"One million gold coins."
"Is that... Dad’s wealth?"
"No, it’s our debt ! Kaaaaaah!"
I clutched the compensation bill in my hands and let out a wail of despair.
The price of obliterating half of the Empire’s most important facility—the Academy—was a crushing debt that even selling off the entire family estate wouldn’t cover.
The treatment for the victims was complete, and parts of the destroyed buildings had been rebuilt using the residual energy from dismantling the Tower of Illusions. But there was still so much left to restore.
The most significant problem was the destruction of facilities that contained expensive reagents.
Back when we fought the fake Mad Wizard at Crown Hall, we at least had an excuse—it was an attack by evil dark mages. We even reduced costs by using brainwashed dark mages for the repairs.
But the Tower of Illusions swallowing the Academy? Technically, it was the work of a dark mage too... but the one who lost control and caused the damage was Yuna.
Trying to explain to the victims that, "Our dear Yuna momentarily lost control of her power because of the vile scheming of a truly evil bastard. Please direct all compensation claims to the elusive 'Little Lamb'" wasn’t likely to win their understanding.
Ultimately, the debt was ours to bear.
But we didn’t have that kind of money. Paying it immediately would leave the entire Violet Magic Tower destitute and homeless. Such is the ruthless nature of capital.
In this unprecedented crisis, the Mad Wizard Family gathered to discuss how to tackle the situation.
Yuna, with determination glowing in her eyes, clenched her fists.
"I-I’ll find a way to earn the money."
"How?"
"I’ll... I’ll work as a mercenary."
How exactly does she plan to earn that much money as a mercenary? Even the highest-ranked mercenaries don’t make that kind of fortune.
But our Tower Lord thinks on a slightly different scale.
"I’ll take mercenary work... and destroy a kingdom. The payout should cover the debt, right?"
"Oh! Dad, that sounds great! Let’s do it!"
"‘Oh’ what, you brat?! No way! We’re already busy fighting dark mages. Why add more enemies? Besides, there’s the matter of ethics."
"Why is no one questioning whether it’s even possible to destroy a kingdom...?" Selvia muttered, baffled by the sheer scale of the suggestion. But in a way, that was the only productive insight from the meeting. The Tower of Illusions had significantly enhanced our party’s strength.
Even I could now transform into an Armored Great Monster. At this very moment, I could roar, grow enormous, and wrestle the Academy’s famed dinosaur golem.
Yuri seemed to have had her own epiphany. It looked like her experience of entering the Erasure Domain with severed limbs had inspired some major realizations.
And, of course, our Yuna.
"Y-yeah, I can do it. I mean, if it’s me... Yuna thinks this meeting should end in thirty minutes. Yuna and Yuna still need rest. The annoying parts should be handled by the wizard... Ack, stop popping out like that!"
Her unstable transcendence had stabilized somewhat, and now she had a clearer awareness of another Yuna—effectively gaining a second "head." It was like a permanent "double-projectile" event in a game.
At this point, she could definitely do it. She could destroy an entire nation.
Just as we were all high on our power-ups, Aisha brought us back to reality.
"Is this really the time for this? Shouldn’t we be figuring out how to pay off the debt instead?"
"..."
That apathetic attitude, as if this didn’t concern her, irked me. I immediately pitched my idea.
"Fine, I’ll gender-swap and become part of a two-person idol group that rules the Empire. By the time we finish a nationwide tour and hold a dome concert, we should have enough to pay off the debt."
"A duo?"
"Yeah. Me, in white tones, and Aisha, in black tones—a two-member girl group. If we add a touch of exposure and cutesy charm, we could steal the hearts of every man on the continent. It’s not a dream."
"...There’s no way I’m doing that!"
"For reference, my character’s concept is a lone wolf, and yours is a playful cat. With these personas, we’ll add a hint of yuri appeal to draw attention—"
Of course, I was joking. This plan would undoubtedly make money, but I’m no longer the cold, shameless person I used to be. Besides, too many people now knew my true identity.
If a random idol group suddenly swept across the continent, both Roderus and Irid would immediately figure out who I was. For the sake of my social reputation, I had to avoid the idol route.
