Chapter 33 – That Pig
Ah, how long I had been waiting for this moment. Listening to that pig’s words had felt like my ears had been clogged with fat.
“What do you mean, ‘bring it down’!”
“Looks like the audience is entering just in time.”
The emperor’s knights poured in, and the wizards in the mage tower were startled and began entering the mage lord’s chamber. They had been instructed to politely give way if any mage tried to enter, so a path opened up as though the sea itself had parted.
A few of the wizards looked pitiful, while others—clearly higher-ranking—entered swiftly with an air of authority.
“What is the meaning of this?”
One of the highest-ranking among them spoke first.
“Ah… I should have introduced myself. I am Isabella Veloci, here to meet the mage lord today.”
“And…?”
And… what? Why are you acting so overbearing toward the mage lord? Their arrogant demeanor was infuriatingly similar to the mage tower’s usual attitude.
Probably someone friendly with that pig X, I thought. Otherwise, how could they be so hostile toward someone they’ve never met?
Ken, who had been frowning at their behavior, stepped closer to me and openly expressed his hostility toward the man.
“You are soon to be Her Majesty the Empress. I suggest you watch your words and behavior.”
“Her Majesty the Empress?”
“Yes. And we are the First Emperor’s Guard.”
“Ha… so you came without notice? I assume His Majesty would not intend to treat the mage tower as an enemy. Are you here to… inspect it?”
I calmly watched the man speak.
“Inspect? I see you feel guilty about something. The moment you realized I am from the palace, you immediately assumed inspection.”
“Then why else would His Majesty send the woman who will become Empress here?”
I smiled slightly and looked him over from head to toe.
“As I said, I am a woman of the Veloci family. I am here as Shanencia’s sister, and His Majesty sent the knights simply because he cares for me.”
“Hmph. So you are saying it is not an inspection?”
“Yes.”
He clicked his tongue. The previously arrogant man’s attitude changed completely.
“Very well. I understand. However, I would like to discuss your restraining the mage lord. Isabella, are you trying to make the mage tower your enemy?”
“Yes.”
“Excuse… me?”
“Of course. He tried to harm me.”
I answered without hesitation. The mage lord, who had been quietly observing, finally shouted.
“When did I ever do such a thing!”
“Before the knights arrived, didn’t you reach out to me with those foul hands? Something terrible could have happened if they hadn’t come in time…”
I gestured as if wiping under my eyes with my hand, since there was no handkerchief.
“Right, Sasha?”
“C… can I tell?”
“Of course. You need to tell it properly.”
Sasha’s eyes sparkled. Nodding as if accepting a mission, the child spoke.
“Yes! The mage lord tried to use magical tools to prevent me from using magic and threatened my sister with his large hands… like… like…!”
“Oh, no. That’s a lie. They are all scammers!”
The mage lord shook his head, but we moved in perfect unison. I spoke, Sasha testified, and Ken immediately added:
“As soon as our emperor’s guard entered, we saw the mage lord reaching toward Isabella, who is to become Her Majesty the Empress. If we had been a little later… who knows what could have happened…”
“No, they are just exaggerating. Roywick, head of the council, you know very well I’m not that kind of person.”
Hmm… The man who had just been talking with me fell into deep thought. He seemed to be the next-highest-ranking person after the mage lord.
The council head, likely of the mage tower’s council. Though that pig X became mage lord, the position itself could not be attained by sheer strength. It was decided through votes in the council.
Most of the members were probably bribed by the current mage lord, but the position itself held great significance.
If one became mage lord by force, they could simply abandon him if something happened. But because the position was earned through votes, the mage lord represented all the thoughts of the mage tower.
Though it was different in the past…
I didn’t particularly love books, but I knew enough about the empire’s history to understand the context. Including the history of the mage tower.
Long ago, the mage tower worshipped the strongest as mage lord. His name was Rediac—a man of absolute power.
Initially, he ruled fairly, but eventually, unwilling to give up power and immortality, he committed crimes he should not have.
He experimented on children to gain immortality. When this was discovered, a rebellion occurred, and he was killed.
Rediac—the one who does not age. That’s why Isabella had been so curious.
Obsessed with her appearance and fearing aging despite just reaching adulthood, Isabella was fascinated by the story of Rediac. She wondered if he didn’t age due to magic, though even wizards aged normally.
Eventually, Rediac was removed, and the council of elders was established in the mage tower. Five elders existed: the strong, the ancient, the new, the enlightened, and the near-death. Roywick, the ancient one, is presumably the council head.
That is why the mage lord is cautious of the council. From the moment the mage lord was elected, the council’s power exceeded that of the mage lord.
As I pondered this, Roywick sighed deeply.
“So…”
“Perhaps you should introduce yourself first. I don’t want to continue a conversation without knowing who you are.”
I expressed my hostility toward the man, who, like before, attempted to speak without introducing himself. He finally smiled awkwardly.
“I didn’t think it necessary to introduce myself.”
“Why? Because I’m a woman?”
“Heh… of course not. I assumed that, having visited the mage tower, you would already know me…”
“How arrogant. Your fame exists only inside this tower. I don’t even know your name. Others may know Sasha’s name, but I doubt anyone knows yours.”
I raised my voice firmly to humble the council head. Naturally, I was also defending Sasha—he had made her flinch slightly earlier.
No one will ever belittle my sister.
I glared at him. Perhaps hearing that he was inferior even to Shanencia, his expression stiffened further.
“That’s…”
“If introducing yourself is that difficult, you need not. We have no reason to waste precious time listening to someone whose identity we do not know.”
At the same time, I picked up Sasha and approached the mage lord.
“Then let’s go. It’s better to report this directly to His Majesty the Emperor.”
“W-what…!”
As I approached the mage lord, the council head urgently spoke.
“Wait. Even so, forcibly taking the mage lord would mean the palace intends to oppose our mage tower, correct?”
“If we don’t take him forcibly, there’s no way to release this magical restraint. Frankly, if the mage lord had done nothing to us, we wouldn’t be here. But we were forced to protect ourselves, and now we must escort him to His Majesty.”
“That is…!”
Ken stepped in at the perfect moment.
“The magical restraint we placed on the mage lord in our urgency is among the finest created by the tower, limiting his power. The key is held by His Majesty.”
“So we must go to His Majesty. We can’t exactly summon him here, can we?”
“Damn…”
The mage lord struggled in vain to remove the restraint. Seeing this, the council head finally nodded.
“Very well. I should introduce myself. I am Roywick, head of the council of elders of the mage tower.”
“Yes.”
“I understand Isabella’s explanation. You were startled because the mage lord tried to attack, but this is a serious matter that could strain relations between the palace and the mage tower. It’s best to resolve this carefully.”
Roywick was indirectly telling us to get the key from the emperor. Despite his words, he still looked down on me with arrogance.
Instinctively lifting my chin, meeting his gaze… he stood near the mage lord, appearing to protect him even while urging a peaceful resolution.
I don’t like this one bit.
“And the claim that the mage lord tried to attack… that is only from Isabella’s side, correct? We cannot simply take her word for it. Perhaps it wasn’t serious, and the restraint was excessive. An investigation may be necessary.”
Investigation, indeed.
“You truly do go to great lengths to protect the mage lord.”
