Protagonist Knows Everything - Chapter 25

Oh right.

Our company had a best employee award.

It was a small event that was recommended at the year-end party and a friend who made a lot of achievements during the year and was given a certificate and appreciation fee.

The winner of that year was Hoh, Manager of the Sales Team.

At that time, Manager Hoh, who came to the podium, bowed his head, saying that all of this was not because of him, but because of the team members and the company who supported him.

However, the short moment when he lowered his head, the smile that struck Hoh’s mouth was full of pride.

I was the only one who noticed it at the time.

The it soon became obvious as his pride inflated too much in the following years.

Because of the idea that he was the most important talent of the company, he faced trouble working with the other teams during collaborative projects.

It doesn’t really matter how I dealt with him, so I’ll skip it…

‘She has the same as Hoh.’

I stopped myself from thinking any further.

No matter how good of a manager I was, even though I had the eyes to properly judge people, but it isn’t wise to judge people only with a smile.

“I will start checking the magic circle right away from 1:00 pm today. Those who I call, please head to the designated place. If you have any queries, please tell me immediately.”

“Yeah!”

“Then I’ll start. Owen Ben. 1-1 point. Doria Bake, Hoem Heim, and Serena O’Hell at1-2 point…”

That way, Celia picked up each of the sorcerers and designated the areas they would check.

After a while, I heard Kasha’s name.

“Ms. Kasha Flame.”

“Yes yes!”

Kasha shouts with her hand raised next to me.

“Yeah you’re visible.”

Kasha lowered her hand as her face turned red.

Celia also seemed to remember Kasha.

Her expression did change a bit after seeing Kasha.

However, Celia spoke with the same tone.

“5-12 point.”

“Yeah! I will work hard. I’ll risk my life!”

‘This girl is too excited.’

‘When will this end?’

With that thought, I checked the personnel records once again.

This time, I checked Celia’s recent log.

I almost rubbed my eyes after seeing that.

[8 hours ago: Meeting with Notel Rhime.]

……

‘Why did you meet her?’

Notel Rhime. Sain and Von’s father.

Founder of the Hagnut Guild. If my predictions are correct, maybe that person was also the founder of the Wyvern Guild.

‘Why is that name coming up here?’

‘What are you upto Rhime?’

Only those A-class or higher ranked adventurers were summoned for this S-class quest, not just every A-class adventurer only the mages.

All the people I met during my stay in the tower were registered in the reocrds.

However, none of them were Nortel Rhime.

Celia’s relations don’t mention Nortel Rhime at all. That means that Nortel isn’t a mage nor does he has any relationship with the Tower of Eternity.

‘Then why…’

“Tay, Tay!” I was thinking about Nortel when Kasha’s call snapped me back to reality.

“Huh?”

“What are you doing? Staring blankly at air, didn’t you get enough sleep?”

‘When I woke up, the hall was empty.’

“I was just thinking about something,” I said.

“Tay really acts stupid sometimes. That’s very dangerous actually.”

“What’s dangerous?”

“If someone attacks you then you won’t be able to respond.”

“Why is your example so specific?”

Kasha didn’t answer and moved her feet even faster while dragging me along with her.

“Let’s go faster.”

“Where?”

“To meet Celia!”

“Along with me?”

“Huh. I want to introduce you, is that fine?”

‘Not like I have a choice though.’

“Thank you but no.”

“You have to meet her. I’m just trying to her that I’m doing really well now.”

“Introducing me means you’re doing well? That doesn’t makes any sense.”

“Oh, that is…just…well.”

After a long time, Kasha’s aphasia had returned. But she kept dragging me.

“But you should wash your face…never mind, we’re already there. Let’s not tell.”

Celia was walking through the long corridor with some of the Eternal Tower Wizards.

Kasha shouted from behind her.

“Celia!”

Celia’s tall figure stopped. She slowly turned back and answered.

“Kasha. Kasha Flame right?”

“Yeah!”

Kasha ran upto her like a moth flying towards the light.

I slowly followed and observed them.

Celia signalled the wizards walking with her to leave her.

“Oh my gosh. It has been in years,” she said

“It’s been four years since you left the tower.”

“You went out to become an adventurer, right? How sad I was at that time….”

“But it was a great success. I’m a class A adventurer now!” Kasha said with her chest puffed up while wearing a delighted expression on her face.

“Right. Still, it would have been tremendous help if you remained in the Tower of Eternity.”

“Hehehe. I’m sorry for that. At that time, I needed some money. Well, I still need it though.”

At that moment I clearly saw it.

The moment she said she needed money, the awkward smile came back on Celia’s mouth.

Kasha didn’t seem to notice.

In the meantime, I approached them.

“I will introduce you. He is Tay.”

‘When introducing others, use their full name.’

“That… but what is Tay’s full name?”

‘This little girl doesn’t even know how to introduce people.’

“I’m called Taylor Mason.”

Celia replied with a gentle and beautiful smile.

“I am Celia Von Keijas. It’s nice to meet you.”

“I’ve been Kasha’s friend since she was a child.”

‘She is still a child,’ I thought to myself

“Probably when Kasha was about seven years old. She knocked on the door of the Tower, asking us for help with her younger sibling on her back who had a really bad fever.”

Kasha was averting her gaze.

“Why…why are you talking about the old time now?”

“Shhh. We’re getting to the interesting part.”