"If it’s really that urgent, I can ask Red Tower Lord for a loan," Selvia offered. "Just sign this document, Professor."
"You seem to have brought the wrong document. That’s a marriage registration form."
"No, I brought the right one."
"..."
A small skirmish immediately broke out between Yuna, trying to tear up the marriage form, and Selvia, trying to protect it. Watching the chaos, I came to a conclusion.
There was only one answer.
"Do you have a plan?" Aisha asked.
"I do."
We had a surefire method for solving problems like this.
"Yuri, prepare some protective gear. Yuna, work with Sentra to create an offering. As for me... I’m going to meet Prince Irid."
"I heard from Sister C about the aftermath. Apparently, Prince Irid has been waiting for the Mad Wizard to show up so he can kill you."
"..."
I donned even thicker protective gear before heading off to meet Prince Irid.
I carefully opened the door and stepped inside.
"Pardon me, but—"
My voice caught in my throat. Sitting atop Irid’s desk was a spiked morning star, its menacing points glinting under the light.
After a long, awkward silence, I timidly pulled out a letter from my pocket and placed it on the desk.
"This is... a love letter from Sentra..."
"..."
Irid calmly removed the morning star, placing it beneath the desk. In its place, he set down an iron hexagonal club. I realized we were playing a game.
"T-this is a sweater... Sentra knitted by hand..."
"..."
"And this is a crystal ball containing Sentra’s healing ASMR whispers..."
"What’s ASMR?"
After a series of offerings, the iron club was replaced by a wooden stick, which was then swapped for a toy hammer. Only then did I feel safe enough to sit in the chair opposite him. That hammer wouldn’t hurt much, even if he used it.
I greeted him warmly.
"How have you been lately?"
"It would be better if someone hadn’t caused a disaster."
"It was unavoidable."
"I know. The necessary funds for compensation will be covered on this end."
Wow. That was unexpectedly cool of him.
I had always known that the second prince, Irid, was astute, magnanimous, and as kind-hearted as the ocean is vast, but I’d expected at least a bit of scolding before he offered to pay.
Irid seemed to read my thoughts and answered my unspoken question.
"It’s not right to blame those caught in a calamity. Besides... since the Tower of Illusions collapsed, the movements of the dark mages have significantly dwindled. Did you do something?"
"Well, I might’ve punched a hole or two in the head of a particularly vile bastard."
"I see. The world might not know, but I do. You’re not the type to sit back and take a hit. Enough about the compensation; there’s a more pressing matter."
A more pressing matter?
"This winter, the Imperial Succession Contest will begin."
I straightened up in my seat, leaning in attentively. This was critical. The contest to decide the empire’s ruler was a major event.
"I thought that was scheduled for the year after next."
"I convinced my sister and Sredo to petition His Majesty for an earlier contest. All the imperial heirs agreed to move it forward."
"And why is that? You wouldn’t have pushed for it without a reason."
"Because now is the time to settle this quickly."
Scrreeech.
Irid rose from his seat and walked to the window. The sunlight streaming through lit up his golden hair, making it gleam. Reflected in the glass, his blue eyes held a steely determination.
"Thanks to you, the three imperial heirs are united. The throne is essentially mine. Thus, the Succession Contest takes on a new meaning."
"...‘Weeding out the roots.’"
"Exactly. Under the guise of a competition among heirs, we’ll consolidate all the empire’s power into a single point and cut out the rot. Especially Duke Redburn. It’s time for him to retire and pass his title to his son."
"You’re preparing to draw your blade."
It was time to settle old grudges and eradicate the dark mages lurking within the empire. I stood, kneeling on one knee in deference.
"If that is your plan, what task would you entrust to me, Your Highness?"
"You’ll do as you please."
"...Huh?"
The answer was freedom. Irid pressed his fingers to his temples, as though staving off a headache.
"I won’t confine your chaotic—no, creative—nature with direct orders. Do what you do best and bring results. I’ll handle the aftermath."
"Your Highness...!"
