Viscount Lesa spoke loudly, as if he were being wronged.
"No! If anyone could place a curse on me, it would be Her Highness, not Her Royal Highness the Grand Duchess! I saw it clearly..."
"At the command of His Highness the Grand Duke, we at the Magic Tower investigated the summoning of demonic beasts in the Riar Plains. The data from this investigation arrived at me a few days ago. As we initially suspected, a portal existed at the bottom of Lake Iris. Furthermore, a sudden flood occurred in the Araksen region, a designated danger zone for demonic beasts. There, too, portals, giant demonic beasts, and the corpses of crushed demonic beasts were discovered. Our Magic Tower has concluded that this summoning of demonic beasts was clearly a human error, and that it was done using portal magic."
The Emperor listened to Sylvia's story with his eyes closed. He asked in a seething voice.
“Can you find the owner of that portal?”
"Yes. The investigation into the magical power used in the portal has already been completed. Accordingly..."
Sylvia looked at Princess Abigail. In fact, it wasn't just Sylvia. Everyone present was looking at Princess Abigail. She wasn't smiling anymore. There was no room for that. Sylvia spoke very slowly, in a heavy voice, like a judge about to sentence a person to death.
“I request an investigation into the magical powers of Her Highness Princess Abigail.”
The conference room became so quiet that you could hear the dust settling. People had to hold back even the slightest gulp. The only sound was the Emperor. A rustling sound was heard as he touched his forehead. And finally, the Emperor spoke.
"We are considering investigating the First Princess's magical sensitivity. Furthermore... Due to the difficulty in proving the charges against Grand Duchess Duchzan, we hereby grant her a suspended sentence. She may now return to the Grand Duke's residence."
At las.
I smiled brightly.
An ending was approaching where none of my precious ones would be hurt.
"No! If anyone could place a curse on me, it would be Her Highness, not Her Royal Highness the Grand Duchess! I saw it clearly..."
Bang!
The table in the center of the conference room shook violently. Everyone's eyes focused on one spot. Sitting there was the Emperor, his expression seemingly suppressing his anger. He lowered his hand, which had slammed the table, and opened his mouth.
“There’s a lot of noise in a meeting that should be quiet.”
The Emperor looked straight at Viscount Lesa and opened his mouth.
"If you frame the royal family, the crime will be no small one. But is your claim still valid, Viscount?"
Viscount Lesa's lips trembled, at a loss. Seeing him refuse to speak, the Emperor placed a hand on his forehead and sighed.
“Bring out Viscount Lesa immediately.”
“Your Majesty, Your Majesty!”
“I must show them how serious the crime of falsely accusing the royal family is.”
What a fair discussion. He accused me of summoning demons without any evidence, and then, the moment I mentioned Princess Abigail, he threw a tantrum. I was dumbfounded, but I couldn't laugh at the Emperor, so I had to control my expression.
“...Your Majesty, I request that you allow Viscount Lesa to continue his testimony.”
My voice was hoarse, having just taken a deep breath. Yet, the Emperor showed no sign of sympathy.
“Grand Duke of Duchzan, the Grand Duchess seems to have found peace, so I guess I can stop supporting her.”
The observers of this meeting looked solemn. His words were remarkably cold, even after seeing me gasping for breath and staggering. The Emperor seemed to have no intention of hiding his hostility toward me. Indeed, our circumstances were no different. Everyone present knew that Julian had handed over the trading rights for rare magic stones to the Crown Prince.
"If there's a witch in here, my wife is in more danger than anyone else. I can't do that."
“How dare you!”
“Your Majesty, Your Majesty...”
The one who surprisingly intervened while the Emperor was losing his temper was Viscount Lesa. He continued speaking, his hands clasped together in front of him like a trembling rat.
"I, I, I, I, under the command of Her Highness Princess Abigail, ran an errand. I was ordered to secretly move a certain horse, horse, carriage. But, but..."
“Viscount Lesa, please speak calmly.”
It was none other than Prince Aslan who tried to appease Viscount Lesa. The emperor's forehead was bloodshot, as if displeased that his eldest son had intervened at such a time. However, he didn't roar like before. He simply gripped the armrest of his chair tightly and stared at Viscount Lesa. Emboldened by Prince Aslan's words, Viscount Lesa continued speaking in a more composed tone.
