There were many rooms inside the blue walls of Kyanos. Although it had a tall and narrow front, the moment I went inside, I was given a breathtaking scene consisting of rows and rows of shelves lined up on the first up to the fifth floor of this grand library. These ancient pieces of paper stacked and glued together were read by the general populace though only up to the third floor, and access to the fourth restricted only to those with these badges similar to the adventuring badge. I couldn’t get a closer look at any and when I asked one of the robed men, he quickly scoffed at me and went on his merry way.

  So rude! I thought, while following everyone into one of four platforms far opposite to the gates. To my surprise, they were elevators which lifted us up the floors using some sort of magic I had yet understood. I tried to step close to the edge, though was immediately pulled back by Glen, who instantly gave me another round of scolding.

  Katherine chuckled. “You still haven’t changed after all these years.”

  “Neither have you. I told you to put railings. These things are way too dangerous.”

  “I don’t know what seems to be the problem about that. If someone were to foolishly get drunk and fall off from here, it’s their fault, not mine.”

  Her words caught the surprise of everyone but Glen. The nonchalant look Katherine sported did not resemble anything anyone would expect out of someone of her position. Heck, no one here, no robed mages nor gruff adventurers nor visiting civilians seemed to care about her presence. Was she really who Glen said she was?

  On the top most floor, the Tower Master immediately had one of her subordinates escort Mayer, Ferrin, and the now freed women to another room. Meanwhile, Katherine, Glen and I headed to the one tall door at the end, which the statues on the walls seemed to be supervising. They were all the various types of mages there were: fire, water, earth, wind, light, and dark; each with their own set of equipment and were in stylistic poses as if they were fashion models posing for the next edition spring catalogue, though more outlandish and less constrained. One of them, who I assumed to be the wind mage, was barely wearing anything and was in a very erotic pose, brandishing her watermelons like no tomorrow. I guessed the winds have always been for the body’s breeze.

  “Here’s the place. Home sweet home.”

  Kyanos Tower, located at the center of Peryer City, was said to be an impossible mage tower, for it was built on top of a land whose leylines were destroyed, rendering magic and skills completely useless. And yet, through its construction, the land was able to regain its leylines albeit only on the surface. This miraculous feat in turn led to a whole city being built around it as a symbol of glory and magnificence, slowly becoming a trade hub between the kingdoms of Pylfur, Kalizar, and Aeryn.

  As for how it was achieved, only the Tower Master could answer that question, and that Tower Master was now sitting right across us inside this very office. A checkerboard floor with stone statues of knights and rooks inlaid on the walls, books of all colors and sizes flying across the room as if they had a mind of their own, muses played by the gramophone set to play an unfamiliar classical tune, and most impressive, a whole life-sized moving model of what presumably to be Orbiterra’s solar system at the very ceiling.

  Looks like there’ll be a solar eclipse coming up soon. I stared at the bizarre model, for not only did this universe’s solar system have fourteen planets, of which three appeared to be tidally locked. Each of their surfaces were so intricately carved with detail and the seventh largest planet was orbiting the sun at incredulous speed like bees circling around. Additionally, the most distant fourteenth planet seemed alternating between orbiting the sun and a distant swirling mass object, which I could only assume to be a black hole. Was it real? Was it fake? Did this olden era world have some magic capable of surpassing solar gravity lens telescopes?

  “You seemed very impressed by the model,” Katherine said to me, as I fervently nodded. My mind brimming with curiosity about her, magic, knowledge—everything. Despite this world’ technology being at the level of ancients by my world’s standards, to think that astronomy had reached this far. “It’s nice to know that someone else is curious about this study. Most mages strive to understand the depths of mana and the leylines, often forgoing other realms of knowledge.”

  “Oh, but I’m interested in those things too. This world is unlike anything I’ve ever seen!” I said, for magic was a study she never once practiced in, having to learn it on the get go ever since I came here.

  Katherine Monvoisin stared at me for a moment, the corners of her lips upturned, as she then looked at Glen. “You’re right. This girl is quite interesting, far more than what you first made her out to be. But still, I would’ve assumed you’d be more keen in keeping her away from The Towers’ conflict. Knowing your history, are you—”

  The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  “The world is getting more dangerous by the day,” he interjected. “I cannot protect her forever, so it’d be best to entrust her to the hands of someone more in line with her class and interests.”

