Taking Over the Work

Fran arrived at the Mage Tower in the Number Nine Floating City.

Unlike the Mage Tower of the Northern Lands Society, the Mage Tower of the Floating City have become controlled areas due to their multiple functions and the need for extensive security.

Normal mages, without a specific rank, cannot even approach the vicinity of the Mage Tower.

Apart from a few important floors, the Northern Lands Society is open to mages everywhere else; even the first floor has been turned into the service hall for the Mana Communication System.

The first floor of the Number Nine Floating City was set up as an inspection checkpoint, equipped with various inspection equipment and a large number of forms.

Every time she enters or exits, she has to go through a security check and fill out a form, which makes Fran very unhappy.

After all, she had so many things to do outside, and spending so much time on each trip was simply a waste of her time.

However, in order to learn more about what she had previously predicted using Star Gazing Art, she suppressed her emotions and began to cooperate with the examination.

To Fran's surprise, she thought that with so many things on her, there might be something that violated the rules of the inspection.

But even after she had spent about twenty minutes completing the checkup, none of the tests had triggered an alarm.

If there was anything particularly noteworthy about the entire inspection process, it was only the quiet gasp from the inspectors when Fran handed over the identification tag given to her by Iris.

"A special identification tag... does this mean they're planning something big lately...?"

Before she could finish speaking, another inspector tugged at her, and then both of them shut their lips and stopped talking before letting Fran pass.

Fran carried this special identification tag, knowing it was sent by the secret project Iris was involved in.

This identity card is definitely different from the regular pass identity card in the Mage Tower.

Her identity token can pass the Mage Tower's checks an unlimited number of times, which alone is enough to demonstrate the high level of this identity token.

This is why Fran agreed to Iris's request. Otherwise, if she were like those ordinary mages, who could only go out a few times a month, given her numerous troubles, she definitely wouldn't have been able to do it.

The Mage Tower already had a rudimentary elevator-like device. Fran went inside, pressed the return button for the second basement level, and waited for the device to descend.

The gate reopened, and another checkpoint appeared before Fran. This was the Propulsion Department of the Floating City, and naturally, it needed to be inspected again.

She handed over her work badge again. The other person was quite surprised to see this special identification badge. After searching through the access permit for a while, they found Fran's badge number and then let Fran pass.

"Each entry and exit check takes at least twenty-five minutes."

Fran sighed softly as she underwent various equipment checks. She had a Magic Duel to fight in the afternoon, and in the evening she would have to discuss the next phase of terminal production with the Felistin Family.

"Hopefully, the work Iris assigned me won't take too long."

Fran looked at the small cubicles, each two meters and three meters high, that stood upright from the floor, and the pipes scattered around them. She thought this looked like a Propulsion Department.

Finally, she leaned against the railing, looking at the giant gap directly below and the numerous Magic Inscription arranged beneath it, realizing that these were the Magic Inscription that supported the levitation of the entire Floating City.

Where is Iris?

After briefly surveying her surroundings, Fran began searching for Iris, but no matter what she did, she couldn't find Iris.

"There aren't any outside. Should I go to one of those small cubicles?"

Fran looked at the small, enclosed cubicles; now, only those areas remained unsearched.

But are there any special rules for these enclosed cubicles, such as not being allowed to touch them without permission?

Fran hesitated for a moment, but fortunately, a figure appeared at that moment.

"Fran, you're finally here. Come this way."

Fran looked around but couldn't see Iris. She looked up and finally saw Iris flying in the air, wearing an Alchemy School mage's robe.

When Fran looked up, she was surprised to find that there were so many people up there.

Besides Iris, there were many other mages standing on a flying device with railings, leaning against a large number of dazzling Magic Inscription, seemingly doing some kind of work.

Fran walked to the foot of Iris, but didn't fly up directly. Iris then addressed the mages who were working:

"You all go ahead and get to work; I have something to do."

Iris landed, led Fran to the side, and immediately took out a Profile labeled "Top Secret".

"Your access level is high enough this time; you should be able to see more details here..."

