Side Story Episode 11

The interior of the tower was surprisingly decent.

It seemed they had shown some respect, at least, for the status of one who had once been the Crown Prince, even if he was now imprisoned. A faint sneer touched Xenon's lips.

'So that's why he still doesn't know his place and sends such nonsense-filled letters.'

The attendant could not stop Xenon from entering the tower without ceremony. To be precise, he tried to stop him, but it was futile. Xenon's strength was greater than expected, and the attendant was instead pushed aside helplessly.

Meanwhile, Xenon began to properly look around the tower.

Each floor was divided into living spaces, and from what he could see, the bedroom seemed to be located on the topmost floor.

Probably sprawled out comfortably on the bed, right?

With that guess in mind, Xenon climbed the stairs unhesitatingly, only to stop on a middle floor of the tower.

"Y-you, who are you!"

"Ah. Here you are."

Xenon stood with a slanted posture, his hands shoved into his pockets. Maxel, who had just emerged from what appeared to be a lounge inside, was startled upon discovering Xenon.

Maxel, his face flustered, took a step back, then stiffened his expression and puffed out his chest.

"Reveal your identity at once!"

"Well, well."

"G-Gale! Who on earth is this man?"

"My apologies, Master. He is a mage serving the Resurrected One..."

The attendant, who had hurriedly followed Xenon from behind, bowed obsequiously to Maxel and continued his explanation. Xenon stood calmly, waiting for the attendant to finish.

Maxel's complexion changed moment by moment as he listened to the attendant's words. Turning red, then pale, it was quite a sight.

And finally, the attendant's explanation reached its climax. The very point where he proudly declared him to be 'Anelli's lover'.

"Lover?"

Maxel, his face scrunched up as if he had heard something he shouldn't have, raised his eyes.

His gaze, bloodshot, was filled with disbelief and suspicion as he glared at Xenon. Xenon, receiving that gaze head-on, let out a hollow laugh, his heart full of absurdity.

"Your loyalty is so excessive you can't even distinguish what should and shouldn't be said, it seems!"

"We have no reason to have our love recognized by you. But I'm in a bit of a bad mood, so I'd rather you just knew and shut up about it."

Maxel's face turned pale at Xenon's demeanor, which showed not even the slightest courtesy, let alone respect.

"Mind your own business about other people's lovers. And cut out this kind of nonsense. Seeing how you couldn't understand no matter what Anelli-nim said, I'm starting to think it's an intelligence problem..."

As Xenon took out the letter he had kept in his breast pocket and fluttered it, Maxel gritted his teeth.

"You impudent, base-less...!"

"Yeah, I know you ruined your life by acting frivolously and without foundation. You don't need to introduce yourself like that. Fortunately, unlike you, I am a very romantic lover, single-minded and overflowing with pure affection. Isn't that fortunate?"

So enraged was he that Maxel couldn't even utter a proper word. His lips quivered as he trembled violently, then he clenched his fist.

He was about to swing his fist immediately but paused for a moment. Because he met Xenon's dry eyes, devoid of any mirth, contrary to the voice full of mockery.

"You know what?"

Xenon, having carefully returned the letter to his breast, took a step forward. Reflexively, Maxel retreated the same distance.

Xenon, tilting his head and staring at Maxel like that, spoke in a nonchalant tone.

"I learned one thing while observing the Rusalka."

"Ru, Rusalka...?"

"Not all methods of causing a person pain involve physical injury."

Sensing an ominous aura, Maxel turned his body to flee. But in this tower without a single window, there was nowhere to run.

"Gale, Gale! Stop this wretch at once!"

Calling desperately for the attendant, Maxel haphazardly threw whatever object he could grab at Xenon. The attendant belatedly rushed towards Xenon, who was easily dodging the flying objects.

Xenon let out a sigh as if annoyed and gestured towards the attendant. The attendant collapsed with a thud, unable to offer any real resistance.

"H-how...?"

Maxel, looking at the fallen attendant with a horrified face, trembled and retreated. Finally blocked by a solid wall and unable to retreat further, Maxel, veins bulging in his neck, thrashed about in desperation.

"I, I may have been deposed, but I am still a member of the imperial family! Do you think you can lay a hand on me and get away with it? I will show you how grave a crime it is to harm a member of the imperial family in this Empire!"

"Harm? I don't know what you're talking about. I haven't laid a finger on you. They said you were mad, and it seems it was true."

At Xenon's indifferent muttering, Maxel's face flushed red. He too knew what rumors were circulating. How wretchedly he had been deposed.

"I am not mad!"

"Well, they say everyone says that originally."

