After that, Rekon’s attacks came in ceaseless waves.
But none of them managed to touch Ezekiel. Every single strike he unleashed was frozen without exception, creating countless shards of ice suspended in the air.
“Let’s end this. It’s getting annoying to hold back.”
Ezekiel’s one-liner.
Sssssss─!
Chill erupted around Ezekiel.
Even those unfamiliar with magic could vaguely sense its magnitude. He was already at a level beyond Rekon.
Shreeeek!
A massive ice spear tore through the air.
Thud─!
“Ugh, urk!”
An arrow pierced Rekon’s shoulder, maintaining full force as it sent him crashing into the wall, embedding him there. Thud! The wall cracked near Rekon’s body.
Ezekiel tilted his head thoughtfully.
‘A guy who knew nothing about magic just three days ago…’
No matter how much of a dragonborn he was, Rekon was still a novice who had only just touched magic.
Yet, in just three days, he wielded such power. If seasoned practitioners had traded souls, they would have obtained strength far greater than his.
‘The Imperial Magic Tower has a long way to go. We need teachings that can significantly elevate the level of mages.’
To achieve the conditions presented by the Emperor, the Imperial Magic Tower could not suffice by simply standing tall among humans. It must reach farther and higher.
One day, dragonborns will also be opponents, so systematic training will be even more necessary moving forward.
Ezekiel had unconsciously begun to think like an inspector.
‘Time is short. I need to hurry.’
Moreover, Ezekiel’s lifespan was not long.
…There’s only one way. He had to do it very quickly.
Ezekiel pointed with his chin at the remaining ice. It was the remnants of Rekon’s beautifully frozen attacks.
“I’ve preserved them as intact as possible. Take them and utilize them as magic research materials. They’ll surely be of great help.”
Not just a normal victory, but a victory that yields profit.
For Ezekiel, a victory that yields profit meant contributing to the study of magic in the mortal realm.
“…”
The surroundings were still filled with silence.
A human, the inspector of the Imperial Magic Tower, faced a dragonborn.
Ezekiel had sensed his victory from the start, but those around him had not. Astonished faces wide open, their shock was evident and couldn’t be hidden.
This time, Ezekiel gestured toward Rekon.
“It seems someone should take care of him. To have such a precious dragonborn hanging around in this shabby mortal realm.”
Only then did a dragonborn step up to manage the situation. Rekon was still dangling against the wall.
Those watching the scene finally opened their mouths.
“What… what in the world is going on?”
“A human defeated a dragonborn…? Without even a scratch?”
“Truly, the Princess’s insight is remarkable!”
“And to think, you even thought to preserve the dragonborn’s magic. A true educator. How wonderful…”
A tremendous uproar followed.
Of course, the 2nd Princess Hedera was equally stunned.
“…”
Having watched Ezekiel’s abilities since childhood, she found it easy to predict his victory.
In the first place, even Hedera lacked sufficient power to treat Gromon and his companions with respect. If it came down to a frontal duel, she was sure she could win.
However.
‘This is a once-in-a-lifetime Ascension Ceremony. I must be thoroughly prepared.’
There is no reattempt in the Ascension Ceremony, so it would be most troublesome if there were any incidents concerning Hedera.
Especially since Gromon was somewhat prominent among the dragonborns. It was wise to maintain a good relationship until the Ascension Ceremony concluded.
Thus, she had always known Ezekiel would win.
But what truly shocked her was…
His attitude as an inspector.
‘This is draining his lifespan. There was no need for him to get so involved.’
Putting responsibility before his own life.
In truth, it would not have been a problem for Solana to explain that she appointed Ezekiel instead of Hedera; yet, Ezekiel stepped forward willingly.
Perhaps, it was for Hedera’s sake.
His self-neglect for Hedera was bothersome. A complex mix of gratitude and conflicting emotions stirred within her.
Just then, Ezekiel rubbed his temples as if feeling dizzy. Hedera, unable to ignore him any longer, rushed over to speak to him.
“…You didn’t have to step in. You don’t look well; you should focus on your own health.”
Was it due to her awkwardness in expressing gratitude? Her worried words slipped out before she could stop them.
Ezekiel simply rolled his eyes to look at Hedera.
“Did you say health?”
“Yeah. Your health.”
“It’s like pouring water into a bottomless pit. No matter how much I pour, I can’t fill my health, so it’s pointless. I have no choice but to do one more meaningful deed.”
One more good deed.
That phrase buried itself awkwardly into Hedera’s heart.
‘Doing something for my happiness.’
Until the day he takes his last breath, he will not care about his health and will do one more thing for Hedera’s happiness. That’s how it sounded to her.
And so, in the end.
Hedera made a big decision.
‘Still, I haven’t heard why he left me, or what happened during his absence, but…’
It must have been something related to his terminal illness.
If Ezekiel were to die, even the chance to hear any stories would vanish, and she couldn’t just sit by and watch his efforts towards her go unrewarded…
“About the promise regarding the sacred artifact on the first floor…”
Hedera took a deep breath before speaking.
“Let’s consider it null and void. Instead, I’ll substitute it with Sun Elixir.”
“…Sun Elixir?”
“You must know what Sun Elixir is, right? It’s an elixir that can turn any being into the epitome of their potential. Only the Emperor and the 1st Princess have encountered it so far.”
Ezekiel wasn’t asking because he didn’t know.
“That for me?”
What Ezekiel was originally promised was the sacred artifact on the first floor, but now the compensation seemed to have drastically increased in value.
Even the sacred artifact located on the highest third floor of the treasury did not compare to the Sun Elixir. No, anything existing could not be compared to the Sun Elixir.
Hedera cleared her throat a couple of times.
