Episode 92
“……Karl?”
I had spent the whole day with him, and he had even walked me to my room earlier, telling me to get some rest today.
‘What could it be now?’
I was only puzzled for a moment before I noticed something unusual in Callisteon’s expression.
“Karl, is something wrong?”
Phoebe, sensing the mood, ushered the maids out of the room.
Callisteon’s answer came only after a considerable silence.
“They say the 1st Prince is dead.”
“……What?”
Of course, Callisteon didn’t have any fondness for him either, but Prince Hart was, after all, my family.
Callisteon continued with a somber face.
“They say the Saint appeared just before his death and removed the magical energy that was dominating the prince.”
I let out a short sigh without realizing it.
So, Helena had made a choice befitting the heroine, it seemed.
Callisteon’s heavy voice continued.
“Although he was deposed, he was still a member of the imperial family. Since he wasn’t stripped of his title for dishonorable reasons, they’re holding a private family funeral, however brief.”
Before I could even ask anything, he added.
“Of course, you are officially convalescing, so you cannot attend. It seems Prince Rurick will handle that part.”
“Uh-huh…….”
“Ernst has gone to attend the funeral, and the Tower Master, on the contrary, has left the palace and returned to the Magic Tower.”
That, at least, was welcome news amid everything else.
“What about you…?”
Callisteon smiled softly.
“I need to stay here with you. I can just send the Head Butler to the funeral.”
I nodded slowly, and he approached and gave me a light hug.
“I’m glad… you’re here with me.”
A few days later, in the Magic Tower’s healing room.
The healing wizards had been gathered for three days now, trying to adjust the magical formulas placed on Moghold.
“This one isn’t working either.”
One wizard, after overlaying another healing formula, panted heavily.
Someone else spoke with a tired expression.
“While we are healing specialists, that doesn’t mean our healing magic is superior to the Tower Master’s. He would know that better than anyone.”
The current Tower Master, Ren’s greatest strength was that he wasn’t limited to one field but had reached the pinnacle in almost all areas of magic.
Except for one: magical tools.
As such, modifying his magical formulas was a significant burden even for the healing mages.
Finally, someone else gathered the courage to speak.
“What if we try temporarily dispelling all the magic?”
It was a thought everyone had had at least once, even if they hadn’t dared voice it.
“To be blunt, Sir Moghold is in critical condition. Using magic solely to sustain the life of an elderly or gravely ill patient doesn’t even violate the Mages’ Code of Ethics…”
“That is true, but……”
Amid the quiet agreement, one person reluctantly concurred.
The problem was that there was no one to convey this suggestion to the Tower Master.
“Sir Moghold is advanced in years. Perhaps the Tower Master’s magic is the only thing supporting his life right now……”
The moment the magic was dispelled, the old wizard’s life might be extinguished.
Just then, the door opened and the Tower Master entered.
“…Let’s try it.”
Although permission was given, no one moved.
“When the magic was dispelled from the 1st Prince at the Imperial Palace, it was unsettling, but his life didn’t end immediately. Of course, he remained under the demonic sword’s influence afterwards, so the situations are a bit different…”
Ren explained with a bitter expression.
“After we try dispelling it, if you determine the previous formulas were effective, please reapply them. I’ve been maintaining this magic for over a month now, and I must admit, it’s becoming a bit of a burden.”
The wizards gulped at this unexpected point.
Now that he mentioned it, the Tower Master had cast protective magic on two dying patients simultaneously and had sustained their lives for over a month.
Furthermore, there had been numerous incidents, big and small, during his stay at the Imperial Palace, so it was unlikely he had used his magic only on these two patients.
“My apologies. I hadn’t considered that.”
One of the head wizards spoke with a sorry expression and added,
“If the healing mages take shifts, it shouldn’t be too burdensome for any individual. Then, will the Tower Master attempt the dispelling himself?”
It was only natural.
Ren nodded, looked down at his mentor up close, and sighed.
He then placed his palm over the old man’s face.
‘Wake up, old man. Please.’
Shortly after, the Tower Master’s magic, which had been vibrating through the room, was completely withdrawn.
The old wizard let out a painful cough.
“Cough, cough!”
It seemed that without the sudden support of magic, even stable breathing was difficult.
Seeing Moghold’s breathing become ragged, the healing mages quickly deployed new protective magic.
Ren hung his head in disappointment.
One wizard tried to comfort him.
“He will wake up. I won’t give up.”
Ren, as if snapping back to himself, stiffly raised his head and said.
“Of course.”
The atmosphere in the treatment room was intense.
The healing wizards dove back into a heated discussion.
Moghold was the Magic Tower’s elder, and no one was yet prepared to let him go.
Just then, a knock was heard, and a young apothecary peeked in.
“Tower Master, may I burn some Tolbain incense for Sir Moghold?”
Tolbain was a stimulant used among mages, known for its mind-clearing properties.
Ren nodded.
Not because he expected much effect from the awakening incense, but because he understood the apothecary’s desire to grasp at any straw.
‘See this, old man? You’re home.’
Ren felt more at home in the Magic Tower than in his parents’ Count’s estate, and Moghold felt the same.
The Magic Tower was their home, a place to return to no matter where they went.
Since no one in this Tower was giving up on you, it would be best to forget that foolish readiness to die.
Ren, looking down at his motionless mentor, complained petulantly, even if only in his heart.
I stayed in Babenberg for several days after Hart’s funeral ended, and Callisteon stayed right by my side, taking care of me the whole time.
‘He knows perfectly well that Hart and I weren’t close…’
It seemed he was worried that I might be feeling down.
Of course, even though Hart was a villain I had created, the fact that he had actually died wasn’t exactly pleasant for me either.
On my last day in Babenberg, Phoebe said.
“The trip ended up being longer than planned.”
I smiled wryly in response.
“Indeed. Did you have a hard time with the food not suiting you?”
Phoebe immediately waved her hands dismissively.
“Not at all! You have no idea how much His Lordship cared for us. Aside from being hesitant to take walks in the dead of winter, Babenberg is quite nice.”
Even as she said that, Phoebe meticulously checked every piece of luggage the maids had packed.
“Oh my, look at all this luggage. His Lordship gave us so many gifts, it looks like we’re moving house.”
Most of the gifts Callisteon had insisted were Babenberg specialties were gems or jewelry.
‘Well, I can’t really argue if he claims magic stones are a Babenberg specialty…’
I smiled, watching her diligently check the luggage against a list she carried.
“Thank you, Phoebe.”
“What’s there to thank me for? It’s my job.”
Phoebe then went out, saying there was more to attend to.
I quietly got up and took out my diary.
Flipping through the pages and running my fingers over the embossed patterns, I didn’t have high hopes.
‘The diary entries during vacation are boring.’
The academy in the diary was on break.
The other princesses had returned to the Imperial Palace, and after Callisteon left for Babenberg indefinitely, Ernst also vacated the academy, saying he was visiting Flavi.
Then, a few days ago, even Len,a was called back to the Magic Tower, leaving Louise to spend her days feeling gloomy.
But as I followed the newly appeared diary entries, my eyes widened in surprise.
