/
“I shall return.”
Nabel kissed her cheek once again.
The onlookers widened their eyes, leaving it to Nisha to handle.
Indeed, as Nisha exchanged greetings with the two, she gestured to the people standing behind her.
“Either pretend you haven’t seen me or let your throat be cut!”
His desperate expression spoke volumes.
“

”
Using the excuse of etiquette, Lorna, who had received countless more kisses on his cheek from Nabel, concealed himself within the tower.
After Nisha entered the tower, Nabel never took his eyes off it.
The once brilliantly shining sorcerer’s tower was now engulfed in darkness.
As the master of the divine ascended the tower, each floor would gradually regain its original radiance.
“To think that the master of the divine being has arrived
.”
“Isn’t it the blessing of Iber?”
The sorcerers were still unable to move beyond the awe of actually seeing the divine being. They eagerly anticipated the sight of the tower being illuminated up to the 9th floor.
“

”
Nabel’s gaze shifted toward the newly brightened second floor.
Whether it was the speed of ascension or the fact that the third floor was soon to be illuminated as well, it was visible.
Once the master reaches the 9th floor, that mist-like thing will dissipate.
But I doubt his expression will be visible.
Undoubtedly, he will be terrified.
That’s why he intended to remain here until Lorna came down. He knew that even from that pitch-black height, his crimson cloak would be clearly visible.
It was shortly after the lights on the fifth floor were turned on.
“

?”
Nabel heard a strange sound from the direction of the tower.
A foreboding sensation, borne from long experience on the battlefield, stirred within him.
“Nisha.”
Without turning his gaze away from the tower, he called out to her.
Nisha, who had been vigilant of her surroundings, was also staring blankly at the tower.
“

Yes, Your Majesty.”
“In the tower.”
He intended to ask if she had heard any sound from the tower.
However, in the next moment, Nabel was rendered speechless.
[Whooosh!]
A massive flame erupted from the fifth floor of the tower.
Along with fiery sparks that resembled an explosion.
***
A resounding boom echoed in the distance, as if something had exploded.
Lorna tightly shut her eyes and shielded her face with her arms. Despite that, the world before her turned blindingly white before returning to its normal state.
“
!”
Her scream was drowned out by the sound of the explosion.
Lorna clenched her eyes shut and grabbed hold of Bell’s body. In an instant, their bodies tilted sharply to one side. It was a mere hair’s breadth that saved Bell from the explosion, allowing him to move out of harm’s way.
“Good heavens.”
Lorna uttered the words absentmindedly, her mouth agape. The staircase where she and Bell had been standing crumbled and collapsed.
It was a sight Lorna had witnessed before, in the annex of theRida Mansion, constructed entirely of wood.
“Ka-wang!”
When Lady Rida hurled a fireball, causing a section of the annex corridor to be blown away.
Lorna closed her eyes.
Sizzle!
The subsequent blaze ignited. The path of escape had long been blocked.
“You only need to ascend up to the 9th floor.”
That’s what the sorcerers had said. Lorna looked upward. They had only reached the 5th floor so far.
“While it’s unlikely to happen, if you exit midway, you will fail the test.”
Those who had impersonated the owner of the sacred vessel said that some of them lacked the courage to jump from the 9th floor and ended up returning.
That’s why giving up halfway was considered a failure.
“
I was assured nothing would go wrong.”
Lorna clenched her fist tightly. Something was amiss.
“I will be watching over you.”
Of all times, Nabel was nowhere to be seen. If there had been any mention of explosions in the Tower’s test, Nabel would have undoubtedly informed her.
The sorcerers were no different. They all said to simply ascend to the 9th floor, pierce through the maelstrom, and jump to safety.
“I know it’s terrifying, but
”
Lorna pondered Nabel’s countenance, her thoughts drifting into the depths of darkness.
To leap from such a perilously lofty place was not only fearsome but also terrifying.
However, she knew he would wait for her.
And above all else, Belle would protect her.
Lorna was well aware.
Ever since those days of her youth when she was oblivious to Belle’s existence, he had watched over her.
In her childhood, during moments spent gazing outward with Nabel and Lin, when her foot slipped on the railing, it was the same.
Belle’s gentle gust had embraced her, lifting her up and setting her safely back onto the corridor.
And now, he would do the same.
“Let us ascend, for now.”
Lorna made up her mind.
[Creak]
A foreboding sound emanated from the heart of the tower.
The path downward was already blocked. They had to climb upward as swiftly as possible. The fire was spreading from above.
Time was of the essence.
***
“Extinguish the flames!”
Nisha shouted with urgency.
Whether they were sorcerers from the East or sorcerers from the West, chaos ensued on both continents.
“
Your Grace,”
Nabel clenched his teeth, feeling a sudden blinding whiteness in his mind.
Somehow, he had to find a way to rescue His Grace, no matter what.
Unbeknownst to him, he found himself moving toward the tower.
“Your Majesty!”
Nisha and the other knights grabbed hold of him.
“It’s dangerous for you to get any closer!”
The debris from the building that had already exploded scattered at his feet.
The charred fragments were unrecognizable, a mystery of their original form.
Lorna was in the very place where the explosion had occurred.
“Your Grace!”
Nabel unconsciously kept moving toward the tower.
His steps quickened, and he began to sprint forward.
The knights struggled to hold him back.
“You mustn’t get any closer!”
Although they held his noble body, they couldn’t deny that they were defying His Grace’s will. Even if his life were to be taken, they had no words to offer.
But that was their duty as knights. The tower appeared perilous to anyone’s eyes.
The raging fire could be seen filling the windows.
“Hurry up and unleash the magic!”
Nisha shouted. The water-based magic was already prepared as soon as the explosion occurred. The problem lay elsewhere.
“We cannot unleash magic from here. The tower is already tilting, and if we’re not careful, the impact of the magic might bring the tower crashing down.”
Then, what about His Grace on the upper floor?
Nabel clenched his teeth.
He had always thought that being the master of a deity was unnecessary.
It didn’t matter in what capacity or appearance she stood by his side.
He only wished for her to be by his side.
To be by his side, bringing him happiness.
And for that, he had relentlessly endured for ten years. Yet

“
”
I had to rescue her. If evolving by shooting water from the outside was impossible, there was only one way.
It was time for him to give the order.
“The 6th floor is lit, Your Highness!”
Nisha screamed in a voice resembling a scream.
“What?”
Nabel quickly turned to look at the tower.
Nisha’s words were true.
An additional floor was illuminated, adding to the already lit tower up to the 5th floor.
“
Impossible.”
Would she really go up there and jump off?
That’s when it happened.
“The 7th floor is also lit!”
Nabel clenched his fist. It meant she was rapidly ascending.
He couldn’t take his eyes off the tower.
There was no need for you to risk yourself, why?