Chapter 149
Elodie successfully removed the contract constricting Yernst’s soul.
No longer would the despicable tactic of keeping his mouth shut under the pretext of the contract work.
From here on, interrogation experts would take over.
Whether they tortured him, forced truth serum down his throat, or used magic to rummage through his mind.
They would find some way to make Yernst talk.
The moment that happened, this terrorist attack would escalate from the outrage of a single organization into a political dispute between nations.
The political pressure the Kingdom of Kaldra would have to endure would be beyond imagination.
‘They brought it on themselves.’
It was none of my concern.
The important people could handle it themselves.
“You’re a friend of His Highness the Imperial Prince? Which prestigious noble family’s young lady are you?”
“Ah, I’m not a noble, so……”
“If it isn’t an imposition, may I take a look at that grimoire?”
“Our master doesn’t much like other people touching it……”
“Oh, what pure and untainted mana! I’ve never seen mana this clean in my entire life!”
In the middle of the noisy garden.
The Empire’s most renowned court mages had descended on the garden as a group and were surrounding Elodie from every side.
Helena, who had been enjoying tea, stared fixedly at the sight.
“Elodie, you’ve become quite the star.”
“It makes sense. She accomplished what even those self-important court mages couldn’t.”
Elodie’s feat in removing Yernst’s contract had sent a considerable shock through the court mages.
A mere student—and a commoner at that—had accomplished what even the court mages had been unable to do.
Those who devoted their lives to the pursuit of knowledge naturally showered Elodie with questions.
In the middle of it all, Elodie looked as if her soul had half departed, utterly unsure what to do.
[You fools! Elodie is this great one’s apprentice! How dare you take an interest in her!]
Iskallon shouted himself hoarse, but the mages couldn’t hear him anyway.
It only made Elodie’s ears hurt more.
“Haa……”
Helena suddenly let out a deep sigh.
“What’s wrong?”
“It’s just…… You and Elodie are both so far ahead, while I feel like I’m the only one standing still.”
A clinging emotion lingered in Helena’s gaze.
It seemed that she was unconsciously feeling inferior as she looked at us.
It was an emotion I could understand perfectly.
Helena herself would never know it, but she was being blatantly screwed over by the system.
I had the benefit of game knowledge and the system’s bonuses.
Elodie was the protagonist whom this entire world was designed to support.
We were simply abnormal, out-of-spec existences.
The relative deprivation Helena felt, caught between us, was the natural result of her circumstances.
“You don’t need to be so impatient. You’re doing more than well enough for someone your age.”
“You think so……”
“I’m not saying that just to be nice. Even if I may not look it, I’m Leon, a discerning judge of talent—and I’ve recognized yours. Don’t doubt yourself; keep working hard.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Helena let out a disbelieving snort of laughter.
Even so, her depression seemed to have eased a little.
“What business do court mages who hate sunlight with a passion have with my guest?”
The moment a low voice pressed down on the commotion in the garden, Helena and I turned our heads at the same time.
Aether was walking through the crowd of mages surrounding Elodie.
“Y-Your Highness the Imperial Prince……!”
The mages hurriedly paid their respects.
Aether swept his cold gaze over them as they bowed their heads.
“Why have you all come here? Can’t you see that this girl is uncomfortable?”
“W-We apologize. We had no intention of troubling her. We merely wished to advance the cause of knowledge……”
“Regardless of your intentions, if the person involved feels uncomfortable, then it is rude. Are you planning to claim ignorance of common sense even children understand?”
“We apologize……”
“Stop harassing her and withdraw.”
At Aether’s sharp order to leave, the mages hurriedly bowed and scattered in every direction.
Only then, once she could breathe freely, did Elodie see Aether’s expression soften as he approached her.
“Are you all right?”
“Yes, I’m fine. Thank you for helping me.”
“It was my fault. I’m sorry you had to experience something so unpleasant inside the Imperial Palace. I’ll make sure to warn them firmly so they don’t bother you again.”
“No, it’s really all right.”
Elodie gave him a bashful smile and bowed her head.
Aether looked at her with a tender yet bittersweet smile.
Then he turned his head toward us.
His gaze landed squarely on me.
There was undisguised displeasure in his eyes as he looked at me.
He began striding toward me.
“Leon, what exactly are you trying to pull?”
Aether came right up to me and muttered in a low voice.
After confirming that no one but us was nearby, I answered casually.
“What?”
“I heard the whole story. You took Elodie to the underground prison and had her help with the interrogation?”
“Yeah. Commander Richard was at a loss, so I suggested that Elodie might be able to help.”
Aether furrowed his brow sharply.
He seemed to be trying to suppress it, but irritation kept breaking through.
“Elodie is a precious guest who came to the Imperial Palace at my invitation. You took her to that bloody underground prison and made her witness such an unsightly scene?”
“It was something only Miss Elodie could do. Even so, she pulled it off brilliantly, didn’t she? Everyone was praising her.”
