Chapter 189

Chapter 189

I Proposed While Drunk and Now the Princesses are Obsessed.

Episode 189: Steeplechasing, Double-dealing, And Unfair Trade (11)

The underground of the Imperial Tower, the prison’s visitation room.

It had been a very long time since Jaekiel last visited this place, and the person sitting opposite was quite unexpected.

First of all, it was hard to believe she was blood-related to Zeta, the Purple Tower elite. Apart from having the same hair and eye color, they resembled each other in no way.

Her signature feature was her slit-like eyes.

It was hard to tell if her eyes were open or closed, but Jaekiel could clearly feel her gaze.

‘They say this woman is also an elite of the Purple Tower.’

Her name was Herta of the Purple Tower.

When it came to handling the lightning element, she was said to be even more skilled than Zeta. It was only a rumor, but Jaekiel had certainly heard it.

Unlike Zeta, she carried a certain weight.

If Zeta was a noisy, fleeting lightning strike, Herta was a heavy, forceful bolt. Her calm, weighty atmosphere reflected that.

Thud.

Not long after, the door on the other side of the visitation room opened, and a young man from the Purple Tower appeared.

He looked so pathetic that the title of “Purple Tower elite” didn’t suit him at all, starting with how his entire body was bound in special ropes to prevent magic use.

The two siblings’ gazes met.

“….”

While Zeta immediately frowned, Herta showed little to no reaction.

“At least it seems you weren’t starved.”

Herta was the first to break the silence.

“I thought you might lose your life in Clatie. But somehow, you survived. I’m not sure if I should be happy about that.”

“…Shut up.”

“Your pride is still intact, I see.”

Herta continued calmly.

“You probably don’t realize how much the Purple Tower has been overturned. All the truths have come out. There’s nowhere to hide.”

“What?”

“I wanted to focus solely on training to clear my mind, but seeing the face of my foolish brother prevented even that. How much more arrogance and trouble do you need before you’re satisfied?”

“…”

Zeta just glared at Herta and couldn’t give an answer. He really had nothing to say.

Watching from the side, Jaekiel found it surprising.

He had thought Herta would immediately demand unreasonable things to free Zeta, but instead, she calmly kept reprimanding him.

It was different from what he expected.

“Except for me, all the magicians of the Purple Tower had to sign the life-and-death pact. Do you realize now? Thanks to you, the Purple Tower is on the verge of destruction.”

“Herta, are you planning to slip away alone…?!”

At first glance, it looked like she was trying to escape alone after committing crimes together, but Jaekiel knew that wasn’t the truth.

Suddenly, Jaekiel recalled what Anes had whispered to him before entering the visitation room.

-That elite named Herta is quite the curious figure. Although she wears the title of Purple Tower elite, she has never once been involved in its affairs.

Since she was still from the Purple Tower, full trust wasn’t possible, but if Anes’s information was correct, Herta might be the only innocent magician there.

Thus, Jaekiel observed Herta very carefully.

“I’m not even surprised. I knew it would come to this.”

Thud.

With that, Herta pulled down the partition in the middle of the visitation room. Immediately after, sound and sight were completely cut off, and Zeta disappeared from view.

As if she had no real interest in her brother, Herta slowly turned her body.

Finally, her gaze was directed at Jaekiel.

“You’re the Imperial Tower’s Auditor, right? I’ve heard the rumors. That you splendidly punished the Black Tower’s crimes at the exchange meeting.”

“Do you know about the crimes committed by the Purple Tower?”

Jaekiel skipped any pleasantries and got straight to the point. He still couldn’t completely trust someone from the Purple Tower.

But Herta’s reaction was unexpected.

She simply nodded calmly.

“The betrayal at the underground maze, the exploitation of Imperial citizens at Clatie… I know vaguely. I won’t deny it. That’s exactly the kind of tower it is.”

“Hmm.”

“I am not only an elite of the Purple Tower but also the designated successor for the next Tower Master. Did you know that?”

