40
Chapter 40
Dark clouds gathered in the sky, and soon, a massive bolt of lightning struck.
Boom—
The metal dummy being used as a target was scorched black.
"Your casting time has decreased by three seconds since last time. The power has increased as well; it's looking good."
"I think it's because I narrowed the range, just as you taught me, Master."
"Most people couldn't do this even if they were told how. Your control is impressive. Once you build up a bit more magic power, you won't have to worry about becoming a 5th Class Master."
Though the words were encouraging, being a 5th Class Master wasn't enough.
While becoming a 7th Class Master would be ideal, it was unrealistic. My goal was to become a 6th Class Master.
There are fewer than a hundred 6th Class Masters, known as Archmages, in the entire Empire.
They might not be one-man armies like Sword Masters or 7th Class Archmages, but they are still considered vital assets.
If I could become a 6th Class Master like my late mother, Father wouldn't send me away, even if I lost the bet.
"I'll do it one more time."
"Don't push yourself too hard. We have a guest arriving, so please take a break."
"A guest? Who?"
Aside from Shine waiting over there, I didn't see anyone else.
"Daph, the Director of Intelligence, greets the Imperial Princess."
Turning around at the voice, I found Count Daph already standing there with his head bowed.
"You scared me! Please, lift your head. When did you arrive?"
"I arrived a moment ago. I see your magic has improved significantly."
"Do you think so? I was told that as long as I resolve the issue with my magic power, becoming a 5th Class Master is well within reach."
"That is good news."
He called it good news, but Count Daph's expression didn't look happy at all.
"Is something wrong?"
"There is something urgent I must discuss with you. Could we step aside for a moment?"
We moved to a corner of the training ground, where Count Daph even cast soundproofing magic.
"What is it? Why the secrecy?"
"A week ago, His Majesty the Emperor ordered a report on Princess Helena's current status, so I submitted one."
...I was slightly surprised, but I understood.
Given Director Daph's position, it was inevitable.
It was already unreasonable for someone of his standing, as the Director of Intelligence who answers only to the Emperor, to be helping me like this...
"And?"
"He summoned me that evening."
"Father did?"
"Yes. He found it curious that Tower Master Roy, who even refused the position of Chief Magician of the Imperial Palace, would take the Princess as his disciple. Ah, I omitted the part about Bio introducing you. I figured there would be nothing good coming from His Majesty knowing that..."
Since Baronet Bio doesn't fall under those orders, but considering Father's personality, he might try to eliminate him.
Of course, I doubt the formidable Bio would be taken down so easily...
"So, what did he say?"
"He mentioned he had come up with a solution and told me to listen."
"A solution...?"
"His Majesty intends to send the Princess to Quasar, no matter what."
"Surely he's not planning to nullify the bet?"
"Given the Emperor's personality, he wouldn't do that once a bet has been made."
"Then...?"
"Allow me to ask first. How did you agree to study under Lord Roy once the break ends?"
"We decided he would come to the Academy as a guest instructor for the new term. He mentioned he might not be available, so if staying at the Academy is difficult, I'll leave the Academy to study under him..."
I couldn't finish my sentence.
Because Count Daph let out a sigh so deep it felt as if the ground were sinking.
"It is exactly as His Majesty the Emperor expected. Princess, Tower Master Roy cannot become an instructor at Belliard Academy."
"What do you mean? The Tower Master is an 8th Class Wizard. Even if he's known publicly as a 7th Class, isn't that qualification more than enough?"
"Qualifications are not the issue. His Majesty mentioned he will create a new rule stating that no one can be appointed as a Magic Class instructor unless they belong to the Imperial Palace Wizards."
...I had no idea my father would go this far.
"I don't know how Bio managed to persuade Tower Master Roy, but if the law changes, he will certainly never take a teaching position."
Count Daph was right.
Even if Lord Roy said he would do his best to teach me, he wouldn't go as far as becoming an Imperial Palace Wizard—something he had consistently rejected—just to do so...
"Then I can just commute from the Academy to the Merdi Magic Tower to learn. It's not that far, so it'll be fine."
"I believe that will also be difficult."
"Is it because of the Academy rules? It's a bit awkward to say this, but given my status, it shouldn't be hard to get permission to leave if I just ask the Dean."
"It will be difficult from now on. He intends to issue a strict order that no one may leave without a valid reason, claiming that high nobles' children and certain Imperial family members frequently leave the academy and disrupt the studying atmosphere."
