Failed To Abandon the Villain

“The fact that one can be a suspect and witness simultaneously is something new I’m learning today.”

“That-”

“What do you mean by that? She’s supposed to be protected under Duke Delphine, under my guardianship.”

Carlon Delphine interrupted the knight, who had opened his mouth, as he pulled and hid Valletta behind him.

Valletta blinked absent-mindedly at the shoulder of the man standing in front of her.

“Lady Valletta Delight is being suspected of being an accomplice of the Magic Tower’s Master, Reinhardt.”

“… Accomplice? She’s a victim.”

“There have been numerous citizen reports and eyewitness testimonies that Lady Valletta Delight was watching the building collapse from above with Reinhardt.”

Duke Leon, who was watching one step behind them, blocked the other side of Valletta’s view and settled in front of her.

Valletta’s expression as she hid behind the two men’s backs became strange.

“Who ordered it, Commander of the 2nd Knight Order?”

At Duke Leon’s words, the Commander of the 2nd Knight Order’s forehead furrowed.

“There was a citizen report to the guard. The report came to me and I just visited in a hurry.”

“Knight Commander, as I have said beforehand, a magic circle emerged from within the mansion and there was just a strange attack. The Magic Tower’s Master was simply visiting my mansion to see her.”

“Lady Valletta Delight is also suspected regarding the murder of Count Delight. Bringing her along is unavoidable.”

Valletta, who had been silently listening to the three of them, sighed deeply.

She can’t say for certain, but everything fits together so tightly . Someone external was putting all these pieces of the puzzle together, and there were too many people playing on the board.

“Saying that without notice, my guardianship…”

“Would you like to return to Sky Island in the meantime?”

Valletta shook her head at Ceylon’s voice as he bent down and whispered in her ear.

Doing that would only add confidence to the allegations.

“We plan to interrogate her in accordance with due process, understand the situation, then release her if it is determined that she is not guilty.”

She wasn’t sure when that would be. She would probably be nicely imprisoned in the Imperial Palace up until the Emperor wants her to be freed.

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Considering the probability that the Emperor would release her, liberation was just wishful thinking.

“What if I say no to this right now?”

“I apologize, but criminals can be arrested on the spot, so we have no choice but to forcibly enforce it.”

He said it like that, but he doesn’t sound sorry at all.

Even if the Emperor was hit, they were properly hit. The Emperor was a much more formidable figure than she thought. He has everything. Authority, honor, money, numerous talents and their loyalty.

‘It feels like the whole Empire is an enemy.’

Valletta looked around carefully. Gillain, who was among the knights, was looking at her with a smile.

Ceylon lightly grabbed her waist and pulled her back.

“Ah…”

“Valletta-nim, it seems dangerous. Let’s go back first.”

Valletta’s brows furrowed.

She slightly turned her head and looked up at Ceylon’s stiff face. Just as she was about to nod her head, wondering if there was anything she could do, Gillian appeared next to the Commander of the 2nd Knight Order.

“That would be troublesome.”

“President of the Association, Gillian.”

“Valletta-nim belongs to the Magic Tower. If you have something to say, it would be good to formally send the documents to the Magic Tower.”

“…”

At Ceylon’s words, Valletta’s eyes widened slightly and then narrowed.

Out of all the things he could have said, she wondered if that was the only thing he could think of. Perhaps there were no other particular words he could use to express what he wanted to say.

The Magic Tower in the Sky Island was a place where only magicians or children of magicians were allowed to reside, but Valletta was a human born into a normal aristocratic family.

‘So I’m an object that belongs to the Magic Tower.’

It seemed like a new label was now attached to her, and it felt weird.

“If she committed a crime here, it is only right that she gets arrested.”

“She has no magical power at all.”

“If the Magic Tower’s Master, who is infatuated with her, has done such a terrible thing under her order then she is also a criminal. An accomplice is also an offender.”

She was completely being treated like a criminal. No matter how much she thought about it, if she were to enter the Imperial Palace like this, she would never be able to leave.

Her eyes turned sluggishly.

