YM778.TV Chapter 59: Sun Elixir (11)
Chapter 59: Sun Elixir (11)
The reception room of the Imperial Magic Tower.
In the room that hadn’t welcomed guests for a long time, a small-sized girl sat down with a teddy bear in her arms. Tea and refreshments were lined up in front of her.
“Hm hm hmm~” A delicate humming filled the air.
She looked like a young girl without a doubt, but any mage here would know that it was not true at all. She was a mage known as the secretary of the Black Magic Tower’s Towermaster.
Teddy. That was the name of the Black Tower’s Towermaster’s secretary.
“Hm hm hmm~ hmm~” Teddy had been humming and nibbling on refreshments since her arrival, occasionally scrutinizing every detail of the reception room. “Excuse me~ Pretty miss~ When is the Inspector coming?” Teddy asked Agnes, waving her teddy bear’s arm.
Agnes blinked silently. Though Teddy had called her “miss,” she was clearly older than Teddy.
‘Of all people, why her?’ Agnes thought, maintaining an expressionless facade despite feeling quite perplexed. Among mages often criticized for being rigid, Teddy was notorious for being a troublemaker.“As we’ve informed you, the Imperial Tower’s Inspector is on leave today. Meeting him today won’t be possible.”
“Ah~ I see~” Teddy nodded, her eyes sparkling, “Taking a leave on the exact day of my visit… How did this happen? Huh? What did you say?”
Then she started talking to the teddy bear she was holding.
“You think he took a day off because he’s uncomfortable meeting me? Oh no, don’t think such bad thoughts! The Inspector must have been particularly tired and wanted to rest!”
“………………”
Teddy was openly mocking the Imperial Tower’s Inspector.
The situation did lend itself to such interpretation. Coincidentally, the Imperial Tower’s Inspector had taken leave on the day the Black Magic Tower’s envoy visited, which could be seen as deliberate avoidance.
The problem was, it was such an arrogant attitude.
Agnes also knew that Teddy was being rude, but she couldn’t openly scold her right away. She could only feel that the times had changed a lot.
‘So this is how the Imperial Magic Tower is perceived now.’
Other magic towers treating the Imperial Magic Tower so casually? It should have been unthinkable.
But Agnes understood why Teddy could display such a brazen attitude with confidence.
How had the Imperial Magic Tower spent the last decade?
Whenever talk of performance came up, they would change the subject, and whenever there was an exchange meeting, they would come up with an excuse to avoid participating. For a whole 10 years.
And that wasn’t all.
They couldn’t even give a decent explanation to the many questions about the current state of the Imperial Magic Tower. It was inevitable that other Magic Tower would not know the current state of the Imperial Magic Tower.
‘It feels like the Imperial Tower is on the chopping block,’ Agnes thought, convinced by Teddy’s attitude.
‘The Black Magic Tower is overflowing with confidence.’
It seemed the other towers had sharpened their knives.
The Imperial Magic Tower, having failed to build any real strength for a decade while pretending to be powerful, was now clearly in the crosshairs of those seeking to bring it down.
“It would be best to arrange for another day,” Agnes suggested.
“Yes~ Yes~” Teddy replied dismissively.
“Your concern about the Imperial Magic Tower’s absence from the exchange meeting is unfounded. Recently, the Imperial Magic Tower has been performing quite well—”
Teddy didn’t seem to be paying much attention.
Perhaps news of Ezekiel’s recent activities assisting the Second Princess hadn’t reached the other towers yet. Agnes absently brushed back her hair.
“Surely you’ve heard about our recent achievements in the Ruiple region. There’s no need for concern.”
“I see~ You really like using the word ‘recent,’” Teddy remarked, looking at Agnes with innocent eyes.
Meeting Agnes’ gaze, she suddenly grinned.
“Oh, wait a minute~ Saying things are good ‘recently’ implies they weren’t good before! It must have been really serious, but thanks to this new Inspector, you’re finally starting to breathe again!”
Agnes felt a chill run down her spine. She realized she had just made a verbal misstep.
Teddy sprang up from her seat, visibly delighted; the girl, as if dancing with her teddy bear, grasped its paws and slowly twirled while continuing to speak, “This new Inspector~ How extraordinary must he be? Not just ordinary extraordinary, but incredibly so!”
“……………”
“The Imperial Magic Tower has a ten-year gap. A whole decade. Does this person truly possess the ability to fill that void in one go?”
Agnes briefly pondered how to respond but quickly made her decision. Having lived a life by the book, she wasn’t easily flustered.
“I’m not sure what you’re implying. However,” Agnes’s voice took on a resolute tone, “I understand perfectly well that the Black Magic Tower’s rudeness has crossed a line. You must be aware that this institution was established under the Second Princess’s directive.”
