Chapter 59
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 59
Chapter Title: Sun Water (11)
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Imperial Magic Tower's reception room.
A space that hadn't received guests in quite some time now held a petite girl clutching a teddy bear as she sat there. A spread of tea and snacks lay before her.
"Heheung~"
A delicate hum escaped her lips.
She looked every bit the innocent girl, but most mages knew better. After all, she was the mage renowned as the secretary to the Black Tower Lord.
Teddy. That was the name of the Black Tower Lord's secretary.
"Hehehum~ Hum~"
Ever since arriving at the Imperial Magic Tower, Teddy had been humming tunes nonstop while devouring the snacks, occasionally scrutinizing every nook and cranny of the reception room.
"Hey~ Pretty big sis~ When's the Inspector coming?"
Teddy asked Anes, waving the teddy bear's arm.
Anes blinked silently. Though addressed as "big sis," Teddy was actually older.
'Of all people, why her.'
She kept a straight face, betraying nothing, but inwardly she was quite troubled. Among mages often criticized for being rigid and formulaic, Teddy had a notorious reputation as a troublemaker.
"As I informed you, the Imperial Tower's Inspector is on leave today. Meeting him is impossible."
"Oh~ I see~"
Teddy's eyes sparkled as she nodded.
"Taking leave right on the day I visit... What could this mean? Huh? What do you think?"
She promptly began conversing with the teddy bear in her arms.
"He's avoiding me on purpose because he doesn't want to see me? Hey now, no bad thoughts like that! The Inspector must be extra tired today and just wanted to rest!"
"…."
Teddy was openly mocking the Imperial Magic Tower's Inspector.
The situation lent itself to such an interpretation. The Black Tower's envoy visits, and coincidentally, the Imperial Tower's Inspector takes leave—it was easy to read avoidance into it.
The real issue was her brazen attitude.
Anes knew Teddy was being rude but couldn't reprimand her outright. She simply sensed how much times had changed.
'So this is the current perception of the Imperial Magic Tower.'
Other Magic Towers treating the Imperial Magic Tower so casually?
It was something that never would have happened before.
Yet Anes knew exactly why Teddy could act so boldly without hesitation.
How had the Imperial Magic Tower spent the last ten years?
Whenever achievements came up, they dodged the topic. For events like exchange conferences, they always found excuses to skip out. For a full ten years.
And that was just the start.
They offered no decent explanations for the countless questions aimed at the Imperial Tower. The other Magic Towers couldn't possibly be ignorant of the Imperial Tower's state.
'...It feels like the Imperial Tower is on the execution block.'
Watching Teddy's demeanor, Anes felt certain.
'The Black Magic Tower is brimming with confidence.'
The other towers had clearly sharpened their blades.
The Imperial Tower, which had bluffed strength despite failing to build any real foundation over ten years, was now squarely in their sights—they meant to shatter it for good this time.
"It would be best to reschedule for another day."
"Yeees~ Yeees~"
"Any concerns about the Imperial Tower skipping the exchange conference are unfounded. Lately, the Imperial Tower has been on quite the upswi—"
Teddy showed no sign of listening.
Perhaps news of Zekiel's feats in the Imperial Palace aiding the Second Princess hadn't reached the other towers yet. Anes idly brushed back her hair.
"You've surely heard about our recent achievements in the Ruiple region. No need for worry."
"I see~ You really love the word 'recent.'"
Teddy gazed at Anes with innocent eyes.
Locking eyes, she suddenly grinned.
"Wait~ 'Recent' situation is good means it wasn't good before! It was super serious, but thanks to this Inspector, you're finally catching a break!"
Anes felt a chill run down her shoulders for a moment. She realized she'd made a slip of the tongue.
Teddy jumped up from her seat, visibly delighted.
Dancing with the teddy bear, she grasped its paws and spun slowly as she continued.
"This Inspector~ How amazing must he be? Not just ordinarily amazing—super amazing!"
"…."
"The Imperial Magic Tower has a ten-year gap. A whole ten years. Does he really have what it takes to fill it in one go?"
Anes pondered her response briefly before deciding. Her life of following protocols left her unflappable.
