‘0th Princess.’
Why is it that thoughts about her keep swirling around my head?
Ezekiel desperately tried to protect her but ultimately failed. She was a princess who even the Emperor of the Empire had turned a blind eye to, and the Demon Lord was particularly fond of her.
Suddenly, painful memories surfaced.
If he had done a little better back then, could he have saved her?
“….”
He shook his head.
The past can’t be changed, and anyway, the phrase the elite fiends had used wasn’t really referring to the 0th Princess.
Ezekiel wasn’t foolish enough to drown in ridiculous assumptions and lose focus on other matters, so he quickly shook off those thoughts and returned to his original self.
Meanwhile, the situation nearby was rapidly being sorted out.
“…Oh, it’s the one who helped us.”
“Is the Inspector of the Imperial Tower using ice magic?”
“I’ll never forget this kindness!”
The frog girls had a surprisingly cute side.
They looked like little girls, but their manner of speaking was full of formality.
Black Tower Master Greta quietly nodded her head.
“…Indeed, it seems the Inspector is quite the noble figure.”
Everyone began gathering their things and flocking towards Ezekiel, and at that moment, Ezekiel spoke up.
“Thanks, but everyone step back. I’ve had a revelation.”
Maybe it was because he had battled fiends, but his body relaxed, and the chill was contained. A desire to unleash all the sensations that had bloomed in his mind filled him.
“Have you discovered something in the meantime…?”
Greta was a bit surprised, placing the disc on the ground before moving the frogs back.
Ssssssss—
Ezekiel immediately summoned the chill.
“Let’s forget for a moment what the elite fiends said.”
It wasn’t difficult.
Soon he could focus solely on his chill.
The ice element still hadn’t been captured within the disc.
He began to systematically analyze and unleash his chill, determined to fill the empty space with beauty.
Not bound by form or power, he focused entirely on the process without imagining the completed product just yet.
Swish—swish—
The chill began to wriggle as if it were a living creature.
The carefully refined energy visibly began to rise and meander nearby, and finally, at some moment.
“…Flow.”
The blueprint and the mental image aligned in his mind.
Ezekiel tried hard not to lose that form in his head. He was in the process of combining mana with chill.
…How many magic circles would be needed?
He tried not to think about it. If more was required, he would simply increase it. The number wouldn’t be an issue for someone at Ezekiel’s level.
And just like that, over twenty magic circles opened up.
Gasp—
With just one breath,
He infused strength throughout his body, instantly activating all the devices connected to his mana.
Whaaaam—!
Like a fuse being lit, the mana surged along the circuits, coloring all the transparent magic circles a vibrant blue. A resonance with sound was merely an added bonus.
Roooooar—!
Roooooar—!
A pleasant resonance that only a mage could feel.
Even though Ezekiel’s mana was running low, it didn’t matter. This sensation was definitely a success.
Gugugugugu—!
In front of everyone, something blue soared up with great vigor. It was hard to believe it was made by magic, looking as if it had originally been part of the landscape.
The chill surged forth.
Crack—crackaka—ka—ka—ka—ka—!
An ice waterfall.
An ice barrier with an unknown height reflected light from the sky, something continuously fell and hit the ground. That too was ice.
It was magnificently grand yet not dangerous. The fragments of ice mist swirling around it were beautiful, evoking admiration in viewers.
“…”
Everyone was momentarily left speechless, gazing in awe.
It was only natural.
The ice…. flowed like a huge stream. The frozen waterfall continuously circulated without a break.
A masterpiece with an electrifying level of completion.
“Greta.”
At some point, Ezekiel called out to the Black Tower Master. She, lost in thought, finally looked at the man.
“How about it? Do you think this is worthy of being captured in the disc?”
Greta didn’t answer with words.
She simply activated the disc.
…Since becoming the Black Tower Master, Greta had harbored a strong desire deep in her heart.
Having been oppressed for being a witch and further discriminated against for dabbling in black magic.
Yet, even under such circumstances, there was something she yearned to create, a fierce desire she held onto—it was a landscape.
Of course, it was by no means an ordinary landscape.
Wishing for all mages to live in harmony, she desired a scene filled with masterpieces distinctly embodying each of the elements, so that ‘harmony’ could be expressed.
Thus, she had collected them.
A fiery mountain range shaped by hardened flames, a lake made from gathered darkness, and a girl wandering amid swirling winds…
Now an ice waterfall nestled between the mountain range and the lake.
The landscape Greta had longed for was complete.
It was the moment when a dream transformed into reality. How dazzling was a landscape where all elements shone brilliantly?
Words couldn’t express it.
She could only shudder.
“Ah….”
Greta quietly closed her eyes.
It was only natural. Closing her eyes made the landscape clearer, a sensation that could only be felt through the body. The vortex of elements wrapped around her.
The whole world was comprised of elements.
Happiness slowly enveloped her.
The fiery mountain was warm, the ice waterfall refreshing. The dark lake reflected the sky like a mirror.
When Greta finally lifted her eyelids again,
Tears glistened at the corners of her eyes.
“…Thank you.”
That was her first word.
Greta silently looked at Ezekiel.
Though she had never expected success, the result was a resounding triumph. At this moment, she was expressing gratitude more sincerely than at any point in her life.
“Inspector, this disc is yours.”
A landscape that she could never have completed on her own yet had always wanted to see come to life.
Since that wish had come true, ownership didn’t matter.
“Make it under the Black Tower Master’s name. Just let me hold onto it.”
At his words, Greta quietly nodded her head.
She slowly raised both arms and surrendered herself to the landscape. Embracing the sensation of the five elements wrapping around her, she happily wore her pointed hat low.
Before long, something rolled down her cheek.
Someday.
Someday may all mages live in harmony, just like the landscape shown in this disc.
Later.
They quickly returned to the Imperial Magic Tower.
“The landscape of the disc was truly moving! How wonderful it would have been if Greta had been the Black Tower Master! Everyone would have looked upon the Black Tower with kind eyes!”
“Indeed. But didn’t we confirm its potential? The Black Tower will grow happier.”
Agnes and Tether seemed to have become a bit closer in the meantime.
Whether the landscape of the disc had been moving or not, they discussed it continuously on the way back, and it was no nonsense. Greta would indeed find more happiness in the future.
‘Since Greta is set to take on the role of Black Tower Master again.’
Ezekiel could trust someone like Greta. The Black Tower would be splendidly rebuilt, and she would also become Ezekiel’s loyal supporter.
What promising days lay ahead!
There was much to do afterwards, and time flew by hectically.
…
…
…
…
…
…
“Inspector, it’s just a small gift, but…!”
“Could I perhaps see the Inspector’s face just once?”
Although there were many rewards and gifts, it seemed that due to his rising name, there were now increasingly more visitors coming to the Magic Tower hoping to see Ezekiel.
It was incomparable to the aftermath of having done something in the Ruiple region. After all, this was the impact of having accomplished something at a presentation.
But Ezekiel wasn’t in the Imperial Magic Tower.
‘Finally, today is the day.’
As the sun rose, he stepped onto the ground of the Imperial Palace. Ezekiel himself wasn’t sure how long he had been waiting for this day.
He had checked the state of the disc, the vision technique of the Black Tower, countless times, and secured the flow of mana and chill, so it wouldn’t go awry.
There was only one reason.
To accept the Sun Elixir into this body.
‘Finally, today.’
Ezekiel gazed at the Audience Chamber in the distance.
The highest existence in the Empire, the Emperor.
At last, the day had come to receive the Sun Elixir from him.
And one more thing.
Solana was there to welcome him.
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