Chapter 76
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: Suspicious Couple (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
In front of the carriage.
Zekiel had stepped away for a moment to scout the surroundings, and Anes nodded to Teder.
"We have no choice but to follow suit."
"Lady Anes?"
Teder's rabbit-like eyes widened round.
"Is that really okay?"
In truth, it was a perfectly natural reaction for Teder, who served as both the 2nd Princess and Magic Tower Lord's secretary, Hedera.
Even though Zekiel had spoken with His Imperial Majesty, it was clear that Hedera's intentions weren't involved in this situation at all.
Yet Anes's attitude was resolute in its own way.
"It's just because the news came so suddenly, but this might not be a bad opportunity at all. If you think about it differently, the Imperial Magic Tower didn't even get a chance to receive an imperial decree."
Right. When you thought about it, the Imperial Magic Tower had finally received the imperial decree it had so desperately wanted.
It was just that the task was more difficult—and far more important—than what the red request slip entailed.
"If we interpret it positively, it means His Imperial Majesty has some interest in the Imperial Magic Tower."
"Well... that's true, but..."
Teder still tilted her head.
She wasn't denying that it was a good opportunity for the Magic Tower. It was just something else that worried her.
"Nothing has been relayed to the 2nd Princess at all. Is it okay for us to proceed on our own...?"
Lately, while the 2nd Princess was away, Teder had overslept by mistake, gotten into trouble after lying, suffered for a major blunder, and reflected deeply on it.
It was a perfectly valid question for her.
"Teder, the 2nd Princess's dedicated secretary."
"Yes?"
"I worry every time too. Whenever the Inspector brings back a mission, I think it's utterly ridiculous, and that it's completely impossible."
"Y-Yes, yes."
"And that's not all. Doubts keep popping up in real time while carrying out the missions. So many bizarre things happen..."
"Uh, um... In that case, it's better not to..."
"However."
Anes's tone grew deadly serious.
"What matters is the result. In fact, every single absurd mission the Inspector undertakes ends well. Without a single exception."
"Without a single exception...?"
"Yes."
Anes nodded slightly.
"From the start, he's not someone who stops just because we try to dissuade him. You know that too, Teder."
"Ah, that's certainly..."
Teder recalled the treasury incident.
Zekiel had pursued his own convictions unwaveringly, accomplishing things that left Teder stunned as if they were nothing. Even if she'd tried to stop him, he would've seen it through.
Drurruk!
Anes rotated the cube.
"Trying to stop him every time just causes a fuss and delays the Inspector. Better to ask questions if you're curious and follow his lead."
"Indeed, I can definitely relate to that."
Zekiel—he was a genius.
What good would it do to confine a person with such firm genius in an ordinary mold and endlessly doubt him? It was time to trust and support him instead.
Teder finally clenched her fist tight.
"Alright. Then let's trust him and go for it!"
"Yes. Let's do that."
As Anes and Teder shook hands, they thought the same thing at the same time.
'Now the 2nd Princess's dedicated secretary has agreed too. Even if things go south, the Princess won't blame just us.'
'Lady Anes brought it up first, so I won't be the only one in trouble later, right? Please, please, please...!'
Their personalities couldn't be more different.
But the instincts of secretaries were the same.
'We'll share the responsibility!'
'Let's share the responsibility.'
It was then that Zekiel returned from scouting the area.
He chewed on a sunweed leaf and opened his mouth.
"I checked, and all the other carriages are fine."
"Yes. The problem isn't with the carriage at all."
Zekiel tilted his head crookedly.
"Then we should head out right now. What are we doing?"
"..."
A hint of considerable embarrassment settled over Anes's expressionless face.
Teder was already sweating bullets.
"Um, Inspector. What I'm saying is..."
"What."
"Well, it's that..."
"Ah."
Zekiel nodded as if he'd realized.
"You didn't mix up the date, did you?"
The mistake of thinking tomorrow's schedule was today. It seemed utterly ridiculous, but it was one of those disasters that happened all too often.
"N-No, it's not that. It's completely gone."
"Gone?"
"Yes. It's gone..."
"...What do you mean. The whole exchange meeting is canceled?"
