Chapter 23
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 23
Chapter Title: 2nd Princess, Hedera (6)
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Magic Tower training ground.
Right now, the place was a total hotbed of chaos.
"Wh-what? Isn't that...?"
"Why on earth is she at the Imperial Magic Tower?"
Widro and Knox were utterly dazed amid the wizards' confusion. They were already overwhelmed just by the arrival of the 2nd Princess, but now an utterly unexpected figure had joined her.
"...No doubt about it. It's the 3rd Princess herself."
Widro muttered in disbelief.
The empire's angel. The empire's very face.
The 3rd Princess, Solana herself, had taken a seat in the training ground.
"Hoo—"
Knox pushed up his glasses and took a deep breath to steady himself. At the same time, he racked his brain. What on earth could bring the 3rd Princess here?
First things first, they couldn't just leave such a high-ranking guest unattended. Knox, Widro, and Anes approached her.
Knox mustered his courage first.
"Pardon the intrusion. A pleasure to meet you, 3rd Princess! A plea... Ahem."
He'd aimed for the most perfect baritone greeting, but overwhelming tension caused his voice to crack right from the start. What an embarrassment.
"A pleasure to meet you, 3rd Princess..."
Only then did Solana's sun-like eyes turn toward Knox.
Knox, Widro, and Anes all steadied themselves with countless deep breaths. It was only natural. The 3rd Princess Solana was a princess, but also renowned as the empire's greatest saintess.
The empire's church, led by saintesses, worshiped the Sun God.
The fearsome reputation of their inquisitors knew no bounds. Stories abounded of how they mercilessly purified anything impure they found—not leaving even a speck of dust behind.
Was there something impure in the Imperial Magic Tower?
...No, but they hadn't stooped to outright corruption.
"It's rare for such a noble guest to visit the Magic Tower, so please forgive any shortcomings in our reception. Might I ask the purpose of your visit, 3rd Princess?"
But no response came back—not even an awkward one.
"So, how's everyone been? No one's frozen stiff, right?"
Just then, Zekiel made his appearance in the training ground, and Solana's eyes turned only toward him.
The problem was that her gaze showed no sign of shifting away.
"...">
At the same time, cold sweat drenched the three Magic Tower executives.
Of course, the Imperial Magic Tower had both strengths and weaknesses. Lately, the weaknesses overwhelmingly outnumbered the strengths, but it did have its merits.
In other words, there were things they could proudly show Solana—and things they absolutely could not.
...Things they absolutely could not show her?
The three pairs of eyes turned simultaneously to one spot.
Toward Zekiel. The rookie inspector.
'Not that inspector...!'
'We're in deep trouble.'
'Should've just made him an Imperial Administrator.'
In an instant, the three formed a human barricade with their bodies, blocking Zekiel from Solana's view before desperately blurting out whatever came to mind.
"The Imperial Magic Tower has quite a few sights to see. If you'll permit it, allow us to give you a tour this time."
"This old man has something to show you..."
"The view from the upper floors' windows is breathtaking. The training ground is too noisy—perhaps we should relocate?"
Just speaking to the 3rd Princess drained their stamina. On the very day this rogue inspector took office, not one but two princesses had visited. Did that even make sense?
It was like getting struck by lightning—then struck again right after.
But then.
The next moment, something utterly unexpected happened.
"...">
Solana quietly raised one hand ever so slightly, and as if by prior agreement, the three executives' words cut off in unison.
Everyone was on pins and needles. They had no idea what Solana might say next.
What if it was something like, 'I'd really like a closer look at that inspector—'? Just imagining that future made their hearts skip beats.
But Solana merely flashed a brilliantly warm smile.
The very moment the three dared to harbor a glimmer of hope.
"Could you step aside a bit? I want to see him, but you're blocking the view."
"...Pardon?"
There are pressures like that in the world.
Pressures you can't defy because the other's smile is too radiant, their request too kindly put.
"...">
The three stepped aside in resignation.
They prayed it wasn't so, but Solana's gaze was fixed solely on Zekiel. Widro and Knox hurriedly deployed a transparent mana barrier to create a space for private communication.
It was a spell called telepathy.
—What do we do now?
—It's already over. Just accept it.
While communicating via telepathy like that, at one point.
"Hee hee hut..."
Suddenly, Solana, who had been staring at Zekiel, covered her mouth and burst into laughter. It was an utterly innocent smile, completely at odds with her saintly maturity—a girlish one.
"...">
The executives felt chills run down their spines. Even fear.
Solana's gaze locked on Zekiel.
Solana not even blinking.
Was the 3rd Princess's pleased smile truly one of contentment? Who could say? Perhaps it was the satisfaction of a saintess who had found something to purify...
At some point, Anes asked via telepathy.
—What's the next item on the agenda, by the way?
—We're to demonstrate the new training method that abolishes the 2nd Princess's decree.
—...Who?
