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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: selkie
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A small complaint arose in his mind, but he suppressed it as he felt the Emperor’s concerned gaze upon him. He nodded slightly to brush it off.
“How did this happen?”
The worry was brief. The Emperor quickly regained his composure and asked for an explanation.
Raymond tried to hide his tense expression and swallowed dryly. Since he couldn’t reveal anything about ‘The Spear of Sacrifice’ yet, he needed to respond carefully here.
His mind racing at full speed.
“Actually, I found a book in Imperial Treasury Room 7 that described how to create a path of mana. I became interested and decided to try it.”
“So what happened?”
The Emperor asked with curiosity in his voice. The priest beside him signaled that Raymodn was fine, which seemed to ease some of the Emperor’s concerns.
“I opened up my path for mana.”
“Really?”
The Emperor was surprised. The royal knights guarding him also widened their eyes in astonishment.
‘The infamous Fifth Prince managed to open up a path for mana through self-study?’
There was some truth mixed with lies, but they had no way of knowing otherwise. Everyone looked at the Fifth Prince with surprised eyes while only the Royal Guards remained composed.
“Yes, Your Majesty. Why would I lie about something like this?”
“I believe you…”
It didn’t seem necessary to mention anything about its actual manifestation just yet.
“The foreign minister will be arriving soon,” announced one of the attendants near them.
“Already?”
It seemed like the Emperor had postponed all other schedules because news of his son collapsing reached him quickly enough for him to rush over immediately during such busy times.
“Don’t overexert yourself.”
With those words, the Emperor left the infirmary area where Raymond lay recovering from exhaustion primarily caused by using ‘The Spear of Sacrifice’.
As the tension from the Emperor’s sudden visit faded, the royal knights finally allowed themselves to breathe, calming their nerves.
“How is Prince Fifth doing?”
As the situation calmed down, Alex was the first to step forward. The priest, who was asked a question, opened his mouth with a faint smile.
“You have exhausted a lot of your life force, but if you rest and stabilize for a few days, you will recover.”
“Thank you.”
Although I had no intention of resting quietly, I nodded in response for now. Then, Raymond, who had returned to the Fifth Prince’s palace, called for Alex.
“Did you call for me? Your Highness the Fifth Prince.”
“Alex. There will be a visitor in secret, so ease the perimeter around the bedroom.”
“Is it really okay after the palace was attacked just a little while ago?”
Alex cautiously expressed his concerns. He understood the meaning of the secret visit Raymond was talking about, but he couldn’t help but worry.
Although my feelings towards the Fifth Prince had developed into affection recently, I was not fully loyal to him.
However, if something happened to the Fifth Prince, Alex would be the first to respond.
“Alex, you don’t have to worry. It will only be for a moment, just refrain from patrolling for about 30 minutes.”
“…Yes, Your Highness the Fifth Prince.”
“Go and rest.”
Alex stepped back. And how much time had passed? Slowly, the door opened, and an old man dressed in a brown robe walked in.
The Tower Master, Lysfield Dior.
“Have you come, old man?”
I turned my head toward the direction where I sensed a presence, putting down my cup.
There stood Lysfield with a tired expression.
“You didn’t wear the robe of the Blue Tower.”
“Your Highness the Fifth Prince, there has been a commotion.”
Even though he was the youngest, it would indeed cause a stir since a member of the royal family had collapsed in the Tower.
Instead of answering, Raymond slowly nodded.
“The investigator has already visited. I really had a hard time making excuses.”
Lysfield wiped the beads of sweat rolling down his face. Raymond frowned as he filled his cup.
The investigator came to the Tower? That’s a bit excessive, isn’t it?
“No matter how much I collapsed, they sent an investigator from the royal family? Old man, what on earth have you been doing? It seems you’ve done something to be suspected?”
“Sigh! The investigator had no choice but to come.”
Lysfield let out a sigh mixed with various complicated emotions.
The ground seemed to be collapsing.
“Because a hole was made in the Tower, which is covered in defensive magic.”
“…What do you mean by that?”
“Don’t you remember?”
‘No, I really don’t remember.’
“The Spear of Sacrifice that Your Highness the Fifth Prince used made a hole in the Tower.”
‘No way?’
“I really had a hard time covering that up.”
Lysfield’s voice was serious. It seemed he was not joking.
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In the office of the Blue Tower Master.
Raymond was sitting in the main seat, and in front of him stood the Tower Master, Lysfield Dior, who was sighing repeatedly.
