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"The Council of nine archmages is going to attack, saying the purification magic is fake?"
Iana's eyes turned sharp.
"It seems that's what the informants found out. The Marquess also told me to tell you that the Council of nine archmages is in a state of urgency."
"Is that so?"
At Vera's words, Iana was lost in thought for a moment.
'It must be a slander. Since purification magic removes the Arika Vine in the ground, they must think it won't be visible.'
If the authoritative archmages speak in unison, people will have no choice but to believe them.
"Shouldn't we inform Your Highness quickly?"
Iana got up and approached the window.
"Your Highness went to the northern outer castle of the capital at dawn. By His Majesty the Emperor's order to check the security posture there."
"Are they coming back today?"
"No, in three days."
The moment Iana answered, a thought flashed through her mind.
'The Nine might be aiming for the gap when Your Highness is away.'
Vera, with an anxious face, jumped up from her seat and said.
"Then wouldn't it be better to send someone to Your Highness and let them know quickly?"
"⋯⋯."
She looked out the window without answering.
Charles couldn't disobey the Emperor's order and return in just one day.
'If The Nine attack, I have to buy time until Your Highness returns.'
Then, in the distance, she saw the Emperor's glass greenhouse, sparkling in the sunlight.
A good idea flashed through her mind.
Iana smiled meaningfully and slowly opened her mouth.
"Maybe, this might be an opportunity."
"Yes?"
Vera tilted her head.
"An opportunity to publicly prove my abilities to people."
✦ ✦ ✦
Around noon, the Emperor, who had been drunk, woke up late.
Lady Riel stood by the bed, attending to the Emperor.
The Emperor, leaning against the bed, pressed his temples with his hand as if his head hurt.
Lady Riel handed him a glass of water with a worried face and asked.
"Your Majesty, does your head hurt? Shall I call a healer?"
"No. I'll be fine if I rest a bit."
After the Emperor drank the water, he immediately lay back down on the bed.
As Lady Riel carefully covered him with the blanket, the Emperor grabbed her wrist.
"What are you doing?"
"Yes?"
"You should come in too."
The Emperor lifted the blanket high as if telling her to come in quickly. Soon, he stared intently at her dress.
Lady Riel, realizing the meaning, was about to take off her dress when.
Knock knock.
Along with the sound of knocking on the door, the secretary's voice was heard again.
"Your Majesty, have you woken up?"
"I have a headache today, so I should rest for the day. Report to me tomorrow unless it's urgent."
The Emperor gave the order in a mixed voice of annoyance. Then, he gestured to Lady Riel to quickly get into bed.
The secretary continued in a troubled voice.
"⋯⋯The 9th Circle Archmages have been waiting since this morning. They said they have something urgent to tell Your Majesty."
At the secretary's words, the Emperor sat up and asked with a puzzled look.
"Are you saying all of the Council of nine archmages have come?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. They said it was a serious matter, so they came without scheduling an audience."
Lady Riel's face hardened in an instant.
'It seems my story wasn't properly conveyed⋯⋯.'
"How annoying."
The Emperor had no choice but to get up.
Lady Riel thought for a moment, then put a bathrobe on the Emperor and said.
"Your Majesty, are you going to the conference hall?"
"I have to. It seems they've come to argue about bringing Ervin Archmage as a mage of the Imperial Palace."
"Your Majesty⋯⋯."
Lady Riel hesitated for a moment.
"Speak."
"If it's not a hindrance, could I go to the conference hall too?"
"Why?"
"It's not often that you get to see all of the Council of nine archmages, who are called the heroes of the empire."
"⋯⋯."
The Emperor was lost in thought without answering.
"I'll stay far away from the door so I don't get in the way."
The Emperor kissed Lady Riel's lips deeply.
"What's so difficult about that? Do as you wish."
✦ ✦ ✦
Iana, at the Emperor's call, headed to the conference hall with the guidance of the secretary.
She felt an enormous aura of magical power in the long corridor.
