However, the telepathic message didn’t stop at just one line.
Originally nonexistent content started getting engraved on the back of the message.
[ Do you have the qualifications? ]
A calm question.
It seemed to be asking about whether he had successfully stolen additional magical techniques beyond the promised Sun Elixir.
In other words, it was asking if he truly succeeded in stealing the vision techniques of another magic tower.
‘It’s ambiguous.’
A lot had been achieved during the expedition, but he hadn’t definitively stolen any vision techniques. The process of turning it into a scroll was just the beginning.
The problem was…
‘I really want to get the Sun Elixir.’
Knowing just how massive the difference could be for even a single drop, Ezekiel was determined to obtain the Sun Elixir.
Ezekiel pondered whether he could at least get one vision technique, but soon found an easy answer.
‘Black Magic Tower.’
Teddy Divine, whom Ezekiel had executed, was only a secretary. That meant a true Black Tower Master existed.
Thinking back, he realized he knew where to find her. After all, he had the scroll tucked away.
Perhaps that Black Tower Master could offer some help. Ezekiel quickly made his decision.
‘I should meet her at least once.’
Inside the Black Spire, a vast dwelling.
“Guuuuu….”
“Grrr….”
“If this goes on, I might die…”
Upon entering the Black Spire, most of the Imperial Tower Mages were sprawled out everywhere.
They looked like corpses waiting for death, barely breathing as if their souls had departed.
“Seems like everyone’s looking pretty gaunt.”
Ezekiel muttered quietly.
Just how exhausted were they? It seemed like none of them even considered Ezekiel’s presence. Nobody raised their heads to show any manners.
Ezekiel asked Agnes.
Agnes was slumped against Teddy, barely managing to stay upright.
“Everyone looks like a mess, huh?”
“…Yes. It was about turning the notes from the previous weeks into scrolls. Well, we somehow managed to finish. But as a result, everyone collapsed.”
Agnes herself didn’t look too great either. Her eyes were hollow, and she was holding her temple as if dizzy.
“Stop the whining.”
Ezekiel clicked his tongue.
“Well, still, you all worked hard.”
With a snap of his fingers, ice the size of a fist fell one by one onto the foreheads of the collapsed Imperial Tower Mages.
“Ow…”
“Ugh…”
Now they could breathe a little easier.
“If the scroll work is done, then there’s no reason to stick around. Agnes, prepare to return.”
With the promised Sun Elixir and a considerable amount of information gained from the secret meeting, there was no reason to linger here.
But just as they were about to head back, a voice called out to Ezekiel from somewhere.
“Excuse me, is your name Ezekiel?”
“Hmm?”
There was no need to ask for the identity of the other person. The distinctive embroidery of the Imperial Family was evident above their clothing; they must be dispatched from the Imperial family.
While their physiques lacked strength, their fingertips were rough. Just that was enough to make a guess — they were court scribes.
Ezekiel gestured in their direction.
“Gentlemen, what brings you to this place?”
“First, let us introduce ourselves.”
They put on their manners first.
“We are court scribes, dispatched to assess the merits of the Inspector’s work during this expedition and to determine any corresponding rewards.”
“Rewards?”
Ezekiel tilted his head.
“I already received the Imperial letter.”
“The Emperor personally sent a letter…?”
The court scribes seemed astonished that the Emperor had personally penned a letter, but regained their composure shortly after.
“It seems the Inspector’s fame is spreading faster than I thought. However, we are not here on the Emperor’s orders.”
“Then?”
“We come on the 2nd Princess’s orders.”
The scribe discreetly showed a scroll. The wax seal clearly bore the mark of the 2nd Princess.
“The Inspector’s accomplishments must be meticulously recorded without omission, and you are to receive as much reward as possible,” they said.
The scribes, holding brushes and scrolls, had already scattered in every direction.
They were documenting everything about the magic tower’s situation, the scrolls, and the condition of the Black Spire… They were adamant about not missing a thing.
The scribe who had just conversed with Ezekiel, a hat-wearing one, asked.
“I presume there’s much to discuss, shall we move to another place for a time?”
“Well, why not.”
.
.
.
On the way to the reception room with the scribes, Teddy and Agnes followed like chicks.
Agnes sent a telepathic message to Ezekiel.
— The court scribes are known for pressuring the other party heavily. Only then can they gauge the truth of matters.
— But?
— Isn’t it strange? They’re usually not this polite.
Agnes reflected on her memories of the scribes.
Fear overshadowed her thoughts. They not only uncovered achievements but also flaws, and they showed no mercy for either.
That’s why the current situation was so surprising.
— Maybe the 2nd Princess added something.
— That makes sense. They say that when dealing with a recognized guest from the Imperial Family, their attitude becomes extraordinarily considerate.
Could it be that the 2nd Princess’s promise to take care of him meant something like this? As Ezekiel thought about it, he felt a sense of admiration.