"That carriage was loaded with rare magic stones. Its destination was the Ravi Tower."
“...First Princess, is this true?”
The Emperor looked at Princess Abigail and asked. Princess Abigail smiled gently, her face as tender as that of her daughter. Her eyes, once filled with murder, curved like crescent moons, and were utterly lovely.
“Yes, Father.”
“Why did you do that?”
"I'm neither a wizard nor a witch. However, I believe magic possesses boundless power. That's why the imperial family is extremely interested in rare magic stones. Therefore, as a Princess of the empire, I simply wanted to be of assistance. I invested my personal wealth in the Ravi Magic Tower, collecting rare magic stones and reporting on the results of their research. I was concerned that someone might frame me, so I've already organized the data. Feel free to check it out."
The Emperor took a deep breath and looked straight ahead again.
"That's right. I'll check the data later."
“Yes, Father.”
Princess Abigail, still smiling, answered meekly. She seemed to have no problem. However, Julian, standing beside me, wouldn't let this situation pass.
“I request a witness regarding the statement of Viscount Lesa.”
Marquis Aiden, who had been watching quietly, interrupted Julian's speech.
“Her Highness Princess Abigail has already testified about that matter.”
"It's merely evidence of the circulation of rare magic stones. It doesn't prove that Princess Abigail isn't a wizard or a witch."
Julian looked at the emperor as if no one like Marquis Aiden could stop him.
“I call upon the magician Raphael as a witness to this.”
The Emperor said nothing, and Marquis Aiden cautiously said, "Permission granted." A robed man rose from his seat.
As he took off his robes, a man was revealed who seemed to embody the stereotypes people usually have about wizards.
His face and body were gaunt, his cheekbones prominent, and dark shadows under his eyes. He looked extremely tired, and there was a hint of resignation toward life.
“I am Raphael, the wizard of the Ravi Tower.”
As Raphael spoke slowly, Marquis Aiden asked him as if threatening him.
“What family does Sir Raphael belong to?”
Raphael didn't budge. It seemed as if such things couldn't possibly be a source of fear for him.
"Any wizard who belongs to the Magic Tower abandons his family. So, I am not from any family."
Marquis Aiden kept his mouth shut when his attempts to pressure him through his family failed.
"Let me get straight to the point. I don't know if Her Highness Princess Abigail is a witch. But I do know she's a wizard."
"Ha!"
The laughter came from Princess Abigail. She looked as if she wanted to trample Raphael like an ant at any moment.
A traitor born from her most secretive secret quarters. It must have felt like a hard blow to the back of the head. Unlike Viscount Lessa, Raphael didn't seem all that frightened.
"Her Highness Princess Abigail is the most gifted magician in the Labyrinth Tower. Her mana reserves are unparalleled."
“...The First Princess has never once shown any magical talent.”
The Emperor spoke incredulously. He couldn't say he'd personally raised Princess Abigail, but she was his most beloved child. If there had been even the slightest hint of it as a child, he would have surely noticed.
"I've always wondered about that, too. Magical qualities manifest as early as birth, or as late as six. I don't know how Her Royal Highness, at such a young age, managed to conceal them. However, it's something easily proven by a magical induction test. The same would apply to Her Royal Highness, who continues to be under suspicion."
Raphael's words were absolutely right. In any case, the important thing in this meeting wasn't how they concealed it. What mattered was whether they were truly wizards or even witches.
Before I knew it, the main character of the meeting was no longer me, but Princess Abigail. Princess Abigail seemed to notice this, as her eyes grew cold.
"Her Highness the Princess is skilled in portal magic. There are several portals cast by Her Highness the Princess in the Ravi Tower. This fact will be revealed by investigating the Ravi Tower."
Finally, the topic of portal magic came up. The crowd stirred once again. Portal magic was the most powerful form of magic, believed to be used to summon demonic beasts.
The Emperor no longer looked at Princess Abigail, nor did he ask if she was serious. He was not an ordinary parent, but an Emperor. Even for his most beloved children, there was a line between what could and could not be protected. The simple crime of distributing rare magic stones could be dealt with by some excuse or punishment.
But summoning the demons... was an extremely heinous act that no one could escape. Even if it was committed by the Emperor himself, it was an unforgivable sin.
