Chapter 62

“I have never met His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, so it’s difficult for me to say. Your Majesty.”

“I see. I’ll introduce you to him sometime. Meet him and make your own judgment.”

“Yes?”

“Your Majesty.”

The Emperor’s mischievous teasing only ended when the Duke stopped him with a sharp, reproachful tone. The Emperor concluded the conversation by saying he would seriously consider acting as an example if the Magic Tower agreed to cooperate.

“He has no sense at all.”

Even as we left the audience chamber and walked toward the private wing, I felt completely drained of energy.

“He has a cranky streak. Be careful not to be swayed.”

I filed him in my head as a self-absorbed, cantankerous, slyly seasoned politician. No wonder one doesn’t become Emperor easily.

“You two seem close.”

Even though they were both royal, the Emperor treated the Duke almost like a nephew, with casual familiarity. The Duke did not deny it.

“My father and His Majesty were close, so I used to visit the Imperial Palace often when I was young.”

“Then you must be close with the Crown Prince as well.”

At that, a cross-shaped crease formed at the Duke’s temple.

“No, we aren’t.”

His frank answer made my eyes widen. I had expected the usual affirmative.

“There’s no need to claim we’re close if we’re not.”

‘In some ways he seems quite rigid in character…’

I thought he was a strictly conservative curmudgeon, but he was secretly intriguing. Maybe his looks made him more interesting. Faces do lend plausibility.

As we walked side by side toward the private wing, he suddenly stopped and turned his head toward me.

“Supreme Justice?”

His expression was serious.

“If His Majesty tries to introduce Lawrence, the Crown Prince, to you, tell me at once.”

“…May I ask why?”

“Being entangled with him… won’t be good.”

The Duke gave me a look of wary distrust and then walked on ahead.

Fortunately, the Magic Tower replied that they wanted to meet and discuss this matter. I had worried they might reject us outright, so I felt relieved.

‘Surely Aidan wouldn’t… right?’

He didn’t know about the project. Plans still needed the Emperor’s approval to be announced, and they were classified, so they weren’t leaked. The Magic Tower Lord must have read the report and replied.

The Duke immediately assembled a group to visit the Magic Tower.

“Simon the diplomat, Cornelia the secretary, and I will go.”

It was a sensible delegation: the proposer (me) and a diplomat skilled in communication.

‘What kind of place is the Magic Tower?’

In many ways, the biggest difference from the modern world here was how magic had advanced more than science. The thought of going to the headquarters of that power made my heart quietly race with anticipation.

Would there really be a tower like an endless skyscraper reaching the sky? I imagined it soaring like Jack’s beanstalk.

On the day of the meeting, we used a gate within the Imperial Palace to arrive near the Magic Tower and met two mages who had come to fetch us.

“Welcome to the Magic Tower.”

All the mages wore black robes bearing the Magic Tower’s sigil. They seemed very introverted; their voices were so soft it was hard to hear without concentrating.

“Wow…”

The sight of the Magic Tower shattered my imagination. The tower did rise slenderly, but it floated in the air. The surrounding forest, waterfalls, and natural scenery floated with it. Interestingly, the waterfall’s water fell but didn’t reach the ground; it seemed to circulate within itself.

“This way.”

The Magic guiding us made a gesture into the air and a magic circle appeared; in a flash of light it transported us upward. It happened in the blink of an eye.

“Amazing…”

It was the first time I had felt magic so viscerally. I could only say how wondrous it was. The other guide beside me smiled knowingly, perhaps because it showed on my face, which made me a bit embarrassed.

The Duke and Simon, by contrast, looked as if they had been to the Magic Tower before and were familiar with it.

“I feel this every time, but I never get used to it.”

“Get used to it.”

“…Understood.”

He was like a stern senior who shot back coldly, leaving the sad middle-aged gentleman unable to argue and replying reluctantly. At that moment, someone came running down the stairs leading to the second floor.

“Cornelia!”

A handsome young man with pale violet hair came running, and it was Aidan. He seemed to have forgotten we were here for a work meeting and lunged to hug me… but was stopped.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

The Duke had grabbed the back of his robe. Still, Aidan did not back down.

“You’re the one coming from the Imperial Palace? I’ll show you every corner of the Magic Tower!”

