LGHTNOVELBOOK 1 - It's Not My Problem
Enhancement… The ability I gained when I was reincarnated into this world was a strengthening skill called ‘Movement.’
Using this skill, I could enhance not only simple objects and skills but even artifacts. That’s why I wanted to go to the magic tower. I thought that with this ability to enhance everything, I could earn a lot of money and a stable position at the magic tower. Although I was only a 1-element magician, I judged that my enhancement ability was perfectly suited for the magic tower.
But what I didn’t know: The world can sometimes be cruel.
No matter how hard you work, it’s rare to be recognized for your achievements. In places where factions and power groups have formed, it’s common for superiors to steal the achievements of their subordinates. This happens in ordinary companies, or even in small schools. Even beasts offer the meat they’ve hunted to their leaders.
Yes, it’s the natural order of this world for those without power to be mistreated. So I understand their despicable actions. I understand them taking all the credit for the research I established, and I understand being mistakenly perceived as someone who achieved nothing and thus being expelled from the magic tower because they stole all the credit. But it was hard to forgive.
“Mr. Jeff. Are you leaving now?”
Lunia asked me.
But I didn’t want to answer. Lunia was also one of the people who had stolen my achievements.
“Mr. Jeff. You’re not answering. Since you’re leaving this time, why don’t you share some words of wisdom before you go?”
“What did I do wrong?”
Unable to hold back any longer, I questioned, and Lunia answered.
“What do you mean?”
“I’m asking if I did something wrong to you all.”
“Why are you suddenly saying such things? Your being fired has nothing to do with us, right? You should have produced results. In the magic tower, it’s natural to be dismissed if you don’t consistently produce results.”
“Results… Did I not produce results?”
I pointed to the light floating in the air as I spoke.
A luminous stone with bright light output and long-lasting durability using a minimal amount of mana. It was something I had developed, improved, and maintained.
Suppressing my indignation, I spoke.
“I did everything from the principles of the luminous stone to its development and maintenance. But when the lab director reported to the upper management, it was written that he and his team members developed it all, and I only collected materials.”
“Oh my? You made the luminous stone? That can’t be. If that were true, you should have raised an objection with evidence.”
I had tried to find evidence to raise an objection. But starting with research records, all the materials I had collected from beginning to end had mysteriously disappeared. It wasn’t just the luminous stone. From the huge pillar maintaining the central part of the magic tower to the clocks they used, defense mechanisms, and various artifacts.
There was nothing that hadn’t passed through my hands. But each time, they stole my achievements in clever and vicious ways. It was the doing of the lab director and researchers at the research institute established under the magic tower’s leadership. Of course, the magic tower must have condoned this.
I spoke.
“You all destroyed all the evidence.”
Lunia replied as if she had been waiting for this.
“If you have no means to prove it, then it’s not your achievement.”
Lunia gradually walked over and whispered in my ear.
“So, why did you come to the magic tower in the first place when your status doesn’t even qualify, causing all this trouble? Everyone in the magic tower is a child of high noble families. Since you’re leaving anyway, I’ll tell you this: you and we are not on the same level.”
Lunia held the floating luminous stone in her hand and spoke.
“You should have known that shining brilliantly and beautifully is a glory that only the chosen ones can enjoy.”
Lunia began gradually injecting mana into the luminous stone. Due to the mana injected beyond its limit, the luminous stone exploded with a bang. She tapped her hand and spoke.
“Just because you know a few trivial tricks, greedily trying to take a position that doesn’t suit you leads to this. Understand? Not even from a noble family but an orphan, tsk.”
At her absurd words, I closed my mouth. But her mouth showed no sign of closing.
“You should be grateful just for being admitted to the magic tower. The reason you could achieve results was ultimately due to the constant support of the great magic tower, wasn’t it? If you had focused solely on research in your pitiful laboratory that you originally had, you wouldn’t have been able to create even this luminous stone, let alone the source of life in the center of the magic tower, right? So, the fact that you could achieve results was all thanks to the magic tower and our excellent researchers. But you want to monopolize the achievements? That doesn’t make sense.”
It was nonsense. From the beginning, the research design, error range calculation, and execution were all done by me. What they provided was just a shared laboratory and shared supplies, which, while not cheap, were common items that any researcher could use.
I told Lunia.