"Then, if I ask a friendly instructor..."
"Instructors have classes on weekdays, and the requirements for leaving will be much stricter, so that will be difficult as well."
...This is completely absurd.
Why on earth is he doing this?
If he was going to interfere like this, he might as well have refused the bet in the first place...
"Why is Father acting like this?"
"It seems your beauty has become known even in Quasar, as they are strongly requesting you. And although I was told to keep this secret... he agreed to send you in exchange for the territories of several traitors."
...Now I finally understand.
All the strength drains from my body.
For a reason like that, Father would send me away even if I managed to become a 6th Class Wizard.
I had been completely delusional.
I knew from the start that the odds of winning this bet were slim, but I believed I could change things through effort...
"Why tell me this only now... No, it's okay. The fact that you told me, even though His Majesty ordered you to keep it secret..."
Realizing that all my efforts were nothing more than meaningless struggling makes my eyes sting.
"I am sorry. I kept trying to think of a way, but I couldn't... I even went to look for Bio, but he had already left."
"Lord Bio left?"
Actually, Bio had crossed my mind as well.
But if Count Daph, the Director of Intelligence, said there was no way, would Bio be any different?
"When I visited a week ago, his belongings were still there, but he didn't return by dawn. I assigned agents to him, but there's been no news, and there is no response to the crystal ball."
Thinking about it, it's not surprising.
He hated interfering in the world's affairs so much that he wouldn't have helped in the beginning if the Count hadn't pleaded with him.
Even when he introduced Lord Roy, he left immediately after doing so...
"I'll find him if I can... Ah! It seems that fellow has some leverage over you, Princess. I will track him down and resolve that issue for you."
"It's fine, you don't have to look for him."
"Princess?"
Count Daph looked genuinely surprised.
"It's true that Lord Bio knows my weakness, but I know he isn't the kind of person who would make demands or harm me because of it."
"I agree, but I'm sure you must be anxious..."
"It's not like the situation changed because of Lord Bio, so it would be shameless to ask for his help again. I don't want to be a burden anymore."
Not even Lord Bio would have a magic solution for this...
"...I understand. In truth, I was going to tell you that I hoped you wouldn't look for him. I never imagined he would just disappear like this. I suppose I harassed a retired man too much."
As he spoke, Count Daph looked at me with a sympathetic expression.
"Count, I'm not giving up. I'll focus on the present for now, and who knows? If I look for another answer, I might find a way."
When I spoke brightly, the Count pondered a bit more and then left after promising to help me until the end.
Of course, his sympathetic expression didn't change until the very end.
I tried to sound cheerful, but is he like that because he's the Director of Intelligence?
I feel like my inner thoughts were completely exposed.
There's no helping it.
The situation is simply too desperate to remain purely optimistic.
"Princess?"
Shine had approached my side before I even noticed.
"Shine..."
There was no need to hide anything from Shine—or rather, from my sister.
She had already seen too much.
"I thought I saw Count Daph earlier, but what's wrong, Princess? Why are you crying?"
"I think I might just give up on everything..."
"Why so suddenly? Even the Tower Master was praising your progress just a moment ago. What on earth did that man, Daph, say to you...?"
"It's not because of the Count..."
I explained the entire situation to Shine.
"...As a citizen of the Beluga Empire, I shouldn't say this, but isn't this just too much? Even if it's to reclaim lost territory and punish traitors, the Princess is still his daughter..."
Her voice was trembling with rage. If a stranger had seen her, they would have thought Shine was the one being married off to the Quasar Empire.
"...I wish I had been born into a ducal house instead. Then I could have been Shine's real sister and lived a normal life in the Empire..."
"Stop talking like that! You will never go to Quasar. Even if you do, I'm coming with you."
...She always says she'll come along, but realistically, it's an impossible feat.
While the Duke's other children are talented, they are no match for Shine.
Three consecutive overall wins in the Greeta from her first to third year at the Academy.
From the moment she became a Sword Expert, she broke every record for the youngest in every tier up to the highest.
Shine is widely seen as the inevitable successor to her father's title of Sword Master; there's no way the Emperor would send her along...
In the first place, the Duke would never allow it.
He had been vehemently opposed even when she first became an escort knight.
"You don't seem to believe me, but if he doesn't let me go, I'll tell him I'll never draw my sword again."
"Forget it. I can't let you ruin your life because of me."
"How is following you ruining my life? Even if it is a path to ruin, my life belongs to me, so I'll decide. So please, don't give up."
