Hello, Readers! I am celebrating my birthday with extra chapter updates, so please enjoy this special chapter release of 4 bonus chapters! 🥳

(Lurelia’s Birthday Bonus – Update 3/4 🎉)

♡ To all readers who purchased these chapters before my Birthday: I can’t express this enough – Thank you for your support. (*ˊᗜˋ*)/ᵗᑋᵃᐢᵏ ᵞᵒᵘ*

“Why are you telling me this now!”

Kwaak!

As I breathed fire, Mario grumbled and complained through the communication magic tool.

[Hing, I told you right away……]

“You should have said it as soon as you contacted me. This is no ordinary matter.”

My head became complicated.

It was already confirmed by Gretel’s power that Empress Salvatrice and the Southern Magic Tower Master Gabe Jenade were in cahoots.

Since the Empress failed to occupy the large rift, it seems Gabe is planning to step in directly.

‘No.’

I absolutely couldn’t let that happen.

I started to interrogate Mario about the details.

“Is it confirmed that they’re researching at one of the magic towers?”

[Yes. It’s confirmed.]

“And it’s not yet decided which magic tower will take charge?”

[If things continue like this, it’ll be the Southern Magic Tower. They’re the only one that volunteered for the research, so once the Imperial approval comes today, it’ll proceed right away.]

“……Today?”

[Yes, today!]

I took a deep breath silently. Mario’s cheerful response made me even more annoyed.

Today, if it’s today…… There was no time to waste.

“I have somewhere to go. Let’s talk later, Mario.”

[What?!]

“Goodbye.”

[Wait-!]

Click. I quickly ended the communication and immediately headed to the Western Magic Tower’s Somnia branch.

The situation was so urgent that I didn’t have time to explain to the knights who followed as escorts.

When I arrived at the Western Magic Tower, some magicians who recognized my face greeted me first.

I waved at them and familiarly made my way to the Tower Master’s research room.

Knock knock knock knock knock!

After roughly knocking a few times, I opened the door before even hearing a response.

[Bold.]

“What the, who dares to open the door…! Ah, is it you, Lili?”

Isis, who was bursting with anger, recognized me and put down the magic book he was holding with a sullen expression.

“It’s rare to see your face these days, what brings you here? Coming in person.”

I stood in front of him and slammed my hands on his research desk without a preamble.

“Master Isis. Something very, very big has happened!”

“My, my. Look at those manners.”

“That’s not what’s important right now.”

“Why all this fuss? How am I supposed to know what to do when you say something big has happened without any explanation, tsk tsk.”

“You know about the rift in the Black Ravine that merged and became a large rift, right?”

“Do I look like some old geezer stuck in a mountain valley? Of course I know, obviously.”

If Isis also knew about the large rift, the explanation would be faster.

“We can’t let the Southern Magic Tower take that rift.”

“What? What are you talking about?”

“Please step in and stop it, Master Isis. You’re a Tower Master, after all!”

I told Isis about my personal encounter with the Imperial Army under the Empress’s command at the Black Ravine, and about the relationship between the Empress and Gabe.

Isis’s confused expression gradually hardened.

“I didn’t care about that rift research and told them any tower could do it, but there’s something there, you say……”

“You’ll stop it, right?”

I thought he would naturally agree, given his accumulated grievances against Gabe Jenade, but that wasn’t the case.

“It’s not that simple.”

“What do you mean it’s not simple?”

“You said today’s the day it’s decided, right? If I, who showed no interest at all, suddenly volunteer to research it, they’re hardly likely to entrust it to me.”

“But we won’t know unless we try, right?”

“True. We won’t know unless we try.”

Isis crossed his arms and stared at me intently. My serious expression was reflected in his clear light blue eyes.

“I really hate stepping forward, but I guess it can’t be helped.”

“You’ll stop it?”

“Since you’re asking so earnestly, I’ll specially grant your request. But you’ll have to do something for me in return.”

I tilted my head, wondering what I could possibly do in the power struggle between magic towers.

“What is it?”

“I’ll need to use your name.”

Huh?

“Use… my name?”

“Your name. Elodie Severes. And the Light of Wallentia.”

“……”

I suddenly got goosebumps at the unexpected mention of ‘Light of Wallentia’.

[Oh, that’s a terrible nickname even after hearing it after so long.]

Even Greed shuddered at that nickname.

But Isis calmly explained his plan.

“It would certainly be advantageous. If the Light of Wallentia, with purification power like yours, becomes a supporter. You’ve actually closed a rift before, so they probably won’t be able to ignore it.”

“I, I see.”

“Good. Then let’s depart.”

As I followed Isis, who stood up first and left the research room, I awkwardly scratched my cheek.

So the time has come to use that cringeworthy title.

***

“Young lady. Why are you going to the Imperial Palace?”

“Please explain.”

The escort knights, who hadn’t asked anything on the way to the magic tower, inquired about the reason when I said we were going to the Imperial Palace.

As I was struggling, not having time to persuade the knights, Isis intervened and looked up at them.

“Move aside.”

“What?”

“What do you mean, what? I’m the Tower Master.”

“……!”

Whether surprised by Isis’s rudeness or recognizing him as the Tower Master, the knights hesitated and stepped back.

“From now on, this child will go to the Imperial Palace with me. I’ll personally escort her back to the Severes mansion after we’re done. Do you think she needs an escort?”

“It’s our duty to protect the young lady.”

“You, are you stronger than me?”

“That’s……”

Apparently unable to claim they were stronger than the Tower Master, the knights all mumbled evasively.

“Tch. Tsk tsk. Pathetic creatures. How do you expect to protect someone when you’re not even confident in your own abilities? Go home and swing those lumps of iron mindlessly!”

After hurling insults at the knights, Isis grabbed me and quickly boarded the carriage.

