The Frost Witch's Confession Attack
The empire, in this romance-fantasy style world, was the hegemonic power that currently possessed the widest territory and the strongest national authority on the Arcana Continent. Across all previous empires, it boasted the most powerful imperial authority and military force. It was ruled by the greatest emperor in history, who had earned the loyalty of countless subjects and the support of the nobility. The empire's prestige was truly unmatched, and under the current emperor—whose personal strength was practically synonymous with the nation's power—there existed numerous departments and administrative agencies that formed the core of the empire.
Among those administrative agencies, the one with the greatest influence, power, and notoriety was none other than the Audit Department.
The Audit Department. As the name suggested, its members were those who audited the nobility. Wherever the imperial family's budget was invested, they would watch with eyes blazing like fire. And if they spotted even the slightest suspicious activity? They would swoop in without hesitation and shake down the noble house like catching a rat. To the nobility, they were an object of considerable fear. At the same time, because they bit so many people, it was an agency that had no choice but to tread extremely carefully in many ways.
And recently, the Audit Department had thoroughly shaken down one particular noble house on the emperor's orders. From what they'd heard, it was a family that had interfered with the Archmage's business. When the Audit Department first received the order, the thought that instinctively came to mind was that these people must be insane.
Who was the Archmage? He was one of the empire's four dukes. One of the Seven Stars of the Empire—the seven strongest beings who protected the nation. Even the Sword Saint, known as the emperor's blade, and other figures of such authoritative power that even the emperor couldn't treat them lightly, were reduced to nothing before him. He was an absolute powerhouse who could do anything.
Even though the Magic Tower was, in reality, the place where the most budget was poured in at present, the Audit Department had never once tried to monitor it, nor even show the slightest interest. Why? If they got on the Tower Master's bad side by any chance, it would be the day of their funeral. They wouldn't even have time to write a report—they'd have to pray that their heads wouldn't fly off.
Even if they witnessed the Magic Tower embezzling budget, the Audit Department would have to turn a blind eye while saying, "We didn't see anything! This has nothing to do with us!" That was exactly the kind of power the Magic Tower held.
Just looking at what had happened to the Second Prince recently made it clear. The emperor's own son had been beaten up at a banquet hosted by the imperial family. And yet someone dared to mess with the person who could walk around the empire completely fine afterward? It was like knowing full well it was a beehive and still shoving their bare hand inside.
Moreover, the mages of the Magic Tower were all famously insane lunatics, so there was absolutely nothing good to be gained from provoking them. Messing with the Magic Tower was an incredibly stupid thing to do, but… since they had, in the very distant past, ignorantly provoked it once before, they really had nothing to say about it.
Anyway. The reason the count's family remained intact even after touching a business run by the Magic Tower was unknown, but the Audit Department, thinking it was the Archmage pressuring them to finish the job, had shaken the place down like a pack of wild dogs under both the emperor's command and the Archmage's implied pressure.
Naturally, because the Audit Department had gone all out, the Rodrell Count family had collapsed to the point where revival was impossible. In the current situation, they had essentially been stripped of their noble title.
After finishing the job and returning to their original positions, the members of the Audit Department let out long, exhausted sighs.
"Fuck..."
To them, this audit had felt like walking on thinner ice than any moment before. The tension and fear they felt surpassed even what they'd experienced when shaking down a marquis family. The fact that the Archmage might come looking for them if they didn't do the job properly made them tremble more than ever. Because if they hadn't properly crushed the target, it felt like the Archmage would come straight for them.
Of course, all of this stemmed from a misunderstanding. From their perspective, not knowing the exact situation, they had simply done their best.
But among them, there was one person who felt regret about this incident.
"How... how... W-will the Tower Master be pleased? He must be, right? Then maybe he'll agree to have a meal with me? S-should I send him a letter? B-but what if he rejects me again?"
The head of the Audit Department. One of the Seven Stars of the Empire, and also the daughter of one of the four ducal families—Pirna Milaze. In truth, she should have been qualified for a position like Minister of the Interior rather than head of the Audit Department, but she had taken the role with the sole determination to root out every last corrupt noble bastard.
