[Tower Master, the first phase of research on the highest-grade magical beast is complete.

You must have heard about Christopher Alexander Montgomery Harrison whom Agnes left in our care?

Ah, should I call him Cerberus now?

In any case, they left some notes about their research on that magical beast.]

“…The problem is that he’s here.”

Did he tell them to call him Cerberus before leaving?

Even while groaning in pain, he was obsessed with the magical beast’s name. He shook his head thinking he must be out of his mind.

[Ah, I heard you’ve been going out to subjugate magical beasts left and right these days – what kind of deal did you make with the Emperor?

You’ve been so negligent of the Tower, I’m hurt.]

“As expected.”

In the end, the letter predictably concluded with whining about coming to the Magic Tower.

Ariel tossed the letter carelessly onto the bed and recalled his secret conversation with the Emperor.

“Tower Master, magical beasts are suddenly swarming. The numbers are unprecedented…”

Thanks to Second Prince Forcite de Vergne’s impudent act of stealing the box containing the dog leash last time, he hadn’t helped with magical beast subjugation for a while.

To make matters worse, the Empire was having headaches due to the unprecedented increase in magical beast numbers.

The Emperor, who had urgently summoned Ariel, hid his sweaty hands under the table.

Though the sudden increase in magical beasts was unexpected, the Emperor wanting him was exactly what Ariel had hoped for.

Ariel spoke leisurely.

“Then let me make a proposal.”

“What kind of… proposal?”

“Properly investigate the High Priest of the temple where Merrien was.”

So Merrien could have her revenge.

“Ah, it would be nice to throw Count Montina in the underground prison too.”

Back when he was disguised as Whitey at the temple.

Despite sending gifts under Duke Hartez’s name specifically to deter nobles, ‘Count Montina’ had persistently visited Merrien regardless.

He even persistently proposed marriage.

“T-The temple?”

“Yes. In exchange, I’ll attend the imperial banquet with Merrien and participate in all magical beast subjugations for the time being.”

“……!”

The Emperor, who had looked troubled for a moment, had a gleam in his eyes.

The conditions set by the Tower Master, who had always been rigid and only pursued his own interests, were quite favorable for both the Empire and himself.

“Very well, let’s do that.”

Should he say he obtained Merrien’s revenge easily? Or should he say he obtained it with considerable difficulty?

He knew that Forcite would come with the banquet invitation afterward, and he knew everything that would happen at the banquet.

Though in exchange, he had to go out for magical beast subjugation for a while.

Finishing his reminiscence, Ariel picked up the letter again.

“I should go to the Magic Tower.”

To see Christopher.

The end of the letter began to burn.

Soon the letter disappeared without leaving even ashes.

“Oof.”

Ariel got up stretching lightly and snapped his fingers.

Soon his vision was filled with magicians in black robes, intently observing and researching something.

A mask was already covering Ariel’s face when he arrived at the Magic Tower.

As he walked toward the center, the highest-grade magical beast that had completed its first phase of research and Christopher, now called Cerberus, were chained side by side.

Seren, the assistant who had been intently comparing documents about the two creatures, turned his head upon sensing a presence.

“Tower Master! Did you come as soon as you saw the letter?”

“Yes.”

“…Wow, I’m touched. Why didn’t you come before I wrote the letter then?”

“You’re still insufferable even when I do come.”

“I’m just joking.”

Seren picked up the documents he had dropped in surprise and laughed good-naturedly.

Actually, it had been about a week since he sent the letter to Ariel, but knowing his usual nature, he had expected it would take a week just to check it and at least a month to come to the Tower.

‘Still, he must be quite interested in magical beast research.’

Ariel passed by Seren, who was hugging the documents feeling accomplished, and looked over the two highest-grade magical beasts.

“Long time no see, Christopher.”

“……Whiiine.”

Although he spoke softly as if meeting an old friend, Christopher trembled like an aspen tree and lowered his massive body flat.

