Chapter: 102
I came out after a bit of a scolding in the prison. The gracious Second Prince was surprisingly lenient, scolding me not out of spite but perhaps as a plea for me to rein myself in a bit.
Stepping outside the prison, the air felt different. No matter how nicely decorated the jail was, the lively streets were a hundred times better.
Second Prince Irid walked through Crownhall with familiarity. His blonde hair was magically hidden, and he looked like an ordinary mercenary, equipped for action, which felt a bit strange.
With such a handsome face, he stood out even dressed like this, but at least it was somewhat less eye-catching than when his hair was flowing in the wind.
“So, how was the Academy?”
“Ah, it was good.”
Caught off guard by the sudden question, I answered reflexively, but that was my genuine feeling.
Life at the Academy was enjoyable. I felt a bit lonely without the Tower Master, but that got sorted out… Teasing Pink-Balrez was fun too, and although there were a few hiccups along the way, I held sessions.
And I found great satisfaction in the fact that I was teaching the kids.
I was a professor, not just a dungeon maker. I wasn’t tossing them into a labyrinth saying, “Survive on your own!”
I was running personalized assessments for each one: how much they had grown, where they were lacking, and what talents needed to be nurtured. Then, I compiled it all into a status window for easy viewing.
Name: That kid with the spot on his face, kinda looks like a rock.
Strength: C Agility: B Magic Power: C … (and so on).
It felt like I was playing a nurturing game. I set my own goals, thinking things like, “That kid’s definitely gonna become a silver-ranked mercenary when he goes out into the world.”
Speaking of the Academy, wasn’t I still on a long-term assignment in Crownhall?
Yet, I couldn’t just cancel my lectures for personal reasons. That’s why, in my absence, I prepared a mini-game for the students to do independently.
Using simulations and combat AI, I created… the Tower of Trials!
There are ten floors, each with a boss monster.
They could tackle it solo or in teams. The number of tries per day was limitless as long as time permitted. I even announced in advance that a Wish Token would be awarded to any student who clears the tenth floor before I returned to the Academy.
When using a Wish Token, you could skip attendance for the rest of the course and still get an A+.
I had developed this idea because some entertaining archetypes had emerged from the infinitely spinning combat AI. Like a sword master who only used sword techniques, or a chain scythe user named Jeni.
Wouldn’t it be nice if they could gain rich combat experience? Fighting boss monsters with strange weapons while maintaining their lives would surely be valuable.
“Give me an apple. No… would you like one as well?”
“If you give it to me, I’ll eat it.”
“Then make it two. This one and this one.”
The Second Prince ordered apples from a vendor. He expertly avoided the bad ones, a true veteran in the fruit-buying game.
Whoosh.
He tossed one to me, and I caught it with both hands. The Second Prince munched on his apple, the sound just fine… I glanced over the sparkling surface of the apple and felt something was off.
Scratching the surface with my nail, a thin layer scratched off. It looked like some sort of wax.
I offered my insight to the Second Prince. “Did they coat this to make it look good? It seems like they put on something like wax or slime.”
“… You should tell me these things before I eat it!”
“Shouldn’t you be more careful? You’re a precious being, after all.”
The Second Prince was about to spit out the apple he had in his mouth, but maybe thinking he couldn’t dirty the street’s sanitation with his own hands, he just swallowed it.
“Are you not going to spit it out?”
“A prince can eat something odd without any problem. I have over ten personal priests, after all.”
So, if he got sick, he could just receive healing? It isn’t like those priests are just there for show.
The Second Prince made a grimace but didn’t seem inclined to order the fruit vendor to be hanged.
He wasn’t always this friendly with commoners; he had changed a lot.
“… Ptoo.”
The Second Prince rinsed his mouth with some water and spat into a dark alley. He still seemed a bit troubled. He wiped his mouth with his sleeve before asking me.
“According to the report I received… it says you led two students to a trance.”
“Yes, well… there was a bit of an incident. It won’t happen again now.”
“…? What did you do?”
Oh, didn’t I just mean to scold you?
If I said, “I almost shattered the students’ minds trying to beat some sense into them!” I would get in big trouble, so I decided to change the subject.
“How have you been lately, Your Highness?”
“…”
“Are you in good health?”
“Shouldn’t you put more effort into changing the subject?”
He looked up at the sky, letting out a sigh that seemed filled with the weariness of a working adult.
“I’ve been busy hunting down Black Wizards. These clever cockroaches just keep multiplying. I thought I had burned them all, but the moment I look away, they pop back up.”
