Based on the clicking sounds coming from somewhere, it’s certain that tomorrow’s newspaper front page will have headlines like “Duke Ariel Hartez was actually the Tower Master?”
“Aah…”
Baron Marist, who had been enthusiastically spreading rumors about Ariel under the illusion of having Forcite’s backing, collapsed to the floor.
Forcite, who had been running urgently, stopped somewhere between the platform and Merrien, appearing momentarily disoriented.
His hands trembled with overflowing anger as he bit his lower lip and glared at Ariel.
-You’re feeling miserable emotions, Prince.
The voice in his pupils whispered.
“…This is anger.”
Is this a miserable emotion? No, he absolutely refused to accept that.
Before he could save Merrien, that man not only beat him to it but also eliminated all the magical beasts.
Even though he had threatened him with Merrien’s life not to reveal that he was the Tower Master.
-Yes, we agreed to kill Merrien if he revealed himself as the Tower Master.
The voice resonated within Forcite’s body and reached his mind.
“No, don’t…”
Forcite’s urgent voice was suddenly cut off.
His unfocused eyes shifted to Merrien. His face became expressionless, all the emotions that had been swirling just moments ago instantly vanishing.
-Kill her.
“……”
Forcite raised his hand toward Merrien.
His creaking movements were clearly different from his usual self, but anyone could see that something massive was about to happen from his outstretched hand.
Black energy flowed strangely from his eyes.
It writhed with the movements of a living creature, crawled to Forcite’s hand, and spread widely.
The black energy flew toward Merrien, poised to engulf her.
But nothing happened.
Whatever was inside Forcite said nothing, perhaps in confusion.
With his hand half-lowered and completely frozen, Forcite looked grotesque, like a marionette with cut strings.
“Ah. The mind control is gone. How?”
Forcite’s mouth moved, revealing a sudden realization.
His bizarrely broken voice sounded like two voices humming together, overlapping between Forcite and the thing in his pupils.
Of course, only Ariel could hear this small muttering in this place.
Ariel was brushing off even the tiniest speck of dust from Merrien’s hair and clothes with a fierce expression.
Only after finishing did he begin to approach Forcite with a satisfied face.
“My friend has done something great. He removed the Emperor’s energy, so how could he not break the mind control?”
Though he seemed to be walking slowly, Ariel had somehow already arrived beside Forcite and was whispering.
When Merrien entered the courtroom, Ariel immediately noticed that the mind control on her had disappeared.
Then, with a slight gesture from him, even the ancient magical item inside her body vanished without a trace.
In the end, Agnes’s plan had truly succeeded completely.
Forcite’s entire body trembled, though it was unclear whose will it was.
-Kill Merrien. Kill her!
Forcite drew his sword at the voice filled with malice and devoid of composure.
He instantly passed by Ariel and leaped toward Merrien. His movements were incomparably faster than when he had desperately rushed to save Merrien earlier.
“!!!”
Looking up at him floating in the air, there was nothing Merrien could do. She covered her face with her arms and closed her eyes.
But Ariel didn’t even need to block it.
Clang-!
The sword fell to the floor right in front of Merrien’s face.
Forcite’s hand that had held the sword trembled violently.
“Mer-ri. I’m sorry. It wasn’t my will.”
Then he muttered in a broken, intermittent voice before collapsing with a thud and fainting. Tears had pooled in his eyes.
“…Take the Prince to the Second Prince’s palace! Order the royal physician to go to the Second Prince’s palace immediately!”
The Emperor, who had been watching them from a distance, shouted loudly.
Servants who had been anxiously waiting near the broken door began to enter one by one and carefully move Forcite.
The imperial guards rushed in next and sorted out the situation.
Merrien stood still for a long time, lost in a trance-like state, then exhaled deeply.
‘I almost died again.’
Just as all strength left her body and she was about to collapse, Ariel grabbed her arm. Not content with that, he lifted her up and held her in his arms.
“Calm down, Merri.”
His touch, stroking her arm,s was very gentle.
Her whole body was trembling from the great shock, and her legs were drooping, extending outside of Ariel’s embrace.
“It’s all over. Let’s go back.”
“…Okay.”
Really… it was really all over.
Forcite’s words before he fainted were meaningful, but she didn’t want to think about anything right now.
Merrien closed her eyes.
*** 
“Your Majesty. I regret to inform you that there is nothing wrong with the Prince’s body.”
“…I understand. You may go.”
Forcite had shown no movement since returning to his bedroom until the royal physician came to treat him.
Tap-. As the door closed, the expression of the Emperor, who had been looking down at his son sadly like a worried father, changed instantly.
“Get up, Forcite.”
He knew that Forcite was pretending to be unconscious.
Forcite opened his eyes wide.
It was against etiquette to not even sit up when the Emperor was standing, no matter how ill one might be.
However, his red eyes merely glared at his father.
“What exactly have you been doing to me? Both at today’s noble trial and when you tried to kill Saint Merrien.”
The Emperor’s words were close to scolding, but his voice was closer to regret. Noticing this, Forcite’s eyes wavered for a moment.
But he muttered again in a low voice, his tone suggesting a firm decision.
“Why did Father go so far as to bring the contract and help that man?”
“If I hadn’t… Not only would your plan have failed, but you would have been executed by the Tower Master.”
“……”
He had been indifferent to me until now, and now he says this? Forcite continued to glare at him, trying to understand the Emperor’s true intentions.
The Emperor couldn’t even look his son in the eye and rubbed his face.
He seemed to want to say something, but his lips opened and closed repeatedly, betraying his uncertainty.
“…Stop this now.”
After a long pause, the Emperor firmly said to stop instead of what he had intended to say, then turned his body sharply.
It was when he grabbed the doorknob.
Black energy that escaped from Forcite, who had somehow already stood up, wrapped around the Emperor.
It happened in an instant. The Emperor couldn’t take any action.
“……”
And when the black energy completely disappeared, the Emperor’s face was blank.
Just like when Agnes had controlled the head butler’s mind.
Forcite quietly spoke.
“Father. May I rest for a while?”
“…Yes. Do that. I hope you get better soon, Forcite.”
Before him remained only a father genuinely worried about his son.
The Emperor couldn’t take his eyes off Forcite until he closed the door as he left.
Thud-.
Looking at the firmly closed door, Forcite spoke coldly.
“Didn’t you say you wouldn’t really touch Merrien?”
-Sorry, sorry. I just wanted to see the Tower Master’s reaction. Did you think I would really try to kill her? More importantly, I’m shocked that someone could remove my energy. It must be that rat-like bastard.
Forcite held his head at the voice strongly resonating in his mind. After all this, all he got back was a mischievous, playful voice.
He had taught language to someone who could barely speak, and now they had become talkative. Forcite grabbed his own neck.
“Kugh……”
He gripped so strongly that not only did Forcite groan, but even the voice echoing in his mind screamed.
Soon, acrid blood poured from Forcite’s throat.
Only when his body was about to collapse did Forcite release his grip.
“…If you control my mind again, know that I’ll kill you next time.”
-…Alright, our goal is to kill the Tower Master and take Merrien’s shell anyway.
The voice in his mind faintly spread throughout the room.