‘Younger sibling? She must be talking about Elena.’

“They were in a very difficult situation, they didn’t have any money. This was the last place one visits for treatment, they came here because they had been refused everywhere else.”

“Ooh…”

“After we healed her, you begged me to become a mage, right? When you become a wizard, you thought you wouldn’t have to starve.”

“She had a really big appetite.”

“Do you remember how difficult it was to take care of you?”

“Aaa! I’m sorry.”

“I was kidding. You’re still as cute as you were back then.”

I understood the reason these two had met. I listened carefully. But that’s not what I was really curious about.

“By the way, Celia. Yesterday……”

I was lucky, I stopped before saying a single word after that.

‘Will it be wise to talk about Nortel right now?’

I had a piece of information in my hands no one knew about.

It’s not a good idea to use it without a plan.

‘Let’s be bit more patient. Until I find a better opportunity.’

“Yesterday… what is it?” Celia asked while tilting her head in confusion.

“Did you sleep well yesterday?”

“Yeah..?”

“Maybe he thought that Ms. Celia couldn’t sleep properly due to the quest,” said Kasha.

Then Celia covered her mouth and laughed.

Instead of answering, she looked straight at me and asked.

“Excuse me, but how are you related to Kasha?”

“I am the receptionist of Hagnut guild.”

“Hmm. I See.”

At that moment, she stared at me as if she was examining me.

The arrogance that wasn’t in her eyes till now came back.

“A guild receptionist…”

“Why did you do that?”

“Did you worry that I was nervous?”

She suddenly regained her original mask and said in a calm manner.

“In fact, I was nervous at first. Because I thought I wasn’t good enough to lead these wizards.”

Kasha immediately refuted it.

“No way. If Celia-sama isn’t good enough, then who is?”

“……”

“You can create new spell, memorize magic thoeries within minutes while others take months to do it.”

“Kasha.”

“Celia-sama is a genius. Everyone knows that. Celia is the reincarnation of Arsleine.”

“Stop. You’re exaggerating it.”

Kasha’s face wasn’t that of exaggeration, but pure admiration without other feelings.

Celia replied after blushing a little.

“Thanks.”

“Hehe.”

“But now that you say that…”

She stopped midway.

“What were you trying to say?”

Kasha asked while tilting her head, but Celia turned to me and said.

“Anyway, I was worried a lot at first, but yesterday I met someone and received some encouragement. Then, all my worries and anxieties flew away.”

‘And now there must be some different feelings taking their place. Pride, self-righteousness, ego.’

I pretended to know nothing and asked back.

“Who was it, a noble?”

“That’s a secret.”

“……”

“Anyway, thanks to him, I’m excited now. Don’t worry. I’m sure the operation will go well.”

Then she mumbled under her breath, something I would’ve surely missed If I didn’t pay attention.

“Because he said that I have the talent of the great sage.”

‘The great sage?’

‘Isn’t that this way?’

I looked at Kasha.

She looked at Celia and me alternately to understand the situation.

Celia then said.

“Anyway, Kasha. I’ll be taking my leave now.”

“Ah, um. How about having a cup of tea with us?”

“Sorry. I want to focus on this now.”

For some reason, Kasha nodded at her with a businesslike attitude.

Celia tapped her shoulder and said.

“Then see you next time.”

“Yes.”

With that Celia went away.

Kasha blankly looked at her back and muttered.

“Something is a little different.”

“Huh?”

“Something feels off about her, something different than when I was with her in the tower.”

Kasha did notice something but I wasn’t going to tell her anything yet.

“I know why.”

“What? Why?”

“Because you didn’t wash your face.”

“……Oh! aahh!”

Kasha regained her energy.

****

Kasha eagerly inspected the Tor Rebeire magic circle.

During the inspection she was dead serious, her usual child-like demeanour dissappeared.

‘Wish she always behaved like that.’

I looked up at the sky and yawned, few days had already gone by.

Countless wizards were registered in the personnel register, and important information about Celia meeting Nortel Rhime was obtained.

However, I had nothing else to do. I was unfamiliar with magic after all.

‘Should I go back?’

If I did that then Kasha would certainly feel bad.

“Huh?”

Kasha, who was still carefully examining the magic circle, suddenly made a strange sound.

“What is it?

“I think this formula is wrong.”

At that, I took a piece of paper out of my pocket.

It is was a replica of the circle given to us by the tower for inspection.

“Where? Show me.”

“Here is this part. Isn’t it a little weird?”

“Do you think I’d really notice if you said that?”

“Where is it weird how?”

“Well. I can’t describe it. I just feels wierd.”

Kasha found a wooden stick and she fell several steps from the magic circle.

And she drew on the floor.

Certainly, it’s a completely different kind of diagram than the on the paper.

It looked more like a langauge than a picture.

Kasha threw away the stick and started explaining.

“Wouldn’t this fit in here?”

“……”

“The first pattern is a frog with a tadpole tail left, and what I drew is a perfect adult frog.”

“That’s a fresh explanation. But I won’t understand if you use vague words like that,” I said.

“I’m glad anyway. They told us to report anything unusual to get it fixed before the operation.”

“But this must have been done by Celia.”

“What?”

“What should I say?…No, it’s nothing.”

Kasha stopped midway but I understood what she wanted to say.

She didn’t want to pick out her friend’s mistakes.

But….