—...Who do you think?
"Ah..."
In the end, Anes clutched her forehead and staggered.
I must be crazy for submitting my resignation to the palace. Crazy...
Imperial Magic Tower training ground.
Here, where frost still clung to the walls and floor, I closely examined the clues scattered about, stroking my chin.
'This much, for starters.'
Long story short: the wizards' skill level fell short of expectations.
The old me wouldn't have cared about other wizards' achievements, but now I was officially an inspector.
As I sorted through a few thoughts in my head.
"Inspector."
Anes approached me with somewhat hurried steps.
The cube spinning wildly in one hand, as usual. But today, it whirled several times faster than normal.
Snap—!
I froze the cube first.
"Inspector, huh? So now you're calling me that?"
"...Why freeze it? It's a silent cube."
She fiddled with the frozen cube in exasperation.
"It's not the noise. I told you—it's distracting."
"Ah, right. Anyway, the cube isn't the issue right now. The real distraction is something else."
Anes began grilling me in her usual deadpan, measured tone.
"Two princesses have graced us with their presence simultaneously, and now you have to announce how you'll change the Magic Tower in front of them. Doesn't that sound way more distracting?"
"Not really."
"'Not really'? This is serious."
Anes stared at me steadily, her expression blank.
"Inspector, I have a question."
I nodded. Go ahead.
"Why did you have the wizards spar?"
"Gotta gauge their level first to know what to supplement."
"True. But that blatantly violated the 2nd Princess's decree, and you didn't even watch the spars—instead, you stepped out into the hallway. What's the point?"
"What's wrong with stepping out?"
"The wizards suffered needlessly, the decree was broken, two princesses are watching, and you have nothing to present... What now?"
Anes's face remained impassive, but her voice betrayed genuine concern for the Magic Tower's survival.
Even she, who prided herself on being several times calmer than most, was rattled. In other words, the Magic Tower's situation was that dire.
I might have worried like her too.
If I were a lousy wizard.
But standing here was none other than Zekiel.
Me.
"I know."
Anes's brow furrowed ever so slightly.
"Even if I stepped out, I could still tell."
"What could you possibly know...?"
But Anes couldn't finish.
Shhhh—
I drew up the chill from my body. A five-stroke spell, but one I'd cast countless times—activation was near-instant.
"Anes, fundamentally, ice talks a lot."
"...Pardon?"
"It always recounts what it went through."
At the same time, every color in my vision inverted.
I slowly reexamined the ice.
The pitch-black ice now revealed traces of spells in vivid fluorescent hues. Observing them was as good as observing the spars. I could infer exactly how each spell had unfolded.
Psychometry.
The superpower of touching an object and reading all related memories—I achieved it purely through magic.
'Still below expectations.'
Of course, a second look didn't change my mind.
Even after driving the wizards into frozen terror, this was the result? One word for the spells cast here: crude.
The public might applaud such magic with standing ovations, but the Imperial Magic Tower aimed for the pinnacle. This fell woefully short.
"Gather."
At that word, all the ice crystals converged in my palm.
Kagagagak—!
They ground against each other, shaving down until they formed a perfect spherical crystal orb. Even the interior was transparent.
I closed my eyes and absorbed every trace within.
One.
Two.
Three.
It didn't take long to organize my thoughts.
When I opened my eyes, Anes stared at me in bewilderment. On impulse, I asked her.
"Anyone else you want to call?"
Crunch. I pulled out a sunweed and chewed it.
"Shame. Would've been nice to show it just to the ones here."
Finally, the announcement time arrived.
Unlike usual, a palpable tension filled the Imperial Magic Tower's training ground—something never seen before.
The cause was obvious: two noble guests with eyes wide open, watching intently. The 2nd Princess Hedera and the 3rd Princess Solana.
"...">
Everyone held their breath, stealing glances at the princesses.
Truth be told, they all shared similar thoughts. The Magic Tower's sale felt inevitable. But they quietly hoped the rookie inspector would somehow save it.
Just as it seemed someone might suffocate from the tension.
The Magic Tower's inspector, Zekiel, finally appeared.
Yet he didn't even bother with formal ceremony.
"I've been thinking."
All eyes focused on the one man.
Could he really stop the sale? What was behind that absurdly confident demeanor...
The man, bearing everyone's doubts.
"Might as well just sell this shitty tower."
Suddenly spat out words no one could have anticipated.
"...">
Silence descended immediately after.
"...">
Time seemed frozen; the quiet stretched on.
"...?"
Nearly a minute later, Hedera's eyebrow twitched.
"...!"
Only then did shock spread across the wizards' faces.
Eyes tripled in size, mouths agape. They'd heard the inspector clearly—and that's why it hit so hard.
"Hee hee, hee hee hee..."
The 3rd Princess Solana's timely laughter.
At that moment, everyone instinctively knew.
...This announcement was already unprecedented history.