"I don't follow. However."
Firm resolve colored Anes's voice.
"Your rudeness from the Black Magic Tower has crossed the line. That much, I understand perfectly. You know full well this institution stands under the Second Princess's will."
"Hm?"
"The exchange conference is right around the corner. Can't your curiosities wait until then? The Imperial Tower won't forget this impatience and discourtesy."
"What... Why so scary all of a sudden...? Eek…."
Teddy clutched the bear, pulling a pitiful kitten face to plead her case.
Of course, she grinned again right after.
"Okay, okay. It was just a joke! A joke!"
Teddy grabbed more snacks.
"The Inspector~ Where'd he go on leave? Exchange conferences are tough, so he should've rested up today!"
"To the Dominion Gorge."
"Dominion Gorge? Hmm...? What, suicide...?"
Teddy slapped her own mouth mid-sentence.
"…Mind your words. This is a warning."
"Ahem~ Sorry~ Exiles and would-be suicides flock to the Dominion Gorge, right? I just wondered if the Inspector, overwhelmed by pressure, had gone there…."
Teddy's hand hovered over an empty plate. She'd already polished off the heaping pile of snacks.
"By the way~ Imperial Tower Inspector's secretary~"
"Yes."
"For this exchange conference, the Imperial Tower's confident, right?"
"Confident?"
"Yes. You won't forget my rudeness, after all?"
Teddy smiled like an innocent girl.
"Us other five towers have great memories too, you know? Delaying announcements, dodging exchange conferences... We remember it all!"
"…."
"You'll show something to explain it all this time, right?"
A challenge disguised as naive curiosity. A declaration of war on the Imperial Tower.
Druruk— Druk—
Anes quietly turned her cube as she thought.
'...What on earth have they prepared.'
It was true the Imperial Tower hadn't built solid foundations in ten years, but Teddy's audacity meant the Black Tower had something to rely on.
Confidence to vastly surpass the Imperial Magic Tower at the exchange conference. Confidence not to lag behind any other tower... Even confidence to dominate the landscape. That's why she acted this way.
In contrast, the Imperial Tower could only pin its hopes on Zekiel.
Of course, Zekiel's actions so far had been groundbreaking and impressive. He'd already renewed the mindset of the Imperial Tower staff and stirred up waves.
But could he fill a ten-year void in one fell swoop?
...The other towers had spent a full decade grinding their teeth in preparation to seize control. Could anyone overturn that in a single move?
"Hehehum~"
Teddy stood right in front of Anes, their toes nearly touching. She looked up quietly.
"Eyes full of worry? Imperial Magic Tower secretary~ Not confident enough to boast, huh?"
Anes realized what she had to do.
"…Not at all."
The Imperial Magic Tower's poor state was no reason to grovel to other towers. Bowing now would mean the entire Imperial Tower bowing.
Better to break than bend.
"…I see no need to answer with words. The Imperial Tower will speak through results alone."
Anes continued with a piercing, blade-like gaze.
"Teddy of the Black Tower, I will remember you."
"Eek~ Scary~"
Teddy scampered toward the door.
Pretending fear, but a smile played on her lips.
"Exactly two days until the exchange conference! Don't be late! If you take leave that day, we'll know you're running!"
"…Leave. Courtesy has its limits."
After Teddy departed.
"Haa."
Anes let out a deep sigh.
She hadn't held back against the provocation and had gone and done it.
"…Inspector Zekiel."
Zekiel.
—I'm not right in the head to begin with.
Yes, that's what Inspector Zekiel had always said.
Now, he truly was their only hope.
Anes quietly pulled out her notebook and wrote a single line.
[Sometimes, I wonder if I'm right in the head either.]
The Empire's Imperial Palace, the Emperor's audience chamber.
The massive doors opened without a sound.
One woman.
The woman standing in the doorway still had the light at her back.
Susus….
As the audience chamber brightened, her identity came into view.
The Empire's First Princess, Ether.
The Martial God stared straight at the Emperor on his jade throne.
"…It's me, Emperor."
Her eyes burned like those of a wolf starved for days in the snowfields.
The rising aura was indescribably murderous.