The news Gion brought was about an uninvited guest who had arrived early in the morning.
Ariel, Mathias, Ian, and Hilda followed behind Gion, who stumbled as he leaned against the wall, as they all headed to the reception room.
Inside the reception room, a man sat precariously on the edge of an old chair.
It was Alvin, the chief researcher of the Magic Tower.
Looking extremely anxious, he bounced his legs nervously while he bit his nails continuously. Even though it was early morning, his complexion was haggard, like someone who had stayed up for several nights.
This was because Erno, the tower master, had run into Ariel at the Grand Duchy Castle the day before and spent the entire night nagging Alvin until his ears nearly bled, demanding he bring the saintess immediately.
In the end, Alvin had no choice but to rush to the northern temple as soon as the sun rose.
When the reception room door opened and the group entered, the restless Alvin practically leaped to his feet.
"Hello, I'm Alvin Hoffner from the Magic Tower."
Alvin gave a quick bow to Mathias, who was clearly the oldest, while completely ignoring Ian, Hilda, and even Gion as if they were invisible.
Ian's brow furrowed in displeasure, but Alvin's eyes were already fixed on Ariel.
"Please help me, saintess!"
Desperation practically dripped from Alvin's bloodshot eyes.
What's going on?
Curious, Ariel was about to take a step toward Alvin.
Before she could even take that single step, Ian blocked her way.
"What do you think you're doing? I doubt the Magic Tower has any business asking the temple for help."
Ian's voice was dangerously cold.
"That's right. How rude can you be first thing in the morning!"
Hilda also stepped in front of Ariel, blocking Alvin's view.
Completely hidden behind Ian and Hilda's backs, Ariel barely managed to poke her head out through the gap between their shoulders.
She could vaguely see Alvin's thoroughly hunched shoulders.
"First, calm down and sit, Alvin."
Ian said.
"Do I look like I can calm down right now?! The tower master is currently…!"
"Sit."
Just as Alvin raised his voice and tried to step forward, Hilda cut him off sharply.
Overwhelmed by Hilda's warrior-like build and icy glare, Alvin flinched and shuddered before awkwardly sinking back into his chair.
A moment later, steaming teacups were placed on the table.
Across the table, Alvin sat all alone, while on the opposite side, Ian, Hilda, and Gion formed an iron wall around Ariel. At the top center of the table, Mathias sat comfortably as the mediator.
Originally, the Magic Tower and the temple were like oil and water—no, more like fire and gunpowder.
To the scholars of the Magic Tower, the Order was a bunch of ignorant fanatics shouting about an invisible god, as well as the worst nuisance that incited the royal family and nobles to cut off their research funding.
From the temple's perspective, the Magic Tower was a den of arrogant heretics defying divine providence. They put divine power and all special abilities on experimental slabs—in short, a madhouse of lunatics.
Yet here was the chief researcher of that very Magic Tower, rubbing his hands together and begging the saintess.
"Saintess, please help our Magic Tower!"
"Please explain step by step."
"Th-Then will you listen to me?"
"I'll listen…"
At that moment, a terrifying murderous intent flared from the eyes of Ian and Hilda, who stood guard on either side of Ariel. They looked ready to tear Alvin apart on the spot.
"Eek!"
Intimidated, Alvin hunched his shoulders tightly.
But it wasn't just Alvin.
"Eeeek!"
Even Gion, sitting on the same side, trembled in fear from Ian and Hilda's bloodlust.
Ariel sighed and waved her hand.
"Both of you, wipe those scary looks off your faces. Priest Gion, stop shaking so pathetically too. Alvin, speak up. I'll listen first before making a decision."
As soon as Ariel gave her permission, focus instantly returned to Alvin's dull eyes.
"Ah, as for our Magic Tower!"
Alvin suddenly puffed out his chest with pride.
"Unlike a certain place that clings to an illogical, unprovable, and primitive illusion, we are the cradle of great intellect exploring the principles and providence of the world!"
"…Hey! Do you dare insult the sacred Order right now?!"
Gion jumped up and shouted at the jab directed at the Order, but Alvin treated him like an invisible man and kept rambling, his eyes fixed solely on Ariel.
"Especially our Northern Magic Tower Branch, which has achieved incredible feats by firmly establishing the duchy's defense system in this harsh environment! Standing at the center of those great achievements is our tower master, Erno Mortein, the genius of the century and pioneer of mana wave theory!"
"Hey, you crazy heretic! Can't you hear me?!"
Gion's face flushed bright red with rage, but his fury couldn't penetrate Alvin's thick wall of indifference.
Amid the chaotic noise, Ian kept a hostile eye on Alvin. Meanwhile, Mathias was chuckling softly while sipping his tea, and Hilda's eyes were slowly glazing over as she lost her mind to Alvin's barrage of complex terms like wavelength, theory, and principle.
"Our tower master's brilliant thirst for knowledge and devotion are unmatched in the entire empire! Such a great tower master right now…"
"So, what's your point?"
Unable to take it anymore, Ariel set her cooling teacup down with a clink, cutting off Alvin's praise.
Startled by her voice, Alvin straightened up immediately.
"Yes! Honestly, our researchers have hit a massive wall in our research on mana wave theory. To solve the countless difficult problems of the world, we need a breakthrough..."
"Too long."
A slight crease formed between Ariel's brows.
"Get to the point. Otherwise, I'm leaving."
As Ariel started to lift herself off the chair, Alvin blurted out his main request almost like a scream.
"We want to analyze your divine power, saintess!"
Surprised by the completely unexpected statement, Ariel tilted her head, pointing at herself.
"My divine power?"
"Yes! Your power is absolutely essential for our research into controlling mana poisoning! As you know, in this barren northern region where we get zero support from the Order, our Magic Tower is the only hope to save the estate's people!"
"Hope, my foot!"
Gion raised his voice, pointing his finger furiously.
"How dare you babble like that in front of the archbishop? Who are you crazy lunatics mimicking God's authority supposed to save?!"
Just as sparks were about to fly between the two again, Ariel chimed in with a gentle voice.
"Um, excuse me, Alvin. About tower master Erno… whom I met in the castle hallway last time."
Ariel rubbed her thumb and index finger together lightly with a shy smile.
"I believe he mentioned paying a research fee…"
Before she could even finish her sentence, Alvin snatched the bait.
"Of course! We have prepared more than enough! 500 silver per hour! How about that?"
500 silver!
Instantly, the calculator inside Ariel's head began spinning furiously.
A low-rank saintess earns a monthly salary of 3 gold. 1 gold is 1,000 silver. So at 500 silver an hour, working just 6 hours a day makes a whole month's salary?!
Ariel's brain short-circuited at the astronomical pay rate, leaving her frozen with her mouth slightly agape.
Sitting across the table, Alvin anxiously awaited Ariel's answer. If he failed to bring the saintess back, Erno might grab him by the collar and throw him out the window. Alvin shouted urgently, shaking the teacup on the table.
"I-Is it not enough? Then 1 gold! I'll give you 1 gold per hour!"
Ariel forced her jaw shut before it could drop any lower.
1 gold per hour?!
She had to take this, no matter what!
"I'll do it."
A gentle smile spread across Ariel's face.
"For the peace of the North and the well-being of its people, gladly."
Her voice was clear and serene.
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