Chapter 15
#15 New Adventurer Bern (13) - Even Demons Flinch
Aizern Empire. Capital, Kalastia. Golden Cloud Palace.
In the deepest part of the palace, famed throughout the empire for its beauty and grandeur, Crown Prince Alond let out a low groan.
“This is troublesome.”
[Why? She's set the table and even handed you the spoon. Wouldn't it be fine to just dig in?]
Lucidra could not understand Alond.
In her eyes, Blanca's looks were quite decent.
Considering that adventurers probably don't fuss much about appearance, if she still looked like that, it meant her natural features were superior to begin with.
What was there to hesitate over when someone like that came right up to you and practically offered herself to you?
[Or maybe you're not as experienced in that sort of thing as I thought? In that case, this big sister could kindly show you the ropes. Hmm?]
Lucidra's sweet, bewitching voice was seductive enough to make any man's heart flutter, but Alond's face remained completely indifferent.
No, not just indifferent—was he looking at her as if she were pathetic...?
[Hey, what gives? What's with that look?]
“I'm merely lamenting the pitifully short scope of your discernment.”
[Should I really just kill this bastard....]
“A direct confrontation with the crown prince in the middle of the imperial palace? I salute your courage in trying to personally reenact a tale of one against a thousand.”
Tossing aside any seductive air, Lucidra ground her teeth while the crown prince calmly explained.
“I don't know how things were when you were sealed away, but these days, any family with even a shred of proper standing gives sex education—more bluntly, lessons on countering honey traps—as a basic matter. Much less a crown prince like me; do you think I wouldn't have been taught that sort of thing?”
Of course it had to be that way. How could they let a member of the imperial family, who would have to lead the empire, get bewitched by the opposite sex and hand over everything from his liver to his gallbladder? Naturally, they had to train against it in advance.
Just the list of social gatherings and balls he'd attended could already fill bundles of parchment.
When you're the imperial crown prince, romance is less a personal matter than a political one, so surprisingly few people make casual advances—but the ones who do come at him with everything they have.
Compared to women with bloodshot eyes, glaring as they shouted slogans like 'a life turnaround' and 'family revival,' Blanca's shy little seduction was almost cute.
[Then that's even better, isn't it? If you don't have to worry about being swept away because you've fallen for the other person, you can just enjoy the good parts. Pleasure, no responsibility.]
“Your character is astonishing. As expected of the Great Demon.”
Alond applauded as if he were truly impressed. What made it even more infuriating was that he was judging her sincerely rather than mockingly.
“If it were an approach with political motives, I might understand, but to exploit the weakness of someone who'd rush headlong into danger to save her mother and then take advantage of her body? What kind of trash is that? That's no true adventurer.”
[No, the way I see it, most adventurers would just happily take the goods and wash their hands of the rest....]
Alond ignored her.
“Well, I think I mostly understand the situation. 'Adventurer Bern' has no intention of leaving Blanca behind to go with others, but since she doesn't know that, she's probably anxious. So he's trying to keep her by his side, even if he has to sleep with her.”
[You know, you act incredibly rational, but honestly, spelling it out like that is a lot less considerate.]
“For now, I should raise her self-esteem. The lower a person's self-evaluation, the easier it is to depend on others. I'm glad I prepared that ring. If Blanca's abilities increase, then she, who had been driven into a mental corner, may be able to stand on her own again. Perfect.”
[……]
Well. Would it really be that easy?
Lucidra thought as much, but kept silent instead of saying it aloud.
It absolutely, definitely wasn't because she wanted him to get a taste of it for ignoring her words.
There was no way the Great Demon Lucidra, who had transcended the limits of the succubus race and established herself as a species all her own, could be that petty.
Probably.
***
I'll do anything.
After Blanca made that declaration, Bern looked at her in silence for a long while.
And the longer that silence stretched, the more Blanca trembled with anxiety and unease.
The harder she tried to suppress it, the worse the trembling became, and her heart pounded so violently that she felt dizzy.
Was it too blatant?
Did he look down on her as some loose woman?
Should she have just kept quiet and stayed still instead of doing something unnecessary?
While Blanca's mind spun in circles.
At last, Bern's hand reached toward her and touched her shoulder.
Just as Blanca steeled herself for the worst, Bern didn't strip off her clothes—instead, he straightened her clothing.
Relief. And then an even deeper despair.
