The Youngest Daughter Of The Great Wizard Of The Famous Swordsmanship [EN]: Chapter 152

152. The Way to Save Rosette (3)

2024.03.31.

[Woof!]

Silver licked Joshua’s hand as he dozed on the sofa. Joshua opened his eyes, startled by the sensation.

“Ah, I must have fallen asleep.”

He stretched his stiff shoulders and picked up the book that had fallen to the floor, returning it to the bookshelf. This had been his routine for days.

He had barely slept in the past few days, the hours countable on one hand. Most of that time was spent in short naps on the study sofa.

Silver nudged him, asking worriedly, “Shouldn’t you rest more? You’ll collapse, too.”

Joshua took a book from the shelf and replied, “There’s no time to sit still and rest. I need to find a clue, even a small one.”

He sat back in his chair, gritting his teeth. “Those damn Magic Tower bastards.”

It had been three days since Joshua had insisted on contacting the Magic Tower.

Initially, Duke Adrian was reluctant to reveal Rosette’s condition, but after discussing it with his three children, he agreed.

Contacting the Magic Tower wasn’t difficult. Celine knew how to send a message.

-It’s not communication, just a one-way message from us. If the Magic Tower is interested, they will contact us.

-What if the Magic Tower doesn’t accept the request?

-Then we won’t hear anything back. That’s how it works, as far as I know.

“So, we need to consider other options,” Celine added.

Accordingly, Joshua didn’t just wait for the Magic Tower’s reply but diligently searched for clues. However, time passed without any progress. Rosette remained unconscious, and according to the physician, her condition had even worsened slightly.

Joshua was mindlessly flipping through the pages of a book when he heard a knock, followed by a servant’s voice from outside. “Your Highness, a guest has arrived.”

“I told you to turn them away for the time being.”

“I tried to, but it seems you must come out this time….”

Joshua irritably walked over and flung the door open. He knew he had to maintain the dignity of a royal, but his body wouldn’t cooperate.

For the past few days, he had felt like tiny weevils were gnawing at the nerves in his head, making him extremely sensitive.

“Didn’t you hear me? Or do I look so easy to you?”

Joshua wasn’t usually a demanding prince. He had the presence of a royal, but he didn’t flaunt his power over his subordinates.

The servant, seeing Joshua’s fierce gaze for the first time, quickly knelt. His face turned pale, and his body trembled.

“I-I’m sorry, Your Highness. I have committed a grave sin.”

Joshua waved his hand dismissively. “So, who came?”

“Marquis Lischer of the Shelton Kingdom requests an audience.”

“Lischer?”

Joshua’s brow furrowed as he whispered the name. He didn’t like that guy, not even from their last encounter.

‘He must be clueless.’ Joshua chuckled dryly and said firmly, “Send him back.”

But the servant didn’t move.

“What are you waiting for?”

“He said you would regret it if you didn’t meet him.”

“Regret? Me?”

The servant squeezed his eyes shut. “He said you sent a letter to the Marquis a few days ago regarding Lady Adrian….”

“A letter? What are you….”

At that moment, a thought flashed through Joshua’s mind. ‘Could it be…?’ Even as he thought it couldn’t be, he was already moving his feet.

“Where is the Marquis?”

“I have guided him to the drawing-room.”

“I understand, you may leave now. I will meet the Marquis alone.”

Joshua didn’t even glance at the departing servant and headed straight to the drawing-room.

Opening the door, he saw Michael leisurely drinking tea.

Joshua gestured for Michael, who was about to rise to greet him, to stay seated, then sat opposite him.

“Did I send a letter to you?”

Michael poured tea into Joshua’s cup, smiling gently. “Yes, you did.”

“You seem to be mistaken. I have no memory of sending a letter.”

Michael burst out laughing. When Joshua frowned, he belatedly touched his lips and muttered, “Are you feigning ignorance, or is your memory failing, or are you testing me?”

