The Empire’s Second Prince, Irid Crown, asks himself. What are his strengths?

 

He is capable of simple self-defense, but he is not a legendary warrior. It is impossible for him to charge into battle and reap the heads of his enemies like the First Princess Elaine.

 

He does not possess the eloquence to charm the souls of others. He knows the basics, but he is nothing more than that. Was he not unable to properly flirt with Centra?

 

What he is good at is tolerance, paperwork, coordination, and overseeing project management… things that are handled on a desk.

 

In short, it is internal affairs.

 

The ability to read about someone’s embezzlement in a pile of documents, to lock away unnecessary expenses, and to find out who is a torturer and transfer them to the provinces.

 

The agents of the Imperial Defense Agency, who were recruited by him, secretly call him “The Gear of God” because he makes even the most complicated administration work!

 

Furthermore, through his memories with Centra, he has greatly broadened his perspective. His ability to see from a low perspective has led to his strong tolerance.

 

On holidays, he gives gifts related to children to agents with children, gifts of suits that fit perfectly to agents with girlfriends, and gifts of desserts to C.

 

He uses the budget secured by his administrative ability to give appropriate gifts!

 

“Come to think of it, Jonathan’s birthday is in three days…”

 

He is even attentive to celebratory events.

 

There is a reason why the agents of the historic Defense Agency keep swearing their loyalty to the Second Prince.

 

In times of peace, he had the talent to make the Empire even more prosperous.

 

However, these are troubled times. The black magicians are stirring, and the number of nobles with black hearts is increasing one by one. It is a chaotic time with many threats.

 

Rather than an honest and sincere person, it is a time when the ability to fight and defeat the enemy is needed.

 

So, should he give up because his goals and talents are different?

 

No.

 

“Just because my abilities are lacking, it is not a reason to not make an effort.”

 

That’s why.

 

Although there is circumstantial evidence that Viscount Benston is suspicious, Irid, who does not have any clear evidence and cannot easily touch him, has chosen a method that does not require clever politics or force overwhelming.

 

He would extract the smallest piece of information from the mountain of documents──and through an extremely difficult puzzle, he would prepare a document that could ensnare Viscount Benston and hand it over.

 

And he has almost succeeded.

 

Starting with some minor legal violations committed by Viscount Benston, he has begun to ensnare him, pointing out the flow of logistics, the source of unknown funds, and finally arguing the necessity and propriety of a forced search of the mansion.

 

He had almost created an indictment out of nothing, completing it by 80%.

 

Now, all he had to do was work on it for a few more days. The moment this was completed, Irid planned to immediately submit the indictment to the parliament, obtain the legitimacy of the attack, and then lead the Defense Agency agents to forcibly search Viscount Benston’s villa.

 

It was hard. It was really hard.

 

However, his determination to give Centra a wonderful future and the rosemary that adorned one corner of his desk gave him endless energy.

 

Just a little more effort.

 

As Irid stretched his back and sat back in his chair to pick up his quill, someone knocked on the door of his office.

 

Knock, knock.

 

“…Who is it?”

 

“It’s C. There has been an urgent contact from Yuri Ranster, the field agent assigned to codename ‘Mad Mage’. I believe it is a matter that requires Your Highness’s approval⋯⋯.”

 

A chill ran down Irid’s spine.

 

The deep regret he felt from C’s voice stimulated his intuition. What happened? What kind of accident did that Mad Mage have again!!

 

“Explain.”

 

C summarized and read the report he had received from Yuri Ranster.

 

“We have recruited one of the Redburn Duke’s blades, codenamed ‘Mage’s Nightmare’. And…”

 

“That’s amazing. And?”

 

“His legend has changed. He has gained the ability to disguise his appearance, and recently, the famous vigilante ‘Blue Rose’ and ‘Mage’s Nightmare’ are said to be the same person.”

 

“…As far as I know, ‘Mage’s Nightmare’ is a man. I heard that ‘Blue Rose’ wears very feminine clothes.”

 

Irid imagined a perfectly healthy man wearing women’s clothes and running around as a vigilante. He shuddered. He could not think of it as a healthy state of mind.In fact, instead of inclusion, could it be that the mad wizard has half-destroyed the spirit of the ‘Wizard’s Nightmare’?

 

If not, there’s no reason why inclusion and cross-dressing would coexist in one place…

 

Irid shook his head and stopped thinking. It was an area where he would only see the abyss if he dug deep. He gestured to continue the report.

 

C coughed twice and continued.

