Chapter: 103
Purple Tower Master Yuna panicked, spinning around in place like a little chick. Her eyes were spinning too. Watching her made me feel a bit dizzy myself.
“Uh, where, where did they find out…”
“Why not just not get caught!”
The Second Prince Irid let out a sigh as deep as if the ground was about to swallow him whole.
“I know there was… no malice. It must have been… it must have been?”
“Yes, it wasn’t. Our Yuna was just a child who gets lonely easily. Yuna, come here.”
“Uwooo…”
I hugged the Tower Master tightly and patted her gently. She didn’t really want to start a rebellion in Crownhall; she just wanted to go on a date with me.
But really, where could they have found out? I had never slacked off on sensing magic… was this some kind of prank?
“Um, Your Highness, I think… this might be a bluff, trying to poke at us to see what happens. There’s no evidence anyway, right?”
“No evidence?”
“Yes. I can’t detect the Tower Master at all. If I can’t, then no one else would either.”
The Second Prince looked at me with the eyes of a genius—though I was merely stating facts. If I can’t do it, then most others wouldn’t be able to either.
Even if, by some chance, they did succeed in observing the Tower Master, leaving evidence behind is a whole different ball game. Unless the Tower Master willingly posed for a picture, we couldn’t leave behind her image.
The Second Prince stroked his chin and, after a brief moment of contemplation, said, “If that’s true, we can smooth things over. In the end, it would be a war of public opinion. However…”
“But?”
“The moment Purple Tower Master officially reveals herself, a backlash ensues. Naturally, the opposing side will have the justification to wield against us.”
Does that mean we can’t get caught moving forward?
“It means we shouldn’t use any more than necessary strength. If we unleash ascendance-level power near Crownhall, that would become irrefutable evidence.”
“…”
This seemed to be quite a substantial constraint. We were currently chasing after the tail of the betrayer of the Purple Tower, and the pivotal factor allowing us to pursue this was undoubtedly the Tower Master’s strength.
There was a sense of reassurance that whatever might come, the Tower Master would be able to resolve it, which allowed us to charge in without a plan.
However, the situation had changed. If the Tower Master used great power, it would solidify the suspicion that “the Purple Tower Master sneaked into Crownhall.” The Second Prince’s faction would take a political hit.
We might genuinely need to consider halting the pursuit.
Of course, while the Second Prince could act like a scoundrel saying whatever blows he took didn’t concern us, it also diverged from our long-term objective of tracking down the betrayer.
By cooperating with the Second Prince, we were receiving help from the Imperial Defense Bureau, an intelligence agency. And, more importantly, wouldn’t Pink-Balrez get into trouble? If she got into a mess due to having the wrong friends…
“Tower Master, let’s stay low. Pink-Balrez got hurt too.”
“…Are we not chasing anymore?”
“If we’re not careful, the Purple Tower will crumble, how can we do that? There will definitely be more chances next time, so let’s not be overly regretful.”
We had already gained enough. The suspicion that there was a betrayer in the Purple Tower turning into certainty was already a significant harvest. We could now prepare ourselves.
“Then let’s handle it that way.”
Second Prince Irid quietly got up from his seat and opened a drawer. It was filled to the brim with communication crystals.
He laid the communication crystals out on the table and began a whirlwind of business tactics.
“First, send a message to stop the groundless slandering. Tell the Capital Knights Order that while we didn’t bring the Tower Master along, if there happens to be a problem, we’ve no intention of causing any disasters.”
A clarification (not really).
“Is Pereit Baron the one at Redburn spreading rumors? That I’m planning to use the Tower Master for a coup? Open the cabinet. There were some collected scandals there, right? Ask the social scene why their intelligence network didn’t catch wind of their wife’s affair.”
Make the blowhards attacking the Second Prince a laughingstock.
“Pass a message to that trading company that Redburn was neglecting… was it the Gold Kumquat Guild? Tell them to pull out. It’s a gesture of reconciliation.”
Calming the Redburn Duke’s panic button.
“There was a conspiracy set up beforehand, right? Let misinformation flow. We genuinely know nothing about it.”
Using spies to leak information.
