…That man is the inspector being inaugurated this time?
Crack—! Crack—!
Nox and Widro had the same thought at the same time.
But there was no time to stay lost in thought.
A sphere draped in chill spun wildly, carrying a sinister current, ready to explode at any moment. A truly terrifying sight.
Amidst the chaos, people started shouting haphazardly.
“Shouldn’t we stop that…?”
“It looks dangerous!”
If the massive mana-infused sphere exploded, it would tear everything apart, and Widro and Nox immediately prepared to respond to the crisis in their own ways.
In fact, if this was a crisis, it was also an opportunity for them.
With people panicking, becoming the main defenders could showcase their strength and gain fame at the same time.
Crack—! Thud—!
However, there was another problem.
The power of the sphere was more horrifying than they could imagine.
Thud thud thud—!
A fleeting thought crossed Nox and Widro’s minds.
Maybe even they wouldn’t be able to defend against it.
Just as they thought that, a grand explosion occurred.
Whooosh—!
“Ugh…!”
“Ugh!”
All nearby people covered their eyes with their arms. Even though their hurriedly summoned defensive spells sprang forth, they couldn’t do anything about the radiant light bursting in all directions.
So everyone was frozen in a halt for 1 second.
5 seconds.
10 seconds.
Pitter patter—
A light something tapped against the barrier.
No, “tapped” might be a bit heavy. It would be better to say that something settled atop the shield.
Worried about any additional massive shockwaves.
But that was all there was. Even after 30 seconds, nothing changed.
“….”
They had assumed the worst, but nothing calamitous had actually happened. Nox, Widro, and the local mages slowly opened their eyes to survey the area.
‘…Frost? Hail?’
What had landed on the protective barrier was merely frost or something like it.
An attack spell?
No, everything was intact.
Nothing was destroyed, and it was even difficult to consider it an attack spell. Even now, the weak and delicate ice was melting in real-time.
“….”
The area fell eerily quiet.
People who had been running away stopped, looking around, and those who had been lying on the ground stood up.
No one was injured.
There were no screams, only peaceful silence.
Besides feeling a bit colder, nothing had changed in the world. What had that explosion been for? No one present understood the reason.
Nox and Widro exchanged glances.
‘I didn’t stop it, but could it be that guy did?’
But as soon as their eyes met, they understood.
That guy definitely did not stop it. In that moment, they read each other’s expressions completely.
Surprise, confusion, admiration…
It wasn’t just them. The entire area felt the same.
“What the heck just happened?”
“Nothing happened, did it?”
“Just an illusion?”
“…Was it a prank to scare people?”
Since they understood nothing of the magic’s intention, everyone’s gaze turned toward the caster. They waited for him to say something when suddenly,
“Up…!”
Someone shouted urgently.
“Widro! Look up!”
At the panicked voice, everyone turned their heads up.
“…!”
And everyone in the area was shocked.
For a moment, they imagined a horrifying scenery, but what filled the sky was exactly the opposite—a breathtaking sight.
Light fragments split into hexagons through glass-like ice crystals, expanding in vibrant colors.
Beautiful.
They were left speechless, unable to look away.
“Wow….”
People’s mouths slowly gaped open.
This street was where magical beggars begged, a battlefield where factions of the Imperial Magic Tower fought fiercely, a place where everyone was so busy that happiness and leisure were entirely absent.
However.
Now, it had become a gallery with everyone embodying composure.
Mages often say.
Magic is the power that turns miracles into reality.
But it’s not too distant from reality; rather, it’s somewhat intertwined. It transforms ordinary and trivial things into something special, captivating anyone in the process.
Is this moment special for everyone?
Who knows?
But one thing is certain. Everyone was captivated.
Countless rainbows descended gently like parachutes, and people’s gazes followed suit, feeling as if the sky was sinking lower.
Swish—
Like a parade of seven colors, the light swirled around the caster, spun around him, then boom—it vanished.
“…”
The world left without a trace.
Everyone’s eyes naturally turned toward Ezekiel.
“My goodness.”
“…I’ve never seen anything like this.”
The world finally filled with sound again.
People murmured, absentmindedly touching their faces. For some reason, they felt like they were unconsciously mimicking the relaxed smile of the man.
It wasn’t terror; it was art.
And that art certainly contained something tremendous.
Most of those bustling in this district were not ordinary people; they were mages. They could see the realms present, and because they practiced and attempted magic themselves, they were even more amazed.
