MCPTD 14

Chapter – 14

The Imperial Palace really is different. There are so many high-level stabilizing mages here.

Inside the Imperial Palace Stability Verification Room, resonance tests were in full swing. They had announced a large-scale special recruitment, but the actual scale far exceeded imagination.

I had been directly assigned to the Imperial Knights’ Ability Stabilization Unit thanks to special recommendation, but most others still hadn’t been assigned anywhere yet.

Unlike someone like me who got in through connections, ordinary stabilizing mages had to pass two stages to enter the palace.

First, they had to pass a rank evaluation divided into upper, middle, and lower grades. After that, they had to individually test their resonance rate with palace ability users.

If they found a knight with a high resonance rate, they would become their exclusive stabilizer. If not, they would be pushed into external support roles and assigned to less desirable positions like the infirmary.

But I don’t need to resonate with a bunch of people.

All I needed was to succeed in the resonance test with Sir Rend, the man I saved from rampaging.

I would score a high number, become his exclusive stabilizer, gather rumors about Aldehyde within the knights, and observe him from neither too close nor too far away.

Perfect plan.

I sat on a waiting sofa in the verification room.

Beyond the glass window, I could see palace knights and stabilizing mages conducting one-on-one tests.

Their bright, cheerful expressions showed their expectations of finding someone with high resonance and forming a bond that would bring them peace.

It’s standard for palace knights and stabilizing mages to test resonance with each other once.

Unless they already became someone’s exclusive partner beforehand.

I swung my legs lightly while watching the room.

People were testing their resonance rates.

[Resonance rate 0% → 10% → 20%…]

As the number gradually rose on the magic device display, the knights’ attention focused on it.

“Final result is 30%.”

30%.

An ambiguous number for imprinting, but enough to suppress a rampage.

That’s about average.

After that, many more people finished their tests.

Before long, my name was finally called.

“Lirier Simon.”

“…Yes.”

“Let’s begin the resonance test.”

As I opened the glass door and entered, the sharp scent of disinfectant stung my nose.

White interior, disinfectant smell… feels like a sterile lab.

A woman who looked like a doctor fastened a magic device band around my wrist.

“Hello, Miss Lirier Simon. I’m the head of the Stability Verification Room.”

“Hello.”

“In the Imperial Palace, resonance is measured through fingertip contact. The device on your wrist will display the resonance value.”

It started normally.

I smiled warmly at the person standing across from me.

It was Sir Rend, whom I had met earlier in the garden.

“My lifesaver, Miss Lirier Simon! We meet again!”

“Haha, yes. Shall we begin the test then?”

After the brief exchange, I raised my hand.

A faint stabilizing spell flowed from my fingertips.

A wave spread, and the magic device glowed faintly.

Just as our fingertips were about to touch—

BOOM! CRASH!

A loud explosion interrupted the test.

Everyone turned toward the noisy entrance.

“What was that?”

“I wonder…”

Heavy footsteps approached.

It was Aldehyde.

What? Why is he here… suddenly?

While everyone looked confused, he walked straight toward me.

Ten minutes earlier

“So today is Lirier Simon’s first day, right?”

Aldehyde frowned as he looked at the Emperor.

The supposedly sick Emperor was lying in bed with a cold cloth on his forehead.

“Yes. You pay attention to strange things. Weren’t you sick? Why call me into your bedroom?”

“Ahem! I feel completely recovered now! Something very good happened!”

What now? Is this old man scheming again?

“Hey old man. You called me here for that? Just say what you want.”

The Emperor suddenly sat upright. The wet cloth fell from his forehead onto the bed.

“Duke, I have long wished for a stabilizing mage who could suppress your rampages.”

“I know. But get real. There aren’t any top-tier ones.”

“But you personally recruited a stabilizing mage this time, didn’t you?”

“So what.”

“I thought perhaps… maybe you recruited her because your resonance matched?”

“No. Wrong idea.”

“Lirier Simon… this mage might be the savior who can stop your rampages! That’s what I thought but…”

Aldehyde looked at the despairing Emperor with disgust.

“You’re really exaggerating. If you’ve got nothing else, I’m leaving.”

He ignored the Emperor and moved toward the door.

Then the Emperor suddenly shouted:

“Of course I have more to say!”

“What.”

“You should take a resonance test too! There are so many stabilizing mages here, why don’t you ever test?!”

“Too bothersome. Not doing it.”

“Sigh… Today is the resonance testing day. I had hoped maybe this time… but I guess not…”

Seeing the Emperor’s disappointed face, Aldehyde suddenly remembered Lirier’s face.

Then the Emperor added:

“Come to think of it, Lirier Simon and Sir Rend will be testing today too!”

That woman… with Rend?

Resonance tests involve holding hands.

“…What? Who’s holding hands with who?”

Aldehyde frowned.

Why? Why does this feel so unpleasant? Why is my heart beating like I have arrhythmia?

This was extremely suspicious.

Was it because she might be his sister?

But he had met many possible sister candidates before — the so-called gray-robed ones — and never felt this way.

“Holding hands is a sacred conta—”

“Sacred? That’s annoying.”

Aldehyde growled.

“Where are they doing that test?”

“Oh! Ohhh!”

The Emperor’s eyes sparkled.

“It should be in the Stability Verification Room! Will you finally test this time? What do you think?”

Aldehyde had already left.

His body seemed to move faster than his thoughts.

And so, the resonance test between Sir Rend and Lirier Simon was stopped.

Instead, the resonance test between Aldehyde and Lirier began.

“I’ll do it too.”

“Pardon?”

“I said I’ll do the resonance test too.”

Lirier had no idea what was going on.

Aldehyde had whispered something to Sir Rend with a smiling face. Then everyone except the stability director quickly left the room.

Lirier thought:

My disguise artifact is working properly, right? I haven’t been marked suspicious, right?

Moreover, this wasn’t a simple test.

“I’m sorry, but we must move the test location to the Sealing Chamber. Lord Aldehyde’s power is so great that he might rampage otherwise.”

As they walked into the underground sealing chamber, Lirier grew uneasy.

I never planned to test with Aldehyde.

What if he wanted to test because he suspected her identity?

Soon, magic devices were fastened tightly around both their wrists.

Lirier looked at Aldehyde.

A staff member instructed:

“Just lightly touch fingertips.”

Aldehyde slowly closed and opened his eyes.

Then he murmured:

“Your hand.”

Lirier carefully extended hers.

Their fingertips slowly touched.

Like a bird lightly pecking with its beak, it was only a brief contact.

Aldehyde bit his lip anxiously.

Heat rose to his face. His ears turned red instantly. A strange suffocating sensation kept rising inside him.

But among all the resonance tests he had ever taken, this was the only contact that did not feel disgusting.

At that moment, the corner of Aldehyde’s lips lifted.

Not satisfied with just touching fingertips, his large hand slowly wrapped around Lirier’s hand.