She was one of the Seven Stars, known as the strongest in the empire, but she was suffering from a serious case of lovesickness.
Watching their boss like this, the section chiefs under her—from Section Chief 1 to Section Chief 4—whispered among themselves.
"The boss is at it again."
"At this point we should just cheer her on. It's already been five years. If she's been like this for five whole years, it must be true love."
"She could at least send one letter. After that face-to-face confession back then, she hasn't done anything at all."
"That's why it's a serious condition."
Perhaps because they had seen this sight until they were sick of it, to them it had become something like a daily routine.
"Tower Maaaaaster!"
But today, the level of her antics was particularly severe. In the end, Section Chief 1, who could no longer stand by, stepped forward.
"Boss, if you're going to be like this, why don't you just go see him directly? Then maybe the Archmage will accept you?"
"Are you crazy? You want me to go see him now and make a bad impression? Are you trying to get me fucked? You wanna die?"
The atmosphere that had been fluttering with flowers just moments ago twisted in an instant. Faced with that cold gaze that seemed ready to tear him apart, Section Chief 1 shrank back without even recovering his initial momentum. Section Chief 2 patted the now-depressed Section Chief 1 on the shoulder and answered in his place.
"Isn't the Archmage already viewing us unfavorably? There's no point worrying about that now, is there?"
Section Chief 2's words were reasonable. There had already been friction between the Audit Department and the Archmage. Of course, at that time, someone else had been the department head, and the current section chiefs had been in much lower positions where they had to obey orders. But would the Archmage take that into consideration? Considering the Archmage's temperament as known externally, the probability that he was instead sharpening his blade was extremely, extremely high.
"But that's exactly why this is the perfect opportunity!"
This time, Section Chief 3 clearly expressed her opinion.
"We did quite well this time, so won't the Archmage look upon us favorably? Instead of agonizing over it, why not just go all in this chance! Father taught me that love is all about throwing a fastball!"
"That's right!"
With encouragement from the only other woman in the department, Pirna pulled Section Chief 3 into a tight hug.
"Section Chief 3! You're the only one I can count on!"
"Moreover, Boss! Didn't the Archmage say something back then? That if you become stronger and more beautiful, he'd consider it! If I may say so, you are the greatest beauty in the world. I guarantee that if the Archmage sees you now, he won't be able to move a muscle!"
At Section Chief 3's sincerity, Pirna bit her lip hard and steeled her resolve.
I will definitely succeed!
One of the Seven Stars of the Empire. Alias: the Frost Witch. She was heading to the Magic Tower to confess to the Archmage.
Recently, I'd had to move around because of this and that, but my usual routine when staying at the Magic Tower was simple. Researching magic, and then researching magic some more. If a magic-obsessed madman wasn't researching magic, then what the hell was he supposed to do?
This time, I'd unintentionally visited the imperial palace and even gone to a noble house myself, but—
Now, there should be nothing left to disturb me.
Having finally reclaimed my daily life, I devoted myself completely to magic. The life of holing up in the laboratory and researching only magic. I felt happiness in that life.
This is it. This is what I'm talking about!
Because of those damn bastards...! No, the emperor had given me double the budget, so I'd exclude him. But because of one damn bastard, I'd had to stop what I was doing and move around. Thinking about it now, it really had been a waste of time.
Still, fortunately, I had regained my happy daily life, so pleasant days continued. But when I suddenly recalled the letter that had arrived from the emperor a few days ago, my mood instantly soured.
The letter had contained some nonsense asking if I had any thoughts of discussing marriage with the imperial princess. So I had torn it up without hesitation and sent it straight back to the emperor.
I would usually let most things our major shareholder did slide, but—
Fuck, marriage with the princess? No way.
No matter what, I couldn't smile and accept him trying to tie me to his own child. If I married the princess, I'd obviously end up bound to the imperial family. There wasn't a single good thing about that. I wouldn't be able to live as I wanted, and I'd get caught up in all sorts of annoying political games.
