✦ Chapter 75 – Suspicious Couple (1) ✦
「Translator – Creator」
“… Acquire the secret magic of each Magic Tower?”
Agnes stared at Ezekiel, her eyes wide with disbelief. She’d always known he wasn’t your average mage, but…
‘… To think he’d attempt something this ambitious?’
She had a feeling he’d come back with something significant, but she never expected it to be this immense. How did the conversation even lead to acquiring those closely guarded secrets?
Their original mission for Agnes and Ezekiel, the reason they were on this journey, was simply to have a successful exchange meeting.
Even that was a daunting task, considering the decade-long gap in communication they had to bridge.
But…
To acquire complete records of each Magic Tower’s secret magic spells? A wave of anxiety washed over Agnes. This was far too reckless, even for Ezekiel.
“Whaaaaaat?!”
Tether, who had been inside the carriage, popped her head out, her jaw practically unhinged.
“You couldn’t possibly have contacted our Tower Master, Her Highness the Second Princess, already! Where in the world did you get such an outrageous order?!”
“There’s no need to worry,” Ezekiel said calmly. “I spoke with the Emperor himself.”
“Huh? H-H-His Majesty the Emperor?”!” Tether’s voice squeaked.
Well, that’s even more worrisome!
It was clear who held more authority—the Second Princess, their Tower Master, or the Emperor. If this was the result of Ezekiel’s private conversation with the Emperor… well, Agnes and Tether had every right to be alarmed.
“Don’t you think you’re overreaching, Inspector?” Agnes asked, her brow furrowed with concern. “What if you fail? The Emperor will be furious.”
“I volunteered for this mission,” Ezekiel replied, his gaze steady. “I want to do this.”
“…………….”
Agnes couldn’t help but massage her temples. What had gotten into him? How did he plan to manage this? She was his personal secretary, and yet, his actions continued to baffle her. Who in their right mind would attempt something like this… right before embarking on a crucial mission to the Black Tower?
But Agnes was nothing if not pragmatic. She couldn’t very well demand he return to the Emperor and beg for a change of plans. So, she did what she did best — she assessed the situation, coldly and rationally.
[Success]
She wrote those two words on her notepad, her mind racing.
If he succeeds… it’ll be a monumental achievement.
It wouldn’t just be good, it would be a game-changer. The Imperial Magic Tower, currently languishing in mediocrity, would soar back to its former glory.
‘The Imperial Magic Tower’s resurgence, the Emperor’s approval… both are stepping stones to reclaiming our former glory.’
Agnes couldn’t comprehend why the Emperor would entrust such a critical mission to the lackluster Imperial Magic Tower. But she continued her analysis, jotting down her thoughts in her notepad.
[Failure]
Those two words now stared back at her.
‘… What if the Emperor didn’t entrust this to us because he has faith in the Imperial Magic Tower? What if he simply needs an excuse to punish us?’
In simpler terms, it seemed like a mission designed for failure. Maybe it was a trap. After all, what better way to dispose of a disappointing Imperial Magic Tower than to give them an impossible mission and then use their inevitable failure as justification for their dismantling?
At least, that’s how it seemed to Agnes.
Every element of the situation pointed towards that conclusion.
After her calculations, Anes finally spoke. She was also idly spinning the cube in her hand.
“Inspector, first of all… you are quite remarkable.”
“I know, right?” Ezekiel replied smugly.
Agnes’s eyebrow twitched at his immediate self-praise, but she continued, maintaining her composure.
“I can’t fathom how you managed to secure a private audience with the Emperor, but…” She paused. “It’s quite rare for His Majesty to personally assign a solo mission.”
“Well, technically, it wasn’t a mission. It was more of a… trade.”
“…Yes, yes. Please, no jokes.” Agnes let out a weary sigh, then tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear with practiced elegance. “Regardless, there are several… concerns. Firstly, the sheer impossibility of the mission.”
“The difficulty isn’t really that important.”
“Of course you would say that.” Agnes sighed again. “But my second concern… is the impact this will have on the relationships between the Magic Towers.”
Click—! Click—! Click—!
Agnes’s cube spun in her hand.
“If we acquire those magic spells, it would certainly prevent any potential… mishaps, and it would be a tremendous boon to the Imperial Magic Tower. However…”
“However?”
“It would irrevocably damage relations with the other magic towers, wouldn’t it?”
“Ah.”
“The other Magic Towers would band together, seeing the Imperial Magic Tower as a common enemy. Am I not correct?” Agnes stared intently at Ezekiel, waiting for his response. “Surely you considered this before accepting the mission, Inspector. Didn’t you? Please….”
“Agnes.” Ezekiel said her name calmly.
“Yes, Inspector?”
“Since when has the Imperial Magic Tower ever had good relations with the other Magic Towers? As far as I know, there’s never been a time when things were… amicable.”