“I saw some on my way here.”
“Right, that part… Well, well done on that. It happened to be a time when a solid shake-up was needed. The power dynamics are so intricately tangled that just moving my own forces wouldn’t yield any meaningful investigation… especially against Redburn.”
Second Prince Irid crossed his arms and pressed his temples. It seemed the mere thought of Redburn gave him a headache.
“What’s up with those red-tinged friends of yours that’s got you so riled?”
Irid was, after all, the closest person to the throne of this huge Empire. Sure, the public favors the First Princess Elaine, but I knew that was just a facade.
I also acknowledged Irid’s competence. He possessed a remarkable skill for someone his age. So how could one effectively torment a prince with both power and capability?
The Second Prince tossed the half-eaten bright red apple into a nearby trash can. Thud, roll.
“They cut their tails too well. Let me ask you something—since you’re on the same ship as me. If I were to command you to sacrifice yourself quietly for our cause, would you listen?”
“If it’s Your Highness’s command, I’ll follow it.”
“But then when you return, wouldn’t you…?”
“I’d be ready to stab you in the back and pivot to the other side, wouldn’t I?”
Irid snapped his fingers.
“That’s exactly the point.”
“Ah… So, are your Redburn people quietly dying, then? Are they confessing information or not being swayed at all?”
“Exactly. No approach worked. Not one of them has successfully been swayed, and even when trying to extract information through force, magic planted in their minds wiped everything clean.”
Unyielding loyalty… but not exactly.
Those pawns of Duke Redburn moved out of desire, alongside the Black Wizards monitoring them.
If they were truly filled with loyalty to Duke Redburn, instead of using a hypnosis app to control women, they would have been expanding their political standing.
“So, in light of the situation, it seems we think Duke Redburn is colluding with Black Wizards… but we haven’t uncovered any evidence. There’s no weakness to pierce. But…”
“But we’ve also made one lucky move.”
“Right, the mad wizard. And… no need to pretend any longer in front of me. You must have come to Crownhall after clearing out Black Wizards from the Academy and chasing after that information.”
“……..?”
“Surely you would have had enough achievements regarding the Academy by now, but if you’re seeking even greater recognition, it suggests you have a much larger goal in mind. Be honest, do you have something you wish to request?”
This jerk seems to have begun his paranoia again…
No, wait. This time Second Prince is making a sound judgment. If someone who tangled with Black Wizards at the Academy happened to coincidentally capture more right after entering Crownhall, would that not be odd?
Of course, at the Academy, it was more of a fluke. In Crownhall, I dove headfirst into the traitor of the Purple Tower, but the start wasn’t intentional… it was similar enough. At the very least, it wasn’t my intention.
So Irid’s thought process was, “What kind of huge favor is this guy building up to ask of me?”
Wait a minute… let’s buy some time. Turn on the meaningful filter.
“Um… do you genuinely want to know? Isn’t it better to leave the box closed for a while longer?”
“I don’t want to be dragged around on a leash. If you don’t reveal your intentions, I won’t count your deeds publicly. Before I ascend the throne and shut my mouth, better receive what you can while I can.”
Cutting me off boldly.
Wait, what do I do? Since he said he would give, I want to at least receive something. What can I ask the prince for?
Money? Funding? Sure, getting funding would be nice, but isn’t that something I could earn through other means? It’s too obvious to use a Wish Token given by the prince for money.
Should I ask for free advertising for my Tower? No, the prince mentioning it wouldn’t significantly boost its growth. The best I’d get is that noble families interested in getting in the prince’s good graces would try to sneak in their kids.
Or perhaps ask for people? Would I dare to request 100 beauties from the Empire to come in for a body scan? No, that feels too suspicious, like something a Black Wizard would do.
Uuuhm…
“Then, how about three get-out-of-jail-free cards… what I mean is, would you forgive me if I were to be rude?”
“If that’s all, you’re wishing for something surprisingly minor.”
“In that sense, by the way, have you still not forgotten about Centra? Should I be concerned about Your Highness’s love life? If you want to see descendants after all, you surely have to find another woman.”
“Watch your words, or you might… Ah.”
The Second Prince looked like he had been struck from behind the head.
===============================================================
This crazy wizard isn’t asking for something minor at all!
I misjudged. I should’ve worried less about his seemingly minor wish and more about what this guy could do with such a small request.
Still, isn’t it a bit out of line to directly talk about succession to the Empire’s royal heirs? That’s a politically significant keyword, and depending on who he marries, the balance of power could shift drastically.
