Chapter 345

Chapter 345. The Long, Long Night of the Mage Tower (1)

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Abandoned Collection Area.

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Acting Mage Tower Master, Aaron Daryu, stood motionless in the darkness.

His ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍crimson eyes glowed like embers that refused to go out as he stared at the garden’s entrance.

‘They ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍will come this way.’

He ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was certain.

Every ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍exit leading outside was under his surveillance.

The only place Armandy could flee to with his master was the lowest floor of the Mage Tower.

Yet time passed in silence.

Aside from the faint movements of plants writhing in the darkness, nothing stirred.

As the wait dragged on, the certainty he had once held so firmly began to waver.

‘Why are they not coming?’

They must be stalling, dragging things out like rats.

Waiting for a chance to escape somewhere amid the chaos—or else…

“…Someone is hiding them.”

An irritated mutter slipped from Aaron’s lips.

The faces of the Mage Tower’s elderly senior mages flashed through his mind.

Though Aaron held the title of Acting Mage Tower Master, he had not yet fully seized control of the massive tower.

Old mages who shut themselves away in their laboratories, pretending indifference to worldly affairs.

They were the greatest obstacles to Aaron’s consolidation of power.

Whenever he proposed holding official discussions to determine the Mage Tower’s successor, their replies were always the same.

‘Surely the will of the Mage Tower exists.’

‘That is not for us to decide. The tower chooses.’

They would spout such nonsense and retreat behind the tightly closed doors of their laboratories.

Aaron knew all too well the intentions hidden behind their apathy and evasion.

The cowardly resistance of old men afraid of change.

The last vestiges of pride that refused to acknowledge his power.

“The will of the Mage Tower?”

Aaron’s lips twisted with contempt.

If such a thing truly existed, why had it chosen Armandy—someone younger and weaker than himself—as the successor?

Why had it forced the chosen heir to flee for his life?

That was not the Mage Tower’s will.

To Aaron, it was nothing more than the senile whims of his aging master.

And even if there truly was an irresistible will governing the Mage Tower…

“I will break it.”

What shone in his crimson eyes was no longer simple anger.

It was the arrogant, unshakable conviction of one who sought to usher in a new era.

‘Fine. Then it works out even better. I will shake the board myself.’

A cruel smile spread across Aaron’s face.

Even if someone was hiding them, it did not matter.

He was not afraid of the old mages of the Mage Tower becoming his enemies.

He had the power of a great demon.

The imperial envoy, in particular, would make extremely useful pieces.

There was no longer any need to hide the fact that the 6th Prince was alive within the Mage Tower.

On the contrary, it was something to be exploited.

However, with the 6th Prince not yet in his grasp, things were delicate.

If he claimed the 6th Prince was alive now, the 2nd Prince would not believe him.

Aaron murmured softly.

“The criminal who stole my master’s research even kidnapped my critically ill master. What a horrific and tragic incident.”

He pulled a small communication device from his robes.

Then he issued an emergency summons to all mages in the Mage Tower.

“The Mage Tower Master has been kidnapped! Seal off all areas immediately and search for my missing master! The culprit is within the Mage Tower!”

To his direct subordinates, he added another order.

“…Search the imperial envoy’s lodgings thoroughly. If they behave suspiciously, you may take action.”

At Aaron’s ear, the satisfied whisper of the great demon Mammon echoed.

Heh heh heh, this is becoming quite entertaining. But what will you do about provoking the imperial envoy?

“I am not provoking them. I am merely informing them of the urgency of the situation.”

Aaron replied with a wet smile.

“And one must go this far to make them believe.”

The crime of concealing the 6th Prince, who had been believed dead.

It was an unforgivable, capital offense.

Aaron intended to pin all of that guilt squarely on Armandy.

***

“…My name is Sylvan!”

The voice coming from the 6th Prince’s mouth was filled with defiance.

The vertical pupil embedded in his eye gleamed menacingly.

“Call me Harpel again and I will kill you.”

Even so, he only bared his teeth and growled, never daring to approach Radel.

…Because he was afraid of getting hit.

‘The moment I even think about killing him, that damned water pitcher will come flying!’

Grinding his teeth, Sylvan glared at Radel.

Whether he was reading his thoughts or not, Radel remained completely unperturbed.

If anything, he looked at Sylvan with the fascinated gaze of a zoologist who had discovered a rare species.

“Oh, for someone only a few years old, you have a very clear sense of self. Did you come up with that name yourself?”

The unexpected question broke Sylvan’s momentum.

“A clear sense of self…?”

“It is a compliment. It means you are smart.”

A compliment.

Smart.

Understanding Radel’s words, Sylvan’s shoulders lifted with pride.

“Of course, idiot! I can do things like this too!”

Sylvan waved his hand and shouted.

“Grow!”

CRACK!

The moment his words fell, sharp branches burst from the wooden bedpost, leaves sprouting thickly in an instant.

Black moss spread across the carpet on the floor, and thorny vines rapidly grew from the chair Inette had been sitting on.

“Hey! I cannot sit like this!”

Startled by the vines stabbing at her, Inette shouted irritably.

Sylvan merely stuck out his tongue in response.

“So what.”

The childish provocation made Inette’s brow twitch.

Just as she was about to explode, Radel spoke first.

“Sylvan, did you really do all of this?”

“Yeah!”

