The annual academic conference had begun.

The Tower of Magic in the capital city of Mars was teeming with a diverse crowd from across the empire.

Representatives of the grand merchant guilds, powerful enough to sway the empire’s economy.

High-ranking priests from the most prominent religious orders.

Journalists.

Engineers.

And many more.

The upper echelons of society, all curious about the direction of magical advancements, had gathered in the Tower of Magic.

“High Priest! It’s been ages! Hahaha!”

“And you too, Baikal Guildmaster! A pleasure to see you again! Hahaha!”

The attendees mingled leisurely, chatting over an assortment of snacks, tea, and alcohol in the reception hall.

Yet, the real focus of everyone’s attention was elsewhere—on the representatives from the regional branches of the Magic Towers, who had been invited to present their research papers.

Though officially described as a time for exchanging greetings, it was no secret: this was a stage to determine the next Tower Master or the leader who would spearhead the advancement of magic in the empire.

“I heard you’re the author of the Mars branch’s representative paper. Hahaha! Congratulations. Witnessing such brilliant intellects emerge is always a pleasure.”

“Erfa It’s been far too long! I’m looking forward to your new paper.”

Person after person—many of them individuals of immense influence—approached Erfa, extending their hands for a handshake.

Even with four arms, Erfa found it difficult to keep up.

But she wasn’t annoyed.

Not at all.

I’m being recognized.

Everyone was looking at her.

Reaching out to her, showing interest in her.

The same person her own parents had abandoned in disgust, unable to hide their revulsion, was now being acknowledged and accepted.

Erfa felt tears well up.

But every time such emotions surfaced, she reinforced the binding magic on the silver mask covering the left side of her face.

Never.

She would never let it be revealed.

Erfa repeated this vow to herself over and over.

If the hideous face hidden beneath the mask were exposed, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Just the thought was enough to make her soul feel like it was crumbling.

She didn’t want much.

She just wanted to keep being acknowledged.

To have ordinary human connections.

To live among people, to belong.

She couldn’t bear the thought of being abandoned, hurt, and left to endure a lonely existence again.

—They just think your left face is severely deformed and twisted, so you’re hiding it.

Those words.

Spoken like a dagger by Tuidel , who had stormed in out of nowhere just yesterday.

They lingered, echoing endlessly in Erfa’s mind.

Tuidel.

The witch who had despised and envied her from the moment Erfa arrived at the Tower of Magic.

Who knew what Tuidel might try?

Erfa couldn’t even begin to imagine.

All she could do was pray.

Pray that nothing would go wrong today.

“I now declare the 213th Annual Academic Conference open! Would all attendees please take their seats!”

Finally, the conference commenced.

The bustling crowd began settling into their seats.

Erfa, along with the other representative researchers from the regional Magic Towers, moved backstage.

This was where they prepared for their presentations.

Erfa took her designated seat, just like the others, and began revising her presentation one last time.

Luckily, Tuidel was nowhere to be seen.

Although the unease still lingered, Erfa managed to push it aside.

The binding magic on her mask, a spell she had designed herself, couldn’t be easily broken.

To be extra cautious, she had physically secured the mask to her face with a fine thread today.

Even if Tuidel had malicious intentions, it wouldn’t be easy to remove the mask.

Focus, Erfa. Let go of those thoughts.

She would not be exposed.

No matter what happened, she would not be exposed.

With that resolute thought, Erfa continued her preparations for the presentation.

The Prestige of the Conference

The annual academic conference boasted research befitting its prestigious status.

A thesis on a revolutionary mana engine.

A study on a new healing potion.

A paper detailing methods to increase the flight speed of airships.

The applause in the hall grew louder with each presentation, and the mages and witches who delivered them left the stage with prideful expressions.

Finally—

“The representative thesis of the Mars branch: The Trichromatic Research!”

It was Erfa’s  turn.

Slowly, Erfa ascended the stage. She could feel the thunderous applause and countless eyes fixated on her.

Taking a deep breath, she gave a polite bow before conjuring her research into a projected illusion above the stage using a magic stone. Then, she began her presentation.

The Trichromatic Research was a study on the optimization of magic—a method to cast larger spells with less mana.

As her explanation continued, the eyes of the audience transformed.

This wasn’t just a breakthrough.

It was a revolution.

Her research was both academically rigorous and immensely practical, applicable across countless fields.

Creativity, innovation, advancement—her work embodied all these qualities without compromise.

“With that, I conclude my presentation on The Trichromatic Research.”

The moment her final words echoed through the hall, the entire audience rose to their feet in applause.

“Amazing! Absolutely amazing!!”

“This is the most remarkable research I’ve heard in years! Perfect, Erfa!”

Erfa looked out at the faces of the applauding crowd. Overwhelmed by emotion, she had to quickly avert her gaze.

She had been acknowledged.

The vision she had only dared to dream of had finally become reality.

She would no longer be rejected.

She would no longer be oppressed or mistreated.

People would love her.

Clutching her trembling four hands tightly, Erfa bowed her head low, whispering a soft, “Thank you.”

She wished this moment could last forever.

As her bow deepened, the applause grew even louder.

Tuidel  was nowhere to be seen.

“It seems we’ve found our next Tower Master,” said Tower Master orgen, his voice carrying to the stage as he smiled.

Could there be any greater happiness than this?

As Erfa lifted her head with a smile, it happened.

Clap. Clap. Clap.

The deliberate sound of slow, loud clapping.

A figure stood from the audience and began walking toward her.

