"How did he smuggle a gun past Master Latina's barrier? Bastard!"
"Linen Norton, you're playing with fire!"
When the Tower mages recognized the brass-colored revolver in Linen's hand, they erupted in fury. Tarn quickly knelt beside Will Sarion's fallen form, and his cloudy eyes widened in shock.
"He's…dead?!"
His aged voice trembled in disbelief. The furious mages instantly fell silent, their faces darkening as they stared at Linen.
Will Sarion, a skilled [Second-Ring] mage and elite Shadow Knight operative, had been killed in a single shot from that eerie gun—even without a direct hit to a vital area.
Linen casually blew on the gun barrel, his eyes gleaming playfully as he looked at these self-proclaimed elites.
Moments ago, they had been outraged at his audacity in threatening one of their own. Now, their silence revealed their true fear of his power.
So this is the Tower's famed dedication to Arcana? What a joke.
A smirk curled Linen's lips, a single thought emerging clearly in his mind.
Is this really all they've got?
But outwardly, he simply shrugged innocently:
"Any problem? You all heard him—he asked me to shoot. I've never heard such a bizarre request before."
This bastard!
Just as their anger threatened to explode again, Latina spoke up nonchalantly, as if stating the obvious:
"Of course he died. That's the Arcana Relic, [Termination Round]—crafted by that esteemed person. It would've been stranger if it failed to instantly kill a mere Second-Ring nobody."
Latina's eyes sparkled with fascination.
"Put away the gun, Your Highness. Why didn't you tell us earlier you had someone close to the Ring of Withering as your guarantor? Tarn, drag away that useless corpse. It's an eyesore."
The moment she mentioned the "Ring of Withering," everyone present—including Linen—raised their eyebrows in surprise. The greed in their eyes instantly melted away like snow.
Linen himself hadn't expected to accidentally drag such a prominent figure—one of the legendary [Twelve Rings]—into his deception.
"Oh, I thought you already knew," Linen said casually, holstering the gun and returning comfortably to his seat, inwardly shelving his original plan to invoke Theresia's name.
Tarn grumbled quietly under his breath, annoyed not at Sarion's death, but at losing a useful spy within the Shadow Knights. Those loyal watchdogs worshipped Empress Tivira far more than Arcana, making infiltrators valuable and scarce resources.
Though whether Linen truly had backing from the Ring of Withering was uncertain, no one dared risk antagonizing such a powerful figure. The manner of Sarion's death, his Arcana circuits instantly withered, undeniably aligned with the Withering Ring's feared domain.
This uncertainty instantly shifted control of the negotiation to Linen. Even Latina wouldn't risk offending a prince who might be the spokesperson for such a dangerous Ring member.
Tarn knew it was time for him to intervene.
"You've proven yourself, Prince Linen. Now, tell us your real intentions. Why choose this moment specifically—what is it you actually want?"
Clearly, Linen had come at the critical moment before the Magical Artificer exam. If he merely wanted the Tower's help in seizing the throne from his mother, there were countless better opportunities. Choosing this moment must have a deeper purpose.
After a thoughtful silence, Linen finally spoke.
"I've already told you—I came to join your ranks sincerely."
He paused deliberately, then continued.
"To achieve your goals in the upcoming exam, you've replaced every examiner except Master Gust. Now, you're missing a crucial piece. You'll need someone else to fill that role."
Tarn scowled but nodded reluctantly.
With Sarion—representing the Shadow Knights—now mysteriously absent, the Knights would quickly assign someone else to maintain oversight. But arranging another Tower infiltrator now would be nearly impossible.
In other words, the single least powerful but most crucial role—held by Sarion—had been conveniently eliminated by Linen's gunshot. If not for Sarion's earlier hostility, Tarn might've suspected Linen had planned this deliberately.
"Conveniently, I happen to know Silva, captain of the Shadow Knights currently operating at Eden Academy. Let me assist you. You'll gain not only a student informant but also insight into the Shadow Knights' movements. Two benefits for one—quite the bargain, isn't it?"
It was undeniably tempting.
Yet, placing their knowledge of Shadow Knight operations solely in the hands of an outsider like Linen made Tarn hesitant. He glanced at Latina for guidance, only for Linen to add nonchalantly:
"Oh, and by the way, you don't even need to tell me your true objective. This deal involves me providing intelligence on students and the Knights—nothing more."
Both Tarn and Latina's eyes sharpened.
Linen's proposal had moved from merely attractive to impossible to refuse. He could have easily demanded full knowledge and power in exchange for his help, yet here he was willingly relegating himself to the role of a mere pawn. Why?
Tarn exchanged a puzzled glance with Latina, about to reply when Linen suddenly interjected again.
"Of course, I do have one more condition."
Hearing this, Tarn visibly relaxed, as if expecting this complication.
"Fairness in trade—we understand completely, Your Highness."
Linen nodded slightly, silently apologizing to Elena as he prepared to betray her briefly for a greater cause.
"My condition is simple: ensure that under no circumstances does a student named Elena pass the exam."
Silence enveloped the room again. Linen's heart sank when they didn't immediately agree.
But after a long pause, Latina suddenly nodded lightly:
"That's all? I agree."
Linen exhaled quietly in relief.
This plan is foolproof!
...
After Linen departed, Tarn bowed slightly towards Latina, speaking carefully.
"Master, was it truly wise to agree so quickly?"
Latina reclined lazily on the sofa, stretching her slender waist.
"Relax, Tarn. The Tower granted us full authority over this mission. This minor promise is nothing."
Tarn remained uneasy. "But Master Farsight's orders were clear—to capture every student who passes—"
"Then perhaps you'd like to explain our decision to the Ring of Withering yourself?"
Tarn instantly fell silent.
"Master Farsight only said there might be future Ring candidates among those who pass—not that there would be, correct?"
Tarn could only nod helplessly.
Latina smiled slyly.
"Besides, this Prince Linen willingly reduced himself to a mere pawn just to protect this girl Elena. Such a romantic story, and you want to ruin it? Are you allergic to romance?"
"Your meaning is…?" Sweat appeared on Tarn's brow. Latina's youthful rejuvenation had also brought her mood swings—one moment a sage master, the next a playful young woman—he struggled to keep up.
"Wouldn't it be amusing if Elena 'accidentally' learned the truth?" Latina's eyes sparkled mischievously behind her glasses. "A young prince sacrificing himself in secret for her sake—think of it as a little gift from me to His Highness. No need for him to thank me later~"