In the Imperial Palace, Audience Chamber.
Scritch—Scritch—
After Ezekiel left, the Emperor chewed on an apple in silence for quite some time. He couldn’t dare to fathom the man’s intentions.
Swish!
At that moment, someone appeared from the air like a wisp of smoke. It was Ilaref, the Emperor’s loyal confidant, who acted as his right hand and foot.
Though a man, his hair fell to his waist, and he wore a monocle on one side, resembling a butler.
Shock was evident on his face.
“Your Majesty. Just now, Ezekiel surely…”
He hesitated for a moment, still in shock.
“Did he just mention Lord Sarman’s name? How could he possibly speak of the Sun God’s name…?”
Sarman.
Coincidentally, it was also the name of the Sun God, highly revered in the Empire. He was the deity praised by many, including the 3rd Princess Solana and the followers.
The Emperor bit into yet another apple.
“Indeed, it was astonishing. I never expected the Sun Elixir Spirit to take root inside him.”
“Your Majesty, what happens if it settles in?”
Ilaref involuntarily asked a question.
The term “hands and feet” literally referred to that. It was forbidden to add one’s opinions. To question the Emperor so recklessly was considered incredibly rude, but…
It was an extraordinary and surprising incident, so he couldn’t help himself.
The Emperor didn’t seem to mind either.
“The spirit regularly craves Sun Elixir, so it will become easier for him to absorb it. The more he absorbs it, the closer his constitution will come to that of a superhuman.”
“A superhuman….”
Ilaref adjusted his monocle.
“Does that mean he could eventually become like the 1st Princess…?”
“No.”
The Emperor firmly interrupted Ilaref’s words.
“It’s right to say he’s distinctly different from the 1st Princess.”
“Well, the 1st Princess is of a different caliber altogether…”
Ilaref quickly nodded.
No matter how much Ezekiel boasted and postured, he couldn’t possibly surpass the 1st Princess, who had been consuming Sun Elixir since childhood. It was only natural for him to understand that.
A moment later, the Emperor made a surprisingly unexpected remark.
“Ilaref, you must understand the 1st Princess’s body to some extent. What do you know about it?”
“I know her aura is unbelievably vast. Anyone who deals with mana and magic should aspire to cultivate themselves like the 1st Princess.”
“That’s a fair understanding, but that’s not what we should focus on.”
The Emperor’s robe shifted slightly, hinting he was shaking his head lightly.
“Ilaref, does the 1st Princess have a spirit in her body?”
“The Sun Elixir Spirit, perhaps…?”
Now that he thought about it.
The 1st Princess indeed had a boundless aura and a vessel blazing near her heart, but there was no spirit residing within her.
“…There is no spirit. Your Majesty, what difference does it make?”
“It means the Sun Elixir Spirit views her body as a separate residence. However, it has begun to thrive as if it considers Ezekiel’s body its home.”
The Emperor gulped down the apple wine in the chalice.
“It could mean he has talents surpassing those of the 1st Princess.”
“…”
What a tremendous statement—silence enveloped the room for a moment.
“That can’t be… No way…”
Ilaref broke the silence after a while.
“Your Majesty, then why didn’t you inform Ezekiel? It would have been clear he would be overjoyed.”
As soon as the Emperor sensed the essence of Ezekiel’s body, he realized that fact but chose not to disclose it.
He only brushed it off to discuss later.
Ilaref was curious about that part.
“Of course, I absolutely must not reveal it.”
The Emperor replied with utmost seriousness.
It was the same guy who, upon realizing his value, sprawled on the ground demanding Sun Elixir.
But if he also became aware that he possessed talent and constitution surpassing that of the 1st Princess…
“…No way. The Sun Elixir would surely run dry.”
The Emperor’s robe fluttered.
Just thinking about it made his teeth clench.
In the realm of the Purple Magic Tower.
Ezekiel arrived here quickly.
As expected of a crucial area, the path leading to the Magic Tower was well-maintained, and it didn’t take long to traverse.
He had set off alone, but there was no anxiety. His physical condition felt better than ever.
“The trade district thrives; the buildings look splendid.”
Unlike the somewhat gloomy realm of the Black Tower, the area around the Magic Tower radiated a feeling of prosperity.
Shops lined up endlessly, all tall and adorned… it was truly impressive.
Checking out various shops, he inquired but…
“We don’t know.”
“Please check elsewhere.”
The answers he received were full of apprehension, almost sending him away. Proving he came from the Imperial Magic Tower didn’t help.
After quite a while, he finally found a merchant who explained.