"You wretch, I'll...!"

As Maxel tried to continue his futile threats, he suddenly stopped speaking. Gagging, he felt his own neck with a panicked expression.

"Originally, skilled mages can create spells that didn't exist before."

Xenon, who had sealed his mouth without laying a finger on him, moved his hand with a serene face. Following his fingertips forming a hand seal, sparkling purple magical power scattered.

"I had no intention of commercializing it, so I didn't formally register it with the Magic Tower, but I'm grateful you gave me a chance to use it like this. Thanks to you, I can verify its effectiveness, right?"

The magical power swirling in the air did not disappear but moved somewhere. Flowing like a stream of water towards the trembling Maxel, the magical power burrowed into his ears.

Maxel waved his hands as if trying to push away the glittering purple magical power. But it was a futile struggle.

The magical power, linked tail to tail, drew a long line as it burrowed into Maxel's mind.

"What would happen if you could never sleep properly for the rest of your life?"

This unlicensed magic, to which he hadn't even properly given a name, was close to a kind of curse. A malicious curse that torments one with nightmares every time they sleep.

It was slightly different from the Rusalka's eternal sleep. Maxel would probably live his daily life as usual. He just wouldn't be able to sleep properly.

Because every night, the most horrific nightmares would torment him. Nightmares on a different level from ordinary ones.

Finally completing the hand seal, the last of the magical power was fully absorbed into Maxel. Maxel frantically felt his own body and face.

Xenon gave him a crooked smile. Since he hadn't laid a hand on him or beaten him to a pulp, Heinri probably wouldn't scold him.

In fact, he might even be pleased to have one less troublesome matter to deal with.

"Ah, right, I don't know what the side effects are."

Since it's a mental magic, there might be some... mental side effects, but as long as he looks fine on the outside, it's okay, right? Thinking somewhat complacently, Xenon turned away.

Until Xenon exited the tower, the place was simply filled with silence.

* * *

The coronation held outdoors was magnificent.

Perhaps because there had been so much ominous unrest throughout the imperial palace and the entire Empire, it seemed they had deliberately prepared it to be even more splendid and boisterous.

It was said that festivals would be held for a full month in cities and towns large and small across the nation to celebrate the new Emperor's ascension.

Banquets were also scheduled to be held daily at the imperial palace, but they had nothing to do with me. Because I had already given the congratulatory address in front of everyone at the coronation.

Mixing plausible and difficult words while invoking the goddess, everyone cheered, saying the Empire had received divine blessing. Especially the guests sent from the Temple prayed tearfully and even fainted.

Thanks to that, there was some minor commotion, but overall, it was a successful coronation. To the extent that it was worth the effort of carefully choosing my attire to appear before them.

"You look like an angel just descended from heaven."

"That's an exaggeration."

"Didn't you see the priests who couldn't even come near, saying the goddess's Resurrected One had descended?"

"They were always like that."

Gathering the transparent veil I had worn for atmosphere with both hands, I glanced back. I saw a crowd eager to speak to me.

But no one dared to approach me as I stood there in pure white attire. As for Xenon, well, he was an exception from the start.

"Will you be returning immediately?"

"I was thinking of it..."

I wanted to get out of this uncomfortable dress first.

Since the very existence of the Resurrected One had no precedent, this dress was made to look plausible by referencing the attire of those revered as saints in the past, but its practicality was trash. Of course, it looked very sacred.

Clutching the several layers of the long, flowing dress, I looked around.

I should probably say goodbye to Heinri, but he seemed busy receiving greetings from all sorts of guests. Then, perhaps noticing my gaze, he glanced this way.

Seeing him gesture his thanks with his eyes, I gave a slight nod.

I turned away without hesitation, but actually leaving this space was not easy. It was because I was receiving as much attention as Heinri.

"Shall I clear a path for you?"

Just as I was about to nod gladly at Xenon's action, as if he had read my mind, stepping forward...

"...!"

A voice heard amidst the noisy crowd's clamor grabbed my ankle.

"...An!"

Reflexively, I turned sharply to look back, and the people gazing at me eagerly let out small screams.

"Anelli-nim?"

Leaving Xenon, who called my name curiously, I strode forward. As I moved, the people who had encircled me hesitated and made space.

It was somewhere here. Definitely, the voice was around here...

"..."

My hurried, searching steps came to an abrupt halt.

Amidst everyone stepping aside, the one person who remained unmoving met my eyes. Staring intently at the other person, I slowly parted my lips.

"Pallides."

The lips of the woman standing before me slowly curved upward. Her face, holding a bright smile, was exactly the same as when we had parted.

"Captain."