Chapter 58: Imperial Magic Tower (6)

Chapter 58: Imperial Magic Tower (6)

TL/Editor: Rungir

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Tap, tap, tap, tap.

A thin finger rhythmically tapped the tabletop.

Sitting deep in her chair, lost in thought, was the finger's owner, Princess Diana Agnes, the fifth in line.

"Zion...."

His name slipped from her lips.

Zion Agnes.

Lately, he was all she could think about.

Not long ago, she barely remembered her youngest brother. When did that change?

To be honest, she wouldn't normally be so concerned even though he had solved a disaster, secured his right to the throne, and dealt with Lergan Urschler, a trusted helper of the third Prince Enoch.

But.

"That dark sword..."

During the fight with Lergan, the black sword in Zion's hand was unmistakably an extinction sword, one that swallowed all the surrounding light.

The first Emperor of the Agnes Empire, the Eternal Emperor, was said to have wielded such a weapon.

Diana herself had only seen it once when she visited 'Dream of Stars', the Royal Palace's underground treasure house.

At the time, aware of the extinction sword's importance, she had tried to get it through Vela, the keeper of the 'Dream of Stars' vault.

But Vela only let her see the hidden extinction sword once, saying that it couldn't just pick its owner, and wouldn't let her touch it before hiding it again.

And now, Zion held that extinction sword.

"How could this be?"

Sure, his power must be great, but her concern about the extinction sword was different.

It was about what it represented.

The first Emperor, Aurelion Khan Agnes, was revered as a god in the Empire for his unmatched achievements, ones that may never be seen again in human history.

Though little was known, he was a man who lacked nothing and could be said to have ushered in the age of mankind himself.

The extinction sword was the beloved weapon of such an Eternal Emperor, carrying enormous symbolism.

The fact that Zion now owned the extinction sword couldn't be ignored.

The existence and appearance of the extinction sword weren't widely known, and this fact had remained quiet for this reason. However, as soon as this fact came out, it was clear that the fallout would be beyond belief.

"...Lloyd."

Diana let the name of the male fairy standing behind her slip from her lips after a moment of deep thought.

"Yes, Your Highness Diana."

"Increase surveillance on Zion to the same level as other royal family members."

It might seem excessive for Zion, who hadn't even built his own group yet, but Diana didn't think so.

Watching Zion wipe out the Icarus Mage Division with the extinction sword was worth the scrutiny, she thought.

"Understood."

Lloyd answered respectfully, not questioning her decision.

Afterwards, Diana, who had been deep in thought, tapping her table with her fingers, spoke again.

"The national affairs meeting is soon, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is."

"Zion won't make it this time... so I guess we'll have the usual crowd."

Diana said this as if certain Zion wouldn't attend.

"Please prepare the needed materials in advance."

"Understood. I'll bring them to you right away."

With a slight bow, Lloyd turned and headed towards the door.

"Oh, by the way."

Diana, remembering something, turned her head to ask him.

"Where is Zion now?"

"He's reported to be at the Imperial University's Tower."

"The University's Tower? Why would he go there suddenly..."

Diana's eyes filled with curiosity, but there was no one around to answer her question.

---

Raei Translations

---

'Touching the sky.'

This phrase is often used to describe someone at the top of their field.

Sword skills touching the sky, drawing talent reaching the sky, and so on.

It's a figurative expression, not meant to be taken literally.

However, when applied to the Seven Heavens, known as the peak of the world, it becomes a literal description.

----------------!

The white flame that could burn the world, not just mere space.

Hiduk struggled within it, weakened, unable even to scream.

It was a pitiful sight, especially when compared to his intimidating demeanor just moments ago.

No, just the fact he remained within that flame was remarkable.

An average person would have been burnt to ashes the moment they touched that flame.

At least, that's how powerful the flame seemed to Zion.

"How dare you cause such chaos in my tower."

In the meantime, the Grand Mage, Ahmad Ozlima, who created the flame, approached the burning Hiduk.

Vroom!

Even though it was speeding faster than one could speak, the magical vehicle was remarkably quiet, devoid of any vibrations.

Zion gazed out at the rapidly passing scenery, his face tired, sinking into his seat.

Could it be the after-effects of utilizing Lunar Eclipse the previous night?

