Nox and Widro thought the same thing simultaneously.
Crack! Crack!
But there was no time to remain lost in thought.
The orb, shrouded in cold, was swirling wildly with a menacing aura,
seeming ready to explode at any moment. It was a truly terrifying sight.
People around, caught in chaos, began to shout randomly.
"Shouldn't we stop that…?"
"It looks dangerous!"
If the orb, filled with immense mana, exploded, it would tear everything
around apart. Widro and Nox immediately prepared to respond to the crisis
in their own ways.
In fact, if this was a crisis, it was also an opportunity for them.
If they became the heroes of defense amidst the chaos, they could show off
their power and gain fame simultaneously.
Crack! Rumble!
But there was another problem.
The energy of the orb was far more immense than they had imagined.
Rumble!
A brief thought crossed the minds of Nox and Widro.
Perhaps even they might find it difficult to defend against this.
The moment they thought that, a grand explosion occurred.
Boom!
"Ugh…!"
"Argh!"
Everyone in the area shielded their eyes with their arms. Even though they
hastily cast defensive spells, they couldn't do anything about the brilliant
light scattering in all directions.
So everyone closed their eyes tightly and stood still for one second.
Five seconds.
Ten seconds.
Thud.
They heard a light sound tapping on the defensive barrier.
No, tapping was a bit too heavy a word. It was more like something settling
down on the barrier.
They worried there might be additional huge aftershocks.
But that was all. Even after 30 seconds, nothing more happened.
"…"
They had imagined the worst-case scenario, but nothing bad enough to be
called the worst happened. Nox, Widro, and the nearby magicians slowly
opened their eyes to survey the area, feeling a sense of unease.
'…Frost? Hail?'
What had settled on the barrier was just frost or hail.
Attack magic?
No, everything was intact.
Nothing was destroyed, and it was even harder to see it as an attack spell.
The ice was so weak and fragile that it was melting in real-time as they
watched.
"…"
The surrounding area was already silent.
The people who had been running in all directions stopped to look around,
and those who had been lying on the ground stood up.
No one was injured.
There were no screams; it was peaceful.
Except for the slight chill, nothing else had changed. No one understood
what the explosion was for.
Nox and Widro looked at each other simultaneously.
'I didn't stop it, so did that guy…?'
But they knew as soon as they made eye contact.
It was definitely not that guy who stopped it. At that moment, they could
clearly read each other's expressions.
Surprise, puzzlement, admiration…
It wasn't just them; the entire surrounding area felt the same.
"What on earth just happened?"
"Nothing happened?"
"Was it just an illusion?"
"…A trick to scare people?"
No one could understand the intent of the magic, so all eyes turned to the
caster, waiting for him to say something.
"Up…!"
Someone shouted loudly.
"Look up!"
At the urgent voice, everyone looked up.
"…!"
And everyone in the area was shocked.
For a moment, they imagined a terrifying scene, but what was actually
spread out in the sky was a breathtaking view.
Light fragments split into hexagons through the glass-like ice crystals,
radiating in seven colors.
Beautiful.
They couldn't help but freeze, captivated by the sight.
"Wow…"
People's mouths slowly opened.
This street was a place where magical beggars begged, a stage where the
factions of the Imperial Tower fought fiercely, a place where everyone was
too busy to truly enjoy happiness and leisure.
But.
Now, it was an art gallery where everyone could fully savor leisure.
Magicians often say.
Magic was the power to make miracles a reality.
But it was not so far removed from reality; it was somewhat connected. It
enhanced ordinary and trivial things to make them special, so anyone would
eventually be captivated.
Was this moment special for everyone?
It was unknown.
But one thing was certain. Everyone was captivated.
The countless rainbows slowly descended like parachutes, and people's
gazes followed them. It was a pleasant illusion, as if the sky were gradually
lowering.
Swoosh.
The light mass, displaying a parade of seven colors, wriggled and swirled
around the caster's body before disappearing with a pop.
"…"
Now the world was left with no traces.
Everyone's eyes naturally turned to Jaekiel.
"My goodness."
"I've never seen anything like this before."
Sounds finally returned to the world.
