Chapter 20
Chapter 20
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: The Tower Master's Curiosity
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Veronica's pupils trembled violently.
Her fireball had bounced off a mere naked body.
Not only that.
'Master?'
Her face flushed bright red.
How dare he.
Dare to mock the sacred master of the Magic Tower?
"You insolent bastard!"
Kwajijik.
Explosive mana erupted from Veronica's body.
Blue flames blazed like the sun, rippling as if to devour the surrounding space.
A paradoxical rampage of mana where chill and heat coexisted.
She thrust both hands into the air and cried out like a scream.
"Reverse Gravity."
"Reverse Gravity." ⟨ Ninth-Circle Gravity Magic ⟩
The 9th-circle gravity magic that only she in the empire could wield.
Absolute power twisted space itself.
In an instant, the laws of physics in the laboratory reversed.
Everything scattered on the floor defied gravity and shot up toward the ceiling.
Kugugung.
Gravity crushed down on Darcor's entire body.
But.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Absolute Magic Resistance activated.] [Status Ailment: Ignores Reverse Gravity.] Darcor smirked mockingly at the crushing pressure.
Then he slowly lifted his foot.
And slammed it down onto the floor with all his strength.
Kwaaang.
The reversed gravity was forcibly restored.
Objects clinging to the ceiling came crashing down.
Wajangchang!
"Th-that's... impossible."
Veronica stared up at Darcor with a dazed expression.
Her absolute magic, broken.
By a single kick?
It was something she'd never experienced in her life.
'This... can't be happening.'
Darcor closed the distance to the stunned Veronica in a single stride.
Deng.
He seized her collar and roughly shoved her against the wall.
Kwaang.
"Urk."
"Bit of a rough greeting, eh?"
Darcor whispered lowly into her ear.
"Let's speak in civilized tongue, miss."
A red glow flickered in his eyes.
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡ Tyrant's Intimidation [Overwhelming pressure applied]
Her breath caught in her throat.
It was a terror she'd never felt before.
Death.
Certain death loomed right before her eyes.
But what gripped Veronica wasn't fear—it was something even more primal.
Her curiosity-maddened mind was overtaken by intense fascination.
'Perfect magic immunity. Completely severed mana circuits.'
Her gaze swept over Darcor's body,
and finally met that red glow.
'Beautiful.'
Veronica's cheeks flushed pink.
Just like the day she'd first encountered magic as a child.
An indescribable emotion welled up in her chest.
"What... are you?"
She gasped out the question.
Just as the atmosphere took a strange turn.
Bulkeok.
"Your Majesty! Are you alright?!"
Edel burst through the half-shattered door.
"Ugh, the smell. What is this place, a landfill? It reeks of rotting corpses."
Chloe, following behind, wrinkled her nose at the scattered monster corpses.
"Your Majesty?"
Veronica's eyes narrowed.
Her gaze shifted back to Darcor.
"You're... the Emperor?"
"Why can't the Emperor visit the Tower?"
Darcor replied shamelessly.
The corners of Veronica's lips curled slyly.
"No real reason he can't..."
The Emperor of the Empire.
'The Emperor... oh, this is going to be fun.'
Veronica's eyes gleamed with wicked interest.
Edel bristled at that irreverent stare and gripped her sword.
"How rude! Mind your tongue before His Majesty—kneel at once!"
"It's fine, Edel. I didn't come here expecting etiquette anyway."
Darcor casually tossed a rolled-up parchment from his bosom.
Taak.
"Cut to the chase. Decode this."
"Decode?"
"It's sealed with magic. You're the Tower Master. Surely you can handle it?"
Veronica glanced down at the parchment on the floor.
"Why should I?"
She snorted and kicked it away.
"I'm in the middle of a once-in-a-century experiment. I'm a very busy woman."
She crossed her arms and haughtily tilted her chin up.
"Even the Emperor can't force me by pact unless it's a dire national crisis threatening the empire's survival—don't tell me you didn't know?"
"I know. You think I'd forget?"
Darcor nodded, as if he'd anticipated it.
"How about this? Decode it, and I'll lend you that."
He jerked his chin toward Chloe.
Veronica's gaze snapped to Chloe's neck.
In that instant, her eyes widened in shock.
Beonjjeok.
A legendary mana stone swirling with brilliant blue light poured forth.
"Th-that's the Goddess's Tear?!"
Veronica cried out in alarm.
"Why is something that precious around her neck? No, how the hell is it on some ditzy girl's neck?!"
"Wh-what did you call me? Ditzy girl?!"
Chloe bristled,
but it fell on deaf ears.
Enthralled, Veronica approached and reached out for the necklace.
