Chapter 147. A Madman’s Sincerity

A bloody battle, he says.

Geminian Longsonnie alternately looked at the menacing gun barrel and the Grand Duke, swallowing hard.

It had been seven years since he had entrusted himself to the Mage’s Tower, taking on the management and supervision of unauthorized mages.

Geminian was utterly perplexed by this insane situation he had never experienced before. Moistening his parched lips with his tongue, he spoke in a lowered voice, trying to remain calm.

“If you engage in armed conflict with us, the relationship between Freuden and the Mage’s Tower…”

“Are you threatening me? Do you want to die?”

You’re the one making threats!

Geminian was so dumbfounded that he almost forgot who he was talking to and nearly shouted back.

Stay calm, stay calm… We have the right of forced execution anyway. If the Grand Duke continued to resist, they would have no choice but to forcibly take the Grand Duchess. This was the absolute authority of the Mage’s Tower concerning unauthorized mages, which wouldn’t be a problem even if they did so.

Europia had maintained order this way since the Mage’s Tower was established on Rosretzia Island, and no matter how powerful the Grand Duke of Bayern was, he couldn’t stand against the Mage’s Tower.

“We are simply following our principles. Even if the person reported as an unauthorized mage is a member of the royal family, we cannot break those principles…”

“I have business with the Master of the Tower.”

Geminian stared at the Grand Duke with wide eyes at this unexpected statement. After gaping for a moment, he finally managed to ask a question, a few beats late.

“You say you have business with the Master of the Tower…? You, Your Grace?”

“Yes. Tell them I have something I want to negotiate and I’d like them to comply.”

“But, the Tower Master…”

Geminian darted his eyes around, feeling perplexed. The Tower Master was a veiled figure who only revealed themselves to their closest confidants. Even Geminian, who had been a member of the Tower for seven years, had never seen them. Not even once.

Would such a Tower Master comply with the Grand Duke’s proposal? Well… Geminian was skeptical. And regardless, the fact remained that they needed to take the Grand Duchess into custody as soon as possible.

“…It’s difficult to deliver a message directly to the Tower Master. I can try to convey your words to Sion, their closest aide. However, it’s best not to have high expectations…”

Geminian trailed off, giving a subtle signal to his adjutant standing beside him.

Get ready.

Understanding the silent order, the adjutant gripped the magical tool hidden in his wide sleeve, infusing it with magical power. His eyes, hidden under the hood, fixed directly on the Grand Duchess in front of him.

It wasn’t difficult to specify the target for joint teleportation. They had done this kind of forced execution countless times before.

Parents who didn’t want to send their children, men who didn’t want to be separated from their fiancées, individuals who didn’t want to go to the Mage’s Tower… Such people were as common as pebbles on the roadside. Although the Grand Duke was the first to threaten a Mage’s Tower executor with a gun.

Geminian spoke again, calmly.

“…In any case, Your Highness the Grand Duchess must come with us to the Mage’s Tower. It’s impossible for you to accompany her, Your Grace, as a matter of principle. However, you may be able to enter Rosretzia Island later if you obtain permission.”

“Ellen is not in a condition to go to the Mage’s Tower. If you dare to take my wife into custody, be prepared for the aftermath.”

Those golden eyes flashing like lightning were not to be taken lightly. Would he really risk armed conflict with the Mage’s Tower? Geminian briefly considered whether to comply with the Grand Duke’s demands, but it was beyond his authority anyway. All decisions were up to Sion, the Tower Master’s successor and representative.

“…I apologize, Your Grace. We must fulfill our duty.”

Magic is a dangerous power.

Even magic that could only create a tiny spark had to be treated with utmost caution. Because that small spark could turn into a massive forest fire.

That’s why there were no exceptions to forced execution. Whether noble or royalty, an unauthorized mage was simply a dangerous element that the Mage’s Tower had to control.

For the peace and order of Europia. Geminian, inwardly muttering this slogan that was like a doctrine in the Mage’s Tower, signaled to his adjutants.

The next moment, a glowing circular mark appeared beneath Ellen’s feet. Enoch, who noticed it keenly, didn’t have time to take any action before the teleportation magic contained in the magical tool activated, and the three mages disappeared in an instant.

And Ellen vanished along with them.

* * *

The interior of the reception room was in chaos. Henry, who had rushed over upon hearing the news, was horrified to see Enoch raging madly. No one dared to stop him, and they could only pace anxiously outside the door.

“Enoch!”

Henry hurriedly approached Enoch, circling around the table that had been reduced to splinters. Although his knees weakened when he met those fierce golden eyes, he tried to remain calm as he asked.

“What’s wrong? Where’s the Grand Duchess? What on earth happened?”

“Those bastards took Ellen.”

