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A villainess locked away in a desolate tower—I had possessed her body.
Chapter 27
"Nooooooo!"
"Our core...!"
"This can't be happening!"
The mages' anguished cries pierced the air.
In that same instant, my eyes met those of the Grand Duke standing at a distance.
I could ‌‌clearly see his gaze shift from my face to the hammer gripped in my hand.
One of his eyebrows rose sharply. I flinched ‌and ‌‌‌‌quickly lowered my head.
He'd probably heard from Liam that I possessed a hammer, but it seemed he never anticipated I would actually shatter the core so brazenly.
I let my hammer-wielding hand drop and slowly retreated backward.
The core, having endured one massive impact, swayed precariously.
"What ‌is the meaning of ‌‌‌this! Blaire Grand Duke, did you order this? We merely requested cooperation!" ‌‌‌‌
The Tower Master, who had been standing ‌dazed, ‌‌rushed toward the core with a shout.
Staring at the core, which looked far more unstable than before, he seemed utterly lost.
Before undeserved blame could fall upon the Grand Duke, I cut in hastily.
"No, no! This has nothing to do with His Grace..."
"Silence, you wretched rat! I'll summon hellfire and roast you alive! Did ‌‌‌‌you truly think you could do this and escape unscathed?"
The Tower Master's beard trembled with rage as he lost all composure, looking ready to unleash magic from the staff in his grip at any moment.
Then, his expression crumpled ‌into despair as he lowered his head.
"Why... why would you do such a thing!"
Before speaking, I slowly surveyed my surroundings.
The other mages had begun glaring at me as though I were their sworn enemy.
Only the Grand Duke remained composed, making no move ‌‌‌to join in.
I met his unwavering gaze and slowly opened my mouth.
"I... well..."
"Well?"
"It's just..."
My hesitation was brief. Before the Tower Master could raise his voice again, I ‌‌‌‌squeezed my eyes shut and stammered out an excuse.
"The core of the Magic Tower... I could hear it speaking to me..." ‌‌
'I'm doomed.'
Even I knew my excuse was pathetic.
But the arrow had already left the bowstring, and I had no choice but to continue.
"The core kept saying to me... break me... break me... that's what it said..."
A large window overlooking the outside stood right beside me.
As I barely suppressed the urge to hurl myself through it, an incredulous voice reached my ears.
"Do you honestly think that makes any sense?"
Of course it doesn't.
I bit my lip hard.
'Please, just end this quickly...!'
From the corner of ‌my eye, the core still trembled precariously, yet showed no other signs of distress.
But the crisis did not take long to arrive.
"Consider how many mages poured their magical power into restoring the Magic Tower's core... This matter cannot possibly be overlooked. Should the core shatter, the Magic Tower would...!"
Rumble.
The moment the Tower Master, finally losing his composure, shouted toward the Grand Duke and took a step toward me, the building began to shake violently.
The ‌‌‌flow of magical energy filling the Hall thrashed about so wildly that even I, ‌‌lacking any magical talent, could feel it distinctly.
Simultaneously, stone fragments and dust fell from the ceiling onto my head, only to dissolve into violet magical energy and scatter away.
"The, the core...!"
"The tower is collapsing!"
As someone cried out, the chamber descended ‌‌‌into chaos once more.
Crack.
'Did something go wrong?'
I kept my focus sharp, my eyes fixed on the core.
The Grand Duke, belatedly sensing the danger, was moving toward me.
'Just a little longer!'
The core, which had been fracturing like a breaking eggshell, soon scattered ‌‌into fragments accompanied by brilliant light.
Completely.
* * *
"...."
"...God ‌‌‌‌help us."
A situation dire enough ‌‌‌that even mages—a group predominantly composed of atheists—found themselves unconsciously invoking the divine.
Those who had closed their eyes against the light bursting from the core now stood dazed in the suddenly silent ‌‌‌Hall.
"Ha...."
Thump.
Once I confirmed the state of the ‌‌‌core, I slowly sank to the floor.
The core, which had been trembling precariously, now floated serenely with a smooth surface, ‌‌as if it had never suffered any damage.
I watched as the shell fragments that had fallen to the ground slowly transformed into magical energy and dispersed like vapor.
"How... how is this possible...."
The flow of magical energy that ‌‌had been churning anxiously was restored in an instant.
Not ‌only had the Magic Tower, which seemed on the ‌‌‌‌verge of collapse, been saved, but the core, which had been seconds from detonation, was now quiescent, and the strange currents that had unsettled every mage had vanished without a trace.
It was a fact that anyone with even a trace of magical power could instinctively comprehend.
"The core has been restored!"