He pushed the teacup towards Joshua. When Joshua didn’t touch the tea, Michael shrugged. “Well, if you don’t remember sending me a letter, there’s no need for me to insist on taking the request.”

Joshua remained silent, trying to understand Michael’s intentions.

‘Is he really sent by the Magic Tower?’

Nothing was publicly known about the Magic Tower. Of course, nothing was known about the current Tower Master either. It was that secretive of a group.

The reason why the Magic Tower accepted requests was also unclear. The fees varied.

In other words, being a high-ranking noble or offering a large sum of money didn’t guarantee that you could move the Magic Tower.

‘Besides, I haven’t heard of them approaching so openly like this.’ That made him even more suspicious.

Joshua and Michael stared at each other in silence for a while. After a fierce battle of wills, Michael raised and lowered his hands as if admitting defeat.

“Normally, I wouldn’t accept a request in this situation and would leave, but because of the circumstances, I really want to accept the request.”

He took a small envelope from his pocket.

“This is….”

Joshua immediately recognized the envelope. It was the letter that Duke Adrian had sent to the Magic Tower through Celine a few days ago.

Just in case, he checked the handwriting, but it was indeed Duke Adrian’s familiar script.

Having this letter meant….

Joshua quickly cast a soundproofing spell around the drawing-room and asked quietly, “Did the Magic Tower send you?”

“Well, you could say half right and half wrong.”

“Wrong?”

Michael crossed his legs and arrogantly raised one corner of his mouth. “Because I’m the one who accepted the request.”

Joshua was very confused. It wasn’t that he didn’t understand Michael’s words. Rather, he understood his words very well, which made his head spin.

The decision to accept a request at the Magic Tower was solely made by the Tower Master, the head of the Tower.

So, saying he ‘accepted’ the request meant that Michael was the Tower Master.

“Are you really the Tower Master?”

The Tower Master, a position only inherited by those who have reached a certain level or higher in magic.

He knew that Michael’s skills were extraordinary, but to that extent?

“Can you prove it?”

“Prove it… Well.”

Michael smiled meaningfully. “There’s no way to prove it. Nothing is known about the Magic Tower. If Your Highness were to go to a foreign country unknown to the Empire without any attendants, wouldn’t there be no way to prove your identity? Your status as royalty isn’t etched in your blood, after all.”

It was an insolent remark. In the Empire, the blood of direct descendants of the imperial family was considered noble, and that noble blood was considered proof of royalty.

However, instead of getting angry, Joshua said coldly, “You’re playing with words.”

“But it’s the truth. Well, if you really want to know, wouldn’t having this letter be proof?”

Michael smiled like a snake.

“So, what will you do?”

* * *

“Is that Marquis really the Tower Master, Your Highness?” Lukas whispered as he watched Michael walking ahead with Duke Adrian.

“So I’ve heard,” Joshua nodded.

To put it simply, Michael, who had said ‘there’s no such thing as proof,’ showed the token given whenever the Magic Tower accepted a request.

Saying there was no proof was a blatant lie. However, he didn’t prove that he was the Tower Master.

Regardless of whether he was the Tower Master or not, it was proven that Michael was from the Magic Tower, so Joshua headed to the Adrian estate with him.

The people of the ducal family, who had been informed in advance and were waiting, were quite surprised to confirm Michael’s identity.

“Don’t have unnecessary doubts, Lukas.”

“But, Sister….”

“The most important thing right now is Rose.”

At Isabel’s words, Lukas couldn’t say anything more and walked on.

Michael, having arrived at Rosette’s room, carefully placed his finger on Rosette’s forehead.

Joshua and the people of the Adrian family watched the scene quietly.

Silver, who was clinging to Joshua’s side, openly bared his teeth at Michael, showing hostility.

Bibi, also sitting on Lukas’s shoulder, nervously clicked its beak as if uneasy.

Several minutes passed. Michael, who was examining Rosette with his eyes closed, didn’t say anything significant.

Lukas, unable to bear it any longer, muttered sullenly. “Did he fall asleep standing up?”

“Lukas.”