"Thank you. Thank you so much."
Morning came after they safely survived the bloody night.
Ivan, who had seemed incapable of showing emotion, even hugged them as he expressed his gratitude.
"If it weren't for you two, I wouldn't have lived to see the sun this morning."
"Come on, what did I even do......? This guy did everything."
Oscar shook his head at Fran's modesty.
"I let the swordsman get away. If it hadn't been for you, I couldn't have guaranteed Mr. Ivan's safety."
"Huh......?"
Fran's eyes widened, having never expected to receive praise.
Thump. Oscar lightly punched the guy in the chest and spoke.
"Well done. I'm glad I came with you."
"Uh, yeah. Well...... sure. Thanks."
After answering as though he had malfunctioned, Fran soon came to his senses and changed the subject.
"A-Anyway. You know this doesn't mean it's all over, right?"
"Hmm."
Ivan's expression darkened at those words.
An enemy whose assassination attempt had failed would obviously send someone stronger next time.
Moreover, Dvor Powell, who was almost certainly behind this incident, possessed the means to do exactly that.
"Honestly, I was quite surprised myself. I never thought that guy would actually try to kill me......"
"Exactly. He must know the imperial family will intervene if he harms a Living Cultural Treasure."
"It's probably because of us."
Oscar picked up the conversation.
"He must have panicked and acted after seeing Mr. Ivan with us."
To be honest, Dvor's judgment had been fairly sharp.
Had he not acted, the White Tower would have revived the herb industry together with Ivan.
"But his gamble failed, so now it's time for him to pay the price."
"Right. We only need to tell the imperial family that he tried to kill a Living Cultural Treasure, and they'll take care of him themselves, won't they?"
"The imperial family......?"
Yet Ivan's expression showed no sign of brightening.
"I don't know whether they can act in time. An organization as vast as the imperial family is cautious in its work, so it inevitably moves slowly. If that bastard Dvor launches an all-out offensive in the meantime......"
"Ah, you don't need to worry about that. The imperial family will move faster than light."
Oscar smiled at Ivan, who merely blinked in confusion.
There was one reason he could be so certain.
Today was the day the imperial family would sign its contract for the Cadenna influenza treatment.
***
"What? They failed?"
Dvor's face turned vicious.
He slowly approached the secretary standing before him.
"Hey. Be honest with me."
"Y-Yes?"
"You want me to go under, don't you?"
"......"
The secretary nearly answered 'yes' on instinct, then deployed superhuman control over his expression.
"Of course not. That's absurd."
"If it's so absurd, why do you always handle things like this? You said those bastards were good?"
"Th-They should be. Aren't they Gunslinger Jack's Gang? They say even a crying child falls silent at their name......"
"Bullshit."
THWACK—!
Dvor kicked the secretary in the shin, grabbed him by the hair, and growled.
"Are those bastards actually skilled? Did you check them properly? Were we scammed?"
"B-But Gunslinger Jack really is infamous in the north......"
"I needed results, not his damn fame. Results!"
Dvor flung aside the secretary's head, which he had been gripping by the hair, clicked his tongue, and lit a cigar.
"Phew. First, erase every trace. Make it look as if those bastards had absolutely nothing to do with us."
If word got out that he had tried to kill a Living Cultural Treasure, he would have no defense even if he was sentenced to beheading.
Both men knew that fact better than anyone, so what they had to do from this point on was clear.
"We won't leave behind even the tiniest trace."
The secretary bowed and was about to leave the room.
Then a dozen or so men and women stormed inside.
"Wh-What is this? You people!"
The man leading them, dressed in a deep navy formal uniform, answered the secretary's alarmed shout.
"I'm Superintendent Walker of the Imperial Ministry of Home Affairs Public Security Bureau."
"Th-The Imperial Ministry of Home Affairs Public Security Bureau? And a superintendent......?"
Dvor's pupils trembled violently as he smoked his cigar in the back.
What sort of place was the Public Security Bureau of the Imperial Ministry of Home Affairs?
It was an infamous agency said to summon the souls of the dead to gather evidence if none existed.
Moreover, superintendent was the highest position an individual could attain in the Public Security Bureau short of a ministerial post.
Dvor's hand trembled at the news that such a man had come for him.
"You must be Dvor Powell."
Walker checked the photograph in his documents and spoke as he approached Dvor.
"I hereby place you under arrest for soliciting murder, making threats, illegally acquiring real estate, and harming a Living Cultural Treasure."
"......A-Arrest?!"
Dvor jumped in shock.
"You've got the wrong man! I'm a respectable businessman!"
"We'll decide that ourselves, so shut your mouth. Restrain him."
"......"
