…Emperor Sophien closed her eyes and recalled the scene the Black Beast Rohakan showed her.
—Did you assassinate the Empress?
A conversation of one day in a white vineyard. Emperor Sophien borrowed the power of Rohakan to look at the timeline. Deculein asked about the empress’s assassination, and Rohakan answered.
—Who else would it be but for me?
Confessing that it was his fault. However, Deculein didn’t believe him at all.
—…I see.
Rohakan wore a soft smile. Because of that, Sophien realized. She clenched her fists.
The true culprit who assassinated the Empress wasn’t Rohakan after all. Sophien already thought so.
—Deculein. Do you believe in Sophien?
Sophien watches Deculein's face for his reaction.
—Of course.
There was no hesitation in the answer. Rohakan nodded as if satisfied.
—Even if Sophien ends up killing you... you won't leave her, right?
—Of course.
Without calculating the slightest bit, without worrying, just with confidence, Deculein responded.
—My heart must be hers alone.
—Why?
—It's simple. Because of my personality flaws.
A sly smile found its way to his lips.
—A person who can exist above me? It’s only Her Majesty on this continent. She is the only person that Deculein, the most narrow-minded and staunch believer in the class system and aristocratic society, can respect and admire.
—…
Rohakan's expression was perplexed. However, Deculein shook his head as if he couldn't help it.
—I was designed that way in the first place.
—…No one else can be above your head, but Sophie?
—Yes. Except for Her Majesty, not even one person can be above me, and I wouldn't be able to watch that happen.
At that moment, Sophien smiled. It was too absurd a reason.
—Anyway, since I am obsessive, I can't stand by and watch Her Majesty become lower than anyone else.
Deculein was the hardest to read, but he also held a certain standard than anyone else.
—Then, I will only act so that Her Majesty can become great.
However, very sadly, Deculein wasn't included in that.
—Her Majesty should be so even if it's for me.
Thanks to that, Sophien now knew why Deculein was forcing his death.
"If I kill you."
She whispered with a smile.
"Do you mean that I'll become great…."
…Her voice left her like a sigh.
Eventually, she returned to the present. She was no longer in the past but now faced a servant who dared to stare her down.
"Can you trust me?"
Deculein asked disrespectfully. However, Sophien found that kind of funny. The entire existence of Deculein was absolutely lovely and drew her in. She wanted to hold him in her arms and fall into the sea together. She wanted to roll around in the desert. She wanted to jump into the sky.
It didn't matter if she drowned, burned, or fell. He was a man who would make even death enchanting.
"Don't force my trust."
Sophien said.
"I only trust myself."
Deculein's eyebrows drew together.
"You must go first to Annihilation and wait for me. There, I will doubt your loyalty."
All the servants were surprised. Telling him to go to Annihilation first was the same as an exile, and saying she'd doubt him was the same as calling him a rebel. At that moment, Deculein asked back.
"Will you be able to handle it?"
The moment was too unconventional for a conversation between the Emperor and her subject. However, to Sophien, his words sounded like, 'Can you kill me?' Sophien sneered.
"…Of course."
* * *
…Two days later.
"Whew…."
In the common room of Masal's residence, Louina was taking a deep breath. She'd just woken up and been sighing ever since.
Ihelm asked, looking over.
"So, was there anything hidden in that spell?"
"I don't know."
"…"
Ihelm shook his head.
"Anyway. Whether the spell has any other meaning or not, it is correct to disclose the analysis results."
"…"
Louina turned to regard him.
"Where? Deculein must be chasing us now."
"Deculein will be kicked out soon anyway. Didn't you hear the news?"
"…?"
Ihelm rubbed the back of his neck.
"Finally, Her Majesty has moved. She told Deculein to go to Annihilation first and wait for her."
"…Ah."
"So we don't have much time. There is no time to analyze hidden goals. The comet will fall soon."
Ihelm pointed to the sky outside the window. Louina's eyes widened.
"It's… visible."
"Right. The comet is now visible to the naked eye."
Although still very small and faint, it twinkled like a star in broad daylight. Ihelm picked up a bunch of documents to analyze the lighthouse.
"Let's open this to the public. If we reveal this madness, many will be on our side. Most of the wizards still don't even know what the lighthouse was built for."
"…"
"If we do that, we can bring down Deculein. He will become a public enemy worse than a black beast."
Ihelm said. Louina pondered for a moment. Something about Ihelm's words that Deculein would become the continent's enemy was confusing.
"…Oh, right. What about the Demon Bloods?"
"Demon Blood?"
"Yeah. Elesol...."
"She's outside waiting for you. She said she would escort you until you reveal it."
"…"
Louina fell into thought, but Ihelm urged her.
"What are you going to do? Are you going to reveal it to the continent or not?"
What would happen to the wizard who completed the spell? Something that could define Deculein as a great evil...
"Let's do that."
A certain voice supported Louina's decision. Louina looked behind her at Lia.
"Her Majesty will want it too."
