Chapter 37

Chapter 37

I Proposed While Drunk and Now the Princesses are Obsessed.

Episode 37: Embers Of Regret (3).

In a dark space, purple candles were lined up.

The atmosphere was quite eerie, with goat heads hanging on the walls. It seemed like a secret hideout for a criminal group, and black-hooded magicians roamed the place.

This was the Black Tower, the essence of black magic, located in the northernmost part of the empire’s six towers.

“Tower Master~”

Someone approached with a playful voice.

A girl with a small frame, reminiscent of an imp, with horns on her head and hugging a teddy bear.

On the other hand, the woman called the Tower Master had more of a witch-like appearance. Wearing a deeply pressed pointed hat and a black dress, she showed no reaction.

She was just stirring a boiling cauldron with telekinesis.

“Tower Master~ Are you listening?”

The Black Tower Master was still meticulously examining a book spread in midair with telekinesis. Various bizarre ingredients were continuously pouring into the boiling cauldron.

“Tower Master! The Luiple area has been purified!”

Only then did the witch-like woman’s gestures stop abruptly.

The Black Tower Master slightly lifted her pointed hat and looked at the small girl. Despite the dark and eerie space, her deep green eyes shone like torches.

“The Luiple area has been purified?”

“Yes~ Absolutely. I checked it myself.”

“Who?”

“The Imperial Tower. Oh, and they took the magic sword too!”

“The Imperial Tower?”

The Black Tower Master closed the book floating in the air with a snap. Meanwhile, the girl hugged her teddy bear tightly and looked into the boiling cauldron.

“I’m telling you~ Would I lie? By the way, are you making that again? The flowing ice waterfall?”

The Black Tower Master quietly nodded.

Ice Waterfall.

A high-difficulty ice spell where ice flows like a waterfall. The Black Tower Master wanted that decoration.

But high difficulty was called high difficulty for a reason.

…It wasn’t easy to create. The recipe was even unknown.

“Anyway, you can’t resist interior decorations. Tower Master, is it that important? Do you want it that badly?”

“It’s important.”

“It won’t work. We specialize in black magic. We can’t bow to the Blue Tower! Just give up~ What’s the big deal if we don’t have such a decoration~?”

At that, the Black Tower Master’s hair slightly swayed as if hearing something she could never compromise on.

The girl immediately corrected herself.

“Oh, my mistake. It’s important. Very important.”

Only then did the Black Tower Master click her tongue. As if letting it slide.

“Tower Master, so what will you do? It was the magic sword we were eyeing! They beat us to it!”

The girl’s words were true.

The Black Tower prioritized black magic research above all. Therefore, they had deliberately neglected Luiple until now.

The idea was to capture and study the magic sword once it grew significantly, a typical plan for those who prioritized research. The Black Tower was such a place from the start.

But someone had blatantly snatched the magic sword.

Not just anyone, but the Imperial Tower.

“Hmm.”

“Of all places, who would have thought the Imperial Tower would do it? Could they be hiding a huge achievement?”

“That can’t be. Their internal situation is definitely a mess.”

The Black Tower Master was confident in her words and thoughts.

“So, what should we do?”

“First, we focus on the exchange meeting. Forget the rest.”

“The exchange meeting! That one is extremely important! It’s being held at the Black Tower! Finally, it’s our turn!”

The exchange meeting was held alternately by the six towers, and this time it was the Black Tower’s turn. In other words, it was a golden opportunity for the Black Tower.

Holding the exchange meeting at their own tower was an enormous advantage, no matter how one looked at it.

“Tower Master, I have a question. The Imperial Tower, will we let them arrive at the Black Tower smoothly?”

“I suppose we should. If we scare them, they’ll skip again. They’ve skipped more than ten times. We have to lure them well.”

“Huh? No, no! Tower Master, what do you mean?!”

The girl shook her head as if it were absolutely not the case.

“The Imperial Tower is extremely arrogant this time! They replied that they would definitely participate. Do you know what else? They even said the other towers must not be late~”

“That’s not like the Imperial Tower. Why?”

“Tower Master! So, will you let them arrive smoothly?”

“Why do you keep asking?”

“I want to play a prank~ Hmm? I want to play a prank!”

“Hmm.”

“They took the magic sword! It was supposed to be our Black Tower’s toy! I want to prank them!”

“Do as you wish. Do as you wish.”

The Tower Master responded as if she were fed up. That one would do it even if warned not to, so it was better to let her be.

“Ah, really? But Tower Master! Tower Maaaster~!”

“Call me appropriately. Am I your friend?”

A vein stood vertically on the Tower Master’s forehead.

“…If it’s not important, I’ll kill you.”

“It’s important! Extremely important!”

The girl giggled and then pointed with her finger.

“That!”

She was pointing at the boiling cauldron.

“Is it okay to leave it like that? Hmm?”

Oh.

Right. It needed to be stirred continuously.

“…It’s not okay.”

The next moment.