“Send a letter to my sister. Ask her to release a statement that the succession battle should be fought fairly and within bounds. External factions think she and I are at odds, so they would interpret her warning to me as a hint. After that, let things settle down. Make it seem like we’ve restrained ourselves after the warning.”
Appeal that we had no intention of playing a trick on this deal / or that it has become that way.
And various other commands.
He rattled off instructions like a storm for about ten minutes, and the Tower Master and I clapped in admiration while closing our eyes. The future of our Empire was so bright it was blinding.
Today, Second Prince Irid felt really cool. He dramatically spread his collar and looked down at us as he said, “Let’s go to the interrogation room.”
“Me?”
“…You guys caught the Black Wizards, didn’t you? We need to draw out information from them.”
===============================================================
The interrogation room was set up in a soundproofed, dim underground space. As we descended with the Second Prince leading, the agents from the Defense Bureau saluted us.
“Ah, Your Highness.”
Among them, a seemingly senior agent stepped forward. His expression was full of concern and worry, so things must not have been going well.
“Is there a problem?”
“…The magic inscribed in his mind is too intricate, and we have no means to deal with it. Currently, he’s frozen in ‘Instant Freeze’ state, but whether we can extract information…”
“That’s why I brought an expert. Melt him.”
“Yes, Your Highness. ‘Thawing’.”
The body of the Black Wizard, who had been left alone in an ice age, slowly began to thaw with warm steam rising. I rolled up my sleeves and stepped forward confidently.
“…Isn’t the Purple Tower Master going to step in?”
“Ah, um, this sort of thing… yeah. She’s better at it, Your Highness…”
Let’s try to breakthrough through various routes. On one side, show them illusions in their dreams to get them to confess, and on the other, work on the constraints stuck to the mental barriers.
As stimuli from the outside were applied, the suicide trigger implanted in the Black Wizard’s brain began counting down. Ten seconds. Even though I was trying to approach indirectly, the trigger went off immediately. Quite the impressive handiwork.
No wonder the agents couldn’t extract information.
The one who planted this was undoubtedly a veteran illusion magician. And if I had to guess, they might be the same one who created “Big Brother.” There was that familiar structure lingering like a bad habit.
Nine seconds.
Can I stop the suicide trigger?
Nope. They had set this with the intent to kill, knitting it all together. Some parts are not even illusion magic but likely curses embedded within the brain cells. It seemed we would need several healing magicians who had thoroughly researched this to get it undone.
So, I had to extract all information before time ran out. We had ample time and magic power, didn’t we? I just needed to think a little faster.
“Image extraction.”
I connected to the outside. As the images in the Black Wizard’s mind floated in the air, the agents prepared video recorders and writing tools, getting ready to take notes.
Zzzzt.
Noisy visual static. Blurry images flickered.
“Mirror, oh mirror! What’s the most hidden information you want to conceal…”
Images flashed by in rapid succession. Caves, clothing stores, hidden spaces in the sewers… like roots that came up when tugging at a strand, the Black Wizard’s hideouts were unveiled one after another.
Four seconds.
“Well then, what about information on the Purple Tower?”
Zzzzzzt-!!
The images shook unstable, and a strong repulsion from the brain was felt. It seemed I had triggered another countdown.
When I asked about the Purple Tower, the Black Wizard, who had been quiet while talking about their hideouts, suddenly convulsed violently. What were they hiding?
Three seconds.
I won’t let you escape. Even if you die, you must spill all you know. I deliberately knocked the information into their head to induce confusion. Forcing my way in.
As I pierced magic like a drill, the images that were about to disperse suddenly took shape.
A dark corridor. The Black Wizard was pressed against the wall, cautiously eavesdropping on a conversation. Through the slightly opened gap, four people were visible.
A woman with green-dyed hair.
A woman draped in long pink hair, who was covering herself nearly down to the floor.
A large man wearing a hood, face unrecognizable.
And someone masked, hiding their face.
– “Lamb,” is this really necessary?
– “Yes, if it succeeds, we… we can create a puppeteer that has reached ascendance. I will need to ask for a minor concession from ‘Noose’ who handles Crownhall.”
– “You know what happens if I fail, right?”