The carriage departed, leaving the escort knights behind.

Through the window, I could see the knights looking bewildered at the departing carriage.

[Those humans just got 1 larit more expensive. Poor things.]

Greed expressed the Wallentian way of saying they got roasted.

The Western Magic Tower wasn’t that far from the Imperial Palace, so we arrived quickly.

Just as I was about to open the door after confirming the view of the Imperial Palace through the carriage window, it happened.

“We’ve arrived.”

Along with a low voice close to my ear, a large hand covered mine on the door.

Feeling a sudden sense of discomfort, I slowly turned my head.

Immediately, I made eye contact with an unfamiliar man.

[Who?]

“……Master Isis?”

Of course, since I was in the same carriage with Isis, this man must be Isis.

He had the same light pink hair and light blue eyes as Isis.

But…… the atmosphere he exuded was completely different.

Even his voice had changed.

“What are you gawking at? You’ll catch flies.”

Isis pressed my chin with his hand to close my mouth.

“It really is you, Master Isis……”

I still couldn’t gather my wits. The shock of seeing Isis in his adult form for the first time was considerable.

I knew in my head that Isis had a different true form, but I had become so accustomed to always seeing him as a child.

His haughty expression remained the same, but he was excessively handsome.

As I was once again gaping and admiring Isis, he muttered something.

“……Maybe I should have released my magic earlier.”

“Pardon?”

“Look straight ahead and get out.”

“Ah, yes!”

Isis took my hand and escorted me out of the carriage.

It felt strange, as if I was really being scolded by an adult, even though only his appearance had changed.

In reality, he was in his late 20s, so he was indeed older than me.

As we stood side by side after getting out of the carriage, I keenly felt the height difference.

It felt odd to be looking up at Isis, whom I had always looked down upon.

“But why did you suddenly return to your true form?”

“You said we must stop this at all costs. Shouldn’t we do something? In that form, I’d likely be dismissed.”

It seemed he was serious about his intention to secure the research on this large rift.

[He should always go around like this, handsome. Cool.]

Even Greed was acknowledging Isis’s appearance.

It seemed it would take quite some time to get used to adult Isis.

“Where should we go?”

“The Prime Minister is in charge of this rift research, so we should meet him.”

“Alright. Let’s go.”

In his adult form, even that old man-like way of speaking suited him quite well……

Admiring adult Isis as we walked, we soon arrived at the conference room where the Prime Minister was said to be.

After knocking and stating our identities, we were promptly granted permission to enter.

“The Western Tower Master and Lady Elodie Severes, what an unusual combination. Please, come in.”

Unexpectedly, the Prime Minister greeted us with a hearty laugh.

I thought he wouldn’t like me since we had a heated argument about Adenmir’s safety during the last monster subjugation, but this was surprising.

As we sat down across from him at the Prime Minister’s invitation, a maid quickly brought tea.

[Cookies! I want to eat too!]

Greed smacked his lips inside the sealing stone, apparently wanting to eat the cookies that came with the tea.

‘I’ll give you some when we get home. Stay quiet.’

[Okay…….]

After consoling the sulky Greed, I began talking in earnest with the Prime Minister.

“I heard that one of the magic towers will be assigned to research this large rift.”

“You’re well-informed. That’s correct, Lady Elodie.”

Isis, who had been sitting with his legs crossed and arms folded, abruptly interjected.

“The Western Magic Tower will take charge.”

“Pardon? But we’ve almost finished coordinating with the Southern Magic Tower-“

“Almost finished isn’t completely finished. The Western Magic Tower will conduct the research.”

The Prime Minister wiped away cold sweat with an awkward smile at Isis’s unilateral declaration.

It seemed that even for the Prime Minister, dealing with a Tower Master was difficult.

“If you suddenly declare your intention to research like this, it puts us in quite a predicament, Tower Master.”

“What if Elodie Severes supports this research?”

“Pardon? Lady Elodie, you mean?”

As the Prime Minister looked at me as if to confirm, I nodded my head a couple of times.

Isis added nonchalantly.

“You’re well aware that this child is the Light of Wallentia and its savior, right? As a being who can even purify rifts is supporting this, hand over the research to the Western Magic Tower.”

Unlike me, who was embarrassed by the excessive titles, Isis spoke shamelessly.

The Prime Minister seemed to be seriously considering something, then let out a deep sigh.

“I’ll need to discuss this with the Southern Magic Tower as well. Is that alright?”

“Do as you please.”

The Prime Minister left the conference room with a communication magic tool, but soon returned.

Was it my imagination, or did the Prime Minister’s expression look even darker than before he left?

“As it happens, someone from the Southern Magic Tower was already on their way to discuss the rift issue. Could you wait a moment? I think it would be best for the two towers to discuss this directly.”

“Yes. Let’s do that.”

Of course, I didn’t expect Gabe to sit idly by, so I had fully anticipated a three-way confrontation.

Eventually, we faced the representative and magician who had come from the Southern Magic Tower.

As soon as I saw the Southern Magic Tower’s side, I was startled.

That person immediately got to the point.

“There was an opinion from our Tower Master to decide this through a Magic Tower Battle.”

Magic Tower Battle.

Although the magic towers operate independently, there are inevitably times when they need to unify their opinions.

That’s when they decide the victor through combat between the towers, which is the Magic Tower Battle.

It’s a time-honored decision-making method among the towers where they unconditionally follow the opinion of the tower to which the victor belongs.

But what surprised me wasn’t the Magic Tower Battle.

“You say the Western Magic Tower has put forward Lady Severes as their supporter. We’ve also brought along a supporter who will aid in the research.”

The person the Southern Magic Tower had put forward as their supporter was none other than-.

‘Belissa.’

It was Belissa Kreundel.