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Chapter 06
“No, Your Grace! How could someone who has never made a mistake do something like this?!”
The moment they left the underground prison, Harhin began scolding him.
His voice echoed loudly through the corridor.
Ian frowned at the painful noise.
“Harhin.”
At his sharp call, Harhin immediately shut his mouth.
Earlier, Rizeana had called him “Duke.”
It seemed she only knew his public identity.
Ian Rendi Devencia.
A noble Duke of the Tenzel Empire—at least publicly.
But in truth, his real position was far more dangerous.
He was the only Tower Master of the Magic Tower, leading four powerful mages.
Unlike the Avid Empire, which valued commerce and culture, the Tenzel Empire prioritized military power.
Magic, however, was extremely rare in Tenzel—so mages were highly valuable.
Because of that, mages had to be kept hidden as precious national assets.
Especially the Devencia family, who were born with overwhelming magical power.
They had formed a lifelong contract with the imperial family and gained enormous power and wealth.
But there was a price.
A curse bound to Ian’s heart… and a secret deal with the emperor.
Later, a Magic Tower was created under the name “Shadow of the Emperor.”
At 19, Ian personally traveled across the empire to recruit mages.
In total, five people now supported the empire from the Magic Tower.
Harhin, his aide and the second mage of the tower, was now groaning beside him.
“How can the great Tower Master, unmatched in magic, make such a simple mistake?!”
Harhin continued nagging all the way down the hallway.
“Harhin.”
Ian’s cold voice cut through again.
“There seem to be many empty cells in the underground prison lately.”
“Y-Yes?”
Ian looked at him expressionlessly.
“If you keep bothering me about her again… one of those cells might become yours.”
Harhin turned pale and quickly covered his mouth.
Inside the Magic Tower
In a quiet room, a crystal orb suddenly lit up in the darkness.
Ian spoke as if he had been waiting for it.
“Your Majesty. Gwanggak grass has started appearing in the northern slums of Tenzel.”
[Yes. The council nobles have already agreed on this matter.]
The emperor’s voice was filled with irritation.
Ian bowed slightly.
[The filthy Avid Empire is behind this.]
Tenzel and Avid were enemies, fighting a hidden war.
Illegal Gwanggak grass, a forbidden plant, had been spreading.
Inhaling its scent destroyed reasoning.
Eating it could lead to death—or madness that turned people into monsters due to magical backlash.
It was said to be created through advanced magical refinement, but something was still missing.
Ian believed there was something Avid possessed that Tenzel lacked.
His mission was clear:
[Find the source of Gwanggak grass and obtain the antidote plant.]
The emperor spoke again.
Ian understood the unspoken command.
“Understood.”
The crystal’s light faded.
Harhin immediately shouted:
“How are you going to handle this, Your Grace?! The Emperor himself—!”
But Ian ignored him completely.
He placed his feet on a messy desk full of documents and closed his eyes.
A disrespectful posture for a noble.
He began thinking.
The easiest method to gather information—
was taking a hostage.
According to Harhin’s intelligence:
The Avid Crown Prince Laiphin Avid Benedict had a Crown Princess.
Rizeana de Philorentia.
Black hair, purple eyes.
Beautiful, elegant… and rumored to be cruel.
And beside Laiphin was his secret lover:
Delisa Lupe Crodenne, a noble girl with pink hair and golden eyes.
Reports suggested Delisa was more important to Laiphin.
So Ian originally planned to kidnap Delisa.
“That useless girl will be of no use. I’ll just end up returning her.”
But then—
Rizeana de Philorentia appeared in his mind.
“So… kidnap me. Now.”
She had stepped forward herself, asking to be taken.
Not afraid. Not hesitant.
A woman offering herself as a hostage.
“An unexpected gain.”
Ian smiled slightly.
“Interesting.”
Meanwhile, Harhin complained:
“What is interesting?! What are you talking about?!”
Ignoring him completely, Ian tore up a document.
It was Delisa’s profile.
“Dispose of it. No one is to see this.”
Rizeana – The Prison
Rizeana woke up and frowned.
Her body was stiff from sleeping on a hard floor.
She stretched slowly.
No one had come to wake her.
No one to please.
No need to act carefully anymore.
Even though it was a prison—
it was the most comfortable sleep she had ever had.
And Laiphin…
“No, he’ll probably be happy I disappeared.”
He would likely rush to make Delisa the Crown Princess instead.
As she stretched, a shadow fell over her.
She didn’t need to look up to know who it was.
“Duke Devencia.”
She raised her head slightly.
Their eyes met—his sharp red gaze—but she looked away again.
Last night had been driven by impulse.
But now…
That fire had cooled completely.
Her courage had vanished.
She had finally escaped the Avid Empire.
“Did you sleep well, prisoner?”
Ian’s cold but amused voice told her this wasn’t a dream.
“There’s nothing else to do but sleep.”
He chuckled.
“Seems like you’re getting used to the prison already.”
“That’s a subjective statement.”
Expression unchanged, she replied calmly.
Ian handed her a plate.
Bread and milk.
“Breakfast.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“Eat.”
She truly wasn’t hungry.
And she had more important things to think about.
“If you want to be useful to me, you need strength.”
His tone changed—firmer now.
“You don’t have the right to refuse. Prisoners don’t have rights.”
“That’s… ridiculous.”
“Eat. While I’m being nice.”
He pushed the plate inside the cell.
Rizeana frowned deeply.
“Ian Rendi Devencia. Stop this nonsense.”
She couldn’t waste time here.
She had to watch Laiphin and Delisa fall.
“I don’t need your help. I’m waiting for someone else.”
Ian paused.
The air suddenly shifted.
Mana began to ripple around them.
“My value will be decided in front of Emperor Adam… not you.”
Her expression hardened.
“Take me to the Emperor. I’m done playing prisoner.”
Even Ian, who had always read everyone easily—
could not read her.
“I will destroy Avid, Laiphin, and Delisa.”
Her hatred filled the room.
“And you think I’ll just sit quietly in this cage?”
Ian narrowed his eyes.
“You don’t value your life?”
“Not at all.”
Suddenly—
she grabbed his collar through the bars.
Their faces were now close.
“Open it. If I die here, you gain nothing.”
“Are you threatening me?”
But before he could respond—
Suddenly—
He froze.
A burning pain erupted in his neck.
“Kgh…!”
The sun-shaped curse mark on his body was activating.
A curse he was born with.
Once a month, it caused unbearable pain—like his heart was being torn apart.
Only the Emperor could suppress it.
“Why… now…?”
He staggered.
“This shouldn’t be happening today…!”
His knees gave out.
“Damn it…”
And finally—
Ian collapsed onto the ground in agony.