His entire body felt rigid and drained, as if suffering from extreme muscle pain.

This state was likely to persist for around four or five days.

Although it had never been this severe before, Zion Agnes's constitution was naturally frail, intensifying the sensation.

Had he not consumed the heart of a millennia-old ogre, he wouldn't have been able to employ Lunar Eclipse at all.

'I should visit Gui soon.'

Reflecting on this, Zion remembered the information about Gui he had learned from Ahmad Ozlima, the master of the Imperial University's Magic Tower, the previous night.

At present, this seemed to be the most viable solution to improving his physical condition.

Along with this, his conversation from the day before naturally surfaced in his mind.

"... Is that true?"

Those were Ahmad's first words, an incredulous expression on his face, after Zion had revealed some details about the situation and the gravity of the demonic infiltration in the empire.

Zion had urged him to keep this information under wraps for the time being.

The demonic entities had seemingly already deduced that Zion was hunting monsters.

However, there was a significant difference between publicly acknowledging this and keeping it hidden.

"What should my course of action be?"

The Grand Mage posed this question to Zion after gathering his thoughts, to which Zion advised him to continue with what had been previously discussed.

This seemed like the optimal strategy, as there was no way to involve Ahmad, who had even magically pledged not to interfere with affairs outside the tower, in the conflicts of the imperial city.

The enhancement of the color-identification array, a task entrusted to Ahmad, was also of utmost importance.

It would play a pivotal role in the monster hunt in the future.

If it could be connected with the Blood Tower as Zion anticipated, the efficiency of the color-identification array could be maximized.

'I wonder how she's faring.'

Simultaneously, Liushina, whom he had dispatched to the Blood Tower not long ago, naturally crossed his mind.

She was an extraordinary figure, even revered in the realm of blood magic, making her the ideal candidate for controlling the Blood Tower.

Should she merely prove her identity, conquering the Blood Tower would be as effortless as turning her hand.

However, her temper was unpredictable, so unforeseen complications might arise due to her whimsical actions.

'And....'

Brushing aside his thoughts about her, Zion reminisced about Tirian, who had sought him out before he departed from the Magic Tower.

"I have something I wish to ask."

"Do not ask anything."

This was Zion's statement to Tirian, who wanted to express gratitude.

"Only those worthy may ask. In my perspective, you've yet to earn that right."

Indeed, whether it was Rain Dranir or Tirian Friharden, Zion could have effortlessly brought them under his sway if he had wished to.

Yet, he had intentionally left some leeway and refrained from doing so.

It wasn't solely because they, the heroes at the heart of the story, needed to be safeguarded.

'At this point, they wouldn't be particularly useful anyway....'

Because they were designed to fully realize their potential only in the company of the hero.

Moreover, Zion neither had the time nor the inclination to cultivate them from scratch.

Considering their allegiance would be better postponed until they had accomplished all their awakenings.

'Well, having one of them on my side wouldn't be a bad idea.'

Unlike the others, while contemplating one of the heroes from the party who were complete from the start, Zion slowly clenched and unclenched his fist.

With that, a faint surge of darkness.

Despite being momentarily incapacitated due to the battle, he had secured something significant.

Specifically, the Black Star Stage 3.

Originally, Zion had been only a hair's breadth away from reaching the Black Star Stage 3, and this barrier was finally breached when he deployed Lunar Eclipse to obliterate the king of the illusionary army the previous time.

However, in this battle, deploying Lunar Eclipse once more appeared to stimulate something, and the wall was not merely cracked but teetering on the brink of shattering.

'Once my body recuperates, I can ascend to the third stage.'

This realization was indeed great.

Because from the Black Star Stage 3, he could employ some of the techniques he frequently utilized in his original world.

As Zion wrapped up his train of thought and dispelled the darkness in his hand,

The magic car stopped, apparently reaching its destination.

"Your Highness, we have arrived."

Following the driver's announcement and the opening door,

Zion, stepping out of the magic car, beheld the grand entrance of the Star Palace, and Fredo and Thierry awaiting him.

"Welcome, Your Highness Zion. Was your journey fruitful?"

In response to Thierry's greeting, Zion, who gave a slight nod, immediately posed a question.

"Is everything prepared?"

"Everything is in place."

With that, Thierry answered, an inscrutable smile playing on his lips.

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