Dvor's eyes darted about as he watched the men approach with handcuffs.
'Damn it. This is more than I can handle alone.'
Only one person came to mind whom he could rely on in this situation, and he spoke while struggling to feign composure.
"Even if I must go, can't you at least give me time to smoke one cigarette?"
When the investigators hesitated, Superintendent Walker issued a flat command.
"What are you gawking at? Cuff him and drag him away."
"H-Hey! Do you know who I am? Do you have any idea who's backing me......?"
"Well. I don't know what bastard is backing you......"
Walker snatched the cigar from Dvor's mouth, took a drag himself, and muttered.
"The person behind me is His Majesty the Emperor. If yours ranks higher, go ahead and tell me."
"......"
One wrong word could add insulting the imperial family to his charges.
In the end, Dvor hung his head, accepted the handcuffs like a docile chick, and followed them out.
After confirming his departure, Walker walked to the window, exhaled a thick cloud of smoke, and muttered.
"......This is good. Criminal bastards are always the ones smoking the pricier, better stuff."
"By the way, Superintendent."
A subordinate approached and asked in a cautious voice.
"Who exactly is that guy, for us to move in just one day? I don't think we've ever done this before."
"......The order came from above."
"From above?"
"Yes. His Majesty loves the White Tower very much. Enough to make things exhausting."
"What? What exactly does that mean?"
"It means there are grown-up matters involved."
That morning, the imperial family had received a report while signing its treatment contract with the White Tower.
It concerned the atrocities committed by a businessman, and the present situation was the result.
"Tsk."
Walker clicked his tongue lightly, his expression displeased with the situation.
'......The White Tower. It's certainly true that they accomplished heroic feats in the past.'
But wasn't that a stale old story from 20 years ago?
He was one of those who believed the imperial family had already paid them enough.
No, to be honest, he believed it had compensated them beyond the value of what they had done.
'No matter how high you lift a bird with broken wings, the only thing that changes is the speed at which it falls.'
He coldly believed that the White Tower of today possessed neither the ability nor the qualifications to deserve such treatment.
Yet part of him was also curious.
"......Doran. How old are you this year?"
"23, Superintendent."
"Then you were 3 years old 20 years ago."
Walker wasn't much different.
He had been around 12 when humanity won the war against the demons and achieved true liberation.
His memories of those days were as faint as perfume whose fragrance had faded.
'Just what had the White Tower been back then?'
Why did those in power still reminisce about them and refuse to let go of their expectations?
Walker took a document from inside his coat and spat out the cigar.
"......Oscar Crucian. Fran Sirius."
These two mages had recently taken down Gunslinger Jack's Gang, which had been spreading its infamy.
Mercenaries in name, those bastards were nothing more than criminals.
Still, Walker knew their skill had been proven.
'I don't know.'
He truly didn't.
Whether the two brats who had captured them were the 'new wind' the White Tower had awaited so desperately.
But there was no denying that they had prevented the Cadenna influenza from becoming a horrific epidemic, exposed a corrupt businessman's atrocities, and eliminated criminals who had disrupted public order.
After pondering the matter, Walker carefully folded the document, slipped it into his coat, and turned.
"Let's go. There's one more place to stop on the way back."
"What? Wasn't this the last thing on today's schedule?"
Doran hurried after him, eyes wide.
"Where are we headed?"
"......West."
Walker answered curtly, sounding annoyed.
This matter was also connected to the White Tower.
The only difference was that Walker had added it to the schedule himself rather than acting on His Majesty's orders.
"We're issuing work-stoppage orders to the factories near the Wolf River for illegally dumping wastewater and pollutants."
With that, his repayment for taking down Gunslinger Jack's Gang would be complete.
***
Vice Tower Master Hamel Grimwiz read the newspaper delivered that morning along with the business-trip report.
[Gunslinger Jack's Gang, Scourge of the North, Killed by White Tower Mages.]
[The Two Ugly Faces of a Respectable Businessman: An In-Depth Report on the Dvor Powell Incident.]
[Imperial Family Presents Brave Citizen Awards to Two White Tower Mages Who Protected a Living Cultural Treasure.]
Tap, tap.
The Vice Tower Master folded the newspaper and smiled.
"Young Oscar always exceeds my expectations."
When Oscar had suddenly announced that he wanted to inspect the herb fields, Hamel had assumed he simply wanted some fresh air.
He had even given him a generous amount of spending money in the hope that Oscar would enjoy himself......
"I never imagined you'd accomplish something so remarkable there."
"To be honest, I didn't know either. I was lucky."
When Oscar shrugged and acted modest, the Vice Tower Master regarded him warmly.