Fran received it, and the first page was no longer filled with blacked-out squares, but with legible text.

"Conduct Magic Inscription inspection to ensure high-power acceleration is possible. Report the required personnel for operation so that further arrangements can be made."

After Fran finished reading, this was roughly the work they needed to do. It sounded quite simple: send Iris over, arrange for technicians to conduct a thorough inspection, and then prepare for high-powered relocation.

When Fran saw the high-powered movement, she blinked. It was somewhat in line with her guess; the Floating City was indeed going to move. However, whether it was as she had guessed, she would need to continue gathering information.

After about halfway through, Fran could see that the remaining text was completely blacked out, so she simply stopped reading, put the top-secret book back, and then asked Iris:

"What happened?"

The arrangements made above seem simple, but judging from Iris's less-than-pleasant expression and her insistence on calling Fran over, Iris must have encountered some difficulties.

"Fran... the biggest problem right now is that we don't understand those Magic Inscription at all."

Iris pointed to the mages who were still working and explained:

"No matter how I give them instructions, these mages won't even bother to record whether the Magic Inscription on either side are intact; they just keep checking... I have no idea what they're checking."

"I don't know why they're being so uncooperative. If this continues, I'll have to ask for help from higher-ups... But this is the Propulsion Department, so it's really difficult to make arrangements..."

Iris said with a headache, she hadn't expected to encounter this after arriving here.

"Although I don't understand what those Magic Inscription are all about, I know that as long as I keep an eye on them and watch them work, things can be slowly but surely progressed."

"But I have just too much to do... So, Fran, you keep an eye on their work for now, I'll go back and take care of my own things..."

Before Fran could react, Iris darted out, flying away without even using the elevator-like device.

Fran watched Iris's departing figure, and could only sigh before looking at the mages who had turned around because of the commotion.

This drew a stern rebuke from Fran.

"All of you, turn your heads straight! You haven't even finished the inspection, and you're already trying to slack off? No one's getting a break until the inspection is done."

To increase her persuasiveness, Fran even activated the Sky Dragon rune and took to the air.

When they saw Fran take flight, the mages abandoned their strike idea and instead focused on the Magic Inscription on the wall, whether they were actually working on them or just putting on a show was unclear.

Watching the mages' backs, Fran knew that this was Iris's instruction for the two of them to work in shifts, each taking half a day to inspect and supervise the mages' work.

After two or three days, Iris was convinced that these mages weren't working diligently.

Fran also admitted that, given the crucial nature of working in the Propulsion Department, Iris really had no choice but to let these mages do the work.

She couldn't even find a mage outside who knew Magic Inscription, because that would violate the top-secret requirement of this job.

However, Fran also felt that Iris must have made backup plans and probably already started going through the procedures, but these procedures might take a long time.

So now Iris can only have Fran, who already has a record in the project, come over to help her monitor the group of mages in shifts.

"I don't have that much time. I'll be out for at least an hour this afternoon, which would be the same as letting these monks rest, wouldn't it?"

Moreover, such a slow pace of project progress is not conducive to Fran's original intention of using Iris's name to gain more information within the project.

What if Iris doesn't do this well, and then we don't get access to more information later?

Fran gazed at the Magic Inscription on the wall, an idea bursting into her mind. She watched the backs of the mages and uttered four words.

"It's worth a try."

She flew forward and lightly tapped the shoulder of a mage who had been sitting still for a while with his hand on the runes.

This startled the mage, and even though he saw it was Fran who did it, he said with a hint of annoyance:

"What are you doing? I'm trying to figure out if this inscription is written correctly. You know, checking the features is quite complicated..."

Fran ignored his words, disregarding whether they were true or just a pretext, and asked directly:

Who here has the best Magic Inscription skills?

The monk paused, then uttered a few words.

"You're asking this?"

"Tell me, this is an order."

The mage then pointed to the mage below who was wearing a plain purple robe. Like most people, he was also looking at a Magic Inscription and remained motionless for a long time.

"That's Henry; he seems to have been nominated for the [Magic Barrier Award] from the Construct School."