Pretending not to hear, he subtly covered his ears as he stared ahead.
Though his expression remained calm, the vacant pupils betrayed the truth, he had heard everything.
Still in denial of reality, brilliant flames quietly wrapped around him. At his question, silence filled the room.
Andre only tilted his head in confusion, seemingly not understanding a word.
Sofia couldn’t seem to break her habit of staring into the distant mountains.
Sol …

“W-what? Break something? Wait, wait. I didn’t mishear, right? I heard that right, didn’t I? You’re not seriously talking about destroying this tower, are you?”

“Yes. Is that really something to make such a fuss over?”

“Alfred! Do something! His Highness is up to something again!”

She clung to Alfred’s sleeve, pleading desperately for him to stop the prince. But it wasn’t as if the destruction was happening right away. There was no reason for such a dramatic reaction.

“He did this in the East too. He marched in, provoked the enemy, raised the imperial banner out of nowhere, rallied people. And if that wasn’t enough, he even fought the enemy commander himself!”

As Sol continued her story, it became clear that the grievances had been building for quite some time.

 Indeed, there had been no shortage of hardships.

“That’s just plain insane.”

“That’s His Highness you’re talking about!”

“Yes, that’s me. So, was it boring? We even have the 3rd Battle Mage Corps here. Shall I put you all back to cleaning duty?”

“…No. It was incredibly fun. But destroying a tower isn’t fun, Your Highness.”

“Streetlamp, always poking at wounds with your words. How would you know if it’s fun or not unless you try it?”

He began subtly persuading Sol.

“How about it? Don’t you want a little more excitement? The North won’t be any different. Let’s destroy it first, then think about it. I’ll come up with a method, just like always. From now on, too. All you have to do is follow.”

“U-uh, so. Is that how it’s going to be? Really?”

“Yes. So just talk about what’ll happen if we blow it up. You’re a mage, aren’t you? You can at least calculate that much.”

Sol’s eyes briefly spun in panic before she began analyzing the tower seriously.

“Hmm. Surprisingly, destroying it wouldn’t be too difficult. The problem is the aftermath. All the mana formations built up over time would clash. Not just the devices, either.”

“And then what?”

“It’ll explode. Not just collapse, an explosion on the scale of a catastrophe. A catastrophe-level event. Catastrophic.”

“What are the odds of the 3rd Mage Corps being able to suppress that explosion?”

“No need to even calculate , it’s impossible. Even if the entire Imperial Mage Corps and the whole Magic Tower gathered, there’s no guarantee. Maybe if one of those legendary grand magi hiding out somewhere came, maybe then it’d be doable.”

“I see.”

“So don’t even dream of it.”

Sol’s expression turned cold and ominous, as if trying to instill fear.

“You don’t seem to realize, Mage Sol, that such warnings only provoke His Highness further.”

It wasn’t until Alfred intervened that Sol realized she had walked straight into the prince’s trap, her face going pale with shock.

“Thanks for the intel, calculator. Honestly, you’ve got so many nicknames, I don’t even know what to call you.”

“Then just call me Sol …”

Before she could finish, the prince had already turned away.
Perhaps it was the sly smirk lingering on his lips that made her heart sink.

“Do you truly intend to destroy it?” Alfred asked anxiously.

“Well, that remains to be seen.”

At the simple answer, all those behind him exchanged uneasy glances.

“This evening, let’s have a meal with just us. The Count will be busy. Are there any administrators left who weren’t arrested?”

“There are a few low-ranking ones we separated beforehand.”

“Didn’t they commit any corruption? It shouldn’t have been too hard to dig up.”

“They say they remained at the bottom ranks because they stubbornly held their ground and refused to play along.”

“Is that so? Let’s eat with them too. I’ve got something to check. Summon the heads of the Mage Corps and the Knights as well. Since we’ll be working together here in the North.”

“Yes, understood.”

As they walked toward the temporary mansion, he began contemplating what orders to give and how to proceed.

First and foremost, the method to obtain the ‘Mystery.’ 

Destroying the tower would be the very last resort. Ideally, it would be best to enter and retrieve the flame from within.
The Mage Corps, Sol, and the remaining administrators would need to be mobilized to investigate.

Next was Andre and the Knights.

Now that they were in the North, it would be an excellent opportunity for growth.
They would have to fight many battles together, against the savage barbarians storming down from the north, the demons lurking among them, and the yetis.