They say people are moved when someone recognizes their talents, and I felt it in that moment. To trust me so deeply... it stirred something in my heart.
With this unlimited freedom, I’d ensure my actions bore fruit.
"Then I’ll sweep through everything efficiently. Just give me a list of nobles. I’ll convert the neutral faction to pro-royalist, crush the Redburn faction, and obliterate any sinister schemes."
"Just don’t overdo it. Even I have limits when it comes to cleaning up your messes."
"Heh, I’ll handle this perfectly."
"You’ve never failed before, which is why I should trust you, but I can’t help worrying about what chaos you’ll cause next. Even making people anxious like this is a talent of yours. That’s all. You’re dismissed."
Irid waved me away.
"..."
I hesitated, lingering. There was one request ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ I couldn’t decide whether to make. Sensing this, Irid turned to look at me.
"What is it?"
"Well, Your Highness... I have a humble request. Might you graciously grant it?"
"What is it, exactly?"
"Um, you see, I haven’t formally met Yuna’s parents yet. They’re trash, honestly. It annoys me. It’s petty, but I want some revenge. I’d like to flaunt my success to give Yuna a morale boost. Could you... help with that?"
"..."
Yes. I wanted to stage a spectacle at the Yurensto family’s estate, showing Yuna as the wife of the emperor’s closest confidant, her political standing soaring. I wanted to see her parents—who knew nothing of the pain they’d caused—forced to show her the respect she deserved.
"Let’s see..." Irid pondered briefly before responding.
"How about inviting all the empire’s dukes, the Imperial Knight Order, the National Defense Bureau, and my sister to accompany us? Add the heads of all the magic towers and involve the pope through your saintly connections?"
"...Uh, I wasn’t asking to go dragon-slaying here..."
The scale was overwhelming. If all those figures gathered in one place, it would look like preparations for a continental war. And with the glint in Irid’s eye, he wasn’t joking.
He seemed to take his love for people—and his support of others’ romances—very seriously. Of course, if this actually happened, it would be incredible, but...
"I don’t think we need to tilt the entire empire over this. Just... maybe a formal letter? Something polite to show we’re on good terms...?"
"Will a simple letter suffice? When visiting the Yurensto estate, let me know. I’ll arrive with a royal carriage, 100 attendants, and step out alongside you. Even a fool would recognize you as my confidant then."
I hadn’t expected him to go this far.
When he mentioned gathering the empire’s forces, the scale was so grand it didn’t feel real. But this—this was understandable, and it touched me deeply. My body trembled with gratitude.
"I will serve you with unwavering loyalty for life...!!"
I bowed with utmost sincerity, even dropping into a handstand to crawl forward and kiss his feet—a show of my utmost respect.
Irid recoiled in horror.
"Stop with the theatrics and get out, Mad Wizard!"
And so, I was kicked out.
The debt problem was resolved. Now, all that remained was honestly and diligently completing the recovery efforts. Fixing the students affected by the Illusionization was easy. With my relentless computational power, I sorted it out in no time.
However, a new problem arose—
That bastard sitting arrogantly on the throne in a black robe. He was the problem.
"You’ve come, Wizard. To keep me waiting like this—are you ready to pay the price? Or perhaps you intend to amuse me with your silver tongue?"
"...Enbers?"
"Do not utter that name. The moment I ascended to the heavens, I left behind my earthly name. I am now Cheonma Namgung Cheonghui. "
"..."
The Tower of Illusions had gradually expanded its domain, and someone had to oppose it. That someone was Enbers.
Because his Transcendence also expanded its domain, he believed he could counteract the Tower of Illusions.
But when Enbers invoked his transcendental skill, Sovereign Sword Form, within the Illusionary Realm’s boundary, part of its infinite trajectory and overflowing information materialized into reality. Unfortunately, what materialized was the martial path of the Heavenly Demon.
And so...
"To be strong... is to be so utterly alone."
Part of the Heavenly Demon’s attributes infused into Enbers, and the man had completely lost it.
"Yuri, grab the bat."
"Yes."
I grabbed my weapon first.
The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!