"Ahh... just look at those iridescent mana fluctuations. If I use this as a catalyst, I can finally prove my theory."
Chloe recoiled in horror.
"N-no way! This is my baby!"
Darcor stepped in front of Veronica.
"So, does that pique your interest?"
Veronica swallowed hard.
Her gaze remained locked on the necklace.
"Deal. I'll unseal it right now. Perfectly."
She darted forward,
and tenderly retrieved the parchment she'd kicked away.
Not even sparing the dust.
'Knew she'd bite.'
Darcor smirked at her lightning-quick attitude shift.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Hmm."
Veronica pored over the parchment intensely before her eyes lit up.
"This seal's more intricate than I thought.
It's rooted in black magic—no standard method will crack it."
She clicked her tongue,
then turned to Chloe.
"But with that, it's doable."
She lunged straight at Chloe.
"Just lend it for a sec, yeah?"
"Kyaaak! N-no, stay back!"
Chloe screamed and ducked behind Darcor.
A chase between the Tower Master and the Saintess.
"Stop. Calm down."
Darcor sighed and nabbed Veronica by the scruff of her neck.
"Let go! I need that thing to unseal it!"
Veronica flailed her legs in midair.
"That's not all."
"...?"
"Become my personal court mage. Whatever you need, I'll provide."
Darcor set her down and made the offer earnestly.
"The Tower's swimming in funds and materials. Why would I become the palace lapdog?"
"My body."
Darcor's curt reply made Veronica's eyes bulge.
"I'll let you research my body."
He lightly tapped his chest.
"Draw some blood, carve off a bit of flesh. Sound good?"
Veronica's jaw dropped.
Her gaze roved greedily over his form.
The magic-immune physique and that inexplicable alien aura.
"You're on."
An offer impossible to refuse.
She licked her lips with a lascivious grin.
"But you have to keep your word. No take-backs."
"Don't worry."
Edel clutched her neck and staggered at Veronica's brazenness.
"Y-Your Majesty... such irreverence..."
But Darcor nodded in satisfaction.
'The empire's greatest genius mage. Personality's a trainwreck, but the talent's real.
She might even hold the key to curing my Madness Level.'
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Here we go. Don't move, or it blows?"
Veronica sketched a complex magic circle on the floor.
"W-wait a sec. This is safe, right? Why's it tingling like that?"
She positioned Chloe in the center.
Chloe trembled atop the circle.
The Goddess's Tear around her neck began to vibrate.
"Quit your whining."
Veronica chanted indifferently.
Kwaaang!
A brilliant blue pillar erupted from the necklace, engulfing the parchment scroll.
"Eyaak, it burns! B-be careful!"
Chloe's hair spiked up like a hedgehog.
"Just endure it a little."
Darcor soothed her, barely holding back a laugh.
Chijijik.
The writhing black script on the parchment floated into the air.
It shifted to red,
and began sketching a massive map in midair.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Seal removal complete.] [Sealed information revealed.] Daroa Empire: Massive Invasion Plan [30 days until invasion.] [Traitor list.] 'So these bastards were scheming this?'
A sly smile curled Darcor's lips.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Aigo... my head."
Chloe grumbled as she exited the Tower, fixing her frizzy hair.
"Hehe... at least my baby made it through unscathed."
She rubbed the necklace against her cheek and beamed blissfully.
'30 days...'
Meanwhile, Darcor, leading the way, wore a heavy expression.
No time to waste.
As he pondered how to set the board,
"Wait up! I'm coming too, Your Majesty!"
Veronica came dashing after them, laden with baggage.
"Why are you following?"
Darcor tilted his head.
"Personal mage, remember? Gotta stick by your side for research. Let's start tonight."
Ignoring him, Veronica latched onto his right arm.
"Your Majesty, shall we start with you undressing? I've got an experiment in mind."
"You madwoman!"
Edel cried out, pale as a ghost.
"Absolutely not, Your Majesty!"
But Veronica scoffed and tugged Darcor along.
"Come on, Your Majesty."
At that moment, sensing danger, Chloe seized his left arm.
"Um, Your Majesty."
"Now what you?"
"You have to guarantee my baby's safety... er, the necklace's safety too. You saw her eyes—she'll tear it apart the second she gets a chance!"
Chloe clung to him, eyes welling up.
Right arm: the deranged mage.
Left arm: the vain saintess.
And behind: the Escort Knight on the verge of collapse, clutching her neck.
Darcor let out a wry chuckle.
'Bigger circus than I expected.'
But it wasn't bad.
War loomed on the horizon.
But with this kind of firepower...
"Alright. Let's move."
Darcor strode forward, dragging the two women hanging off his arms.
'This war's gonna be a riot.'