No, they were horrified.
…A tremendous craft.
The difficulty was without a doubt formidable, and how it was all designed was beyond comprehension. It was a level so grand that it could be a lifelong goal.
“…That’s it.”
The caster, Ezekiel, murmured.
Only then did people return to reality.
The light had vanished, and all the ice had evaporated, leaving no trace. Besides the lingering sensation left on the people, it was as if nothing had ever happened here.
…Right, like a dream of one summer day.
Understanding that it was over, sighs rang out from here and there.
They wanted to praise the caster. Or maybe ask him to show it just once more. At some point, the beggar boy’s tin can had piled high with coins.
“U-um…!”
Finally, someone mustered the courage to murmur.
Ezekiel shook his head, only smiling faintly as if he knew what words would be directed at him.
“Sorry, but I’m busy with my inauguration ceremony coming up.”
Leaving those few words behind, the man left abruptly, not even giving people a chance to stop him.
“…!”
Meanwhile, Nox and Widro jumped in shock at the mention of the inauguration ceremony as they trembled.
They urgently rummaged through their pockets and simultaneously pulled something out. A response from Ezekiel.
They both stared at it as if enchanted.
[Imperial Magic Tower Canteen]
What was written was merely a single line.
…But somehow, it felt like they had to go.
Holy Temple.
In a space filled with darkness, light filtered through a single window. Illuminated by it was a woman devoutly offering prayers.
The angel of the empire, the Saintess, Solana.
“It’s been a long time.”
Suddenly, she spoke not a prayer, but words. Yet she remained in a kneeling position, still praying.
“What brings you here? Someone who despised the Mortal Realm so much.”
The empty space was filled with the Saintess’s gentle voice. Then, a presence hidden in the darkness began to take shape, revealing itself.
“2nd Princess, Hedera.”
Click-clack— Click-clack—
The woman who revealed herself as she walked was deadly. Brilliant like a jewel, yet exuding significant danger.
“Solana. You’ve done something incredibly audacious.”
Hedera skipped the pleasantries and went straight to the point.
There was no hint of respect, as if looking down on someone much lower than herself.
Only then did Solana rise to face her.
“You still look beautiful, 2nd Princess.”
Underneath her black hair shone red eyes.
A sign of the blood dragon’s ancestry intertwined.
Despite being shrouded in darkness, Hedera’s eyes shone brightly. Occasionally, they even slit like a reptile’s, pure marvel in itself.
“Stop beating around the bush. You appointed the inspector for my Magic Tower, didn’t you?”
“Are you bothered that I came down after leaving the Imperial Magic Tower unattended for nearly ten years? Now, all of a sudden?”
The Imperial Magic Tower rightfully belonged to a building, which meant it had an owner. That owner was 2nd Princess Hedera.
“…You’ve become quite arrogant in my absence. Get your head straight.”
Hedera brought her hand to her mouth.
At that moment, a thick mask resembling a gas mask was covering her mouth. The moment she took that off, every word Hedera uttered would become Dragon Speech.
Fortunately, Solana smiled faintly.
“It’s a greeting. A greeting. It’s been a while since we met, hasn’t it?”
Hedera clicked her tongue and lowered her hand.
“So, what business do you have in the Imperial Capital?”
“I just got an urgent message.”
“An urgent message?”
“A letter… but you don’t need to know about that. How rude.”
Hedera glared at Solana.
“So why did you sit my Magic Tower’s inspector without my consent? Why am I hearing such news as soon as I come to the capital?”
“I appointed someone trustworthy. Don’t worry about it.”
“…”
Hedera’s pupils elongated vertically.
“That’s for me to decide. Who is it?”
“I said it’s someone trustworthy.”
“Who am I asking? I won’t ask three times.”
Huff.
Solana let out a deep sigh and uttered a name.
“…”
At that moment, it was as if an egg yolk burst forth, and Hedera’s pupils swiftly returned to their original shape.
However, her eyes were now twice their usual size.
“…What?”
My site has received a lot of DMCA notices, lol. From now on, I will update the MTL on https://darkmtl.com/.
The site is fast and lightweight because there are no ads yet. However, the theme is different from Cybor-TL, so take some time to familiarize yourself.
Support me by donating at least $10, and you'll have the right to request any novel from Novelpia (excluding 19+ content) using a newly developed tool.