I Returned with the Cheat Holy Sword

"Good. We're in."

Glancing around nervously, Letty finally spoke.
"Now we just head to the back of the workshop, touch the Orb of Truth, and we’re done."
"...So that means I can stop with this ridiculous disguise and play, right?"

"As long as you keep it up until we’re out."
That was the best thing he'd heard all day.
Carlyle brightened and quietly followed behind Letty.

It’s been a while since I’ve been inside the Mage Tower.
Across the regressions, he'd had plenty of chances to work with the Mage Tower. He’d come inside more than a few times.
And even though it had been a while, one thing about it had never changed.

...This place never fails to be astonishing.
In more ways than one.
"…Woooow…"

Beside him, Vespa let out a sigh full of blended awe, wonder, and nervousness.
Human-shaped exoskeletons made of rare metals lay strewn across the interior, while automatons busily ferried research materials and exotic reagents to scholars deeper inside.
Massive objects of unknown purpose filled the space in all directions. Intricate holograms, diagrams, and formulas lined every inch of the room.

They call this place a Mage Tower, but honestly…
It looked more like a hyper-advanced mechanical fortress straight out of a science fiction setting.
Considering the average tech level of the Demon Hunter world, this place might as well be from an entirely different genre.

Of course, that made sense. The Mage Tower was the original birthplace and the foremost authority in the field of magitechnology. Their technological prowess was in a league of its own.
Mechanical engineering, physics, biotechnology, mathematics—even medicine. The breadth of knowledge covered here was staggering.
"…The mages are really incredible. How did they manage to make all this…?"
Vespa asked with sparkling eyes.

But Carlyle only let out a wry smile.
"They’re not exactly people worth emulating."
"...?"

Vespa tilted her head in confusion at his blunt response.
It was the first time she’d seen him speak so decisively ill of someone.
But Carlyle meant every word of it.

Even the sounds echoing around them proved his point.
From each of the scholars’ “labs” scattered throughout the area, earsplitting explosions and booms regularly burst out.
...And faint screams echoed faintly behind those explosions.

Screams filled with suffering. From living things.
"..."
Vespa flinched.

"That sound…?"
"Creatures not classified as ‘human’ under imperial law."
They were alive, yes—but far from what one would call human.

The Mage Tower performed experiments on such beings as if it were perfectly normal.
There was already enough controversy surrounding legal animal testing. But the experiments mages conducted went far beyond that—far more radical, and that was the real problem.
Vespa’s face went pale.

It was the kind of reaction that only came from realizing what sort of place she was standing in.
"A mage would consider a rare book of arcane knowledge more precious than a gemstone of equal weight."
Carlyle muttered calmly.

"In other words, to obtain rare knowledge, they’ll do anything."
These were people who’d toss away their humanity or morals onto the scale in exchange for new insight—without the slightest hesitation.
Their usefulness as the cradle of all modern technology was the only reason such madness was tolerated.

"..."
Vespa hurried to his side and clung tightly to his arm.
She looked like a frightened child, and Carlyle let her hold on, giving a faint grimace.

If that helped her feel safer, that was fine.
She still wasn’t used to fighting. If she ever got into trouble with these mage types, he’d have to protect her.
...Well, still.

If they could just follow Letty, touch the Orb of Truth, and get out of the tower, then that would be ideal.
No way anything would go wro—
"—Well, well. Isn’t this Letty Ingram?"

"..."
"Isn’t that the talentless reject who had her genius big brother suck up all the family’s ability?"
Letty’s steps abruptly came to a halt ahead of them—and Carlyle was hit with a sudden, throbbing headache.

...Every damn time. That cursed mouth of hers.
***
There are always bastards with warped personalities and messed-up ideologies, no matter where you go.

And there was no denying that the Mage Tower was a very comfortable breeding ground for people like that.
Carlyle looked toward the man sneering with a curled lip and hands in his pockets.
He looked around the same age. His mage research coat bore a nameplate: Caleb Valeria.

