Barbara wasn't certain about Bairon's specific magus ranking.
However, she was keenly aware that if it came to blows, a Battle Magus with a record of "hunting down over two hundred dark magi within half a year" would easily annihilate a sheltered scion from a prestigious family who had never seen real combat.
Darwin took Barbara's last words as an insult.
But knowing full well who she was, he dared not direct his fury at her.
Instead, he glared at Bairon.
"Unless you're skipping the exams, I'll kill you in the test arena just the same!" he spat, before turning and storming off.
"Why did you kill Dave Padorn?" Barbara inquired, her curiosity piqued.
"I had nothing to do with it," Bairon responded.
"Be cautious regardless. Darwin may not be strong, but the Padorn family will most likely seize this opportunity to take revenge on you," Barbara warned.
A heavy silence fell between them.
"Where were we?" Barbara finally asked.
"About curing Greyscale," Bairon reminded her.
"No, we were discussing 'compensation,' which does, of course, relate to curing Greyscale," Barbara paused for a moment before continuing, "I'd like to recommend a teammate for the exams."
"I prefer to participate alone," Bairon said. If a teammate was absolutely necessary, he would bring Seasoft along, after registering her at the White Tower first, of course.
"This potential teammate has good relations with two individuals who have recovered from Greyscale," Barbara said.
Bairon's interest piqued instantly.
"Have you ever met Mrs. Howard?"
"No, I just arrived in San Sorus the day before yesterday."
"Ah, right, she passed away a week ago. What I meant to ask was, have you been to 66 Maple Lane?" Barbara further inquired.
"I've been there, but didn't go in," Bairon said, his expression tinged with discomfort; that had been a troubling memory.
"Mrs. Howard had a granddaughter named Elizabeth Howard. She inherited the mansion as well as Mrs. Howard's belongings. If you're intent on following the trail concerning the 'cure for Greyscale,' she would be the most suitable person to consult," Barbara advised.
Bairon shook his head. "She doesn't seem too keen on meeting strangers."
"Strange men, you mean?" Barbara caught the awkwardness in his gaze and chuckled.
Bairon sighed. "Alright, what's your idea?"
"She came to see me yesterday, asking for help in finding teammates who are not only strong in combat but also of high moral character," Barbara emphasized the phrase "high moral character."
"That would be me," Bairon responded.
Barbara blinked.
"I assure you, she'll pass the exams," Bairon emphasized.
After a half-minute of silence, Barbara spoke. "Even if you do pass the exams, my Botanical Department wouldn't be a fit for you."
"I was thinking the same," Bairon agreed as he turned to leave her office.
Barbara spread the letter on her desk open once again and reread it.
In it, Ajani had elaborated on the artifact lost in the ruins of the Shadeveil Mountains—the Fellblade!
...
After leaving the Botanical Department campus, Bairon wandered around the academy a few more times, scanning for signs related to the "Crafting Magus." Finding none, he glanced at the academy's clock tower before turning to leave.
Upon reaching the main gate of the magus academy, Bairon waited for ten minutes.
A carriage slowly came to a halt in front of him. The door swung open to reveal the passengers within: Evelyn and Seasoft.
"We've found a new place," Seasoft announced excitedly.
Hoping it's not too expensive... Bairon silently prayed as he climbed into the carriage.
...
The new home was a two-story building, complete with a private courtyard.
It was conveniently located not far from the magus academy, just about a 20-minute walk.
As for the rent, at 3 gold coins per week, it was slightly pricier than Bairon had anticipated.
So, when Seasoft suggested purchasing a full set of down bedding, Bairon asked her to partake in the upcoming major clean-up and take responsibility for washing dishes for all three meals.
After a flurry of activity, the new home was spotless.
The time had ticked its way to five in the afternoon.
Seasoft and Evelyn went out to buy groceries and explore the neighborhood. Bairon stayed home under the guise of "Meditation."
Once they had left, Bairon entered the realm of the Dark Tower ring.
