Chapter 03
The Mad Dog of the Mage Tower (1)
Prodia had met countless students through the imperial civil service exams.
But there was one fatal flaw in those exams.
Only the children of nobles were allowed to take them.
“I need to check the status screens of non-nobles too. Ugh, this whole class system is ridiculous.”
Nobles made up only a small percentage of the empire’s population.
Moreover, among the noble heirs, there was no one capable of completely eliminating their karmic debt.
She had tried volunteering as an educator in various places, but the results were always the same.
And it wasn’t like she could meet every single person in the empire.
Then, finally, an opportunity arose.
Thanks to the consort selection contest, she had a chance to meet young people from all over the empire—without any social restrictions!
In the reception room of the Ducer Count’s mansion, Prodia sat at the center of a long, large table.
She was there to meet the applicants who had come to see her.
Next to her were stacks of documents—applicants’ personal statements.
To check their status screens, she had to face the applicants in person, and even interviews felt like a waste of time.
So she made them submit their personal statements directly, not by mail.
“It might be annoying for them, but I don’t care. I need to see their status screens.”
Prodia spoke to her servant.
“Please call in the next applicant.”
The reception room door opened, and a young man stepped inside.
“Ah, um, h-hi…”
An ordinary-looking young man entered, trembling badly.
“…Hello.”
Prodia narrowed her eyes.
“Just from the look of him, I can tell. He’s already hopeless.”
But she still had to check. She activated the status screen.
“Status screen.”
Pop!
[Name: Nomar
Occupation: Trainee Knight
Dream: Life is one shot
…
Karmic debt that can be erased: 19]
Prodia clicked her tongue.
“How is it that his erasable karmic debt is even lower than James at our house?”
She picked up the papers and gave a deadpan response.
“Thank you. We’ll contact you soon. Next.”
Disappointment continued for quite a while.
[Erasable karmic debt: 84]
“Next.”
[Erasable karmic debt: 172]
“Thank you. Next.”
“…Next.”
Prodia was completely exhausted.
How could there be none suitable?
She wasn’t even expecting total eradication of karmic debt anymore.
How could the erasable karmic debt not exceed three digits?
She raised her hand toward the servant.
“Ha… let’s take a short break.”
He nodded and left the room.
Her head hurt.
What if she couldn’t find a suitable candidate this way?
“Do I have to go around the empire on foot to find someone…?”
She got up and walked toward the window.
She wanted a bit of fresh air to clear her mind.
But seeing the crowd of applicants outside gave her another headache.
“Hmm… might as well just get it over with quickly.”
She closed the window and returned to her seat.
Then, something surprising caught her eye.
Far away, the applicants seemed to part like the Red Sea.
“Uh?”
Through the gap, a man was walking calmly toward her.
It was hard to see his face from afar, but she was certain.
With each step he took, the applicants automatically cleared a path.
Prodia frowned.
“Must be the child of some prestigious family.”
Of course. He was probably trying to cut the line using his status.
No way his status screen would be worth looking at…
Then she heard a familiar name among the parted crowd.
“…Da—”
“Irtis!”
Prodia’s eyes widened at the name.
“What?”
She knew that name very well.
Prodia swung open the window roughly.
Clatter!
She leaned out to observe the man in this miraculous scene.
As he drew closer, his face became clear.
Blueish-lavender hair, mint-colored eyes that gleamed intensely.
Almond-shaped, half-lidded eyes like a lazy cat, a small tear mark beneath them.
A face so stunning that no beauty from the empire could surpass it.
Everything matched the rumors.
Irtis.
The “mad dog” of the Eastern Mage Tower… no, the archmage hailed as the next head of the Mage Tower was walking into the Ducer Count’s mansion.
A few minutes earlier.
The Ducer Count’s garden was packed with applicants.
This was due to Prodia’s unusual rule of making them submit their applications in person.
“Why in person? Wouldn’t it be easier by mail?”
“Right? And it’s not like she’s even doing interviews.”
“Maybe it’s some kind of test?”
“She might do something like that. You never know what she’s thinking.”
The applicants received numbered tickets from the butler and waited in line.
There were so many people that they had to split into multiple lines.
But the lines didn’t seem to shrink, no matter how long they waited.
“Will we even get to see her today?”
As they waited impatiently, the space around them began to ripple.
A flash of purple light appeared at the mansion’s entrance.
“?!”
Everyone turned in shock.
No one could say a word as the air seemed to tear apart, forming a huge rift.
It was a teleportation magic circle.
From within the dark circle, a long leg suddenly appeared.
The startled applicants screamed.
“Ahhh!”
Unbelievable.
An intruder using magic in a noble’s mansion in broad daylight!
Then, the full figure emerged from the black circle.
A tall man in a black robe.
