One increase in Intelligence and Mental Fortitude, and that wasn’t all.

Both quests offered additional rewards depending on the completion numbers—things like magic recovery, chaos recovery, and various resistances that didn’t even appear on the status window.

Of course, he had already received some stat rewards while completing earlier quests.

Still... who knows when I’ll get another chance at mage-exclusive quests.

It was nowhere near enough to satisfy the lingering thirst he had built up. After all, Intelligence was still his lowest stat.

Before long, the others had fallen silent as well, simply watching what would unfold.

Ian’s eyes twitched slightly as he stood there with his arms folded.

Several of the slaves had clearly looked conflicted. Yet none of them stepped forward or moved to the back.

They had even stopped glancing at one another. They simply stood there quietly, heads slightly lowered.

"I already said I won’t wait long," Ian said coldly.

As the masked slaves’ gazes slowly gathered toward him, he added, "There’s no need to watch my reaction. Decide freely, however you want."

However, nothing changed. Not a single slave moved.

The only difference was that the glow in their eyes seemed to grow sharper as they stared at Ian.

Ian’s brow twitched again.

What is this?

It was strangely similar to the way the Northerners looked at him. As the ominous premonition growing inside him sharpened, he quietly clenched his teeth.

"It looks like they all intend to serve you, Ian," Thesaya whispered softly. There was even a proud smile on her lips.

"Think carefully. Once you decide, there may be no turning back—" His voice faded, not only because one of them suddenly collapsed to its knees.

Clank— clatter—

As if that had been a signal, the other masked slaves began kneeling as well.

It was enough to make Ian’s expression twist completely.

Damn it.

That ominous feeling had turned into certainty.

The basic reward for completing the Punishment and Liberation quest was experience and intelligence.

"There seems to be some misunderstanding."

Which made it even more impossible for him to give up.

"I won’t be staying here. Once things are settled, I’ll leave. And I probably won’t return for a very long time." Ian said while looking over the kneeling slaves. His voice had grown colder and lower, partly from impatience.

"You won’t receive any additional supplies like before. Think carefully before you decide."

Still, the masked slaves didn’t rise.

Instead, Yog’s quiet laughter brushed against Ian’s mind.

—They say it’s fine, my friend.

Ian’s gaze instinctively shifted to Yog standing behind them.

The creature’s muscles writhed grotesquely.

—There are years’ worth of feed stored in the warehouse, and there’s groundwater as well. Now that their numbers have dwindled, they’ll last even longer.

Ian’s eyes narrowed further.

Thesaya’s amazed whisper followed beside him. "You could communicate with them?"

Yog chuckled and turned toward her.

—Only with a few of them. And even then, in a very crude way. It might not even be something the spellcasters intended to happen.

Yog’s violet gaze returned to Ian.

—In any case, they’ve already made their decision, my friend. They’ve chosen to serve the savior who gave them freedom and the chance for revenge. By their own will.

At the sound of Yog’s snickering, Ian finally shut his eyes tightly. He had just realized that he had completely lost one of the two rabbits he had been chasing.

And since the words had already left his mouth, he had no justification to take them back.

Should I just pretend I’ve gone mad and kill a few of them?

The pointless temptation surfaced in his mind. Of course, if he really did that, he would lose far more than just the quest reward.

He could already feel the companions’ gazes on him—full of expectation and admiration. Thesaya would be deeply disappointed, and Nasser and Miguel would likely become convinced that he had succumbed to madness.

"So I just need to push my chaos into them?" Ian muttered at last, having resigned.

The essence bead of chaos within him responded with a low vibration.

Yog whispered.

—There’s a much simpler way. Leave it to me, my friend....

Ian let out a quiet sigh and opened his eyes, nodding. "Go ahead."

A faint violet shimmer had already flickered in the center of his pupils.

With another snickering laugh, violet smoke began pouring from the sewn-shut eyes and mouth of Yog, as well as from its hollow nostrils.

The creature convulsed violently for a moment.

—Hold out your hand, my friend.

With that whisper, Yog dissolved into smoke and rushed forward like a malevolent spirit.

Clicking his tongue, Ian silently extended his right hand.

Thud—

The muscular test subject collapsed backward like a falling log, while the smoky Yog wrapped itself around Ian’s hand. Rather than returning to its true form, Yog began absorbing Ian’s chaos power directly.