In the midst of the silence, Sylvia stood up and greeted everyone.
"I am Sylvia, a magician from the Kios Tower. I request the right to speak."
“...I grant your permission.”
The table in the center of the conference room shook violently. Everyone's eyes focused on one spot. Sitting there was the Emperor, his expression seemingly suppressing his anger. He lowered his hand, which had slammed the table, and opened his mouth.
“There’s a lot of noise in a meeting that should be quiet.”
The Emperor looked straight at Viscount Lesa and opened his mouth.
"If you frame the royal family, the crime will be no small one. But is your claim still valid, Viscount?"
Viscount Lesa's lips trembled, at a loss. Seeing him refuse to speak, the Emperor placed a hand on his forehead and sighed.
“Bring out Viscount Lesa immediately.”
“Your Majesty, Your Majesty!”
“I must show them how serious the crime of falsely accusing the royal family is.”
What a fair discussion. He accused me of summoning demons without any evidence, and then, the moment I mentioned Princess Abigail, he threw a tantrum. I was dumbfounded, but I couldn't laugh at the Emperor, so I had to control my expression.
“...Your Majesty, I request that you allow Viscount Lesa to continue his testimony.”
My voice was hoarse, having just taken a deep breath. Yet, the Emperor showed no sign of sympathy.
“Grand Duke of Duchzan, the Grand Duchess seems to have found peace, so I guess I can stop supporting her.”
The observers of this meeting looked solemn. His words were remarkably cold, even after seeing me gasping for breath and staggering. The Emperor seemed to have no intention of hiding his hostility toward me. Indeed, our circumstances were no different. Everyone present knew that Julian had handed over the trading rights for rare magic stones to the Crown Prince.
"If there's a witch in here, my wife is in more danger than anyone else. I can't do that."
“How dare you!”
“Your Majesty, Your Majesty...”
The one who surprisingly intervened while the Emperor was losing his temper was Viscount Lesa. He continued speaking, his hands clasped together in front of him like a trembling rat.
"I, I, I, I, under the command of Her Highness Princess Abigail, ran an errand. I was ordered to secretly move a certain horse, horse, carriage. But, but..."
“Viscount Lesa, please speak calmly.”
It was none other than Prince Aslan who tried to appease Viscount Lesa. The emperor's forehead was bloodshot, as if displeased that his eldest son had intervened at such a time. However, he didn't roar like before. He simply gripped the armrest of his chair tightly and stared at Viscount Lesa. Emboldened by Prince Aslan's words, Viscount Lesa continued speaking in a more composed tone.
"That carriage was loaded with rare magic stones. Its destination was the Ravi Tower."
“...First Princess, is this true?”
The Emperor looked at Princess Abigail and asked. Princess Abigail smiled gently, her face as tender as that of her daughter. Her eyes, once filled with murder, curved like crescent moons, and were utterly lovely.
“Yes, Father.”
“Why did you do that?”
"I'm neither a wizard nor a witch. However, I believe magic possesses boundless power. That's why the imperial family is extremely interested in rare magic stones. Therefore, as a Princess of the empire, I simply wanted to be of assistance. I invested my personal wealth in the Ravi Magic Tower, collecting rare magic stones and reporting on the results of their research. I was concerned that someone might frame me, so I've already organized the data. Feel free to check it out."
The Emperor took a deep breath and looked straight ahead again.
"That's right. I'll check the data later."
“Yes, Father.”
Princess Abigail, still smiling, answered meekly. She seemed to have no problem. However, Julian, standing beside me, wouldn't let this situation pass.
“I request a witness regarding the statement of Viscount Lesa.”
Marquis Aiden, who had been watching quietly, interrupted Julian's speech.
“Her Highness Princess Abigail has already testified about that matter.”
"It's merely evidence of the circulation of rare magic stones. It doesn't prove that Princess Abigail isn't a wizard or a witch."
Julian looked at the emperor as if no one like Marquis Aiden could stop him.
“I call upon the magician Raphael as a witness to this.”
The Emperor said nothing, and Marquis Aiden cautiously said, "Permission granted." A robed man rose from his seat.
As he took off his robes, a man was revealed who seemed to embody the stereotypes people usually have about wizards.
