They said they are from Archine Tower.

The words of the guard hung in his mind as Kai walked, ending his meeting with Francis abruptly.

He had already expected this when Francis requested to send the report, though he couldn’t help the curiosity that built in his mind as he strode into the meeting room where the said people waited for him.

With Francis by his side, their steps quickened as they opened the oak door with a creak.

He sensed the heightened mana as soon as he entered the room. Although he had expected them to send someone, it was still a bit of surprise that the ones they sent were Mages.

A part of him was excited about the prospect since he was curious about the level of Mages in Archine Tower. He had seen the prowess of Actra, but he was clearly not a Battlemage.

He also didn't know what his standing was in the tower. Was he a middle ranked member or a lower ranked one?

Having these questions bubbling inside of him, he gave a curt nod at Killian, who stood by the door, his hand resting casually on the pommel of his sheathed sword. His gaze flicked between Kai and the emissaries, a silent question hanging in the air.

Then, Kai looked up at the two Mages from the capital.

They stood stiffly by the large wooden table, their robes a deep crimson that seemed to absorb the light itself. Kai took one full glance at how fearless they stood.

One of them had light crimson hair and was rather short while the other one was a bit taller with dirty blonde hair. Both of their faces were basic a bit pudgy, clearly hinting at the fact that they weren't used to moving their bodies.

His eyes wandered and took in the more intricate details.

A golden insignia, a stylised gryphon with outstretched wings, gleamed on their chests. A flicker of recognition sparked in Kai's mind.

It was the same symbol he'd seen engraved into a dusty amulet he'd found in Actra's room.

The taller of the two robed figures turned towards Kai. A hint of smugness, subtle but unmistakable, tinged his neutral expression. He didn't bow, nor did he offer any form of greeting.

"Are you Baron Arzan?" the Mage rasped, his voice cold and devoid of warmth.

Kai straightened, not appreciating his tone or the way he looked at him. "I am," he replied, his voice firm. "What brings you to my territory?"

The man slammed a document onto the table. It was a bunch of parchment, neatly tied by a seal. "Well, then," he intoned, voice dripping with false gravitas. "You are hereby under arrest for the murder of Actra Dhuran by decree of the Archine Tower."

Kai’s eyes narrowed.

“Murder?” he drawled. “That’s a pretty hefty accusation to throw around in someone else’s house, especially without any proof.”

The calmness that reeked out of his body made the two Mages glance at each other. He wasn't bothered by them at all, already sensed their strengths by the subtle mana flowing out of them.

The shorter Mage, previously silent, scoffed. “Proof? The Archine Tower commands it. What more proof do you want?”

Kai snorted back, mimicking his attitude. "That 'command' wouldn't hold water in a leaky bucket. I thought Mages are known for being knowledgeable, but it seems like you didn't even bother reading the report I sent to the Archine Tower."

The Mages bristled, their faces scrunching at the insult.

“That's an insult towards the Archine Tower and at me,” the taller one hissed, his voice tight with poorly concealed frustration. "You will come with us to participate in the investigation!"

The shorter Mage, his face flushed with anger, reached into a pouch at his belt and produced a pair of gleaming handcuffs. Embedded within the metal were faint pulsations— syphon stones, meant to drain a Mage's mana.

Kai watched the display with cool amusement. "Handcuffs in my own home? Now that's just disrespectful. Especially since you two don't seem to have the power to back it up."

The taller one’s face turned to a scowl. Not the adorable kind, but the kind that could scare a child with only one blink. "What do you mean we don't have the power?" His voice raised by the end, demanding a challenge.

Kai raised an eyebrow. "I mean you're weak," he stated bluntly. "Just a couple of puffed-up pigeons with fancy robes."

Hearing that, the shorter Mage grunted in rage. With a snarl, he unleashed a gust of wind aimed directly at Kai's chest.

Kai, however, barely flinched. He sidestepped the spell with a casual grace. The wind howled past, sending shivers down Killian's spine but missing Kai by a hair's breadth.

The taller Mage, fueled by his partner's failure, launched a [Fireball] at Kai. The projectile hurtled towards him, a sphere of pure destructive energy.

But before it could connect, Killian materialized between Kai and the fireball. With a swift movement, he unsheathed his sword and met the it head-on.

A searing hiss filled the room as Killian's blade clashed with the spell and it exploded. The force of the impact sent the Mage staggering backwards, his face contorted in surprise. The fireball sputtered and died, leaving behind a faint wisp of smoke.

The shorter Mage, still fuming from his failed wind spell, gritted his teeth and formed another spell structure on his palm. Kai recognised it as a second circle spell called [Wind Blade].

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A crescent of raw wind energy materialized in his hand, crackling with ominous power.

Kai didn’t need time to process. A counter-spell, a mirror image of the wind blade, met the Mage's attack head-on.

The two forces collided in a miniature explosion that sent a gust of wind swirling around the room. Books tumbled from shelves, and papers fluttered to the floor.

The Mage stared, his eyes shaking with with disbelief. He clearly hadn't expected Kai to be strong enough to counter a second circle spell with such ease.

“Since you attacked first, don't expect me to be cordial,” he said, seizing the initiative and channelling his mana.

Crimson flames erupted from his fingertips, twisting and coiling into a fiery whip. With a flick of his wrist, he lashed out, the whip wrapping around both the Mages and binding them tightly. Their crimson robes smouldered slightly, but the flames weren't hot enough to cause serious injury.

It was [Infernal Whip], a third circle spell with tons of applications and one perfect for scenarios like these.

He gave a gentle unbothered smile and cast another spell.