For a moment, the violet glow within the smoke deepened and sharpened.

Whoosh—

Yog left Ian’s hand and spread outward like mist, flowing through the kneeling slaves.

Miguel instinctively stepped back in disgust.

"Light preserve us...." Nasser let out a quiet sigh.

As a former purifier, the sight was something he couldn’t easily ignore.

However, Ian couldn’t spare them any attention.

Thump... Thump...

The resonance of the essence bead resonated through him.

An eerie sensation washed over him, as if countless new consciousnesses were pressing against his mind. It was far clearer and longer than before, likely because so many vassals were being created at the same time.

—Be forever grateful to the lord who has taken in pitiful and wretched creatures like you... you vermin.

With that, all his senses suddenly snapped back into place. The mist surrounding the slaves dissipated as if evaporating.

Yog, now returned to a small wisp of smoke, drifted back toward him.

A bitter smile appeared on Ian’s lips. It wasn’t only because a notification window announcing the failure of a quest had appeared before him.

The moment he closed it, another window appeared immediately after, this time announcing the completion of a different quest.

Apparently, he had already met the requirements for the bonus completion conditions.

Well, a dark mage is still a mage.

Feeling Yog coil back around his wrist as it returned to its original form, Ian clicked his tongue softly and closed the completion window.

— I don’t want to sleep yet... but I am a bit tired...

Yog whispered lazily.

The slaves were still kneeling before Ian. They were now his vassals.

The chaos within them felt vividly tangible, as if he could grasp it in his hand. If he wished, he could retrieve it at any time. It was no different from his own now.

"Stand," said Ian.

The slaves slowly rose to their feet. Behind the metal masks, their eyes now glowed violet.

"You may have become my vassals, but I will not treat you as slaves."

Ian looked them over one by one as he continued, "From now on, you are attendants of my magic tower. Fulfill your duties, and outside of that, you will be free to live as you wish. Understood?"

The masked attendants looked at him with flickering eyes. One after another, they placed a hand over their chest.

Ian tilted his chin slightly. "Yog said some of you can communicate with it. Step forward."

Three attendants stepped out.

One was missing a leg. Another had one side of its mask crushed, having lost an eye. Ian looked at the third, whose body appeared intact.

"You can exchange opinions among yourselves as well, correct?"

The attendant tapped the hand placed on its chest once.

Yog chuckled lazily.

Ian nodded. "I’ll appoint you as the head attendant. The other two will be your deputies. Divide the roles among yourselves and manage the other attendants. Can you do that?"

The attendant he had chosen widened its eyes behind the mask and struck its chest more firmly. The other two followed suit.

Ian faintly sensed the emotion surging within them. However, it did nothing to please him.

"Then start cleaning up this mess." Ian immediately issued his first order. "Prepare food and lodging in the manor on the lower level so my companions can rest."

Turning toward the other attendants lined up behind them, he continued, "When that’s done, search the magic tower and collect the treasures the mages stored. Pile them up in the central plaza on the lower level. As for the test subjects who haven’t awakened, leave them. Let them remain in peace. Understood?"

The head attendant, who had received his final glance, tapped its chest lightly.

Ian tilted his head to the side. "Eat and rest when you need to. Now go."

The head attendant bowed in the Imperial manner and turned. It exchanged glances with the two deputies and gave a brief nod.

Step... step...

The attendants behind them turned as one and began heading toward the passage leading to the lower level.

It was clear they intended to clean up first. After that, they would likely begin searching for the treasures.

"You never fail to surprise me, Ian."

Thesaya’s subtle voice slipped into Ian’s ear at that moment.

When Ian looked at her, she gave a small smile. "You already knew this would happen if you gave them the choice, didn’t you?"

"No, not at all," Ian answered without the slightest hesitation.

However, Thesaya clearly didn’t believe him. She simply winked, as if she had expected exactly that answer.

"Since they chose to remain underground of their own will, and you now rule them, my lord, I suppose I have nothing more to say," said Nasser.

He leaned forward slightly to look at Ian and added with a smile, "Congratulations regardless, my lord. After claiming the magic tower, you’ve now gained a band of corrupted followers as well."

"Are you mocking me?" Ian asked.

