Anes looked at Jaekiel with bewildered eyes.
Of course, Anes had known for a long time that Jaekiel was not ordinary.
She had expected it, but…
'…Something this tremendous?'
She had a feeling he would bring something back, but she never imagined it
would be something this colossal. How on earth did he come up with
acquiring secret techniques?
The original task assigned to Anes and Jaekiel.
It was to successfully complete the exchange meeting.
In fact, that alone was an incredible difficulty. They had to seamlessly fill
almost a ten-year gap.
But…
'Now, even that goal seems ordinary.'
To record and acquire all the secret techniques of each magic tower without
missing anything? Anes couldn't help but feel concerned.
"Whaaaat?"
Tether, who was inside the carriage, also quickly jumped out.
"You couldn't have contacted the 2nd Princess, the master of the Magic
Tower, so where did you get such a major task?!"
"Don't worry. It was a conversation with His Majesty the Emperor."
"What? H-H-His Majesty the Emperor?"
That makes me even more worried?!
Between the 2nd Princess, the master of the Magic Tower, and the Emperor,
it was clear whose authority was higher. The fact that this was the result of
Jaekiel's direct conversation with the Emperor.
It was enough to shock both Anes and Tether.
"Didn't you take on too much of a task? If we fail, His Majesty might be
disappointed."
"I volunteered for it because I wanted to."
"…"
Unconsciously, Anes rubbed her forehead.
How on earth did he plan to handle this?
Even though she was his personal secretary, Anes couldn't guess the
Auditor's actions. Who would do such a thing right before heading to the
Black Tower?
However, Anes was not naive enough to throw a tantrum. She couldn't go
back to the Emperor and ask him to take it back, so she tried to assess the
situation calmly.
[ Success ]
Anes wrote that one word in her notebook.
'If we can succeed, it would be truly tremendous.'
Not just decent, but it could turn everything around. The fallen prestige of
the Imperial Tower would soar once again.
'The rising momentum of the Imperial Tower, the Emperor's recognition…
These are all just stepping stones to a new golden age.'
She couldn't understand why the Emperor gave such a task to an Imperial
Tower with no answers, but Anes continued her notes and thoughts.
[ Failure ]
This time, she wrote that word in her notebook.
'…It's not that he trusts the Imperial Tower to give us this task; he might
need an excuse to cut us off completely.'
In other words, it seemed like the Emperor was assigning a task and
expecting failure. How convenient would it be to get rid of the Imperial
Tower that had disappointed him?
At least to Anes, the situation felt that way.
All elements pointed to that alone.
Having finished her calculations, Anes spoke up, twisting the cube in her
hand as a bonus.
"Auditor, first of all, you are impressive."
"I know."
Anes's eyebrows twitched at the quick acknowledgment, but she continued
speaking calmly.
"It's really a mystery how you got a private audience with the Emperor, but
it has always been rare for His Majesty to give a solo mission."
"Well, actually, it's not a mission but a transaction."
"…Yes, yes. Please stop joking."
Anes sighed deeply and elegantly brushed her hair behind her ear.
"But still, there are so many concerns. First, the difficulty is absurd."
"Actually, the difficulty doesn't matter much."
"Yes. I expected that answer. But secondly, it's about the relationship
between the magic towers."
Click. Anes's cube rotated.
"Acquiring the secret techniques would help prevent possible terrorism and
would be a tremendous help to the Imperial Tower, but…"
"But?"
"I think the relationship between the Imperial Tower and the other towers
will deteriorate irreparably."
"Aha."
"The other towers will unite against the Imperial Tower as a common
enemy. Isn't that so?"
Anes stared intently at Jaekiel.
"Of course, Auditor, you accepted the mission knowing all this, right?
Please…"
"Anes."
Jaekiel calmly called his secretary's name.
"Yes, Auditor."
"When was the Imperial Tower ever on good terms with the other towers?
As far as I know, there was never such a time."
"Hmm?"
Anes tilted her head.
