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Chapter 252: Blooming the Flower (3)

A strange current flowed through the reception room.

It was as though top-tier chess players were silently examining each other’s moves.

Especially inside Kudel Redmane’s head, countless thoughts whirred around.

‘I definitely made sure to warn the imperial side in advance.’

For this, he had wielded both carrot and stick.

In short, he had warned them not to interfere with their event, while also slipping them an appropriate reward.

That was why Kudel could confidently exclude the possibility of imperial intervention.

After all, with their grip over the military, their influence on the empire was beyond imagination.

‘…But to think His Majesty himself would make a move.’

Kudel’s eyes quickly turned toward Oscar.

‘What on earth is that brat?’

Of course, he acknowledged that the boy’s feats at the White Night Festival were extraordinary.

To deny that would be the stubbornness of a pride-blinded loser.

‘The White Tower recovering its data was one thing, but the airship? That’s an artifact no emperor could resist.’

Hadn’t the empire itself once failed to create it?

It was only natural for one’s eyes to roll back.

He understood that much.

‘But to think that a single airship alone could dictate who rules this continent? Impossible.’

That was absurd.

Unthinkable.

So Kudel couldn’t help but glance at the emperor.

Could it be senility, or dementia brought on by age?

But the emperor’s eyes, brimming with vitality even now, looked solid as stone.

They weren’t the eyes of a madman.

“……”

Since he had been asked a question, it was only proper to reply.

Kudel Redmane let out his usual hearty laugh as he answered.

“Puhuhu, I personally came to consult with the White Tower Master, but what brings Your Majesty here, abandoning even the throne?”

In other words: I know you’re busy, so why are you idling here instead of working?

The emperor returned the jab smoothly.

“As you know, in just a few days, two brand-new stars have risen in the empire. Times like these are the best chance to rest. If not now, then when would I ever find such time?”

It was the very embodiment of the Dao of Circles in verbal form.

The “new stars” he mentioned referred to Sasha and Lloyd, who had both advanced to level 8.

In other words, this was the empire’s official recognition of their rise.

“Hmm.”

Kudel poured himself fresh tea into the empty cup before him and spoke.

“No matter how dazzling new stars may be, is it not thanks to the old ones that have illuminated the night sky for so long that their light can shine at all?”

Do not forget the worth of the old in your intoxication with the new.

Reading the barbs hidden within, Ludwig let out a faint sigh.

He had hoped his counterpart would step back, but since no such sign appeared, he spoke plainly.

“Kudel, our enemy is the demons.”

“And I trust you’ve not forgotten that I was one of the first to stand at the frontlines against them.”

“Of course, our gratitude toward you remains. But with the demons regaining their strength, what we cannot allow is our strongest forces wasting themselves fighting each other. Surely you understand this?”

“…I do.”

Kudel slowly nodded.

How could he not understand the empire’s wish to keep as many level 8 mages on their side as possible?

“Then let us move to the negotiation table. What is it exactly that you want?”

“First, I will be taking Lloyd Schultz back.”

“Impossible.”

Sasha flatly rejected it.

“Lloyd Schultz suffered severe abuse from the Red Tower Master since childhood. Sending him back there is unthinkable.”

“Abuse?”

At this new claim, both the emperor’s brow furrowed and Kudel’s twitched.

“Nonsense. Such a thing never happened.”

“Sending a mere fifteen-year-old child to the battlefield, if that isn’t abuse, then what is?”

“Since when has the world judged by age instead of ability? Lloyd was already a level 4 mage back then. I merely sent my only disciple to the best place to bloom his talents quickly and dramatically.”

“What absurd—!”

Sasha fumed at Kudel’s brazen attitude, but logically, his words weren’t incorrect.

This was a clash of values that would run endlessly in parallel.

“If the White Tower Master insists on that stance, I have no choice.”

Sinking back into his chair, Kudel smirked and declared.

“Then as the Red Tower Master, I will have no choice but to invoke Seizure of Fire.”

“…Ugh!”

At those words, Sasha gasped softly.

Seizure of Fire—literally “taking away the flame.”

It was the decree that stripped a departing Red Tower mage of the ability to ever wield fire magic again.

‘This… this one I can’t block.’

Sasha’s faint groan revealed she had been caught off guard.

It was a regulation held by every tower, not just the Red Tower.

Otherwise, high-ranking mages would constantly defect to rival towers.

Even the imperial family had no grounds to forbid this—it was a tower’s sovereign right.

Kudel, relaxed, spoke again.

