Ch.108The Time Mage (2)

“What’s with that guy?”

The chilling silence flowing through the banquet hall made Ruide uneasy.

When he reversed Balok’s time, some strange-looking man appeared out of nowhere.

“So the Baron Iso who had transformed into Balok has returned to human form. Could this be…”

The Tower Master was the first to move in the silence.

He approached Baron Iso with staggering steps.

“Ugh, urgh.”

Baron Iso clutched his head as if dizzy.

The Tower Master knelt down and grabbed Baron Iso by the collar.

“Listen here. Answer me! Everything you remember!”

“W-what are you doing…! P-Philip, Count, gack.”

Baron Iso, suddenly being choked, was extremely confused.

He became even more confused seeing the numerous nobles surrounding him.

“I-I’ll talk. Just let go of this first!”

After roughly removing the Tower Master’s hand, he coughed for a while.

“Damn it… I don’t know what’s going on here.”

Baron Iso said while wiping his mouth.

“I received a duel challenge.”

“A duel challenge?”

“Yes, from some insolent commoner.”

Baron Iso stood up.

He looked around and pointed somewhere.

It was Justin.

“That guy. After arguing with him, I lost my memory. The last thing I heard was the sound of a demon laughing. I don’t know what happened.”

Iso was a nobleman. He wasn’t stupid enough to not grasp the situation.

The destroyed hall. Blood stains scattered everywhere.

“Whatever happened, it was that commoner’s scheme.”

He instinctively knew. Despite not remembering anything or fully understanding the situation—

If he said the wrong thing here, it would mean execution.

“Bring the accused forward.”

When Lucius spoke quietly, the guards didn’t hesitate to seize Justin.

“Oh, this is a misunderstanding!”

Despite his shrill scream, Justin was subdued by the guards and his face was pushed to the floor.

Baron Iso grabbed Justin’s hair with an angry expression.

“Speak, commoner! What did you do to me?”

Watching this, Ruide finally understood the situation.

‘The black mage contacted Iso.’

‘And used Iso as a medium to create Balok.’

And it seemed that when he reversed time, Iso had returned.

Balok’s body couldn’t withstand the 5th Magic and disappeared, but Baron Iso, the medium, was safe.

“I… I didn’t do anything!”

“Don’t lie! You’re the only person I had contact with! If some evil magic was used, who else could it be but you!”

“Wait a moment!”

At that moment, Catherine stepped forward.

“I-I saw it. Baron Iso disappearing somewhere with a suspicious woman.”

“You, what’s your name?”

Baron Iso asked.

Catherine hesitated slightly before speaking in a very small voice.

“…Catherine Ovillion.”

The nobles began to murmur.

Catherine lowered her head.

Baron Iso laughed uproariously.

“Hahaha! Do you believe her? The words of the filthy Ovillion heir!”

“It’s the truth. Someone else saw it too!”

‘I want to give some advice.’

Ruide yawned lazily.

Ruide could see it.

What the truth behind this incident was, and who was lying.

And the Emperor, who was calmly observing the situation, must have noticed too.

After all, the Emperor had the ability to detect lies.

‘But I’ll just stay quiet.’

Ruide just hoped that no one would discover that he had used the 5th Magic.

Black mages or whatever, it wasn’t his concern.

“That’s not what’s important!”

At that moment, the Tower Master shouted loudly.

“A body transformed into Balok has returned to normal. This, this…”

The Tower Master trembled with ecstasy, spreading his arms wide.

“The 5th Magic. They said human eyes couldn’t even see the 5th Magic being cast, and it’s true. Lord Ruide! You really used the 5th Magic…”

Ruide looked at the Tower Master with cold eyes.

The Tower Master said something, but it was no longer audible.

Why? Because Ruide had cast a silencing spell on him!

“??”

When the Tower Master’s face turned red as he shouted but no sound came out, the nobles looked bewildered.

Ruide smiled awkwardly and said.

“Please, continue.”

“Sorry, but Ruide.”

It was then that Damon stepped forward.

He stood before the crowd with his hands in his pockets.

Glancing slightly at Ruide, he opened his mouth.

“The fact that you can use magic through the imperial barrier is already proof that you’ve mastered the 5th Magic. Do you think silencing the Tower Master will help?”

“…!”

“The 5th Magic…?”

“As I expected.”

The 5th Magic.

Beyond the magical academic community, it had a significant impact on ordinary nobles as well.

When the assumption that Ruide had mastered the 5th Magic was heard, everyone focused.

While uncovering the truth about the black mage was certainly important, the 5th Magic was shocking enough to temporarily push that aside.

Ruide hid behind Amelia.

“Sis, help me out.”

“Ru-Rui.”

“Hahaha!”

The Emperor laughed loudly.

For a while, that laughter didn’t stop.

Finally stopping his laughter, Lucius wiped away the tears that had leaked out and said.

“For someone who dislikes stepping forward, the fact that you came running without hesitation shows you made a great determination.”

Ruide quickly nodded.

Of course, he hadn’t come running, but had been dragged along by Damon.

If Damon hadn’t said “Amelia might be in danger,” he would have run away completely.

“Seeing how precious Amelia is to you warms my heart.”

“…?”

“Isn’t that right?”

Lucius demanded an answer.

Ruide felt somewhat uncomfortable, but—

There was nothing wrong with what he said.

“Yes.”

Lucius said with a smiling face.

“I’m glad the Windsor family’s bond is so strong.”

Lucius stepped forward with his hands behind his back.

