Episode 144: The Tower Master #2
Rein Adriche bit his lip as he arrived at his hideout.
“Damn it…”
He staggered, leaning against the wall. Red blood trickled down his fingertips, staining the cold stone floor. But the greater problem was the flames burning through his abdomen.
Whoosh.
The fire seeped beneath his skin, writhing like a living creature as it gnawed at his insides.
It burned.
It erased.
Magic surged from his fingertips as he tried to cover the wound, but the flames only devoured his mana. Rein Adriche stared at his gradually stiffening fingers. He recalled the golden sword he had seen.
The flames of divine punishment.
A fire that incinerated karma.
The karmic flames, imbued with a golden glow, flickered over his wound. It was no ordinary fire. It was judgment—burning away sin and erasing evil. That was why it was a flame meant to purge wickedness.
No matter how much immense mana he summoned, he couldn’t quell the fire. This state would persist until every sin he had committed was burned away and erased.
‘How did the Obsidian Saintess come to possess that power…?’
The flames of divine punishment were the very same that Yohan Lahart had once used to deal a fatal wound to the version of himself from a now-erased timeline.
His memories were hazy—he didn’t know where Yohan Lahart had found that power. But now, even the Obsidian Saintess wielded the flames of divine punishment.
‘It was definitely an artifact.’
In that brief moment, Rein Adriche had clearly seen it—a sword glowing with radiant light. It was identical to the unadorned sword Yohan Lahart had wielded.
‘Is it the artifact of the Celestial Mage?’
His brows furrowed. The only person capable of controlling such power and sealing it within a sword was the legendary Celestial Mage. It required an incredibly delicate level of mana control.
He had no Idea where or how they had found it, but—
‘That light must be avoided at all costs.’
That sword, imbued with the flames of divine punishment, was the only weapon that could deal a fatal wound to him.
“Hah… this is turning into a mess.”
Rein Adriche let out a pained groan as he struggled to his feet. The deed was done. He had bound Duke Fervache’s soul and attacked the imperial capital.
Things had gone awry, but his objective was achieved. He had stoked Yohan Lahart’s fury, ensuring an inevitable confrontation where he could declare the man’s death.
All that remained was to issue the proclamation.
“Heh…”
A twisted smile formed on Rein Adriche lips as he headed toward the inner chamber where the communication artifact awaited.
***
In the Imperial Capital’s Art District, at Mary Jane’s Boutique, Yohan took a deep breath as he surveyed the surroundings. The building had been completely destroyed, leaving only rubble behind.
The Imperial Special Forces were investigating, tracking the remnants of mana. Judging by the tension on their faces, they already knew this was the work of the Tower Master.
“You’ve arrived, Duke Lahart.”
The commander of the Special Forces approached. Yohan narrowed his eyes and pressed his lips together.
“I’m too late, aren’t I?”
“…Yes, sir. By the time we arrived, he was already gone.”
A shadow passed over Yohan’s eyes.
“The casualties?”
“The investigation is still ongoing, but there are confirmed deaths. We will provide a full report soon.”
“I see. We’ll discuss what happened at the Tower later—it’ll be a long conversation.”
The commander saluted with a precise motion, bringing his hand to his brow.
“Yes, sir. Lady Fervache is inside.”
Yohan nodded once and stepped into the wreckage. Inside, healers were tending to the wounded, while Francia stood beside the unconscious Duke Fervache.
“Yohan…”
Francia’s voice trembled. Her eyes were swollen red, the traces of tears clearly visible on her face.
The moment Yohan approached—Francia threw herself into his arms.
“Hic… My father’s soul… it’s been bound…”
“…”
“He won’t wake up…”
As she sobbed, Yohan silently reached out and gently embraced her. Francia buried her face into his chest, her tears flowing even more freely.
All he felt was rage.
Most people, when consumed by anger, would feel a surge of adrenaline, their minds clouded by the heat of their emotions.
But Yohan felt his mind grow colder.
His blood did not boil. There was no heat, only an icy chill that sank deeper and deeper. His excitement faded, replaced by an eerie calm and unshakable composure.
Extreme fury, instead of igniting him, only made him colder.
His vision became clear. His heartbeat echoed slowly.
To exact revenge on his enemy, to ensure no mistakes were made, and to utterly crush them, a sense of calm and composure took shape.
Yohan clenched his fist and stood up.
“I will kill the Tower Master.”
His clenched fist trembled slightly. But it was not out of anger.
It was pure, cold-blooded intent, fully determined to kill.
He continued speaking.
“I don’t know where he has fled, but I will officially declare war on the Magic Tower.”
That man had not only attacked the heart of the empire, the capital, as he pleased but also inflicted severe damage on Duke Fervache, the guardian of the North. The imperial family would not sit idly by.
“So rest assured. There is no way my father-in-law will remain unconscious forever.”
Francia simply nodded, overcome with emotion.
“Please… I beg you.”
She knew it was dangerous, but she couldn’t stop him. She, too, wanted the Tower Master dead.
“Duke Lahart.”
At that moment, the commander of the special forces and his subordinates arrived.
“The damage assessment is complete. The number of confirmed deaths is seven in total—noblewomen and employees who were inside Mary Jane’s Boutique.”
They were all people with families.
“Lady Mary Jane also lost her life. Unfortunately… only remnants of magical energy were found, and her body could not be recovered.”