Boom!

The cauldron exploded, scattering frogs everywhere.

Imperial Tower, Grand Hall.

“…Widro, I still have a bad feeling.”

Nox, the leader of the Theoretical Faction, adjusted his glasses and spoke.

Recently, the atmosphere in the Imperial Tower was tense, like a thread about to snap. The reason was, of course, the performance bet in Luiple.

“Stop with the pointless talk; words have a way of coming true.”

But even as Widro said that, his feelings were similar.

The given period for the performance bet in Luiple was a week.

However, Auditor Jaekiel returned to the tower on the day of his departure. According to the bet rules, the results were kept secret until the announcement, driving everyone curious and anxious.

“Is it possible he won and returned in just one day…?”

Nox sighed deeply at Widro’s words.

“Widro, does that even make sense?”

“I just said it out of frustration. There’s no way to know the results until we hear from the parties involved, so isn’t it driving the magicians here crazy?”

“It’s worrisome. Truly worrisome. I’m afraid the Princess might change her mind if we lose the bet badly…”

Widro and Nox’s gazes turned to the other side.

Three knights stood silently. They had just returned to the capital, meaning they were still gathering results until today.

However, Jaekiel had not shown himself outside even once since his return on the first day. Not once.

…Only the smoke from Sun Grass occasionally wafted out of his office.

“Why isn’t the Auditor coming out? Was the result that shocking? How big was the gap…?”

“I don’t know. The more I talk, the more complicated my feelings become.”

The Princess not only suggested it but also made it a huge bet with rewards, so speculation about the results was constantly being discussed among the magicians.

Then, at some point…

Bang!

The large door swung open, and the sound of footsteps spread.

Click. Click.

The distinctive sound of high heels.

A noble resonance that only the Princess could have.

The magicians, who had been chatting while seated, all stood up at once and even adjusted their breathing to show respect.

The 2nd Princess passed everyone and stood at the front of the Grand Hall.

Step. Step.

And there was a man who arrived later than Hedera.

White hair like snow fell to his shoulders, and blue eyes stood out against his pale skin. Jaekiel, still chewing Sun Grass.

The escort knight, Valcon, reacted immediately.

“…Auditor, can’t you move a bit faster?”

But Jaekiel remained unperturbed. He continued to respond with a supremely confident attitude.

“Anyone would think I was late.”

It wasn’t entirely wrong. He arrived later than Hedera, but he wasn’t exactly late.

With everyone gathered, the announcement began.

“The agreed period has come. Let’s hear the report.”

A word from the 2nd Princess Hedera.

No magician was unaware that the survival of the Imperial Tower depended on her state of mind, so they all just held their breath and bowed their heads.

“Hmm.”

The Princess hesitated for a moment.

Come to think of it, the 2nd Princess’s face looked several times more tired than usual. To the point where the term “haggard” fit.

The magicians who observed her appearance had just one thought.

—Did we lose?

—Did the Princess already hear the results?

—So we lost after all!

But Hedera didn’t know the result either.

“Hmm.”

And then the words the 2nd Princess spoke.

They were quite unexpected for the magicians.

“Before hearing the result, I want to give both sides a chance.”

“A chance?”

“A chance?”

As the magicians whispered and exchanged glances.

“The exchange meeting is right around the corner, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that the bet was somewhat forced. So I want to give you a chance just before confirming the result.”

“….”

“The opportunity is simple. Since both sides were sent to Luiple with good intentions, why not reward both sides and end it there?”

“…!”

The magicians’ eyes widened.

Not only theirs but also the eyes of the three knights.

“In return, since both sides will receive rewards, you must not quarrel anymore. How about it?”

“…”

It was shocking and surprising news.

Wasn’t the 2nd Princess the one who treated this bet with the most interest and strongly suggested it?

And now she was offering to reward both sides, making it impossible to predict what had happened or what had changed her mind.

…Why was she hesitating to hear the result?

“….”

When the magicians were bewilderedly frozen.

“Princess, that cannot be allowed.”

It was none other than Valcon who spoke up.

“After all, this was a real competition, and everyone has the right to know the result. Also…”

“Enough. Just make a decision.”

Hedera hurriedly interrupted Valcon’s words.

Everyone felt a strange sense of incongruity. Today’s 2nd Princess seemed quite impatient, which was unlike her. She even glanced at Jaekiel at regular intervals.

In any case, everyone was convinced through Valcon’s reaction.

…So, the knights’ side surely won.

Considering it that way, this condition was enormous.

All eyes hurriedly turned to Jaekiel.

If he just accepted, it would be a draw. He could even access the Royal Treasury. There was no reason to refuse.

“…”

However.

The actual Auditor of the Imperial Tower.

“Hmm.”

He was extremely indifferent. To the point where everyone was greatly surprised.

“This bet was not forced at all.”

Hoo.

He exhaled a long puff of smoke.

“I would like it to proceed as originally agreed.”

It was a statement that shocked everyone.