It was Tuidel.

The smile on Erfa’s face vanished.

As Tuidel confidently stepped forward, the rhythmic applause in the hall faltered. One by one, people stopped clapping, turning to watch her instead.

“An excellent thesis! A truly remarkable achievement!” Tuidel exclaimed with a broad smile, her voice carrying clearly.

“If only it weren’t hiding such an ugly truth.”

Murmurs rippled through the audience, growing louder with each passing second.

Confusion.

Shock.

Discomfort.

Anger.

Tower Master orgen stood from his seat, his displeasure evident.

“Tuidel. What is the meaning of this?”

“I’m aware this is out of line, Master orgen. But there is a truth that must be exposed!”

“Whatever truth you claim to have, such behavior is unacceptable. Return to your seat immediately and—”

“Abomination!”

Tuidel’s shout cut through orgen’s words, freezing the entire hall.

The priests of the White Order, present among the audience, looked particularly grave.

“Witch Erfa is an abomination!” Tuidel declared, her voice brimming with triumph.

“She has deceived us all! A being of misfortune and disaster has been hiding among us!”

With a dramatic gesture, Tuidel pointed directly at Erfa’s silver mask.

“Beneath that mask lies a hideous, revolting face! She has kept this secret from us for over ten years!”

“Is this true?”

The priests of the White Order rose from their seats, unable to contain themselves.

“It must be verified! Have you seen it yourself?”

“Of course I have. Beneath that mask is a face so grotesque, it feels as if one’s very soul is being tainted just by looking at it.”

But it was a lie.

She had never seen it.

The Gamble

Of course, Erfa  had never revealed the left side of her face.

She was notorious for wearing her mask compulsively—not just when meeting others but even while sleeping.

To be precise, Tuidel  was gambling.

If Erfa were to calmly remove her silver mask and reveal an unblemished face, Tuidel would suffer significant damage to her credibility.

Even if the revealed face was disfigured, as long as it wasn’t grotesque enough to provoke revulsion—say, just an ordinary burn scar—Tuidel would lose.

For her gamble to pay off, what lay beneath Erfa’s mask had to be grotesque, repulsive enough to shock everyone present.

And Tuidel was confident she would win.

She hated Erfa, but that hatred had driven her to study her rival meticulously.

Tuidel knew Erfa well because she wanted to defeat her. She had observed, researched, and prepared for this moment.

That’s why she could stand before everyone now, filled with conviction.

“I swear on my honor and my status as a witch of the Magic Tower,” Tuidel declared boldly.

Her words prompted the priests of the White Order to push through the crowd and advance.

Several elders of the Magic Tower, including Tower Master orgen, who held Erfa in high regard, stood in their way.

“This is unacceptable! Investigating a witch or mage of the Tower requires proper authorization! You cannot act based on a mere accusation!” orgen protested, his voice heated.

One of the White Order priests raised their voice in response.

“Then we formally request an investigation! As per protocol, if more than 70% of the mages and witches in the Mars branch agree, the investigation can proceed! Summon the mages and witches immediately!”

“Must it come to this?” orgen asked, his tone tinged with desperation.

“It must! An abomination cannot be ignored or dismissed!”

“Historically, most individuals accused of being abominations were simply patients with rare illnesses! Nine out of ten cases turned out to be misunderstandings!”

“And the remaining one out of ten brought disaster on a massive scale! Particularly if the accused is a witch, the risk is even greater! A single abomination could bring calamity upon the entire empire! The vote must proceed immediately!”

orgen realized there was no way to stop this.

“Summon the mages and witches of the Tower—”

“There’s no need for that, Tower Master,” Tuidel interrupted with a smug clap of her hands. “I’ve already summoned them.”

At her signal, dozens of mages and witches filed into the conference hall in orderly rows.

“Seventy-five members of the Mars branch Magic Tower are present. That’s well over 70% of the total. We can vote now, can’t we?”

Tuidel smiled sweetly as orgen shot her a conflicted glare.

In the end, he had no choice but to step back.

“One of our Tower witches has been accused of being an abomination,” orgen began, addressing the assembly.

“As you all know, ‘abomination’ was a term used in an era of ignorance to describe those suffering from rare conditions. The White Order has formally requested the right to investigate Witch Erfa.”

orgen glanced at Erfa, who stood frozen and trembling on the stage.

“Erfa is an excellent witch. She has never harmed anyone and has walked the path of magic with great diligence and integrity. Her talents should continue to serve humanity in the future. That is my belief.”

He paused, his voice somber.

“The White Order’s request is baseless. Erfa is not an abomination. I hope you all agree with me.”

With that, orgen drew his wand and waved it in the air.

A massive ethereal scale appeared, shimmering above the hall.

“We shall now vote on whether to accept the White Order’s request.”

The mages and witches pulled out their wands, each casting light from its tip that floated toward the scale.

Erfa watched, her face tense, as the light gathered.

Please, she prayed silently.

She had tried so hard to be kind to everyone.

Surely she hadn’t done anything to make enemies among the Magic Tower’s members.

Not everyone was like Tuidel.

Not everyone would be consumed by jealousy and abandon her.

She wanted to believe that.

“The voting is complete. We will now tally the results,” orgen announced.

The ethereal scale began to tip.

Erfa could only watch, her heart pounding as a tear slipped down her cheek.

“Of the 77 votes cast… 56 are in favor of the White Order’s investigation.”

orgen’s voice was weak as he made the declaration.

The moment Erfa’s heavenly triumph turned into a descent into hell.