Mastermind
Copyright© 2026 by FantasyTranslater
Chapter 16
The status of a wizard on this continent has a rather peculiar structure.
Like in many other fantasy worlds, wizards generally hold a high status, but when a wizard belongs to a “Tower,” their rank eventually reaches a point where they hold a status comparable to that of nobility.
This isn’t just because of the difference in skill between wizards who are part of the Tower and those who aren’t, but fundamentally because of the Tower itself.
There are only six Towers in this world, and they monopolize the production of various essential goods for the United Kingdom, including high-ranking nobles.
In other words, the combination of a wizard’s combat prowess and the exclusive production of necessary goods elevates the Tower’s power to the level of noble authority.
Moreover, the authority of the Vice Tower Master, who can be considered the deputy master of such a Tower, is said to pierce the heavens.
Despite knowing all of this.
“Isn’t this treatment a bit much?”
Alon looked at the Vice Tower Master with a bemused expression, though his face remained impassive.
She, draped in a blue cloak symbolic of the Blue Tower and with long blue hair cascading down to her waist, leaned her head on one hand, as if bothered by everything in the world, while holding a pen in the other.
Her name was Penia Crysinne.
In Psychedelia, she appears once or twice in the main story as a wizard who, at the young age of 22, had reached the 7th Rank—a ridiculous talent.
She was also a powerful wizard with an Origin.
However, at this point before the original story begins, she has not yet become the Tower Master and seems to be at the 6th Rank rather than the 7th.
“ ... As I mentioned before we met, I’ve come to talk about the Shimon.”
“What about it?”
Alon continued, watching Penia wrestle with a stack of papers without even looking at him.
“I can get rid of the Shimon.”
At Alon’s words, Penia’s gaze suddenly shifted, her eyes hysterically staring at his face.
There was a hint of curiosity in her expression.
But soon after, she made a blatantly disappointed face and clicked her tongue.
“Well, if you’re done, you can leave.”
“ ... I haven’t heard your answer.”
“What answer?”
“I said I could get rid of the Shimon.”
“Ha.”
At Alon’s words, Penia looked at him with a ridiculous smile.
“Excuse me. Who are you again?”
“Count Palatio, Alon.”
“So our Count Palatio says he can get rid of the Shimon?”
“Yes.”
“Oh, I see~ Our Count Palatio can get rid of the Shimon, huh?”
“ ... Why are you acting like this?”
Alon asked in response to her blatant sarcasm.
“Do you think you’re the first person to say that? Do you think you’re the only one who has come here seeking the treasure you can get by eliminating the Shimon? Hmm?”
Seeing Penia shake her head as if she were completely fed up, Alon spoke up.
“I’m not lying. If you guide me to the Shimon, I’ll show you right away.”
“How many people do you think have said that in front of me?”
“I can definitely get rid of it.”
Alon’s words made Penia suddenly drop the pen she had been holding and frown openly, releasing her magic power abruptly.
Snap!
This wasn’t the implementation of a spell.
It was merely a surge of magical energy.
The waveform, which was blatantly scattered based on her emotional state, instantly began to cause abnormalities within the office.
The entire room trembled as if an earthquake had struck, and scrolls and parchments on the shelves fell to the ground in an instant.
In the midst of all that.
“Excuse me.”
“It’s starting to come to light that you only became an Count because a bunch of trash conveniently died, and now you’re desperate for a move to turn things around, but you shouldn’t be causing trouble here, right?”
As Penia lowered her voice, filled with hysteria, Alon realized two things anew.
The first was that, despite seeming to be consumed by work, she was surprisingly well-informed about the outside world.
In fact, just as she said, since becoming a Count, he had lived quietly without interfering with the underworld, and rumors about him had started to spread.
The other realization was that the anger that had surged within him, unable to tolerate the way she treated him earlier, had strangely subsided, as if it had been cured.
‘She’s terrifying.’
Alon thought, realizing that despite not having reached the 7th Rank, Penia was clearly a superhuman who had transcended the realm of ordinary humans, as evidenced by the strange phenomena she created with just a scattering of magical energy.
‘I shouldn’t push my luck, or I’ll end up snapped in half.’
Even though he was a 2nd Rank wizard, Alon fully understood that if Penia chose to use her magic, his life would be in danger, so he spoke.
“If you don’t trust me, I’ll stake my entire fortune.”
“What?”
Despite feeling fear, Alon’s expression remained as impassive as ever.
“I mean it. If I can’t get rid of the Shimon, I’ll donate my entire fortune to the Blue Tower. No, since this is a private deal, I’ll hand it all over to you personally.”
“ ... What nonsense.”
“Of course, you don’t have to stake anything. I’ll be the only one to do so, and I’m willing to swear an oath if necessary.”
“...”
Penia frowned at Alon’s words, but he continued with the same impassive expression.
“This seems like a fairly good deal for you, considering you’d only be wasting a little time. What do you think?”
After a moment of silence, Penia responded.
“Write up a contract.”
Penia Crysinne.
A prodigy who reached the 6th Rank at the mere age of 21, and the current Vice Tower Master of the Blue Tower, following her master, the Tower Master.
She led Alon down to the underground, stopping in front of the door where the Shimon was kept.
“It’s here. Once you open this door, the Shimon will be inside.”
Without hesitation, Alon moved his body to grab the door handle at her words.
“Remember, since we’ve already written up a contract, I won’t go easy on you. If you fail, the entire fortune of the Palatio family will be mine. Got it?”
Despite Penia’s warning, Alon calmly turned his head to look at her.
His emotionless eyes, revealing nothing, glanced at her as he spoke.
“There’s no chance of that happening.”
Creak—
With those words, he opened the door without hesitation and stepped inside, and as Penia watched his retreating figure, she recalled the rumors about him.
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