 

“It is said that the ‘Wizard’s Nightmare’ has developed a considerable friendship with the captain of the Knights of the Capital. It is analyzed that the probability of developing into a romantic relationship is high.”

 

“⋯⋯?? No, why, how⋯⋯ No. Keep reporting.”

 

“So, the ‘Wizard’s Nightmare’, the captain of the Knights of the Capital, and field agent Yuri Lancaster have succeeded in stealing the ledger containing evidence of Viscount Benston’s drug trafficking.”

 

“…”

 

Irid was stunned for a moment.

 

No matter how many unexpected and out-of-the-blue things happen in the world, isn’t the story I just heard too unlikely…?

 

“So… How about cooperating with the Knights of the Capital to carry out a raid on Viscount Benston’s drug trafficking operation?”

 

“…”

 

I didn’t understand the process, but I understood the result. If the operation was successful and Viscount Benston was expelled, it would be like cutting off one of Duke Redburn’s hands.

 

Wasn’t this the reason why Irid had worked so hard to write the indictment? It had become a piece of waste paper as of this hour.

 

Irid looked sadly at the pile of hard work on his desk and nodded his head heavily.

 

“…Proceed.”

 

It was the moment when the fate of the Viscount Benston family was decided.

 

—- —-

 

Viscount Benston’s villa.

 

Around 1:50 am

 

Zweedy Benston was in his room, immersed in a sense of accomplishment. In the end, he succeeded in tricking the old aristocrat into taking the drug, and the local aristocrat who saw the effect of the drug was caught in a web from which he could not escape.

 

It would be useless to realize his mistake belatedly and try to quit the drug. The symptoms of addiction will not be cured even if you go to a priest. It was a drug that broke down part of the mental barrier and brought in a nightmare.

 

If you repeatedly feel pleasure and pain in your dreams, your mind will eventually collapse and you will become a slave who completely obeys orders. Then, through him, the drug will be spread to the local aristocrats.

 

That’s how influence is spread.

 

The Empire is not a fool either. The Defense Department’s movements were unusual, and there were signs that the Knights of the Capital were trying to extract information. However, it was not enough to make them nervous and burn the evidence.

 

At present, when the power of the aristocranic faction and the imperial faction are similar, it was impossible to defeat the other side with an ambiguous conspiracy. If you make a mistake, the backlash will blow anywhere.

 

In addition, the fact that each other’s victory conditions were different was also a major factor.

 

What the Benston family, and further, Duke Redburn, wanted was the chaos of the Empire. However, the other side wants to preserve the Empire. That difference created a gap.

 

If the other side attacked without decisive evidence, they would counterattack, saying, ‘The Imperial family is trying to suppress the aristocrats!’ Some would believe it, and some would not. The Empire will definitely be in chaos.

 

It was possible because the emperor, who held absolute power, remained silent about what it meant.

 

Of course, they will be caught someday. The Defense Department is not a real person, so they will eventually collect evidence. So I had to withdraw before that. I’ll have to put out a fool and use him as a scapegoat and cut his tail.

 

That’s why⋯⋯ The appropriate withdrawal time that Zweedy Benston expected was three months later.

 

He judged that he would be able to eat for at least three more months.

 

It was a misjudgment.

 

“The Benston family, come out without resistance──!!”

 

“The mansion is already surrounded! The Knights of the Capital, the guardians of justice, have completed the siege and annihilation formation!!”

 

“You are charged with illegal drug distribution and sedition!! If you resist, you will be killed immediately, so if you want to save your life, come out quietly!!”

 

“…?!”

 

Zweedy Benston looked out the window in surprise.

 

Thump. Thump. Thump!

 

With a strange sound, lighting devices turned on from all sides. Bright conical lights from all sides illuminated the Benston villa. Zweedy Benston raised his arms to his eyes, blinded by the bright light.

 

Beyond the shadows, the exterior of the mansion was surrounded by Knights of the Capital in power armor and sleepy guards.

 

What happened?

 

Did you decide to ignore the political burden and push it away? Or…!As Zwidey Benston was racking his brain to figure out the situation, the mansion’s main gate opened and Viscount Benston rushed out in his nightgown. And he tried to denounce loudly .

 

“This is my mansion! Many noble guests are staying here! What the hell is this commotion in the middle of the night! I will definitely remember this and not let it slide── Ugh!”

 

“Viscount Benston has been captured!!”

 

He was caught in an instant by the power armor’s punch.

 

Zwidey Benston felt goosebumps all over. Seeing how they punched the Viscount without hesitation, it seemed that they had absolute confidence.

 

The political offensive will be taken care of by Duke Redburn. So what Zwidey Benston had to do was… erase as much evidence as possible and escape from here.

