“…Five tickets? You want me to use all of them?”
Duh-duh!
After a moment, that was all Jeckiel could manage to say. He said it nonchalantly, but inside he was a bundle of nerves.
Just using one would cause a huge uproar, and he couldn’t guarantee he could handle the aftermath.
…But to use all five? Right now?
Hmm.
Sometimes in life, there are moments when your mind just goes blank. Such is the case when faced with a crossroads in life.
For Jeckiel, this was that moment.
Thump-thump!
Were the elementals sharing his thoughts? They started sketching something on the inside of his body with what looked like branches.
First, they drew Jeckiel, and then they drew lines cutting across his neck, arms, legs, and stomach. The meaning was clear—his body was about to be dissected.
He tried his best to ignore the blood spirit’s shout urging him to survive while raising one fist.
“The princesses aren’t in a good mood, remember? If I use all five, it’ll just backfire; it’s not the right timing.”
“Oh dear, it seems you don’t understand women at all.”
Ilaref chuckled lightly to ensure Jeckiel wouldn’t be offended. He seemed both light-hearted and oddly dignified.
Then, Ilaref pushed up his glasses.
“The princesses are coming of age. In other words, understanding a woman’s heart is crucial. Can I offer you some advice?”
“…I’ll listen, I guess.”
“It’s truly amusing. The Ice Ghost, who seems perfect, is struggling with woman issues… How delightful for me!”
Ilaref flashed a charming smile.
“The princesses are angry. But at the same time, they’ve commanded the use of all five tickets… This means they want you to create a moment to connect with them and gradually calm their tempers. That’s how a woman’s heart works.”
“…?”
Jeckiel looked utterly confused.
“It’s unavoidable. They might be angry with your actions but simultaneously hope you’ll resolve their anger.”
“Um…”
“It’s highly desirable for the princesses to get along. I hope you understand the weight on your shoulders, Jeckiel.”
Ilaref’s tone was laced with more anticipation than concern.
He was visibly looking forward to how Jeckiel would manage to use all five tickets.
“You’ve stolen the hearts of many women, right? You have to face the consequences. And if those women are princesses, it’s even more serious. For the sake of continent peace.”
“…Continent peace.”
“Or now maybe we should say peace in the Demon Realm. After all, the Goddess’s life is at stake.”
“….”
Suddenly parched, Jeckiel downed the tea sitting in front of him. They’d said it was rich in fragrance, but given the situation, he couldn’t taste a thing.
“…Okay. I’ll do my best.”
“Good! In my humble opinion, if you don’t handle this well, you’ll be the next candidate for execution. Yes.”
“….”
“The shocking thing is, you might not just be executed by beheading. You might be wrung dry. It’s actually quite common for unexpected deaths to happen.”
“……”
Jeckiel held his throbbing head.
How to use the five tickets—
To whom should he use them, and how should he use them to ensure the three princesses unanimously agree to spare Arcne?
I’m not gonna get an immediate answer here.
After thinking seriously about it, he felt it would be better to plan carefully. He made a deliberate effort to move on from the thoughts.
“Okay, let’s stop talking about this.”
“Shall we? Alright. I look forward to your clever strategy.”
Ilaref nodded with a mysterious smile.
But soon his smile disappeared completely, replaced by a serious expression. The matter at hand was gravely important.
“Now, let’s discuss the issue surrounding the Purple Magic Tower.”
The Purple Magic Tower, the traitor.
Jeckiel’s expression turned serious in an instant.
“After gathering numerous testimonies and evidence, I’ve confirmed that the Purple Magic Tower brazenly committed treason in the underground maze of the Magic Tower territory.”
His tone carried a sharpness to it as he continued.
“After saving them from danger by showing kindness, they repay us by betraying the royal magic tower? Despite their calm facade, they were driven by inferiority complex all along.”
“Inferiority complex, huh?”
“Jeckiel’s emergence caused the Imperial Tower to take flight, and secretly, they feared a drop in the prestige of the Magic Tower, leading to such antics. It’s obvious.”
A red envelope was then presented to Jeckiel.
“….”