“…First, I’ll suggest it to His Majesty. I might be able to obtain even a drop. Just one drop is enormous. Unimaginable.”
“Lady, are you being serious right now?”
Ezekiel accidentally reacted like this.
Sun Elixir was something utterly absurd.
More than half of the continent’s population did not believe in the existence of Sun Elixir. Even in days of being mistreated in the royal palace, it was something so valuable that one would not dare to dream of it.
‘I’m meeting His Majesty soon.’
After all, they had agreed to see each other once a month.
If I could absorb even a drop, it would significantly improve my condition. Of course, he realized too late that he had just inadvertently uttered something too revealing.
Surprised by the rarity, he accidentally reverted to a title he had used when he was but a teacher long ago.
“….”
A silence flowed between them.
“Ah, lady…?”
Hedera’s expression went blank for a moment.
Her cheeks turned just slightly red, and she looked silly as she fumbled with her words; wearing a mask was truly a relief.
She hurriedly glanced around, but fortunately, no one had heard their conversation. That was also a relief.
“….”
Hedera pulled her mask up, almost to her eyes, with a determination that left her astounded. Clearing her throat was just a bonus.
“It’s a reward for doing my best as an inspector. Don’t misunderstand… Anyway…”
Just as a clumsy conversation was starting again, a dragonborn approached the two. It was Gromon.
“I once thought discussing the potential of humans was merely an excuse to step aside, but it seems you’ve been raising a magician like this behind the scenes.”
“I didn’t raise him.”
“Even being humble? Truly the 2nd Princess.”
Gromon turned to look at Ezekiel.
“You are the inspector of the Imperial Magic Tower, yes?”
Ezekiel hesitated for a moment.
Should he speak casually or respectfully?
…Although he wasn’t accustomed to the formality, he supposed it was necessary. After all, there were a lot of eyes watching.
“That’s correct.”
“Thank you for showing me this rare spectacle. Your element affinity and ice magic technique… all were at an astonishing level. It will surely motivate Rekon as well.”
Yet his words did not end with simple praise.
“But remember, that Rekon didn’t know magic at all yet managed to achieve such a level in just three days. If someone of your caliber were to trade souls, a masterpiece would surely be born.”
“Here we go with the soul trade again? Enough already.”
Ultimately, Hedera, who had run out of patience, stepped in.
“Gromon, there’s a limit to my patience.”
“I admit I inappropriately suggested it. It’s just that a truly rare gem is shining right before me… I couldn’t help myself.”
“You interpreted it as seeing human potential, right? Please refrain from discussing soul trades now.”
However.
Gromon shook his head firmly.
“Princess, that’s not it.”
The dragonborn calmly continued speaking.
“Since I’ve confirmed human potential, I’ll write you the recommendation letter as promised. However, that doesn’t mean you should refuse the soul trade.”
“…What are you saying?”
“Don’t you need the bonus for mastering the Ancient Dragon Language? You just witnessed Rekon with your own eyes. Imagine how high you could reach if you were to trade souls.”
With a snap of his fingers, a stone tablet appeared in the air. Ezekiel scrutinized it as well.
‘Ancient Dragon Language.’
The Ancient Dragon Language was precisely that—an ancient means of communication, and truth be told, it was not even fair to call it a language. It was more like pictograms leaving traces of magic.
Back when there were no letters, beings communicated by leaving magical impressions on walls.
The marks left behind by ice spikes or razor winds would be similar today. Of course, the power of ancient magic was overwhelming.
Could this even be called magic?
It felt like the remains of a judgment made by the gods.
“There was a promising dragonborn during the last Ascension Ceremony. You might have heard the name Crum. Yet in the end, he didn’t pass, did he?”
“….”
“He failed to conquer the Ancient Dragon Language. The Ascension Ceremony is that fierce. Just being close to perfection will not surpass perfection.”
Among countless competitors, only one could pass the Ascension Ceremony and become a dragon.
Yet, the reason to challenge it was singular.
No matter how much suffering is endured, at the moment of becoming a dragon, one will be able to gaze down upon the entire continent as a transcendent being. Hedera yearned for that.
Gromon set the stone tablet down on the ground.
“I’ll leave the tablet behind, so please consider it. I’ll give you exactly one day from now.”
Gromon was about to leave, but
“Hold on.”
Ezekiel caught him.
Ezekiel thought.
It was undeniable that Hedera needed to master the challenge of the Ancient Dragon Language to pass the Ascension Ceremony.
But at the same time.
It was unthinkable for her to dabble in soul trades.
The moment Gromon turned to him, Ezekiel made a decision internally.
“You mean, the Princess couldn’t decipher this tablet? That sounds utterly ridiculous. It seems you wished to humbly lower your own achievements.”
Hedera’s eyes went wide.
Ezekiel’s words were, of course, lies.
Despite the high level of the Princess’s strength, she had been polite to a dragonborn to avoid causing issues, unlike the situation now.
This tablet? Indeed, even Hedera had yet to decipher it.
Gromon’s brow furrowed.
“…You acted as if you couldn’t decipher it, even though you have? Were you trying not to embarrass me? Is that what the inspector is suggesting?”
“Indeed.”
Hedera’s eyes questioned him, but Ezekiel nonchalantly shrugged off her gaze.
Could it be?
Did he see something on the tablet already? Something that even Hedera hadn’t seen yet?
“Then can you show it to us right now? I need to see the Princess deciphering the tablet to believe it.”
Gromon spoke, but Ezekiel didn’t respond.
Instead, he merely placed a Sunweed in his mouth.
“That’s a given.”
Simultaneously.
Hedera read something in the man’s gaze.
Those azure eyes that she had seen years ago.
…They were surely the eyes of her master.
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