Episode 44
“[Is that so? I haven’t heard anything about that. Haha.]”
The laughter coming from the communication device sounded strained. Cesar tilted his head, his purple eyes gleaming.
“I’m on my way to the Imperial Palace, assuming she’s there, and I find it quite a coincidence. What do you think, Master?”
“[You know I won’t answer even if you ask.]”
“Yes, I know. I was just asking.”
Just then, the rattling carriage stopped. It seemed they had arrived at the Imperial Palace.
“Then I’ll hang up now that I’ve arrived. Oh, before I forget, could you convey my message to Lily?”
“[I don’t know her whereabouts, but since it’s my disciple’s message, I’ll listen.]”
“Tell her she can’t escape my grasp. And if you feign ignorance and obstruct me again, I’ll consider you no longer my master and act accordingly. I would appreciate it if you kept that in mind.”
His chilling voice, sharp as a blade, echoed in the air, and the light on the communication device blinked out.
The Tower Master, left alone, smiled awkwardly.
“My, my. He’s my disciple, but he’s so terrifying.”
And the lack of any falsehood in his words made it even more chilling.
“His attitude towards his master is a bit too much,” the Tower Master muttered and slowly raised his head. A colorful flow of mana filled his vision.
The flowing fate and the predetermined future were clear to him. But it was the Tower Master’s role to remain neutral and not interfere.
“I helped a little because it piqued my interest, but whether this change leads to the predetermined ruin or a new path depends on you, little bird.”
A single movement to escape fate had summoned a new soul. And that was changing fate.
Of course, he would have to wait and see what the end of this unknowingly changing fate would be.
“Others will start making their moves soon, so do your best. My disciple isn’t the only one who wants you back.”
“Don’t you like the tea?”
“No, it’s delicious.”
Actually, I couldn’t taste the tea. I was just anxious, unable to discern the Second Prince’s intentions.
I thought he wouldn’t invite me to his palace, assuming it was just a simple tea time, but for some reason, he had brought me here.
I recalled Pona’s flustered expression as we left the Imperial Library.
‘Lady Valerie, you came out earlier than exp… Your Highness?’
With Arenz having gone to the Empress with the Crown Prince, there was no way Pona, a mere maid, could stop him, a member of the royal family.
I thought of her anxiously waiting outside, but I couldn’t leave either. Knights were standing guard at the entrance to the reception room, behind the Second Prince, and beside me.
‘This reminds me of when I first arrived at the Imperial Palace. Surrounded by knights, a sharp blade pointed at my throat.’
It seemed I had briefly forgotten that feeling after the Crown Prince appeared with only Arenz.
‘I realize now that him bringing only Arenz was a form of consideration.’
I glanced up and saw the guard beside the Second Prince reach for his sword.
‘I just looked up; what’s the big deal?’
The Second Prince stopped him and spoke to me,
“Are you not interested in talking to me, judging by your silence?”
“…Of course not. I’m so thrilled to have tea time with you, Your Highness, that my heart is pounding.”
“Really? I thought you were speechless from fear.”
‘You know everything. You know that I’m wary and observing you.’
And yet he was asking as if he didn’t know. His personality was quite similar to my owner’s. That’s probably why they were able to collude.
“Valerie. I have many questions for you. That’s why I called you here.”
“You have questions for someone ordinary like me? I’d like to hear what they are.”
‘Please don’t ask anything. Or please let them be trivial questions.’
I prayed earnestly, but I had a bad feeling.
It was the time when spring was ending and summer was approaching. The next season, autumn, was when Cesar would join forces with the Second Prince, instigating the struggle for the throne, starting with the hunting competition.
It also meant that the Emperor would soon be poisoned and slowly die, and one of the Crown Prince’s close aides would be framed, leading to the downfall of his faction.
‘The casualties in the final part won’t happen because I eliminated the monster, but the political climate is very unstable right now.’
It was natural for him to be interested in me, a random person who had appeared at such a crucial time.
“You said you were entrusted with a task?”
“Pardon?”
“I’m asking about what you told me before, that my brother entrusted you with a task after summoning you from another country. Do you not remember?”