“Of course, stripping my disciple of his flame would pain me greatly. That’s why, Your Majesty, I hope you will ensure Lloyd can return to the Red Tower whole. To take the flame from one who has just reached level 8 would reduce him to a broken half, and surely that would be a grave loss for the empire as well.”

It was both a sound argument and a checkmate.

The emperor had wished to prevent a weakening of imperial forces, but here, the only way to remain consistent was to side with Kudel.

“Of course, the final choice lies with the White Tower Master.”

Kudel asked, smiling as though savoring the moment:

“So, which shall it be? Will you return my disciple whole? Or hand him back broken?”

“……”

Sasha bit her lip.

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She couldn’t make a decision.

How could she?

Remembering Lloyd’s confessions, she could never send him back there.

Not after their reconciliation.

Yet refusing meant crippling him forever.

‘Hmm.’

Oscar too pondered how to break this deadlock.

Just then, he felt an intense gaze upon him.

‘…Uncle Emperor?’

The emperor’s solid eyes bore into him.

But Oscar, who had known him long, could tell.

There was an unfounded trust directed solely at him.

‘What’s going on? Why do I feel so uneasy?’

Just as a sense of dread crawled up his spine, the emperor shattered the silence.

“As the empire’s sovereign, to resolve this dispute between the towers fairly, there is but one way.”

“……”

“……?”

Kudel’s eyes narrowed, Sasha blinked.

Under their gaze, the emperor declared.

“In the name of Ludwig de Calderan, I decree: the Red Tower and the White Tower, the White Tower and the Red Tower, shall abide by the victor’s demand through a Proof of Colors.”

Huh…?

Oscar felt his vision darken.

* * *

“There was no other choice.”

After Kudel left with a sour face, Uncle Emperor declared proudly.

“Sending your disciple back to the Red Tower Master is unthinkable.”

“No, but really, Proof of Colors? That favors them far more!”

Proof of Colors.

It was the contest held under imperial supervision when towers clashed.

A grand title for what was essentially an inescapable one-on-one duel.

“The Red Tower will obviously field Kudel himself. Who on our side could we possibly send? Sasha, who only just reached level 8?”

At those words, Sasha’s ears twitched.

“Or should we drag Lloyd out, even while his mana circuits are still damaged?”

“Hmm.”

“The odds are against us. How could fresh level 8’s defeat that old monster?”

The gap between early and late stage of level 7 was vast.

All the more between early and late stage of level 8.

Any mage knew who would hold the advantage.

“At that height, isn’t it all a matter of conditions on the day? A razor’s edge battle?”

“Not wrong.”

Even a late-stage level 8 wasn’t invincible.

A moment’s carelessness, and even a level 7’s strike could be fatal.

“But our opponent has crossed death’s line hundreds of times in battle. Do you think our kids have that experience?”

The emperor’s eyes narrowed at the rebuke.

He muttered, gazing at Oscar.

“Hmm, so they lack even that much ability? The Oscar I knew would have managed it.”

“…What did you say?”

“I placed my trust in you and chose the best path for the White Tower. How you seize this opportunity lies in the hands of history’s greatest archmage.”

“Opportunity, my ass! You’re just dumping a steaming pile and telling me to clean it up!”

“Mind your tongue. I am the emperor.”

“Aha! So that’s why the pile is so big and grand, huh?”

Pfft—

At that, a laugh escaped, drawing their eyes.

Sasha, caught in their stares, flustered.

“Ah, s-sorry. You two just seemed so close, I couldn’t help it…”

“Close, you say?”

“In the days when your master still had manners, we were even closer.”

“…Hehe.”

With a shy smile, Sasha spoke.

“Anyway, since it’s come to this, someone has to fight. I’ll do it.”

“Hm.”

Oscar studied her for a moment, stroking his chin.

“Your Majesty, from the declaration of Proof of Colors to the duel itself, how long exactly?”

“Ten days.”

“Ten days…”

In that time, he had to determine which of the two had even a 1% better chance.

‘First priority: fix Lloyd’s mana circuits. Then pit them against each other to evaluate. Only then decide who to send.’

He wouldn’t choose based on their current strength.

He’d judge who would grow most under his genuine teaching in the next ten days.

As he formed these plans, Oscar rubbed his throbbing forehead.

‘The White Night Festival ended just two days ago, and already… what a mess.’

But as he arranged his thoughts, something tugged at him.

A strange emptiness.

As though he had overlooked something vital in the whirlwind of the past two days.

‘Damn, what is it?’

While he puzzled over the source of this emptiness—

Screech.

A taxi stopped before the White Tower.

“……”

And out stepped Edna, her face twisted in venom.

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