Episode 27
The golden lump flowed smoothly.
Even now, from far away, it looked like a weak light.
“Your useless master wasn’t even helpful in the end, huh?”
Lucian, who had been quietly watching me and my summoned creature, finally spoke.
He frowned.
He never liked my teacher.
It was because my teacher lacked good character—and I couldn’t really argue with that.
Still, out of respect, I had stayed silent.
But now… even that respect was gone.
“Do you want me to bring your teacher in front of you?”
Lucian’s cold voice showed just how much he disliked him.
And I could tell that behind the word “bring” was a threat of violence.
I shook my head.
“No. It’s already in the past.”
“…”
“I don’t want to see him again either.”
Most importantly, my teacher was already dead.
Captain had told me that when he returned to our hometown, he heard the teacher had fallen to his death while drunk.
He had said there was no need to pity him.
“Fine. Do whatever you want.”
Lucian didn’t look happy, but he didn’t try to convince me anymore.
Only the golden cat on my lap tapped my leg as if it was upset.
“…By the way, Lucian, is it okay for me to go to the palace with you?”
I finally asked the question that had been bothering me since we left.
When we got on the carriage, the coachman looked surprised—like he expected only one person.
“The one who sent the invitation to the prince was me.”
Lucian answered casually.
His calm and confident tone made me trust him without question.
But not long after, I found out what he really meant by “it’s fine.”
“Today, the person who has an appointment with His Highness is only Lady Elisha Cariot.”
After a long ride, the carriage reached the palace.
Everything went smoothly until we got off at the Crystal Palace.
A knight in uniform stopped us.
More specifically—he stopped Lucian.
“Only Lady Elisha is allowed to enter the Crystal Palace.”
“…”
“Lord Lucian is not allowed inside.”
“…”
“Even if you’re a member of the Magic Tower, you can’t enter the palace without an appointment.”
As the knight kept speaking, his arm started to tremble.
Lucian, who stood silently, just stared at him.
“Y-You really c-can’t go in…”
Lucian was tall and had a serious, cold presence.
Just standing there made him seem intimidating.
And he wasn’t just any magician—he was someone the Tower officially recognized.
That meant he really was scary.
The knight shrank his shoulders.
“N-No exceptions!”
He shouted with his eyes tightly shut and his arm shaking hard.
It was hard to watch.
“Lucian…”
I stepped in, trying to calm the situation.
But before I could finish, someone appeared from inside the Crystal Palace.
“Well, if it isn’t the next Tower Master!”
It was an old man holding a cane.
His hair was completely white.
I recognized his face.
‘That’s Duke Patina?’
Three years ago, I had passed by him once.
Back then, we were wandering in search of the Demon King.
By chance, we visited Duke Patina’s land.
He warmly welcomed us and even hosted a banquet as a sign of support.
‘I didn’t attend, though.’
That morning, El had taken over my body.
So this was technically my first meeting with the duke.
Duke Patina didn’t seem to notice me and went straight to Lucian.
“How are things going with the young lady I introduced you to?”
He laughed loudly and cheerfully, like he was watching his grandson play.
The knight sighed with relief.
Lucian looked down at the duke with a blank face.
Then, he glanced briefly at me.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“This young man is shy! I mean marriage, of course!”
Duke Patina laughed again and tapped the ground with his cane.
Lucian’s face turned darker than ever.
He looked like he’d kill the man if he said one more word.
And me?
‘Marriage?’
I froze, eyes wide.
Lucian, married?
Those two words didn’t match at all.
It scrambled my thoughts.
As I stared blankly at Lucian’s back, a shadow fell over me.
“Shh. This way.”
Before I could turn around, someone gently pulled my shoulder.
The touch wasn’t rude, but it was firm.
“Come with me.”
“I, um…”
“It’s a royal command. I won’t accept a refusal.”
A royal command?
I finally looked up.
A man stood with the sun at his back.
In the shadow, I saw his sparkling eyes.
Without thinking, I said,
“Prince Zechiel?”
The man—Prince Zechiel—smiled mischievously, as if to say “Correct.”
Lucian gave up trying to hide his expression and frowned deeply.
He hadn’t wanted to come to the palace at all.
The only reason he came was to make sure Elisha wasn’t alone.
He had too many reasons to hate the place.
The strongest reason these days?
Duke Patina, that old man.
“Didn’t we already settle that marriage talk?”
“You’re old enough to get married now.”
“So we’re doing this useless talk again.”
Lucian’s voice was sharp.
He didn’t even try to be polite.
But Duke Patina just laughed loudly again.
“If that young lady didn’t suit you, I also have a grandniece. Beautiful and smart.”
No matter who he introduced, Lucian had no intention of accepting.
But Duke Patina kept talking, like someone who thought if you knock on a tree a hundred times, it would eventually fall.
“She’s a precious child to me. Will you marry her?”
His eyes curled like a sly snake.
‘How many times do I have to say no before he stops?’
Every time the duke forced the issue, Lucian got more annoyed.
And now, Elisha was probably hearing this whole thing from behind.
That made his blood boil.
He snapped back harshly.
“I refuse.”
“Why?”
“I should be the one asking—why should I accept?”
“There’s a reason, of course.”
Annoyingly, the duke didn’t even blink.
“Think about your friends.”
He said it like he’d been waiting for this moment.
“Heraeth is favored by the High Priest, Jacqueline became the captain of the Imperial Knights, and Lysandra proudly returned to our ducal family.”
“…”
“I’ll leave El out of this for now.”
As the duke kept talking, Lucian’s mind drifted.
Elisha’s presence had disappeared.
Somewhere between the conversation, the prince had taken her away.
‘I need to go get her.’
It wasn’t hard to follow her trail.
Honestly, it was a relief she hadn’t heard the rest of this annoying talk.
Lucian let out a quiet sigh of relief.
He wasn’t even sure why.
“And you?”
“As you said, I became the next Tower Master.”
Lucian answered coolly, now fully composed.
His voice was filled with confidence—borderline arrogance.
Tower Master.
It meant he had full access to all the privileges of the Tower.
The Tower might show respect to the royal family, but they didn’t serve them.
They helped the palace, but weren’t under its control.
They were independent.
Duke Patina knew this—and gave a short laugh.
“If you plan to stay locked in the Tower forever, fine. But if you want to enter the palace and use your rights, like today…”
He trailed off.
His eyes, sharp like a snake, stared at Lucian.
“You’ll need power. And marriage is the easiest way to get it.”
“…”
“I’m not asking you to fall in love. I don’t expect that.”
The duke enjoyed seeing Lucian scowl.
So Lucian made sure to keep a blank face just to spite him.
“If you ever fall in love and try to trap my grandniece in the Tower, that would be a problem.”
The duke laughed again, as if joking.
Lucian didn’t laugh back.
