✦ Chapter 85 – The Punishment (2) ✦
「Translator – Creator」
With only five minutes left until the presentation…
Hedera was tapping her fingernails against the armrest.
“…………….”
The sheer number of mages gathered here, including those in the audience, created a cacophony of voices.
As a dragon-blood bearer, she possessed exceptionally keen senses, and every single word, whether she wanted to or not, reached her ears.
“What are the Blue Tower’s prospects this time?”
“As always, we’re confident.”
Yes, the exchange meeting was an opportunity—
…a chance for the mages who stood beneath the Imperial Magic Tower to rise in rank and prove their worth.
But then, a particular comment caught her ear.
“The Imperial Magic Tower still hasn’t arrived.”
Hedera listened intently. It was the Purple Tower’s representative, twirling his mustache as he spoke.
“If they actually back out again at the last minute… the repercussions would be significant. No one would trust the Imperial Magic Tower anymore.”
“Trust in the Imperial Magic Tower? There wasn’t much to begin with. They’ve been dragging this out for over a decade, and there’s no evidence they’ve actually accomplished anything worthwhile during that time.”
This response came from the representative of the Black Tower, who was hugging a teddy bear tightly.
Hedera remained silent, listening to their conversation.
The exchange meeting was a long-standing tradition in the world of magic. Fairness and impartiality had to be upheld at all costs.
“Lady Teddy Divine, we have a report.”
Just then, someone approached the Black Tower Master with news.
“It seems a thick fog of dread has formed around the altar in the southern region. We believe the Imperial Magic Tower has failed in their attempt to purify the demonic sword.”
“What?! Hahaha… hahahahaha!”
The Black Tower Master burst into laughter, tears welling up in her eyes.
“A-HAHAHAHAHAHA—!”
“Purifying demonic swords is child’s play for the Black Tower. But for the Imperial Magic Tower, the supposedly most prestigious of all towers, to struggle… what a predicament! Truly concerning, wouldn’t you say?”
It wasn’t just the Black Tower Master; the other mages around them began murmuring amongst themselves, having overheard the report.
It seemed all but confirmed that the Imperial Magic Tower’s reputation had been dragged through the mud, and their whispers now carried a hint of mockery.
— Four minutes until the presentation.
A voice announced, and the entire hall fell silent.
With only four minutes remaining, it was considered improper for anyone, except the Black Tower Master, who was presiding over the event, to speak.
The Tower Masters, seated around the large, round table in the center of the hall, stood, as did the mages in the audience.
There was one empty seat that stood out amongst the others…
The seat reserved for the Imperial Magic Tower. There was still no sign of those who were supposed to be seated at the very center of the hall.
“………….….”
Hedera tapped her fingernails against the armrest, the four minutes suddenly feeling far too short.
Snap—!
The Black Tower Master snapped her fingers, and her teddy bear, expanding rapidly, floated into the air. It grew until it was the size of three warehouses.
On the teddy bear’s belly, something black was inscribed.
A perfect circle, twelve markings, three hands.
A clock.
GONG—
GONG—
GONG—
GONG—
The teddy bear resonated with a deep, sonorous sound. Four minutes remained until the presentations were to begin.
Hedera quietly took a deep breath.
Could something have gone wrong?
Would she need to step in?
If she did, she’d be violating the exchange meeting’s rules, resulting in severe penalties for the Imperial Magic Tower.
And yet, Hedera was prepared to intervene if necessary.
If anything untoward had happened to Ezekiel, she was ready to act without any hesitation.
It was at that moment that the Black Tower Master raised her arms.
“Now then, noble and esteemed mages,”
Her voice, laced with mana, echoed throughout the hall. She bowed gracefully, her elegant movements drawing attention—
—Inclining her upper body and gathering the fabric of her gothic lolita skirt to one side with a delicate hand.
“The time you have all been waiting for has arrived,”
Teddy Divine.
The one who effectively held the reins of the Black Tower.
She’d achieved a high level of mastery in black magic, granting her eternal youth. Even Hedera, a Second Imperial Princess, recognized her formidable power.
It seemed the Black Tower had indeed made good use of the last decade.
“Before we witness the brilliant achievements of each tower, I will now call the roll to ensure everyone is present.”
The childish tone in her voice had vanished.
As if she had aged a century in a few moments, Teddy Divine’s voice now resonated with a captivating feminine allure.
“Red Tower.”
“Present, burning bright with unyielding flames!”
A booming voice echoed through the hall, a testament to the Red Tower’s fiery passion and spirit.
“Green Tower.”
“Present, rooted firmly like an ancient tree.”
This time, the voice was calm and steady.
The Blue and Purple Towers were called next, each responding with confidence, showcasing their respective elemental prowess.
Only one tower remained to be called…
The one seat that remained empty…
“Imperial Magic Tower~”
The second the Black Tower Master announced their name…
…silence answered her.
“Oh dear, has the Imperial Magic Tower truly failed to arrive?”
