Aozaki Aoko Case File [470] (Patreon)

Since the fifth floor of the Arcane Tower was already the highest level, and also the master’s core chamber, Aoko and her companions unanimously agreed that they should prepare all possible defenses before heading up.

With Aoko chanting spells and Edgin performing a set of musical magic, everyone was enveloped in different magical auras, achieving their maximum level of protection and enhancement.

“Is everyone ready?” Aoko half-knelt on the ground, her finger hovering above the button. “I’m about to start, okay?”

Everyone looked at each other, nodded in confirmation, and Aoko pressed the “Ascend” button without hesitation. Their figures blurred and vanished from the fourth floor’s elevator lobby.

In Holga’s vision, she was first blinded a little by the magical light of the teleportation, but just for a moment. The next instant, she saw a metallic skeleton, looking like it wore armor, walking towards her.

“What the hell is that?!” Holga quickly drew her adamantine axe, ready to strike, but Aoko stopped her at once.

Aoko shook her head at Holga, signaling everyone to stay calm, then walked up to the metal skeleton, examining it from head to toe.

“Are you the guardian of this wizard’s tower?” Aoko asked the construct guard. Besides this largest construct, other crossbow-wielding constructs emerged from the corners of the fifth-floor chamber, all seemingly awaiting the command of the tall one.

“I am Bernard, guardian of the Arcane Tower,” the large construct replied in a mechanical voice. “Welcome, visitor, to this house. I await your command.”

Aoko and the others glanced around. They didn’t feel particularly welcomed by these heavily armed constructs. Aoko suspected this so-called“Bernard was waiting for her to utter a keyword.

But what was the keyword? Aoko’s mind raced, searching for clues from their earlier investigations.

About a second later, she recalled the answer: in the book Pathway to Darkness, there was a keyword for responding to Bernard.

Aoko’s divination specialty triggered, and she mentally recited the first passage of The Roads to Darkness. When she reached the line spoken by the character Rysia: “How can I believe? How can I know? How do I show myself, show my darkest self?”

Like a rusted machine finally coming to life, Bernard’s eyes glowed brighter, as if he had received the long-awaited answer.

“Welcome back,” Bernard placed a hand over his chest and bowed deeply to Aoko, like a loyal, elegant butler. “At your service, my master, my liege.”

“Disarm, Bernard,” Aoko ordered. “The outer defenses are activated. There are no enemies inside the tower now.”

“Order received.” Bernard placed his halberd on the weapons rack, and the other guards lowered their crossbows.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed Aoko had passed the constructs’ test—did that mean they were now her followers?

“Master, please accept this,” Bernard suddenly opened his chest compartment and pulled out a gold ring set with a purple gem, handing it to Aoko. “The mistress instructed that if the master returned, this should be given to you.”

Aoko was surprised by the ring. Mistress? Wasn’t the owner of this tower just a reclusive old mage?

She examined the ring and found it not only a magical item with a permanent light spell but also imbued with some sort of access authorization.

So, whoever held the ring was the true master of the tower?

“The mistress also said that some research results using Sussur Tree Flowers are stored in the basement,” Bernard continued. “If you wish to view them, you may use the teleportation device.”

Huh? There’s a basement? Is that the floor with the generator?

Aoko didn’t answer directly, just nodded, and continued exploring the top floor with her companions.

At least half of the floor was ruined; looking over the edge, they could see all the way to the fourth floor. Even the ceiling was gone, reduced to rubble scattered about.

Aoko speculated that the tower had been attacked here; the constructs held off the invaders using defenses, but the damage to the structure was beyond their ability to repair.

Edgin and the others searched for valuables—potions, scrolls, tools—while Xenk focused on books about the tower’s history.

There were many makeshift wooden structures, likely built by the constructs using available materials.

Some tables were filled with construct repair tools and parts salvaged from decommissioned constructs to maintain the rest.

Aoko approached an experiment table, finding an old parchment that showed signs of repeated repairs, as if cherished and read many times.

On it was written a short, unnamed poem:

“Page after page of blank,

are all you left behind.

Your selfish gift,

now only this one remains.

I must hold on,

for that’s all I can do.

I cannot discard it,

never could I be that brave.”

The poem was in Elvish, written in a delicate hand, clearly by a woman. Aoko herself didn’t know much Elvish, so she couldn’t fully appreciate the rhythm, but she could sense the strong emotion—someone was waiting for another’s return.

“I think I know the ring’s true purpose now,” Aoko said, taking a deep breath and putting the ring on her right middle finger. “Let’s check out the basement. Bernard, guard this place. I’ll be back soon.”

“Order received,” Bernard bowed again, and then he and the other constructs stood by the wall, like lifeless statues.