At Nathan Murphy's request, a young female mage named Isabella had taken on the task of guiding Ryan through the tower. The elderly Tower Master had emphasized that Ryan was his personal disciple and had firmly instructed Isabella not to treat the child as an ordinary boy.
They were currently on the highest floor of the Magic Tower. Touring the tower from top to bottom was both more logical and far easier.
Isabella was one of the rare mages praised by the Tower Master for possessing six mana circles. She had reached her second circle at the age of fourteen and her third circle reached at seventeen, earning the title of the first prodigy to achieve such a level before coming of age. By the time she reached the sixth circle, she was only twenty eight years old. And yet, despite all this, the Tower Master had chosen not Isabella but the quiet child walking beside her as his student.
That fact still unsettled her.
But the Tower Master's wisdom was beyond question.
As they descended the staircase connecting the seventh and sixth floors, Isabella's mind wandered while Ryan examined his surroundings with unabashed curiosity. He had passed through these floors before, but Jacob had been in such a hurry to bring him before the Tower Master that Ryan hadn't had a chance to properly observe anything.
The sixth floor housed a vast alchemy laboratory. Primitive panels hung on the walls, covered in symbols and formulas Ryan couldn't immediately decipher. In his previous life, chemistry had been based on matter; here, everything revolved around mana. At the center of the laboratory, an elderly woman meticulously mixed potions of different colors.
Ryan watched her movements, almost holding his breath.
"Come on," Isabella said sharply. "We still have more of the tower to see. Don't linger."
When they reached the fifth floor, Isabella's steps noticeably slowed. This was one of the most dangerous floors in the Magic Tower.
"Be very careful on this floor," she said in a serious tone.
The corridors were lined with complex steam powered machines whose purpose Ryan couldn't identify. The doors to the experimental chambers appeared reinforced enough to withstand even the most violent explosions, and massive pressure gauges stood at the far end of the hallway. For safety reasons, Isabella didn't allow Ryan to enter any of the rooms, instead grabbing his hand and pulling him toward the stairs.
Ryan resisted inwardly. His scientific curiosity overwhelmed his reason.
But resisting Isabella's strength was impossible.
The fourth floor was silent so silent that one could hear a pin drop. It was a massive library, with shelves stretching all the way up to the ceiling. The books were arranged in perfect order, and there were even reading areas reminiscent of modern libraries.
Ryan's eyes sparkled.
I'll come back here, he thought.
"Come on already," Isabella muttered.
"There are still three floors left."
The third floor contained a wide training hall designed for mages. It wasn't as complex as the other floors, but it was more than sufficient for spell practice. At the moment, however, it was empty. Isabella grumbled inwardly.
I was the greatest genius the world had ever seen… and now I've become a babysitter.
As Ryan and Isabella descended the stairs connecting the third and second floors, Ryan's foot caught on a step.
Everything happened in an instant.
As he tumbled down the stairs, a strange sense of deja vu washed over him.
The moment he had died as Morgan…
It felt as though he had returned to that very instant.
Isabella rushed to his side in horror.
"Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?"
Ryan felt a dull ache in his arm and leg.
Isabella raised her hand and cast a low level healing spell. Though she was a battle mage, she was still capable of basic healing magic.
Once the pain subsided, Ryan stood up and thanked her.
The second floor was a research center designed for novice mages. Simplified books, beginner level magical items…
As Isabella finished the tour, she spoke again.
"The first floor is the reception area. The ground floor is the main lobby. You must've already seen those."
Ryan nodded in agreement.
Isabella smiled and gently patted Ryan's head. Even she couldn't yet imagine what role this little "genius" would play in the future of the tower or perhaps the world itself.
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