"An Advanced Magus has used this place as a spatial ring," Bairon said.
"Does that set your mind at ease?" Old John asked.
Bairon had once questioned Old John on whether the world within the Dark Tower ring could serve as a storage space.
Old John had said it could. But Bairon remained uneasy.
It wasn't a matter of mistrust; rather, Bairon planned to store valuable items in there—like the Golden Tickets, gold coins, and a couple of gemstones.
Should anything unexpected happen and these items disappear, it would spell financial ruin for him.
So Bairon decided to run an experiment. He put some items in a wooden box and placed them in the Dark Tower's world, intending to observe for fifteen days before deciding whether to use it as a storage space.
Six days into the observation period, aside from some food naturally growing moldy, nothing had changed within the box.
But the remaining nine-day observation period now seemed unnecessary.
Barbara had inspected the Dark Tower ring and deemed it a spatial ring, corroborating Old John's explanation.
Bairon opened the wooden box one more time to confirm everything was in order, then proceeded to remove it.
Minutes later, he reentered, this time bearing a heavy suitcase.
Inside, alongside the Golden Tickets, gold coins, and gemstones, were history books and fairy tales that he and Evelyn had finished reading.
Realizing he had run out of space for the new additions, Bairon brought in another bookshelf.
Old John, Charlotte, and the Golden Knight fell into a reverent silence.
Half an hour later, Bairon had finally moved all his belongings.
He collapsed onto the ground, vigorously massaging his forehead.
Each entry into the Dark Tower world came with a subtle sense of dizziness.
While mild, frequent visits in quick succession had compounded the effects, making it feel like his head was about to split open.
To distract himself from the throbbing ache in his head, he asked, "Do you know what was lost from the ruins of the Shadeveil Mountains?"
Barbara's account had been vague.
Initially, Bairon had thought that what the White Tower sought was the Dark Tower ring.
But when Barbara explicitly pointed to the Dark Tower ring on his right ring finger, an inkling of suspicion dawned upon him.
Barbara knew what was missing! She had asked for the magus ring to see if he was hiding something!
Of course, what she did not realize was that she had inspected a genuinely enigmatic object.
"A spell sword," Charlotte responded.
"Wait, you actually know?" Bairon had asked casually, not expecting a serious answer.
"It originates from the fourth floor of the Dark Tower and is named the Fellblade," Old John replied.
The fourth floor of the Dark Tower? Until now, Bairon had only opened two doors on its first floor; he hadn't even seen the stairs to the second level.
"How did it get out?" Bairon asked solemnly.
"It's better for you not to know for now," Old John advised. "If you happen upon the Fellblade, you could try to retrieve it; the Dark Tower would be grateful. Personally, though, I'd recommend staying far away from it. The outside world will repel it, and it will eventually be reined in by something."
After a moment of silence, Bairon turned his head and asked, "Madam, what is your opinion?"
"She is very weak right now," Old John interjected.
"What happened to her?!" Bairon's voice tinged with panic.
"Opening the doors of the world's foundational laws for you twice, as well as teaching you combat in the 'Infinity Battlefield' illusion, has drained her of her already limited life force," Old John explained.
Looking at the statue, Bairon's lips tightened, "I'm sorry."
Charlotte did not respond.
"Old John, is there any way to help her recover?" Bairon looked upward.
"Bring her near an Elf Legacy Treasure," Old John answered.
"Even if I could secure a Legacy Treasure, it would be forcefully consumed by the Dark Tower," Bairon said, his face darkening. He considered moving the statue further away, but feared it might harm Charlotte even more.
"The Dark Tower feeds on desire. Simply restrain your desire before bringing in the Legacy Treasure," Old John clarified.
"Understood."
After gazing at the statue for a few seconds, Bairon channeled Mindergy into his Dark Tower ring. Then he vanished from the world of the Dark Tower.
Above, a long sigh reverberated through the emptiness.