A spell structure formed and out of thin air, a flaming arrow popped up. It cut through the air and aimed right in between the tall one’s face as he closed his eyes. Before it could hit him, Kai stopped it just in time.

"See? Attacking a guest in their own home isn't exactly proper etiquette. Seems the Archine Tower Mages haven't been keeping up with their training courtesy courses."

The shorter Mage, despite being bound, glared at Kai. "We were under orders to apprehend you. Get us off these whips or you would be—" he tried to spat, but Kai simply turned the arrow towards him, making him wince.

"Let's first try introductions, shall we?" Kai's voice was a low growl. “You already know my name. So, it's only proper you give your names and titles.”

“I'm Jacks Krahlet, second circle Apprentice Mage,” the taller one said, his eyes stuck on the arrow as he gritted his teeth.

“Klan Markson, second circle Apprentice Mage,” The shorter one muttered, frowning.

“Good.” Kai smiled. “Now, answer every one of my questions without fail or I won't hesitate to burn you to ashes.”

“Y-you can't do that,” Jacks said. “Harming Archine Tower Mages is a crime and a punishable offence. You won't be able to get away with it. The king itself would strip you away of everything and—”

“You did the same to me, so whatever I am doing here is self-defence. You two really take me for a weakling. You are accusing me of killing a third circle Mage and if I actually could kill him, why do you think I would spare your lives?”

His words made them cower as they seemed to realise what a massive mistake they had made. Kai assumed that they believed that Actra had actually been killed by deceit. Or at least the report he had sent was false.

As he saw them nodding in fear, he began asking his questions. “Why am I under arrest?"

Klan, his bravado dampened by the fiery arrow in front of his face, squirmed under Kai's gaze. "Look," he finally muttered, "it's a… a summons, alright? An official request from the Archine Tower for your cooperation in their investigation."

Kai raised an eyebrow, skepticism etched on his face.

He snatched the document from the table, his eyes scanning the text. It was indeed a summons, a formal request for his presence at the Archine Tower. But anger still simmered in him.

"Then why the arrest?" he demanded. "If it's a summons, why the theatrics?"

The two Mages remained silent, their faces flushed with a mixture of shame and fear. The flaming arrow flared brighter, casting an ominous glow on the room.

Finally, Jacks mumbled a sheepish quality to his voice, "We… we were under the impression you wouldn't follow a simple summons. Thought we'd… encourage your cooperation."

The corner of Kai's mouth twitched. "Encourage? Or were you simply trying to exert your authority, and enjoy a few days at my expense under the guise of an arrest? Did you hear that I’m a Mage before?"

Both of them flinched, their charade crumbling under his scrutiny. "We…" Klan stammered. "We received word you were a Mage, but…"

"But we never expected me to be this powerful. We were told you were never trained by the tower or by another Mage.” Jacks finished, lowering his head and sighing.

Kai frowned, tossing the document onto the table. He gestured to Francis, who had remained silent but observant throughout the ordeal. "Francis," he said, his voice calm but firm. "Get these gentlemen some rooms. I'll think about accompanying them to the Archine Tower… at my own pace."

He shook his head and the arrows vanished from the air, making the two Mages take a sigh of relief.

Klan, emboldened by the removal of the flaming arrows, puffed up his chest. "If you don't comply with the summons, the Archine Tower—"

Kai cut him off with a sharp glare. "I never said I wouldn't comply. I said I'd go when I want to. For now, you'll stay here and behave yourselves. Next time, the flames won't be so forgiving. Also, I would talk to you again soon about the Tower and the summons. For now, go with Francis and don't dare to do anything that you won't be able to handle the consequences of."

The two Mages nodded at the same time, their eyes filled with horror.

***

The rhythmic rumble of the carriage wheels lulled Kai into a contemplative silence.

Killian sat opposite him, his sharp eyes scanning the passing scenery. From time to time, his mouth would twitch, but he would stop himself from speaking up.

Finally, seeming unable to contain his curiosity any longer, he spoke.

"Those Mages from Archine Tower," Killian said. "What are you going to do about them?"

Kai sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Honestly? I knew the Archine Tower would come knocking, but I didn't expect it to be this fast." He tapped the document resting on his lap— the official summons, a thin sheet of parchment that called him to the Tower to be questioned.

It had an official tone and it was written that it was a simple investigation. Though, Kai didn't believe it.

"Going by the tone of the summon," Kai continued, “It seems they haven't bought Actra's transformation story. Can't blame them, really. Until someone else sees a man transforming into a monstrous creature, it's hard to swallow."

Killian nodded in agreement. "Indeed. Your word, even as a Baron, won't be enough against the Archine Tower. They are an entity that even rivals the authority of the royal family.”

"Exactly," Kai said. "I have to go, answer their questions. But I won't go unprepared."

He leaned back in his seat, his gaze flickering out the window. Curiosity lingered in his eyes about the tower.

"Honestly, Killian, I'm curious about this Archine Tower. They're the pinnacle of magical authority in the entire kingdom. Powerful Mages, rumoured to possess libraries worth of magical knowledge and countless other things…" His voice trailed off, lost in contemplation.

The carriage lurched to a halt before he could speak more, jolting them both back to reality. The coachman, a gruff man named Bart, stuck his head through the window. "We're here, Lord Arzan," he announced.

“Let's talk about it later,” Kai said, looking at Killian who nodded.

Both of them got off the carriage, stepping out into a sea of wheat swaying gently in the breeze.

His mind shifted back from the topic of the Mages as he felt the wind on his face. Today he was out to inspect the farmlands.