Chapter 24
Sudden Quest!
**[Sudden Quest Activated!
You are the mental pillar and source of faith for all magicians.
They respect and love you.
But if you don’t resolve their grievances, the roots of that faith may rot!
Find the source of the rumors spreading between magicians and Awakeners.
Then mediate the conflict between them!Success: Unlock a designated spell.
Failure: Lose the trust of the magicians.]**
An inward, gentle smile spread across my face.
“L-Lord?”
“W-Why are you looking at me like that…?”
Now that I was sitting in silence, the ones who had been buzzing like bees finally stopped to gauge my mood. I ignored them and focused on the status window that had appeared before my eyes.
Today had been especially exhausting.
From morning till evening, I had barely eaten a proper meal because I was drowning in work.
And just when I thought I was done, a group of aggrieved magicians, fresh from a heated argument with the Awakeners, came to me to pour out their woes.
And now, in this situation?
A sudden quest? Really?
At this point, I had no idea what exactly the status window wanted from me.
A so-called Archmage who can’t even use magic, forced to file daily reports to the Emperor… and now you want me to track down the source of some rumor? Why not just tell me to die while you’re at it?!
Day by day, my frustration toward the status window was piling up.
That so-called companion it gave me—the fat cat—had dumped the mess of “random magic” on me, then disappeared who-knows-where during the day and only showed up at night to sleep.
And now, it was picking fights with me through quests?
No. I’m not doing it. I can’t do it.
So you do it.
“You lot.”
“…”
They had been chattering away moments ago, but one sharp glance from me was enough to freeze them stiff.
“How long exactly do you expect me to put up with your noisy whining?”
“S-Sorry…”
I swept my gaze across the magicians fidgeting in front of me.
“What are you?”
“…Huh?”
The magicians blinked like startled cattle, eyes darting nervously.
“I said—what are you?”
“W-We’re…”
One of them spoke up hesitantly.
“M-Magicians?”
“Correct. Magicians.”
By now, I had learned how to speak with a certain air of authority—how to sound like the imposing Duke Ariel.
“A magician is one who seeks the truth.”
And I also knew exactly how to get these simple-minded fools moving.
If I tossed out a cryptic-sounding statement, they would interpret it themselves and renew their faith in me without question.
So they’d do the same now.
“If absurd rumors are spreading, stop thinking about brawling like dogs and find the root of it. Resolve it. Then, and only then, speak!”
“…!”
At my raised voice, their eyes flew wide as if thunder had struck.
“O-Ohhh…”
And then, as if that wasn’t enough, some of them even began to tear up.
“As expected of our Lord! We… we were foolish. Instead of swarming you with complaints and laments…”
They worked themselves into a frenzy, loudly vowing what they would do from here on out.
“We should have gone out and investigated ourselves! We will find those spreading these absurd rumors!”
Yep, exactly as I expected.
“I will acquire that drug and analyze it! We’ll prove that no self-respecting magician would waste their time making such nonsense!”
That’s more like it.
“Then go. Now.”
I nodded with a satisfied smile, and the magicians scattered in a flurry, like baby birds rushing for food.
The truth is, magicians and Awakeners were already one spark away from blowing up.
If the hidden villains planted a single agent to spread a false rumor and frame the other side, this was the kind of chaos that would ensue.
The Emperor must know about this situation—so why am I the one stuck with all the cleanup? Huh?
Ah, right. I still need to visit Kaisis tonight…
One problem solved, one still left.
Just give me one day off. Please!
But judging from the Emperor’s steadily worsening condition, I absolutely had to go see him tonight.
He said earlier this afternoon that he made it out of the Gate unharmed. After I went so far as to threaten him, I should probably go right away.
I should go… but maybe in five minutes. Ten, tops.
Just a little delay.
While I was still scowling in reluctance, the status window popped up again.
Ding!
[Sudden Quest!]
I actually laughed out loud this time.
Are you insane? Another sudden quest?
What kind of garbage are you going to toy with me over this time?
I glared, veins throbbing, as the bright display filled my vision again.
[The System must assist you.
We acknowledge our mistake with the Spell Unlock Quest.
Restoration of the broken balance is requested.
We present you with a way to earn points.]
Ding.
Ding.
**[Sudden Quest Activated!
The Emperor has acknowledged you as his partner in the night.
You have his full, unconditional support.
No matter what you say, the night version of him will not doubt you.
Save the night version of the Emperor.
The deeper the contact guiding, the more points you will earn!
Accumulated guiding points can unlock a designated spell.<Unlock List> 1) Teleportation Magic (99 points required) — *View List (Click)* 2) Offensive Magic (99 points required) — *View List (Click)* 3) Defensive Magic (99 points required) — *View List (Click)*
The time limit is until all three spells are unlocked.
※ Your mana comprehension limits you to one spell per category.Wishing you a happy playthrough.
Earn points for the future!]**
…What the hell, this is amazing.
I’m going. I’m going now.
If I could just get Teleportation Magic…
I’d no longer be chained to my office and could come and go as I pleased.
Even if the quest wouldn’t let me travel far, I could still visit key locations from the original story and search for traces of the vanished “Sunlight Heroine.”
Offensive and defensive magic were also essential.
With the upcoming demonstrations and battles so close, I absolutely had to obtain all of them in time.
Finally, the system had come to its senses.
Let’s go!
Drunk on desire, I clicked my disguise option and appeared in one of the palace corridors.
So why does going in feel so nerve-racking?
Had my threat to Kaisis really worked?
I remembered how he had obediently offered his wrist for guiding after I delivered my threat, and I swallowed hard.
And this aura…
Every time I stood before this door, faced with the terrifyingly intense energy seeping from within…
It always reminds me of that day.
The day I died.
When the Gate went berserk and exploded outward.
Kaisis’s overflowing power was just like that Gate’s rampage.
But there were no knights posted around tonight. As if he’d deliberately cleared them away to wait for me. As if he remembered our appointment.
If so, my threat must have worked.
The one where I told him not to grab me or pry into my business.
The system had also said so—
That I’d earned the Emperor’s unconditional support.
Then it should be fine this time too.
Alright. I’ll guide him properly and rack up those points. That’s my top priority right now. Let’s go in.
Steeling myself, I opened the door.
The lavish, ornate doors swung open smoothly without a sound.
Darkness.
And that familiar aura.
There were no flying blades this time, no murderous intent so thick it felt like it would swallow me whole.
Only—
“You’ve come.”
I was met with the sight of Kaisis’s uninjured face.
His eyes fixed directly on mine.
A face like a carved statue, silver hair gleaming, eyes a vivid blue.
Everything about him screamed Kaisis, Emperor.
My heart clenched.
Our eyes locked.
He stepped toward me—slowly, deliberately—and grasped my wrist.
As if I could never escape.
Tight.
The cold, freezing heat of his fingertips jolted me fully awake.
“My… guide.”
You’ve got to be kidding me…
As I fully registered the situation, my heart felt like it might burst.
He was looking straight at me. Smiling. Fully conscious.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
“I’ve been waiting.”
Why the hell was this man still in his right mind?
