The Tower Lord's Return
Perlin sat before the communication magic device, waiting for a response.
When the promised time arrived, the device slowly began to glow. Soon, a familiar voice came through from the other side.
“Perlin, can you hear me?”
It was Ronin Veilran, the Tower Lord—the youngest archmage in imperial history.
“I hear you, Ronin.”
“I think I can reach the capital before the imperial council meeting.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. I can’t leave you alone in that position. That crown prince is unreliable.”
Perlin let out a short laugh.
“Is the Tower all right? Can you really leave it empty?”
“The Tower or anything else—nothing matters more than you.”
Ronin answered without hesitation.
“Still, you’re pushing yourself. I heard the Tower Lord almost never leaves the Tower.”
“I’m not the type to cling to the position anyway.”
“……Huh?”
“Wherever I am, the Tower remains the Tower. That’s all.”
Perlin paused for a moment. Normally he was the sort who occasionally spoke of his responsibilities toward the Tower’s operations and its disciples. Had something changed?
“Has something happened lately?”
“No. I just finished a certain research project recently. I feel much freer now.”
“What kind of research?”
“I’ll show you when we meet tomorrow. It’s faster to see it in person.”
Perlin smiled faintly. His research had always existed in realms she could never grasp, yet the simple fact that he had completed something and felt freer brought her genuine joy.
“I’ll look forward to it.”
“Yeah. You can look forward to it.”
His voice softened slightly.
“Thank you, Ronin.”
“No need to thank me. It’s a promise. Ever since the day you saved me.”
“Yeah……”
Silence lingered for a moment.
“Perlin.”
“What is it, Ronin?”
“Even in the worst case, there’s still a path left for you.”
Perlin lifted her head and looked at him.
“What path?”
“I’m right beside you. That’s the path.”
“What’s that supposed to mean.”
Perlin smiled again, though his mention of the “worst case” lingered uneasily in the back of her mind.
“Don’t get hurt until I arrive.”
“You shouldn’t push yourself either.”
“Don’t worry about me. I’ll see you in the capital.”
“Yeah. See you in the capital, Ronin.”
“All right.”
The communication ended. Perlin remained seated for a long while.
“Now it’s all right……”
Whether Berhardt had laid some trap or whatever decision the imperial council reached, Ronin would be by her side. That single fact instantly lightened the weight that had been crushing her.
Imperial Capital Grand Council Chamber.
Just before the meeting began, I stood beside Princess Luen.
Administrative officials lined both walls of the chamber. The lords had entered and taken their seats on one side.
Soon Crown Prince Leon entered and found his place. His expression was already hardened. Perlin Claire, seated beside him, wore a calm expression. Today, one additional seat had been prepared near hers.
Creak—
With the sound of the door opening, a white-haired young man stepped into the chamber. Every gaze turned toward him.
Ronin Veilran.
It was exceedingly rare in imperial history for the Tower Lord to personally attend an imperial council meeting. Those worthy of the Tower Lord’s seat were typically indifferent to politics and obsessed with magic.
He slowly crossed the chamber and stopped before the princess.
“Your Highness the Princess.”
“You’ve come a long way, Tower Lord.”
“I am grateful you permitted me to attend as a witness.”
He took one step to the side and halted in front of me.
“Marshal.”
“Tower Lord.”
“This is our first meeting. I’ve often heard of your reputation.”
Even through Arsens’ memories, this was the first time I had faced the Tower Lord.
The Tower Lord.
I recalled his character from the original novel. There he had been a kind of obsessive sub-male lead, displaying a terrifyingly fanatical attachment to Perlin that eventually drove her to leave the Tower. Unlike that version, he now appeared remarkably composed.
I studied him once more. Meeting my gaze, the Tower Lord offered a bright smile. For some reason, that smile felt faintly off.
Something familiar about it.
“I hope this will be a productive meeting.”
After those words, he made his way to Perlin’s seat. He greeted both Perlin and the crown prince before sitting down.
Once everyone was seated, the princess rose.
“I hereby convene the imperial council meeting.”
Princess Luen’s voice echoed through the chamber.
“Today’s agenda has two items. First, consultation regarding the safety of the imperial family. Second, the investigation concerning Perlin Claire. These two matters are deeply interconnected, so it is appropriate to address them together.”
The gazes in the chamber briefly lingered on Perlin before returning to the princess.