As soon as Jeckiel saw it, he looked at Ilaref. If that red envelope contained what he thought it did, it was truly astounding.
Ilaref nodded quietly.
This meant what Jeckiel thought was true.
“It’s a murder license issued under the Emperor’s command. You can use it when dealing with matters related to the Purple Magic Tower.”
“…Are you saying you’re putting this entirely in my hands?”
“Precisely. The very fact that they betrayed the Imperial Tower is already a crime deserving death, but how you execute it is entirely up to you, Jeckiel.”
Ilaref finally took a sip of his tea.
“Now, let’s satisfy your grudge.”
Jeckiel quietly tucked the envelope into his clothing.
He held something monumental—a blade capable of repaying him for what he’d endured.
“Oh, and the Emperor has mentioned he is looking forward to your methods. He’s certain you’ll come up with something different from his own.”
Jeckiel quietly repeated those words.
“Are you saying this is an evaluation and a transaction?”
“Exactly. You could simply kill the Magic Tower and destroy it, but you could also punish the Magic Tower while simultaneously elevating the royal authority. Surely that would bring down an appropriate Sun Elixir, right?”
He mentioned Sun Elixir.
This was undeniably a mission Jeckiel couldn’t refuse. Punish the Magic Tower while building royal authority.
But the time limit weighed on his mind. Just the conversation he had with Ilaref had already covered a lot.
“Is there a deadline?”
“Well, just take your time.”
Ilaref said casually, as if to ease his worries.
“Now that I’ve given you the murder license, you have complete freedom regarding when and how to act. Besides, I’m sure there’s something more urgent on your plate.”
“Something more urgent?”
“Regarding the princesses and the Goddess. I sincerely hope you resolve that well and that we meet again.”
Jeckiel quietly nodded as he stood up.
To save Goddess Arcne.
Use the five tickets on the princesses.
Find the best method to punish the Purple Magic Tower.
Three tasks, and his shoulders felt heavy.
“Jeckiel, until next time.”
Ilaref waved at him with a smile.
Later, Jeckiel walked through the Imperial Palace.
He was heading to visit the tribunal.
Five tickets… I’ve no clue who to use them on or how. This is driving me crazy!
Jeckiel thought while chewing on Sunweed. The crunch felt particularly unsatisfying today, reflecting how deeply his worries ran.
First off, maybe I should exclude the First Princess.
After all, he had a past shared with the First Princess.
Since they had already merged once, perhaps he could coax her into sitting this one out—she might agree.
But just considering the Second and Third Princesses posed a huge problem. Their relationship was already rocky as it was.
Maybe I should use them exactly half and half on Hedera and Solana?
…That idea was immediately dismissed. They were likely to take that the wrong way.
Just as he was lost in thought—
“What brings you here?”
A solemn voice suddenly cut through.
Looking up, he found two hulking guards blocking his path at the entrance of the tribunal.
“I asked what your business is,” one of them repeated.
“Wait a minute. But…”
Jeckiel held back a curse that was on the tip of his tongue.
It was bad enough to be in such turmoil, but the guards’ attitude didn’t help either.
With a deep sigh, he collected himself and replied again.
“I wish to have an audience.”
“An audience?”
“There’s a Demon Lord inside…”
“That’s not allowed.”
Jeckiel blinked. It was quite rare for someone to interrupt him mid-sentence.
Jeckiel asked.
“Don’t you have to let someone finish speaking?”
“Meeting with a Demon Lord is absolutely prohibited. It doesn’t change no matter who asks. Unless it’s His Majesty or the Princess.”
“…Is that so?”
Jeckiel nodded slowly.
It seemed the tribunal was indeed an independent department, and their arrogance reflected that attitude. They seemed intent on treating everyone beneath them, except for the Emperor and the Princesses.
“Fine. Then report that there’s an intruder.”
“What…?”
Bang—!
In an instant, both guards froze in place.
Life wasn’t at risk, but their movements and speech were completely sealed by an Ice Magic Technique.
“Well, that’s when you can report it, huh?”
Jeckiel said as he walked past the entrance.
First, it was time to meet Arcne.
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