“Hmm?” Agnes tilted her head, confused.
“What exactly are our relations like with the other Magic Towers?” he asked, his tone casual, almost conversational.
“Well, as things currently stand… naturally…”
Agnes hesitated, unsure how to respond.
“They… acknowledge the Imperial Magic Tower’s position as the supreme tower. And we… extend them a certain level of courtesy,” she said, choosing her words carefully.
“It’s all just a facade,” Ezekiel scoffed. “Forced smiles and empty gestures. They’re just waiting for the right moment to strike us down. And this exchange meeting… that’s their opportunity.”
“……….”
Agnes had no argument. He was right.
“Agnes.”
“Yes, Inspector?”
“Why are you so… subservient?”
Agnes blinked, taken aback. “Subservient? You think I’m being subservient?”
Ezekiel nodded, his expression serious. “Look around. Who’s the one threatening us?”
“Well…”
The five other magic towers, of course.
For some time now, they had been ignoring the established reporting system, sharpening their blades in the shadows. And those blades were aimed directly at the Empire… and the Imperial Magic Tower.
“They might smile to our faces, but they’re hiding daggers behind their backs.” Ezekiel’s voice was laced with frustration. “You really think they’ll disarm themselves just because we’re nice to them? Because we bow and scrape?”
“…………….”
“No. That’s practically begging them to stab us in the back.”
He exhaled a plume of smoke from his sunweed.
“We don’t need to be friendly or subservient. We need to be strong. Strong enough to make them think twice before drawing those hidden daggers.”
Agnes fell silent, unable to refute his logic. She’d become accustomed to defeat, to accepting their diminished status. She hadn’t even allowed herself to imagine the Imperial Magic Tower as a force to be reckoned with.
But… what if they were that formidable? What if the other magic towers were too afraid to use their weapons, even if they kept them hidden?
“Are you saying, Inspector, that you intend to use the overwhelming might of the Imperial family to preemptively deter future attacks?” she asked, finally grasping the full scope of his plan.
“Precisely.” Ezekiel nodded.
“It’s not even that complicated, is it?” he continued, a hint of exasperation in his voice. “We’re the Imperial Magic Tower, for heaven’s sake! We should at least act the part.”
Agnes nodded slowly, beginning to understand. But she still had one more question.
“There’s still something I don’t understand, Inspector.”
“I’m listening.”
“Even if the Imperial Magic Tower regains its former prestige, won’t that simply make the other towers even more secretive about their magic spells? It’s only natural for them to protect their knowledge even more fiercely.”
“True.”
“So, while we might become safer, actually acquiring those magic spells will become even more challenging. Wouldn’t trying to force them to hand over their secrets… lead to all-out war?”
Ezekiel stared at Agnes, his expression unreadable.
“……….….”
He observed her for a long moment, and then…
He paused, picking at the sunweed stem with his fingers.
“…Agnes.”
“Yes, Inspector?”
“Are you… an idiot?”
“Excuse me?”
“Why would we steal them outright? We need a different approach.”
“……….….”
“Imagine this.” Ezekiel’s voice took on a sardonic edge. “You’re standing before a ferocious beast, desperately protecting its young. And you try to snatch one of its cubs… right in front of it.” He shook his head, as if exasperated by Agnes’s perceived naiveté. “What do you think will happen? Of course, it’ll attack. Why would we give them a reason to retaliate? My secretary is such an idiot.””
“………..….”
Agnes gritted her teeth, her forehead vein standing out. It wasn’t as if she wasn’t aware of the concept of ‘stealing’ the secrets. It was just… impossibly difficult, wasn’t it?
“So you’re saying we’ll… take them secretly?”
“We’re not thieves. So disgracefully?”
“But then, how…?”
“There’s no need to worry.” Ezekiel brushed aside her concerns. “I have a plan.”
“What plan? Do enlighten us, Inspector.”
“Hmm… how to explain this simply…”
Puff—!
He blew out a plume of smoke, a mischievous grin spreading across his face.
“We’re going to relieve them of their treasures… without them even realizing it. That’s the art of it all.”
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Just then… Tether spoke up, her voice laced with panic.
“B-But… what are we going to do?!” She frantically glanced at her wristwatch. “We should have reached at least the village near the Black Tower by now! We only have ten minutes left…!”
“……..?”
That’s right. Departure and arrival.
Ezekiel had completely forgotten about those minor details. He stared at Agnes, his brow furrowing with confusion.
…Wait, why hadn’t Agnes set off yet?
“Agnes, why haven’t you left?”
“Well… about that…” A rare look of distress crossed Agnes’s normally composed features. She bit her lip, hesitant.
“It’s not that we hadn’t left, Inspector,” she finally admitted. “It’s that we… couldn’t.”
…What? Why couldn’t they depart?