"Ha, ha ha...."
Judging that the crisis had ‌‌passed, the mages each wiped their chests in relief or let out cheers of joy.
'My legs are shaking.'
As I scooted ‌backward to ‌‌‌avoid being ‌‌‌trampled by those approaching the core, a large hand extended before me.
"Get up."
It was the Grand Duke, his expression unreadable.
"...Thank you."
Unable to offer him any excuses or explanations in ‌‌‌that moment, I awkwardly scratched my cheek.
"Ha, haha. Well, that's ‌‌‌settled then. Right? I'm feeling rather ‌‌tired, so I'd like to retire for the evening...."
There was nothing to gain by drawing further attention here, ‌so I intended to leave the cleanup to the Grand Duke.
But before his response could reach me, the Tower Master approached, unable to hide an expression of profound ‌‌emotion.
His demeanor had shifted dramatically from before—now marked by meticulous courtesy.
"How did you know?"
"I, well... I simply heard the voice."
Having missed my window to escape and unable to bring myself to lie while meeting that gaze directly, I averted ‌‌‌my eyes and turned my head away.
"So it's true then—the core of the Magic Tower has been revived thanks to the household of Blaire Grand ‌‌‌Duke."
"Surely this lady is none other than 'One Who Hears the Voice of Mana'—a soul that appears perhaps once in ‌‌a ‌‌thousand years!!"
"...Pardon?"
Gasps erupted from ‌‌‌all around as ‌‌‌‌‌those listening to our conversation reacted, and I felt my face drain of all color.
"Um, excuse me?"
"Indeed! Without question! This lady may well be the very 'Chosen One' spoken of in legend!"
Wait, hold on.
I don't think it's quite that dramatic?
As my path of retreat steadily vanished, the ‌‌Tower Master—who had maintained silence until now—drove the final nail into my coffin.
"The ‌‌‌‌opinions of my esteemed colleagues appear to be sound."
The ‌‌clamorous hall fell into profound silence.
"We have received an immeasurable debt ‌of gratitude thanks to the lady who visited the Magic Tower alongside Blaire Grand Duke. Therefore, we wish to offer our sincerest apologies for our earlier discourtesy and express our heartfelt gratitude to both the Grand Duke and the lady. Particularly to the ‌‌‌lady...?"
"P-please, call me April Salt."
"Very well. Lady April Salt."
The Tower Master's earlier fierce demeanor ‌‌‌had vanished without a trace ‌‌‌as he bowed respectfully before me, despite my relative youth.
"We ‌‌‌shall bestow upon you the title 'Ear of the Magic Tower,' and subsequently prepare official documentation to be transmitted to the Cletan Empire."
Ear of the Magic Tower.
Even someone as averse to troublesome matters as myself understood its significance.
Those who received a title from the Magic Tower could call upon its aid three times throughout their lifetime without any cost.
Since magic remained prohibitively expensive despite its convenience, this was truly a benefit beyond any monetary calculation.
'I never intended for matters to escalate to this degree.' ‌‌
My plan to slip away midway and dump everything onto the Grand Duke had already crumbled to dust... but regardless.
'There's no harm in accepting something given freely, is there?'
I discreetly gauged the expression of the Grand Duke standing beside me.
Now that I had received a title from the Magic Tower itself, perhaps I could escape this uncomfortable cohabitation with him and find peace?
Of course, while my time in the Grand Duchy had been nothing short of satisfactory thus far, one can never predict what life might bring, so taking out a little insurance wouldn't hurt.
"Thank you." ‌‌
Having swiftly calculated my position, I bowed respectfully before the Tower Master.
"For now, let us consider this matter settled."
At that moment, the Grand Duke, who had remained silent, stepped forward.
I looked up in alarm, wondering if he might try to claim the title for himself, but his ‌‌‌expression was utterly businesslike as he glanced at me briefly before turning his gaze back to the Tower Master.
"The Magic Tower has its own ‌‌‌affairs to attend to, as do we. If the title you wish to bestow upon Lady ‌‌‌April Salt need not be formally received in person, it would be appreciated if you could have it transmitted to the Grand Duchy instead."
"I am grateful for your consideration, Grand Duke. Furthermore, I must ‌‌‌‌apologize ‌‌‌for my earlier obtuseness in failing to properly comprehend the situation."
In the warmth that had settled over the atmosphere, I found myself acutely aware of my heart's restless pounding.
'If things wrap up this hastily, it only means another avalanche of troubles is coming....'
Please let this be a misunderstanding.
Before I knew it, I had finished my business and hurried after Blaire Grand Duke, ‌‌who had already wandered far ahead.

---------------
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy ‌the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
---------------