“What a thrill. It never gets old.”
Money was the best.
Walter muttered to himself and once again ran both hands through the gold coins.
Naturally, every one of those coins had come from the investments made at the previous auction.
The pile filling the office was large enough for Walter’s massive frame to stretch out both legs comfortably atop it.
That alone showed just how feverish the atmosphere had been that day.
His secretary, Lenin, had been silently watching him.
“Master Walter, perhaps it is time to stop and put these away.”
“Why? I like it here.”
Walter, lying atop the mound of gold, glanced at her.
—TING.
He flicked a gold coin toward her.
—CATCH.
Lenin naturally caught the coin Walter had tossed, slipped it into her coat, and spoke politely.
“Your Grace is, of course, always noble and overflowing with dignity. However, after watching you behave this way for two full days, I cannot help feeling as though I am looking at a vulgar upstart intoxicated by an unexpected fortune. I worry that such a sight may damage your dignity, Master Walter.”
Lenin’s words poured out in a rapid stream, as smooth as flowing water.
Then the woman who had maintained an expressionless face throughout smiled faintly and drove in the final nail.
“Though naturally, Your Grace is always noble and overflowing with dignity.”
“......”
In other words, stop lying there and get up.
Walter groaned and stretched before rising to his feet.
“Fine. I was planning to get moving again soon anyway.”
“A wise decision.”
“So, how is Northmedi production going?”
Walter rolled his shoulders and immediately questioned Lenin.
She bowed and replied.
“Yes. As instructed, production is progressing smoothly through the active use of the Magic Tower’s facilities. At this rate, we will be able to fulfill the advance orders and begin shipping within the next week.”
Roughly sixty percent of the orders placed during the previous masquerade banquet had already been completed.
At this rate, there would be no problem.
Walter nodded.
“Good. Tell them to keep going as they are. Once the first shipment goes out, the next orders will come immediately.”
“Shall we ship the second round of orders immediately as well?”
Considering their current production rate, they could supply the second round far more quickly than the first.
Walter answered firmly.
“No. Tell them to wait.”
Northmedi’s fundamental strategy was premium branding.
No matter how much spare capacity they had, they could not supply it immediately.
Walter had already declared that every order was custom-made, so there was no need to hurry.
No, it would not matter even if they were late.
The longer customers waited, the higher Northmedi’s market value would rise.
Walter gave a light wave of his hand.
“Tell them to finish only the current batch, then take a short break. No—come to think of it, I have business at the Magic Tower right now. I will tell them myself.”
“Yes, understood.”
“Ah, and one more thing.”
Walter, who had started walking away, suddenly stopped.
He held out his hand toward Lenin.
“The gold coin you just pocketed. Put it back.”
—FLINCH.
Lenin’s eyebrow twitched almost imperceptibly.
He had actually seen it during that brief moment.
She had thought she had pocketed it quite naturally.
“If I have to frisk you and find it, fifty laps around the training ground.”
“......”
Lenin took a gold coin from inside her coat and placed it on Walter’s palm.
“A shame. I assumed it was an incentive.”
“I will make sure you receive a proper one next time.”
“Thank you.”
One might question whether this was truly a conversation between a secretary and her superior.
But Walter and Lenin had always been like this, so there was nothing particularly strange about it.
Walter and Lenin left the office.
Their next destination was none other than the Blue Magic Tower.
“Then let us depart.”
“Yes, Master Walter.”
***
The Blue Magic Tower they arrived at looked entirely different.
No—
The Blue Magic Tower they remembered had long since ceased to exist.
The reunion with its master after so long was—
“Ah, you have come? Hohoho! Welcome!”
The worst—
No, the best.
The moment Raphael heard Walter was visiting, he came running out in his stocking feet and received him with utmost hospitality.
Of course, suspicious smoke was still rising from the Blue Magic Tower, and the sounds of suspicious machinery continued to rumble within.
But Walter knew precisely what they were, so he merely nodded in satisfaction.
“Is the work proceeding smoothly?”
“Ha ha, of course. As you can see, everything is running perfectly.”
Raphael glanced behind him.
Mages from the Blue Magic Tower were already moving without pause, transporting the materials and equipment required to produce Northmedi.
—CLATTER, CLATTER.
More importantly, their eyes had long since lost all vitality and withered away.
Yet their movements had not slowed in the slightest.
They looked like machines.
Raphael laughed heartily.
“What do you think? Compared to how they lay on the floor in desperate protest when we first proposed producing Northmedi, is this not tremendous progress?”
As he said, the mages of the Blue Magic Tower had fiercely opposed producing Northmedi at first, complaining that the place was not a factory.
But money was the best.
Once some of the investment funds had been shoved down their traps, they began moving briskly as though they had never objected.
The mages of the Magic Tower had already performed many similar experiments during their research.
A mere process of refining plants was simple work for them.
And as a result—
They had now practically become specialists in pharmaceutical production.
The Blue Magic Tower itself was already little different from an enormous medicine factory.
“Once this is done... once this is done... thirty silver coins... seventy silver coins... Heehee! The money is multiplying!”
“Heh heh, look at those obscenely lewd curves on that flask... I will sully you completely with a new drug...!”