The magical beast beside them, who had been wary of the newcomer’s appearance, seemed bewildered by Christopher’s behavior and could only flick its tongue.

Ariel, who had been observing the two magical beasts’ behavior with a peculiar gaze, crossed his arms.

“So. How are the first phase research results?”

“Here, take a look at this.”

As if he had been waiting, Seren handed over the documents he had been carefully holding against his chest.

[Highest-grade Magical Beast: A

A large cobra-shaped monster

Uses its long tail to quickly wrap around and strangle its opponent

Has poison in its tongue]

What he handed over was, literally, a document about the research on magical beasts.

“It’s highly intelligent and, perhaps for survival, doesn’t show much hostility. At least when there are many people around.”

Ariel, who had been reading through the document, shifted his gaze at Seren’s meaningful words.

A strange light gleamed in Seren’s eyes. He seemed extremely pleased, as if he had discovered something interesting after a long time.

Worried the magical beast in front of them might hear, Seren moved close to Ariel and whispered.

“When a magician bringing food comes alone, it seems to see it as an opportunity and attacks without hesitation. If you subdue it then, it stays quiet for a while.”

“It attacks even while bound in chains?”

“Yes. It must have judged it could win. However, it seems to have an instinct to never attack in situations where it might lose. Unlike lower and middle-grade magical beasts that would attack humans regardless. But you see…”

“What.”

As the Tower Master focused on the conversation, Seren, excited about this, started rattling off information rapidly.

Ariel, who had been somewhat interested until just now, was starting to find it tedious.

When he waved his hand urging Seren to speak faster, Seren boldly added:

“I thought A would be wary when Cerberus came here…”

“Christopher.”

“Yes, yes. Anyway, I thought it would be wary when Christopher came here, but they acted as if they knew each other.”

“……!”

Now this is interesting! Ariel, whose eyes had been half-closed, perked up again. He readjusted his grip on the documents he had almost dropped.

“They exchanged what seemed like language we couldn’t understand, and then A even bowed its head to Christopher as if showing respect.”

“Is there a hierarchy even among highest-grade magical beasts?”

“It seems that way. We already knew they were intelligent and could communicate with us to some extent.”

“…Then what about the information Agnes discovered?”

“Ah, look at this.”

Flipping through the documents revealed no other information. Seren quickly handed over a note.

[There is a hierarchy among highest-grade magical beasts.

Cerberus is presumed to be the strongest among them.]

“Ah, it’s Christopher, not Cerberus. You’re really persistent.”

……You’re both equally persistent. Seren swallowed these words.

That irritated yet serious expression on Ariel’s face.

It was exactly the same as when Agnes had visited the Magic Tower and, while nearly dying, had insisted on calling him ‘Cerberus’.

Seren waved away the stray thoughts that had been floating around.

“That’s not what’s important. The point is that Agnes already knew about this. Could this mean real dragons are connected to magical beasts? At this point, I’m saying he must have had a conversation with Christopher.”

“……”

Ariel’s gaze suddenly sharpened as he examined Agnes’s note.

Seren raised both hands quickly in response to the instantly chilled atmosphere.

“I’m joking.”

Ah, they fight all the time but stick together at times like this. Seren’s forehead broke out in cold sweat as he grumbled secretly.

Meanwhile, the note Ariel was reading contained desperate sentiments, unlike Agnes’s usually stiff writing style.

[As we suspected, there exists a magical beast above even the highest grade.

It is presumed this beast commands all other magical beasts.

To clear up the misunderstanding about dragons, we must find out the identity of this beast……]

The latter part wasn’t simply left unfinished.

‘The moon must have suddenly shifted, causing his body to shrink and become painful.’

The end of the letters jutted out messily, and the paper was crumpled as if conveying the pain of that day.

He probably desperately teleported Christopher to the Magic Tower and then moved to get medicine.

‘And then happened to collapse in front of Merri. Perhaps it was fortunate to collapse in front of her.’

After all, if he had collapsed in front of someone connected to the Imperial family, he would have died after being tortured without fail.