An additional message, not originally there, began to be engraved on the
back of the pigeon message.
[ Have you earned the qualifications? ]
A calm question.
It seemed to inquire about the additional deal discussed, besides the already
promised Sun Water.
In other words, it was asking if they had truly succeeded in stealing the
secret techniques of the other magic tower.
'It's uncertain.'
Though the journey had accomplished many things, they hadn't decisively
stolen any significant secret techniques. Even the scrollwork was merely in
the initial stages.
The problem was…
'I really want to secure the Sun Water at least.'
Jaekiel, knowing well how significant even a single drop could be, was
determined to secure the Sun Water.
Jaekiel pondered if he could secure even one secret technique, but the
answer soon came to him without much difficulty.
'The Black Tower.'
Teddy Divine, whom Jaekiel had beheaded with his own hands, was merely
a secretary. This meant the true Black Tower Master still existed.
Now that he thought about it, he knew their whereabouts. Didn't he have
the scroll in his possession?
Perhaps the Black Tower Master might offer assistance. Jaekiel soon made
up his mind.
'I need to meet them at least once.'
Inside the Black Tower, the large lodging quarters.
"Uuuuughhhhh…"
"Ughhh…"
"I'm going to die like this…"
Upon entering the Black Tower, most of the Imperial Tower magicians were
sprawled all over the place.
They were barely breathing, like living corpses just waiting for death, their
souls seemingly drained.
"They've all become so gaunt."
Jaekiel muttered quietly.
They were so exhausted that none of them even noticed Jaekiel. No one
raised their head to show respect.
Jaekiel asked Anes.
Anes, leaning against Tether, barely managed to stay seated.
"They all look terrible, don't they?"
"…Yes. The task you commissioned, turning the memo into a scroll, has
somehow been completed. As a result, everyone collapsed."
Anes, who was mumbling, didn't look too good either. Her eyes were
sunken, and she was pressing her temples, seemingly dizzy.
"Stop whining."
Jaekiel clicked his tongue.
"Well, everyone did work hard."
When Jaekiel snapped his fingers, fist-sized ice crystals fell onto the
foreheads of the collapsed Imperial Tower magicians.
"Ugh…"
"Huh…"
A sound of relief escaped, as if they could finally breathe.
"If the scrollwork is done, there's no reason to stay longer. Anes, prepare
for our return."
He had the promised Sun Water, and had gathered a lot of information from
the secret meeting. There was no need to linger here any longer.
They were about to leave immediately, but a voice stopped Jaekiel from
somewhere.
"Excuse me, are you Jaekiel?"
"Hm?"
There was no need to ask the other person's identity. The distinctive
imperial embroidery on their clothing revealed them as those dispatched
from the Imperial Family.
Though their physiques didn't seem particularly strong, their rough hands
gave them away. They were scribes.
Jaekiel gestured at them with his eyes.
"What brings such esteemed individuals to this place?"
"First, let us clarify our identities."
They showed respect first.
"We are imperial scribes, dispatched to assess the achievements of your
recent expedition and to determine appropriate rewards."
"Rewards?"
Jaekiel tilted his head.
"I've already received the imperial pigeon's message."
"The Emperor himself sent the message?"
The scribe seemed quite surprised that the Emperor had personally written
the message, but quickly regained his composure.
"It seems your fame is spreading faster than I expected, Auditor. However,
we weren't dispatched on the Emperor's orders."
"Then whose orders?"
"We were sent under the orders of the Second Princess."
The scribe subtly revealed a scroll, and the wax seal bore the unmistakable
mark of the Second Princess.
"We've been instructed to record every one of your achievements without
omission and to ensure you receive as many rewards as possible."
The scribes holding brushes and scrolls had already scattered in all
directions.
They were meticulously recording everything—the state of the Magic
Tower, the scrolls, and the condition of the Black Tower—without missing
a single detail.
The scribe, who had been speaking with Jaekiel and wore a ceremonial cap,
asked, "There seems to be much to discuss. Shall we move to a more
comfortable place?"
"Well, why not?"
.
.
.
.
.
.
As Jaekiel and the scribe moved towards the reception room, Tether and
Anes followed behind like little chicks.
Anes sent a telepathic message to Jaekiel.
─The imperial scribes are known for heavily pressuring those they
interrogate. It's how they determine the truth.
─And?
─… Isn't it strange? They're not usually this polite.
Anes recalled her past encounters with the scribes.
Fear came first. These scribes didn't just highlight achievements, they were
just as good at finding faults, and they did so without mercy.
That's why this current situation was so peculiar.
─Perhaps the Second Princess added something to her instructions.
─It makes sense. When dealing with imperial guests, they're said to treat
them with the utmost care.