People murmured as they touched their faces, not knowing why but feeling
that they might have started mimicking the man's relaxed smile.
It was not terrorism, but art.
That art certainly contained something immense.
Most of the people walking around this bustling street were not ordinary
people but magicians. Knowing what they saw, they couldn't help but be
even more surprised because they had practiced and attempted magic
themselves.
No, they were astonished.
…An immense skill.
The difficulty was undoubtedly high, and they couldn't even fathom how
the detailed elements were designed. It was something that could be
considered a lifelong goal.
"…That's all."
The caster, Jaekiel, muttered.
Only then did people return to reality.
The light mass disappeared, and the ice evaporated, leaving no trace. Apart
from the lingering impression on the people, it was as if nothing had ever
happened here.
…Yes, like a midsummer night's dream.
Once they realized it was over, everyone started to exhale here and there.
They wanted to praise the caster or perhaps ask to see it one more time.
Somehow, the beggar boy's can was now overflowing with silver coins.
"Um, um…!"
The moment someone finally mustered the courage to mutter.
Jaekiel shook his head, merely giving a slight smile as if he knew what they
were about to say.
"Sorry, I have an inauguration ceremony soon, so I'm busy."
Leaving only those words, the man walked away without giving anyone a
chance to stop him.
"…!"
Meanwhile, Nox and Widro shuddered at the mention of the inauguration
ceremony.
They frantically searched their pockets and simultaneously pulled out
something—Jaekiel's reply.
They checked the contents as if they were entranced.
[ Imperial Tower Cafeteria ]
There was only one line written.
…But somehow, it seemed they absolutely had to go.
Church.
A space filled with darkness, with a single window through which light
streamed in. The light illuminated a woman devoutly praying.
The Angel of the Empire, the saint, Solana.
"It's been a while."
She unexpectedly recited words that were not part of the prayer. But she
remained kneeling in a praying position.
"What brings you here? Didn't you say you despised the human world
because it was insignificant?"
The Saint's gentle voice filled the empty space, and then a figure hidden in
the darkness began to take shape.
"2nd Princess, Hedera."
Click, click.
The woman who walked into view was lethal. She was as brilliant as a
jewel and exuded immense danger simultaneously.
"Solana. You did something incredibly arrogant."
Hedera spoke directly without any greetings.
It was a voice that lacked any hint of respect, as if she were looking down
on someone far beneath her.
Only then did Solana rise from her place to face her.
"You are as beautiful as ever, 2nd Princess."
Red eyes shining beneath black hair.
Proof of her mixed bloodline of the blood dragon.
Even though Hedera was shrouded in darkness, her eyes shone brightly.
Sometimes they even elongated vertically like a reptile's, which was a
marvel in itself.
"Don't change the subject. You appointed the auditor for my tower, didn't
you?"
"Did that bother you enough to come down here? You neglected the
Imperial Tower for nearly ten years. And now you're concerned?"
The Imperial Tower belonged to a building, and the building naturally had
an owner. That owner was the 2nd Princess, Hedera.
"…You've become quite arrogant since I last saw you. You need to come to
your senses."
Hedera brought her hand to her mouth.
She was currently wearing a mask thick enough to resemble a gas mask.
The moment she took it off, all her words would be imbued with the power
of the dragon language.
Fortunately, Solana gave a slight smile.
"It's a greeting. A greeting. We haven't met in a long time, have we?"
Hedera clicked her tongue as she lowered her hand.
"So, what brings you to the capital of the empire?"
"I just received an urgent message."
"An urgent message?"
"A letter… But you don't need to know more than that. How arrogant."
Hedera glared at Solana.
"So, why did you appoint the auditor for my tower without my permission?
Why do I have to hear such news as soon as I arrive in the capital?"
"I appointed someone trustworthy. Don't worry."
"…"
Hedera's pupils elongated vertically.
"I'll be the judge of that. Who is it?"
"I said someone trustworthy."
"I asked who it was. I won't ask a third time."
Sigh.
Solana let out a deep sigh and mentioned a name.
"…"
Immediately, Hedera's pupils quickly returned to their original shape, like
an egg yolk spreading out.
However, her eyes were now twice their usual size.
"…What?"