 

He grabbed the medicine cabinet and stuffed it into his pocket, and started running down the hallway.

 

Then he met Roderus in the middle.

 

“You, the guard!”

 

“What is going on? How did you handle things so that the Order of the Knights of the Capital attacked us!”

 

Roderus actively utilized the techniques he learned in the canyon. As soon as he saw Zwidey Benston, he started talking about politics with a rotten expression.

 

Zwidey Benston turned red with shame and anger and got angry.

 

“…This is not the time! Guard, go out and stall them! Buy me time to escape!”

 

“There is no reason to risk my life for an idiot who can’t even do his job properly.”

 

“What?! You came here on Duke Redburn’s orders, are you going to disobey the orders?!”

 

“My father hates losers very much. I don’t think he would order me to protect someone who dragged the entire Order of the Knights of the Capital by failing to manage information properly.”

 

Roderus made the most disgusting expression he could, as if he had practiced in front of a mirror. Zwidey Benston gritted his teeth and echoed.

 

“I will remember this!”

 

“As you wish.”

 

Zwidey Benston ran. There was no one in the world he could trust. There were armed soldiers, but they were not enough to stop the Order of the Knights of the Capital, and Roderus had even declared a strike, so there was no answer.

 

Then the knights would rush into the mansion in an instant. If he didn’t hurry and escape, his life would be in danger.

 

He thought of the drugs left in the basement, but if he went to clean them up, this place would become his grave. His own life was more precious to him.

 

Cuckoo-! Thud-!

 

The sound of something breaking and screams were heard in succession. Zwidey Benston pushed the candle holder where the device was installed and opened the secret passage. He threw himself in without hesitation.

 

And he ran. Leaving the sound of the mansion being destroyed behind him.

 

“…Damn it, this is the business I raised!”

 

The incompetent father had no business acumen. So the business that he had carefully nurtured from the beginning to the end was now in ruins.

 

The only chance for recovery was Duke Redburn.

 

Let’s escape from the mansion like this and go to Duke Redburn. Let’s report Roderus’s negligence and ask for punishment. And I still have a lot of use, so I’ll ask for a new status, title, and power.

 

In front of him, who was crossing the secret passage with hopes for a bright future.

 

“Stop.”

 

“…!!”

 

A blue magic girl appeared.

 

A ribbon-covered dress with frills, a rapier that was closer to an ornament than a weapon. It was a fairy tale-like appearance that didn’t seem tense.

 

But the will reflected in her straight eyes changed everything.

 

Murderous intent. A clear murderous intent that sentenced you to death. The woman was ready to stab and kill people even with her ridiculous weapon.

 

From Noble mtl dot com

 

“…Who the hell are you?!”

 

“I will answer if you ask. I am the ‘Pure Knight’… You don’t need to remember my name.”

 

“Damn it, how did you know about the secret passage… Yes, there was an insider! An insider! Now I understand…!!”

 

Clang.

 

The rapier rang as the starlight flashed. At the same time, high-speed rotating magic was applied over the rapier. A technique of a magic girl that maximized penetration and lethality by borrowing the form of a drill.

 

“‘Killing Umbrella’.”

 

“…Ugh, uwaaagh!!”

 

Flash.

 

In an instant, three stabs were made, and Zwidey Benston was thrown back with large holes in both legs and his left arm.

 

“Kuaaagh──!!”

 

“Was the rotation too much? I didn’t mean to throw you away…”

 

Zwidey Benston struggled, bleeding profusely. He couldn’t die here. The magic girl is approaching⋯⋯!He made up his mind. He took out the pillbox from his pocket and hurriedly poured the pills inside his mouth. These were ‘luxury goods’ that he had taken the trouble to bring with him even while escaping.

 

A pill that increases magic power in exchange for reducing lifespan.

 

Depending on the realm, there were individual differences in the amount of magic power that increased. In the case of Zwidey Benston, who was not even a fable, the amount of magic power that increased through ingestion was twice that of the original.

 

He took four of them at once, so theoretically, his magic power was 16 times that of the original!

 

“Ke, kekekekeke!!”

 

Bubble bubble.

 

His blood boiled, and his veins bulged red on his skin. Zwidey Benston got up, dripping blood from his eyes and nose.

 

“…What the hell did you eat?”

 

“You won’t be able to afford it like that… Kehahahaha! With this much power, I could even turn the mansion to dust! And you too!”

 

“It’s a bit too much to fight. I won’t give up, but the secret passage will collapse. Kimlulu?”

