[V4 Interlude 1] A Terrifying Fear
Translated by Jodas 4: Flying Through the SkyWhile each of the three Spires of the Wedge Tower had their own dining halls, it was only in the Third Spire: Water Bubble’s dining hall that delicacies would go on sale at irregular dates.
These products ranged from alcoholic drinks that had been shipped in by the Finance Office, to bread and sweets handmade by the dining hall staff, plus tchotchkes and trinkets made by the Maintenance and Management Offices.
Among those, the alcohol and the sweets were extremely popular, and almost always sold out in the blink of an eye.
……He’d understood that much, but Frederik Lange still found himself stunned by the size of the crowd.
(It’s not my first time here, but… I feel like there’s more people here than last time.)
When there were more items on sale, more people will come over to check them out.
At times like this, he recalled an exchange he’d had with a classmate who went on to join the Finance Office.
“My Director’s bad news! I’m serious!”
“What, is he counterfeiting money?”
“If I make an accounting mistake, even if it’s just one copper coin, he won’t let it slide! Since the year started, he’s put me through the wringer twenty times already!”
“Sounds like you’re not cut out for the job. Have you considered transfering?”
While the Wedge Tower once received financial support from the Empire, due to issues with the previous Emperor, that support has been cut off. As a result, it was hard to call the Wedge Tower’s financial situation satisfactory.
Nevertheless, Finance Office Director Eigen has done a good job keeping the balance sheet even, and with support from influential individuals in the Autonomous Territory, the Wedge Tower has been able to continue operating.
“My Director’s bad news! I’m serious!”
“Is he embezzling money or something?”
“He says it’s the Finance Office’s mission to create an environment where the mages of the Wedge Tower can live comfortably!”
“So he’s just a good person?”
Looking at the commotion in front of the sales kiosk, he could sense just how capable Director Eigen was.
Because of the unexpected mob of people, Frederik took a while to locate the item he was searching for.
Could it be…? He shifted his eyes towards the kiosk with the biggest crowd. A disproportionate amount of young women were gathered around this one kiosk.
Just as Frederik looked in that direction, a black-haired woman emerged from the crowd, holding the last of the items on sale.
“I am victorious!” She said, raising a paper bag of baked sweets high for all to behold. The black-haired woman wore a proud face as she paid for the goods. Whatever her deal was, it looked like they were now sold out.
(… What do I do now?)
Frederik Lange was a talented warrior who could think on his feet act decisively in battle, but off of the battlefield he was a man who preferred to take things at a slow, lethargic pace.
What now, he wondered, when a voice called out to him from the side.
“Oh, Frederik! I didn’t expect to see you here.”
“Röhm.”
A small woman with short brown bangs — Anneliese Röhm of the Guidance Office — looked up at Frederik.
Röhm used to be part of the Extermination Office, and was a huge help to Frederik when he first joined.
Despite her childish appearance, her accomplishments in both magic battles and Monster slaying rivaled those of the current Director, Haydn. She was an exceptional mage who greedily studied all forms of magecraft, both Modern and Classical.
She must have been shopping today, as a small paper bag hung from her arm.
“Is there something you wanted to buy?”
“I was thinking about buying some sweets… but it looks they they’re all sold out now.”
“Oh my,” her round eyes blinked and Röhm made a face like she’d figured something out.
“For Helena?”
“Why would I be buying anything for Helena?”
“Because you never eat sweets yourself, Frederik.”
“……….That is true.”
She must have assumed that he had angered his classmate, Helena, in some way, and ended up having to buy something to apologize to her. He’d never consider doing such a thing. Since Helena was always complaining about something all year round, if he tried to cheer her up even once, he’d never see the end of it.
However, he had to admit she was right that Frederik rarely ever ate sweets for his own pleasure.
“… Recently, Oliver came to visit the Extermination Office.”
“Yes, I’ve heard.”
“At that time, I ended up scaring some of the other Apprentices who were there alongside Oliver, so I thought about buying some sweets to apologize to those kids.”
Be nice to the Apprentices — that was an unspoken rule in the Wedge Tower. Since every Office was short-staffed, all of them wanted those Apprentices to choose their Office.
Frederik dreaded the prospect of his juniors thinking of him as scary.
(On top of that, that kid…)
The girl with white hair and amber eyes. She was a good singer, and was absolutely delighted when he used flight magic for her.
And, although he only heard this from Rikard, she’d sung a lullaby for Frederik when he was passed out outside.
“She said it was a charm to help you sleep better.”
So Rikard had told him.
He really didn’t want that girl to be afraid of him.
The only ones he should direct his anger towards should be Monsters and his brother. The only ones who should hate him should be Monsters and his brother.
“Do you not want your little brother to come to the Extermination Office?”
Looking up at Frederik, Röhm spoke with a slightly concerned expression.
She was a member of the Guidance Office now, so she was in a position to teach and guide Oliver as an Apprentice Mage.
“… I just don’t want to die because that useless loser holds us back. Oliver doesn’t have the skill it takes to make it in the Extermination Office.”
Röhm didn’t deny his assessment.
She was in the Extermination Office herself once. She knew very well how harrowing Monster exterminations could be.
“If you’re the weak link, then it’s best for you to just run away. Yet Oliver won’t run away… because of that, it’s possible the whole squad could get wiped out.”
“I see. I do think you are correct about that.”
Both Frederik and Röhm have watched enough of their comrades die.
Some died in ways that were so gruesome just thinking of it made him feel like he was about to throw up. He’d lost count of how many times he had no choice but to leave someone where they lay, without even bringing back a body to bury.
The Extermination Office was the most grueling Office in the Wedge Tower.
“Regardless, Frederik…”
“I know.”
“I understand what it feels like to be a kid with dreams of getting stronger… If the Apprentices say they want to get stronger, all we can do is help them train.”
Röhm made direct eye contact with Frederik.
“That is my job.”
When she stared at him like this, it made him feel on edge.
It was once said that Anneliese Röhm had eyes that could see through anything. Her reconnaissance magic was unbelievably precise, and she was outstanding at predicting her enemy’s movements.
Perhaps because of that, he felt as if she was reading the movements of his heart like an open book, and that scared him.
As Frederik stayed quiet, Röhm gave him a soft smile and took a small bundle out from the paper bag hanging from her arm.
“Frederik. Here, you can have this if you want.”
The bundle smelled like butter. These were the baked sweets that Frederik failed to buy.
“I bought them for a tea party with Director Böll, but I can just tell her that they sold out.”
“At least let me reimburse you for what they cost. If I don’t, then it won’t be any good as an apology to my juniors.”
“Sure, sure.”
Röhm giggled as she accepted the money from Frederik.
When she smiled like that, she was a charming and approachable woman.
In reality, while that was one of her faces, Frederik was well aware of how powerful and terrifying Anneliese Röhm could be on the battlefield.
(…I can’t hold a candle to Röhm.)
Rather than respond, Frederik nodded then turned around and left the Third Spire behind.
Once he stepped outside, the warmth of the sun’s rays felt good against his skin, and Frederik stretched out his arms.
He could relax whenever the sun was out. In contrast, the night terrified him.
He was always, always afraid. He couldn’t help himself from being afraid; a long-limbed Lange was always the Monsters’ first target. Because of that, he cried nonstop when he was a kid.
“Oh, let me get a good look at that face of yours. That emotion is my favorite, you know?”
He had to hide his fear with a smile, no matter what.
If he didn’t, that Monster would come for him. He would be eaten by that Monster.
(……Just like Oliver was.)