“Arrest Baron Iso and find the truth behind this incident. Make sure to capture the black mage who instigated this and punish them for daring to disrupt Ruide Christopher Windsor’s celebration.”

“Yes!”

The knights all bowed down at once.

Amelia did the same.

Lucius looked at Ruide and said.

“Ruide Christopher Windsor has performed a great service in this incident, so he will be awarded a medal of valor. Furthermore, as the first human to master the 5th Magic, this is also a cause for celebration for the empire, and everyone should rightfully rejoice.”

Ruide slumped his shoulders.

Lucius, still smiling, said.

“I shall bestow a title upon Ruide Christopher Windsor, who has achieved this great feat.”

‘No need to give me anything else.’

“The title shall be, yes, this is fitting.”

Lucius put his hands behind his back.

He spoke with precise pronunciation.

“The Mage of Time.”

**

Ruide’s fame spread throughout the empire.

-‘Lord Ruide rushed at once, risking danger to save his sister.’

-‘Not only did he save the Emperor and the nobles, but he also demonstrated a great magic.’

-‘That magic involved even time itself, showing a divine realm. His Majesty bestowed the name ‘Mage of Time’ with reverence.’

More precisely, it was about to spread throughout the country.

Mikael was making a final check of the content of the “rumors” issued by the Emperor.

“Do you think it will work well?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Your judgment is correct.”

Mikael briefed while looking at the documents.

“The nobles of the empire will have no choice but to support Ruide Christopher. And this incident has created the effect that ‘Ruide Christopher’ seems to support ‘Amelia Windsor’.”

As a result, it created the perception that if Amelia becomes the Duchess, Ruide will bring great benefits to the empire.

Above all, Amelia’s own achievements are by no means small.

Compared to Irene’s elimination of nobles and black mages during the ‘successor test’,

Protecting nobles and the Emperor from black mages is a greater achievement.

“This plan is a success.”

“Indeed.”

Lucius brought up another topic with a stern face.

“Damon seems to have noticed.”

“It’s not certain, but he’s unnaturally diverting attention away from Amelia Windsor’s achievements.”

“I can see he’s trying to focus attention on Ruide.”

“That too is part of Your Majesty’s grand strategy.”

Mikael spoke coldly.

“You should remove him. If that’s true, it’s equivalent to rebelling against Your Majesty.”

“Leave him be.”

“But…”

What Lucius was most wary of was the Windsor family discovering his purpose.

That must be prevented at all costs.

“If I expel Damon, he will notice my purpose. Irene Windsor is highly intelligent.”

“…She couldn’t know just from that. Also, there’s a possibility that Prince Damon might speak directly if left alone.”

Lucius smiled slightly.

“That won’t happen, so rest assured.”

“How can you be so certain?”

“Damon cares about the empire’s welfare no less than I do. If this matter reaches the Windsors, it would be a great loss to the empire beyond my personal issues. He would understand that. I trust Damon’s wisdom.”

Mikael couldn’t understand.

Damon Kairos has long been notorious as a scoundrel.

He is someone who doesn’t care about others at all and is only interested in his own welfare.

Only his abilities were excellent, making him suitable to lead the Kairos family.

“And besides.”

Lucius rested his chin on the armrest of the imperial throne and said with an arrogant face.

“If I can’t even handle my own brother, how can I call myself the Emperor of the empire?”

**

“…That’s what my brother is probably saying right now.”

In Ruide’s professor’s office.

Ruide was sweating as he watched Damon continue his revelations for about an hour.

“If no one else, you know how stubborn Irene Windsor is, right? If this reaches Windsor’s ears, it would be quite a scene.”

The Emperor is trying to interfere with the Windsor Duchy’s succession structure.

That’s shocking, but what’s more shocking is Damon’s attitude.

“But why are you telling me this?”

“I know.”

Damon curled one corner of his mouth.

Sitting in the professor’s chair as if it were his own, he put his feet up on the table.

“You will never tell this to anyone else.”

“…How do you know that?”

“How could I not? The moment you tell your sister about this, very troublesome things will happen. A lazy person like you, who thinks all day about how to sleep better, wouldn’t do such a thing. Just as my brother trusted me, I’m just trusting you.”

Damon’s words were half right and half wrong.

No matter how much Ruide disliked troublesome things, he wouldn’t find family matters troublesome.

But it’s also true that he can’t speak because family comes first.

It would just make things worse.

Damon stood up.

“That’s all I have to say. I’ll leave the judgment to you.”

Then he left without hesitation.

Ruide turned around with a bewildered face.

He spoke to Damon who was about to open the door and leave.

“Wait.”

“…Why do you always speak to me only when I’m about to open the door and leave?”

“Why did you specifically tell me this?”

Damon replied without hesitation.

“A debt.”

“A debt?”

“Someday, I’ll ask you for something.”

Damon’s tone sounded like someone who could read the future.

“When that time comes, this debt will be quite helpful.”

“…It certainly was helpful.”

Ruide hated family fighting more than the end of the world.

Succession conflict.

Though cliché, it’s currently the most terrible cliché for him.

“Then I’m glad.”

Damon looked at Ruide and smiled slightly, then opened the door and left.

With one hand in his pocket as he walked down the corridor, he waved with the other.

“Let’s have a meal sometime.”

Ruide watched Damon’s back and thought.

‘Just as His Majesty is trying to make Amelia the Duchess, should I try to make Damon the Emperor?’

Damon as Emperor.

That seems somewhat fitting.