Chapter 53
Although they weren’t blood-related, Raijin firmly believed that his older brother was his half-brother. That’s how he had been taught, and that’s what everyone believed.
“Your Grace, a visitor has arrived. They mentioned you would recognize them as being from the Magic Tower.”
A servant approached and whispered in the Grand Duke’s ear while he was lost in thought.
“…”
Upon hearing these words, he searched through his memories, though he wasn’t quite sure where everything was stored in his mind. He had maintained dealings with several mages from the Magic Tower for many years.
It wasn’t unusual for mages to show up unannounced, given their eccentric nature and reclusive tendencies. Direct meetings weren’t frequent – sometimes they’d meet once a month, other times several months would pass without any contact.
“Very well. I’ll go now.”
He instructed the servant to bring a blanket, which he then draped over the dozing Raijin. He relayed his message to the prince through the servant, choosing not to disturb him as he excitedly rambled about trains without even looking this way.
“Tell him I must step away briefly for an urgent visitor, but I’ll return soon. He should take his time and make himself comfortable.”
“Yes, understood.”
“Also, bring a table and prepare some refreshments. So he won’t get bored…”
After these instructions, the Grand Duke returned to his office. The hidden room inside his office was structured so that those unfamiliar with the layout couldn’t easily access it. It was also connected to the back of the building, allowing him to receive visitors who didn’t enter through the main gate.
In the dimly lit room, darker than outside, sat an elderly mage wearing their distinctive robe, bearing a gentle smile. The kind-looking mage wore a black tie beneath his robe.
The color represented his affiliated Magic Tower’s attribute. The mage before him was the Master of the ‘Astar,’ one of the twelve Magic Towers of Silveron.
The Grand Duke sat across from the mage. Though this was his first time seeing this person, somewhere in his memories lay records of their previous dealings. While he only had memories like reading someone else’s writing rather than actual experiences, he was certain he had met this person several times before.
He opened his mouth, cursing his broken mind.
“It’s been a while.”
“Indeed it has, Your Grace. You’ve grown sharper since we last met. Have you lost weight?”
“Have I?”
The Grand Duke touched his jaw. Perhaps he had.
“What brings you here?”
“As always, I’ve come to report progress on your request. You did ask to be informed of any developments, no matter how small.”
“Ah Yes, and is there progress?”
“Of course. Ah, I understand your concern about the delay. With only one opportunity and no certainty of how long the subject will live, we can’t afford to be too leisurely. We’ve been working day and night.”
The mage reached into his robes and pulled out several items. One was a large paper with intricate drawings.
“…”
“Though still unstable, the magical formula is nearly complete. We’ve found a way to solve our biggest hurdle – the bloodline restriction.”
The Grand Duke examined the incomprehensible diagrams. At first glance, they appeared as neat as architectural blueprints, drawn with precision, but upon closer inspection, they contained rather horrific details.
“A way to solve it?”
“The bloodline restriction means the power only manifests in those carrying that blood. While the exact method is complex, to put it simply…”
The mage pointed to various parts of the diagram the Grand Duke held.
The illustration showed a person, eyes open, having their heart carved out after drinking some potion. Around them were people and complex magical patterns. On the right side were listed various materials, including one thousand pounds of Litrel.
“Once we extract the heart and apply magical treatment, you’ll need to keep it within your body, Your Grace.”
Ludwig recalled one particular memory – what he had commissioned from the Magic Tower long ago.
“Power succession…”
It was about extracting the sealed power from Raijin and transplanting it into himself.
“It’s almost complete, so it won’t take much longer.”
After staring at the drawings in silence for a while, the Grand Duke asked,
“How long?”
“Three months… no, two months should suffice.”
Two months. That was the time remaining until he would kill his brother.
***
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