ATIRPBT 112

CHAPTER 112……………

Originally, the Magic Tower’s dealings were built purely on the bond between Jaester and Lirien—in other words, it was a one-sided arrangement where only the imperial family benefitted for a long time.

Of course, Lirien was a girl who knew propriety.

When she was only thirteen, after just three years—a long time if long, short if short—she had even asked whether it might be better to renegotiate relations with the Magic Tower.

That’s how much the Tower moved solely for Lirien’s convenience, and for her alone.

All simply because Jaester and Lirien were close.

“Is it because Lirien handed over full authority of Orichalcon to her brother?”

“…”

Jaester gave no clear answer.

But his faint smile alone was enough to show that the guess was correct.

“Hm.”

Adix stroked his chin slowly, narrowing his eyes.

‘He really does love her too much.’

Adix had long since known.

No—rather, it would have been strange not to notice how quickly his son had fallen for the imperial fledgling.

Wasn’t it obvious?

When he was ten years old.

Back when the boy was still small.

The child had once come, terrified, but kissed Adix on the cheek and made his very first request—

‘…I want to go to Lirien’s birthday, sir….’

Wasn’t that it?

At the time, Adix had felt both joy and irritation, as though he’d somehow been outdone by that little brat.

‘Looking at him now… he’s just like me.’

The way he pursued things out of sheer interest, the cold indifference to anyone not his own—he was exactly the same.

His son was doing the same things Adix himself had done when he loved Artesa.

“Well, fine then.”

Adix grinned mischievously and agreed without hesitation.

As though expecting this, Jaester reached out and tickled the tiny head of Pipi, the magic tool he had gifted to Lirien.

“Pii!” Pipi chirped happily.

Then—

“Ah, but in exchange, please keep Lord Epsilard bound to this place.”

“You said you’re cutting ties with the imperial family. Indirectly or not, that means their people will have to sever relations with Lord Epsilard as well.”

“I think so too, but… Lirien doesn’t like it.”

“She doesn’t?”

Adix looked at Jaester curiously, then his eyes lit up as if realizing something.

‘Of course. That impudent girl would never hand over full rights to Orichalcon to her brother willingly.’

It was everything to her.

Even more so since it was the honor she’d gained by humiliating the Tower’s master. Why would she give that up so easily?

Though he hadn’t been told outright, Adix was convinced that Lirien had given the rights over to spite her brother.

He didn’t know it was actually aimed at her brother’s mother—the Empress.

“Well, fine. I’ll leave Lord Epsilard’s exchanges alone.”

“Thank you, Father.”

Jaester smiled brightly and bowed.

“Is that all?”

“…Pardon?”

Just as Jaester was about to leave, Adix stopped him.

Jaester looked momentarily confused, but soon smiled, said a few words, and disappeared from the spot.

Adix chuckled pleasantly.

But when he reached to put his glasses back on, the smile faded without a sound.

Instead, he furrowed his brow, his shoulders trembling slightly as he stifled a groan of pain.

Only his strained breathing spread quietly throughout the office.

One hour after speaking with Jaester, Adix sent a letter to the imperial side—specifically, the Empress’s palace.

It was a notice that the mages who produced Orichalcon substitutes would no longer receive support.

The Empress, furious, tore the letter to shreds.

She burned the scraps, her voice cutting like a blade.

“Why is everything going wrong these days?!”

Her voice carried so loudly it pierced even the soundproof walls of the palace.

The servants, terrified, tiptoed through the corridors, desperately avoiding her gaze.

Unaware of this, the Empress slammed her desk and ground her teeth.

“Cutting ties with the imperial family? Why?!”

No matter how close the First Princess was to the Tower’s successor, cutting ties unilaterally was beyond belief.

She racked her brain furiously, trying to come up with a countermeasure, then summoned her shadow, Misha.

Misha appeared swiftly before her.

“Investigate whether the Magic Tower truly severed ties with Lord Epsilard.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

With a bow, Misha vanished.

She would return soon.

In the meantime, the Empress forced herself to breathe deeply, again and again, to suppress the storm of emotions raging within her.

Then—

“Y-Your Majesty the Empress….”

A maid’s trembling voice came from beyond the door. The Empress narrowed her eyes, snapping irritably.

“What is it? How many times must I tell you I want to be alone?!”

“F-Forgive me! But the Second Princess has suddenly arrived unannounced…”

“…The Second Princess?”

“Y-Yes…”

“Mother!”

Indeed, Yevgeny’s voice could be heard outside. The Empress clicked her tongue.

‘So impatient… what am I to do with her?’

Bad news kept piling up, and now her anger was turning toward her own children.

But she caught herself.

“…No. She’s still my child.”

She nearly lashed out at her daughter. Instead, the Empress forced a gentle smile onto her face and granted permission to enter.

The door burst open, and Yevgeny rushed into the chamber. Her eyes were dark and lifeless.

She had spent the whole day anxious, unable to sleep.

She dashed to the Empress’s side, collapsing into her embrace.

“M-Mother! How could the first aptitude test not be annulled? Brother and Emin didn’t even participate, how can that be?”

“His Majesty did not grant permission.”

“That can’t be….”

Yevgeny hung her head low. In the past, even her unreasonable requests would have been granted….

‘She’s changed….’

Tears welled and began to fall. The Empress gently wiped her daughter’s cheeks.

Though she whispered comforting words, she knew there was nothing she could do. The people’s favor was already shifting to Lirien, and with her holy power awakened, there was no way to overturn it.

Even if she tried to manipulate the results, if she failed to produce evidence, it would backfire.

‘Do I have to give up here?’

