Youngest 268
by Cristae268
The first person I met upon arriving at the southern portal was the Emperor, beaming from ear to ear.
“Welcome, Princess!”
“Your Majesty!”
He spread his arms so warmly that I ran up and threw myself into his embrace before I even realized it.
“Oh, my. Forgive me… Some habits die hard, it seems.”
Feeling awkward, I tried to pull away in a hurry, but the Emperor only laughed good-naturedly and hugged me even tighter.
“Well done.”
“Heh, thank you.”
I hesitated a moment, then rose on tiptoe to whisper in the Emperor’s ear.
“The medicinal herbs and snacks reached me safely. Unc…”
“Unc?”
“Uncle…!”
The Emperor’s eyes went round with astonishment, and he staggered as if deeply moved.
“So it was worth emptying the whole palace and sending it all off.”
The Emperor, who always loved to be proud, shot Father a look as if to brag. Of course, Father met it with a sour expression and ignored him.
“But what’s with this flower necklace?”
The Emperor gestured to the brilliant, multicolored garland around my neck.
Grandfather spun his hand through my hair with pride.
“Haha! My granddaughter has become an Archmage! Isn’t she splendid?”
“An Archmage?”
“Ah, everyone just kept insisting I take the title, so…”
I shifted my toes and replied shyly.
“I didn’t really want it, though…”
“This is ridiculous. At least calm the jester first before making pronouncements.”
I made to stomp on Father’s foot, but missed, as always.
“…Hmm.”
Meanwhile, the Emperor folded his arms and fell into serious thought.
“We can’t let Arcadia have the upper hand.”
Then he turned to me.
“Princess, is there anything you wish for?”
“All of a sudden?”
“I’ve heard of your deeds. You slew the Mage King, and in doing so saved not only Arcadia but the entire continent. Such merit deserves reward.”
“Oh, that’s all right, really…”
“Let’s see. The Empire doesn’t yet have an official institution for mages… Ah. How about becoming the head of the Magitech Tower? I imagine even the artificers there would be delighted.”
It seemed that, wherever I went, I would never have to worry about finding work.
“Why is everyone so desperate to heap honors on me?”
“Because your father has already arranged for you to have wealth and power.”
Ah. Well, that explained it.
‘Right. I may be an Archmage in the Mage Kingdom, but here I’m nothing more than a freshly adult novice… It’s time to find my own way.’
I quietly nodded to myself.
‘There are no more enemies to defeat, and not much that needs doing.’
Maybe I should just spend some time tinkering with the magitechnicians at the Magitech Tower!
Besides, there were a few artifacts I’d been wanting to develop.
“Well, all right, then. But looking further ahead, I think the number of mages will grow. May I expand the building if needed?”
I asked, brimming with self-interest.
“Of course. Do as you wish. Do you need more land?”
“No, I’ll just build upward…”
“Good. I’ll send an architect to the Magitech Tower—tsk, what a mouthful.”
The Emperor added, simply:
“We’ll just call it the Mage Tower.”
I pressed my lips with a hand, suppressing a laugh.
“Once you’re recovered, Princess, as master of the Magitech—tsk, too long—Mage Tower, produce everything you wish to make.”
“All right.”
Archmage, Mage Tower master…
I’d achieved all a mage could hope for in a career.
And as if that weren’t enough.
Though the Magitech Tower was located near the capital, thanks to its magitechnical needs, it stood on some of the empire’s most valuable land.
‘Sniff. I’m a building owner.’
Of course, it wasn’t my private property…
‘Still, I’ll build it high, like a skyscraper.’
Say, about 120 floors.
With enthusiasm, I flared my nostrils.
“All right!”
And so, near the capital of the Babylon Empire, a great tower for mages arose…
There, the mages from Arcadia and the outpost mages gathered as a new center for magical research.
The artifacts stamped with my ^o^/ symbol contributed greatly to people’s daily lives. The Mage Tower’s fame only soared across the continent.