‘If this goes on, the plan to open a pharmacy would just be nominal…’

If rumors like this were to spread, the commoners will not act as her shield. As expected, she should have acted a little more and showed a sad expression.

Ceylon stretched out his arm and pulled a magic staff out of the air.

“I don’t recommend that option.”

Gillian opened his mouth with a relaxed expression. Priests and spirit users appeared around him.

Ceylon, who was closely attached toValletta’s back, slightly frowned.

Wasn’t the priest’s, spirit user’s, and magician’s compatibility opposites?

She sluggishly turned her eyes again. Behind Gillian and the Knights, the people were busily moving around.

“There’s not enough hands here! I need someone with empty hands…!”

“There’s no one who’s not doing anything!”

“Everyone is critical… we need support!”

Valletta’s eyes sluggishly turned. She could use the accumulated shredded trust.

She lightly licked her lips and tapped Ceylon’s arm.

Ceylon’s gaze fell on her.

“Let me go for a moment.”

Even while looking puzzled at Valletta’s words, Ceylon gently released her arm.

She rummaged through her bag and pulled out two potions. Then she grabbed the potion’s bottle by the neck and lightly shook it.

“Can you make a bottle like this?”

“No, ‘creation’ magic is impossible unless it’s the Magic Tower’s Master.”

“Is that so?”

He’s more incredible than she thought. She thought it was something simple since he easily made a table and food out of nothing.

She didn’t know that it was something only the Magic Tower’s Master could do.

“Then, is it possible to gather pieces of glass from that building?”

“Yes.”

“Then please do so. I have something I need to do.”

Out of nowhere, Valletta seemed to have begun hitting the ground with her feet , and she started to scan the ground.

Then, holding a stone with a pointed edge in her hand, she began to draw a large circle on the ground.

She knelt on the ground and drew for a while. Carlon Delphine’s eyes widened as he watched.

‘… Alchemy circle?’

It has been a long time since he had seen such a large alchemy circle. After all, it wasn’t easy to see such an alchemy circle when he’s someone who was doing something in secret here and there.

“What are you doing right now? If you do anything suspicious, I will arrest you. Do not forget that you are under suspicion right now.”

“Ah. Let her be, Knight Commander.”

“… Association President, Gillian-nim.”

“That’s an alchemy circle. A circle used by alchemists. You can think of it similar to a magic circle. Judging from the drawing, there’s no intention to attack.”

Gillian responded without taking his eyes off of her tiny back. It was the first time he was seeing such a tiny back and such an alchemy circle.

In other words, it was an alchemy circle that she independently developed.

‘Looking at the circle’s form, is it a transformation?’

Ceylon floated something into the air and it lightly flew towards her, then landed.

“Are these enough?”

“Ah, yep. Would you mind putting them inside this circle?”

“Yes.”

Ceylon moved his magic staff and raised the pieces of glass he had brought over towards the alchemy circle.

Ceylon took a couple of steps back and watched what she was doing. She placed one of her palms on the alchemy circle and slowly opened her mouth.

“Produce.”

Hwaak-

Suddenly, the alchemy circle began to take on a deep purple color. Then, the alchemy circle that had been shining brightly enough to blind their eyes, slowly lost its light.

Ceylon’s eyes opened wide after tightly closing them. The used circle was gone, and dozens of potion bottles were lying on the floor in place of the glass pieces. She lined them up in a few rows.

“I need some water.” She said without looking back.

Realizing the fact that she was used to ordering people, Ceylon moved his magic staff.

A bucket of water was placed in front of her. Valletta divided the water equally into the potion bottles. Then, she drew another circle on the ground and moved the half-filled water potion bottles.

She put her palm on top of the alchemy circle she drew, and opened her mouth.

“Transform.”

The light blinded their eyes again. Now, the eyes of the people nearby were also on her.

Ceylon’s expression wasn’t good. He couldn’t understand what Valletta was thinking by making a move like this.

‘There’s nothing good about attracting people’s attention like this.’

Gillian’s eyes were already gleaming with greed. He doesn’t know what it is, but there is absolutely something he wants from her.

***