“Your Highness the Princess. As the representative of the border lords, I would like to speak first.”
A seated lord stood up.
“Speak.”
“The border lords formally protest the Marshal’s direct intervention in imperial administration. This constitutes an unprecedented overreach in imperial history.”
Silence fell over the chamber. It was my turn to respond, yet the princess spoke first.
“I understand what you are saying.”
Princess Luen’s voice was clearer than usual.
“However, the safety of the imperial family is the more urgent matter. The Marshal’s administrative intervention occurred at my request, as I judged it necessary, and I will share that responsibility.”
The border lord representative paused. The moment the princess declared she would bear responsibility herself, the target of protest shifted. Objecting to my overreach now meant objecting to the princess—an entirely different weight than protesting me.
Yet the lord did not yield.
“Our protest is not aimed at Your Highness the Princess’s decision, nor is it about assigning blame. What we point to is the issue of procedure.”
“Procedure?”
“It is unprecedented for the head of the military to directly touch imperial administration, which undermines the administrative system established by the imperial family. That domain originally belongs to the Palace Ministry and administrative officials. Once a precedent is created of the military head intervening in that sphere, it will not end with this single instance.”
All eyes turned to the lord representative.
“When the Marshal intervenes in administration again using this matter as justification, on what basis could it be stopped? ‘At that time the imperial family’s safety was urgent, but this time it is not.’ Who will make that judgment, and with what criteria?”
The princess paused, her gaze resting on the lord. He continued.
“Once procedure collapses, the imperial family’s safety will be shaken in the long term as well. This matter becomes the precedent for the next, and that for the one after. The accumulation will eventually subordinate the imperial administration’s authority itself to the military.”
The lord’s concern was legitimate. I raised my hand to obtain the floor.
“Representative of the border lords.”
Every gaze in the chamber turned to me. The lord looked my way.
“I intervened in imperial administration because Perlin Claire had drawn one axis of administration into her sphere of influence. The imperial administration internally could not handle the matter.”
I paused briefly before continuing.
“However, I agree that this should not remain as a permanent procedural precedent. The moment this matter concludes, I will withdraw from imperial administration. I also agree to codify that this matter cannot be cited as precedent for future administrative intervention.”
I glanced at the princess. She nodded in agreement.
“I support that codification as well.”
The border lord representative closed his mouth for a moment, then spoke after some thought.
“In that case, the lord assembly accepts this matter as a one-time emergency measure. However, we request that the precise wording of the codification be drafted jointly with the lord assembly’s participation after this meeting concludes.”
“I agree.”
“I agree.”
The border lord representative slowly returned to his seat. The first clash of the meeting had been settled.
The princess shifted her gaze toward Perlin.
“Next, let us begin the investigation regarding Lady Perlin Claire.”
Perlin rose from her seat.
“Your Highness the Princess. I am innocent. I do not understand why I must be interrogated in this place.”
I immediately raised my hand to obtain the floor. Receiving the records from Kayan, I unfolded them. I also had my adjutant distribute a summarized version to all attendees.
“Perlin Claire. These are the records documenting your repeated interference in imperial administration while at the crown prince’s side.”
All eyes turned to me.
“From administrative personnel appointments to social rituals and diplomatic affairs—everything proceeded under the pretext of the crown prince’s intentions, and the circumstances of those intentions being conveyed through your words remain in the Palace Ministry’s records.”
Perlin’s expression hardened.
“The intensity of interference varied by matter, but it is clear that it exceeded the normal scope of activities for a crown princess candidate and constituted political intervention.”
Gazes in the chamber gradually converged on Perlin. She steadied her breathing for a moment. Her eyes flicked briefly toward the Tower Lord before returning to the front.
“Those were all within the crown prince’s domain……”
Perlin stopped. Her gaze turned toward the crown prince.
The crown prince was quietly watching her. Perlin continued.
“……Those were merely conveying His Highness Crown Prince Leon’s intentions as his close aide.”
The chamber’s attention shifted to the crown prince. He let out a single sigh, then slowly opened his mouth.
“I know nothing of it.”
The chamber fell instantly silent. Perlin’s head turned slowly toward the crown prince.
“……Your Highness?”
Crown Prince Leon did not look at her. His gaze remained fixed straight ahead. At that sight, I twisted the corner of my mouth.
The story was flowing quite interestingly.