A fact confirmed.
The attendees gasped, a wave of tension rolling through the hall like a dense fog.
The Imperial Magic Tower’s absence.
It was expected, yet desired.
They had wielded their authority with an iron fist, asserting their dominance over the other towers while neglecting their own internal affairs.
There was little love for the Imperial Magic Tower, a tower that demanded respect without proving its worth. Their downfall, their humiliation, was something most of the other towers secretly craved.
“The Imperial Magic Tower representative is still absent. When the clock strikes the hour, they will be excluded from the exchange meeting.”
Teddy’s voice was laced with amusement.
“This isn’t just about this one meeting. As punishment for concealing their incompetence for so long while holding the other towers to impossible standards, the Imperial Magic Tower will be permanently stripped of their participation rights.”
Stripping the most prestigious tower of their exchange meeting rights?
The consequences would be catastrophic.
“Well then, we now have three minutes remaining.”
Every gaze in the hall turned to the clock on the teddy bear’s belly, riveted by the movement of the second and minute hands.
GONG—
GONG—
Two minutes left.
If the Imperial Magic Tower’s seat remained vacant…
The tower that had long stood at the top, the one responsible for mediating conflicts and overseeing the affairs of the other towers, would lose all its prestige and tumble from grace.
It would be xa direct stain on the honor of the Imperial Family.
GONG—
One minute.
Hedera could fully sense the shift in the audience, their anticipation palpable. There was barely concealed schadenfreude in the air, a palpable sense of glee.
No, this won’t do.
Something was amiss.
Hedera had to intervene.
GO—O—O—
As the clock began to chime, signaling the passage of time…
O—O—O—
As the teddy bear was supposed to burst like a firework, marking the grand beginning of the exchange meeting…
Crack… Crack… Craaaack…
The teddy bear, already riddled with cracks, began to freeze over, its movements halting abruptly. Hedera’s eyebrows twitched, and everyone’s eyes widened in unison.
GO—O—O—
GO—O—O—
GO—O—O—
The teddy bear was completely frozen in place.
Thanks to this, the teddy bear continued to rotate within a certain range.
Crack—
Something white fell to the floor.
“…Ice?”
Someone murmured in disbelief.
All eyes immediately darted towards the Blue Tower, but…
“…………..”
…it quickly became apparent that the ice wasn’t coming from them.
Crack—
Crack—
Crack—
The sound echoed from above, growing louder.
A staircase, crafted entirely of ice, began to descend from the ceiling.
A man, flanked by two women, walked down the icy steps. They were dressed simply, like a common family, yet the aura they exuded was unmistakably regal.
Hedera’s eyes widened.
“……….…!”
It was him! The person she had been waiting for.
Ezekiel, the Inspector of Imperial Magic Tower, had arrived.
And at the same time, silence descended upon the hall.
No one dared to breathe, mesmerized by the spectacle before them.
“Everyone, listen.”
It was Ezekiel, the Imperial Magic Tower Inspector, who broke the silence.
He descended the stairs, his steps measured and deliberate. The sunweed tucked between his lips continued to smolder.
“The Imperial Magic Tower Inspector…”
One step.
Another step.
“Ezekiel…”
He passed Hedera, his gaze fixed on the center of the hall.
“Announces his arrival.”
His tone was unlike anything they’d heard from the other tower representatives—an air of authority, an almost arrogant assertion of dominance.
The audience remained speechless, completely captivated.
However, the Black Tower Master frowned.
“Inspector? You’re late. You’ve forfeited your right to participate…”
“Who said I was late?”
Ezekiel cut Teddy Divine off, his voice sharp.
“The clock has yet to strike the hour.”
GO—O—O… GO—O—O…
It was true.
The frozen teddy bear remained fixed in time.
“It seems the Imperial Magic Tower has no concept of time or place. Have you come here to play word games?”
“To begin with…”
Ezekiel chuckled.
“I haven’t come to participate in this exchange meeting.”
“…What?”
Teddy Divine’s frown deepened.
“Then what have you come for?”
Instead of answering, he gestured with his chin.
Agnes, who’d been flanking him, tossed a scroll towards the center of the hall.
“For the crime of delving into forbidden necromantic research…”
Thud… Thud… Thud…
The scroll unfurled as it tumbled down the icy steps, its length seemingly endless.
“For the crime of neglecting to intervene in bandit activity, for the crime of deceiving the other towers, for the crime of twisting the purpose of the exchange meeting—”
The list of crimes went on and on.
“…And for the crime of… insulting the authority of the Imperial Magic Tower.”
The list finally ended.
Crack! Crack! Crack!—!
The giant teddy bear shattered; frozen shards exploded outwards.
Like a bomb about to detonate.
“I have come here with the authority to punish the traitors.”
As Ezekiel’s foot left the final step and touched the ground…
…he finally spat out the sunweed.
“…Mercy. Exceptions. You will find neither here.”