Return to the tower

After more than ten days of trekking, winding footprints were left behind. The northern winds grew increasingly fierce and dry, blowing across the somewhat desolate plateau. When the iconic silhouette of the massive magic tower of Oysast, seemingly built of pure white boulders and soaring into the clouds until it disappeared into the swirling mist, finally became clear on the horizon, the atmosphere in the group became noticeably more lively.

"Look! There it is! That's the new association headquarters, the Tower of the Firmament!" Ruby the first to jump up, pointing into the distance, her red curly hair flying in the wind, her blue eyes sparkling with the excitement of returning home and a hint of nervousness—even though she had never actually been to Oysast before.

Himmel gracefully brushed aside her wind-blown blue hair and smiled, "Hmm, it seems even more magnificent than the one I saw in Central City before. No wonder it's the new headquarters."

As they drew nearer, a bustling city, built around a giant tower and brimming with magical atmosphere, came into view. The towering white city walls shimmered with the glow of runes, and the city gates were bustling with activity. People dressed in various mage robes walked in an endless stream, and the air was filled with the unique fresh scent of arcane energy, a stark contrast to the towns they had passed through earlier.

However, just as the procession was about to enter the city with the flow of people, they were stopped by the guards at the gate.

The leading squad leader had sharp eyes. He first swept over the distinguished Himmel squad, then lingered for a moment on Frieren's pointed ears and Lowell. Finally, his gaze was fixed on the back of the group—where Lupa was gritting his teeth and struggling to drag a huge, dusty, and Great Demons statue that was tightly bound with thick hemp rope.

"Halt!" The squad leader stepped forward, his hand on his sword hilt, his tone stern. "Who are you? What's the deal with this statue?" The guards behind him also tensed up, as if facing a formidable enemy. After all, the residual magical energy emanating from the statue and its appearance clearly indicated that it was not a benevolent entity.

Ruby, still basking in the excitement of "going home," paused for a moment upon hearing this, then stood up with her little face puffed out and hands on her hips. "Hey! Look carefully! I'm from the Magic Association! This is the hero Himmel! This stone statue is a trophy we got from defeating the Demons!"

The squad leader frowned, carefully examining Ruby's obviously still-childish face, then looked at the extremely imposing stone statue, his face filled with suspicion:

"The Magic Association? You? So young? I'm sorry, gentlemen, Oysast is a newly established headquarters with strict rules. Bringing such... such unidentified dangerous items into the city requires the guarantee of at least Second-Class Mage or a direct permit from headquarters. I cannot grant permission based on just a few words."

"You!" Ruby stomped her foot angrily, her red curls almost standing on end. "Hmph... what new Magic Association headquarters? They don't even recognize me, a genuine First-Class Mage! You must be a new guard!"

While grumbling, she frantically rummaged through her small bag, finally pulling out a silver badge inlaid with rubies and engraved with intricate stars and a staff emblem. She shoved it impatiently at the squad leader, "Look closely! First-Class Mage's Badge! Genuine, no doubt about it!"

The squad leader took the badge, examined it carefully, and then looked at Ruby. "The badge... uh, it's definitely real. Excuse me, please come in..."

After verifying the badge, registering the detailed information, and repeatedly assuring the guards that they would go directly to the association headquarters to hand over the "spoils of war," the guard squad finally let them pass, though their eyes remained warily following the dragged stone statue.

"Hmph! What new Magic Association headquarters! They don't even recognize me, Ruby, First-Class Mage and disciple of my true master Serie!" Ruby kicked at the pebbles on the road in anger.

Seeing this, Himmel stepped forward, a refreshing smile on her face, and elegantly tossed a strand of blue hair across her forehead. "Don't be angry. Didn't they also fail to recognize me, the handsome hero? Oysast has only recently become the new headquarters of the Magic Association, so some personnel changes are to be expected. It's always good to be cautious."

"Hmph... Fine..."

Upon entering the city, the bustling prosperity of the magical metropolis immediately comes into view. The streets are wide and clean, with shops on both sides selling a dazzling array of magical materials, scrolls, potions, and magical artifacts. The air is filled with the interplay of various elemental magical energy, creating a mesmerizing atmosphere.

Most of the pedestrians were dressed in mage robes, walking hurriedly, and their conversations were mostly about magical theories and research. Frieren felt like she had entered paradise, but she was still blindfolded and forcibly dragged away by Lowell amidst cries of "I want it." Obviously, it was impossible to buy all of these magic books.

Ruby walked, she kept muttering "I'm so angry," but she felt more relaxed returning to a familiar environment. After all, the layout here was very similar to the city center. She led the group with ease, passing through several main roads and heading straight towards the towering, pure white tower in the city center.

The closer one gets to the base of the tower, the more one can feel the imposing aura of the "New Tower of the Firmament". The tower's body is not entirely smooth; it is engraved with countless huge runes that flow with a faint light, forming a powerful composite barrier. At the entrance at the base of the tower, there are more guards wearing silver armor and holding enchanted staffs, whose auras are significantly stronger than those of the city gate guards.

This time it went much more smoothly; I can finally use facial recognition.

