episode_0088

The conference room, engulfed in chaos, buzzed with restless agitation.

“W-What? Riel Frost has a man now?”

“How fascinating. This lends credence to the hypothesis that the mind follows the body…”

“W-Well, he’s quite the catch. I can see why she’d fall for him.”

“On the other hand, it’s tragic. It seems the soul is nothing more than a mutable substance shaped by the vessel of the body.”

“Still, isn’t this a good thing? A woman loving a man is only natural…”

The elders, having already forgotten what they were discussing moments ago, were now spouting their own impressions. Among them, only one—Elder Raydenmurn—remained focused.

He struck the floor with his staff, gathering their attention, and shouted,

“Enough! This is hardly the time for such trivial talk! Riel Frost’s romantic affairs are none of our concern. Tower Master, explain why you’ve brought an outsider into this meeting.”

“That young man is… to put it precisely, the person closest to the woman now known as Arina. He said he had something to say to all of you, so I brought him here.”

“And does this concern the Tower’s current crisis? Or are we just wasting our time, tsk.”

Raydenmurn clicked his tongue in clear dissatisfaction. The other elders, their initial excitement cooled, now stared at Ian with expressions of utter confusion.

Given that full assemblies of the Tower’s elders were rare—reserved only for the most critical matters—this was an unusual gathering.

Standing in a position typically reserved for the Tower Master or at least the Vice Tower Master, Ian steadied his pounding heart under their piercing gazes. There was no turning back now. He had no choice but to commit.

Taking a deep breath, Ian straightened his back and spoke firmly.

“The solution to our current predicament is not unrelated to saving Arina.”

“Arina? I’ve been meaning to ask—is that an alias for Riel Frost?”

“Not an alias. It’s her current name. Before she was the Archmage Riel Frost you all know, she was—and will be—my woman.”

One of the elders, who had been listening quietly, widened his eyes and interjected.

“Wait. Did you just gloss over something incredibly important? So, you’re saying you and that girl currently have no relationship?”

“For now, you could say we’re just friends.”

Eeek!?

Someone let out an undignified shriek unbecoming of an elder. The others, barely restraining themselves from similar outbursts, shared the sentiment.

“My, my… Today is full of surprises…”

“Frankly, this is a mess. Can we even call this a meeting?”

“This is absurd! You claim to be Riel Frost’s lover, but even that’s just wishful thinking? We’ve been played for fools by a pair of delusional lunatics! Enough! Get out, the lot of you!”

Raydenmurn bellowed. The other elders’ expressions suggested their patience was wearing thin. It was only natural—these were busy individuals who rarely made appearances, and so far, nothing of substance had been said. Given the gravity of the situation, their frustration was understandable.

“It’s true that Arina and I are not currently in a romantic relationship.”

Ian remained composed, his voice steady as he laid bare his personal history before the Tower’s elders.

“I thought it was because of my shortcomings. That I wasn’t reliable enough to be someone she could lean on. And in part, that wasn’t wrong.”

To Arina, who faced the world alone, anyone would seem lacking.

“But even in her final moments before being captured by the Tower, she never relied on anyone—not her friends, not her comrades, not even the Tower Master, her own mentor.”

That was when he realized it. No matter the circumstance, she would never ask for help. Even in her most desperate moments, she would choose solitude over burdening others.

“I’ve always respected Arina’s choices. I didn’t want to rob her of her freedom, not when she’d already lost so much. But looking back now, what she needed wasn’t consideration.”

There was no need to confirm her true feelings. Arina had always longed to rely on someone. She suffered in her lonely existence, starved for affection to the point where just having someone by her side would have made her happy.

“Yet, she couldn’t bring herself to lean on others, afraid they’d get hurt because of her. She couldn’t even be honest about her feelings to those closest to her. I won’t respect her will anymore. I’ve realized what she needs isn’t consideration or respect—it’s force.”

The contradiction at the heart of Arina’s suffering was this: the desire to rely on others, clashing with the fear of losing those she held dear. To resolve it, there was only one way.

Force.

Even if she refused, even if she begged through tears, he had to strip her of the right to reject him.

Just as he had in Natizan, he would make it impossible for her to refuse his help. It was the only way that stubborn woman could be saved.

“We may have no relationship now, but I’ll make sure she has no choice but to accept me. I’ll make her mine, even if I have to force her.”

“We couldn’t care less about your love games! So, how exactly do you plan to stop the Tower from being seized by the Kingdom?”

“Saving Arina and protecting the Tower ultimately lead to the same conclusion. We must stop the Kingdom’s exercise of power. And if there’s no other way—then I’ll just have to become the King.”

How much time had passed? Though it couldn’t have been long, the flood of thoughts made the moment feel endless. The once-raucous conference room, filled with arguments and occasional curses, was now eerily silent.

No one spoke. No one even closed their mouths. They simply gaped, stunned. Eventually, it was Elder Raydenmurn who broke the silence.

“…If I heard correctly, you’re suggesting rebellion. Did I understand you right?”

“If we succeed, they’ll call it a revolution.”

Though his answer sounded like wordplay, the implications were no laughing matter.

