SPMG Chapter 14

Clunk.

The carriage wheels must have hit some gravel again. I reached out to the window to steady my wobbling body.

‘Ugh, I feel like I’m gonna throw up.’

Ever since the sudden decision was made for me to head to the imperial palace, everything had been moving at lightning speed.

Word had already reached the palace that Licht, who had been asleep in the Magic Tower, had awakened. Along with that, news spread that a disciple of the Tower Master would accompany him due to his unstable mana control.

‘And that disciple… is me.’

Lady Meliz explained the situation at the palace to me. As expected, it was all about the Empress. Since I already knew most of the context from the novel, understanding everything wasn’t hard.

It was true that the imperial palace was full of troublesome matters, but Lady Meliz seemed to think that I’d be safer there than left in the tower, where I felt so uncertain.

I could understand that decision too. The culprit who had weakened the barrier on the top floor turned out to be a mage inside the tower.

‘He really was insanely crazy.’

They found the culprit easily from the traces of mana within the shattered barrier fragments.

It was none other than Benjamin, a mid-tier mage who had persistently harassed me. Edel.

‘The only problem was… the culprit had already died.’

I could imagine how it happened. Benjamin was a noble-born mage with an overwhelming desire for promotion. It had to be the Empress who instigated this.

The way he was disposed of immediately after the failed attempt on Licht’s life — that’s not something just anyone could do.

‘Ugh, my head already hurts.’

It’d probably be easier if I didn’t know anything. But unfortunately, I knew far too much. The Empress, who definitely wouldn’t leave me alone, was the most anxiety-inducing part of it all.

‘She doesn’t know what role I played in breaking the curse, so she probably won’t try to kill me right away. Probably?’

Trying to calm my anxiety, I looked at the prince seated across from me — Licht, now moving around just fine, the male lead himself.

Unlike me, who was thrown around by the carriage from the moment it started moving, he sat without the slightest shake. He even seemed comfortable enough to rest with his eyes closed.

‘He really does look like a painting even when he’s asleep.’

The curse was definitely broken. Even knowing that, I found myself staring at his face. Maybe it was a side effect of the job — professional habit.

I fiddled with the necklace around my neck. The communication orb I used before was turned into a mere pebble when the apostle attacked and Lady Meliz teleported me out.

This necklace was a new gift from Lady Meliz as she saw me off.

She had said she’d contact me if she discovered anything about the light affinity. I had to swallow down the words that had risen to my throat.

Like how finding the heroine, the Saintess Sephina — who possessed divine power capable of defeating the apostle — might solve all our problems. But I couldn’t dare say it out loud.

‘I can’t just blurt out prophecies with no context.’

Sigh.

It had been over an hour since we set off in the carriage. The unfamiliar scenery outside made me realize how far we’d gotten from the tower.

Since I’d possessed Edel, I’d never left the tower. Aside from a few hazy childhood memories, my entire life was confined within it. This was the first time I’d truly left. My heart started pounding again.

And alongside it, anxiety surged. My quiet plan to live peacefully in the tower, find a job, and gain independence was completely thrown off.

‘And the reason I’m leaving the tower for the first time… is to act as the prince’s human shield?’

Once I got to the palace, the process to become independent would only get more complicated. I’d probably need permission just to leave the palace.

‘Maybe I should just actively go looking for Sephina?’

If Sephina showed up now, a lot of problems could be solved. The apostle would be defeated, peace would return, and I could quietly retreat and start job hunting again.

‘When did she awaken as a Saintess in the story?’

I started recalling the scenes of Sephina’s introduction that I’d skimmed over before.

She was supposed to be working at the Merdemia Temple near the capital. Before that, she was abandoned and raised in an orphanage.

As I sifted through my memory of the novel, Licht’s voice suddenly cut in, sounding refreshed.

“Magician.”

A pleasant baritone voice. His blue eyes met mine. That alone was enough to make my heart skip.

“Yes, Your Highness,” I replied calmly, despite the internal chaos.

Ten years of corporate experience meant I could maintain a calm expression no matter what. Even if I was freaking out inside.

I used to speak to him casually while he was unconscious, but now that he was awake — and the most powerful figure in the empire, someone even Lady Meliz treated with respect — I naturally became much more formal.

“It’s about what I should call you.”

He glanced slightly away as he continued.

“What to call me?”

For a moment, I wondered if I should stop calling him ‘Your Highness.’

‘Didn’t the novel refer to him as that, though?’

Of course, eventually he was called Licht, but that was all internal monologue. No way would I dare call him by name out loud.

“I mean, I can’t keep calling you ‘Magician’ forever, can I?”

“Me?”

“Yes. I need to call you something else.”

…Seriously? Does our male lead not know how to prioritize? Is this really important right now?

‘I’m literally stressing over how I’m going to survive in the palace!’

I shrugged slightly and replied.

“Please call me whatever you’re comfortable with. ‘Magician’ or my name — either is fine.”

“Alright, I’ll do that.”

I had no idea why he needed to officially decide this, but Licht looked satisfied and leaned back, arms crossed, clearly at ease.

Licht closed his eyes again after being granted permission to use the magician’s name. It wasn’t because he was tired. If anything, his body overflowed with energy, as if the last two years of slumber had truly replenished him.

He thought of the shimmering silver hair he had just seen. And those soft violet eyes.

Edel’s expressions were rich, vivid, and full of life — just like the stories she told.

He could easily sense her anxiety about going to the palace. She had even said she didn’t want to go yesterday, during the discussion with Duke Meliz.

‘Maybe I was being selfish.’

But he hadn’t lied. If the curse was cast again, it would be far easier to counter it using light affinity rather than brute magical force.

Leaving someone like her in the tower with only the barrier to protect her was risky. The Empress and the apostle — they would notice quickly.

It was a frightening thought he didn’t want to entertain.

‘She’ll need time to adjust.’

Still, traveling together to the palace was without doubt the safest path — for both of them.

He recalled the prince’s palace — beautiful and serene. Since he rarely visited, the staff worked even harder to maintain it. Noble ladies often used the excuse of viewing the gardens just to stop by.

He wanted to show Edel each beautiful spot — places different from the Angracia forest.

More than anything… Edel loved him.

‘Isn’t it natural to want to be with the one you love?’

If he hadn’t heard her confession, he never would’ve known her feelings. That made him care for her even more.

The way she gave her all to care for him, never expecting anything in return… it touched him deeply.

He opened his eyes again to look at her. Edel was gazing blankly out the window. They were passing through a wide field. Perhaps something about the scenery pleased her — her expression had softened.

Licht smiled faintly. His sharp features relaxed slightly.

He already knew this, but Edel truly liked beautiful views. He mentally jotted it down again — something not to forget among all the gifts he’d give her.

“…Edel.”

Even whispering her name several times, it still felt unfamiliar. Licht forced himself to say it naturally.

“Ah, yes?”

Surprised by the sudden call, Edel turned and nodded quickly. Her tension every time he spoke wasn’t ideal, but that too would ease with time.

“For your safety, I won’t tell you about the light affinity right away.”

“Ah, yes.”

Her tone was… strange.

“If you need anything, let me know. You’ve already done more than enough for me.”

“Ah… yes.”

…Yep, still that weird tone.

Clearly, she wasn’t yet comfortable talking with him.

Licht considered saying more, but decided to hold off. There would be plenty of time to talk in the future.

Yes. There’s plenty of time. Repeating that to himself, Licht closed his eyes again.