– “Of course. But this has been proven to work…”
As they spoke, the masked figure called “Lamb” traced some markings with their finger—signs engraved in the sacrificial offering. This was Yuna’s…
Ugh.
The image shattered.
Boom. The Black Wizard’s head burst like a butterfly.
I quickly turned my head to the surge of magic felt right beside me. The Purple Tower Master was looking up at the spot where the image had been, with vacant eyes as magic was igniting all over her body.
Cha-aang-!
Nearby agents drew their weapons, standing in front of the Second Prince. Tension peaked, and a chilling silence ensued.
Yuna spoke quietly.
“You know, it seems there are still some stains left that I couldn’t wipe away.”
“…I’m listening.”
“I must wipe them. I’m sorry. I know it’s dangerous. I know it’ll be a nuisance… but I cannot compromise. I have to erase it…”
That wasn’t a conversation—Yuna was talking to herself.
I saw an image of her as a young girl holding a gun. I raised both my hands, trying to calm her down. She was in a panic right now. I approached cautiously.
“Don’t think too extreme. Now, take a slow breath in.”
“…Huh.”
She was at least hearing me. In that case…
“Breathe in, breathe in…”
“Huh, huh…”
“Breathe in…”
“Huh?!”
Confusion flashed in Yuna’s empty, hollow eyes, as if to say, “How long are we doing this?!” A human-like glance returned for a moment. Now’s the time!
“Tackle!”
“Eheh?!”
I dramatically covered her soft explosive with my arms and shouted at the Second Prince.
“Your Highness! I have subdued the traitor attempting to assassinate you!!”
“Eh, what…?!”
“I will offer the Tower Master, so spare my life…!!”
“Whaaaat?!!”
Successful comedic suppression.
What’s with that “Whaaaat?!” I pulled on the Tower Master’s cheeks sharply. It seemed the Second Prince felt the situation had been resolved and relaxed his shoulders. He then began apologizing profusely.
The Second Prince probably felt danger when hearing the words “puppeteer that has reached ascendance” and authorized the continuation of the Purple Tower Master’s investigation.
He judged that preventing the smuggling of a nuclear bomb into the capital was more critical than dodging the charges of having smuggled one in.
Thus, our stay in Crownhall was extended.
===============================================================
The Redburn Duke’s mansion, a massive five-story house adorned in red.
Maximus, the head of the Redburn family, was playing chess with someone wearing a mask.
The Duke preferred aggressive tactics. On the other hand, the masked player enjoyed using pieces as sacrifices and traps. The game continued on a razor-thin edge.
Tap. Tap.
The Duke spoke.
“Is there really a reason for this? ‘Lamb.’”
“What do you mean, ‘Noose’?”
“I’ve lost Count Dompel due to this event. While it was a piece not worth half a point, loss is still loss. More importantly, I’m losing the hypnotic network I laid around Crownhall.”
“You made that, didn’t you? Since it didn’t exist before, there’s no need to feel regret over losing it.”
Tap. The Duke’s pawn was taken.
“I’m asking if there’s a reason to go this far to kill him. Investigating, he truly is a genius. He seems talented in teaching as well. But he’s just a fledgeling chick who hasn’t even mastered a fable yet.”
“Aha.”
“Furthermore… the Purple Tower Master. There are limits to illusion magic. While she was born from attempts to solve the lack of physical power, ultimately, she is just one person.”
“‘Noose,’ he’ll reach ascendance someday.”
Tap. The masked player’s bishop was captured. Wrinkles formed on the Duke’s forehead.
“Ascendance is not a word to be thrown around lightly.”
On this vast continent, very few could reach that domain. It’s not something you can casually toss around like a knight or rook.
Yet the masked figure remained confident.
“I’m certain. Even without pain or despair in his life, he is a genius destined to reach ascendance. We need to kill him now.”
“So… you’ve involved the Purple Tower Master in this, huh?”
“The Purple Tower Master cherishes him greatly. For that to happen, they must be physically separated.”
That’s why they deliberately leaked clues. Under the pretense of being caught, they deliberately embedded the Purple Tower Master’s trauma in his mind.
All of this was to eliminate the genius mage of the Purple Tower.
The Black Wizards’ conspiracy stretched out from the shadows.
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