"What is the current relationship between the Imperial Tower and the other
towers?"
"Considering the current situation… Of course…"
Anes hesitated.
"They acknowledge that the Imperial Tower is at the top, and they maintain
at least minimal courtesy, and…"
"It's just a trick to get us to come out. They are waiting for the opportunity
to completely slaughter us. That's what this exchange meeting is about."
"…"
There was nothing more to say.
"Anes."
"Yes."
"Why are you so servile?"
"…Excuse me? Did you just say I'm servile?"
Anes blinked, but Jaekiel was calm.
"Yes, who is threatening the Imperial Tower right now?"
"Well…"
The five magic towers, excluding the Imperial Tower.
The five towers had begun to disregard the reporting system and started to
sharpen their blades. Those blades were, of course, aimed at the empire and
the Imperial Tower.
"Even if they smile outwardly, they hide swords behind their backs. Are
you saying we should just smile back at them? Do you think they'll drop
their swords because of that?"
"…"
"No, that's just asking to be stabbed."
Jaekiel exhaled the smoke from the Sun Grass.
"We shouldn't become kind and servile, but stronger. So that they never
draw or swing the swords they are hiding behind their backs."
Anes couldn't help but stay silent.
There wasn't a single flaw in Jaekiel's words.
She had become so accustomed to defeat that she had become servile
without realizing it. She couldn't even imagine the Imperial Tower
becoming strong anymore.
But if the Imperial Tower became such a terrifying existence, wouldn't it be
fine? The other towers might hide their weapons, but they would never use
them.
"Auditor, are you trying to show the overwhelming might of the imperial
family to prevent future damage in advance?"
"That's right."
Jaekiel nodded.
"It's not a big deal. It's the Imperial Tower; shouldn't it be at least that
much?"
This time, Anes also nodded.
But she wanted to hear one more thing.
"Auditor, I still have a question."
"I'll listen."
"Even if the Imperial Tower gains high prestige, wouldn't the other towers
hide their secret techniques even more tightly? It's only natural."
"That's right."
"Even if we become safer, it will be difficult to acquire the secret
techniques. If we really press them hard to take it, it will be all-out war."
Jaekiel looked at Anes quietly.
"…"
After looking in silence for a long time.
He held the stem of the Sun Grass he was chewing for a moment.
"…Anes."
"Yes, Auditor."
"Are you stupid?"
"Excuse me?"
"Why would you take it openly? You have to take it differently."
"…"
"Would you show the act of taking a cub from a beast protecting its young
with all its might?"
Jaekiel continued as if it were absurd.
"Of course, they would resist. Why would you take it so obviously? My
secretary is really stupid."
"…"
Anes closed her eyes tightly.
A vertical vein appeared on the forehead of the Secretary with closed eyes.
It wasn't that Anes didn't know the method of taking it secretly. It was just
almost impossible.
"Are you suggesting we take it secretly?"
"We're not thieves. Why go about it in such an ugly way?"
"No, then…!"
"Don't worry."
Jaekiel dismissed Anes's concern.
"Because I already have a method."
"What method? Please share it."
"How should I explain this simply?"
Hoooo.
"Oh, right."
Jaekiel exhaled the smoke from the Sun Grass and chuckled.
"We'll do it in a way they don't even realize they're being taken for a ride."
.
.
.
.
.
It was then.
Tether shouted.
"E-E-Excuse me! But what do we really do now?"
She shouted while looking at her wristwatch.
"We should have arrived at least near the Black Tower by now! We only
have ten minutes left…!"
"…?"
That's right. Departure and arrival.
Jaekiel finally remembered what he had forgotten.
Come to think of it, that's right.
…Anes, why haven't we left yet?
The Auditor's head turned sharply to Anes.
"Anes, why haven't we left yet?"
"Ah, well…"
Anes's expression became unusually perplexed.
Then she mumbled as she spoke.
"It's not that we didn't; we couldn't."
…What? Why couldn't we depart?