“What did you think of the Count’s eldest son? He’s praised as the sturdy shield of the North, a worthy heir to the Count.”

“Ah, right. That guy existed too.”

Only upon Alfred’s question did the memory surface …  The Count’s son and the intelligence agents sent along with him.

Once they began feeding information back, the North would truly begin to stir.         Upon reflection … 

“All of this was just a prelude.”

The chaos he stirred today would soon seem no more than a child’s prank. At that quiet mutter, all around him momentarily froze.

“Ding, ding, ding, ding.”

From the far edge of the North, atop the endlessly stretching wall, the faint sound of bells rang out. In the waning sunlight of late afternoon, the pealing bells faded into the sunset … 

“WEEEEENG!”

Suddenly, along with a blast of snow, an emergency siren wailed. Shouts echoed from every direction as people hurriedly rushed indoors.

“Blizzard level 5 is approaching! A level 5 blizzard is approaching! Imperial citizens are advised to evacuate immediately to homes, shops, or any safe shelters!”

The warning blared, announcing the lowest of the five blizzard threat levels. But even the lowest level was unbearable for ordinary citizens. As white snowstorms engulfed the skies and land alike, people fled indoors in haste. The bitter cold began to freeze over windows, ice spreading like frost patterns.

“Your Highness! Please, we must take shelter! A blizzard is here!”

While he stared out at the approaching snowstorm, Andre and the others around him urged him to enter any nearby building. Unfortunately, the closest point was between the bonfire and the mansion, only small homes and shops surrounded the area.
Through the frosted windows, nervous eyes peeked out, filled with unease.              As if worried the prince might claim their homes as his own.

A faint smirk crossed his lips as he moved forward. But before he could take another step … 

“Your Highness. Would you consider staying at this old man’s house?”

An elderly man with a hunched back stepped out, offering a place to rest. His hands were rough, his face full of wrinkles, yet his eyes were clear with purpose. There were tales of hermits living in the North, perhaps this elder was one of them.      Among the group, expressions of gratitude mixed with concern that the prince might treat the old man harshly, but neither of those were the case.

As he looked upon the aged face, destinies that hovered above it stirred noisily.

“Old man. Are you in any position to be offering hospitality to me?”

“Forgive me, Your Highness. My home is humble, but it should be sufficient for a short rest.”

“That’s not what I’m referring to.”

“Then… what do you mean?”

“It doesn’t matter if the place is humble. My nobility alone is enough to fill the room.”

At the haughty remark, even the elder, who seemed unmoved by anything, looked startled.
Regardless, the words continued.

“If you wish to offer something, offer something of worth. Among what you have, it seems there’s something else I desire.”

“Something else?”

“I’ve no interest in a warm, temporary refuge. I need warriors who’ll walk through this harsh cold alongside me.”

Though he rarely spoke with such sincerity, the old man burst into laughter, as if the words were absurd. Despite his hunched posture, the laughter was so loud it drowned out the sound of the incoming blizzard.

“Wait, Your Highness! The blizzard … ugh!”

“Protect His Highness! Sol, block the wind!”

“It’s too strong!”

“Sophia! Take my hand!”

The surrounding chaos grew louder, but the prince and the elder simply stood in the blizzard, locking eyes in silence.
The old man stood tall, like a weathered tree, his platinum hair whipped in the wind, constantly covering his eyes.

“I’m just an old man. I don’t see how I could walk beside Your Highness.”

“For someone like that, you sure withstand the cold well.”

“I’ve lived in the North for a long time. You get used to enduring snowstorms.”

“Old man. I know you invited me in to weigh my character. Have you heard of the administrators’ deaths? Or do you have ties with one of them?”

“……”

“I’ll forgive that level of insolence. But while the elders turn their old minds in scheming, many young people will die.”

“Die… from what?”

“From my fire, from the cold winds of the North, from the resolve to protect their homeland.”

“Did Your Highness truly come here to protect?”

“Hard to say. But if the decisions of the elderly are too slow, we’ll have no choice but to accept greater losses and more bloodshed. That’s just the way I am, and the way things are.”

“I still don’t know what kind of man Your Highness truly is.”

“Then don’t try to understand with words. Judge by my actions and their results. That’s all the advice I can give you.”