“Isn’t that going too far? It’s like burning down the house to kill a bedbug!”

“But if it’s necessary, then so be it. Or do you intend to let the Tower be taken without a fight?”

“That’s not what I meant, but this—”

“I’ll save Arina, no matter the cost. But it seems the elders’ devotion to the Tower doesn’t run that deep.”

“You’re the one who’s lost his mind! No sane person would even consider this!”

“And what of the Guardian? Have you thought this through?”

That question was bound to leave him at a loss for words.

The Guardian.

One of the core reasons the three human nations provided the Tower with unwavering support—and the very reason no one had ever dared dream of rebellion until now.

This strategic weapon, its creation dating back to the Tower’s founding, had been under construction for centuries and remained incomplete. But “incomplete” didn’t mean powerless. The Guardian, already 90% operational, was theorized to surpass even Riel Frost in output.

The only reason it hadn’t been deployed was the lack of an energy source capable of mobilizing its colossal frame and firepower.

But even a brief activation would be more than enough to crush a handful of rebels.

“Only the monarchs of each nation can summon and command the Guardian. Do you intend to destroy it?”

“If we subdue the King before he summons it—”

“That’s a gamble. You do realize failure means annihilation?”

Not an inch of leeway. From the start, this was a fight under extremely unfavorable conditions. Still, there was one thing Ian could confidently deny.

“That won’t happen.”

“Why not?”

“Even if we fail to subdue the King, as long as we achieve our main objective, we’ll still have Arina.”

“Nonsense! Are you unaware that the Guardian’s power exceeds Riel Frost’s?”

“And so does Arina’s. She is stronger than it.”

“Grr…! Every word out of your mouth is worthless trash! It’s all assumptions, baseless optimism, and delusion!”

As Raydenmurn, incensed by the perceived slight to the Tower, hurled insults, Elder Chester stepped in to mediate. Turning to Ian, he asked,

“Elder Raydenmurn’s tone may be harsh, but he isn’t wrong. Rebellion is too extreme. What could possibly drive you to such lengths?”

Why go this far?

Ian recalled his first meeting with Arina, as if asking himself the same question. Her face and figure hadn’t changed much—she’d always been beautiful—but her aura was entirely different back then.

Her sunken eyes were perpetually shadowed, her complexion dull from constant drinking. Her hair was unkempt, and her temperament? Volatile. Her fierce gaze resembled that of a wyvern starved for three days.

Frankly, no matter how pretty she was, she wasn’t someone you’d want around. Had Ian not needed her help with territory issues, he’d have left long ago.

“But the longer I forced myself to stay, the more I noticed her good points. Like how she’d grumble but never let innocent people suffer. Or how she’d rush to save a comrade without hesitation.”

The way she’d laugh softly at one of his jokes and then casually reference it the next day was oddly endearing. It was these glimpses of her humanity that made her past all the more poignant.

“As the Tower Master mentioned before the meeting, Arina was betrayed by her fallen party members, had swords pointed at her by the knights she fought alongside, and was condemned by the very people she protected. Yet, she never abandoned the world. She sought a way to end the war while achieving her revenge.”

“Hmph. Making a deal with the Demon King was shady from the start. Can you really claim she’s good?”

“Did you know the Demon King offered to become her comrade?”

“……”

“And yet, she refused to the very end. Even branded a criminal, even when the whole world turned against her—when innkeepers poisoned her meals, when bounty hunters came for her daily, when she was nearly assaulted by local thugs—she never gave in.”

Ian’s voice trembled slightly as he clenched his fists. Speaking it aloud made her life sound even more tragic. To think this was the reward for her devotion to the world. That she hadn’t broken yet was both admirable and heartbreaking.

How much did she suffer?

Just imagining it brought him to tears. How much harder must it have been for her?

Even the elders couldn’t help but sympathize with her story. Raydenmurn, who had unknowingly teared up, quickly glanced around and barked,

“I-I knew it! In the end, you’re just appealing to emotions! You want us to lend strength to your selfish desires!”

“No. This isn’t about that.”

Chester narrowed his eyes as Ian answered without flinching.

“Then what is it?”

“Repayment.”

“Repayment?”

Chester rested his chin on his hand, intrigued by the unexpected answer.

“Arina never abandoned humanity, no matter how many storms battered her. Because she believed not all of the world—not all people—were evil. If so, then her faith deserves to be repaid. She needs to be told, You weren’t wrong. And right now, the only ones who can show her that are us.”

At its core, it was the age-old tale of good triumphing over evil. A dreamlike notion, but one that could become reality if acted upon. At the very least, Ian refused to let Arina’s story end any other way.

“One last thing. This isn’t just about my personal feelings for Arina. If this is the fate of someone who served the world and kept believing in people to the end, then that’s unacceptable. Because it would mean this world itself is wrong.”

And if that were true, then those living in it were wrong, too.

—

The blindfold was torn away. Harsh light stabbed at her eyes, forcing Arina to bow her head.

Then, a solemn voice echoed through the chamber.

“Riel Frost. Lift your head.”

Karl Foldragon Gilnias.

The King of Gilnias, whom she hadn’t seen since the Hero Party’s deployment ceremony, stood before her.