Politics: only indifference. To me, who had lived a life solely devoted to the path of magic, a marriage discussion wasn't even worth reconsidering.
Anyway. There had been that minor happening, but fortunately, peaceful days passed by. I was pondering the new magic formula I'd come up with in the laboratory when—
Bang!
The laboratory door burst open. I hadn't even seen or heard the voice yet, but this familiar sense of danger and the situation drove me into a state of terror.
"Tower Master!"
"No! No way!"
From previous experiences, I already anticipated that Riel's urgent voice would drag me into some strange incident again. With the firm determination that this time I absolutely would not leave the Magic Tower, I covered my ears. Naturally, I had used magic to block it.
But.
"That won't work~"
Riel, who had predicted my action, cast a dispel and nullified the magic. Damn it. The world's greatest Archmage had lost in a battle of magic.
In the end, I ended up hearing Riel's voice, but there was still one method left.
"La la la la la, I don't know. I don't know anything. I can't hear anything."
"In the end, it's something the Tower Master has to handle. Are you sure you're okay with that?"
"..."
At those words that sounded like a threat, I let out a sigh. In the end, this battle of victory and defeat was one I had no choice but to lose.
"What is it this time?"
"Someone's here to see you."
"Who came to see me?"
There wasn't really anyone who would come looking for me at the Magic Tower. The nobles... were terrified of me, so that was impossible. The emperor, who was at least close to me, would normally send a letter first. Someone had come without any notice at all? I looked at her with a gaze that asked who the hell it was.
"Do you happen to know the Frost Witch, one of the Seven Stars of the Empire?"
"Ah."
The moment I heard that name, a sense of foreboding surged up.
"No way..."
"I don't know what that 'no way' is, but it's probably exactly what you're thinking? She's screaming her lungs out outside right now, saying she has to confess her feelings to the Tower Master."
"..."
"Tower Master. You're really popular. Even getting a confession from the Frost Witch."
"Fuuuuck..."
I let out a deep sigh.
"...Let her in for now."
It seemed like a tremendously troublesome matter was about to unfold.
***
In the empire, there were individuals called the Seven Stars. It referred to the seven strongest people in the empire. The Frost Witch was one of them, and she was a face I knew as well. To be precise, I had seen her before the name Frost Witch had been registered among the Seven Stars of the Empire.
It was quite some time ago now. In the past, I had once had a conflict with the Audit Department. Back then, the son of a bitch leading the Audit Department had arrogantly tried to turn my Magic Tower upside down. Perhaps because it was five years ago, he still didn't know to fear me. In his own mind, since he had the imperial family behind him, he seemed to think he amounted to something. But the friendship between me and the emperor had already lasted a full ten years. Five years had already passed since we'd known each other, and we exchanged letters regularly. Yet this guy who didn't even know that had acted out, so I had turned him into a cripple who couldn't even use his mana.
Then his family had thrown a tantrum. It was a marquis family, and thinking back, they were probably one of the top seven great noble families, which was why they'd dared to act so boldly. But to me, it was a meaningless title. I had gone there myself and completely destroyed the family.
And among the Audit Department members who had been there at the time, there had been the daughter of a ducal family—one of the highest nobles even now...
"A-Archmage! P-please accept my heart!"
Even though their boss had been beaten up by me, she had confessed to me right there. I knew that her subordinates had been forcibly dragged there by the head of the Audit Department, so I hadn't touched them, but I had never imagined I would receive a confession on the spot. In my momentary panic, I think I had mumbled something like...
"If you become stronger and more beautiful than you are now, I'll think about it."
Thinking about it now, I couldn't understand why I had said such a thing. No matter how flustered I had been, why would I say something like that? For the past five years she had been quiet, so I had thought with relief that nothing would come of it, but...
To think it would come back to me like this.
I prayed to a god I had never once prayed to in my entire life. Please, let nothing happen.