“So because the result was good, the process doesn’t matter? My point is that showing her such a filthy and horrifying side of the world was itself the problem.”
Judging by his eyes, he seemed extremely angry.
Apparently, he was deeply displeased that Elodie had even set foot in the underground prison.
Then again, Aether had romantic feelings for Elodie, so it was understandable.
I could understand it.
I wanted Elodie to see only good things, too.
But……
“That’s ridiculous.”
That was only when I was viewing things purely as an observer.
But when I listened to Aether’s argument as someone who had thrown himself into this story—not an observer—it made my blood boil.
“What exactly is ridiculous?”
“You tried to kill our innocent young lady as a sacrifice for the greater good, and yet you’re upset that Miss Elodie helped the Empire?”
If Elodie took the Empress route, she might become his passionate lover, but that was a story from another parallel world.
The two of them were nothing more than friends right now.
Aether had no right to act as Elodie’s guardian and overprotect her.
“One person is allowed to die for the Empire, while another entering an underground prison is too much for you? Just because you’re a prince, are you allowed to discriminate against and play favorites among the people?”
“Leon. Don’t cross the line. Even you should know that there are things you may say and things you may not.”
“Then make your position clear. I can’t tell which tune I’m supposed to play along with.”
Aether’s blue eyes turned cold enough to sting.
The characteristic pressure of royalty radiated from him, but I had nothing to be cowed by.
I met his gaze head-on without blinking.
Just as tension began to crystallize in the garden……
“What are you all gathered here for?”
Along with the clear voice, Aurora walked between us, her skirt swaying gently. No one knew when she had appeared.
Helena sprang to her feet like a released spring.
“Y-Your Highness the Princess!”
“Oh, relax. It’s not as if we’re meeting for the first or second time. More importantly, why is the atmosphere like this? Are you two fighting?”
Aurora blinked innocently as she looked back and forth between Aether and me.
Aether’s bluster weakened at the appearance of a family member, and he subtly looked away.
“This isn’t something you need to concern yourself with, Noona.”
“Why shouldn’t I concern myself with it? I’m Leon’s master. If it concerns my slave, then it concerns me too.”
“That’s not the point.”
“What do you mean, it’s different? If you have a complaint, file it with me officially. Just because you’re a prince, are you allowed to bully slaves?”
Wouldn’t it be perfectly acceptable to bully a slave whenever you pleased if you were a prince?
If it were a prince and not just anyone else, any slave would accept it.
I forcibly swallowed the words I had been about to say.
I wasn’t tactless enough to score an own goal while Aurora was taking my side.
“Leon, if anyone gives you a hard time or bullies you, tell me right away, all right? Noona will teach them a lesson.”
“His Majesty the Emperor gives me a hard time.”
“……That one is a little difficult.”
“Tch.”
I clicked my tongue in regret.
As the suffocating standoff began to crack, Elodie carefully joined the conversation.
“Um, Lord Aether. Please don’t be angry at Lord Leon. I volunteered to go to the underground prison because I wanted to.”
“……”
“More than anything, I was so proud that an unremarkable commoner like me could help the excellent knights protecting the Empire, even if only a little.”
“……Do you really think so?”
“Yes! I really do!”
Since the person involved was saying she was fine with shining eyes, Aether no longer had any grounds to complain as a third party.
He still glared at me with an unpleasant, resentful look, but I merely shrugged lightly.
In the end, Aether let out a short sigh and withdrew his hostility.
“If you really feel that way, then I have nothing more to say. However, if anyone ever asks you to do something excessive or burdensome, tell me at any time. I’ll lend you my strength.”
“Yes! Thank you for looking out for me!”
“All right, I’ll be going.”
Aether strode out of the garden.
“What on earth were you talking about for him to get so angry?”
“Miss Elodie dispelled the magic placed on the unidentified intruder captured during the last festival. I think he disliked that.”
“Who does he think he is to decide whether he likes it or not? Is he Elodie’s guardian, or her fiancé? Honestly, he does have a way of making people tired.”
Aurora crossed her arms and clicked her tongue as she watched the direction Aether had left in.
No matter how noble a prince and princess were, the dynamic between bickering siblings seemed to be the same in every world.
It was just when we were about to enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of the garden again.
“Haa, haa……! Lord Leon! There you are!”
Someone came rushing to find me.
The person approaching while panting for breath was a messenger soldier directly under Commander Richard.
Even with the imperial princess Aurora standing openly beside me, he was so flustered that he had forgotten to show proper respect.
I didn’t know why, but his ashen face conveyed the seriousness of the situation perfectly.
“What happened?”
“Commander Richard urgently requests your presence! He has ordered me to bring you to his office immediately!”
“Did Yernst finally say something? Or did he escape?”
The messenger frantically shook his head at my questions.
“No! Right now, on the outskirts of the capital……”
The knight swallowed the breath lodged in his throat with difficulty before speaking again.
“A massive horde of monsters, impossible to identify, has appeared! They say it’s advancing toward the capital at a terrifying speed!”