“Do you know how powerful the Blue Tower’s defensive magic is?”
“I have a rough idea.”
“The first Tower Master, an ancient grand mage, designed and drew the defensive magic circle himself. Do you know what this means, Your Highness the Fifth Prince…?”
Instead of answering, I shook my head. Then Lysfield stepped forward with a serious expression and spoke.
“It means that Your Highness the Fifth Prince has shattered the defensive seal of the grand mage. This cannot be restored.”
‘Yeah, I messed up.’
“I will compensate you when the time comes.”
“Yes, I will need the repair costs.”
That was a reaction I somewhat expected. Since there were precious gems found in the secret room left by Hansen, I nodded willingly, waiting to see how much the Tower Master would charge for the repairs.
“The repair cost is for Your Highness the Fifth Prince to live in the Tower for a week.”
I did not expect this.
“The Emperor will—”
“He’ll allow it. If you personally request it, Your Highness.”
This old man is quite crafty.
“Why don’t you spend a week learning magic in the Tower?”
The Tower Master, Lysfield, said with a gentle smile. It seemed he was determined to block any escape routes and drive the nail in.
‘The Fifth Prince has a talent bestowed by the gods. If it’s this person, even the grand mage would not be impossible.’
The light of strong desire flickered in Lysfield’s eyes as he looked at the Fifth Prince.
After the great war, the only surviving ancient nation is the Philios Empire. However, they lost far too much to survive. It has been hundreds of years since the grand mages and sword masters have been cut off.
The Philios Empire’s Mage Tower Alliance has been striving to produce grand mages, but there have been no results yet. However, hope has appeared from a completely different place. And the Tower Master saw that hope.
“Old man, if you look at me like that, it makes me feel pressured.”
“Ahem! In any case, you must pay the repair costs!”
“Is there no other way? Even if it’s not the enemy nation of the Haifel Empire, we could invite a grand mage from the Mage Kingdom to handle the repairs?”
I know that there are grand mages in the Mage Kingdom.
Officially, there are at least two known, and two more who are secretly in hiding.
Since I had seen the setting book, I knew about the existence of the hidden grand mages known only to the king and the upper echelons of the Mage Kingdom.
“We cannot entrust the repairs of the Tower to a grand mage from another country!”
The Tower Master raised his voice.
“There are hidden grand mages in our own empire…”
I suddenly realized my mistake and hurriedly closed my mouth. It was not yet time to bring up this setting.
It was still too early to reveal the One-Armed Swordmaster or Red Beard.
“Pardon?”
“It’s nothing.”
I shook my head and stood up, but Lysfield’s suspicious gaze followed me. I felt cold sweat running down. Realizing I needed something to change the subject, Raymond hurriedly spoke.
“I’ll inform His Majesty the Emperor myself, so there shouldn’t be any issues with staying in the Blue Tower for a week.”
“It will be a pleasant time, Your Highness the Fifth Prince.”
‘Yeah, for you, maybe.’
I swallowed the last part lightly.
With a faint smile on my lips, I nodded and left the Tower Master’s office to join my attendants.
“Your Highness, do you have a close relationship with the Tower Master?”
Alex couldn’t hold back his curiosity and cautiously asked.
Since I had been treating him well lately, it seemed he had forgotten much of his trauma. In the past, he would never have dared to ask a question or come this close.
“It’s not really a close relationship; it’s more like we got to know each other by chance.”
“I’ve heard that the Tower Master rarely engages in external activities, but as expected of the Fifth Prince.”
A light compliment.
“I’ll escort you back to your palace.”
Alex bowed his head as he spoke, but Raymond shook his head.
“I’m sorry, but I have somewhere to go first.”
“No way… You’re going to the royal palace?”
Alex was taken aback, but it was unnecessary worry.
‘The Emperor favors me.’
Knowing this information was a more powerful weapon than I had expected.
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I received the Emperor’s permission. When I expressed my intention to live in the Tower for a week to practice mana, the Emperor nodded with a look of admiration rather than opposition.
It was good news that my son, who had lived a reckless life for five years, suddenly wanted to get his act together and practice magic.
Learning to handle mana would open the path to becoming a powerful knight wielding a mana sword, even if he didn’t become a mage.
If I progressed further, I could become a sword master wielding an aura blade.
“You’ve been frequently visiting the palace lately, Raymond.”
“Is that you, Brother Aloken?”
As soon as I stepped out of the audience room with the Emperor’s permission, the Third Prince, Aloken, walked out from around the corner.