They were beloved people.
“We were able to confirm this thanks to the survivors inside. There may be more casualties.”
People like them had vanished without a trace, erased by the Tower Master as if they had never existed. There was no time even to grieve.
“…Understood.”
Yohan nodded with a face as cold as ice.
“I will go to the imperial palace immediately.”
***
The Imperial Palace’s Audience Chamber
Ministers and officials gathered around a round table.
“We must formally protest against the Magic Tower!”
Bang!
A minister slammed the table in anger.
“A mere protest? We must declare war! This is not something that can be resolved with mere words!”
“The Magic Tower has practically already declared war on us! We must retaliate immediately!”
“They attacked the capital and took down Duke Fervache! And we’re sitting here talking about protests?!”
“If we do nothing, it will be the disgrace of the empire!”
Their voices rose in fury, their faces flushed with rage.
“We must declare war at once!”
How dare they provoke the empire, and not just anywhere, but in the very heart of the capital?
And now, Duke Fervache, the guardian of the North, lay in a coma, unable to wake up.
If they did not rage at this, how could they call themselves an empire?
“I always thought the Tower Master was unstable.”
“Unstable? He has completely lost his mind!”
“We should have been wary when he suddenly requested to attend the banquet.”
“What could his motive possibly be? I still don’t understand…”
As the ministers and officials continued their heated discussion, the emperor raised his hand, his face hard as stone.
“Enough.”
His deep, weighty voice echoed through the chamber. The ministers and officials fell silent, their lips pressing into tight lines as they turned their gaze toward him. A hush fell over the room.
“Chancellor, report.”
The emperor asked calmly.
“The Mary Jane Boutique in the capital’s Arts District has been completely destroyed. The casualties consist mainly of noblewomen and employees who were inside.”
Rustle.
The chancellor turned a page of the document and continued his report.
“In that battle, Duke Fervache fell into a coma. From what I’ve heard, it’s a soul-binding curse that cannot be lifted unless the Tower Master is killed.”
Soul-binding.
Rage surged within him at those words.
“He dared to bind a soul…!”
“Is that not forbidden magic?!”
“That lunatic Tower Master…!”
As the discussion escalated, the Emperor raised his hand once more. Silence fell again.
“That concludes the damage report.”
“…I see.”
The Emperor slowly turned his head to look at Yohan.
“I’ve already heard from Minister Lahart about what happened at the Magic Tower, but it seems the Tower Master intended this from the very beginning. That’s why he attended the banquet and offered to assist in stabilizing the rift.”
Before the meeting in the ceremonial chamber, Yohan had already briefed the Special Forces about what had transpired at the Magic Tower. A summarized report lay on the round table before them.
“Minister Lahart, I want you to take charge of this matter personally. Of course, the Rozino Empire will provide all possible support.”
Yohan asked in a low, steady voice.
“Is this the duty of an executioner?”
“It is.”
The Emperor nodded once before continuing.
“You are the only one capable of dealing with the Tower Master. And we cannot afford to go into an all-out war.”
Yohan nodded in agreement. The Emperor was right. The Tower Master was the continent’s strongest mage, one who had reached the brink of celestial mastery. Yohan was the only person capable of confronting him.
If he refused to act, war with the Magic Tower would be inevitable. The reaction of neighboring nations was unpredictable, and the conflict could escalate beyond control.
But more than that, Yohan wanted to handle this himself. The Tower Master had dared to harm someone who was soon to be family.
“Understood. I will personally take down the Tower Master.”
“Then I grant you full authority over the Special Forces.”
“…The entire Special Forces unit?”
“Yes.”
The Special Forces was a secret organization within the Imperial Household, composed solely of the elite. It could be considered a higher authority than the Imperial inspectors, while also fulfilling the role of an imperial guard.
“I grant you full command. Since you’ll be the one facing the Tower Master directly, the Imperial Household will provide all necessary support.”
At a glance, it might seem as if the Emperor was washing his hands of the matter, but it was the most rational decision. Yohan would be the one fighting on the frontlines. It was only natural for the Empire to entrust him with full authority.
“Understood.”
“Then we will prepare the operation in more detail later. For now, this meeting is adjourned.”
Just as the Emperor, the ministers, and the officials were about to rise from their seats—
Bang!
The doors burst open.
Gasping for breath, the commander of the Special Forces rushed inside.
“Y-Your Majesty!”
“What is it?”
“The Magic Tower has just made an official statement!”
“…An official statement?”
The chamber erupted in murmurs.
“The Magic Tower acted first!”
“We’re already too late.”
“That lunatic Tower Master…!”
Amidst the uproar, the Emperor remained seated, his expression calm. Raising his hand, he swiftly quelled the commotion. The chamber fell silent once more.
“What did the statement say?”
“The Tower Master has issued a challenge to Minister Lahart!”
A duel.
It was a declaration of one-on-one combat.
“A duel…? What kind of nonsense is this?!”
“We must not accept. This is exactly what he wants!”
“We cannot send Minister Lahart alone!”
The ministers strongly objected.
But Yohan’s lips curled ever so slightly.
“I accept.”
The chamber fell into a stunned silence.
Every gaze turned toward Yohan, filled with disbelief and confusion.
“I will fight the Tower Master and kill him.”
There was no reason to refuse.