Radel touched the plants filling the room with genuine curiosity, voicing his admiration.

“That is pretty impressive. You have talent.”

A new ability, distinct from the 6th Prince’s original Ability.

Perhaps because he was a personality born from plants, Sylvan seemed to possess an instinctive ability to manipulate them.

However, the plants he produced all had a grotesque quality to them.

Twisted branches, shriveled leaves, damp moss.

There was nothing bright about the vegetation he created.

Casually gauging Sylvan’s potential, Radel tossed out bait as if it were an idle remark.

“But can you only make creepy things like this? That is a little disappointing… Well, I suppose there are limits, since you were born only a few years ago.”

His low murmur struck Sylvan’s pride with perfect accuracy.

“What? I can make anything! I am smart!”

“Really?”

Radel’s eyes lit up as though he had been waiting for that.

“Then can you make something people would like? For example… something pretty, like flowers.”

“Hmph! That is nothing.”

Sylvan snorted and unleashed his power.

“Bloom!”

The grotesque plants covering the room withered away in an instant, and in their place bloomed vibrant, beautiful flowers.

Illusions of glittering butterflies danced across the ceiling, and the air filled with the sweet scent of nectar.

The lodging transformed into a small flower garden in the blink of an eye.

“Wow…”

Everyone in the room stared at the breathtaking sight in a daze.

Radel, equally impressed, produced a marshmallow from his pocket and gently popped it into Sylvan’s mouth as a reward.

“!?”

The moment something soft and sweet touched his tongue, Sylvan’s eyes went wide.

It was a sensation he had never experienced before.

A faint blush crept onto his pale cheeks.

“Wh-what is this?”

“It is a reward for doing well.”

“It disappeared the moment I put it in my mouth…”

Sylvan smacked his lips regretfully.

Radel grinned.

“If you behave, I will give you more.”

Watching this unbelievable scene, Inette whispered to Gusto in disbelief.

“He is really trying to tame it. That is insane. That thing is a complete beast!”

“His Highness tames people as well, so this should not be a problem.”

Gusto nodded with eyes full of trust in Radel.

Inette shot him an exasperated look.

“You seriously think this will work? Taming something that dangerous with a single marshmallow?”

“Your Highness is quite skeptical. His Highness has always resolved problems in ways that surpass our imagination. Our role is to trust him and wait.”

“What? Are you saying I do not trust him? Right now?!”

“I am merely stating facts.”

Gusto replied calmly, folding his arms.

Of course, he had been shocked when he received Radel’s letter saying he was going to the Mage Tower.

But he had quickly accepted it.

Because he knew exactly what kind of person the Prince was.

‘He always thinks several moves ahead.’

Gusto had suspected there was a reason Radel had entered the Mage Tower despite his body not yet fully recovered.

“And the 2nd Prince is suspicious too. Why did he suddenly ask Radel for help? And why did Radel accept it?”

Inette thumped her chest in frustration.

Without any explanation, the 2nd Prince had asked Radel for help, and Radel had agreed.

Only then had he revealed that the Acting Mage Tower Master was a heretic who had contracted with a demon, and that there was another personality inside the 6th Prince.

“Is the 2nd Prince working with that Acting Mage Tower Master? Otherwise, how would he know all of that? It is not like he came back from the future or anything… huh?”

As she spoke, realization dawned on Inette, her face gradually paling.

If the 2nd Prince knew the future, it all made sense.

His sudden change in attitude.

Radel’s question about whether this was the third time.

“No, wait. Then that means… really….”

Just as Inette was about to say something to Gusto, someone cut in.

“It is exactly as you think.”

It was the 2nd Prince, Arteo.

“To be precise, I should say I experienced it.”

Inette and Gusto could not help but be startled by his sudden interjection.

“I will not ask you to trust me. I do not even know why I am doing this myself.”

As Arteo added that, he looked at Radel, who was in the middle of bargaining with Sylvan.

Watching that utterly bizarre method of ‘training’ the 6th Prince’s other personality, even Arteo could not help but wonder if this was truly the right course.

“But… even if I were to go back again, I think I would make the same choice.”

Seeing the complicated expression on the 2nd Prince’s face, Inette found herself at a loss for words.

In truth, she was not much different from him.

Had she not come all the way to the Mage Tower because of that strange boy?

While the two royals were lost in complicated emotions, Radel was locked in a tug-of-war with Sylvan.

Unable to forget the taste of the marshmallow, Sylvan finally lost patience and lunged at him.

“Give it to me!”

“I said I would if you behaved.”

Sylvan bared his teeth, growling.

“I do not want to! Give it to me right now!”

“Give it to you?”

All warmth vanished from Radel’s face in an instant.

“If you want it, you should politely hold out both hands and say ‘please.’ Even the magical beasts I raised knew that much manners.”

Swoosh.

With an utterly natural motion, Radel lifted the water pitcher resting on the table.

Flinch.

Sylvan’s body stiffened instinctively.

The ominous pressure radiating from that ordinary-looking water pitcher.

The moment the madman’s hand holding that pitcher had struck his cheek earlier, he had been utterly helpless.

The fear from that moment was etched deep into Sylvan’s body.

In the end, he swallowed his pride and muttered in a small voice.

“…Give.”

“Say ‘please.’”

“…Please.”

“Good. That is how you do it.”

A satisfied smile spread across Radel’s lips.

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