Theodore?
‘He said he would come here to pick me up, but did that mean he would come in person?’
Rosa walked with Aphra in the direction he pointed.
A golden carriage was visible.
Seeing its flag bearing the sun, it was definitely an imperial carriage.
As she got closer, she saw another astonishing scene.
The knights surrounded the carriage and, suddenly, the people around it began to bow their heads.
There could only be one reason for this.
At that moment, Theodore came out of the carriage.
"His Majesty, His Majesty...….”
"Why is His Majesty here...….”
People made a gasping sound.
Well, they’d just come here to see the carriage, but it was natural to be surprised that the emperor came out.
But Theodore was not the only one. Following him, Rosa saw a familiar face.
It was Vivian Marigold.
She was getting out of the wagon with a subtle wink at her.
While she was watching them, Aphra suddenly tugged her collar. Pointing out her etiquette.
"Rosa, your head...….”
Only then did she realize her mistake.
She was looking at them the way she usually would.
She put her head down quickly.
Step, step.
As they walked along the uneven stone floor, Rosa saw the tip of a shoe approaching her.
Then she heard Theodore's voice above her head.
"Raise your head."
At his command, she looked up and looked forward.
Theodore and Vivian were now in her view.
Unlike Vivian, who was grinning from behind him, Theodore looked at her with a stern expression.
"I'm grateful that you agreed to personally accompany me on my inspection."
“……I am only grateful for the opportunity to do good thanks to Your Majesty."
That's why he was here.
To show people directly.
The symbolic role of the woman in purple and the fact that the emperor himself was with her.
And if they go to Nequitia and get rid of the misfortune there...….
Even with the saint gone, the power of the emperor will remain, the fact that there is a woman in purple solely for the empire will spread like wildfire.
It was snake-like.
Thanks to the veil, she stared at Theodore and smiled to her heart's content.
It was then.
Suddenly, Vivian jumped forward and reached out to her.
"Nice to meet you. We met me at the Imperial Palace last time, right?"
“……Yes. Nice to meet you."
Rosa held Vivian's hand.
Vivian shook her hand vigorously like a spinning wheel.
Just when she was worried that Vivian might break her arm, she let go of her hand.
"Now that everyone seems to be gathered, how about you set out Your Majesty?"
"Let's go...….”
Contrary to his answer, Theodore kept looking off into the distance.
As if waiting for someone.
‘Was there someone else coming other than me, Theodore, and the knights?’
"Your Majesty, is there anyone else coming?"
"No, there isn’t."
Theodore shook his head at her question. Then he turned.
He climbed into the carriage and naturally reached out to her.
"Oh...…. I’m all right...….”
Rosa was going to say she was fine.
But Vivian pushed her on the back.
"If a gentleman puts out his hand, and it would be rude not to take it."
“……Yes. Thank you."
Rosa couldn’t believe she was being escorted by Theodore.
After hesitating for a moment in awkwardness, she soon grabbed Theodore's hand.
Then she got in the carriage.
Of course, she assumed that Vivian would follow suit.
"What about the young lady?"
"Oh, I just joined from the Imperial Palace at the news of His Majesty's departure. I've just come to see him off."
"I see. Thank you for seeing me off."
"Don't mention it."
Vivian smiled with her eyes fixed on Rosa.
"Then have a safe trip."
Then, with those words, the door of the carriage closed.
With just her and Theodore.
***
The carriage ran across the plain.
The inside of the carriage was as quiet as the outside which was filled with vast grasslands.
Even so, Rosa couldn't open the window and look around.
The numerous horses driven by the knights were creating an acrid dust cloud.
Rosa stared ahead.
Theodore rested his chin on his hand with his eyes closed.
Just as she thought he was sleeping, Theodore's eyes shot open.
"Are you uncomfortable?"
These were the first words she’d heard from Theodore since they’d left on the carriage.
She shook her head.
Following her movements, her purple veil swayed.
"No, I’m all right."
For some reason, Theodore's gaze did not move from her face.
Then he asked her.
"Isn't that veil inconvenient?"
"It's not uncomfortable."
“……I'm fine, so you can take off the veil whenever you’d like."
"No, that’s not necessary."
Despite her answer, Theodore looked at her stubbornly.
Eventually, he reached for her face. To be precise, towards the veil.
She quickly avoided the hand.
