Chapter 132: The Guardian of the Black Tower?

Although he listened to my words with a false smile, his expression changed in an instant and his face stiffened into a stern face.

"Princess, I believe it may be impertinent of me to ask, but..."

He then lowered his voice to a grim whisper, as if he was revealing a secret.

"Do you believe in the natural order of the universe?"

TL/n: When he's asking about the natural order of the universe, they're referring to Tao or Dao.

"...?"

I doubted my ears for a brief moment. Like fish springing out of water, a swarm of question marks whirled around my head.

I looked to Felix to see if I had misheard, but he too had an absurd look on his face. Then, that meant my hearing was working properly.

"..."

So, who exactly is this person? A preacher...? Is he a preacher?

"Is this some kind of a joke?"

"Oh my, did it come off as a joke?"

I felt awkward. The attendants around seemed convinced that this was something to be expected from a 'geek wizard,' but I was dubious of this guy and did not feel comfortable with them being honored.

To be honest, I was concerned about how much resistance I would be able to muster against this man known as the guardian of the Black Tower.

So, I'd rather ignore it than deal with it. As the notion passed my mind, a smile came on my face.

"Oh no, I was on my way to see my father but it appears I've been significantly delayed. The wizard should take a look before the sun goes down. If you'll excuse me."

I don't believe it, and I'm not going to buy it! So don't keep me here any longer!

TL/n: Internal screaming, I guess. She's saying she won't buy it, which is another meaning for not believing it.

"Then, do you believe in reincarnation?"

At the very moment I passed him, my fingertips involuntarily twitched at the whisper that swept into my ear like the wind.

But I led Felix and the other attendants past the man without exhibiting any reaction.

What? Just who is he? Why is he asking me that? What I had just heard made me feel uneasy.

I wanted to ask him what he meant but I was hesitant to approach him again. I was reluctant to confront the man who claimed to be the guardian of the Black Tower.

Dark green hair, and eyes black to the pupils. A strange countenance that bears no resemblance to anyone I know. But why? Why was it that when I first saw him, I thought he looked like Lucas...?

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"I had forgotten too."

Daddy also seemed to think his appearance was unexpected.

"It wasn't until I saw his face today that I thought, 'There was a guy like that.'"

"There was something off about him."

"Indeed. The atmosphere around him was quite different from what it was a few years ago. Even so, he's still a clown pretending to be real."

It's true that he's a fraud, as expected. Maybe I put too much faith in Daddy, but if Daddy says he's a fake, then he's a fake.

But I felt queasy every time I remembered the man I met on my way to see Daddy.

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"Did you know that the guardian of the Black Tower has appeared again?"

At times like this, Lucas was the one I felt most comfortable confiding in. I mentioned the guardian of the Black Tower to Lucas, who had returned to my room that night.

"Okay?"

But contrary to my expectations that he would show interest, Lucas only had a sullen response to the topic. All I could think of was, 'Huh?'

"You're not interested?"

"They're a fraud anyway, y'know."

"Oh, how do you know they're a fraud?"

I was a little surprised and asked Lucas. I know they're a fraud because Daddy told me so, but how does he know?

Everyone else in the Imperial Palace seemed to believe that he was the guardian of the Black Tower.

The Emerald Palace's attendants were also talking about it all day today. But Lucas chuckled at me, a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"Didn't you read those history books? Don't you know that those who get caught cheating and calling themselves wizards of the Black Tower are killed?"

I was stunned after hearing him. Oh, a history book. What else can I say?

"No, but this time he might be real. What makes you so sure that they'll be a fraud again?"

"What would you do if I told you?"

But why is Lucas suddenly talking to me like that?

"Hm? 'What would you do'?"

At first, I was speechless. However, as I glanced at his wry smile, I began to lose my words in a different sense than before.

For example, in my memories, the adult form of Lucas that I had previously seen in the dark overlapped...

"Do, what do you mean 'what would I do?' Nevermind. I wasn't that curious either."

I huffed and leaned my upper body back to distance myself from Lucas. He also started speaking casually, as if he didn't mean anything by it.

"So you met the fake guy in person?"

That's right. He was a very good preacher!

"He asked me if I believed in the natural order of the universe."

"Pfft!"

Yeah, isn't it funny? It's ridiculous, right? I understand. That's exactly how I felt!

But it was the words the man uttered later that stayed on my mind.

"And he asked if I believe in reincarnation."

"Wha- reincarnation?"

Lucas narrowed his eyes at my words.

"Isn't it crazy? He was a really strange person."

"Yeah. Very strange."

But for some reason, Lucas seemed to be lost in thought about something for a moment. While I was looking at Lucas' face, I decided not to mention that when I first saw the fake wizard, I mistook him for Lucas.

"I'm leaving."

"Oh, you're leaving so early..."

Swoosh.

Hey! I didn't even say goodbye! You did this in the carriage before too! I was alone in my room yet again, grumbling at Lucas.

And at one point, I suddenly got angry. Now that I think about it, how many times have I been kicking around the blanket because of him?

