When I was about to die, I proposed to five cruel princesses

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✦ Chapter 19 – The Second Princess, Hedera (2) ✦

The current time was 7:50 PM.

"This is the Tower's training ground."

Soon, the Empire's Second Princess, Hedera, will visit the Tower.

Upon hearing this news, Ezekiel, guided by Agnes, visited the training ground. Of course, he was accompanied by Nox and Widro, the leaders of both factions.

The training ground had two floors, with an upper level allowing observation of the lower area. We were currently standing on the upper level.

"Hmm."

Ezekiel silently observed the scene below for a moment.

The number of people gathered in the Tower's training ground was substantial.

However, there was a strange sense of discomfort.

"Agnes, the Second Princess is expected to arrive at 10 PM, correct?"

"That's what I've been informed."

Two hours.

That was all the time we had left.

"Alright. Continue the tour."

I leaned back in my chair and pulled out a sunweed to chew; the sensation of it bursting in my mouth was exquisite.

"Besides its size, this space is incredibly durable. Experimental use of magic in research stages, power and efficacy tests… Practically all manifestations take place here."

Ezekiel nodded quietly.

"You're quite skilled at giving tours."

"I've been at the Tower for quite some time."

"Is your nose alright?"

Just earlier, Agnes had collided face-first with the door; the sound was so loud, I couldn't help but ask.

"It's perfectly fine."

"Well, maybe you should wipe that nosebleed first."

"...!"

Agnes hastily touched her nose, but no blood stained her hand. It was just a joke, after all.

"…The situation is urgent. Please don't jest."

"Anyway, the use of this training ground is a mess. We need to fix that."

"In what way is it a mess?"

The discomfort Ezekiel felt was the cause of this mess.

In this training ground, there were no duels.

'No one is dueling.'

Training and dueling should be inseparable, yet despite the large number of people, no one was engaged in duels.

"Experimental use, power testing, practical application… One duel could reveal all that. Yet no one is dueling."

"Ah, Inspector. Duels are problematic."

Nox interjected.

Still slightly tipsy, he occasionally hiccupped, but calmly pushed up his glasses as he continued, "Following the Second Princess's directive, we prioritize exploration. Duels don't fit the nature of this place."

"Interesting," Ezekiel chuckled.

"Oh? What's interesting?"

"Everything."

He exhaled a plume of sunweed smoke.

"Children. That's exactly how you're being treated."

"…Pardon?"

Leaving young children to play in a magic playground.

It seems Hedera treated them just like that.

—Do whatever you want, as long as it doesn't cause problems.

Hedera issued such a directive, and nothing was more likely to cause incidents than duels. Unsurprisingly, duels had become taboo within the Tower.

Ezekiel's gaze fell on Agnes.

"Agnes, combat is included in the performance evaluations, right?"

"Yes, it is."

"…Yet you don't duel? Even a passing dog would laugh at that."

It was absurd to discard an item explicitly included in the performance evaluation.

Other Towers might focus solely on their strengths, but the Imperial Magic Tower currently had nothing to confidently showcase. They're in no position to be picky about categories.

"Please listen, Inspector." Widro cautiously spoke up, "I understand your enthusiasm to make changes, but are we in any position to be visiting the training ground right now? Take a look at the lower level."

Ezekiel followed the old man's gaze towards the first floor.

"...…"

The mages who met his gaze quickly averted their eyes.

Unable to focus on anything, they fidgeted aimlessly. The chaos on the first floor was palpable even from just observing.

A mage's highly trained magic sense extended to their hearing as well. Thanks to this, Ezekiel could hear all the whispers.

"The new Inspector is impressive in his own way, but…"

"Inspector or not, we're dealing with a princess here. What if we break her directive and fall out of favor?"

"I heard he has no experience yet. Maybe that's why he's so brave? He doesn't seem to know how harsh the Second Princess can be…"

Indeed, all the talk was about the Second Princess.

"Plus, isn't this visit about selling off the Tower?"

"Sell the Imperial Tower? To whom?"

"If it doesn't sell, they might just get rid of it. It's just wasting maintenance costs at this point. What should we do now?"

Between the newly appointed Inspector and the notoriously harsh princess, it was natural to be more wary of the latter. Everyone was trembling in fear of the Second Princess, at a loss for what to do.

Widro clicked his tongue, "The entire Tower is paralyzed by news of the Second Princess's visit. We shouldn't be lingering in the training ground; we need to prepare countermeasures immediately. We can't do nothing until 10 PM."

The old man, seemingly impatient, even urged them on.

"Listen, are you hearing me? We can't receive the princess in such a chaotic state! This is serious!"

Of course.

Ezekiel merely waved his hand dismissively.

"Don't make such a fuss. I've already prepared countermeasures."

He already had a plan, which is why he came to the training ground.

"…Countermeasures?"

The eyes of the three nearby widened. Ezekiel, chewing on his sunweed, continued nonchalantly.

"First, the Second Princess's visit is for selling the Tower. That's certain."

"You mean it's not just a rumor, but a confirmed fact?"

"Of course. This is the best time to sell for the highest price."

The Tower's dire situation wasn't yet known outside.

However, if these results were maintained until the announcement day, the Tower's value would obviously plummet. From the Second Princess's perspective, now was the best time to sell at a high price.

Agnes blinked quietly, "So, what countermeasures have you prepared?"

"…It's obvious, isn't it? We should just clean up thoroughly," Nox interjected, pushing up his glasses.

"Rather than causing trouble and incurring the Second Princess's displeasure, it's much safer to clean up and wait. We can decide how to respond after gauging her reaction."

"…That makes sense. Inspector, is that your plan?"

However, Ezekiel shook his head firmly, "Nonsense."