“Hmm?”
“The exchange meeting is just around the corner. Isn’t it enough to answer your questions then? The Imperial Magic Tower will not forget the rudeness you have shown by not being patient.”
“Oh my… Why so scary all of a sudden? Oh no…”
Like a kitten pleading with its expression, Teddy hugged her teddy bear and put on a pitiable face.
Of course, she quickly grinned again.
“Okay, okay. It’s just a joke! A joke!”
Teddy reached for more refreshments.
“About the Inspector~ Where did he go on leave? He’ll probably be quite exhausted when the exchange meeting starts. He should have rested well today!”
“He went to Dominan Valley.”
“Dominan Valley? Hmm…? What, for s*****e…?”
Teddy abruptly slapped her own mouth mid-sentence.
“…Choose your words carefully. This is a warning.”
“Ahem~ Sorry~ It’s just that Dominan Valley is known for exiles and suicides, right? I was just wondering! Perhaps the Inspector couldn’t handle the immense pressure and went there…” Teddy’s hand grasped at empty air as she reached for the plate. She had already consumed all the refreshments, “But you know~ Secretary of the Imperial Magic Tower’s Inspector~”
“Yes?”
“Is the Imperial Magic Tower confident about this upcoming exchange meeting?”
“Confident?”
“Yes. You said you wouldn’t forget my rudeness, right?”
Teddy smiled like an innocent little girl.
“We, the other five Magic Towers, have excellent memories too, you know? We remember how the Imperial Magic Tower kept postponing announcements, avoiding exchange meetings… We remember it all!”
“………….”
“You’ll show us something to explain it all this time, right?”
It was a challenge disguised as an innocent question. At the same time, it was a declaration of war against the Imperial Magic Tower.
Click─ Click─
Agnes quietly turned a cube in her hands as she pondered.
‘What on earth have they prepared…’
While it was true that the Imperial Magic Tower hadn’t solidified its foundations over the past decade, Teddy’s brazen attitude suggested that the Black Magic Tower had something up its sleeve.
The Black Tower must be confident in their ability to vastly outperform the Imperial Magic Tower at the exchange meeting, to not fall behind any other tower… Perhaps they even believe they could dominate the entire landscape.
In contrast, the Imperial Magic Tower’s only hope rested on Ezekiel.
Certainly, Ezekiel’s actions so far have been groundbreaking and impressive. He’s already begun to reshape the mindset of the Imperial Magic Tower’s members and create waves.
But could he truly fill a decade-long void in one fell swoop?
The other towers have spent ten years preparing, grinding their teeth to seize control. Could Ezekiel really overturn all that in a single stroke?
“Hm hm hmm~” Teddy stood directly in front of Agnes, their toes nearly touching. She looked up quietly, “Your eyes betray your doubts. Secretary of the Imperial Magic Tower~ It seems you’re not as confident as you claim?”
Agnes realized what she needed to do.
“…Not at all.”
The Imperial Magic Tower’s unfavorable situation was no reason to grovel before other Magic Towers. If she bowed now, it would be as if the entire Imperial Tower was bowing.
It would be better to break, but not to bend.
“…I saw no need to respond verbally. The Imperial Magic Tower will let results speak for themselves.”
Agnes continued with a razor-sharp gaze.
“Teddy of the Black Magic Tower, I will remember you.”
“Eek~ So scary~”
Teddy scampered towards the door; though pretending to be frightened, a smile still played on her lips.
“The exchange meeting is in exactly two days! Don’t be late! If you take another day off, we’ll consider it running away!”
“…Please leave. There’s a limit to maintaining courtesy.”
After Teddy’s departure…
“Haa.”
Agnes let out a quiet, deep sigh.
She had failed to endure Teddy’s provocation and ended up making a bold claim.
“…Inspector Ezekiel.”
Ezekiel.
─ I’m not in my right mind to begin with.
Yes, that’s what Inspector Ezekiel used to say.
Now, Inspector Ezekiel truly was their only hope.
Agnes quietly took out a notebook and wrote a single line.
『Sometimes I wonder if I’m in my right mind either.』
• • • ₪ • • •
The Imperial Palace, Emperor’s Audience Chamber.
The massive doors opened without a sound.
A single woman.
She stood in the doorway, her back still to the light.
Swish….
As the chamber gradually brightened, her identity was revealed.
The Empire’s First Princess, Ether.
The Goddess of War stared directly at the Emperor on his throne.
“…Your Majesty, the Emperor, it’s me.”
Her eyes were like those of a wolf starved for days in a snowy wilderness; the aura emanating from her was indescribably fierce.