“If you admit your mistake now and return my achievements that you’ve taken to their original place, I will leave without any resentment. If you return the performance bonuses, pension, and everything else you took instead of me, I’ll consider it as if nothing happened and just leave without saying anything.”
But she laughed and replied.
“Listen. It might seem to others as if you’re someone great. But let me say it again, the achievements you’ve made are nothing, okay? You know that recently, many people besides you have been developing outstanding inventions or magic, right? Don’t you know that’s all thanks to the tower master’s blessing? And don’t try to negotiate with me. Negotiations should also be between parties of similar rank.”
“…”
I closed my mouth and waited. I had given her one last chance. But Lunia, in her arrogance, began to shout.
“What are you staring at? Get out now!”
I turned my body and walked out. With each step I took, I could hear people whispering around me.
[There… he’s finally leaving. It didn’t make sense that someone without a family entered the magic tower in the first place.]
[I heard he can’t even handle magic properly, let alone produce results. How did he pass the magic tower’s entrance test?]
[I heard rumors that he either manipulated records or simply copied others’ tasks. It seems that was true.]
[The tower master, really. Why did he allow such a half-wit to enter?]
[Hmm… don’t speak ill of the tower master.]
[Ahem… that wasn’t my intention.]
Pathetic people. They grovel before those with power and step on those without power, those who cannot rely on the influence of their family, like stepping on insects.
The truth wouldn’t matter to them either way. Whether I truly failed to produce any results or if my achievements were stolen. They probably wouldn’t care about such things.
Yes… I’ve been patient enough.
“Movement.”
As I spoke quietly, a complex operating device was generated in my hand.
“I’ll destroy all Movements in the magic tower.”
[Removing all Movements within the range of the magic tower. This may cause permanent damage to artifacts to which they are attached. Do you agree?]
“Gladly.”
I answered like that and raised my head to look at the magic tower. The gigantic magic tower floating in the air. Located hundreds of meters above the ground, the magic tower was a structure that inspired awe and respect in people just by itself. By the way, ‘Movement’ was also embedded in the magic tower’s floating device. The effects of removing Movement from the magic tower began to manifest immediately.
— Creeeeak…
— Bang!
With an incredibly loud noise, the magic tower floating in the air tilted about 1 meter to the side.
“What on earth is happening…?”
I looked at the Movement in my hand.
[All Movements have been destroyed. The magic research area set in the magic tower will be disabled.]
[There is a problem with the magic tower’s floating facility.]
[The magic tower’s sewage treatment facility has malfunctioned.]
[Permanent damage has occurred to the magic tower’s data storage institution.]
[The magic tower’s…]
At that moment, the tremendous mana energy swirling inside the magic tower began to scatter, and the building was gradually tilting.
“What the hell is going on? Quickly find out what happened!”
I asked the panicking Lunia.
“Seems like something happened suddenly? I used to do the maintenance normally, but coincidentally, I’m leaving today, so it seems there’s no one else to do the maintenance.”
“Stop speaking so arrogantly and get out right now. Do you think others can’t do what you did? I can fix it right away just by touching it a few times.”
Looking at her haughty attitude, I just smiled.
They’ll have a hard time. It will be impossible to maintain or recreate the ‘Movement’ embedded throughout the magic tower.
Because that’s one of my exclusive skills.
▶Movement
-Can be used on various objects including skills, items, people, etc.
-When Movement is used, the target is enhanced.
*The direction of enhancement can be freely modified by changing the elemental array, as long as the user’s mana permits.
-When combined with artifacts, it amplifies all mana in the surrounding area.
-When Movement is removed from the target, the elemental array returns to its original state.
*Serious damage may occur during this process.
-Basic duration effect: Handles complex mana calculations.
-Basic duration effect: Magic utilization greatly increases.
[The ‘Movement’ installed in the ‘Source of Life’ that maintained the core of the magic tower has disappeared, resulting in partial loss of function.]
[The restoration of the elemental array of the Source of Life is impossible. A serious problem is occurring.]
[The magic tower is slowly falling.]
They’ll realize as they try to repair it. The only way to stop the tilting magic tower is to embed ‘Movement’ again. Maybe they’ll come back begging for help. After all, the magic tower itself was a cultural heritage and no different from the Tower of Babel containing all their merits.
But now it’s not my problem.
Go ahead and struggle. Not that they’ll be able to do anything anyway.