TL/c: Flailing, angrily, and taking it out on the blankets. ^u^'

Argh, it's making me even angrier just thinking about it! Don't come to my room next time!

Bang bam!

TL/n: The destructive sounds of Athanasia swinging her pillow around.

"Oh, right. You..."

"Ack!"

Oh gosh!

I grabbed my pillow and started swinging madly in the air where he had left when I was startled by his reappearance.

Lucas, who returned to the exact spot where he had disappeared, was hit on the arm by the pillow I had swung.

"Are you doing workouts in the moonlight night now?"

I was on the verge of falling, but Lucas caught me as I staggered, saving me from an embarrassing situation.

This is still embarrassing, though! I can't believe I was caught performing a solo act! Why do you have to call it out like that when you could just pretend you didn't see it? I replied to Lucas as if arguing with him would make my embarrassment go away.

"Wait, but why! Why did you suddenly come back?"

Then, Lucas let go of the hand that had been holding me up and chuckled as if it was funny.

"Oh, I was going to warn you about that fake if you see him again, but I guess I don't have to. Isn't it obvious that the Princess' fighting prowess is no joke?"

Ew, ugh! My dark memories are gradually accumulating this year too...

"Then, I'll be on my way, so keep up the hard work."

"Get out now!"

I hurled my pillow at the person in front of me. But Lucas held a mischievous grin on his face as he disappeared before the pillow could even make contact with him.

Hey, you could at least take one hit! I was left alone in the room again, with no choice but to swing the pillow even more violently than before.

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"Greetings, Princess. I have heard tales of the formula from the wizards."

On a bright and sunny day, I was surprised to see the old man, who appeared like a ghost, from the Black Tower.

"It was indeed a remarkable formula."

Oh my, that's an amazing face isn't it? You look like an office worker who has been slaving away with overtime for the past week. Is it true that you labor all day and night as a Black Tower wizard? Huh. Come to think of it, this is a lifetime contract, isn't it? Oh, I suddenly feel so sorry for Grandpa...

"How did you come up with that? Haa, I even got goosebumps."

Grandpa, who had been confined to his research for days, approached me with dark circles almost down to his chin.

"I'm flattered. The Wizard of the Black Tower will laugh at how crude it is."

"Nonsense. Not everyone has the aptitude for formulas, no matter how exceptional a magician is."

Despite his exhaustion, he still smiled and praised me. Ugh, I don't know what to do with myself...

"I believe that if I had just a strand of the Princess' hair, I could obtain better results in what I am now researching..."

Is that so? That's right. I almost fell for it!

I opened my mouth after a quick glance at Grandpa, the head of the tower.

"You aren't going to use it for something strange, are you?"

But at my words, Grandpa suddenly opened his eyes as if startled.

"Are you really going to give it to me?"

His voice became extremely cautious. It was surprising that I caught him for some reason when I was half-joking as usual.

"It's just a single strand."

I've been keeping an eye on you and believe you're someone I can trust. When he asked for my blood with a hazy face that looked like a drug addict, I was somewhat intimidated, but since then they have regained control of themselves.

Even though he appears young, it's a little distressing to see an elderly man working all night...

He also appears to deeply care for Obelia and Daddy, so he wouldn't do anything that would be detrimental to national interests, and he looks to be following wizard ethics fairly well.

"Ho, ho. Such brilliant hair!"

Oh, my goodness! Don't give that lip service! When I made my decision and plucked a strand of hair, Grandpa rushed over and placed it on a piece of cloth he had prepared, excitedly holding it in his quivering hands.

"Oh, you have my gratitude, Princess! I will go and continue my research!"

Yes, go ahead, before I regret giving you my hair...

"Oh, chief! You're finally here! There is something I would like to ask you in regards to my research..."

"Out of the way! Get out of my way! I must return to the lab! Announce that anyone who approaches me before I come out will be killed!"

"Wait, if you go now, then when will you come out again?!"

I shook my head as I watched Grandpa rush back with a vivacious smile on his face, as if he'd never been so energetic.

In the midst of it all, it was depressing to see him holding a piece of cloth with my single strand of hair as if he were cradling a newborn baby. Ehem, you must have wanted my hair for some time.

Oh, I was going to ask the Grandpa about the guardian of the Black Tower but I guess I missed my chance, didn't I?

"Ah, the Princess was here too. Let us go to the conference room together. The other wizards have assembled already."

Then shall I get information from the other wizards?

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Who Made Me a Princess - Recruitment:

๑‧˚‧₊♡₊꒷︶︶꒷꒦‧₊ଓ︶︶꒷꒦⊹๑‧˚₊꒷︶✦︶꒷꒦⊹୭

[3 Positions Open]

Korean Translator (っ◔◡◔)っ you 𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗮 𝗞𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀, so don't worry :). We will 𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗠𝗧𝗟, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁 𝘂𝗿 𝗧𝗟 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗽𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗠𝗧𝗟, you have to change the meaning into your own understanding. Please Dm @kanna#2133 or send a message to [email protected] if you are interested in applying as one.

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