“No, I remember.”
“I heard that the task my brother entrusted to you was originally meant for the Tower Master. You managed to accomplish it.”
His question brought back memories of the destroyed building, the confiscated reward, and the moment I almost got eaten by a monster.
“Yes. It was originally a task for the capable Tower Master, but somehow, I ended up doing it…”
I vividly recalled the feeling of being ordered to eliminate the monster without any explanation. Looking back, it felt like that was the turning point where everything went wrong.
‘Damn Tower Master. May you collapse on the street and no one notices… Well, that’s a bit too much. May you roll off your bed while tossing and turning in your sleep.’
As I was silently praying for him to experience a fraction of my suffering, the Second Prince smiled brightly.
That smile was ominous.
‘The craziest one in this novel is the Second Prince. There’s no way he would be smiling so cheerfully for no reason…’
A cold sweat broke out. My mouth felt dry, and I almost took a sip of tea but stopped myself.
His lips moved slowly, speaking smoothly,
“A task so mana-intensive that even the Tower Master had to do it. I visited the place where you eliminated the monster, and it was truly astonishing… enough to make me want it.”
His swamp-like green eyes scanned me.
My heart sank. It was strange that he had deliberately approached me and brought me to his palace.
There was only one reason why he would summon me, someone close to the Crown Prince, to a place where none of the Crown Prince’s people were present.
‘…To win me over.’
The Second Prince wanted the power I possessed under his control.
I swallowed nervously. Noticing my wary gaze, he spoke as if offended,
“Did my brother tell you something? I’m hurt that you’re so wary of me. I just said I wanted to talk.”
“…The tea is delicious.”
His smile faltered as I changed the subject.
“I see, I’m glad you like the tea. But I’m an impatient person.”
“Ugh.”
The knights, who had been silently standing guard, pointed their sharp blades at my throat.
“You seem to understand why I called you here. Why don’t you stop pretending you don’t? I’m not the type to show mercy to those beneath me.”
I flinched at his sharp warning. There was no one here to protect me.
Realizing this, my gaze instinctively shifted to Cardian. My keen senses, honed from trying to appease my owner to survive, kicked in.
“You’re finally looking at me. It’s good that you’re quick-witted. So, Valerie,”
His low voice was slimy and creepy, like a snake coiling around my skin.
“Why don’t you come to me, instead of my brother’s side?”
He seemed to covet the seemingly useful pawn his brother possessed. But I didn’t understand why he was using such a blatant method.
Why was he so eager to reveal his claws?
“Why are you suddenly saying this?”
“I did a little background check on you. But it came up empty. Isn’t it strange that there’s absolutely nothing about you?”
“I’m just an ordinary…”
“Stop saying you’re ordinary. Even if you came from another country, there should be some record of your identity, but there’s nothing. And I’m sure my brother is also unaware. But that wary brother of mine is keeping such a suspicious person by his side? That’s ridiculous. My brother doesn’t keep suspicious people close.”
Unless they were valuable.
A chilling atmosphere filled the reception room. The sharp blades were still pointed at me.
‘They’re brothers, alright, acting so similarly. Though this one feels more dangerous.’
“Is it about money?”
“Pardon?”
“Are you staying by my brother’s side because of money? Or have you fallen for him? Is that why you decided to become his pawn?”
‘What nonsense is he spouting? Fallen for him? And become his pawn?’
If he knew my situation, trapped in the Imperial Palace with no way out after destroying a building and having my identity exposed while trying to eliminate a monster, he wouldn’t be saying such things.
All I was thinking about was escaping the Imperial Palace.
“My brother is a suspicious person. He already knows that I summoned you, so he won’t fully trust you.”
I was well aware of that. I hadn’t expected to find the stability I lacked in my former nest in the Imperial Palace.
“It’s a misunderstanding. I’m just a guest in the Imperial Palace, and I intend to leave as soon as this matter is resolved.”
“Where to? Do you have anywhere to go? This clean record tells me there’s something you’re hiding.”
Blank parchments scattered on the floor. The fluttering parchments seemed to symbolize my unstable life.