“Master! Thanks to the designs you drew, we’ve invented a new video communication device!”
“Oh my.”
Of course, I, too, kept myself busy.
“Shall we try building this next? It’s a transport device based on floating stones…”
“Gasp, what a design! As expected from our Master! Thanks to you, the tower’s fame—bah, even your title is too long!”
“Huh? Then what will you call me?”
Naturally—
“Mas…”
“Mas?”
“Master?”
“Wow, no, I don’t like that.”
I would always have to accept just a bit too much affection showered on me.
In any case, all of this was still a little ways off.
Ch. 29
It had been three weeks since my return to Zelox.
The weather had passed the peak of spring.
Mother had gone out to play with the maids since morning, Father was off to inspect the city walls, and Grandfather had gone out to visit Uncle Maddix’s smithy.
My brothers, as always, were busy with their own pursuits.
In short.
I was the only human left at home, lazing about.
“Yaaawn. I’m so bored.”
Swaddled in blankets, I had become a caterpillar, rolling around on the bed.
Hazel threw open the window and shook her head solemnly.
“No.”
“I haven’t even said anything yet.”
“You were about to say you wanted to go out, weren’t you? Not allowed. Remember how you collapsed the moment you returned from the south to the capital?”
“That was because I suddenly went somewhere without mana.”
Sigh, I’d become mana-fragile.
My core was still tiny and delicate, so I was living as carefully as possible.
Even though I’d recovered in Arcadia, the capital was still too short on mana for me to manage.
Father had hurriedly brought me back to Zelox.
The north was at least better than the capital.
‘After three weeks of eating and sleeping well here, I’m all right now.’
Still, my family insisted I remain inside the castle until I was fully recovered.
“But I’m fine now. I’m bored. I want to go shopping with Mom…”
“Even if you use my lord as an excuse, it won’t work. See my eyebrows? They’re in a V now. See?”
“Yeah. You’re scary, Hazel.”
No wonder.
She was the same Hazel who had climbed the Black Tower in the Mage Kingdom.
“I’ll behave.”
Picturing her expressionless face as she hacked through obstacles in the Black Tower, I immediately became a very good caterpillar.
“Ah, come on, I’m not that bad.”
Hazel came over, picked me up, blankets and all, and did a hundred squats with me. It was truly terrifying.
“You made a promise to the House Lord, remember? No going out until after the academy graduation. Focus on recovery until then!”
“Ah, the academy graduation is in a week!”
That was right.
Amazingly, I hadn’t graduated yet.
Because the graduation ceremony is held after the coming-of-age celebration, and ever since then so many things had happened.
‘After that, the ceremony was postponed because of mages or Dark Beasts attacking the empire.’
In a month, my mana core should be strong enough for me to manage in the capital.
“All right. Then can you bring me something to eat?”
“You just ate, didn’t you?”
“But I’m a bit peckish…”
“All right. What would you like?”
I glanced at Hazel cautiously.
Honestly…
‘There’s a reason I’ve been kicking up a fuss about wanting to go outside.’
If I did this, Hazel would feel sorry for me and be more likely to grant my next request.
“Anything’s fine, but if you prepare it with as much love as you have for me, I’d really appreciate it. I feel like we’ve been out of sync lately, Hazel.”
“Sigh… I’ll have to release the kids. Just wait a bit, Miss—I’ll show you just how much affection I feel!”
Of course, as expected, Hazel promised stoutly and went out. She probably wouldn’t be back before late afternoon.
‘Sorry, Hazel… Otherwise, you’d stick to me for life.’
I jumped up and dashed to the mirror.
‘Ah, do I look too much like a patient?’
My cheeks were a bit too pale, and there were shadows under my eyes… Even though I’d bathed this morning, my hair felt a little dry.
‘And these clothes… shabby.’
While looking around for something to change into, someone knocked at the door.
Oh well. Whatever.
I threw open the door.
“You should check who it is before—”
“Kal! You’re here?”
“Yes.”
Khalid glanced at me, then stepped into the room.