Viola said with a light smile, “Elsina’s warm enlightenment cannot lead them to a bright place.”
“You sound confident.”
“You just saw it. Elsina, who hid her name and refused to appear before me, is now before me. I found Elsina less than a day after entering the Magic Tower. Do you think it would have been possible if I had only used warm methods like Elsina?”
“That…”
It was something Elsina had no choice but to admit. It wasn’t that she was hiding her identity very actively. In fact, high-ranking officials at the Magic Tower already knew where Elsina was and what she was doing. However, she did not expect that an outsider unrelated to the Magic Tower would find her in just one day.
“I’m not saying Elsina’s method is wrong. But sometimes other methods are needed. There are a lot of monsters at Winter Castle. Sometimes, deadly poisonous monsters also come down. Do you know what the warriors of Winter Castle do when they are hit with that deadly poison?”
“Have it cured with magic.”
“What if there are special circumstances where even magic won’t work?”
“Then…”
Elsina was an excellent magician, but she did not know much about the ecology of warriors.
“I don’t know.”
“Cut the path leading to the heart.”
“…What?”
“If it bites your hand, cut it off at your wrist. If it bites your arm, cut it off at your shoulder. If your toe is bitten, cut it off at your ankle, and if your ankle is bitten, cut it off at your knee. This is a way to prevent the poison from spreading throughout the whole body. In the language of the Eastern Continent, it is also called ‘A Guide to Hardship.’”
Elsina seemed to know what Viola was trying to say.
“We also need decisive action.”
“What do you mean?”
“Through yoga exercises, they were able to learn mana. And some are learning to write.”
But no one left the Magic Tower. No one coveted freedom. This was because they were more afraid of life outside the Magic Tower than the fear of their freedom being restricted.
“Fear is relative. There are things that are scarier, and there are things that are less scary.”
Mercenary King Kaiser had nothing to fear in the world, yet he feared pancakes.
“First of all, they have to experience it. What is freedom? Nowadays, they don’t even have the time or will to think about freedom.”
If something scarier happened inside the Magic Tower, they would leave.
“Do you think you did everything you could for them?”
“I’m doing my best.”
“I don’t think you ever caused them to fear.”
She felt it while looking at Keitarun earlier. They had no tolerance for fear.
Viola spoke with her mana, “I’ll give you a week to get out of the Magic Tower.”
Externally, they had the right to leave the Magic Tower. As long as they submitted the proper documents, they could leave freely.
“Those who don’t leave this place after a week…”
Her grass sword cut down one of the village’s wooden pillars.
“I’ll cut their throat.”
Elsina tried to shout ‘Stop it!’ but the incident had already happened. Elsina’s mana was sealed and she could only use her mana at the bare minimum. She couldn’t handle this situation properly. Elsina was so angry that she glared at Viola, but there wasn’t anything she could do.
And just a week later, miraculous things began to happen. The people of the First Slum, who had been so stubborn all this time, finally submitted all the documents and were able to move out of the Magic Tower.
In the empty village square of the First Slum, Elsina stood with a shocked expression.
“What on earth did you do?”
“I told you. Fear is relative.”
“No. Not that! All the managers of the Magic Tower approved it.”
If it was a beggar’s document, they would have thrown it in the trash can without even looking at it.
“Can you teach me? If you teach me…”
Viola was worried for a moment. Would Elsina agree to be Benato’s teacher? Would she talk seriously about the deal? She worried about many things, but she chose to speak like the original Viola.
“Please be mine.”
Her toes tightened. She would never get used to this line.
‘For some reason… I seem to be becoming a talent collector, maybe I’m just in a weird mood, right?’
Viola decided to think positively.
“Oh. There’s no need to worry about those people. We have taken steps to help them adapt to outside of the Magic Tower. Of course, they must have a guide.”
“…A guide?”
“You probably know the name. Sir Hickson, the Black Mirror.”
Elsina’s eyes widened. She never thought the name of Sir Hixson would come up. Wasn’t he a hero who was active with Duke Heron in the past? Viola drove a wedge into Elsina’s chest.
‘You moved such a famous guy?’
“I would never say that I will make Elsina mine without proving at least this much.”
She tightened her fingers and toes and gave Elsina a vision.
“The world that Elsina dreams of. I will participate in creating the world you wish for. So please help me, Elsina.”
* * *
Carlton sighed in relief as he looked around him.
‘Phew.’
If there had been a village nearby, it would have been a big problem. The fight between the Black Mirror and the Mercenary King caused the entire surrounding area to be in ruins, almost nothing remained. The power of Hickson and Kaiser was comparable. Hickson’s vicious sword and Kaiser’s mighty mace destroyed everything around them.
Carlton wrote the report.
[The first person to act aggressively was none other than Lord Hickson. He swore very harsh words at Kaiser, saying that he had dared to harass his daughter. Kaiser was so angry that he rushed at Hickson and the fight between the two lasted for 4 hours.]
A duel that lasted four hours. However, neither of them showed signs of fatigue. As time passed, the two began to fight more and more viciously. What stopped the fight between the two was a passing baby leopard.
[While the two were in the midst of a battle, a baby leopard appeared, and both Lord Hickson and Kaiser put away their weapons. Somehow, the two came to an agreement and even shook hands. This was a difficult area for me to understand, but one thing is certain. Neither of them fought at their best level.]