His face and body were gaunt, his cheekbones prominent, and dark shadows under his eyes. He looked extremely tired, and there was a hint of resignation toward life.
“I am Raphael, the wizard of the Ravi Tower.”
As Raphael spoke slowly, Marquis Aiden asked him as if threatening him.
“What family does Sir Raphael belong to?”
Raphael didn't budge. It seemed as if such things couldn't possibly be a source of fear for him.
"Any wizard who belongs to the Magic Tower abandons his family. So, I am not from any family."
Marquis Aiden kept his mouth shut when his attempts to pressure him through his family failed.
"Let me get straight to the point. I don't know if Her Highness Princess Abigail is a witch. But I do know she's a wizard."
"Ha!"
The laughter came from Princess Abigail. She looked as if she wanted to trample Raphael like an ant at any moment.
A traitor born from her most secretive secret quarters. It must have felt like a hard blow to the back of the head. Unlike Viscount Lessa, Raphael didn't seem all that frightened.
"Her Highness Princess Abigail is the most gifted magician in the Labyrinth Tower. Her mana reserves are unparalleled."
“...The First Princess has never once shown any magical talent.”
The Emperor spoke incredulously. He couldn't say he'd personally raised Princess Abigail, but she was his most beloved child. If there had been even the slightest hint of it as a child, he would have surely noticed.
"I've always wondered about that, too. Magical qualities manifest as early as birth, or as late as six. I don't know how Her Royal Highness, at such a young age, managed to conceal them. However, it's something easily proven by a magical induction test. The same would apply to Her Royal Highness, who continues to be under suspicion."
Raphael's words were absolutely right. In any case, the important thing in this meeting wasn't how they concealed it. What mattered was whether they were truly wizards or even witches.
Before I knew it, the main character of the meeting was no longer me, but Princess Abigail. Princess Abigail seemed to notice this, as her eyes grew cold.
"Her Highness the Princess is skilled in portal magic. There are several portals cast by Her Highness the Princess in the Ravi Tower. This fact will be revealed by investigating the Ravi Tower."
Finally, the topic of portal magic came up. The crowd stirred once again. Portal magic was the most powerful form of magic, believed to be used to summon demonic beasts.
The Emperor no longer looked at Princess Abigail, nor did he ask if she was serious. He was not an ordinary parent, but an Emperor. Even for his most beloved children, there was a line between what could and could not be protected. The simple crime of distributing rare magic stones could be dealt with by some excuse or punishment.
But summoning the demons... was an extremely heinous act that no one could escape. Even if it was committed by the Emperor himself, it was an unforgivable sin.
In the midst of the silence, Sylvia stood up and greeted everyone.
"I am Sylvia, a magician from the Kios Tower. I request the right to speak."
“...I grant your permission.”
"At the command of His Highness the Grand Duke, we at the Magic Tower investigated the summoning of demonic beasts in the Riar Plains. The data from this investigation arrived at me a few days ago. As we initially suspected, a portal existed at the bottom of Lake Iris. Furthermore, a sudden flood occurred in the Araksen region, a designated danger zone for demonic beasts. There, too, portals, giant demonic beasts, and the corpses of crushed demonic beasts were discovered. Our Magic Tower has concluded that this summoning of demonic beasts was clearly a human error, and that it was done using portal magic."
The Emperor listened to Sylvia's story with his eyes closed. He asked in a seething voice.
“Can you find the owner of that portal?”
"Yes. The investigation into the magical power used in the portal has already been completed. Accordingly..."
Sylvia looked at Princess Abigail. In fact, it wasn't just Sylvia. Everyone present was looking at Princess Abigail. She wasn't smiling anymore. There was no room for that. Sylvia spoke very slowly, in a heavy voice, like a judge about to sentence a person to death.
“I request an investigation into the magical powers of Her Highness Princess Abigail.”
The conference room became so quiet that you could hear the dust settling. People had to hold back even the slightest gulp. The only sound was the Emperor. A rustling sound was heard as he touched his forehead. And finally, the Emperor spoke.
"We are considering investigating the First Princess's magical sensitivity. Furthermore... Due to the difficulty in proving the charges against Grand Duchess Duchzan, we hereby grant her a suspended sentence. She may now return to the Grand Duke's residence."
At las.
I smiled brightly.
An ending was approaching where none of my precious ones would be hurt.
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