"Most people miss the luck that comes their way and end up regretting it. Only those who are prepared can seize the opportunity. I believe the tower should reward you as well. Is there anything in particular you'd like?"
"Hmm...... Ah."
Oscar spoke after something came to mind.
"There's some information I want. Would that be possible?"
"I see no reason why not. What information do you want?"
"What I want is......"
Immediately after awakening in this body, the first people he had thought of while looking down at the city were his subordinates from his previous life.
He had wanted to show them the sight he saw and share that wonder with them.
When he wondered what he could do for people so precious to him, the answer came quickly.
'Unlike an orphan like me, many of those guys had families. Some of the guys had started families early.'
He hadn't had the opportunity to look after them immediately after possessing this body, but now he had money, power, and time.
Oscar's eyes shone as he continued.
"I want information on where the families or descendants of the mages who participated in the 'Night of Purging,' when the former Tower Master Oscar Sage confronted the Great Emperor, are now and what they're doing."
His answer slightly surprised Vice Tower Master Hamel Grimwiz.
"......That request was so unexpected that it surprised me. May I ask why you want that information?"
"How can those who forget the past create a good future?"
Though the answer was rather vague, the Vice Tower Master understood its essence perfectly.
"Those who forget the past have no future...... Haha, I see."
"I apologize if that sounded impertinent."
"No. I'm only ashamed of our current failure to care for the families of the White Tower Honorees, using the hardships of life as an excuse."
Even a child of merely twenty understood that basic principle......
Hamel muttered to himself, sighed with shame, and continued.
"We'll take this opportunity to investigate the matter properly and give you the information. It'll take some time, though. And if any of them need financial assistance, the White Tower will provide it first."
"I'd be grateful."
It would be more appropriate if the influential White Tower itself stepped in to support them.
"Good. Then I'll let you know as soon as the investigation is complete......"
Rrrrrr!
At that moment, the telephone on the Vice Tower Master's desk rang loudly.
After glancing at Oscar to ask his pardon, the Vice Tower Master picked up the receiver and began talking.
'That's Silence.'
Thanks to the 『Silence』 the Vice Tower Master had casually cast, Oscar couldn't hear whom he was speaking with or what they were discussing.
But he could tell one thing: Hamel's expression was darkening in real time.
"Hmm."
The Vice Tower Master looked somewhat weary as he put down the receiver.
"Did something happen?"
"No, this isn't something you need to worry about...... No, I suppose that isn't entirely true."
The Vice Tower Master raised his head and spoke.
"The person who just called was the owner of the Sirius Merchant Company."
"The Sirius Merchant Company......?"
"Ah, you don't remember this either. The Sirius Merchant Company is the largest merchant company in the empire. Everyone knows it."
But that name, the Sirius Merchant Company.
For some reason, the name felt familiar.
After wondering why for a moment, Oscar asked.
"Could it be...... that this place is connected to Fran?"
"That's right. Young Fran is the youngest son of the Sirius family."
"Huh."
Oscar was genuinely surprised.
Who would have known that the slippery guy was the young master of such a distinguished family?
"Then the caller was a member of Fran's family...... What did they say?"
"The Sirius family says they'll send someone today."
"Someone?"
"Yes. They thanked us for looking after Young Fran and said they're taking him back."
"......Did that guy agree to it?"
"I don't know. They say they've already discussed it with him, but I don't know the details."
The Vice Tower Master stared intently at Oscar and continued.
"Personally, I find it truly regrettable. I had very high hopes for Young Fran, and I enjoyed watching him grow. I've grown quite fond of him as well."
"......"
Oscar's expression turned dubious.
He immediately understood what this sly old man was saying.
'As the Vice Tower Master, he can't intervene personally, so does he want me to persuade Fran in his place?'
Well, it wasn't a bad thing for Oscar either.
The White Tower needed every talented mage it could keep, especially one like Fran, if it was to be rebuilt.
'More importantly, that guy has 『Wind Lord』.'
If properly nurtured, the guy had the potential to be worth dozens of ordinary high-level mages.
After organizing his thoughts, Oscar nodded.
"I'll do my best to persuade him."
"Haha."
The Vice Tower Master smiled in satisfaction, like someone whose itch had just been scratched.
"That wasn't what I meant, but I sincerely hope you achieve a good outcome."
"......Right."
Oscar left the room with a dubious reply, and Hamel Grimwiz stared at the closed door.
"The Night of Purging, though."
As far as he knew, that was the operational name for the hunt for the Great Emperor 20 years ago.
Ever since His Majesty designated that day a holiday, it had always been called White Night Day.
'Even I haven't heard that name in 20 years.'
Then where had a child who had only just turned twenty heard the operation's name?
The Vice Tower Master blinked and tilted his head.