 

“Who the hell are you calling──”

 

Thud.

 

Zwidey Benston raised his head at the heavy thud coming from above.

 

Thud. Coo-oong.

 

Every time the sound rang out, the entire secret passage trembled and spewed out dirt and dust.

 

And then.

 

Crack, creak──!!

 

A large hole was made in the ceiling, and a large shadow descended down the secret passage. A knight wearing power armor, looking like a walking fortress. It pointed at Zwidey Benston with its finger.

 

“Is this him?”

 

“Yes.”

 

It felt like a beast was glaring at him. His whole body’s survival instinct sounded an alarm, and Zwidey Benston explosively emitted magic power.

 

“Th, uwaaat──!!”

 

It was enormous magic power. Blue energy gathered around Zwidey Benston and began to spread out in a hemisphere. The Captain of the Order of the Knights pressed his finger into the middle of it.

 

Then, as if it were a lie, the magic power stopped. It could not go any further. Zwidey Benston screamed and squeezed out his magic power with all his might.

 

“Uwaaat, hwaaak──!!!”

 

“Hmm, yes, yes.”

 

The Captain of the Order of the Knights hummed and stretched out his finger.

 

Creak, creak, creak!

 

The hemisphere shrank. Zwidey Benston’s magic power, which he was desperately emitting, was being blocked and pushed away by the Captain of the Order of the Knights’ finger.

 

It was not a special technique or the power of a fable. Just like a child cannot push a wall no matter how hard they push with both hands. It was a difference in weight class.

 

The finger advanced steadily and eventually reached Zwidey Benston’s forehead. He gasped with an expression like he had seen a monster. It was 16 times!

 

“Hwaak, heok…, heok…!”

 

“You should eat a little more. You’re too skinny.”

 

The Captain of the Order of the Knights flicked his finger lightly.

 

Pak!

 

With the sound of a watermelon breaking on his forehead, Zwidey Benston lost consciousness and fell backward. It was the moment when the Viscount Benston family collapsed.

 

“Kimlulu, did you adjust your strength⋯⋯?”

 

“Yes! He’ll probably be alive?”

 

“…”

 

“Then, can I take him? The Grand Duke is probably… going home?”

 

Grand Duke Oh nodded. Now that the dispatched viscount family had been wiped out, he had to return to the side of Duke Redburn. It was difficult to promise to meet again in the near future, as it was unknown what orders he would give next .

 

“I won’t see you for a while.”

 

“…Can’t you not go?”

 

“I’ll try a little more. We’re magic girls, you know.”

 

“Yes. I wish I could see you sooner. I’m not good at waiting…”

 

Roderus laughed lightly. And he created a blue rose with magic power and handed it to Kimlulu. It was a farewell greeting.

 

“Next time…let’s see.”

 

“…Yes!!”

 

Roderus ran down the secret passage. Kimlulu watched his back for a long time, then turned to leave with Zwidey Benston on her back.

 

“…”

 

She picked up the pillbox rolling nearby and examined it. It was made up of five compartments, four of which were empty, and one of which contained pills.

 

Kimlulu quietly put the pills in her pocket.

 

And so, the night arrest operation ended.

 

—- —-

 

There were four people in the darkroom. They had gathered in one place through a mysterious ritual, and they were joining forces for one purpose.

 

The ‘corpse flower that eats fear’ said. “The academy is fine. The hidden dark mages were exposed in droves, but the important thing is to complete the counter-magic. It’s still okay.”

 

“The Despair-Inducing Noose” said.

 

“Count Benston was caught. The drug distribution has completely stopped. It’s annoying… ‘Lamb’, things started to go wrong after I listened to you. There’s still no problem with the Crown Hall collapse operation, but it will be difficult if This continues.”

 

“The Pleasure-Drinking Succubus” said.

 

“My control is firm. The deeply sleeping nobles enjoy pleasure every night, and they follow my every word. There’s no problem here.”

 

“The Pain-Swallowing Lamb” said.

 

“There is no problem with the supply and demand of living sacrifices. The world is vast, and there are many humans. However, if there is a disturbance in two out of four plans… I think we need to move the plan forward .”

 

‘Lamb’, who had his hood pulled down deeply, slowly clenched his fist. A great commotion caused by four named dark mages at the same time. When the plan begins, chaos and confusion will meet and grow in size, influencing each other.

 

And what lies at the end of it is──

 

“If there are no variables, we will be able to take over the empire.”

 

—- —-

 

“It’s time to start spreading the bait for the hidden ending of the Tower of Trials.”

 

A second storm blew through the academy.