Royal Capital Palace, Court Mage Tower.
Moya followed Aide’s leisurely steps as they ascended the spiral staircase of the mage tower, handing over the Fake Lord and Qigai Nühai to the court mage responsible for restoring bodies.
“Thank you for your assistance. You may both leave now.”
After stroking the crystal ball and confirming that it reacted with the same frequency to both Qigai Nühai and the Fake Lord, the court mage nodded to the two.
“I can take care of these victims. His Majesty wishes to meet with both of you to hear your debriefing report.”
At this, the court mage hesitated, glancing at Moya, who was staring blankly into space, lost in thought.
“Moreover, His Majesty is quite interested in Moya, who single-handedly captured the chief culprit.”
‘Interested in me?’
Moya, who had been idly bored, perked up, her feathered ears instantly perking upright.
‘Will there be a reward? Some money?’
“The chief culprit?”
However, on the other side, Aide frowned upon hearing the court mage’s phrasing of “chief culprit.”
“Haven’t I already emphasized that the Dream Circus was absolutely not the work of that Cloaked Figure?”
Although the Cloaked Figure had been captured by Moya, the Dream Circus had not dissipated because of that.
The people inside the circus were still diligently, forgetfully, and immersively engaged in their work within the Dream Circus, all still wearing that blissful expression, absorbed in their own one-man show, constantly working, spinning, and echoing within the Dream Circus.
“Your advice is quite constructive.”
Hearing Aide’s question, the court mage sighed helplessly.
“However, there is no doubt that the culprit behind the body-swapping incident is the Cloaked Figure, and it is an indisputable fact that the Cloaked Figure has been captured. To prevent his repeated failed escape attempts, the Royal Capital has already expended most of its energy reinforcing his confinement. As for the investigation into the Dream Circus, many people have grown impatient with it.”
“The uproar over the body-swapping incident has stirred the Royal Capital, yet the Dream Circus only appears in your debriefing report. In fact, the day after the culprit was caught, I personally entered the spiritual world and went to the place you mentioned, but saw nothing.”
“Personally, I remain neutral regarding your account, as many victims did mention the existence of the circus. But many officials in the Royal Capital do not think so; they just want to put an end to all this as quickly as possible. After all, just dealing with the aftermath of the body-swapping incident is already keeping them busy enough.”
Aide did not reply.
Indeed, the Royal Capital officials’ reasoning was sound.
Just handling the victims of this incident was already overtime work, and adding the investigation of the Dream Circus would only make the workload considerably heavier.
Moreover, the Dream Circus had no victims—
More precisely, no one trapped in the Dream Circus or their relatives had come to the Royal Palace to make a scene.
Better to avoid unnecessary trouble.
Aide could understand the Royal Capital officials’ thinking.
However, a man without foresight is bound to have immediate worries.
“I understand. I will go meet His Majesty now.”
Aide nodded, preparing to set off, and thinking about how to persuade the King to pay more attention to the whereabouts of the Dream Circus during the audience.
“Miss Moya, what about you?”
Leading Moya out of the mage tower, Aide looked back at her.
“Although His Majesty is rather interested in you, if you don’t want to meet him and just go home, I can make up an excuse for you before His Majesty.”
Since the third commission was over, Moya had no reason to follow him.
On the way, Aide had already keenly sensed that Moya beside him was constantly emitting a yearning to clock out early.
“I’m definitely going!”
However, Moya answered without a second thought.
“What if His Majesty takes a liking to me and rewards me with gold and estates? That would be a huge gain!”
Moya really did want to hurry home and sleep, but considering that staying a bit longer might give her a chance to receive a reward or curry favor, she didn’t mind enduring a little more.
Besides.
Moya glanced again at the court mage tower where the Fake Lord was, then continued following Aide’s steps.
“…That’s very like you.”
Leading Moya toward the palace’s main hall, Aide, who hadn’t noticed Moya’s small backward glance, made a casual remark before heading to the main hall.
The main hall of the Royal Capital Palace was magnificent and imposing.
Under the lofty dome were engraved portrait murals of successive kings.
Sunlight filtered through the colored glass of the dome, casting mottled light and shadow on the floor.
Moya curiously looked around the scene of the palace’s main hall, her feathered ears twitching slightly beneath her cloak.
It was her first time in the main hall of a country’s palace.
‘It feels about the same as the Holy Temple of the Pope—both are luxurious anyway.’
‘MD, doesn’t that mean that bitch of a Pope has wealth comparable to a monarch? And she still shamelessly cries poverty during angel meetings sometimes. Her schemes are as big as her damn chest.’
Passing by the resplendent pillars, priceless tapestries, and art pieces worth a fortune, Moya silently estimated how much they could sell for.
‘Every single item here seems enough to repay my debts to Aide several times over.’
‘Maybe I should try sneaking one away?’
‘If I succeed, I’d be financially free for life.’
“Pull yourself together, Miss Moya. Your eyes right now are like a thief sizing up their prey.”
Aide, leading Moya toward the throne at the end of the corridor, accurately caught Moya’s thoughts with his voice.
“Nonsense. First of all, you didn’t even turn around to look at me, and my eyes are clearly under the cloak—how could you possibly see my expression?”
Moya scoffed at Aide’s baseless claim and retorted defiantly.
“Just because the eyes can’t see doesn’t mean the mind’s eye can’t.”
Hearing Aide’s shameless reply without a hint of embarrassment, Moya rolled her eyes and didn’t bother to respond.
Passing through the corridor, they arrived before the throne and bowed to the King of the Royal Capital seated upon it.
“Hero Aide greets His Majesty.”
Aide performed a standard knight’s salute, smooth and natural.
Moya imitated him, but noticeably more perfunctorily.
“No need for formalities.”
The King chuckled in response.
His gradually aging middle-aged face already had a kind, grandfatherly aura as his eyes fell on the cloaked Moya, assessing her.
“So this is the angel miss who single-handedly captured that sorcerer?”
“Yes.”
Aide stepped aside, revealing Moya’s cloaked figure.
Coordinating with Aide’s movement, Moya removed her cloak, revealing her true angel form—
A petite figure, slightly trembling feathered ears, and an undisguised look of excitement.
‘Since I’ve cooperated this much, is there any money or other rewards coming?’
“Report!”
Just as Moya was expecting the King’s next words, a guard rushed into the main hall, out of breath.
“That fake Lord Sylph stole the crystal ball from the court mage and ran off!”
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