This book was first published across the web on .
Fernandez, Observer's Tower.
Compared to the several magnificent mage towers in the distance—some soaring into the clouds, some adorned with carved beams and painted rafters, some built entirely of crystal—the gray tower standing at the edge of the district appeared almost plain and inconspicuous.
It was only ten stories tall, with a radius of no more than fifteen meters. Its entire structure was built from rough, unpolished gray stone, its exterior covered in deep-green vines that had grown over countless years. Against the radiant towers around it, it looked more like an abandoned watchtower.
The organization to which this mage tower belonged—the Observer Society—publicly proclaimed its motto: "Record history, preserve mysteries, but never interfere with the flow of fate."
Its members devoted themselves to researching ruins and ancient magic, seeming to be nothing more than a purely academic organization focused on knowledge and records.
Yet this seemingly unremarkable tower compelled every force within Fernandez City—whether the Arcane Knights who answered only to the Supreme Council, the wardens responsible for maintaining the city's operations and outward order, or the various secret organizations stirring beneath the surface—to observe an unspoken boundary: never trespass, and rarely even approach of their own accord.
There were many reasons for this.
Some said it was because of the legendary founder, Ma Duncan, who had not appeared for centuries and whose whereabouts remained a mystery to this day, existing only in legends and the opening pages of history books.
Others said it was because of the presidents of the Observer's Tower branches scattered across other nations of the continent. Though not widely renowned, every one of them was a force not to be underestimated within true circles of power and among professionals.
But more people believed it