Everyone was gripped by fear.
Should they inform Prodia first? Or run away?
Call the guards…!
Amid the chaos, the man slowly removed his robe.
“….”
Finally, his face was revealed.
The applicants’ feet froze instantly.
The figure was breathtakingly handsome.
An intruder? Maybe…
But someone recognized him and screamed.
“I-I… Irtis!”
“!!”
The applicants were horrified.
Who? Did I just hear that right?
Everyone looked at each other silently, cold sweat running down their spines.
Irtis.
The archmage of the Eastern Mage Tower.
With infinite, inexhaustible magic. A fearsome talent called the next head of the Mage Tower.
And…
Irtis yawned loudly in their direction.
“Yaaawn.”
Behind that relaxed appearance hid a completely… wild personality.
Rumor had it a single yawn from Irtis could kill several people.
The pale-faced applicants forgot even to run, frozen on the spot.
Then, Irtis turned and started walking.
His steps clearly aimed for the mansion.
The applicants instinctively cleared the way.
Their instincts screamed:
If you block him… you die.
The applicants in front parted miraculously to either side.
Oh no… Prodia is inside the mansion…
But they couldn’t risk dying in front of the walking disaster.
As their instinct and conscience struggled, Irtis walked inside the Ducer mansion.
Seeing Irtis from the window, Prodia tilted her head.
“Archmage Irtis? Why is he here?”
Not very frightening.
The truly terrifying thing in this world is editorial hell, not some crazy mage.
Still, she was curious.
Surely he didn’t come here to participate in the consort selection contest, right?
“No way.”
Mages are proud. Such a person would never aim to become a consort.
Especially someone called the next head of the Mage Tower.
“And it’s not just about becoming a consort, but entering the contest.”
If that’s not his goal, then why is he here?
While she pondered, the reception room door swung open.
It was Irtis.
He ignored the numbered ticket and walked in.
Prodia looked at her servant.
Half paralyzed with fear, he seemed barely aware of reality.
“I can’t scold him now.”
Prodia nodded slightly and gestured for the servant to leave.
Flushed with relief, he closed the reception room door behind him without even greeting.
Now only the two of them remained.
Irtis stepped forward and asked.
“Are you Prodia Ducer?”
Prodia looked him in the eye and said,
“Take a numbered ticket and come back.”
“What?”
Irtis’s eyes widened.
“You’re not telling me that to me, are you?”
“There’s only you and me in this room, so yes.”
“Haha… ahaha!”
Irtis laughed, but his eyes weren’t smiling.
He spoke coldly.
“I’ve never met someone like you. Interesting.”
“I’ve never had such a rude guest either. Not very interesting.”
The two stared at each other silently, neither looking away.
Then Irtis suddenly raised a hand.
A purple flame bloomed from his palm.
Clearly, he was about to use magic.
Prodia felt a chill down her spine.
“You’re not seriously trying to kill me…?”
If she died like this… she’d go straight to editorial hell without completing her quest.
That’s not good.
No, this is clearly attempted murder. She must ask God for leniency. Erase some karmic debt for dying unjustly.
“Hmm, if this clears editorial hell, maybe it’s actually better?”
Her mind was racing even in this situation.
She blinked without realizing it.
Irtis chuckled.
He immediately shot the flame from his palm at Prodia.
“!”
Crazy… he really is trying to kill me.
She shut her eyes tightly.
“Huh?”
But surprisingly, nothing happened.
She peeked.
In front of her was not her body, but a mountain of… numbered tickets stacked on the table.
“Uh?”
Irtis gestured at her.
“Need more?”
“W-what is this…?”
“You told me to get the numbered tickets. So I did.”
“Where did all these even come from?”
“I just took all of them from the people outside. You need to know which number comes next.”
“Wha?!”
So…
“He gathered all the applicants’ numbered tickets?”
At the same time, screams came from outside.
“My ticket!”
“Where did it go?!”
Prodia looked at Irtis with a dumbfounded expression.
He shrugged as if it were no problem.
Damn, that’s no different from cutting the line.
Anyway, if he brought the tickets to meet her, there could only be one reason.
She still didn’t know why this mage wanted to become a consort, but…
“…Did you bring your personal statement?”
“Personal statement?”
Irtis looked puzzled.
“Are you serious? You don’t know who I am?”
“Of course I do.”
“Then why do you need paperwork?”
“Formality matters.”
The two engaged in another silent staring contest.
Irtis sighed.
“Fine. You’re looking for someone for the consort contest, right? Pick me.”
He pointed at the applicants outside.
“You don’t seriously think I’d be worse than them, do you?”
“That may be true….”
Yes. No one out there could beat him.
But the really important thing was something else.
Prodia smirked inwardly.
“Status screen.”
