[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower":3,"chapter-the-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower-the-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower-chapter-74":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","The Problematic Child of the Magic Tower",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1334970,1778,"Chapter 74","the-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower-chapter-74",74,"\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>w\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chapter 74: The Delivery Department (4)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The heart of the East, Rouen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A certain door burst open with a loud bang in the city where the Yellow Mage Tower stood!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“D-Director of the Magical Engineering Department!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unperturbed by the rude intrusion of the Intelligence Department head, Tony gave him a curious glance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What is it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve found something.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Don’t tell me this is about the task I assigned you a few days ago? That’s awfully quick.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, it’s about a topic that briefly came up in a meeting weeks ago. I’ve discovered that the White Tower has been buying up magical engineering papers and large quantities of levitating stones.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Recalling the conversation from back then, Tony nodded slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I remember. So, what did you find out?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The answer is bikes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bikes?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could it be the bikes he was thinking of?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Tony tilted his head, the Intelligence Director grinned smugly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you remember the report I gave you three or four months ago about the bike rental business?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course. It was a failure in the mountainous north and the desert west.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exactly. It didn’t just fail; it was a catastrophic collapse. Back then, the rental company owners were desperately trying to sell off their bikes everywhere.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They were, indeed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tony vividly recalled the desperate pleas of those who even approached the Yellow Tower, begging to sell the bikes for even half the price.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, the Yellow Tower had no intention of buying them back, as they had already deemed bikes a failed product and had exited the market.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And now you’re telling me the answer is bikes? Are you saying the White Tower bought up all those heaps of scrap metal?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh? How did you know?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tony’s eyes widened at the unexpected response.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t understand. They bought them? Why?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Considering their past purchases of magical engineering tools and levitating stones, it seems they’re planning to modify the bikes for some purpose.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...The most likely use would be for delivery.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, but that might not be it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Intelligence Director lowered his voice as he spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There are rumors that the White Tower is planning to withdraw from the delivery business.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They’re pulling out of delivery and yet bought bikes? That doesn’t make sense.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, maybe they’re planning to start a new business. Delivery doesn’t make money, after all.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He spoke nonchalantly, but Tony thought differently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The north and west combined had over 5,000 bikes in operation.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Purchasing all that stock wouldn’t have been cheap, even at drastically reduced prices.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Are they planning to use those for a new business?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It made no sense. Even if the White Tower had profited handsomely from potions, business ventures still needed a semblance of logic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Above all, Fidelina Chase, the White Tower elder, is a financial genius.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had kept the White Tower afloat for years on meager revenues, which was proof enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, if they were doing this, it must mean they were confident about something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What could it be?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A shiver of unease ran down Tony’s spine, a sensation he deeply disliked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To think he would feel such apprehension coming from the White Tower of all places.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Find out exactly what the White Tower is planning with those bikes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Leave it to me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And have you uncovered the reason for the information blackout from Vince?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that question, the Intelligence Director’s expression grew heavy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m sorry. I tried to use our usual insiders, but they were terrified and refused, saying their lives were at risk.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is it that serious?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Recently, information from the distant Vince territory and its surrounding areas had been completely cut off for about a day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. It seems the Imperial Family classified the information as top-secret.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Top-secret, huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the highest level of classification in the Imperial Family’s system.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feeling an ominous unease, Tony shifted his gaze back to his documents.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Keep digging.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>w\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>* * *\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As morning broke, a familiar face appeared in the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wow, I finally found you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fran Sirius.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without hesitation, he stepped inside, complaining as he went.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve never met a novice mage as busy as you. Where have you been running off to?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Here and there. Busy with things.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking back, it had been a long time since they’d last met.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it before hunting the Heavenly Silkworm and heading to Baran?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After that, even upon returning to the Mage Tower, there was no time to meet due to intensive training.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pfft, you clung to me like glue, promising to teach me everything, but now...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fran pouted, but judging by his improved magical prowess, he hadn’t been idle either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“For someone complaining, you’ve trained pretty hard on your own.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course. Did you think I’d just slack off without you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fran retorted bluntly, and with a whoosh, one of his arms disappeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, a cool breeze brushed past, like a fan had been turned on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I can now partially turn parts of my body into wind.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Partially, huh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though not fully, it seemed he had overcome his trauma to some extent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you mean by ‘partially’?