  “Is that so?” Katherine continued to peer deeper into Glen. She reminded me of my father on that one time he interrogated a suspect of a crime, personally, like olden times since he wasn’t too keen on using the present methods. And yet, the Tower master made no subsequent move and instead just leaned back into her couch. “Very well then. If that’s what you intend to do.”

  Somehow, I’ve got the nagging feeling that the two had a deeper relationship than mere acquaintances. I mean, it was already a bombastic surprise for the two to know each other, yet seeing the way they treat each other and how they spoke to one another … Better just ask directly. “When did the two of you meet?”

  “A long long time ago,” she said. “We go way back, sweetpea. Longer than before you were even born. Although I fear that this sorry-state-of-a-man does not desire me to reveal all about our relationship just yet.”

  “We were adventuring partners, no more and no less. Also, who are you calling is in a sorry-state you wench!” his brows crossed.

  “Oh? I thought we had a more deeper connection. After all, I still remember you holding me up close and so tight, leaving no breathing room between our bodies, as we drown out our fears and sorrows in that dark ambient room.”

  “Stop twisting that one adventure to suit your perverted delusions.”

  What was perverted about being trapped in a dark desolate room with no hopes of survival except relying on each other? My head couldn’t wrap around it, and the tense in the atmosphere prevented any words from coming out. It was like being caught in a battle between a protective bear and a sly fox, the latter of which was smiling greatly at both Glen and myself.

  “No matter. I shall do as you requested and take this girl under my wing.”

  “Eh? By under your wing, you mean …”

  “Exactly as you’re thinking. Welcome to Kyanos Tower, Apprentice Akari Takebayashi,” her words were like music to my ears, shooting my excitement skywards. “And you are also a student of yours truly, the one and only, Katherine Ignis Monvoisin!” Fireworks suddenly sprinkled behind her, adding more flair to her very much eccentric personality. “Now then, let’s get you started.”

  Katherine clapped her hands and an assortment of tools flew toward me. First was a tape measure and a notebook with a pencil writing down every aspect of my body lengths. Next was a curtain which enveloped me, then my own clothes suddenly gained sentience and removed themselves, to which a harsh cold shower descended from above followed by soap and a blast of hot air to dry me up. And lastly, tons of layers of fabric wrapped around my dazed self tightly into a cocoon.

  The curtains removed and out came me in my brand new cute outfit. A simple one-piece short skirt dress, comfy to wear and soft to the skin, as well as a cloak lined with gold extending to resemble orbiting planetary bodies. In terms of design, it did match the outfit Tower Master Katherine was wearing, but when I thought about wearing it outside, I would definitely feel out of place. It somehow felt more … modern in a sense, yet still ancient nonetheless.

  “So, how do you like it?” she asked.

  A mirror floated into my way, as I twirled around and joyfully cried, “I love it! You must be a design expert, Katherine.”

  “You over praised me. This is simply a recreation of a design piece I once saw in my travels. It’s called Prada, you should check it out if you get the chance. I heard there’s even plans to open a branch store here in Peryer, though nothing is set in stone just yet.”

  I put the goal on the list. Less so because of fashion, but more because of one little detail I noticed popped up in the system.

  ==============================================

  [Counterfeit] = Owner will become subject to the tailor's scrutiny due to the outfit not reflecting their magnificence.

  ==============================================

  I better wear a different outfit when I visit the store. Still, who knew such an equipment trait exists. There was still a whole lot I hadn’t learnt about this world, though it felt like I had walked one step closer to the Orbiterra’s image of what a ‘denizen’ is. If I wasn’t mistaken, I believed this process was called ‘naturalization’ by the olden people. Could the Tower Master know—no, she definitely knew about the trait. Most likely, she possessed the [Appraisal] skill, at high-rank considering her power and position.

  Then could she have … I glanced at Glen for some kind of approval and he replied with a simple nod, and Katherine’s observant gaze suggested the same though in a way I wasn’t entirely sure of. It looked like the two intended at keeping my [Hero] title under wraps, and with no one here but three of us, surely it would’ve been fine to speak about it. And yet they remained tight-lipped, putting on false facades as they continued to talk about what to do moving forward, treating the fact as if it never existed.

  How long have they known each other?

  What sort of secrets had the two carried?

  Could the [Hero] title mean anything to them?