'The Nine deliberately came when Your Highness is away.'
She thought as she walked.
'What would Your Highness do in this situation?'
The opponents were an authoritative majority.
No matter how good a hand you have, you can't help but be pushed back if you don't take the initiative.
It was then.
Iana saw Lady Riel standing in front of the conference hall door.
'To bring a mistress to the conference hall, the Emperor is out of his mind.'
Iana approached Lady Riel and greeted her with a smile.
"I didn't expect to see Lady Riel here."
"Isn't it not easy to meet all of the Council of nine archmages?"
At Lady Riel's words, Iana sneered.
"Ah, Lady Riel came to see the Council of nine archmages? Very leisurely."
The two people's eyes met fiercely.
Lady Riel approached her closely and whispered quietly.
"Iana, I don't think now is the time for you to speak carelessly?"
"Then watch. I'll show you how I speak carelessly from now on."
After Iana finished speaking, she approached the conference hall door.
Creak-.
The Imperial Guard knights opened the door to both sides.
Intense sunlight poured onto Iana's back. Her vision was white for a moment, then the scenery inside the conference hall slowly came into her eyes.
The Emperor was sitting on the throne above the platform, and the Council of nine archmages were sitting around him.
"⋯⋯!"
The Council of nine archmages all looked at Iana with surprised faces.
It was an expression of surprise at her much stronger magical power than expected.
At that moment, a familiar face came into her eyes.
The head of the Council of nine archmages, who was her father's friend and her brother's teacher.
He had a surprised expression and wary eyes.
Iana stood in front of the Emperor and greeted him.
"Iana Ruise, I greet His Majesty the Emperor."
The Emperor looked down coldly and asked.
"Iana Archmage, I ask you. Is purification magic a lie?"
"⋯⋯."
Iana didn't say anything.
"Your Majesty, look at that! Can't she speak?"
When one of the archmages stood up and shouted, the others raised their voices as if they had been waiting.
"That's right. She has nothing to say because she's been caught."
"Answer."
The Emperor urged her to answer in a sharp voice.
Iana watched quietly and threw out a short word.
"Just one person."
"What?"
The Emperor asked back, not knowing what she meant.
"Please decide on one person, Your Majesty."
Iana pointed at the archmages as if scanning them with her hand.
"When it's proven that purification magic is not fake, I mean one person among them who will pay the price for lying to Your Majesty."
Division.
Fighting an authoritative majority was not easy.
They had to be divided to weaken their power.
It was then that she made eye contact with Lady Riel, who was sitting far away at the door.
Lady Riel had a stiff expression as if she had sensed something.
"⋯⋯!"
The Council of nine archmages were in an uproar.
"What are you doing now?"
An elderly archmage stood up and shouted.
Iana's hand went to the archmage who had finished speaking.
"Will the Archmage take responsibility as the representative?"
"What? I mean⋯⋯."
The elderly archmage coughed in vain. Then, the other archmages only looked at each other and closed their mouths.
The Emperor chuckled at the sight.
'Now is the time.'
Iana thought it was an opportunity and pushed fiercely.
"In principle, I and the 9th Circle Archmages should all be prepared to pay the price. But!"
"⋯⋯."
"Now is a time of war when monsters from the north may invade at any time, so I'm telling you to take responsibility for just one person. Is that difficult?"
The archmages avoided her gaze and only looked at each other, when.
The head of The Nine stepped forward.
"I'll do it."
He looked at her as if she was quite something and gave a twisted smile.
Iana looked at the head of The Nine and thought.
'The head of The Nine thinks I won't be able to prove it.'
"Okay, how will you prove it?"
The Emperor asked.
Iana slowly opened her mouth as if she had been waiting.
"We haven't removed the Arika Vine in the East Palace yet."
"So?"
Everyone's attention was focused on Iana.
She said with a relaxed smile as if she had been waiting.
"Whether or not the Arika Vine disappears with purification magic⋯⋯."
"⋯⋯."
"I will show you the underground."
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