* * *
On the 66th floor of the Imperial Tower, Relin's office.
"Chairman Deculein has to go to Annihilation…."
Now, Deculein was preparing to head to Annihilation. Sophien called it the 'advance guard,' and his purpose was to establish a camp and report the movements of the Altar. But in reality, it was exile. Of course, the central events could be heard through the Altar’s network, but the difference between being there and not was huge.
"…So!"
But, those things didn't matter to Relin. His attention was focused on two people, Louina and Ihelm, who escaped from their prison. They were holding on somehow, but if Deculein ever found out, he would die.
"Did you find them or not?!"
Relin yelled into the crystal ball he clutched.
—We didn't.
The morons from the Altar couldn't find two wizards. Relin squeezed his head.
"Fuck… find them quickly. Quickly. I mean, Chairman Deculein is on the 99th floor right now...."
After saying so, he pressed down his crooked hair and raised his glasses with trembling fingers.
"This garbage… I told him not to lock them up in the first place...."
At that moment, as he voiced his resentment-
—Professor Relin!
Someone called Relin. Relin startled and stood up straight. He straightened his posture and readied to salute.
Slam—
However, the door opened, and the person who entered was an undergraduate. Relin frowned.
"What do you want?"
"I'm assistant Lefund!"
"…Are you my assistant?"
"Yes? Oh, yes! It's been six months!"
"Why did you come? You cheeky bastard."
Relin calmed his heart that was about to explode and took off his coat. The teaching assistant promptly held out a wizard board.
"Look at this!"
"…What is this?"
"The true purpose of the lighthouse the Altar built, someone anonymously revealed it to academia!"
"…"
As soon as the teaching assistant mentioned the Altar, Relin felt chills. But these days, there weren't many wizards who didn't receive an elixir from the Altar. Relin cleared his throat and took the wizard board.
"The real purpose of the lighthouse?"
"Yes. The lighthouse isn’t just for the Altar to worship the cult's god!"
"…Cult? You talk a little harshly."
"Yes?"
"Nothing. Shh, quiet."
Relin placed his hand to his lips and began to read. He was curious, too, if the purpose of the great lighthouse was just worship and prayer. To be honest, Relin had no interest in the secret faith of the Altar and cooperated with them solely because of the elixir...
"…!"
Relin shot up. The flow of this spell, which Louina summarized, was well organized and analyzed so that even an incompetent magic professor could understand it. So, in an instant, Relin realized its purpose.
"The comet… by attracting...?"
Suddenly, Relin turned his head and looked out the window. Next to the moon was a small pinpoint of light. That was…
"…This is crazy!"
Relin ran through the hall and slammed the buttons on the elevator. His destination was the Chairman's office.
* * *
The top floor of the tower.
I was preparing for my last trip. With the light of the moon and stars above, I was picking what to pack for Julie and which clothes would suit me best at the end.
"Anything goes well with you, but… still, this outfit is the best."
As expected, Julie chose a suit with Midas’ Hand-applied to it. I smiled slightly and nodded.
"Okay. I wanted to wear something a little different in the end, though."
"Which one?"
"Those flashy ones."
I pointed to a bright suit. The lining was red, the outside was blue, and the tie was checkered. Julie looked at it and smiled.
"You're lying."
"Yes. It was a lie.
Clothes that even Kim Woojin wouldn’t have worn. I smiled a little and grabbed a vase that held the forget-me-not Lia gave me.
Julie nodded happily.
"…That flower is growing well."
"It isn’t a flower that has a long life. It's not dying because I'm taking good care of it."
The lifespan of forget-me-nots wasn’t long since it bloomed between spring and summer.
"But… why did Lia give you this flower?"
"…"
I looked at the flower without saying a word, smiling a little.
"Well. You'll find out soon."
"How do you know that?"
Julie asked with an innocent expression. I looked into her eyes.
"Because I'm going to ask her myself."
"…Oh."
When Julie smiled a little-
Ding-!
An elevator reached the top floor. At that moment, Julie put on her helmet, and I put the vase in the preservation bag.
"…Chairman!"
A professor rushed in as soon as the elevator door opened. It wasn't one. Relin, Ciare, Fadel, and the professors who cooperated with the Altar rushed into the Chairman's office without fear.
"Chairman! This is terrible!"
The professors forgot their dignity and made a fuss, but they weren't the only ones. Listening closely, I could hear countless more vibrating through the floor.
I smiled a little. Finally, the time had come.
"Look at this, look at this!"
Relin said first, holding out the wizard board.
"The Altar deceived us!"
I took it. They still didn't know what the real purpose of the Altar was. After all, they must have willingly cooperated with Quay because they weren’t aware.
"The Altar, the real purpose of this lighthouse is to destroy the c-continent…."
"…I know."
"…Yes?"
At that moment, the professors were stunned. And to them, who had their mouths open like stupid pigs, I calmly continued.
"I made this spell myself. It's a lighthouse that I built.”
It was a confession that made me feel better for some reason.
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