Taking Bern's action as rejection, Blanca said bitterly,
“I'm sorry. I guess I only ended up putting pressure on you.”
“Not exactly. At the very least, it gave me a good chance to see how determined you are, Blanca.”
Bern rummaged through his clothes and soon took out a ring, offering it to Blanca.
Blanca blinked blankly, not understanding what was going on, and Bern said,
“Honestly, I did wonder whether I should give this to you or not. It's something I can't use—more precisely, something there would be no point in my using—but its value is far too precious to hand to just anyone. If word of its existence spread, it alone could cause quite a stir.”
“What on earth is it?”
“It's called the Ring of Vital Essence Absorption. If the wearer brings down a living being while wearing it, it absorbs that being's vital essence and converts it into the wearer's mana.”
“That's absurd....”
Blanca couldn't believe her ears.
If someone other than Bern had said those words, she would have snorted and asked where they thought they were trying to scam her.
It was that outrageous a claim.
Magic is precious. Even the most basic spell demands a price so steep that commoners can barely even hope to reach it.
But techniques and tools that affect the amount, quality, or recovery speed of mana itself go even beyond that.
Whereas the former can somehow be obtained by commoners if they have money, the latter cannot be bought even if you stack money up like a mountain.
Because the powers that rule the world clutch the latter tightly in their hands and never let it leak outside.
Take mana cultivation methods, for instance: whether a family has one or not changes that family's military strength and standing itself.
With a mana cultivation method, an ordinary soldier can become one who reinforces their body with mana, and a soldier who already knows how to wield mana can even release sword aura.
Of course, cultivation methods themselves have limits, so there are those who can't fully benefit from them, but for people who would otherwise remain mediocre all their lives, being given even one chance to grow is an invaluable weapon.
This was also why those superhumans who could hold mana within their bodies and display martial prowess enough to take on a hundred alone dared not oppose the nobles.
Because the nobles possessed the foundation to command those superhumans as a group. Or because the nobles themselves were superhumans.
Bern had just handed Blanca one such incredibly precious means.
Overwhelmed by the utterly unexpected gift, Blanca could not find the words.
Not knowing what to say, she voiced the most fundamental question of all.
“Why... are you doing this much for me?”
Bern answered.
“Because Blanca is my comrade.”
“Bern, if it were you, you could probably obtain comrades far more capable and talented than I am.”
“That may be true, but in the end, the first person to recognize me and go all in, even emptying her own pockets, was Blanca, wasn't it? If possible, I'd rather be with someone who acknowledges me.”
Bern adjusted his posture and faced Blanca squarely.
At a distance so close they would have felt each other's breath if he moved any nearer, he said,
“Blanca, I'm not the perfect human being you think I am. I have plenty of secrets I can't tell others, I'm rather materialistic, selfish, and, to be honest, I became an adventurer for rather shallow reasons. If those who adventure earnestly for their livelihood, or to achieve some goal like Blanca, find that unpleasant, I have no excuse.”
Those eyes of his, which had until then seemed only calm and unreadable.
The fire burning within those eyes felt so dangerous, and yet so captivating.
“Stepping into a hidden ruin sealed away in secrecy, breaking through the monsters and traps that guard it, defeating the evil mage, and freeing the poor soul he's holding captive. Wonderful. My heart is racing. Blanca, you gave me a goal, and I like that goal very much.”
Blanca stared blankly back into his eyes.
In the madness flickering within those eyes, her own reflection looked hazy, as if she were drunk.
“But to achieve that goal, my strength alone isn't enough. I need capable, trustworthy comrades who share the same dream. Blanca. You presented me with a goal, so we already share a dream. You have proven your trust through your own actions. What's left is competence, and it seems this ring can make up for that deficiency. That's why I'm handing it to you.”
Bern took a step back.
Only then did Blanca finally realize she'd even forgotten how to breathe.
Gasping roughly, Blanca said,
“Ah, I understand. I-I'll do my best too.”
“Excellent.”
Bern left, offering a faint smile and saying he'd see her tomorrow.
Even after he was gone, Blanca remained seated blankly for a long while, idly touching the ring he'd given her.
Thump. Thump.
In a different way than before, her heart ached.
***
‘Behold this perfect handling. We've minimized unnecessary trouble between men and women, built pure camaraderie, and made her share the same goal, haven't we?’
[Hey, wait a second. Are you some kind of senior demon? No matter how I look at it, you don't seem human....]
‘Pardon?’