“I refined it for you... moved the equipment for you... did everything for you... When will the Magic Tower finally return to normal...?”
They looked somewhat mentally unstable in the process.
In truth, however, they behaved no differently when writing papers or conducting research, so no one paid it much attention.
Raphael beamed.
“Besides, thanks to you, I have been full of energy every single day lately.”
Raphael raised his arm and flexed it.
Walter chuckled softly at the sight.
Something other than his arm was probably standing firm more often.
In any case, the taste of money and Northmedi had both played their part.
To think they could make that sharp-tempered Master of the Magic Tower fawn over him like this.
Heh heh.
Once again, money truly was the best.
Walter thought this as he followed Raphael inside.
As they walked, the two discussed various matters, including production volume and future orders.
“So once the current orders have been completed, I believe it would be fine to halt production briefly. This may also be a good opportunity to give everyone some leave.”
“Oh, is that so?”
The mages carrying Kolheim nearby flinched when they overheard.
At the word “leave,” fighting spirit suddenly blazed within their lifeless eyes.
Their steps visibly quickened as they carried the Kolheim away, and they soon disappeared into the distance.
“......Everyone is working very hard.”
Walter gave a faint laugh.
Raphael smiled softly in response.
“It is all thanks to you.”
The Blue Magic Tower had previously received virtually no support whatsoever.
Ever since money gave them motivation, the atmosphere within the Blue Magic Tower had become completely different.
That was unquestionably something Walter had created.
“If you require anything else, tell me at any time.”
Raphael smiled with satisfaction and patted Walter’s shoulder.
Walter took the opportunity to speak naturally.
“Ah, in that case, may I ask you for one favor?”
“......A favor?”
“Yes. I would like to speak privately with your disciple for a moment.”
Walter’s golden eyes gleamed.
That was his true reason for visiting the Blue Magic Tower today.
***
A secluded room stood on the highest floor of the Blue Magic Tower.
For many years, a ghost story had claimed that a spirit lived there.
Strange screams were supposedly heard every dawn.
Some witnesses even claimed to have seen the ghost themselves.
According to their accounts, the ghost appeared in the corridor on the Blue Magic Tower’s highest floor.
It had long, thoroughly tangled hair and wore a long robe.
A nose-stinging stench surrounded it.
Several mages had bravely stepped forward to uncover its identity.
Each time, however, they were helplessly defeated and later found unconscious.
In the end, the mages could only speculate.
Some claimed the ghost was an experimental subject from the old Magic Tower.
Others said it was the vengeful spirit of a mage who had gone mad.
No one had ever uncovered the truth.
And now—
Walter and Lenin were following Raphael through the corridor on the Blue Magic Tower’s highest floor, the source of those rumors.
“......Are you certain that merely arranging a meeting with my disciple will be enough?”
Ever since Walter first mentioned his disciple, Raphael had repeatedly sighed and looked at him with concern.
Walter’s answer remained firm every time.
“Yes. That will be enough.”
“No, I mean, why would you make such a choice......?”
“Surely your disciple must be a talented individual, Master Raphael.”
“Haah......”
Raphael sighed again and muttered under his breath.
A talent?
More like a human disaster.
As they spoke, they reached the room at the very end of the highest floor.
—WHOOOOM....
An unidentified, dark atmosphere flowed from the door.
It felt like a dense bank of damp, unpleasant storm clouds.
Most unsettling of all was the strange presence leaking from beyond the door, despite its owner’s apparent attempts to conceal it.
Raphael slowly placed his hand on the doorknob and spoke tensely.
“......Then I will open it.”
His attitude carried the grim determination of a priest who had come to exorcise a demon rather than a master about to meet his disciple.
—BANG!
The instant he threw open the door—
“SKREEEEEE!!”
A black figure shrieked and lunged at Walter.
Thoroughly tangled long hair.
A worn-out robe.
And a nose-stinging stench.
It looked exactly like the rumored ghost of the Magic Tower.
Walter did not so much as blink.
—SWISH!
He swiftly swung a hand toward the creature’s neck.
“Trap.”
—CRACK...!
“SKREEE... Guh!”
Walter’s knife-hand struck the ghost squarely in the neck without the slightest deviation.
The ghost that had charged at him released a final cry and collapsed on the spot.
—THUD....
A ghost?
The only things Walter feared were debt, overdue paperwork, and records of overtime.
“Lenin.”
“Yes, Master Walter.”
Walter tilted his head toward Lenin in a brief gesture.
She immediately grabbed the ghost by the back of its neck and lifted it.
Walter bowed politely to Raphael.
“Then, as we discussed, I will be taking my leave.”
“Yes. Please take good care of her.”
Raphael released a deep sigh and glanced at the unconscious ghost.
He had merely arranged the meeting, exactly as Walter had requested.
Walter would handle everything that came afterward himself, just as he had said.
“That is settled. Let us return.”
“Yes.”
—FLAP.
Walter straightened his black fur coat and strode away.
Lenin followed behind him, dragging what had once been the ghost by the back of its neck.
“Ugh... please... anything but having my thesis rejected......”
The unconscious ghost muttered something to herself.
She was the ghost of the Blue Magic Tower and Raphael’s disciple—
Rubia Pale.