“I told you not to take an interest in the throne, yet you still don’t listen to me.”
He wore a gentle smile, but his tone was threatening.
“I’ll handle it myself.”
I replied coldly. Did that sound like rebellion?
The friendly smile on Aloken’s face twisted.
“Are you defying me right now?”
Aloken came on strong. No matter how reckless the Fifth Prince was, I didn’t expect him to act this boldly in front of the royal knights.
I subtly turned my head toward the attendants behind me.
“Do you trust the royal knights behind you? Do you really think they are your knights?”
The Third Prince spoke in a sinister voice. The royal knights silently took three steps back.
Alex managed to hold his ground, but he was trembling to the point of being pitiful.
‘The Third Prince is scarier than I expected.’
I never thought he would fill the royal knights of the Fifth Prince’s palace with his own people; I hadn’t anticipated this.
No matter how powerful the Third Prince’s influence was, it couldn’t have been achieved in a short time. He must have been preparing for this for years.
“What do you think?”
Aloken shrugged his shoulders with a villainous expression.
It seemed he hoped to see me tremble in fear, but unfortunately, I felt nothing.
The only thought I had was that I needed to quickly establish my own power and form a direct guard.
‘I need my own people.’
The current Emperor, Ronald Philios, was an excellent ruler, but he was now old and sick.
Just by seeing how the Third Prince filled the knights he sent with his own people, I could tell how weakened the Emperor’s power had become.
“I will take your advice to heart.”
“You should, if you want to live long.”
The Third Prince said coldly as he gracefully walked away with his attendants.
“Your Highness the Fifth Prince…”
Alex approached. I kept my eyes on Aloken’s retreating figure and spoke.
“Don’t say anything right now.”
Saying that, I headed toward the Fifth Prince’s palace first. I needed time to organize my thoughts.
“Your Highness the Fifth Prince, everything is ready.”
As I strolled through the garden of the Fifth Prince’s palace, organizing my thoughts, Alex approached and reported.
Although I was only supposed to stay for a week, there was a lot to prepare since I was a member of the royal family. It seemed like it took longer than expected.
“Okay, good work.”
Now it was time to go to the Blue Tower. As I moved, the royal knights waiting inside and outside the garden all moved in unison.
‘There are too many.’
There were more than ten of them. Given that it was not long after the palace attack, the Emperor had assigned about ten royal knights to accompany me on the condition that I would stay in the Tower for a week.
The close guards would be around two or three, including Alex, but having so many eyes on me would inevitably be distracting.
“The carriage is ready, Your Highness.”
“Alright.”
The carriage to the Tower was ready. Since the Tower was near the capital, the travel time wasn’t long. The carriage was also royal property, so it was comfortable. In front of the Tower, Lysfield and several elder-level mages were waiting to greet us.
When the carriage stopped and Raymond got out…
“Welcome, Your Highn—”
“Old man, let’s go to your office.”
Without waiting for formalities, he started walking ahead.
The Tower Master, Lysfield, followed with a puzzled expression.
Eventually, we arrived at the Tower Master’s office on the top floor. As if it were a matter of course, I sat in the main seat, casting a serious glance at Lysfield, and opened my mouth.
“Old man.”
“Yes, Your Highness the Fifth Prince. Please speak.”
“I’ve changed my mind.”
I had no intention of becoming a mage. I thought I would just do the basics, so I planned to take it easy during my week of living in the Tower.
But my thoughts had changed.
“At the very least, I’ll reach the level of a lower-rank mage.”
“What…?”
Lysfield looked back with a puzzled expression, as if I had said something out of the blue.
‘Ah, did I skip too much? Then let me explain it properly.’
“I will reach at least the level of a low-level mage within a week.”
“Your Highness the Fifth Prince, even if you are a genius, it usually takes over a year to reach that level. On average, it takes ordinary people more than four years to refine their mana to become a low-level mage.”
The Tower Master, Lysfield, cautiously expressed his concerns.
No matter how talented Raymond was, he thought it would be impossible to reach the level of a low-level mage in a week without any prior training in magic.
“If I have your cooperation, it will be possible.”
“…Excuse me?”
Lysfield’s eyes trembled with anxiety.
“Hand it over.”
“Excuse me?”
“Is that all you can say? Hand over all the secret teachings of the Blue Tower.”
This was outright extortion. Lysfield nearly fainted at the Fifth Prince’s words. He felt his mind going blank.