Nasser immediately shook his head. "Not at all. I mean it sincerely. Though I must admit, watching you wield chaos is still difficult for me to get used to."

"Are you afraid Ian might fall to corruption, Half-Ear?" Thesaya added teasingly.

Nasser turned toward her and shrugged. "I can’t say that thought has never crossed my mind. If a demigod on the verge of ascension were to fall into corruption, he would become a calamity beyond even a Great Demon."

"True enough. If that really happened, no one could stop him unless the heavens themselves intervened. Right, Worm?" Thesaya nodded, then glanced toward Ian’s wrist.

"Oh. Looks like it’s already asleep." She shrugged after noticing Yog hanging motionless there.

I hope it doesn’t sleep for too long this time.

Clicking his tongue, Ian said, "That won’t happen."

His tone was as firm as ever.

If he fell into corruption, his level would reset. After coming this far, he would rather die than choose that.

"And I won’t be ascending either. Don’t forget I’m a descendant of a White Mage."

"Honestly, that may be the most surprising part of all," Nasser replied with his usual smile.

At that moment, a groan like someone stretching came from Ian’s left.

"Couldn’t we go upstairs and continue this conversation there? Honestly, my whole body’s been aching for a while now. I feel like I’m going to die," Miguel added, his face twisted into a miserable expression.

Thesaya nodded in agreement. "That’s a great idea. I’m exhausted and starving too."

"You still have something to do, Thesa," Ian added.

She frowned at him. "Something to do? What’s left now?"

"You didn’t forget that we had to pass inspection when we entered, did you? Mev might still be stuck outside the entrance."

"I was blindfolded, remember? Since it’s regarding Redhead, can’t you go instead, Ian?" Thesaya asked with a grimace.

Ian shook his head. "I’m going to the top level. I rushed down here earlier, so I didn’t finish everything properly."

The tower master’s chair was essentially the control device for every Mantra and spell circuit in the magic tower.

He needed to grant the attendants access to every level and seal the gateway connected to Larmut.

"I could go instead." Nasser offered.

Ian shook his head again. "It has to be a mage. I’m counting on you, Thesa."

"Fine." Thesaya sighed heavily and nodded.

Ian glanced briefly at Miguel before turning away.

"Go eat and get some rest. I won’t be long."

***

Changing the settings of the incantations and spell circuits took only a moment. In fact, traveling all the way back up to the top level took several times longer.

Something that existed in the game, and I’m only experiencing it for the first time now that it’s real.

Ian stepped out of the tower master’s chamber and passed between the scattered test subjects, thinking to himself.

Connecting to the magic tower’s circuits granted new skills. That was why even someone like him, a fake mage, could easily alter the circuit settings.

So becoming the master of a magic tower was one of the endgame contents for mages...

Of course, simply sitting in that chair couldn’t have been the whole point.

Through research, a mage could probably enhance spells or create servants and familiars. It wouldn’t be strange if magical equipment or artifacts could also be crafted there. Skills related to such tasks already existed.

The higher one’s rank became, the broader the scope of research and creation must have been.

Other magic towers were also probably meant to be seized like this one.

Reflecting on things he had overlooked back when it was only a game, Ian walked past the banquet hall on the top level.

He didn’t even glance at the test subjects still sprawled everywhere. The attendants would deal with them soon enough.

They should already be down on the middle level by now.

Ian nodded slightly as he climbed the stairs leading to the corridor near the elevator.

Now, simply focusing his mind allowed him to roughly sense the attendants’ locations.

Of course, that was only possible because they were still nearby. Just like with Seren, once they were far away, he’d probably only feel a faint presence.

Ian’s eyes twitched before long.

It wasn’t just because he could feel the vibrations of the elevator moving somewhere beyond the corridor. One presence, clearly one of the attendants, was approaching.

Why are they coming up?

Tilting his head slightly, Ian rounded the corner and quickened his pace. He fixed his gaze on the tightly closed elevator doors ahead.

Rumble—

Within seconds, the doors opened with a vibration.

Ian watched them quietly, and the corner of his mouth slowly curled upward.

I was about to head down anyway... so why bother—

Inside the elevator stood a red-haired knight, side by side with one of the attendants.

However, the moment the doors opened fully, Ian realized they weren’t alone.

As the doors opened fully, another figure appeared beside Mev. It was a girl with messy brown hair.