Chapter 106
Chapter 106
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 106
Chapter Title: Mage Elgana
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Mage Elgana.
He too was a disciple of the Tower Lord.
But he couldn't proudly display that fact.
His master had been the only Tower Lord expelled from the Magic Tower, and Elgana himself had been the key figure leading that banishment as the Guardian at the time.
As a result, opinions about him were sharply divided.
Some praised him as a courageous soul who had carved away at his own flesh for the Magic Tower's justice, while others condemned him as an opportunistic betrayer of his master.
The one who later ascended to the Tower Lord's seat was Jeremiah, the teacher of Ariella and Ezekiel.
Some councilors argued that Elgana should face collective punishment, but under Jeremiah's protection, he successfully claimed a seat on the Magic Tower council.
Some whispered that Elgana had struck a deal with Jeremiah, but both parties dismissed it as mere rumor.
In that way, Elgana rose to become a candidate for the next Tower Lord.
But his rival was that Ariella. No matter how hard Elgana strove, a torch could never outshine the sun.
Tower Lord Ariella had hoped Elgana would remain in the Magic Tower, but he relinquished all his positions and left.
And a few years later, Elgana became the being who brought a colossal disaster upon the Empire.
Corpses swept up in his rampage formed mountains and rivers.
The great mage who had forsaken his master for justice and vied for the Tower Lord's seat became the Empire's worst criminal.
The reasons and motives remained unknown. It was as if a natural disaster had swept through the Empire without intent or purpose.
But in the end, he was stopped by Ezekiel.
For reference, his antics at the subsequent award ceremony earned him the nickname "The Eccentric."
Thus, Elgana was etched into people's minds as the Empire's disaster, the worst mage.
But he didn't die.
After vanishing for several years, he became the butler for Second Prince Dalles. Naturally, he had completely altered his appearance and used a false name.
His true identity was exposed after the civil war broke out.
Ariella had gone missing, and Ezekiel had lost his life at Rubia de Clarent's hands. The Magic Tower, led by Tower Lord Dylan, declared neutrality.
Amid all that, Elgana—who had once been forgotten by history—revealed himself, boosting the legitimists' morale sky-high.
His past crimes were all overlooked. Victory or defeat was the priority right then.
"Bring me that bastard's head."
That was why Michael von Edbalt ordered Damian Renekht.
While the main force drew attention, the guerrilla unit would infiltrate the enemy base and assassinate Elgana.
"Yes, Brother."
At that time, Damian relied entirely on Michael—in a bad way.
Because he had seen light in him.
He viewed Michael as the only one who could end the civil war that had taken Anna and Felix's lives and made countless people groan in agony.
There were no doubts. He followed because Michael commanded it.
"Urk, heugh... Haa, haa. I never imagined that illegitimate bastard would be this strong."
Elgana was a formidable opponent. Two guerrilla members even died in the process.
But in the end, he met his fate with his lower body entirely consumed by hellfire.
For some reason, when Damian faced Elgana, his physical condition wasn't normal.
"What was your goal?"
Damian posed the question to Elgana, who was barely clinging to life.
He had already achieved great mastery as a mage.
But he had encountered an insurmountable wall, his spirit broken at last, and he vented it upon the world in the cruelest way.
Yet afterward, he sought refuge in the imperial palace. There was no need for him to hide like Derek or the Iron Wolf. And when the civil war erupted, he stepped back to the forefront of history.
"Haa... haa... A greater purpose is beyond the likes of you."
"If you recall the devastation back then, you couldn't end it with words like that."
A greater purpose.
Elgana was a villain too. Before being stopped by Ezekiel, he had brought death to countless Empire citizens, and it was no different during the civil war.
His magic was so vast and threatening in scale that not only reformers but also civilians unrelated to the war suffered massive casualties.
"Does a storm debate good and evil? The weak are simply swept away. Wasn't your proud brother the same?"
"......"
Damian couldn't refute it. Both reformers and legitimists had resorted to ruthless methods for victory.
"Yes, yes. You're holding back, aren't you? At least showing consideration for those uninvolved, the ones just scraping by day to day. Gaining some moral superiority from that?"
"I'm simply upholding good."
"Puhaha. Don't make me laugh... You, serving that monster, upholding good..."
Elgana couldn't finish his words and breathed his last.
Even so, Damian at the time believed he had made the right choice.
Neither reformers nor legitimists were good. There was no such thing as good in this war to begin with.
The most beautiful war was one that ended swiftly. To achieve that, he had to choose the side with the highest chance of success.
And only in his final moments did he realize his choice was wrong.
'Though that's all in the past now.'
Even so, it didn't change how Elgana should be treated. The reasons for his death were overflowing.
But the important thing was revealing that such a criminal was Second Prince Dalles's confidant.
This was still a time of peace.
When the civil war was at its fiercest, no one questioned Elgana's crimes. But now was different. He would naturally be wanted, and those connected to him would face punishment.
This would weaken their forces and deal a major blow to Dalles's moral standing.
Empress Abigail von Edbalt was extremely sensitive to outward appearances.
While hating Damian and Marian, she had put on a show of mercifully embracing even the illegitimate child.
Among the Empress's children, Dalles was closest to becoming the next Emperor.
However, if controversy arose questioning his qualifications, Abigail would ruthlessly cast him aside.
