When I was about to die, I proposed to five cruel princesses

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✦ Chapter 18 – The Second Princess, Hedera (1) ✦

The room fell silent; the atmosphere had already settled.

Ezekiel gently tilted the bottle, filling his glass. Not a single drop splashed; it was a clean process.

Pour!

With a soft gurgle, he drained the glass in one smooth motion, then pulled out a fresh sunweed and put it to his lips. Though he'd been here for mere minutes, no one dared show him disrespect now.

"First, regarding the factional disputes."

Widro and Nox swallowed hard simultaneously; a single word from Ezekiel could drastically alter their fate.

However, his next words were unexpected.

"Go ahead and fight all you want."

"......?"

Nox and Widro's eyes narrowed in unison.

"I won't stop you. But from now on, compete only through results. Act like adults, not children."

"........"

Both factions remained silent, swallowing their words.

Just hours ago, they had been scheming to win the Inspector's favor. Now, the tables had turned completely. They were putty in his hands.

"Next. Second point." Ezekiel exhaled a plume of smoke, "I'll be directly involved in all research and training within the Tower. No exceptions."

"...…..!"

Everyone stared at Ezekiel in shock.

Nox, the leader of the Pragmatist faction, wiped his forehead with a handkerchief and pushed up his glasses before carefully speaking.

"…Who decided this?"

"I did. As the Imperial Magic Tower's Inspector."

"What about the opinions and resistance from the Tower's mages? Surely you understand their unique temperament?" He hurried to continue, "Magical research is delicate work. Too much interference hinders our abilities. And getting too involved can breed resentment…"

"I don't care about resentment. I only care about results."

"Ah, you misunderstand. We don't neglect results just because we research without interference."

In response, Ezekiel simply dropped a stack of documents in front of him. He gestured towards Nox, indicating he should take and review them.

"........"

Nox's expression hardened as he examined the papers. They detailed the Tower's abysmal quarterly performance.

"If this is the result of your attention, the problem is even more serious. Isn't this place supposed to gather prodigies?"

Nox could only keep his mouth shut.

Though not yet announced, the Imperial Magic Tower's performance was truly pathetic. At the same time, Ezekiel was clearly not someone to be trifled with.

Suddenly parched but unable to object, Nox could only gulp down wine as if it were water.

"You'll have to announce these results this year. So, third point." Ezekiel continued, "Out of the six Towers, the Imperial Magic Tower will rank first."

"......"

A moment of silence fell. The statement was too absurd.

However, Ezekiel, the source of this silence, remained unfazed. In fact, he appeared confident, as if he had just stated the obvious.

"…Inspector, you're merely stating a goal, right?" Widro was the first to break the silence, his tone noticeably more respectful than before, "I think it's good to have ambitious aspirations. But actually achieving first place is an entirely different matter—"

"Don't misunderstand." Ezekiel cut him off dismissively, "The Imperial Tower will rank first. Or it will be dissolved."

At this, all the staff turned pale.

"Why are you all reacting like this? Is it so strange for the Imperial Magic Tower to outperform the others? Isn't it expected?"

"Well, um…"

Everyone had much to say but couldn't bring themselves to speak; yet, apart from Ezekiel, they all thought the goal was utterly absurd. Ranking first in the performance review after ten years essentially meant making up for a decade's gap in just one year. Such a feat seemed impossible.

"Now, lastly, the most important point."

…The most important part hadn't even been mentioned yet? What he'd said so far was already overwhelming. Could there be something even more radical?

Everyone stared wide-eyed, bodies tense. Nox and a few others were gulping down drinks, their throats parched.

"All the principles Hedera left for the Imperial Magic Tower. We're discarding them all."

"…Haa." Nox, who had gotten a little drunk, let out a small laugh, "The ancient mage Hedera. How long ago was that? We've long since discarded those outdated theories. Even if our performance is low, aren't you underestimating us too much?"

But as he spoke, he noticed an eerie silence around him.

Nox looked around.

"......"

His intoxication rapidly faded as realization dawned.

Hedera.

Ezekiel had clearly mentioned those syllables; those who understood their significance were already frozen in place.

"...…!"

Nox, unable to contain his shock, whipped off his glasses.

"Y-y-you can't mean… Are you referring to Her Highness Hedera, the Second Princess and Head of the Imperial Magic Tower? You're saying we'll discard all the principles she left for this Tower, starting today?"

His question sparked a wave of murmurs.

"Is this really okay…?"

"The Tower Head is the only position here higher than the Inspector. But to discard the principles set by the Tower Head herself…?"

Amidst the commotion, one person hesitantly raised their hand.

Ezekiel nodded for them to speak, but they struggled to form coherent words, "Exactly one week from now. In one week…"

"What about one week from now? Speak clearly."

"Exactly one week from now, Princess Hedera is scheduled to visit this Tower in person. Is this really alright…?"

It wasn't defiance or nitpicking, but a genuinely concerned question. Could they really handle the consequences of such actions?

