I Possessed the Villain’s Childhood Friend – Chapter 39

“I have sent Miss Sophia to the Magic Tower as you requested.”

“Well, it was unexpected that Aike and Reina would accompany her, but it shouldn’t matter, right?”

Leon sipped his tea while listening to Ender’s story.

Typically, it would be impossible for Leon to speak on equal footing with Ender.

No matter how much of a Crown Prince he was, this was Arcana.

In this place, the position of student and headmaster took precedence over that of the Crown Prince and a lord of a territory.

However, Leon’s request to Ender was not a personal favor.

As the Crown Prince of Astria, it was a command made in an official context.

Of course, Raynen was a territory, so on the surface, the word “request” was used.

“Your Highness, can you now explain your intentions to me?”

Honestly, for Ender, Leon’s request was nothing short of a bolt from the blue.

It was certainly possible to belong to both Arcana and the Magic Tower or the Knight Order simultaneously.

But the issue was that Arcana was akin to a ‘public education’ to which all nobles belonged at least once.

Unless one committed a truly severe crime, expulsion was nearly impossible.

Even if grades dropped due to attendance or test scores, it would ultimately stop at failing a year.

In simple terms, even if one ditched Arcana’s classes to go to the Magic Tower, there was no way to stop them.

Rather, it would have been fine if it were the Knight Order.

After all, they were a collective meant to become the Empire’s sword and shield.

But the Magic Tower was solely a group dedicated to discovering the truths of miracles.

The Empire’s advancement was merely a byproduct.

Of course, since the owner of the Magic Tower was connected to Ender and Charlotte, such occurrences had nearly disappeared, but the elders of the Tower still wouldn’t miss the chance to snatch talents from Arcana if given the opportunity.

In such a situation, to command sending Sophia to the Magic Tower—

For Ender, it was nothing short of a dizzying thought.

“Of course, as long as Shar is there, I have little to worry about. But if those old folks notice her and try to woo her, what will happen then?”

Honestly, if Sophia had gone to the Magic Tower alone, Ender wouldn’t have worried this much.

It wasn’t that her talent was lacking; it was just that Sophia’s talent wasn’t immediately apparent.

Even Charlotte, the current owner of the Magic Tower, had been hesitant to take her on at first.

But with Aike and Reina together, the story changed.

Aike had an abnormally wide magical core, as Charlotte had mentioned.

And Reina’s aptitude for Attribute Magic was simply on another level.

Yet, he couldn’t think of saying these two couldn’t take her along, leading to one of the worst-case scenarios Ender couldn’t even imagine.

“I want to know why, regardless of any conditions Shar offers, Sophia must be sent to the Magic Tower.”

“Hmm.”

Leon slowly set down his teacup.

His red eyes stared at Ender without a word.

Even knowing the person before him was significantly younger, Ender felt a sense of tension.

“Honestly, I can’t give you a definite answer.”

“I don’t have complete confidence in my judgment,” said the Crown Prince.

“Well, during the ambush at Arcana last time, I was embarrassed to say I fainted.”

“I don’t think that’s something to be ashamed of.”

“Maybe not, but anyway, when I woke up during the incident, do you know what I saw?”

“That’s new information to me.”

Leon began tapping the table quietly with his fingers.

“It was the Basic Light Attribute Magic that Miss Sophia had used—Bless.”

Unconsciously, Ender swallowed.

He knew that Sophia had exceptional talent regarding Light Attribute Magic.

But he had never seen her directly use it.

The first time he met Sophia, she hadn’t even known the basics of Attribute Magic.

If it hadn’t been for the magical aptitude test done at 17, her talent might have remained buried forever.

Then what about the magic she demonstrated with that talent?

It was completely natural for Ender’s curiosity to be piqued.

“…Her talent is sure to earn her the title of ‘White’ from the Martires Central Church.”

Ender was at a loss for words at Leon’s assertion.

If the symbol of the Astria Empire was gold, then the color representing the God Eos at Martires was white.

Due to the nature of the clergy, Light Attribute Magic was deemed essential, and those who stood out in Light Attribute Magic were given the title of ‘White’ by the Central Church.

This was also a designation that came with an absolute evaluation, making the title of ‘White’ relatively rare.

In fact, the current position of ‘White’ had been vacant for 14 years.

“If that’s the case, Sophia should have been sent to the Central Church rather than the Magic Tower…”

The Magic Tower also handled Light Attribute Magic, but calling them experts would be a stretch.

Simply put, if one wanted to nurture that talent, the Central Church was more appropriate than the Magic Tower.

Ender thought so.

“Headmaster, who was the last ‘White’?”

“Oh.”

But with Leon’s question, he suddenly realized.

A woman who was appointed as ‘White’ and simultaneously chosen by the God Eos.

Saintess Selene.

And the only apprentice she had was Charlotte Izolde.

“I’m not slandering, but Arcana won’t be able to let Miss Sophia bloom completely. Unless they’re a genius like Shar, they won’t fully understand her talent.”

Leon thought that even Charlotte might fall short, yet he refrained from voicing that thought.

“Your Highness, but that seems to be a different matter from sending Miss Sophia to the Magic Tower.”

Ender’s words certainly held some truth.

That it would be Charlotte who could bring forth Sophia’s talent and that sending her to the Magic Tower were, in fact, separate issues.

Leon quietly let out a sigh.

“The assailant who ambushed Arcana will likely appear before us again.”

Ender frowned.

Already, several knights were chasing behind him.

Though searching was proving to be difficult, Ender had no intention of letting the assailant slip away.

In such a situation, to say that he would come to Arcana again was—

“It likely won’t be immediate. It’ll be a while. But when that time comes, we will surely all perish.”

But Leon’s gaze showed no trace of doubt in his words.

Leon already understood the level of difference between the assailant and them.

Aike had only been able to hold his ground because he had business with Aike.

And if Rein Meig’s reinforcements had arrived even a little later, everyone present would have died.

He understood it all.

“The most crucial key to this will be Miss Sophia. If she does not grow, we’ll all either die, or if we’re lucky, Sophia will definitely die.”

“What makes you say that, Your Highness?”

“I told you earlier, didn’t I? I can’t give a clear answer. It’s all intuition.”

Ender didn’t know how to respond.

Had he really needed to send those kids, brimming with potential, to the Magic Tower, rife with monsters, based solely on his intuition?

Yet, contradiction was impossible.

Ender had lived long enough and learned from his many experiences.

The fact that true geniuses’ intuitions were sometimes equivalent to glimpsing the future.

“By the way, are you alright?”

As Leon was about to leave the room after finishing their discussion, Ender stopped him.

“What do you mean?”

“If the rumor spreads that Aike and Reina have gone to the Magic Tower together, there will undoubtedly be quite a few discussions.”

It was quite the speculation that the two, who had separated for various reasons in the past, were now acting together in Arcana.

Of course, even if they had no intentions, it would be enough to create ripples within the social circles.

For Leon, who needed to be wary of faction dynamics, if tales of the two’s scandal started to circulate—

It was easy to surmise the significant impact that could have.

“Well, won’t it be fine?”

Yet Leon smiled nonchalantly as if he didn’t care at all.

“I know that they’re not in a position to have those kinds of feelings right now, and it fits perfectly into the picture I have in mind.”

With those words, Leon turned his back on Ender and exited the room.

“…Right now? The picture you have in mind?”

No one could interpret the significant implication in Leon’s words.