[The Valeria family... I remember that name.]
‘What kind of memory?’
[A mage family that rivals the Ingrams. They’ve produced many outstanding researchers. That Caleb fellow likely has considerable skill.]

‘So they’re rivals, huh? Do they get along at all?’
[Hardly. Each one can’t stand the idea that the other has talent on par with their own.]
Carlyle stared at the man named Caleb for a moment.

How to put it…
A textbook mage, huh.
[A scumbag with skills inversely proportional to personality?]

‘You really get me.’
Maybe because she had a track record herself, Gray picked up on this perfectly.
And Caleb’s attitude proved her assessment dead on.

"Your brother became the youngest-ever instructor at Yoram, and you? You entered as a regular student, didn’t you?"
"Caleb. Shut it."
Letty smiled sweetly as she replied.

They clearly knew each other. But she had no interest in even speaking with him.
She tried to ignore him and resume walking into the workshop interior—
—Thunk.

An invisible field repelled her with a sudden force.
Caleb had operated some device in his hand.
"Oops. Sorry. Only authorized mages are allowed in the back area."

"..."
"Your brother might qualify. You don’t, though, right?"
She couldn’t use even a tenth of her brother’s talent. She’d switched to magitech like a broken doll.

"..."
Carlyle’s brow furrowed just watching the open mockery.
Letty just let out a long sigh.

Clearly, she’d gotten used to provocations of this level.
"I’m not about to take crap from a flashy tin can who barely made it into the Tower thanks to his family’s patronage."
Caleb’s expression completely blanked out.

"You only got special treatment because you’re the son of the Valeria head’s favorite mistress. You don’t even have the skills to be a real researcher. Aren’t you treated like a ghost here? No teams, no labs. Doesn’t seem like you’re in any position to look down on me—"
What happened next took only seconds.
One.

Caleb manipulated his device. The field that had repelled Letty twisted and warped, and a sharp blade shot toward her.
Two.
—Carlyle stepped in and knocked her out of the blade’s path in an instant.

Had he not done that—
She’d have been seriously injured.
"...What the hell do you think you’re doing?"

Carlyle’s voice dropped to a low growl. Caleb just laughed and responded casually.
"Oh, my apologies. I’m experimenting with a new formula. It sometimes misfires. All mages are familiar with that, right?"
He nonchalantly shrugged and tapped his device.

"Surely even Sir Alistair wouldn’t be petty enough to complain about a minor accident caused by an apprentice inside the Tower. You’re such a distinguished mage, after all."
"..."
Carlyle glanced at Letty—she bit her lip and shook her head.

...It’s dangerous to cause a scene inside the Tower while you’re officially part of another branch. If they twist the narrative to make it seem like you bullied an apprentice, we’re screwed.
The Mage Tower was fiercely protective of its own. For all their dysfunction, they’d rally together instantly if an outsider stepped out of line.
Even if the apprentice was a nobody, even if the outsider was in the right—chances were high the Tower would spin it to protect their own.

...Still.
It pissed him off.
"Aww, Sir Alistair. Are you gonna shoot lasers from your eyes next? That glare’s giving me chills."

"..."
"If it gets too scary, I might just have to contact the family head, you know?"
Letting a punk like this mouth off without discipline—it made his fists clench involuntarily.

He had to think fast and find a clean way to shut this down.
"Excuse me."
...That’s what he was thinking.

Until someone he absolutely did not expect to speak up interrupted in a calm voice.
"..."
Carlyle turned with wide eyes to see Vespa stepping between # Nоvеlight # him and Caleb.

This wasn’t the same girl who’d clung to his arm moments ago, trembling with fear.
She was smiling brightly.
Gone was her usual nervous demeanor—her movements were steady, and there was a sense of unwavering resolve in her posture.

And as Carlyle watched her side profile—
"..."
A chill ran down his spine.

This wasn’t a face he saw often.
Even across all his regressions, Vespa almost never showed this expression.
And every time she did wear this face—

It always meant something was about to go down.
Because this was—
"Do you have some business with my man, by any chance?"

…her angry face.
The face of a gentle girl who’d just gotten pushed to her absolute limit.