"Yes. We will thoroughly abolish Hedera's Tower principles."

Of course, Ezekiel himself remained calm.

"A week is plenty of time, isn't it?"

"…Ah."

Nox clutched his head, staggering as he muttered.

"This isn't sane. It can't be sane…"

"I've never been sane."

Always, already, now. Ezekiel had always been this way.

~~••~~••~~

Several hours later.

I sat in my office, reflecting on many things.

First of all, there were four main things I was going to force through in the Magic Tower—

One, easing factional tensions.

Two, the management and supervision of all training and research.

Three, to take first place in the performance announcement.0p

Regarding the first three—

'To meet the Emperor's conditions, I have no choice. I must use every method and give my all.'

The comfortable life of being a parachute appointee, regularly receiving gold coins from Solana—that life ended the moment the Emperor set his five conditions.

Just looking at a few of the princesses makes this clear.

The continent's wealthiest person. Fourth Princess Chain.

No matter how much gold Solana provides, it can't match the Fourth Princess's wealth. The Tower's massive capital growth was essential.

The monster. First Princess Ether.

To surpass the First Princess, who already gives off the aura of the Emperor in his prime, in power and fame, I must rely on a well-developed Tower.

…Now I truly must do my utmost to grow the Tower.

"That's how to handle the first three. As for the last one…"

Four, abolishing the principles Second Princess Hedera left for the Tower.

Her principles for the Tower were as follows—

[The Imperial Magic Tower values the self-realization of individual mages. While maintaining the honor and dignity of the Imperial family at all times, freedom in magical exploration takes priority. Pursue your interests at ease.]

It sounds nice, but in reality, it means—

—Do whatever you want, as long as it doesn't cause problems.

It was a directive to focus on self-improvement without ambition or goals, as long as it didn't create social issues. Thorough neglect and abandonment.

'It means expectations for the Tower have completely disappeared.'

Therefore, these principles must be eliminated. Fortunately, there was a whole week before Hedera arrived.

Suddenly, I recalled the past.

— I believe human magic is excellent too!

— Someday, can't humans surpass the dragon race?

— Then everyone will be recognized and get along well, right?

The young Hedera was always saying such things, but how did it come to this? It reflects the harshness of reality and the passage of time.

Knock knock—

Then someone knocked on the door of my office and came in.

"Pleased to meet you. I'm your direct secretary, Inspector."

The bow at a perfect ninety degrees was impressive, but not as striking as the familiar voice and black bob haircut. The direct secretary had a familiar appearance no matter how many times I looked.

There was no doubt about it. It was Agnes.

"......."

Even after a long time, when I didn't return the greeting, Agnes still kept her back bowed and only raised her head slightly.

".......!"

And then, immediately after, she straightened up her body with her round eyes wide open. As if struck by lightning.

She quickly turned her head to the side. An ostrich burying its head in the ground in a moment of crisis. Something like that.

I approached Agnes without hesitation.

"You said we wouldn't see each other again. And yet, we seem to run into each other quite often."

"…We're meeting for the first time."

As I tilted my head slightly to meet her eyes, she swiftly turned the opposite way. Her bob, like a curtain, brushed against my cheek and went past.

"Agnes, your memory is poor. Can you really be a secretary?"

"Who is Agnes?"

"You."

"My name isn't Agnes."

Swish— Swish—

Whenever I tilted my head to meet her eyes, Agnes quickly turned her head the other way. I finally chuckled and lifted her hair with my palm.

Beneath the curtain-like black hair was a face flushed bright red.

Agnes quickly retreated and snapped with a blank expression—

"Why on earth are you the Inspector?"

"And why are you the direct secretary?"

Agnes chewed her lip.

"…Resign immediately."

"Why should I? If anyone's leaving, it should be you."

"...…."

Agnes remained expressionless, but her eyes blinked rapidly. It was clear she found the situation uncomfortable.

Finally, she spoke, "…This Tower now has no future."

"Aren't you here to report? Why don't you do that?"

"That was my report. Didn't I just inform you of something you didn't know?"

Saying this, Agnes skillfully arranged some documents. Indeed, her elegant use of telekinesis was quite impressive.

"Here are a few draft schedules. Choose whichever you like and proceed accordingly. Now, if you'll excuse me."

As Agnes turned quickly to leave—

BANG—!

The door swung open, colliding squarely with Agnes's face.

Leaving Agnes frozen in place as if time had stopped, a few Tower staff members appeared, looking pale.

A female staff member hurriedly scanned the room.

"Oh? Agnes? Are you okay? No, more importantly. I-Inspector!"

I pulled out some sunweed.

"I'm listening."

"The Second Princess! The Second Princess is visiting!"

I exhaled smoke nonchalantly.

"The visit in a week? I've known about that for a while."

"No! She changed her schedule!"

The female staff member shook her head urgently.

"Tonight! She's coming tonight!"

"…Tonight?"

I stopped chewing the sunweed.

Tonight, huh.

…This, I didn't expect.

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