Teder's chopped-up responses were frustratingly vague. As Zekiel's expression started to crumple, Anes finally stepped in.
"Inspector, you're aware that the entire Black Tower territory is surrounded by a wide moat."
"Yeah. They really love demon realm scenery."
Sharp spires, vast moats, black magic, gloomy nights... They were all about that demon realm aesthetic.
"However, all the bridges leading into Black Tower territory have been blown up. In simple terms..."
"All paths in are gone?"
"...Yes. That's right."
Anes continued in a fairly troubled tone.
"They claim it was collateral from preparing a massive spell, but it's hard to believe such a pure reason."
"Didn't you say all the other Magic Towers already arrived? Obvious. They're hoping we're late."
"Yes..."
Anes and Teder glanced at Zekiel's mood.
They had no choice.
Being late was now a fact, and if they'd hurried more, they might have entered before the bridges were destroyed.
In other words, while the Black Tower had pulled something outrageous, Zekiel could blame his secretaries as much as he wanted.
However.
Unexpectedly.
Wagjak!
Zekiel calmly chewed his sunweed.
"They're acting pretty cute. Not content with skipping reports, now they block the roads too."
"Yes."
"This is interesting."
...Interesting?
...You can find this interesting?
"Looks like provoking everyone not to be late worked too well. The Black Tower bastards are the only ones hoping the Imperial Magic Tower shows up late."
Fuu—
Zekiel exhaled sunweed smoke.
"Anyway, we can't go by carriage now, right?"
"They say they'll repair the bridges soon. But conveniently, repairs finish in a week."
"A week later..."
It wasn't hard to see what that meant.
"Right when the exchange meeting ends."
"They say they can't expedite it further."
"Skilled technicians, yet so childish."
Zekiel quietly rubbed his chin.
"Should I freeze the whole moat solid?"
Freezing mastery at an absurdly high level—he seemed like he could actually pull it off. But even frozen, it wouldn't solve the issue.
Anes shook her head.
"...Even frozen, crossing would take time. We have only about five minutes left."
"Right, yeah."
Zekiel nodded all too easily, leaving Teder and Anes watching him in curiosity.
"Well, nothing to be done."
It was natural for anxiety to surge.
What if he just gave up quick?
"I-Inspector! What do you plan to do?"
"Nothing big. There's a way to fix it."
"A-a solution?"
"Yeah."
Zekiel started strolling away casually.
"Just pack up the luggage properly."
Leaving just those words behind.
"..."
His attitude was so nonchalant no one could stop him.
Inside the imperial palace, the audience chamber.
But the chamber didn't look like its usual self. It had turned into ruins from things breaking everywhere, more like a battlefield than a palace.
Of course, that state didn't last long.
Shuwaaaaaak!
Space warped, and the audience chamber returned to its original grandeur—luxurious and majestic.
His Imperial Majesty quietly examined his feet.
The 1st Princess Ether lay there, sleeping soundly.
"...Strange. What astonishing growth speed."
There had been resistance while putting the 1st Princess to sleep, and he'd been impressed by her realm in the process.
Her growth hadn't been this steep before.
...Could Zekiel really have caused this?
And then.
Bam!
Someone boldly flung open the door and entered.
The more he thought about it, the more absurd it was. This was the Emperor's audience chamber, his private space—how could anyone just open the door like that?
"Could I ask for one more favor?"
"..."
Zekiel.
The intruder was none other than him.
"...This is the audience chamber, Zekiel."
"Please open a dimensional gate to the Black Tower territory. It's necessary for successfully concluding the deal."
"..."
"If the deal goes well, it's good for both of us."
His Imperial Majesty finally let out a deep sigh.
"...As long as it's Black Tower territory, anywhere is fine?"
"I'll mark the exact spot on a map."
"..."
What modest requests.
It suddenly clicked.
Why Zekiel had framed the mission as a "deal."
...He planned this from the start.
"Your Imperial Majesty. Time is running out."
"Fine. I get it."
The Emperor tossed the apple he held onto the floor.
"Anyway, handle it yourself."
Just you try failing after this.
The Emperor thought quietly to himself.