Chapter 37 - The Truth (2)

[The goal is to convert and synthesize living beings as an energy source and use it as energy for an artificial sun.

Note: A rift occurred due to failure while creating the source of the sun.]

Like all the distorted and tangled situations being solved with a single puzzle piece, the moment I saw this report, I was able to solve at once the questions I hadn't been able to solve for a long time.

So this is why some key figures in the North tried to drive me out even though I brought warmth.

I could understand why key figures from the eldest son's side, like the knight commander, particularly targeted me and tried to drive me out.

From their perspective, whether I brought warmth or not, it was a problem that “would be solved soon, anyway”, so they probably judged it didn't matter much whether they drove me out or not.

And the reason they disliked me even more when I brought warmth was…

Once the artificial sun was completed soon, anyway, the key figures related to that side would be able to monopolize the credit for it.

But suddenly an outsider came in, took the credit they should have monopolized, and was passing it to Elisia, so it must have been extremely irritating.

...This is ridiculous.

I let out a hollow laugh, thinking I could understand why they were driving me out while talking about the second rift and such.

Moreover, the reason why they took the warmth for granted when it appeared and made no preparations in the North was probably because of this too.

I had thought that everything that had happened so far was just a situation mixed with the North's closed nature and political issues.

But realizing that it was actually due to the artificial sun project, I brushed up my hair.

Interesting.

As I was looking at this, Liana beside me peeked at the report and started laughing hollowly.

Thinking she might be having similar thoughts to mine, Liana told me the information she had figured out based on this.

"There's a high probability that Grand Duchess Elisia didn't know the artificial sun experiment was in progress."

"That's right. Otherwise, there would be no reason for her to cling to me so desperately."

Considering that only the key figures on the eldest son's side were particularly hostile to me,

It was highly likely that this project was known only to the family head, the eldest son, and their key figures.

Based on this, it seemed the head of the Wintreaven family had no intention of appointing Elisia as the family head, so he didn't share this information at all.

"In other words, it was Grand Duchess Elisia's meaningless struggle."

"...That's right."

At the word “meaningless”, a question arose in my mind.

It was the question of why the original protagonist, Dale, didn't know about such a serious and big problem.

As I was pondering this question,

Daisy, sitting on my shoulder, started yawning long and barking "myeong myeong".

Seeing this by chance, I was able to find the answer to my question.

In the original work, it's because Dale took the Sun Spirit.

Unlike me, the original protagonist Dale had a very good relationship with Elisia, so he used the Sun Spirit to restore warmth to the North and used it to raise Elisia to become the head of the North, so I thought the artificial sun plan might have been completely buried.

"Ha."

I realized the situation was turning out to be too interesting.

I was carefully putting the report into my chest while letting out another hollow laugh when Liana spoke to me with a somewhat complex expression, "...What are you going to do with this?"

It was a problem whether to announce it or not, so she seemed to want to hear my opinion and asked me a question.

After pondering for a moment at that question, I briefly said, "I think it's better to hold onto it as leverage rather than announcing it right away."

Because a problem that could cause such a massive ripple effect could bring more benefits by holding onto it rather than bursting it,

Rather than choosing to burst it right away, it would be the best choice to burst it at the right time in the appropriate situation.

Moreover, since the matter is so big to burst right away, if we burst it without any preparation, it would cause too many problems and there’s a high possibility that we won't be able to catch the main figures involved in the project.

So, deciding to set a trap to prevent them from escaping before bursting it rather than bursting it right away, I nodded.

"By the way, what's written in the book?"

At my question, Siren, who was examining the book, summarized the contents written inside.

"It's written how to make an artificial sun."

"Really?"

"Yes. Should I tell you how to make it?"

I shook my head and said it was okay.

Just looking at it, it would probably be mostly complex intertwined formulas, so there was no way I could understand even if I heard it.

So I was about to take it to use as evidence later when…

"Can I research this?"

Siren pointed at it with sparkling eyes.

"What?"

"I think I can use it in a different direction if I improve it."

It was difficult to readily allow it since it was research using living beings as an energy source, but after hearing Siren assert that she would never research it in a bad direction, I decided to trust Siren.

So I patted her head and said okay, and Siren shyly said to me quietly, "I'll definitely make something that will help Damian."

It seemed she took the book for my sake.

Deciding to leave it to her for now, I said, “Let's get out of here soon.”

What we saw when we escaped outside with Siren's guidance was a laboratory that was so devastated that it would be right to describe it as miserable.

It was somewhat shocking to see it so damaged in such a short time, so I was moving my feet carefully when I saw Loraine leaning against the wall with her expression hardened and blood slightly stained on her shoulder.

"Ah, Young Master."

Loraine, whose expression had been hardened, immediately loosened her expression awkwardly when she saw me and approached me.

Lightly scratching her head, she said to me, "I'm sorry. He was stronger than I thought, so I let him escape."

It was unexpected that Loraine let the enemy escape.

Recalling the overwhelming mana I felt from the opponent, the thought crossed my mind that it might have been a natural result.

I waved my hand to show it was okay and said to Loraine, "Is your arm okay?"

"Ah... it's slightly scratched, but I think it'll heal if I apply some ointment."

There was no way it would heal on its own with just that.

I decided to return quickly and treat Loraine, and looked around.

Originally, I was going to burn everything here and plant evidence, but now the existence of this place itself would serve as huge evidence, so it would be right to leave it as is.

However, the problem was that there was a high possibility that the North, the Church, and the black mages would keep sending troops to recapture this place.

Thinking it would be good to prepare for this, I asked Liana to make some preparations, "That's not difficult at all."

As soon as Liana heard my request, she immediately took something out of her chest and started setting up something.

I was waiting for a while until Liana finished all the preparations when Loraine said while massaging her shoulder, "Young Master... can I ask for a favor?"

"What is it?"

"Well..."

Loraine seemed to find it difficult to say, hesitating a bit, but then gathered her courage and said to me, "I want to focus on training for a while. I... want to become a Sword Master..."

It seems she was quite frustrated that she couldn't catch that black mage earlier.

At those words, I pondered for a moment and then set a condition.

"But there's one condition."

"Yes?"

"Get tea every morning. You said drinking that would help you reach Sword Master faster, right?"

"Ah...! Yes."

Loraine's expression brightened considerably.

I smiled slightly looking at Loraine like that and said, "Then let's go back for now."

At those words, everyone nodded and ended the exploration.

***

Elisia headed to Damian's lodgings and told the servants she wanted to meet Damian, but…

"Grand Duchess Elisia. I'm sorry, but Young Master Damian left early this morning."

The reply came that he wasn't in the lodgings.

"...Where did he go?"

"I'm sorry, but we don't know that," the servant said, indirectly saying that they couldn't tell or didn't know.

"Then when will he return?"

"I'm sorry, but we don't know that either."

"..."

Their paths had crossed, but it wasn't a big problem.

After all, what was important was the point just before Dale became a hero and after he became a hero.

So she was determined to keep reminding Damian of the danger and somehow build up goodwill, then make him decide to retract the engagement annulment, but…

...

No matter how much she thought about it, the conclusion was that it wouldn't produce very good results.

So while she was contemplating whether she should really just take his ability and return to the North, a man wearing a black robe called out to her from an alley.

"Grand Duchess Elisia."

A very eerie voice that seemed to tickle her head.

Greatly startled by that voice, she hurriedly looked to the side, and the robed man reached out his hand towards her and said, "Don't you want to know how to create an artificial sun that can bring warmth to the North?"