Chapter 94 - North Korean rabbit

Episode 94

Tower Lord Gaspard was, regrettably, unable to witness the Dragon's Eclipse with his own eyes.

However, the moment he sensed it through the fluctuations in magical power, he abandoned all his exploration and research plans that would have taken years and returned to the Magical Tower.

Thereafter, he immediately sought out the Empress.

The Dragon's Eclipse.

And the Crown Princess, said to be blessed by the dragon.

Whichever it was, it was difficult for Gaspard not to be interested.

For he was a man obsessed with dragons.

To personally recreate with his own hands that magnificent and beautiful existence known as a dragon.

That was the goal to which Gaspard had dedicated his life.

Even if one scoured the entire continent, there were almost no humans who knew more about dragons than he did.

Yet even for a man like Gaspard, the events that had transpired over the past month were rare occurrences he had never even heard of.

It was only natural that he headed to the imperial palace to obtain information about them.

'But it seems even the Empress doesn't know whether that woman is truly blessed by the dragon.'

He accepted the confident-sounding deal the Empress had put forward.

After all, he had nothing to lose.

But still, he wanted to verify it for himself. The woman said to be blessed by the dragon.

So, he secretly infiltrated Sia's bedroom.

Having no intention of being caught, he cautiously explored the Crown Prince's Palace.

There was no place a mage of Gaspard's caliber could not secretly enter and exit. The imperial palace was no exception.

For he was a mage stronger than the court mage, Durin.

However, there were a few places within the imperial palace even he could not enter and exit recklessly.

'The residences of the imperial family members who have inherited the dragon's bloodline.'

Because they kept the surrounding magical power under their dominion, they could perceive a mage's presence faster than anyone.

For that reason, deceiving their notice and slipping in was no easy task.

Currently, the most dangerous figures among the imperial family were only two: the Emperor and the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince's Palace, where the Crown Prince resided, was naturally difficult to invade recklessly.

But the mage's curiosity and thirst for knowledge won out over worries about the danger.

'To be blessed by the dragon... Could it be she has actually seen one?'

Curiosity surged up uncontrollably, difficult to restrain.

If she truly was blessed, perhaps the dragon had left some evidence with her.

His heart pounded.

It felt like the excitement from his boyhood, when he first saw the fragment of Artanus and, trembling with anticipation, embarked on the path of a mage, was being revived.

He felt he would die if he didn't verify it personally.

After some deliberation, Gaspard created dozens of barriers and infiltrated Sia's bedroom in the Crown Prince's Palace.

Even if discovered by the Crown Prince, he was confident he could escape with his life.

Without that level of skill, he could not have become the Tower Lord.

And the Crown Princess, whom he observed while hidden in the darkness, appeared ordinary.

He had hoped to recognize something special at a glance, but no.

His interest waned.

It was just as he was about to withdraw.

Suddenly, the Crown Princess noticed his presence.

"Who is it?!"

"...Oh? How did you know I was here? So there is something special about you after all?"

His waning interest surged back.

Now that he was discovered, there was no reason to remain hidden.

When he revealed himself, the woman froze in terror.

'Still a woman with nothing special about her.'

Gaspard poured out all the questions he had harbored until now at Hilia. With threats mixed in.

If he could extract information from the woman frozen in fear, good; if not, it didn't matter.

'If it gets too bothersome, I could secretly kill her and demand a separate price from the Empress.'

But the woman escaped her terror with surprising speed.

This made no sense.

The moment Gaspard was discovered by Hilia, he had unleashed all the magical power he had been concealing.

Even an ordinary person who could not sense magical power would inevitably feel instinctive terror before such an overwhelming and hostile release of magical power.

What this woman did was akin to a mouse overcoming its terror and resisting before a snake.

No, it was even more remarkable than that.

'What is this? This woman?'

It was while Gaspard was startled and paused.

Hilia smiled confidently and threw out bait that would shock Gaspard.

"Neither Evangeline nor the Empress can give you what you want."

"Don't you want the body of a living, breathing imperial family member who has inherited the dragon's bloodline?"

It was as if she had rummaged through his heart and confirmed it.

How?

Gaspard opened his mouth to speak but stopped.

Because he felt a massive magical power rapidly approaching from afar.

Only the imperial family possessed such dominion over such powerful magical power.

'The Crown Prince is coming.'

Whether she knew that too, she smiled boldly and demanded.

"Next time, bring a proper price and visit me courteously."

Gaspard found himself surprised and admiring.

It was an attitude truly elegant and overflowing with dignity, befitting a Crown Princess.

"You speak as if you can definitely give it?"

The following reply made even Gaspard chuckle.

"If you want the husband, you must first get permission from his wife."

It was a statement brimming with confidence, to the point of audacity.

He was meeting this woman for the first time today. He had never revealed his inner thoughts.

Yet this woman knew specifically what he wanted.

His bewilderment soon changed to doubt and curiosity.

Until now, only dragons had captured his interest.

But at this moment, another being was added.

'I've become interested in this woman.'

"Very well. Next time, I shall bring a price and visit you most courteously. Your Highness, the Crown Princess."

Gaspard bowed with an uncharacteristically elegant attitude and paid his respects.

Hilia seemed startled by this, which he hadn't anticipated.

Gaspard chuckled softly and tore the scroll he had prepared just in case.

A teleportation spell activated.

Leaving behind a smiling reply, he vanished as suddenly as he had appeared.

* * *

Bang!

The door to Sia's bedroom was flung open roughly. No, it was shattered to pieces.

Crash!

"Hilia!"

Along with the sound, Arpad rushed into the bedroom.

Hilia slowly turned around.

Inside the room, the aftermath of disturbed magical power swirled and flowed.

Hilia's long hair and thin white nightgown fluttered wildly.

Arpad was momentarily seized by an anxiety that Hilia might be swept away just like that.

So he desperately reached out his hand.

Only after firmly grasping her waist with both arms and confirming she had not been swept away by the wind could Arpad finally feel relieved.

Only then did he regain the presence of mind to survey the situation in the room.

The room was in disarray.

Small furniture and furnishings had been toppled and broken, swept by the wind.

It was the aftermath of the teleportation magic just cast.

Fortunately, Hilia was unharmed.

Not a single strand of her hair was harmed. That was the most important thing, and that was enough.

"What in the world happened?"

"Well, that... I'm sorry, Arpad."

"Sorry for what?"

He couldn't understand why this woman so frequently said she was sorry.

Even when it wasn't a moment to ask for forgiveness.

She had said she was sorry for being sick, and now she was apologizing after being attacked in her bedroom.

Wasn't it usually the opposite?

Arpad forgot what he had been thinking upon hearing his wife's subsequent reply.

"I... sold you off."

"...That is indeed something to be sorry for."

Romance, Fantasy,