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Only my limbs for now. I’m still too scared to try with my head or heart.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s more than enough. You’ve done well.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In any case, the head or heart would likely transform into wind instinctively in a crisis.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s how it had worked even before he began training.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You wouldn’t have come just to see my face. You’re stuck, aren’t you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fran averted his gaze at Oscar’s blunt question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Actually, yeah. I’m not sure how to make use of this ability. So I came to hear your thoughts.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm. If you had to fight Lazli again right now, how would you use it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Not sure. Probably like this.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Fran finished speaking, one of his arms turned into wind, radiating a sharp, cutting energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had transformed his entire wind-arm into a Wind Cutter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wouldn’t I use this? That way, even a knight wouldn’t be able to approach me easily.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Not a bad idea, but…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Personally, I found it a little disappointing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s because Fran’s physical abilities were far inferior compared to mine or Killian’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If you decide on such a growth direction this early, you’ll hit a limit sooner than you think.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meeting a knight or mage skilled in close combat would make him powerless in an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps Fran already knew this, as he let out a heavy sigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I know. That’s why I came to you. I wanted that brilliant brain of yours to come up with an idea.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Brilliant brain, huh…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though it had nothing to do with being brilliant, I already had an answer to his dilemma.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first Wind Spirit wielder, the 7th Tower Master.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We could refer to his combat methods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Follow me to the training hall.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was already the second time I’d come to the training hall with Fran.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I handed a weapon to the figure standing idly by.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Here, take this.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…What’s this? It looks like a whip.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That’s because it is a whip. From now on, it’s the weapon you’ll practice and master.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fran’s face immediately showed displeasure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Understandably so; whips were notoriously difficult weapons to handle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why a whip, of all things?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Because it’s the weapon that best suits your abilities.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A whip’s lethality ranks among the highest of melee weapons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, its range surpasses that of a spear, and its speed is unparalleled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even without magic, it can break the sound barrier in an instant, making it the only weapon capable of such a feat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s also incredibly destructive. If it hits properly, it can literally tear skin apart.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…If it’s so great, why don’t people use it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Because it has a few fatal flaws that overshadow all those advantages.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I gestured lightly with my hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Instead of explaining, it’s faster to show you. Try swinging it at me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If it rips your skin off or something… No, forget it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Realizing who he was worrying about, Fran swung the whip with all his might.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The whip instantly broke the sound barrier, lashing toward me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I caught it effortlessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your hand…! Are you okay?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’m fine.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thanks to the gentle breeze enveloping me, this level of attack was easy to catch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing that I was unharmed, Fran let out a sigh of relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…Monster. Let go of it already. I can’t retrieve the whip while you’re holding it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That’s the first major flaw of this weapon.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at the taut whip, I continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Using a whip involves large preparatory motions, making its trajectory easy to predict for a sharp-eyed opponent. And if the whip gets grabbed like this, the fight’s over. It’s a weapon that puts everything into offense but lacks any defense.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every single one of these flaws was critical.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s why the whip, despite its superior speed and destructive power, was dismissed as a mainstream weapon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But what if you covered this whip with the Wind Spirit?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…Huh?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fran seemed to realize something at that moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The whip vanished from my grasp, dissipating into the wind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had easily retrieved it, a look of amazement on his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So, for someone like me, the whip can’t be grabbed, right? Since no one can grasp the wind.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And if you turned the whip into wind, making it invisible, predicting its trajectory or timing would become nearly impossible.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On top of that, wind breaking the sound barrier would be difficult to counter, even if visible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"In short, with the Wind Spirit, you can nullify all the whip’s weaknesses.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…Hearing you explain it like that, it sounds like the ultimate weapon.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Staring at the whip in his hand, Fran spoke up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But wouldn’t the whip’s destructive power be weaker if it turned into wind?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Good question. You’re right. If it were simply eroding surfaces with wind, there’d be no need to use a whip.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, the world is full of better weapons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, the 7th Tower Master came up with a brilliant way to eliminate even that last weakness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There’s an intermediate spell I’m currently restoring from the White Tower archives. Want to learn it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Of course! What’s the spell called?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Breath of Steel.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s a spell that makes any wind the user controls as solid as steel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Combining this spell with the Wind Spirit would make Fran’s whip the perfect weapon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An invisible force, faster than sound, would target his enemies’ lives.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>w\u003C\u002Fp>",1764,"2026-06-05T20:00:10.789Z",1,"novelbin.me","993dc65cf875fb28d3c08fe4c084579937822e4a69d9f86ab1936d10cb348905","the-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower-chapter-75","the-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower-chapter-73",375,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower-cover.jpg"]