Chapter 98

Chapter 98

14. (Evan’s) Magic Tower of Trials

“It would be better if we departed for Borotna soon.”

Serena sighed and glanced at my ankles before continuing, “I did it roughly the way I was taught by the doctor, but I’m not confident.”

The bandage she put on my ankle was a little clumsy to me.

“I’ve been drinking a little bit, so I’m less confident.”

“Serena, did you have a drink?”

“If I drink too much, I will get blackout altogether. It’s not that much now.”

“Oh, dear.”

Well, it wasn’t that it had anything to do with me. Fortunately, I didn’t appear to have been seriously injured. I had no problem with walking. However, if I had to walk for a long time, I thought it would be a problem.

“I’d rather you see another doctor after I leave Duke Icard’s residence.”

“Yes. Anyway, the masquerade must be over by now, even if I go now. I don’t have to stay in the Duke’s residence.”

To make matters worse, the Duke’s residence was very noisy now. After all, Elanie and Lady Olivia got into a fight last night.

“I won’t let that cheeky thing go!”

Lady Olivia huffed and puffed all morning.

“Is that what a princess does? Why is the blue-eyed young thing pranking someone who is as old as a grandmother…?”

I returned early with Evan, so I knew the fight, although I didn’t watch it.

“I will never let that wretched thing go! I swear to Lucifer!”

“Help me. This warlock has made me a parrot.”

With Lady Olivia’s defeat, the parrot’s chirping, the Duke’s residence was really something.

No matter how hard she tried, she had no choice but to lose in front of Princess Elanie. That was why she was more angry, not knowing what to do. They were already in a bad relationship, so they would growl more like dogs and cats later.

‘It’s none of my business.’

Even though she might be a spiteful villain, it would have been nothing if she was not my enemy. No, to be honest, if she were on my side, it would be very reassuring.

“…I am a little worried.”

I uttered seriously, turning my ankles. Serena was there, and it was too much to call another doctor.

“It’s not a fast runner anyway, but it’s different from not being able to run at all.”

I was not really worried about anything else, though I was afraid that there would be a problem if I had to run quickly.

Then, after a knock, Evan came in.

He tilted his head as he gazed at my ankle that Serena had bandaged and opened his mouth, “I don’t think you’re good at this? When I was injured at the training ground, I think I got wrapped a little more than this.”

“Ah.”

Serena answered casually.

“Because the knights of the training ground and Miss Laria have different bodies. Bandaging is also different for each individual.”

“…Really?”

Evan looked a little displeased, but he didn’t say anything. The strange atmosphere of the masquerade had already disappeared like a dream.

Taking off his mask, he was as gentle and kind as before and was somehow far away. He was very talkative, so it felt distant, but in fact, it became strange. Each time I spoke with him, the feeling that he was playing out the tenderness during our childhood became more and more vivid.

‘…It’s really difficult. I don’t know.’

Yet, somehow, sometimes, it seems that he really likes me as a woman… though again, he asserts that it was not.

‘What is certain is… Anyway, it’s not normal. It’s hard to guess.’

At one time, he was someone I thought was really close. Still, I instinctively felt that he was hiding something.

Evan asked after a moment of silence.

“Are you leaving today, Laria?”

“Yes. I should get going.”

I quickly hid my ankles under the skirt and smiled.

“See you in two months, Evan. At the Imperial Palace banquet.”

“Oh, let’s go to the Magic Tower together.”

Evan sighed and spoke, “I think I should leave the photo printing to them. Fortunately, the film is fine.”

“Why?”

“The servants followed the instructions, and it came out like this.”

I took the black, stiff paper he had handed me and stared at it for a long time.

“Well… Is this an elongated print of my arm?”

“No, it’s probably the eyebrows.”

“Hmm.”

I said, handing over a picture that could not be called a photograph, “Thinking about it, you didn’t have one, did you? I’ll take a picture of your face, too.”

“No, I’m fine.”

Evan shook his head and replied.

“Everyone said I looked a little ugly. There is no need to leave it behind.”

“Oh, no. There are some parts that look good!”

“…Where?”

His eyes slowly rose with anticipation, and I answered honestly.

“Your body looks really nice.”

“….”

The muscles attached to his body and the proportions are really nice and correct. Nevertheless, Evan seemed a little disappointed, so I quickly changed the subject.

“Anyway, good job. There must be a reason why other people don’t do it on their own but have to ask the Magic Tower to print the photos.”

“There is a Magic Tower on the way to Borotna, so I think it would be good to accompany you there.”

“Can you just send servants?”