"What are you doing?"
"That's...… I'm sorry."
Theodore dropped his hand.
Then he looked at her with his pupils shaking and lowered his head.
There was no time for her to get angry.
Theodore was now burying his face in both of his hands with a deep sigh.
Instead, she asked just one question.
"What is it about my veil?"
Theodore slowly raised his head; and replied, facing her directly,
"I don't know. I just wanted to see your face and moved automatically."
A bitter smile hung on his mouth.
Theodore continued,
"I'm confused again. My feelings...….”
As if he would say no more, Theodore leaned back into the backrest.
He closed his eyes.
After that, a heavy silence hung over the carriage again.
Rosa also kept her mouth shut.
But in her head, she had all kinds of thoughts.
‘Emotions?’
‘It sounds weird, but my face...… Does it mean it's his taste?’
‘No way, he doesn’t mean he’s in love with me?’
***
The Eastern Tower.
The towers, which were also the pillars of this place, were still in a state of disrepair.
Eventually, the collapsed towers began to become symbolic.
As a warning not to forget the day when the light-eyed devil had come.
Of course, at first, some mages tried to flee out of fear, but they were quickly caught.
By the traitorous mage, Lysander, his subordinates, and the children.
Eventually, they accepted reality and began to faithfully carry out the orders of the new leader.
"Aisan, did anything happen today?"
"No, I don't know what kind of old woman goes around everywhere like this. Wherever she goes, there are empty houses."
Recently, most of the tower’s manpower had been mobilized to find an 'old woman'.
She was so fast that, whenever they thought they were close to catching her, she’d disappear again without a trace.
"Phew. That's a relief."
"What? What does that mean?"
"No, I went to a town called Ramus today and, suddenly, a brown-skinned human suddenly attacked me."
"Brown skin? Aren’t they from the East?"
"I don't know about that. You don’t know wow freaked out I was...… Ugh!"
The sorcerers, who were having a calm conversation, suddenly gasped and jumped.
It was because of the appearance of Enoch.
He looked at them with interest, as though he had heard the entire conversation.
He asked a question to the man who first mentioned 'brown skin'.
"What was the color of his hair and eyes?"
"Well, it was the same brown, but it was different. Maybe it was darker?"
“……That's right."
Enoch's pupils narrowed to a close.
Soon, he was licking his lips like he’d spotted prey, his lips tinged with ridicule.
To anyone, it looked like a predator's posture ahead of the hunt.
Enoch immediately turned away.
Then he walked through the village at a leisurely pace.
People began to react in various, surprised ways when they saw Enoch suddenly appear and wander around.
"Ugh!"
"The destroyer of the tower...…!”
"Finally!"
There were three main responses.
Shaking in fear, shouting in admiration, or showing respect and gratitude to the person who saved them.
But Enoch wasn't interested in any of them at all.
This was because he was busy searching the stone ground of the village for a long time.
“……I found it."
Finally finding what he was looking for, Enoch touched the stone with one hand, chanting a spell.
"Lafisturis."
Suddenly, a thunderous sound spread through the village.
Then the ground on which Enoch stood began to fluctuate and rise.
The stone ground soon turned into a stone tower, with Enoch on top of it.
It was a raucous process.
Naturally, everyone in the village had no choice but to pay attention to Enoch.
"Let me introduce myself."
In general, it was common to have a succession ceremony that was as luxurious as possible.
But Enoch ended it all with just one word.
"I am Enoch the lord of the Tower."
Maybe Enoch used sound amplification magic because his voice rang all over the village.
That wasn't the end.
Since it was officially declared, he got to the point.
"Let's hand distribute the photo of the old woman and her granddaughter we’re looking for. Then it should be easier to find them."
It was completely different from when he was around Rosenta.
Enoch dominated the wizards with a languid yet powerful voice.
"And...… A person from the Eastern Continent with brown skin, copper-colored hair and eyes. If you see anyone similar, bring them as well."
After that, Enoch gave many orders.
How to run the Magic Tower in the future and how to educate the rescued children.
After finishing his orders, Enoch jumped straight down from the tower.
"Lord of the Tower!"
Before he knew it, Lysander had approached him and was emotionally looking up at him.
But the feeling was short-lived.
Enoch immediately threw Lysander to the ground and stepped on his back.
"I need to talk to you separately for a moment."