Chapter 333

When ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Charles first met Killian Eurasia at the banquet, and when she met him again afterward,he had become the leader of the Extermination Squad.

Eurasia's ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Extermination Squad was an organization formed for the purpose of hunting Superhumans.

They ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍were trained so that they could synchronize themselves at any time in order to activate the single formula known as Carpe Illusion.

Once ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the Great War began, Charles lived in constant synchronization with the Violet Magic Tower.

That ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was because she had been given so many duties that would have been difficult to carry out without synchronizing with the Magic Tower.

She ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍had reached a level where she no longer needed to worry about the depletion of stamina or mental strength.

To balance the scales of their lopsided forces, she always synchronized with Cornelia's direct descendants and directed the battlefield.

Immediately after Hazard's Breath inflicted damage upon their enemies, the direct descendants' secret magic would incapacitate them.

That was how they had taken several castles and advanced, crushing the elite troops of the vassal states and the Empire.

It was simple, but not a method just anyone could use, and even those who knew the method could not easily counter it.

The Kingdom Alliance advanced through three main fronts.

Eurasia, Cornelia, and the Holy Nation.

Nearly every force outside them was defeated.

Elvenheim entered the war late, but even they remained little more than Eurasia's rear force.

It was not something they could simply regard with optimism.

The Mixed-Color Duke, called the continent's greatest mage, followed by the White Duke, Black Duke, and Red Duke, who had become known as the new Magic Tower masters.

The Emperor, unofficially regarded as 9-Star, and the Commander of the Imperial Knight Order, called the Empire's greatest knight.

They had not shown themselves on the battlefield until the Kingdom Alliance's forces reached the vicinity of the imperial capital.

Even the Walkers who infiltrated the imperial capital and the Magic Towers had failed to discover why.

Instead, communication with them was cut off one by one, making Charles realize that their information was leaking.

It was around then that Orchid Owl came to find Charles.

"Hello~"

She entered the Magic Tower through the coordinates of a passage used only by the direct descendants.

Regardless of Absinthe's information network, no one could enter that passage without bloodline authentication.

"Ahahaha. I pushed myself cutting through things, and three of my fingers got burned off~"

She casually held up her burned hand.

She spoke as though it were nothing that a 7-Star Knight Walker had cut through 8-Star Sun Magic.

For someone who had lost three fingers, her reaction was remarkably calm.

"What brings you here?"

Instead of answering, Orchid Owl raised the sack she held in her other hand.

"It's a sack with an expansion formula cast on it~"

She untied the sack and turned it over.

Roll, roll, roll.

Heads belonging to people with no torsos spilled out of it.

"......"

There appeared to be roughly a hundred of them.

At Charles's questioning look, Orchid Owl gave her a sweet smile.

"They're imperial nobles on Cornelia's route of advance~"

Orchid Owl continued her explanation with pride.

A Sword Master Viscount who had once led his household soldiers to block Cornelia's Superhumans.

A Baron who had risen to Archmage at a young age and earned an epithet.

A Count who, out of interest in martial arts, had three Masters under his command: a Sword Master, Lancer Master, and Bow Master.

One by one, the identities of imperial nobles whom even Charles did not know were laid bare.

"You did not have to go to such lengths to come here."

"Only you can give me the reward I want."

Her eyes turned to Charles's forehead.

The Seed.

The mark that symbolized the heir of the Violet Magic Tower, and a crystallization of mana.

"I know all about your relationship with your master."

"......?"

"You have that sort of relationship, don't you? I have an intimate relationship too, no less secret than yours."

"......"

"That ecstasy when I synchronized with my master."

Orchid Owl's voice trembled faintly.

"I'll never forget how I felt that day~"

Still not having completely lost her memories, she brought up her relationship with Killian Eurasia.

"Ahahahaha~"

"Orchid Owl. Please refrain from saying things that could cause misunderstandings."

"My master said that, in exchange for my pledge of loyalty, he would teach me how to synchronize with the Violet Magic Tower."

"So you are asking me to teach you how to synchronize with the Violet Magic Tower in place of Sir Killian?"

"Hmm~ Well, I'd be grateful if you did~"

Orchid Owl twisted her body as though embarrassed.

"I even recovered the hand I lost, but then I lost all news of my master~"

"......"

Madness gleamed in her eyes behind the mask.

It was the look she had shown several times in the past whenever she expressed an interest in a Magic Tower.

Charles happened to need someone who would act in her stead in the shadows rather than in the light.

Why was the Empire not mounting a proper counterattack? What was the source of the unease that bored into her heart despite the successive news of victory?

She desperately needed a capable blade of her own.

Since it was the sword Killian Eurasia had used, its performance was certain.

'If it is her.......'

Just as Killian Eurasia had Serena Constantine, Orchid Owl was ideally suited to handle affairs in the shadows in Charles's stead.

But she could not accept her so easily.

"It would be difficult to accept someone who has pledged loyalty to another."

"Serving two masters isn't so bad~"

"Orchid, trust has not yet been built between us."

"Should I cut down another hundred people?"

"No. You cannot prove your sincerity with something like that."

"Hmm~ I hate beating around the bush."

"I want your life."

"......"

Her eyes sank.

"Fine."

Her voice was no longer playful as before. It carried a chill as if a blade were held to one's throat.

"I'll give it to you."

Orchid Owl slowly raised her hand and removed the mask covering her face.

"My master had disappeared, and my mind was a mess anyway."

Her bare face, concealed behind the mask, was revealed.

A deep sword scar ran from the bridge of her nose, across her cheekbone, to the tip of her chin.