Seeing Shine's determined face made me feel ashamed of my tears.
Maybe Shine was my real sister in a past life?
"Alright. I won't give up. I'll take this to the end."
"I'll do my best to help you."
Lord Roy stepped out just then, so I approached him and explained the situation.
As expected, he looked troubled and said he couldn't become an Imperial Palace Wizard, but he agreed to help me find another way.
I steadied my heart and trained hard. When it was time to head back, huh? Shine was gone.
In the spot where Shine usually waited, there was Rami.
She is a female knight from the Royal Guards who occasionally fills in when Shine has family matters to attend to.
"Rami? Where did Shine go, and why are you here?"
It's not like Shine follows me 365 days a year, but she always lets me know before she goes on a break...
"I received word from Lady Shine and took over her shift. She said something personal came up and asked me to deliver this to the Princess."
I took the note Rami handed me and unfolded it.
[I'm worried that combining the search for a solution with my escort duties might cause problems, so I called Rami. I'll return once I find a way.]
****
Three weeks had passed since I became stranded in the ruins of Evankel beneath the Krinis Desert.
'Are we there yet?'
'I told you not to talk to me if you want to get out even a little bit faster, didn't I?'
Look at that temper.
Who is making me suffer like this in the first place?
To be fair, it wasn't exactly hardship.
I'd packed two weeks' worth of food before entering the desert.
It's currently the third week, but I've been rationing, so food isn't an issue yet.
I've been as frugal as possible in case Ark took longer than expected.
I can hold out for another three weeks.
After all, back in my active days, I've crossed deserts with nothing but the clothes on my back.
I'll be in a tight spot after that, but since Ark was so confident, I have no choice but to trust him.
I'm bored.
To save energy, I've barely moved for the past three weeks, aside from some simple stretching.
I've been practicing my mental cultivation, but I can't spend all day doing that.
Nor can I spend the whole time sleeping.
With nothing to do and plenty of time to kill, all sorts of thoughts crossed my mind.
I thought about how I couldn't ask the village chief to watch my house, how I didn't ask old man Daph what the princess had done to help, and whether she was learning well from old man Roy.
I also thought about the trainees at the academy.
Some were mischievous and others were just plain nuisances, but most of them were good-natured at heart.
Even the troublemakers followed me since I was kind to them.
Among them all, the image of May walking away so lonely after hearing the news of her quitting kept popping up.
Well, it's been a while, so she's probably recovered by now.
I thought moving around and exploring the ruins would help, but staying like this is having the opposite effect.
It would be better if I had someone to talk to.
I have Ark, but that brat told me from the start not to talk to him because it would interfere with his calculations, and now he completely ignores me.
Just as I was about to press him again on whether we were close, a large amount of magic power surged, and Ark materialized.
"What's this? I thought you had to use all your magic for the calculations?"
"The proof is complete, so I materialized. Even if I told you, you wouldn't be able to write the answer. You have the chalk from the academy, right?"
After that condescending remark, he took the white chalk I handed him and approached the metal door.
He glanced at the door for a moment and then gestured toward me.
"Shoulders... no, give me a piggyback ride."
A piggyback ride?
Did Ark lose his mind while calculating?
Or maybe his mind became as childlike as his body.
"A piggyback ride out of nowhere? Why? I haven't eaten much, so I'm exhausted."
"We'll be out soon anyway. The metal door is too small, so to write the answer, I have to fill it from the top down, but I can't reach."
...I wasn't happy about it, but since he needed to write the answer, I reluctantly gave him the ride.
"Hey, brat, don't grab my hair."
"Quiet. If I make one mistake, I'll have to start all over again."
For twenty minutes, I endured the falling chalk dust and shifted my posture.
Once he reached a height where he could write, I finally let him down.
Rubbing my lower back, I looked at the door; it was packed with all sorts of geometric shapes and symbols.
There was hardly any empty space, so I understood why it took so long.
It seemed he was reaching the end, as he lay on the floor to write, but then he suddenly threw the chalk.
Was it because it was too small?
"Want a new piece of chalk?"
"No, it's finished. Bio, put your hand here."
As soon as I placed my hand where he told me, a blue light began to emanate from the metal door.
"You got the answer right, didn't you?"
"You rushed me so much that I just wrote it, but sure, it's probably right."
Just as I was about to ask if there were penalties for getting it wrong, the blue light intensified and engulfed me.