Jaekiel shook his head. He had only known her as a regular elite of the Purple Tower.

The Purple Tower currently had no Tower Master. It was run by decisions made collectively by the elders.

But they were planning to nominate Herta as the next Tower Master? In a way, it actually seemed fitting.

“Despite having a pretty decent title, I’ve never actually led the tower’s affairs. I only ever worried over what should be done.”

There was a brief silence after that.

Maybe it was her nature to think deeply about everything, but Herta really seemed to ponder for a long time before she spoke again, cautiously.

“I swear, I have never once gotten involved in the Purple Tower’s affairs. I always thought their lightning and mine were fundamentally different. But recently, I came to a realization about what a future Tower Master must do.”

“You realized what the Tower Master should do…”

Jaekiel repeated her words.

“What exactly did you realize you must do?”

“A sincere request.”

At those words, Herta lowered her head.

For a moment, Jaekiel thought it might be an attack, but quickly realized it wasn’t. Herta wasn’t raising any kind of magical energy.

Only.

With a soft sound, the successor to the Purple Tower dropped to her knees on the ground.

Herta had knelt before Jaekiel.

“As far as I know, no one from the Purple Tower has ever apologized for the betrayal at the underground maze. As the successor, I believe it is right for me to do so.”

Jaekiel felt inwardly unsettled, but Herta herself remained extremely calm.

“I also fully acknowledge my responsibility for the exploitation that happened in Clatie. I should have prevented it earlier.”

The woman placed both her hands neatly atop her thighs.

“I offer my humble apology like this.”

After that, there was only silence.

Jaekiel couldn’t help but deliberate.

Partly because Herta’s actions were so unexpected, but even more so because something else was weighing on his mind.

‘She said she had a sincere request.’

Jaekiel found that statement extremely suspicious.

“Herta, the established duel to the death can’t be undone.”

Jaekiel made the first move.

Considering what had happened at the underground maze, it was only natural. They had approached smiling, only to betray him openly.

He couldn’t repeat the same mistake. Akne’s life was at stake, after all, so he had to be thorough.

No matter how pitiful the future Tower Master appeared, he couldn’t cancel the duel.

However.

Herta once again acted unexpectedly.

“My apology wasn’t made with any hidden agenda. I have no intention of asking to undo the duel to the death. My sincere request is something different.”

“Then what is it that you want?”

Herta fell silent for a moment.

Still kneeling, she carefully pulled something out from within her clothing after a long pause.

It was the scroll that the Purple Tower mages had signed to participate in the duel to the death.

Rustle!

She unfurled it swiftly in front of her.

“The duel to the death has already been agreed upon, and except for one member, everyone from the Purple Tower has signed.”

“…”

Jaekiel fell silent for a moment.

The one magician exempt from signing—that was Herta herself.

“The duel to the death only ends when one side dies. It feels wrong for the successor to the Purple Tower not to participate in such a crucial event.”

Finally, Herta slowly lifted her head.

With her slit-like eyes, she gazed quietly up at Jaekiel.

“I wish to sign and participate in this duel to the death as well. I earnestly ask for your permission.”

“…”

Jaekiel quietly pondered.

‘Rationally, this makes no sense.’

Being exempt from participating meant she could easily avoid the coming storm.

Yet Herta, the elite of the Purple Tower, chose not to stay still—she chose to dive into the heart of the storm.

“Oh, and of course.”

Herta opened her mouth again.

“I promise to participate fairly and honorably. I also intend to stay imprisoned until the day of the banquet, to be treated like a criminal—for the sake of trust.”

Someone from the Purple Tower speaking of trust.

Should he believe it?

After a short pause, Jaekiel asked a slightly different question.

“I’m curious about your real intention for participating in the duel to the death.”

“Probably not so different from yours, Auditor.”

Herta slightly lifted the corner of her mouth.

“To protect something precious.”

This had all taken place on the very day of the duel to the death.