Her skin had healed unevenly, but the scar from a battle that had decided life and death gave her a quiet dignity.

Her eyes beneath her long lashes were calm, and her gaze was strangely averted.

'It isn't a human-skin mask.'

Grin.

A mocking smile, as though she treated death as a joke, hung at the corner of her lips.

Though the mask had come off, the darkness she harbored became clearer still.

"That is your true face."

"Yes."

"Why are you so obsessed with Magic Towers?"

Even without a Magic Tower, she had already attained a sufficiently high level.

"Just because. I only wanted to know myself."

Orchid Owl narrowed her eyes.

"A Magic Tower simply happened to be part of that process."

"......"

For a Walker to reveal her bare face meant she was staking her life.

It was enough of an answer to say that she would give her life.

Swoooosh—

Violet mana spread through the surroundings.

Then—

Whoosh!

The heads scattered across the floor burned away.

"I understand your intentions well enough."

The mana that had burned the heads now enveloped Orchid Owl.

A formula that read memories unfolded.

"......"

Orchid Owl lowered both arms, as if declaring that she would not resist.

After a short while—

"Your true feelings have been proven."

Shhhhh—

Violet mana seeped into Orchid Owl's body.

It was a power greater than the synchronization granted to the direct descendants, permitted only to Killian Eurasia and Hazard.

Immense power seeped into her.

[‘Violet’ appoints ‘Orchid Owl’ as the Tower's Third Guardian.]

"You can no longer die as you please."

While she was synchronized with the Magic Tower, healing magic at the 7-Star level would activate.

Even if part of her body were annihilated, regeneration magic wrought from infinite mana would not permit her death.

It would be the same even if her head were blown off.

The only person who could permit her death was Charles Cornelia, the heir of the Magic Tower.

"Finally!!"

Orchid Owl did not hide her joy.

She had faced the fact that she was from a collateral line, founded Absinthe, and spent a considerable amount of time doing so.

Though she had been raised as a Walker rather than a mage, she had ultimately reached a realm that even the direct descendants could not reach.

She lowered herself onto one knee.

"Loyalty to my Queen."

Why was it?

"My life to my master."

Why had she, who had lived her entire life as a Walker of the shadows, spoken an oath that knights in the light might make?

One thing was certain.

"I look forward to working with you, my secret blade."

Orchid Owl realized that she had reached a new realm.

***

"......"

The memory of the time when she first took Orchid Owl in flashed through Charles's mind.

She was the third designated Tower Guardian, after Killian Eurasia and Hazard.

Killian had become a Guardian through ‘Violet,’ but Charles herself had appointed Hazard and Orchid Owl as Guardians.

And—

Hazard's Guardian Mark had been released when he fused with Drago de Lord, while Orchid Owl was asking to die.

"I will lose two Guardians in a single day."

Charles spoke calmly as she watched Evil Energy devour violet mana.

[Beings like us must always choose what to sacrifice.]

The Mixed-Color Duke's voice changed.

Swoosh—

[Race: Monster (Fusion Potential)]

[Epithets: Monster Lord, Temporary Transcendent]

[Grade: ???]

[Mana: 260,000]

[Divine Power: 160,000]

[Evil Energy: 360,000]

[Danger Level: Highest]

The contents of the status window, which had identified him as human only moments ago, had changed considerably.

'He joined hands with the Monster Lord.'

She did not know when it had happened.

The force of his presence was comparable to Drago de Lord's.

Above all—

Ssssss—

The Violet Magic Tower was being contaminated by Evil Energy.

[It will become the Empire's fourth Magic Tower.]

Whoosh—

With a gesture of his hand, a Gate opened in the air.

It was the place where Hazard had been hidden.

With the heir of the Violet Magic Tower right in front of him, he handled this space as if it belonged to him.

'Charles, let's do that thing~'

Orchid Owl's voice echoed in Charles's mind.

She had already resolved herself to die.

'I'm sorry.'

[Sealing the Tower's Second Guardian.]

Crunch—

The space where Hazard was staying was sealed off.

Evil Energy that had lost its direction scattered throughout the area.

[Activating the Formula of Return through the Tower's Third Guardian.]

[Retrieving the information recorded in the Tower.]

[Searching for the Tower's First Guardian.]

[Sorting the differentiated memories of the First Guardian, Killian Eurasia.]

[Search complete.]

[Sorting complete.]

[Synchronization complete.]

[Manifesting the power of antiquity in the Third Guardian's body.]

[This is.......]

"This is."

The changes beginning to take place within the Violet Magic Tower came into the sight of both the Mixed-Color Duke and Charles.

"This is true Transcendence."

***

Orchid Owl's form dissolved into mana and seemed to disappear, only for a new existence to appear.

A human without facial features.

It felt as though she were looking at a mass of mana in human form.

"What are you?"

The Red Duke spoke as he watched the being before him.

"Charles has done something interesting."

The human murmured as she examined her hands.

"Is this form manifested because I am a forgotten existence?"

The featureless appearance resembled a Lord or an Origin.

It must be because she had stepped beyond the bounds of being human.

The memories of Orchid Owl, who had become the formula's medium, flowed into her mind.

The White Duke. The Black Duke. The Red Duke.

The men called the Empire's new Magic Tower masters were merely divided selves of the Mixed-Color Duke.

The memories she now held would eventually return to Charles Cornelia.

"It seems I have not been given much time, so shall we finish this quickly?"

"Arrogant......"

As if her opponent's response were unimportant, the featureless human raised a hand.

"Gate."

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