Even if Arkin von Edbalt was ambiguous, there was Boris.
For her, what mattered was that one of her children became Emperor—not which one.
Of course, Elgana alone wouldn't topple Dalles.
It was true that Elgana was the strongest among his retainers, but he had many other capable ones.
Moreover, Dalles would cut off the tail cleanly to minimize the burden on himself.
With retainers from diverse backgrounds, such handling was certain.
So this plan was like tossing kindling into the fire. It would nurture sparks of discord within the legitimist faction.
There was another reason to approach this plan with caution.
'If I turn him into a necromantic vessel, he'll be useful for a long time.'
Necromantic vessel—Damian already had Xenon, but he couldn't properly fulfill the role of a "mage."
Xenon was more accurately classified as a necromancer.
Elgana had once been a powerhouse comparable to Ariella.
His skills might have dulled during his seclusion, but the prowess he displayed during the civil war was more than enough.
No, it was overflowing. Its overly wide range even required suppression.
The Magic Tower had clashed with Cadrel too, but there had been no chance to turn him into a necromantic vessel.
Too many eyes were watching.
No matter how ignorant of black magic, extracting something from a corpse could invite strange misunderstandings.
Imperial law didn't just ban black magic. Certain peculiar spells were forbidden or phased out.
Human chimera procedures, curses binding others, and so on. Necromancy would likely have been banned too if it hadn't naturally faded.
Elgana had mastered various forbidden magics as well. Damian would use whichever seemed appropriate.
As long as he didn't cross the line he had set for himself, there was no issue.
After all, Damian's foundation was that of a black mage.
'In the end, how the trap is set is key.'
It wasn't just about assassinating Elgana and releasing Shakiya's bindings.
He had to expose his identity to the world and seize the chance to make him a necromantic vessel.
Preparation was needed in many ways. It also required cooperation from within the legitimist faction.
And Damian had a reliable pawn to execute this faithfully.
"Damian~."
Erewin called to Damian with a coquettish wave. As soon as they arrived at the palace, she had sent a letter, and they had set this meeting for today.
Abdaleng Street. The capital's premier bustling district, a paradise for noble ladies of the capital and a must-visit for any visitor.
Exquisite accessories handcrafted by artisans stitch by stitch, dresses that completely transformed the wearer's aura, desserts made from rare ingredients.
It wasn't an exaggeration to say the capital's wealth concentrated here.
The most famous café on this street. Erewin sat comfortably at an outdoor table, waiting for Damian.
"We could have met at the palace."
"Having returned to the capital after so long, I can't just stay cooped up in the palace. Abdaleng Street is the Empire's most trend-sensitive spot. As an imperial princess, I have a duty to inspect it periodically."
Utter nonsense. Damian suppressed his true feelings as much as possible and flashed a smile.
Damian and Erewin shared forbidden emotions. More precisely, he had to act as if Erewin believed that.
"Here you go."
Damian sat down, and the desserts and drinks Erewin had ordered arrived. At the same time, countless gazes poured onto the two.
From the shop's staff, other patrons seated at a distance, passersby on the street, people in the building across...
All pretending otherwise, but smacking their lips as they focused on Damian and Erewin.
Both hailed from the Empire's noblest bloodlines.
One was an illegitimate child, but possessed heavenly beauty said to be handcrafted by the gods themselves, and his fame grew daily.
The other was the Empire's sole princess. She couldn't outshine the radiance Rubia exuded, but no other woman could compare.
Such a pair sat side by side, blooming smiles. Until now, nothing was known about their relationship.
Even though Empress Abigail had shown mercy in caring for the illegitimate Damian, siblings from different mothers couldn't get along well. Arkin was a prime example.
But Damian and Erewin seemed so intimate. It even sparked impudent thoughts of whether it was truly just sibling friendship.
'Yes, yes, yes!'
All that attention was pure ecstasy for Erewin.
Every gaze in sight focused on her.
Even if Rubia appeared here, it wouldn't cause much stir.
That was how it should be. She was the Empire's one and only princess. And soon, she would rise to the highest seat for a woman.
"Why do you ask, Sister?"
"Just looking at your face fills my belly."
As she said that, she pinched Damian's cheek lightly. He smiled shyly, embarrassed. Even that was endearing to Erewin.
She could feel the surrounding gazes. Envy and jealousy brimmed within them.
Spending time like this with Damian was every girl's dream at this age.
But Erewin wanted more. It wasn't just enjoying Damian's beauty. She possessed his emotions too.
The sincerity that even Rubia or his fiancée Agnes couldn't have. That was what excited Erewin most now.
'Crazy bitch.'
The thought was practically visible. Turning the bursting laugh into a moderately bright smile was more ordeal than expected.
She newly realized how comfortable it was to be with Agnes or Paruzan.
She hadn't revealed everything to them either, but at least no acting was needed.
The derogatory "Rubia's inferior version" even applied to her madness.
She had declared her intent to claim the Empress's seat, defying the Empire's taboos, yet what she showed now was just a child craving affection.
'But she's useful.'
Rubia's madness was self-centered. She obsessed over Damian, but he couldn't control it.
Erewin's madness was dependent. Damian could fully dictate its direction through his actions.
There was no better weapon for dismantling the legitimists.