“What?”

“The damn dogs from the Mage’s Tower forcibly took Ellen away, how dare they, the wife of the Grand Duke of Bayern. Those crazy bastards.”

Growling like a ferocious beast, Enoch truly looked ready to kill someone. As he suddenly turned towards the door, Henry quickly followed, saying,

“What are you going to do? The only thing we can do right now is contact the Mage’s Tower and get permission to enter, Enoch. Even the royal family can’t interfere with the mages’ affairs.”

“Don’t concern yourself, Henry. What I’m about to do from now on is my personal business, not related to Freuden’s position.”

“You’re not thinking of invading Rosretzia Island, are you?”

“Then what, should I just sit around and wait? Ellen could die at any moment!”

“What are you talking about? Why would the Grand Duchess…”

“Get out of my way, Henry. I have to go. I can’t leave Ellen alone, absolutely not.”

The two men arguing had somehow reached the garden. Enoch shook off Henry, who was trying to hold him back, and mounted his horse. He warned once more in a resolute tone.

“Don’t interfere, Henry.”

“Enoch, you really…”

“Draw a line that whatever crazy thing I do from now on has nothing to do with Freuden’s position. I’ll take responsibility for any problems that arise later.”

“Wait, hold on! Enoch!”

Despite Henry’s attempts to stop him, Enoch rode away on his horse. Left alone in the dark garden, Henry sighed with fatigue and rubbed his face. After bowing his head and closing his eyes tightly for a moment, he gathered his thoughts and gave orders to Kidson.

“Contact the Mage’s Tower. Tell them I urgently want to discuss the matter concerning the Grand Duchess. If I can’t meet the Tower Master, ask if their representative could come out. Also, request entry permission in Enoch Bayern’s name.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Although it was uncertain whether a closed institution like the Mage’s Tower would respond to the request, it was better than doing nothing. Surely, they wouldn’t ignore even a king’s request. And when morning comes tomorrow… I should contact Teacher.

How shocked he will be when he learns that his granddaughter has been detained by the Public Security Bureau.

Henry let out a deep sigh and turned to walk towards the palace. The night was so quiet, yet it felt as if an invisible storm was raging somewhere.

* * *

“You can stay in this room.”

The tower’s mages were surprisingly kind. Ellen had worried they might interrogate her harshly, but they didn’t. They just conducted a formal investigation and then showed her to a room to stay in.

Ellen looked around the average-sized room and then collapsed onto the bed. Worry, anxiety, and unease about Enoch were consuming her mind. She was afraid he might do something outrageous because of her.

She spent two days full of such concerns. When a mage told her that she could meet the Tower Master’s representative today, she nodded silently, but then a commotion was heard from somewhere.

“Is it really the Grand Duke of Bayern?”

“We’re in trouble.”

“What is Sion doing?”

“Right now, at the port…”

Could it be.

Her heart beat violently. Ellen rushed out to the balcony in the corridor without anyone stopping her and looked outside. The panoramic view of Rosretzia Island was visible from the high fortress. In the distance, a ship could be seen docked at the port.

A certain conviction swept through Ellen’s mind like a shiver. As she staggered, her legs giving way, a blonde mage hurriedly approached and supported her.

Enoch had come.

He really did come.

The ship of the Grand Duke of Bayern had illegally landed on Rosretzia Island.

The Grand Duke and his subordinates who disembarked from the ship were in the midst of an argument with the mages who had rushed to protest.

In fact, it was more than just an argument. With guns drawn, it was a tense situation that could escalate at any moment.

“Tell the Tower Master or their representative to come out right now. As you can see, I’m a madman, so you never know what I might do.”

That’s sincere.

It was the sincerity of a madman. The tower’s mages surrounding the Grand Duke and his subordinates exchanged glances, aghast. If a real battle were to break out, the damage on their side would be considerable as well.

So, complying with the Grand Duke’s demands seemed to be the best option… Sharp glances from other mages flew towards Geminian, the very person who had failed to properly persuade that crazy man and led to this situation in the first place.

Of course, Geminian felt wronged. He had only followed the principles. Who could have known that the Grand Duke of Bayern was truly mad enough to invade Rosretzia Island?

Just as Geminian was about to speak up, thinking he should try to persuade the Grand Duke to leave even now.

“…My, my, to think such a problem would arise while I was away for a moment.”

A soft, beautiful voice carried on the wind. Silver hair, almost white, fluttered like thin threads, and silver eyes that slowly surveyed the surroundings curved like crescent moons.

Enoch narrowed his eyes as he recognized that pretty face. This suspicious mage who called himself ‘Silver’ spoke to Enoch with a generous smile.

“Instead of doing this in someone else’s front yard, why don’t we go inside and talk, Grand Duke?”