Thunk!
Only 5 minutes left until the presentation!
Tap, tap…
Hedera was drumming her fingers on the armrest.
“…”
With the number of gathered mages, including the audience, the noise level was overwhelming.
Owning Dragon’s Blood gave Hedera a remarkable sense of awareness, so even without trying, she could hear everything.
“How do you think the Imperial Tower is doing this time?”
“As always, I’m confident this time too.”
Since the exchange meeting was a rare occasion with a long cycle, determination filled the voices of the mages affiliated with the Magic Towers.
Indeed, the exchange meeting was truly a realm of opportunities.
A place where mages under the Imperial Tower could raise their ranks and their value in one fell swoop.
But at that moment, a voice pierced her ear.
“The Imperial Magic Tower still hasn’t arrived.”
Hedera perked up her ears. It was the representative of the Purple Magic Tower, tugging at his mustache as he spoke.
“Could it be that if they choose not to participate again… it would be shocking. No one would trust the standing of the Imperial Tower any longer.”
“Trust in the Imperial Tower has never existed! They dragged this out for over 10 years, and there’s no evidence to suggest they’ve built anything substantive~”
The response came from the representative of the Black Tower, tightly hugging a teddy bear.
Hedera simply listened in silence.
The exchange meeting was a world reserved for mages with a long tradition, so they had to strive to maintain fairness.
“Teddy Divine, report!”
At that moment, someone reported to the Black Tower Master.
“It seems a dense fog of fear has formed at the altar south of the region. It’s likely that the Imperial Tower has failed in purifying the Demonic Sword.”
“What? Ha-ha-ha, ha-ha-ha!”
The Black Tower Master burst out laughing.
“Hahaha─!”
Tears almost forming at the corners of her eyes.
“Purification of the Demonic Sword is like taking candy from a baby for the Black Tower. And yet, the Imperial Tower, which should be the most competent, is struggling? What do we do? This is serious!”
Not just the Black Tower Master. Hearing the report, mages everywhere began to murmur.
It seemed the prestige of the Imperial Tower had been definitively smashed to the ground, and hints of mockery started to creep in at that moment.
─4 minutes until the presentation!
The announcing voice brought silence across the venue.
With only 4 minutes left, nobody except the Black Tower Master, who was in charge, could dare to speak.
The representatives of the Magic Towers surrounding the large round table stood up. The mages in the audience did the same.
Among them was a particularly noticeable empty seat…
It belonged to the Imperial Magic Tower. The group that should be seated at the very center was still without news.
“…”
Hedera tapped her fingers on the armrest.
Four minutes had suddenly begun to feel tight.
Snap─!
As the Black Tower Master snapped her fingers, her teddy bear puffed up, floating in the air. It was almost the size of three warehouses!
Something black was etched on the teddy bear’s belly.
A perfect circle with twelve notches and three spikes.
It was a clock.
DONG─
DONG─
DONG─
DONG─
The teddy bear emitted a vibrant sound, resonating four times. It signified that only 4 minutes remained until the start.
Hedera quietly took a deep breath.
What if a problem arose?
Would she need to step in?
Stepping in would mean breaking the rules of the exchange meeting, leading to immense disadvantages for the Imperial Tower, but Hedera was willing to step up in the face of unforeseen circumstances.
If Ezekiel were to face something unjust, she would rush in without a second thought.
That was when the Black Tower Master raised her arms.
“Now, noble and esteemed mages?”
Her voice, filled with magical energy, echoed throughout the venue. The elegant pose was just a bonus.
With a bow, she elegantly adjusted her Gothic skirt to one side as part of the graceful etiquette.
“The moment you all have been waiting for has arrived.”
Teddy Divine.
The one who effectively held power over the Black Tower.
She had achieved an extraordinary level of Black Magic and, as a result, never aged. Even the 2nd Princess, Hedera, could acknowledge her high status.
It seemed the Black Tower had been diligently busy for the past 10 years.
“Before confirming the dazzling achievements of each Magic Tower, I will call your names.”
The childlike voice had completely vanished.
It was as if she had aged overnight, for only an enchanting woman’s voice resounded from Teddy Divine.
“Red Magic Tower.”
“Like a flame that never extinguishes, I am present!”
Was this a demonstration of fiery passion and spirit? The booming voice echoed throughout the conference hall.
“Green Magic Tower.”
“Steadfast as a strong root, I am present.”
This time, the voice was much calmer.
Subsequent calls for the Blue and Purple Magic Towers were rapid, each confidently showcasing their element.
Now only one Magic Tower remained to be called.
The one empty seat still there.
“Imperial Magic Tower~”
When Teddy Divine called out the tower…
For the first time, there was no response.