Perhaps this is what the Second Princess meant when she said she would
take care of it. Jaekiel thought, once again impressed by her stature.
Indeed, the Second Princess's status was not ordinary.
And finally, they arrived at the reception room.
Jaekiel and the scribe finally introduced themselves.
"Jaekiel, Auditor of the Imperial Tower."
"Beron, head of the scribes."
While Jaekiel had already seated himself, the scribe remained standing
stiffly.
Jaekiel took a drag from his Sun Grass and motioned with his chin.
"Why don't you sit down and make yourself comfortable?"
"The Second Princess commanded us to serve you with great care, so I
must decline sitting with you. I'm fine standing."
"You're making me uncomfortable, so just sit."
"…Thank you for your consideration."
The scribe looked quite bewildered.
"Is this really something to be that surprised about?"
"I'm sorry. This is very different from what I expected, and it caught me off
guard."
The scribe scratched the back of his head.
"The Second Princess emphasized multiple times that the person we were
meeting was a noble. I thought you'd be as strict as her."
Jaekiel understood, but he was never one to follow formalities strictly. After
all, he'd rarely been treated as someone of high status in his life.
"That makes sense. Shall we get to the main point?"
"Yes. Let's begin the review immediately."
The scribe unfolded a scroll, and slowly underlined the pre-written entries
as he reviewed them.
"Clearing out the bandits in the Black Zone, thwarting the Black Tower's
conspiracy, and leaving an exemplary case for future reference…"
The scribe nodded.
"These are truly remarkable deeds. They not only reflect the achievements
of the Magic Tower but also elevate the Imperial Family's reputation."
"I'm glad you recognize that."
"And the scrolls are extraordinary. I'm eager to see how they'll evolve
through the Imperial Tower's research."
The scroll rolled up with a soft sound.
"Well, as for the rewards… I've been a scribe for a long time, but
determining compensation at this level isn't common, so it took me a while
to figure it out."
Another scroll unfurled, probably detailing the rewards.
"There are gold coins, of course. And we should at least discuss the
imperial treasures, elixirs, and─"
"Hmm."
There were so many items that it was hard to keep track of them all.
Fwoosh!
That's when Anes and Tether created a telepathic network for the three of
them to communicate.
'They've gotten good at making these naturally.'
Jaekiel thought quietly. Anes and Tether really worked well together.
─Wouldn't gold coins be the best choice?
Tether muttered first.
─Since we can decide how to use it later, it seems like a good idea.
─But with those gold coins, you can't possibly get the kind of elixirs and
relics they're offering. We should choose wisely.
─Enough, enough.
Jaekiel stepped in to stop them.
─Why are you two deciding what I should receive?
─…
The two women blinked silently.
But after a moment, Anes sent another telepathic message.
─This is part of my job, too. If you make the best decision, you'll be more
motivated, and a motivated Auditor will benefit the Imperial Tower…
─I'm thinking, so just stay quiet for now.
*Click! *Jaekiel cut off Anes's telepathic message.
─Anes wants you to remove the block.
─Do you want to be blocked too?
─I'll explain everything to Anes.
Finally, there was silence again. Jaekiel exhaled a puff of Sun Grass smoke
and asked the scribe, "Do I need to give an answer today?"
"There's no need to decide today."
The scribe shook his head.
"I'm not sure what you mean."
"It means we'll have everything prepared. You can come and collect it
whenever you're ready."
"All of it? So that means…"
"Yes. Everything I just mentioned belongs entirely to you."
Jaekiel was momentarily speechless.
He had assumed he'd have to choose just one item from the vast list. But
everything on it was his?
And that wasn't the end.
"Finally, please take this."
What Jaekiel was handed was a white piece of paper, about the size of a
check. It simply had 'five hours' written on it in small print.
"What's this?"
"It's a time check. You can exchange it for the Princess's time whenever
you wish."
Does that mean he could summon the Princess for five hours whenever he
wanted? If so, this was truly an incredible check.
Jaekiel inspected the check again.
"There's no name written here. Should I assume it's for the Second
Princess's time?"
"It's a blank check, so you can write down whichever princess's name you
wish. However…"
"However?"
Why is there a 'however'?
Jaekiel instinctively felt something ominous.
"The fact that you've received the time check, and who you use it on… all
of that will be reported to the five princesses. It's their command."
Jaekiel quickly thrust the check back at the scribe.
"…Just take it back."
"Even your refusal will be reported."
Jaekiel suddenly felt a prickling sensation on the back of his neck and
glanced behind him.
Anes and Tether were staring at him like they had just witnessed the rarest
treasure in the world, and with obvious envy.
"…"
Jaekiel closed his eyes quietly.
Could this really be called a reward?
Really now… could this… be called… a reward…?