…In the end, wasn’t the Beacon Tower ceremony just a brief appearance?

Besides, she had far more pressing matters:

The Magic Tower. Orichalcon. And their broken relations.

Since the exchange failed, she needed another way to win the Tower’s favor for Dmitri.

At the very least, she had to push out Lord Epsilard and replace him with one of her own people.

At that moment, an idea flashed across her mind.

The Empress looked down at her daughter.

Yevgeny, consumed by frustration and grief, was a pitiful sight—any onlooker would have called her disgraceful.

“Hm…”

The Empress narrowed her eyes, lifted her daughter’s chin, and forced her face upward.

Yevgeny blinked in confusion.

“Mother…?”

“Listen, Yenny.”

“W-What is it?”

“I was just looking at your face.”

She turned Yevgeny’s head this way and that, examining her features.

Yevgeny sat helplessly, blinking as her mother moved her head around, now more curious than upset.

As she fell silent, the Empress spoke again, a sly smile on her lips.

“Honestly, do you think our Yenny falls behind the First Princess in looks?”

“…Huh?”

“Of course not. You’re the spitting image of me and His Majesty. A true beauty. You could capture any man you wanted.”

“…?”

Yevgeny frowned in confusion.

But then the Empress’s next words widened her eyes.

“You know the Tower Master has a son, don’t you?”

“…That shallow man who trails endlessly after Lirien?”

Yevgeny muttered distastefully.

He looked decent—too decent, in fact, so polished it was irritating.

‘I don’t get it. Why does he like Lirien so much?’

Just then, the Empress sighed, feigning sorrow as she gripped her daughter’s shoulders.

“Well, that man is cutting ties with us, claiming the First Princess gave full rights to Orichalcon to the Crown Prince.”

“What?!”

Yevgeny cried out in shock, then quickly clamped her mouth shut and asked,

“How absurd! Ending relations over that?!”

“Ha… That’s why I worry. Until now, the First Princess has received their help without paying a price, and suddenly this happens—it puts us in a terrible bind. So Yenny, I have a request.”

“What is it, Mother?”

“Open the Tower successor’s eyes.”

“M-Me?”

Yevgeny flinched, staring at her. The Empress smiled earnestly, nodding.

“You’ve never interacted with him, have you? Then this is your chance. It should be easy enough to win him over to our side.”

If that happened, the Tower would turn its back on Lirien.

With that thought, the Empress urged her gently with her eyes.

Though hesitant at first, Yevgeny soon steeled herself: ‘If Lirien can do it, why can’t I?’ She nodded.

“Have I ever failed you, Mother? I can do it.”

“My lovely daughter. That’s what I wanted to hear.”

The two shared a wicked smile.

I’ll send a letter to Count Epsilard, the Empress thought.

A letter to threaten him—to demand he step down.

“The letter has arrived, as you said….”

I read my grandfather’s letter, my eyes gleaming.

“I knew it. Of course she sent one.”

I smirked.

“Will Her Majesty summon Lord Epsilard, then?”

Ilia asked, and I hummed. Truthfully, I couldn’t be sure.

I had applied pressure, but whether she acted as I predicted would depend on her circumstances.

‘Still, for now….’

I recalled leaving the Empress’s palace after spending the morning with Mother.

Yevgeny had shut herself away in the temple for days, seemingly crushed—but then suddenly—

“Oh my, isn’t that Sister Lirien? Visiting the Empress, I see~?”

She had greeted me with energy, bright as ever.

I kept a calm face and ignored her, but inside, I was thrown off.

‘Why the sudden change…?’

I even took a detour to check the Empress’s palace. By chance, I ran into the Empress herself, out for a stroll.

“Oh my, if it isn’t the First Princess~.”

She greeted me as usual.

Of course, she was skilled at masking her true feelings—surely boiling inside—but I expected at least a frown when she saw me.

‘But not even a flicker of displeasure… She must be plotting something again.’

I began to suspect she might not invite Grandfather to the imperial banquet after all.

“For now, we’ll have to see how things unfold.”

I decided to wait two more days. If by then there was still no sign of her summoning Grandfather, I would suggest to the Emperor that we host the banquet ourselves.

“Things almost work out, then fall through again.”

Still, I wasn’t discouraged.

According to Ilia, the maids of the Second Princess’s palace said Yevgeny no longer believed she’d be chosen to light the Beacon Tower fire.

Without me needing to stir anything, it seemed everyone already saw me as the leading candidate.

“Heh. That feels nice.”

I popped a grape from the tray Mullin had brought.

Three days later, the Imperial Court and the Temple issued a notice:

The people were to vote for which member of the imperial family was most suited to light the Beacon Tower flame.

The empire’s citizens were divided.

The shrewd ones suspected all the recent “good deeds” by the royals had been leading to this, and voiced objections.

Others, swayed or stubborn, argued against the idea.

And I—

“…A dance?”

“…”

While the citizens wavered over their votes, I was wavering for a different reason.

Because Dmitri held out his hand to me.

He said the royals were holding a small party among themselves.

It wasn’t a formal banquet, so everyone was enjoying themselves casually.

Even Iabel didn’t come over to pick a fight.

I was able to relax, spending time with Mother, or stepping aside when Father approached.

But even in such small, ordinary moments, the unexpected happens.

Even at this modest gathering, a band was ready, and one by one, pairs began dancing.

And then—

“…”

Dmitri asked me to dance.

“Refusing, are you?”

“…Of course not.”

I forced an awkward smile and laid my hand in his firm one.

The attendants and nobles all turned to stare at us, eyes wide.

I wanted to run away.