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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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It felt a little embarrassing to toot his own horn, but he decided to just go with it.
Elena was unpredictable, so it was best to tread carefully.
He needed time to observe the situation and steer the conversation in a different direction.
“Are you sure about this?”
“About what?”
“…In case you haven’t grasped the gravity of the situation, let me just say that being in the spotlight comes with… certain implications.”
Elena began to explain.
“For starters, people will be far more interested in you than they are now.”
“That’s inevitable, isn’t it? I’m going to be the Court Mage. The only difference is that it won’t just be the nobles gossiping, it’ll be other countries as well.”
“You really know nothing about politics, do you?”
Elena sighed, as if she had expected this.
She massaged her temples, continuing her explanation.
“Think about it. The Court Mage has no real power. It’s an honorary position, a research position. You get a non-hereditary title equivalent to that of a Marquis and certain privileges, but that’s about it.”
“…Hmm.”
“And naturally, when your status rises, leeches come crawling out of the woodwork. Unfortunately, that’s a universal truth.”
“Why would they bother if there’s no real power involved?”
“It’s not that there’s no power; it’s just that there’s no direct power. Don’t misunderstand,”
Elena corrected him.
She decided to use an example.
“Let’s take your master, the previous Court Mage, for instance.”
“My master…?”
“Of course, he was an exception. he was at odds with the mainstream magic community, including the Magic Tower, so they didn’t bother him. But you’ll have to choose a side eventually. I guarantee it.”
“Choose a side… what do you mean?”
“You know how the Empire is divided into two factions, right?”
He suddenly understood.
Elena was a ticking time bomb.
He wasn’t interested in politics and had kept his distance, but the rumors suggested that the Empress’ days were numbered.
When that happened, all eyes would be on the next Empress.
The Crown Princess was the obvious choice, but Elena, with her superior abilities, had her own faction vying for the throne.
Right.
He should have told her to abandon her plans for a rebellion.
There had been so much going on that he’d forgotten about it.
Or perhaps “forgotten” wasn’t the right word.
The fuse had burned down further than he’d realized.
Now, it wasn’t just about how to convince Elena to accept his proposal… It was about preventing a civil war.
He needed to discuss this with someone else, he couldn’t make this decision alone.
“…Anyway, just say I did it. I’m confident, actually.”
“Confident about what?”
“I think I can defeat that dragon in a one-on-one fight if I attack first and prevent it from transforming.”
“…”
Elena looked at him skeptically.
Don’t judge me with your eyes.
Just say it.
It’s unnerving.
But he was confident.
He’d seen Abel struggling to break free from his binding spell, a one-on-one fight might actually be possible.
Elena, still skeptical, nodded reluctantly.
“I doubt it’s possible to defeat a dragon in a one-on-one fight, even if…”
“No, I’m serious. I can do it.”
“Let’s just say you can. We’ll omit Sylvia’s involvement and say you took care of everything.”
Elena’s tone left no room for argument.
He couldn’t push it any further, even though he was certain he could win.
For now, he was satisfied with diverting Elena’s attention.
It wasn’t easy to bring up such sensitive topics with someone like Elena, especially in this gender-reversed world.
He needed to prevent a civil war at all costs.
He had a lot on his plate now.
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Elena’s report reached the Crown Princess.
The Empress was technically the ruler, but he was unconscious and in critical condition.
The Crown Princess had been in charge for quite some time.
As Elena had predicted, the report caused an uproar.
“Second Princess.”
“There’s no need to shout. My hearing is perfectly fine.”
“Do you honestly believe this report?”
“Sigh…”
Elena sighed.
It was exactly as she had expected.
Omitting Sylvia’s existence had inevitably inflated Rudrick’s role in resolving the situation.
He had uncovered the dragon Abel’s plot, confronted her, fought her, and emerged victorious, foiling her plans.
It was a story no one would believe, even a child.
But what could she do?
She would walk through fire for the one she loved.
A few arguments were nothing compared to that.
“So, Your Highness thinks our dear friend, the Grand Duchess of Nord, fabricated all this? Perhaps I should relay your concerns to her directly?”
“…This isn’t a joke, Elena. Do you expect me to believe this ludicrous story? A dragon, a creature that vanished from the continent centuries ago, is involved in this? And Rudrick Weiss defeated it and forced it to retreat?”
“Hmph.”
Elena pretended to clean her ear with her finger and blew on it.
“We have a mountain of witnesses. What do you want me to do? Do you think it’s more likely that a dragon actually exists, or that everyone who went to the North was hallucinating from some drug-induced haze?”
“I’d say the latter is more likely.”
“Then I’ll be sure to convey that to the Grand Duchess.”
“Convey what?”
“That Your Highness is concerned about her frequent drug use.”
“…That’s not what I meant.”
The argument continued, a pointless exchange that only served to fuel their animosity.
The Crown Princess simply couldn’t believe the report, and Elena was struggling to convince her.
But the outcome was already decided.
“Sigh…”
The Crown Princess rubbed her temples, frustrated.
Eileen’s involvement was crucial.
Eileen Nord, the Grand Duchess of Nord, was a master swordsman, renowned for her skills.
She wasn’t simply born into a privileged position, she had earned her status through her own abilities.
It was unthinkable for someone like her to hallucinate.
There was only one logical conclusion.
“…This is unbelievable.”
It was understandable for the Crown Princess to be skeptical.
But publicly dismissing the report as a lie would be a mistake.
It would imply that she doubted Eileen’s integrity.
The Empire was already divided into two factions, and if the Nord Duchy sided with Elena, it would be a significant blow to the Crown Princess.
It was like an invisible blade held to her throat, forcing her hand.
Believe it, or suffer the consequences.
Elena knew this, and she pressed her advantage.
“We’ll know for sure soon enough. Just observe the situation in the North. If the barbarian attacks decrease and the number of monsters dwindles, we’ll know the report is accurate.”
If the situation in the North improved, there would be no denying the truth.
The Crown Princess couldn’t argue with that, and she finally relented.
“…Fine. Let’s assume the report is accurate.”
“Then we have one more thing to do.”
“And… putting aside the ludicrous details, his other accomplishments are undeniable.”
The Crown Princess couldn’t help but be impressed.
The number of monsters Rudrick had eliminated alone spoke volumes about his suitability for the position of Court Mage.
He had single-handedly accomplished what would have required an entire army.
Whether he was simply a prodigy or a hero from a bygone era…
She still wasn’t sure, but the justification was there.
And finally, the words Elena had been waiting for came.
“…I hereby appoint Rudrick Weiss as the Court Mage. We must arrange a ceremony as soon as possible.”
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