Endymion blinked curiously.
The reason for secretly seeking a new wizard, as written in the letter of cooperation, was clearly the instability of magical power. He thought that was why the existing high-ranking wizard had left, but the reason was more interesting than he thought.
Endymion looked at the wizard before him as if he were studying him, wondering how he could use this to his advantage.
"Our Magic Tower is simply trying to maintain peace and stability. Let's gather more magical power into the Magic Tower so that the existing order doesn't collapse! That's why we're desperately looking for new wizards to join the Magic Tower."
"Why should she be my Queen?"
"That's because the Queen is the owner of magical power! Mid-level magical power will be a great support to the Magic Tower. Didn't you allow the transfer of personal belongings to anyone from Semele?"
Endymion, who had been confidently crossing his arms, wiggled his eyebrows.
He had already sent the signed letter of cooperation to Magic Tower, so it was like shooting himself in the foot. He never dreamed that he would be the one to tie up Julia with his own hands.
'...I made a mistake.'
Endymion's eyes were blank, and for the first time in his life, he regretted his decision.
"Your Majesty, Herr Majesty will be treated with honor at the Magic Tower. Don't you know that a mid-level magician is given honor and wealth on par with the King of a decent country?"
"...So you want me to divorce her and hand over my queen?"
But he had no intention of handing Julia over just like that.
Endymion spoke with a twist in his lips. But Boris nodded enthusiastically, his eyes finally showing that he was making sense.
"Yes! A wizard must cut off all worldly ties, so that's what it should be. Relationships with parents, siblings, and even the opposite sex are fatal weaknesses for a wizard. Of course, no wizard has ever manifested after becoming an adult, so this is the first time divorce proceedings have been conducted. I will speak to the Magic Tower Lord and give him some more advice!"
Boris began to make suggestions as if he was doing a favor.
"Is there anything else you need? In exchange for the handover of the Queen, I will do my best to accommodate Semele's demands. Oh, and how about the magic scrolls? I will supply ten times the original quantity!"
"You really seem to be in a hurry."
"Haha. What, of course, we should be sincere..."
"Certainly, the one that is disappointing is the Magic Tower."
Huh? Boris, who had been talking excitedly, only then sensed something strange and blinked.
Endymion stared straight at him and pressed on without mercy.
"The idea of sacrificing my Queen for such a power game is disgusting. I would rather break the treaty with the Magic Tower and join hands with those impure forces."
"Huh?!"
Boris jumped up and screamed, but Endymion stood up with a cold expression.
"There is no need to continue a relationship with the Magic Tower, who dares to treat my Queen like a scroll."
"Your Majesty! No, that's not it!"
Boris could not believe the King's declaration that he would sever ties with the Tower of Magic that had lasted for hundreds of years because of his wife. However, seeing his merciless attitude, his heart ached as if it would soon become a reality.
"Now that I think about it, it's quite funny. Wasn't it the Magic Tower that monopolized magicians on the grounds of monopolizing magical power? All countries, including Semele cooperated for hundreds of years out of respect for the Magic Tower's legitimacy."
"... Yes?"
"If the Magic Tower Lord is on guard, then it must be a fairly large force. The Magic Tower, which has maintained its power for hundreds of years, is unable to control the magicians, and thus an impure force has emerged. Does this mean that the Magic Tower can monopolize magical power?"
To make matters worse, Endymion brought up the theory of the uselessness of the magic tower dance. Boris's eyes became dizzy.
'No, I didn't tell you to do that!'
The Magic Tower has always reigned supreme in its relations with countries that desire magical power. However, if the fact that an impure force has emerged is leaked, its status, which has always been advantageous and exclusive in terms of magical power possession, will be shaken.
As King Semele said, instead of the Magic Tower, they could join hands with impure forces and try to drain the magic power! If that happens, it's only a matter of time before the Magic Tower shakes!
Boris, imagining a river of no return, cried out in a strangled voice.
"It's a leap of faith! This is ridiculous! The Queen will be well taken care of in the magic tower, so why don't you divorce and just take a new Queen? Why are you trying to ruin a relationship that has lasted hundreds of years?!"
"Magic Tower, do you think you can dare order me to divorce my Queen?"
Heh.
Endymion sneered. The blue eyes that met his eyes rippled like waves. The vast and deep waves surged as if bolling and Boris flinched for a moment and stepped back.
But Boris, realizing that the fate of the Magic Tower was at stake, opened his eyes wide and shouted.
"If you refuse to the end, there's nothing we can do! We have no choice but to consider it as declaring all-out war against the Magic Tower!"
Suddenly, there was a burning smell. Then, with a crackling sound, the rope that had tied Boris up broke apart and turned black.
Boris, who had torn off the scroll that he used only in the event of a last-ditch emergency, stood up in a fighting stance.
The one and only emergency scroll he was allowed to keep was now gone. But his spirits were lifted when his body was free.
"No matter how much you love Semele, war will be disadvantageous! Do you really want to turn the Magic Tower into an enemy?"
Boris opened his eyes wide and shouted, but Endymion's cold gaze chilled his liver again...