Indeed, the status of the 2nd Princess was quite extraordinary.
And finally, they arrived at the reception room.
The scribe and Ezekiel finally introduced themselves.
“Inspector of the Imperial Tower, Ezekiel.”
“Veron, overseeing the court scribes.”
However, unlike Ezekiel, who was seated comfortably, the scribe remained standing stiffly.
Ezekiel gestured with his chin while sipping on Sunweed.
“Let’s sit and have a casual chat?”
“Due to the 2nd Princess’s very earnest orders, it’s quite difficult for me to sit. I’m fine standing like this.”
“I’m uncomfortable, so just sit down.”
“…Thank you for your consideration.”
The scribe looked utterly bewildered.
“Is this really such a surprising thing?”
“I’m sorry. This is significantly different from what I expected, so I couldn’t help it.”
The scribe scratched the back of his head.
“Since the 2nd Princess had emphasized several times that the other party is a noble person, I expected someone as strict as the 2nd Princess herself to be present.”
Though he understood, Ezekiel was a person who didn’t particularly adhere to formalities. He had few experiences of being treated as valuable in life.
“That’s understandable. So, shall we get to the main point?”
“Yes. Let’s confirm the details immediately.”
The scribe unfolded one of the scrolls and began to cross-check the already noted items with slow underlining.
“The removal of thugs in the Black area, blocking the Black Tower’s schemes and imposing strict penalties, leaving an excellent example…”
The scribe nodded his head.
“Truly remarkable. This goes beyond the performance of the magic tower and even salvages the Imperial Family’s face.”
“I’m glad you acknowledge it.”
“Moreover, these scrolls look promising. I’m looking forward to how they will develop after processing through the Imperial Tower’s research.”
The scroll was rolled back smoothly.
“So, this is… Hmm… I’ve held the position of a scribe for quite some time, but determining the rewards to this extent is rare, so I’ll need some time to ponder it.”
Another scroll was laid out in length. It seemed to contain the reward details.
“First, there’s gold. And I think we should at least start discussing elixirs and non-unique artifacts from the Imperial report’s second level—”
“Hmmm.”
It was getting too difficult to keep track of everything.
Bam!
That was when Agnes and Teddy made a telepathic link to communicate.
‘Now they’re making it naturally.’
Ezekiel thought quietly. Agnes and Teddy seemed to match quite well.
— Certainly, gold would be a good choice, wouldn’t it?
Teddy muttered first.
— You can decide later how to use it, so it sounds good.
— But that gold can’t buy such elixirs and sacred artifacts like the one you mentioned. You should be careful in your selection.
— Alright, alright.
Ezekiel interrupted.
— Why are you two pondering over what I should receive?
— ….
The two women simply blinked in response.
However, a moment later, Agnes sent a telepathic message.
— This is also part of my job. The Inspector should make the best choice to stay motivated, and a highly motivated Inspector could benefit the Imperial Tower again….
— Just let me think quietly for now.
Thump! Ezekiel canceled Agnes’s telepathy.
— Agnes-san says to take it easy, right?
— You want to suffer the same fate?
— I’ll be sure to explain it to Agnes-san well.
Finally, there was silence restored. Ezekiel blew out Sunweed smoke and asked the scribe.
“Must I provide an answer by today?”
“There’s no need to respond right away.”
The scribe shook his head.
“I’m confused by what you mean.”
“I mean to say that we will ensure everything is ready. You can come and collect it at your convenience.”
“Everything? Does that mean…?”
“Yes. Everything I just mentioned will be entirely the Inspector’s.”
For a moment, Ezekiel was at a loss for words.
Considering the vast amount, he had assumed he would only get to choose one. But that all of it was destined for him was unbelievable.
Moreover, that wasn’t the end of it.
“Lastly, please accept this.”
What was handed to Ezekiel was a piece of white paper, about the size of a check. However, it only had the words ‘5 hours’ written on it.
“What is this?”
“It’s a time check. It’s more convenient to think you can exchange it for the Princess’s time whenever you like.”
Does that mean he could call upon the princess for five hours whenever he wanted? If so, it was indeed an incredible check.
Ezekiel looked over the check once more.
“It doesn’t have any names written on it; can we take it to mean we can get the time of the 2nd Princess?”
“It’s a blank check, so I believe you can write whichever princess you want. However…”
“However?”
Why the ‘however’?
Ezekiel instinctively felt a sense of foreboding.
“The fact that you received a time check, who it was used for… All of that will be reported to the five princesses. That’s what she commanded.”
Ezekiel quickly extended the check back.
“…Just take it back.”
“Declining it will also be reported.”
Ezekiel suddenly felt a sharp pain in the back of his head and glanced back.
Agnes and Teddy were gazing at him as if they had seen the most precious thing in the world and were extremely envious.
“…”
Ezekiel closed his eyes tightly.
Can this really be considered a reward?
This… is this really a reward…?
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