“Ahh, has the Imperial Magic Tower truly not arrived?”
It was effectively confirmation of execution.
Everyone went silent. A subtle yet complex atmosphere began to fill the conference hall like fog.
The absence of the Imperial Magic Tower.
It was expected, yet also desired.
As the Imperial Tower had only flaunted its authority while abandoning its own foundations, had they not acted oppressively?
No one would welcome an Imperial Tower that was all bark and no bite. Most of the Magic Towers longed to see it collapse into a worthless heap.
“The representative of the Imperial Tower has yet to arrive. If the clock strikes the hour, they will be excluded from the exchange meeting.”
Teddy’s tone mixed with leisure and amusement.
“Exclusion does not merely pertain to this exchange meeting. For having hidden their misbehavior throughout the years and for being excessively harsh on other Magic Towers, the Imperial Tower will be permanently deprived of its qualifications to participate in the exchange meeting.”
The Imperial Tower, which should hold the highest authority, being stripped of its qualification in the exchange meeting?
The ramifications were bound to be monumental.
“Now, we have 3 minutes remaining.”
All the mages’ gazes were directed at the teddy’s belly.
Carefully observing the movements of the second hand and minute hand.
DONG─ DONG─
Now there were only 2 minutes left.
If the Imperial Tower’s seat remained vacant…
With the Imperial Tower, which had always held the highest position, losing its honor and crashing down, it would publicly stain the royal face.
DONG─
Now only 1 minute left.
Hedera could distinctly feel the atmosphere from the audience. It was as though the event they had awaited was finally unfolding. Smirks, and joy.
This wouldn’t do.
Something was off here.
It seemed Hedera had to take action.
DONG─ DONG─ DONG─
The clock was about to indicate that time had passed.
DONG─ DONG─ DONG─
At the moment the teddy was supposed to pop like fireworks to announce the grand opening of the exchange meeting…
Creeeak… creak… creak…
The teddy, which had begun to tear in several places, suddenly went stiff. Hedera’s eyebrows twitched, and everyone’s eyes widened.
DONG─ DONG─ DONG─
The teddy became completely rigid.
Because of that, it floated at a steady height.
Plop…
Something white fell to the ground.
“…Ice?”
Someone murmured.
All eyes promptly turned toward the Blue Tower, but…
“…”
They soon had to realize it wasn’t from the Blue Tower.
CRACK─
CRACK─
CRACK─
It began from high in the sky.
Stairs made of ice started to descend.
A man with two women on each side, all dressed in the attire of an ordinary middle-class family, emitted an extraordinary aura all around.
Hedera couldn’t help but widen her eyes.
“…!”
The individual she had been waiting for.
The inspector of the Imperial Tower, Ezekiel, had arrived.
Nobody could utter a word.
It was a sight that left them frozen in place.
“Hear me, everyone.”
The one to shatter the silence was the inspector of the Imperial Tower.
He descended each step deliberately, a Sunweed burning in his mouth.
“I am the inspector of the Imperial Tower.”
One step.
Another step.
“Ezekiel.”
He passed over the height of Hedera, making his way into the conference hall.
“I declare that I have arrived at this place.”
In stark contrast to the self-introductions of the others, his entrance and introduction were smug and demanding. It was a display of superiority from an entirely different plane.
The audience dumbfoundedly watched ensnared.
Yet, the Black Tower Master scrunched her face.
“Inspector? It’s too late. You have no right to participate…”
“How can you say I’m late?”
Ezekiel interrupted Teddy Divine.
“The clock still points to the hour.”
DONG─… DONG─…
It was true.
Since the frozen teddy bear remained in its place.
“The Imperial Tower seems to lack an understanding of time and place. Did you come just to engage in wordplay?”
“To begin with,”
Ezekiel chuckled.
“I did not come to participate as an inspector.”
“…Huh?”
Teddy Divine’s expression soured.
“Then what right do you have?”
Ezekiel pointed silently.
Beside him, Agnes tossed a rolled-up parchment.
“The crime of delving into the forbidden research of corpses.”
Thud, thud, thud…
The scroll unraveled as it trickled down the stairs, its length seemingly never-ending.
“The crime of idly watching thugs, the crime of deceiving other Magic Towers, the crime of distorting the intent of the exchange meeting─”
The litany of charges seemed endless.
“…And the crime of daring to make a mockery of the Imperial Tower.”
At last, the recitation of charges reached its conclusion.
CRUNCH─!
Simultaneously, the giant teddy bear froze violently.
Like a bomb that might wipe this place off the map.
“I have come to judge the traitors.”
The moment his feet touched the ground after stepping off the stairs.
Ezekiel finally spat out the Sunweed.
“…Mercy, exception. You receive nothing.”
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