“Currently, a tremendous number of fiends have disguised themselves and infiltrated the Magic Tower’s area. We can’t distinguish who is human and who is a fiend, so everyone is scared.”
It seemed the entire area was so permeated with fiends that they posed no threat. He needed to find his comrades, yet gathering information was terribly difficult.
‘If I can’t locate my enemies…’
I’ll have to do the opposite.
I’ll reveal myself, draw them out.
Ezekiel stood at the grand entrance of the tallest and widest shop. It was a massive building called a department store.
Step—Step—
As he entered, his footsteps echoed loudly, instantly gaining the attention of many.
The men had noticed he was from the Imperial Magic Tower.
“Doesn’t look like a mage from the Purple Tower.”
“Isn’t that the token of the Imperial Magic Tower?”
“Showing off that he’s an inspector; unbelievable. He looks too young for such a position.”
“Wait, didn’t they say the inspector of the Imperial Tower is young?”
People began to murmur, but Ezekiel paid them no mind as he slipped past.
‘Can’t rely on the citizens of the Purple Tower.’
If they disguised as citizens, they wouldn’t be high-ranking fiends. He needed to attract the attention of greater beings and more formidable fiends.
With that, he continued ascending to the higher floors.
Finally, the top floor.
Bang!
He purposefully slammed the door open. Unlike the bustling lower levels filled with shops, the space revealed was noisy, lit with bright lights and loud music.
A place where esteemed guests often laid eyes on each other.
Just being able to visit the department store signified great wealth, and being able to play at the very top meant one was among the elite.
Those with abilities and wealth gathered to socialize, eyeing each other, promising to have a lively night. Quite decadent.
However.
Ezekiel exuded a chill. He deliberately spat out the Sunweed he had been holding in his mouth.
“…Those fiends, brazenly mimicking humans.”
A tremendous chill and a short remark.
In an instant, silence fell.
‘I heard that the Purple Magic Tower suffered a significant defeat.’
If mages who could fight were all engaged on the front lines, there’s no way they could waste time here idly partying.
In other words, all of them were sophisticated fiends.
“The stench of mana repulses me. You wretches.”
Ezekiel said.
Perhaps due to his enhanced constitution?
His ability to sense chills had become even sharper. And indeed, everyone in the space touched by the chill was a true fiend.
“You know your own appearance is grotesque. That’s why you always mimic humans, right?”
At that, a woman across from him sneered maliciously.
She was the same woman who had acted incredibly innocent earlier, inviting him to join. Turns out, she was a fiend too.
“An inspector from the Imperial Magic Tower, how desperate you must be. But don’t you realize this department store is a trap? So foolish!”
“A trap, you say.”
Ezekiel quietly closed his eyes and opened them again.
Not just this department store, but all structures in the realm of the Magic Tower would likely be traps too. They were probably capturing or killing any visiting human mages.
“Is this the biggest trap you all prepared?”
“That would be fair to assume. The goddess will be so pleased! If we take down the inspector from the Imperial Tower, she’ll undoubtedly reward us highly!”
The biggest trap.
Those words didn’t evoke any thought.
He simply felt like everything was going according to plan.
Suuuuu—
A chill began to rise around Ezekiel. The tangible blue energy was visible to the naked eye.
“…Subdue the human before he casts his magic!”
“First, rip off his fingers and faint him!”
In no time at all, the true forms of the fiends descended. They aimed to prevent Ezekiel from casting magic.
“Conclusion.”
Crack-kkk!
The sound of freezing and shattering resonated. The fiends merely turned into ice statues and shattered to pieces.
Ezekiel sensed it.
‘…My realm has skyrocketed beyond reason.’
His body felt extraordinarily robust, and his control over the chill had grown infinitely more intricate. Looking at the ground, the mana squirmed, unable to escape from the ice.
“Mana, the mana itself has frozen!”
“How is that even possible? Normally, mana corrupts and taints everything it touches…!”
“That guy! Could he be the Ice Ghost—?”
Boom!
The ice, shaped like a sea urchin, exploded, sending sharp shards flying in all directions, instantly piercing the brows of half the fiends, killing them.
It wasn’t just that he held back on the power.
Ezekiel calmly spoke.
“Let the survivors run and convey this message.”
He had no intention of hiding his identity from the start.
He had synthesized the Emperor’s words with what the fiends had said. It was clear that the one referred to as the ‘goddess’ in the Demon Realm led the assault on the Purple Magic Tower this time.
“I, the Ice Ghost, have stepped into the realm of the Magic Tower.”
…He would soon face the goddess.
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