"Would it really be disadvantageous? I wonder how many countries would participate if we spread the news of the Magic Tower crisis across the continent right now and raised a petition to unite with new forces to form a new magical realm. Plesion, Baiakal, Shavel, Onoma, Tirb... Semele's allies should be enough."
"Your Majesty!"
"Do you think I can't do it?"
Endymion let out a mocking laugh. Boris, pale from the provocation, clenched his fists, and the circling magic created a threatening wind that blew the hem of his clothes. Then, in the blink of an eye, the sword aimed at Boris's neck, spraying a chill.
The atmosphere quickly became tense.
'What, what! Where did that come from!'
Boris, who had a typical wizard's dull body, was frightened, but soon regained strength in his shoulders.
The fate of the Magic Tower hung in the balance. The war between Semele and the Magic Tower was about to begin!
Boris finally clenched his fists and shouted desperately.
"You won't be able to stop me even if you threaten me. Tell me right now that you will divorce the Queen, or...!"
"What if not?"
"Declare war, huh?"
Boris, who had been shouting with a fierce expression, turned around.
The door that had been open suddenly closed with a bang, and light footsteps approached softly.
"Julia."
Huh?
Boris, doubting his ears, turned his head again.
Before Boris knew it, the sword that had been pointed at his throat had disappeared without a trace, and the King had passed by in a flash. The tense atmosphere that seemed like war would break out at any moment was completely gone, and a comfortable atmosphere enveloped the surroundings.
'No, what is this?'
Boris paused as he prepared to attack. The King turned his back on Boris as if he didn't care.
Boris, who was abandoned in an instant, was at a loss as to whether he should be angry or relieved.
"When did you wake up? Are you sick?"
"Just now. I'm okay. It doesn't hurt anywhere."
The woman who had been gently patting the King on the arm finally turned around. Boris's gaze met with the clearest purple eyes he had ever seen.
"It's refreshing."
It's the Queen. Boris answered belatedly, looking bewildered.
"... Yes?"
Finally, her lovely purple eyes smiled and spoke kindly.
"You're threatening my husband with a divorce in my absence."
***
Dalgrak.
An elegant teapot set with a floral pattern was placed among the three.
"Drink it."
"Yes, thank you."
When Julia handed over the teacup, Boris accepted it cautiously with a complicated expression on his face.
The reception room, where the sound of drinking tea was heard, was warm and cozy, unlike before. It was a change from the stiff King's office to the comfortable Queen's palace, but it was also thanks to the table set with refreshments for entertaining guests.
"Are you really feeling okay? I thought Your Majesty would wake up in a week."
"Yes, I'm fine. I don't know what happened though."
"That's surprising. Is it because the manifestation was delayed that there is a difference... Hmm. If it's not too much trouble, can I take a look at it later? Even if it's okay now, I'm afraid there might be a problem."
"Of course. Oh, this is chamomile tea grown directly in the Queen's palace garden. It has a nice fragrance and is good for a good night's sleep if you drink it before going to bed."
"The quality is good and the scent is clean, so it's the best. It seems much better than the tea I drink at Magic Tower."
"I'm glad you like it."
As the two were having a warm conversation, Endymion, sitting with his legs crossed, lifted his teacup and said something.
"Of course the Queen's Palace is superior. It's not something that can be compared."
"What do you mean, Your Majesty? Surely you are not making remarks that disrespect our tower?"
Boris asked sensitively. Julia let out a deep sigh. The peace that had been created for a moment seemed to be slowly breaking apart.
"That's an exaggeration. You have a sense of entitlement."
"What? Your Majesty, first!!
Boris began to light a fire in his eyes, and Endymion faced him with a cold gaze. Julia shook her head with a smiling face.
"Both of you, calm down."
But there was no way the two men, who already had built up distrust for each other, could hear it. It was the moment when their momentum was about to clash, like a hunting dog that was throwing a tantrum and a wolf that was pretending to be calm and growling.
Bang!
The elegant table shook with the noise. As the two gazes that had been facing each other flinched and turned around, Julia smiled brightly in the same pose she had been slamming the table down on.
"We decided to resolve this through dialogue, didn't we?"
"Yes."
"Yes."
Boris groaned and sat back down on the chair he had kicked away. Endymion nodded with a meek look In his eyes as if nothing had happened, and reached out to take Julia's hand.
"I told you not to push yourself too hard. You haven't recovered yet."
"Then will you cooperate with me? If you keep fighting with Boris, it won't end."
Endymion placed her hands carefully on his knees as if they were broken glasswork. Then he added confidently.
"The more I see you as a looter of the Queen, the more I dislike you."
"Wh, what! A looter!"
"No, you mean? You were trying to force a divorce, and yet you're even being treated with honorifics by the Queen. I wonder if you shouldn't feel guilty."
Boris was speechless and blustering,
Endymion raised the corners of his mouth in satisfaction, but quickly lowered his eyes at Julia's glaring gaze. Since it was not something he could easily say in front of the person concerned, Boris also began to take notice. Only then did the bickering atmosphere calm down.
"Well, since you both seem to have calmed down, shall we begin?"
Julia opened her mouth gently and gracefully.
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