From the outside, the two looked like they were fighting for their lives. But no. If that were really the case, the baby leopard wouldn’t have even appeared nearby. It would have been shattered by the pressure of the weapons before it could even approach. In other words, the two knew about the existence of the baby leopard before and fought to prevent it from being harmed.
“You’re a pretty good guy.”
“You too.”
Hickson and Kaiser clasped hands together.
“Your daughter. She’s cute.”
“Right?”
Hickson’s eyes filled with pride. Not many people acknowledged that Viola was cute. They were so frightened by Viola’s murderous aura that they were all afraid of her.
“You’re a guy who knows how to see things. There are only a few people who can appreciate Viola’s cuteness.”
“They must be strange guys. She looks so cute.”
Carlton, who had been eavesdropping on the conversation using mana, wanted to say something.
‘You guys are strange.’
But Kaiser said, “Is that guy eavesdropping on the conversation on the same side as you?”
“The same side.”
“I really hate eavesdropping. Can I kill him?”
“It might be hard?”
Hickson was well aware of Carlton’s strength. Even if they fought sincerely, it was difficult to estimate who would achieve the victory or be defeated.
“You would lose?”
“I think I’d win in a duel.”
A duel began with a starting signal in an open space.
“I think I’d lose a battle.”
Battle was about risking your life and using any and all means to kill your opponent. Hickson felt he would win a duel but lose a battle. Butler Carlton was an opponent that could not be treated carelessly, even if he was a butler.
“But the problem is, if you kill Carlton, will Viola hate you?”
“Then that won’t work.”
Kaiser was simple.
“But is it true that the damages claim will be sent to Bellato because of me?”
“Well. I think I would do that if I were the owner of the Magic Tower.”
“I still don’t understand, why?”
“Well, from the perspective of the Magic Tower, it’s easier to take money from the Winter Castle and then have the Winter Castle get the money from you.”
Hickson turned his head to the other side and asked, “Carlton, what do you think?”
Carlton, who had been hiding from afar, wondered if there was any use in trying to stay hidden, so he just revealed himself.
“Maybe so. After the Winter Castle pays compensation, they would forcibly collect money from Kaiser.”
Kaiser frowned deeply.
“Are there many people like you at the Winter Castle?”
“There’s not a lot, but there’s not a little either. It’s a place full of monsters.”
Kaiser sighed, “Ugh. Then there’s nothing we can do.”
Hickson and Carlton tensed at the same time.
‘Is that guy whose head is also made of muscle declaring war?’
‘It would be inconvenient if he says he will rally mercenaries to fight Winter Castle.’
However, Kaiser’s next words were unexpected.
“You will make me a member of Winter Castle.”
“…Yes?”
“I was already tired of being a mercenary. I will make up for your losses by working at the Winter Castle. How is it? My price is quite expensive?”
Carlton shut his mouth for a moment. It was not a matter he could decide on his own. He had to report formally to the Duke.
“What’s the reason?”
“Just… I decided to be friends with his daughter.”
Kaiser laughed.
“Haha! I want to help my friend.”
Unbeknownst to Viola, a strong support force had entrusted itself to Winter Castle. It wasn’t intentional, but it was a moment when her White Bellato’s mercenary skills shone.
Carlton wrote the report.
[I must say… There is one peculiarity. Kaiser continues to refer to Viola as Lord Hickson’s daughter. I’m sure the Duke won’t pay much attention to this, but I’m adding it just in case.]
* * *
Elsina was in deep trouble.
“Was my method wrong?”
What she had been trying to accomplish for years, Princess Viola accomplished in just one week. Her head was spinning.
“No. You’re not wrong.” Viola said.
If it weren’t for Elsina’s past efforts, today couldn’t have happened. If they hadn’t been taught yoga exercises, they wouldn’t have been able to learn to write. Or so Viola said. But even taking all that into account, the shock didn’t go away.
‘All the people in the First Slum have been sent out.’
It was amazing to get the managers to approve it, but that wasn’t the end.
‘The people waiting for them outside are the Black Mirror and the Mercenary King.’
In fact, the Mercenary King was someone who was not in Viola’s plans. Originally, only Hickson had been asked to lead the Beggar Gang, but Elsina didn’t know that. Hickson alone was amazing, but to have the Mercenary King on her side was even more amazing.
Viola’s words, ‘I will participate in creating the world you wish for,’ did not seem to be a bluff. Elsina was unable to recover from her shock for a long time. Finally, she opened her mouth.
“Now teach me.”
The managers of the Magic Tower were not good at accepting documents. This was especially true of beggars’ documents.
“How could this happen so quickly?”
She thought it was even more strange because she was Elsina, born and raised in the Magic Tower. It was definitely unusual.
“Are you going to be mine?”
“I think so.”
Viola grinned.
‘It’s done!’
Elsina was not a person who talked nonsense. She would be a wonderful mother to Benato, and she was sure to be a true teacher.
When Viola laughed, an eerie wind blew through her.
“The method was surprisingly simple.”
After hearing Viola’s words, Elsina was once again in shock.
—————————————————————
Translator Note:
Hello there! This is RJR. I hope you liked it <3
If you like my work please support me with Ko-fi or Patreon. Next post will be released on May, 21.
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