Of course, Nox's judgment fell within normal parameters.

It was general and rational. Most people thought like Nox, which is why they were wasting time and just waiting quietly for the princess.

However.

Ezekiel knew very well that this approach wouldn't work.

"That would be too late."

"Too late for what?"

"Exactly what I said. If we wait to see and then react, it will definitely be too late."

The current Hedera was a cold-hearted princess.

She knew how to calculate benefits precisely and rarely reversed her decisions once made. There was a high chance she'd proceed with the sale immediately upon arriving at the Tower, ignoring everything else.

Requests like 'Please hear us out' would be meaningless. Hedera never listened to such things.

Therefore, there was only one way.

To change Hedera's mind. For that…

"This place, the Tower, must already be changed."

As soon as Hedera sets foot here, the Imperial Tower must spark her interest. They needed a scene that would capture the princess's attention, an element that appealed to her.

Nox ran his hand through his hair, exasperated, "…Change this place? In just two hours?"

"Yes."

"In mere hours, and into something the Second Princess would like? Easier said than done! Is that even possible?" Nox continued with a bewildered expression, "The stakes are too high to gamble—we're talking about the Imperial Tower. Let's just clean up. Please, I beg you, Inspector!"

"To turn crisis into opportunity, you need to bet at least that much. Don't you agree?"

Good opportunities were always fraught with danger. Simultaneously, dangerous situations always presented good opportunities. This was one of the lessons he'd learned in life.

It was then that Agnes spoke up, "…But implementation is the problem. Everyone's in chaos; they don't seem ready to follow orders."

Agnes's gaze turned to the first floor.

The mages there were still indecisive. They were just pacing anxiously, waiting for the princess to arrive.

However, Ezekiel seemed to have anticipated even this, "I understand. They're all cowards."

"It's not cowardice, it's common sense. How many in the Empire aren't afraid of the Second Princess?"

"Agnes is right," Widro chimed in.

"The moment they follow your orders, they become accomplices. If the princess becomes furious, can you handle it? Are you willing to take responsibility for everyone here?"

"Responsibility?"

But.

Ezekiel merely smiled faintly, "Responsibility, huh."

A smile. Yet, his curled lip wasn't entirely unpleasant, like a mischievous child's.

An attitude suggesting he was so brilliant he'd gladly do it. A conviction that he could easily lift what would crush an ordinary person like a feather.

"I'll take it. The responsibility."

He briefly recalled fragments of his past.

— Ezekiel, just this once, take responsibility for the continent. If you can just succeed in closing the portal to the demon realm…

— Ezekiel, take responsibility for the lives of the squad members…

— Ezekiel, it's your responsibility.

The sunweed fell from his mouth to the floor.

"…I've already shouldered such things countless times."

Ezekiel snapped his fingers lightly

Rumble—

Immediately after, the entire training ground shook.

"Whoa!"

"W-What's happening!"

As everyone was startled, frozen statues of beautiful women with closed eyes rose from both ends of the training ground. They looked so lifelike, as if their eyelids might open at any moment.

The surprised mages gaped in awe.

"Oh?"

"Wow. They're beautiful…"

But their pure admiration didn't last long.

Whoosh—

The two statues began to exhale white breath. The mages soon noticed something strange with their bodies.

"I-It's getting really cold?"

"My body's freezing up! W-What is this!"

Frost began to form on the mages' skin. They all stared at Ezekiel on the second floor with bulging eyes.

"No need for a fuss."

Ezekiel said, casually leaning on the railing.

"If you stand still, you'll freeze, but if you use mana, you'll be fine. From now on, use magic desperately. It would be even better if you pair up and duel."

"What are you—!"

"Do you have time to argue? Hurry up and use your magic."

"Aaaargh—!"

Avoiding freezing took priority over questioning anything. Soon, a spectacular scene unfolded on the first floor, with everyone frantically using magic and engaging in duels.

"...…."

The three nearby stared at Ezekiel with dumbfounded expressions.

Ezekiel merely put another sunweed in his mouth.

"Everyone in the Imperial Magic Tower was threatened by me and was forced to duel to survive. This should be enough, right?"

"...…."

From their perspective, the best they could do was stare at him as if he were insane. While his method was extremely bizarre, it was also true that Ezekiel would bear all responsibility.

Someone on the first floor shouted.

"Ah, aah! That inspector, he's out of his mind─!"

"I've never been in my right mind."

Always, already, now. He had always been this way.

A momentary calm settled with Ezekiel's smile.

The man stared intently at the lower floor for a while.

With a magician's eyes, keenly.

With a leader's eyes, steadfastly.

With a pioneer's eyes, thoroughly.

At some point, Ezekiel closed his eyes.

1 second.

2 seconds.

And finally, 5 seconds.

He lifted his eyelids and said,

"No need to wait until 10. Tell them to come by 9."

It was the tone of someone who had found the answer.

~~••~~••~~

10 PM. The entrance of the Imperial Magic Tower.

Whooosh─

The night wind swept over the body of a woman.

Her figure was as exquisite as if crafted by a skilled artisan, something that could be described as perfection without exaggeration.

In the dark hour, only her red eyes emitted a glow.

The woman stood with her arms crossed, silently gazing up at the Tower.

Whooosh─

Once again, the night wind blew, and the sale plan document in her grasp fluttered noisily. Suddenly, a thin piece of paper tucked between its pages fluttered ostentatiously into the air.

The woman swiftly caught it between her index and middle fingers.

It was a single envelope.

Click─ Click─

Second Imperial Princess Hedera.

She finally stepped onto the entrance of the Imperial Magic Tower.

"…Hah."

With her mouth hidden behind a mask, no one could discern her expression.

To read all 150 episodes, patreon.com/Makima02