And given that this jerk clearly knows what I’ve done to save Centra!
“No, that… we can’t meet anyway. No matter what, it’s only when you’re a grandpa that Centra would be born, right? You can’t just live on as a lonely old man until then…”
“……..”
“And if, by chance, you plan to marry someone when there’s a 100-year age difference, then that’s, what should I say… a bit strange, right?”
“This jerk—”
I held it in.
Am I trying to scrape my own insides out for some assassination attempt? Second Prince Irid thought seriously about it.
Even so, this wasn’t just some idle chit-chat.
He’s absent-minded, but he’s a dimension magician. The Wither Emperor’s legacy, and one of the two people who knows about the future of Crownhall a century later. Because it’s spoken from a magician’s mouth… it’s frustratingly rude yet meaningful.
He is not alone. Irid suspected that he belonged to or heads some force.
This possibility of a competent individual was completely ruled out through the events of the Academy and Crownhall. Information gathering is something no single person can feasibly manage.
Is it really possible for someone to sift through the infiltrating Black Wizards at the Academy and take down those hiding in Crownhall by himself?
While I rhetorically framed it as, “Are you trying to garner achievements?” what I really asked was, “What is it that your side aims for?” The response I got back was “Secrets.”
His… organization.
An unknown force centered around a mad wizard and the Tower Master of the Purple Tower, whose objectives and depths were dark.
Outwardly, they seemed to be under the Second Prince’s wing, but actually, they merely had overlapping paths.
However, they were certainly wishing for the prosperity and survival of the Empire.
It had shaken Irid, who had been caught up in paranoia. It had also resolved his conflict with the First Princess Elaine. They had already shown reliable intent.
Thus, cooperation would continue.
Irid curiously asked, “Are you worried about the Empire?”
“More so, I’m worried about you, Your Highness. It would be a waste… for someone who has everything to end up with nothing just because he chased after a woman of fantasy.”
“If it really is about me, then be mindful of your words, mad wizard. It’s a sore point.”
“What? Someday someone will stab you in the back over this issue.”
The wizard said it with a freedom that suggested the relationship of close friends. Look at that, who would dare point this out to the Empire’s royal heir? They genuinely wished for the Empire’s continued existence.
Thus, this crazy wizard wouldn’t hold back even if he became the emperor. If you think of it that way, he might also be considered a loyal subject.
He said, “If you have a heart to gift Centra a wonderful Empire, then wouldn’t it be even more wise to consider marriage? The problem of heirs is one that shakes the nation, isn’t it? Perhaps… it might be better for both of you to forget each other.”
“……..”
That was a valid point.
If I can’t meet her again, perhaps it would indeed be better to forget each other for our own sake.
So perhaps, the extent to which I’ve been warned this way might mean that… this mad wizard and his forces have seen a glimpse into the future again. Maybe, as he said, the Empire will stagger because of its issues related to offspring far down the line.
Once more, it was a prophecy brought to my attention.
However, this prophecy, which felt close to a curse, no longer frightened me. I have already transcended the prophecy of the Wither Emperor. Couldn’t I do it a second time?
“How about we turn this around?”
“What?”
“If I can build an empire that won’t tremble over mere succession issues. Wouldn’t it be just fine to hold her close within my heart for a lifetime?”
“………??”
What’s the difficulty? Even if I die, I could create an era of prosperity that wouldn’t crumble for the next 100 years.
Then Centra would be happy in the future, and I wouldn’t have to lose this feeling either.
“So please, keep that unsolicited advice to yourself, mad wizard. I’ll handle things just fine.”
“……… No need to throw such a solid crush on a person who has no one. Ouch!”
Finally, I couldn’t hold back, and I smacked the back of the mad wizard. He went “Aaaaah!” and twisted his body in surprise.
The Second Prince felt a refreshing sense of relief. It was completely soothing.
===============================================================
“Your Highness, a complaint notification has been sent regarding the unauthorized entry of the Tower Master of the Purple Tower into Crownhall. Shall we respond with an outright denial of the claims?”
“Your Highness! The Capital Knights Order has voiced regret and has warned that an excessive act of violence may be addressed promptly…”
“……..”
Creak!
Second Prince Irid’s neck stiffened as he turned to face the mad wizard.
The mad wizard glanced around, then promptly made a break for it.
Irid grabbed a chair next to him and chased after the mad wizard.
That day, the mad wizard was saved by the favor of a get-out-of-jail-free card. And it was said there was one left.
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