“Today we’re not here to sightsee; we’re here on business to meet the Magic Tower Master.”

Even dangling there, Aidan didn’t lose his usual vivacity; he looked like an excited puppy.

“I’ll, I’ll guide you! Let me go. Duke!”

“I’ll let you if you promise to behave yourself.”

“That was my mistake! I won’t do it again. Sorry, Coco.”

“Please be careful from now on.”

Only after hearing his surrender did the Duke let go. Aidan was tall, but the Duke was comparatively bigger and had easily lifted him, which surprised me. Strangely, Aidan didn’t seem to have hurt pride at all; he acted unfazed.

“Then, I’ll move us right away.”

Aidan smiled and snapped his fingers, and the surroundings changed to a different space in an instant.

“Hoho, come in, come in.”

A strange elderly man I had never seen greeted us with a kindly smile. Without introduction, he gave the impression of being the Magic Tower Master. His long white beard made him resemble a mountain spirit.

‘This is… the boss of the magical world…!’

To me he felt more impressive than the Emperor — having risen by magical skill alone rather than bloodline. After a brief greeting he slowly got to the point.

“I’ve read the proposal you sent. The Magic Tower’s certification aspect raised some concerns, but I fully understand the necessity. The rationale and intent are sound. However, from the contents it seems the Magic Tower’s staff would need to visit regularly to perform certification and inspections… and the problem is that most of them are reclusive researchers who won’t make suitable candidates.”

Simon tilted his head as if he didn’t quite understand.

“There are so many mages at the Magic Tower — are you saying not a single one can be a candidate?”

“Hoho, there were many applicants, but they’re not suitable. Since this will bear the Magic Tower’s certification, it requires potent magic. If it’s a spell anyone could break, it would be meaningless. I’m old and don’t have much time or stamina left, so it should be a senior mage who goes, but those with strong wills can’t be compelled.”

His point made sense. One could hire mercenary mages to break the registration spell, so they needed someone whose skill couldn’t be easily circumvented.

“Their disciples have firm personal worlds, so they may not grasp the purpose of what you propose.”

They don’t care what happens to the nobles; it’s not their concern. In a way, the mages at the Magic Tower might have a truly professional, job-oriented mindset.

“Can’t we try persuading them ourselves?”

Simon suggested again, but the Magic Tower Master only chuckled and stroked his unnecessarily long beard.

“Hoho, I doubt it’ll change anything even if you do…”

As the frustrating discussion continued, Aidan shot his hand up.

“I’ll do it.”

The Magic Tower Master’s inattentive eyes suddenly snapped open.

“Aidan, you?”

“Yes.”

“Are you serious? I distinctly remember you flatly refusing when I mentioned it before.”

“It seemed boring before. But now it looks like it will be fun!”

“Fun?”

Aidan rushed over and plopped down beside me. Having spent so long at the Magic Tower, he looked more at home there than in the Marquess household.

“Yes! My friend Coco is here! I have to help!”

At that, not only the Magic Tower Master but also the Duke, Simon, and the guides all turned their gazes toward me.

“Friend?”

I hurriedly corrected him.

“Ah, no. Aidan just feels comfortable with me. I once served as the aide to Lady Kiara of the Aurelius marquis family, so I happen to have a bit of acquaintance.”

Seeing my reaction, the Magic Tower Master seemed to piece together the situation and let out an inscrutable sigh.

“What are we to do with that fellow…”

“Yes?”

“You’ll find him quite tiring.”

“Ha ha. That is already…”

Was that a look of pity? After all, those at the Magic Tower knew Aidan well. He had already moved behind the Magic Tower Master, grabbed him in an embrace, and began rocking him back and forth in a steady rhythm.

“In any case, it seems the conditions are met. We will accept the request. We will send a dispatch to the Imperial Palace soon, so please take good care of them.”

Perhaps it was just my imagination that he looked much older than before. Whether he noticed or not, Aidan simply beamed happily at me.

“Let’s see each other often from now on, Coco!”

As I wondered how he could smile so innocently despite being older than Cornelia, the Duke suddenly rose from his seat.

“Thank you for granting our request. Unfortunately, I have urgent matters to attend to at the Palace, so I must take my leave first.”

I tilted my head in response to his words as if my neck might roll off.

‘An urgent matter… there is none though?’