The Tower's Name

The duke's proposal came in an atmosphere where refusing wasn't really an option, so I had no choice but to nod.

Just tagging along wouldn't pay much.

Since it was unclear whether there'd even be a chance to do anything, I negotiated permission to buy any items found at that tower-like place in exchange.

It was limited to what the duke approved, but there might be some hidden gems.

Without at least that much profit, this wasn't worth the trouble.

That seemed to be the extent of what he'd called us for, and the conversation ended there.

Since we'd be departing on a later day, I tried to excuse ourselves on the grounds that we had no inn, but we ended up being put up at the duke's mansion for the night.

Before I knew it, we'd rejoined Finn and the others.

Finn was doing stretches while lying down, and Orleans was reading a book.

"You should've refused. This has bad omen written all over it."

"You think I could say no in that atmosphere?"

"That's exactly why you keep having a hard time."

When I explained the situation, Finn gave me an earful.

I understood her point, but impossible was impossible.

Hey now. Don't sigh at me like that.

We'd been surrounded by the duke's guards and retainer mages, all staring at us.

I doubted they had any ill will toward us as the duke's guards, but that was definitely peer pressure saying, You're coming, right?

"Here you go. You've had a long day."

Orleans had prepared warm wet towels and tea for everyone, so I gratefully accepted.

It felt heavenly, like coming back to life.

"Well, if you think of it as exploring a labyrinth with the duke's army, the risk shouldn't be that high."

"I wonder about that."

Alexia leaned her weapon against the wall and sat down.

She'd been lost in thought on the way back too; something was clearly on her mind.

"Master, you only know labyrinths from what's written in books."

"That's true, but…"

"You never know what's going to happen in a labyrinth. Much less that place, which might not even be a labyrinth. It's somewhere completely unknown. When it comes to nobles, your guard is too lax, or something like that."

She apparently still remembered when I got thrown in jail.

When she put it that way, I had nothing to say.

"D-don't worry. We'll protect you properly."

I must have looked dejected.

Azu came over and did her best to encourage me.

"Really, it would be safer to leave you behind… But since you're the one who got invited, we can't exactly not go with you."

"Sorry about that."

Hmm, maybe I'd been too quick to agree.

Still, an unknown place no one had ever been to stirred a man's heart.

Even without this situation, I'd have wanted to visit at least once.

"I hope nothing happens…"

Elza's murmured words lingered strangely in my ears.

We received dinner from the duke's household in our room.

Expensive meat we couldn't normally afford, and premium fruit.

"Delicious. But I hope this isn't our last supper."

"Finn. That's way too ominous. Stop it."

"Ahaha…"

"Just eat. It's free food."

The next day, at the designated location, the duke's army was already waiting, fully prepared to march.

We'd arrived earlier than the specified time, but this was a diligent army.

The duke himself was in full battle gear and would apparently be joining us.

… I didn't see the Anti-Magic Orb, though.

Could he not have it on him right now?

At the appointed time, we began the march.

As guests, we were given a seat in the duke's carriage.

But unlike with Lady Anatia, it wasn't like I could chat amiably with Duke Baroba himself, so the atmosphere was somewhat heavy.

The guards were stationed outside, which made it even more so.

Incidentally, the theologian who'd called it a tower was also riding with us, explaining various things to the duke.

Better than total silence, and since I didn't know any of this, the stories were interesting, but nothing concrete emerged.

We wouldn't know what would happen until we actually went there.

"Massive towers like that were called Constellations, apparently."

"What does that mean?"

"In simple terms… stars, perhaps. The name conveys that it is a tower closest to the gods in the heavens, according to this text."

Stars, huh.

Connecting the stars in the sky with lines created pictures, and those were called constellations.

The visible constellations changed with the seasons.

For ages, people had tracked the seasons that way.

That was probably still true in many places.

Praying to the stars, as the saying went. It felt more likely to bring blessings to pray to the stars you could see than to absent gods.

But apparently there was some connection between constellations and gods.

"A Constellation tower, huh… Any idea what it's used for?"

"It varies depending on the corresponding god, it seems. The books with the details have been lost… But for example, if it were the Creator King's tower, it would bestow a weapon upon whoever reached the top."

"The fabled armaments of the Creator King."

"Yes. Legendary items that, once used, defeat any enemy. Single-use only, but said to have obliterated monsters larger than mountains without a trace."

"I heard rumors of them while searching for the crown. Never did find any, though."

The moment "Creator King" was mentioned, I noticed Elza perk up and listen intently.

As a priestess, she must have been curious.

From what I was hearing, it sounded like just trials.

If so, that would be relatively safe, which would help.

Eventually, we arrived at the tower.

It seemed narrower at the base and wider toward the top.

Climbing that would be rough.

At the entrance, something like writing was carved into the stone.

"Can you read it?"

"I'll try. It appears similar to ancient theological script."

The theologian put on his glasses and attempted to decipher it.

But it seemed different from any script he knew, and he struggled.

"Oscar. The Tower of Oscar."

Elza announced.

"A tower of the warrior god who came to this world alongside Barbaroi and first fought against the Sun God."