Ruby approached, a captain of the guards recognized her and smiled, "Ruby, you're back!" His gaze swept over Himmel and the others, and he bowed slightly when he saw Frieren. Although a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes when he saw the stone statue being dragged, he did not stop it much. After a routine check, he waved it through, which made Ruby very happy.

The tower's interior was incredibly vast, with a dome so high it seemed to reach the top, and soft light streaming in from unknown directions. The hall was bustling with people, mostly mages dressed in various apprentice robes or formal mage robes. When Ruby and her group, especially the ominous Demons stone statue being dragged behind her, passed by, they inevitably attracted attention.

A low murmur arose around them, carrying the inquisitive and calm demeanor characteristic of mages:

"That must be Ruby, Serie's disciple."

"Hmm, what she's dragging behind her is Demons statue, isn't it? Such powerful residual magic..."

"Judging from the shape of that horn and the nature of its magic, it's probably 'The Corrupt Sage' Qual. It's said he's already killed seven or eight First-Class Mages, as well as many more warriors of the same level."

"Ruby has grown to this level to actually seal away and bring Qual back?"

"As expected of a disciple personally instructed by Serie, the younger generation is truly formidable."

"It seems this training trip was very fruitful."

These whispers reached Ruby's ears clearly. Her previously puffed-up face involuntarily lifted a little, and she subconsciously puffed out her chest. Her steps became lighter, and her emerald eyes sparkled with a mixture of pride and a smug "you're only now realizing how amazing I am" attitude.

Himmel smiled at her, Heiter winked, and Eisen remained silent. Frieren glanced at Ruby but didn't speak. Lowell lazily surveyed the academic-themed decorations inside the tower.

Led by Ruby, they rode on a platform powered by levitation magic, rising rapidly until they came to a stop in front of a huge wooden door carved with intricate star patterns—this time, they didn't have to climb stairs.

Ruby stood in the doorway, her earlier smugness fading somewhat. She stretched out her small hand, nervously fidgeting with her fingers, muttering softly, as if trying to encourage herself, yet also complaining, "Master Serie... does she really miss me...? She's usually so mean to me, always saying I'm noisy, always saying I'm stupid..."

Frieren glanced at her, still saying nothing, but a faint hint of understanding seemed to flash across her emerald eyes.

Ruby a deep breath and finally reached out to push open the heavy wooden door.

Behind the door was an extremely spacious circular room, like a small library. The four walls were lined with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, crammed with heavy books and scrolls. In the center of the room, behind a huge desk that appeared to be carved from a single piece of obsidian, stood a high-backed throne with an antique design, yet exuding an air of majesty.

And Serie sat on that throne.

She still possessed that delicate, youthful face, her long golden hair casually draped over her shoulders, her eyes narrowed, her pupils deep and unfathomable, and she wore a white robe and shorts. At this moment, she casually placed one foot on the throne, the other resting on top of the first, creating a "boss sitting posture" that was both languid and imposing, while she toyed with a magic crystal that shimmered with an eerie light in her hand. Hearing the door open, she slowly raised her head, her gaze sweeping over the people entering, finally settling on Ruby, who was leading the group.

Ruby saw her master, she seemed to be filled with courage. She ran to the desk, tilted her little face up, and tried her best to make a "I'm so great, praise me!" expression. She announced loudly, "Master! I'm back! Look, look! How great I am! My friends and I defeated that annoying Qual! We even brought him back!" She turned to the side and proudly pointed to the conspicuous stone statue by the door.

Serie glanced at the stone statue with her golden eyes, her face showing no surprise. Instead, a slow, ambiguous smile curved her lips. She set down the crystal in her hand, leaned forward slightly, and looked at Ruby with a knowing, playful gaze. In a slow, deliberately teasing tone, she spoke:

"Oh? Really? Ruby's that capable?" She drawled, her finger lightly tapping the armrest of the throne. "But... what did you call me just now? 'Master'? Hmm... that sounded quite pleasant. But..."

She abruptly changed the subject, her golden eyes narrowing slightly as if she had discovered something interesting. "I seem to recall that a few days ago, when Sela (the older female mage) came back to report, she casually mentioned... that you were calling a certain white-haired elf 'Master' outside, and you did it quite happily, didn't you?"

Ruby's smile froze instantly, her mouth slightly agape, as if she had been frozen in place, completely petrified. "Uh..."

Her emerald eyes widened, and panic and guilt at being caught quickly spread across her face. She instinctively glanced at Frieren beside her, then darted back to Serie's enigmatic smile, stammering as she tried to explain, "That... I... it's not... Lady Frieren, she... that's because... Master, please let me explain!"

Seeing her little apprentice turn bright red and become flustered, Serie's smile deepened. She leaned back on her throne, shifting to a more comfortable position, and watched Ruby with a leisurely air, as if enjoying an amusing performance.

The others in the room had various expressions. Himmel couldn't help but chuckle, Heiter shrugged, and Eisen remained expressionless. Frieren and Lowell both secretly smiled to themselves.

It seems that on her first day back at the Magic Association, Ruby will face a "severe" test from her master.