“It’s okay, but I also want to visit the Magic Tower once.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yes. It’s not that I wanted to be with you any longer.”

‘Wait. The Magic Tower…’

I continued to think, letting Evan’s words out through one ear, “I’m not going to go that far to ride a carriage with you, and there is no need for a troublesome outing.”

“Yes. Right.”

Besides, if I was in a situation where I injured my ankle even though it was so small…

“I want to go take a look too, Evan.”

I uttered with a wide smile.

“When you visit the Magic Tower, take me with you.”

It would have been nice to be able to stock up on items for emergencies that could happen.

The last of the three ancient magic items, the scroll book, was in the Magic Tower. To be honest, it was something that I had wanted for a long time, though I gave up because there was no excuse to go to the tower.

My ankle was a bit bothersome, but it wasn’t badly injured, and it didn’t seem like it would make much of a difference if I saw the doctor a little late.

‘I don’t need other scrolls… Just bring me the teleportation scroll.’

If I could just teleport, I could run anywhere, anytime. I didn’t have to worry about being chased while running out of time.

“The Magic Tower is too dangerous to see.”

Evan said with a frown.

“Because it’s a place where crazy wizards are doing all kinds of experiments.”

“That’s why it’s fun.”

I replied with a twinkle in my eyes, “And, I’m going with you. What could be dangerous?”

“….”

“My husband, who won first place in the youth swordsmanship contest, is next to me!”

“That was when I was young…”

“Then, aren’t you good at swordsmanship now?”

“Huh?”

“So, you can’t even compete with wizards?”

“Of course not, Laria. However…”

“To the point where you can’t protect me at all?”

“Haa.”

Evan sighed and answered firmly.

“Let’s go.”

“….”

“Not on the battlefield, but on the Magic Tower, I can make sure you’re not hurt even a single hair.”

Although he was no longer thirteen, ut the old methods worked just fine.

“Instead, I’ll just leave the photos to get printed and leave.”

That… Sorry in advance, Evan.

* * *

The Empire was not a country where magic was exceptionally developed. Moreover, in the case of black magic that summons demons to make a contract, it could not be used without permission from the Imperial Family and the Noble Council.

In fact, it was considered forbidden.

Of course, warlocks did not have to summon demons, so they could use black magic without permission, but it was basically illegal. However, the Magic Tower used to give permission for research though outside imports were strictly prohibited.

Consequently, in the Magic Tower, only items with various types of magic except for black magic could be commercialized—they developed things like cameras.

However, it was nothing compared to ancient times, when they achieved a splendid magical civilization. Sadly, the great magic of ancient times remained only in the records, and there were only three ancient magic items remaining.

Without any side effects, the only items that could be used immediately with great magic power were ancient magic items.

First, I didn’t really need a ring that gave me divine power, so I left it to Marcel.

The second was a doll of resistance to magic. I also didn’t really need this.

Why would I have to nullify normal magic…? I also remembered Seymour accidentally found it in the music box and sold it to the Magic Tower a long time later. I was also going to sell it to the Magic Tower if I ran out of money in my old age. Therefore, there was only one ancient magic item that I really needed.

“Evan.”

“Yes?”

“I want to see the ancient magic items in the tower.”

“Oh, that scroll book?”

Evan asked indifferently in front of the carriage.

“Yes. As long as I win against the scroll book in a bet, I can have the scroll I want.”

“But, you know that very few people have taken that scroll, right?”

The goofy scroll book was a book with a self. So, while occupying a room in the Magic Tower, it continued to bet with people who wanted to get a scroll. Of course, most of them lost, and those who entered the Magic Tower to get the scroll had to pay quite a bit of gold in return.

“Besides, the specialty of the scroll book is to show the illusion that manipulated people.”

Evan shook his head and opened his mouth.

“It’s hard to win. Perhaps there have been only two people who have won the scroll book since the tower was built?”

“I’m still curious.”

“No way. I don’t know about the others, but you can’t beat fantasy. The scroll book may give you dangerous fantasies, so go look elsewhere.”

He, again, didn’t deviate the slightest bit from the reaction I had envisioned.

“Why?”

I asked playfully.

“It’s just a fantasy. Do you think you can’t win?”

“Because it’s fantasy, so you can’t win. If it is real, it can be cut down.”

Evan said bluntly and turned his head.

“You haven’t seen it yet, how do you know?”

“Because the illusion that will appear before me is obvious.”

“Really? What…?”

“There is something.”

I begged him, but Evan didn’t tell me until we got to the Magic Tower.