Chapter 137: 137
“And come to my dreams… always.”
There were many interpretations to be had of Epherene’s words. I stared at her, thinking of them.
“You are very bold.”
But, Ihelm spoke first with a voice full of laughter.
“No. It’s not like that… if I materialize the Professor in my head, wouldn’t we be able to beat that person, too?”
“Materialize Deculein? Why do you grow bolder the more you talk?”
“…Why did Wizard Ihelm come here with you?”
Epherene glared at Ihelm, but he just shrugged.
“You’re my testifier. I wanted to repay you for that-“
“Forget it.”
I cut him off.
“That’s quite plausible.”
Materializing Deculein — in other words, ‘me’ in Epherene’s subconscious. Not a bad idea. It wasn’t impossible, but it would take time. Therefore, I intended to connect with her subconscious first. A warning alarm would be implanted in Epherene, so if Decalane appeared, I would know.
“First, get inside this.”
“Yes.”
Epherene climbed inside the cylindrical device, hesitating only for a few moments.
Ziiiiiiiiii—
The door closed mechanically, and Epherene immediately began to nod off. After she began to sleep, I put my hand on the device. If I closed my eyes in this state, the memories inside the detector would be conveyed to me.
…I saw Epherene, a very young Epherene. A short man beside her was standing and staring at a tombstone.
[Lelien Luna]
The mother died shortly after childbirth. But the kid’s face wasn’t sad. To the kid, the mother was just a stranger whom she had never met.
Step step—
Epherene became alert to the sound of footsteps. The man who slowly approached put his hand on Epherene’s small shoulder, and she glanced up at him.
—Dad!
The child, smiling brightly, didn’t receive a response. Instead, something small and wet landed atop her head. Looking up, she saw tears flowing down the man’s cheeks.
—…Dad, are you crying?
He did not reply. The father’s sorrow affected the child more than her mother’s tombstone. The child reached out to her father.
—Because of you…
She couldn’t hear her father’s voice well. No, she wasn’t listening. Epherene just smiled brightly and hugged him tightly.
…The scene changed.
—Dirty and vulgar.
Glitheon wore a gaze like he was looking at an insect. Iliade’s soldiers surrounded the Luna mansion, their will burning in their eyes.
—It’s not dirty! It’s not vulgar!
—Think of it as a shortcoming of being born into a powerless family.
—What’s wrong with that!
The small Epherene was facing Glitheon as she held out her arms to protect her grandparents. Her face was dirty, and she was tearing up, but she refused to back down.
—I was going to burn all of you from the start… tsk. So annoying. Hey!
The soldiers shouted in response and began to throw their torches into the mansion’s courtyard.
—Leave this mansion. You should live as if you had died here.
The fire spread through the flower garden that was grown clumsily but with sincerity using the seeds given by her grandparents, creeping toward the house.
—Stop it! You, bad people, stop it! You’re evil-!
Epherene cried as she watched the encroaching flames. But, her cries could not extinguish the fire. The child ran quickly toward the garden and began gathering water. One bucket, two, three-!
But, it wasn’t enough to quench the flames. Before they engulfed her small body, her grandparents blocked her.
—It’s alright, Epherene. That’s enough…
—Waaahhhh… wahhhhhhh…
…The scene changed with the child’s cries. This time, it was in fragments, the memory appearing like shards of broken glass.
-Ah…
I could see a man trapped in a coffin in a dark and sharp space. The father who returned dead. Epherene stared at his body with empty eyes. The father, who she believed would return someday and revive their family, hung limp with a rope wrapped around his neck…
“…”
I opened my eyes. The brainwave detector continued to show Epherene’s consciousness. With this, it was possible to bury my warning spell inside her mind. I permeated Epherene’s brain with waves of mana. This 「Magic EEG Explorer」 could move beyond simply detecting brainwaves and was capable of manipulating them; I had given it that functionality with [Midas’ Hand].
I engraved a magic circle into Epherene’s brain with the high-level support magic [Connection]. Support was not my specialty, but it was easy as long as Epherene didn’t resist. I carved each stroke with great care. The entire process took almost an hour.
“Hmm…”
I wasted about 3,000 units of mana, excluding [Midas’ Hand]. Putting that aside, I opened the detector to check if it was working properly.
Squeaaaak—!
The cylinder door opened, and Epherene, waking from her sleep, looked blankly up to the sky.
“Ugh!”
Then, she grimaced from the pain, rubbing her temples.
“Professor is it over…?”
“It’s over.”
Now, I would know if Decalane appeared in Epherene. Of course, the best way to check was for Epherene to materialize a copy of Deculein as the guardian of her subconscious, but that would take a long time. In the meantime, I had no choice but to step up myself.
“Don’t neglect your mental training.”
“…Yes.”
“And.”
I handed over a sack of wood steel. This was the only item that resonated with me. This kid likely knew me better than any other human in this world, so it would be a great help in her training.
“Think of me when you see this. Mediums are a great help in forming guardians.”
“…Thank you.”
Epherene hesitantly accepted it. At that, the door opened slightly, and a small voice crept in.
“Is it over…?”
It was Yeriel. Ihelm smirked.
“Hey! It’s the most competent substitute lord in the world. It’s an honor to meet you after such a long time.”
“…What are you talking about?”
“The Marik underground passage. I also went there once. It was nice.”
“Hmph. It is nice. You’ll be surprised if you find out how much I earn in a month.”
Yeriel pouted as I handed her a book.
“Take this.”
“…What is it?”
Yeriel checked the cover.
[Yukline Second Theory: In-depth]
It was a sequel to the [Yukline Theory] I wrote in the past.
“It’s a theory that I finished writing. I wasn’t considering selling it, so study it. Other professors’ writing will only prove a hindrance.”
“…Yeah.”
Yeriel took the book without meeting my eyes instead of looking around shyly.
*****
After Deculein returned, Epherene examined her head while looking at the steel. It felt like there was something new inside her, but it was not a powerful technique. One of the great magic principles, direct human interference, required tremendous mana reserves. Therefore, Deculein’s interference could be easily dissolved if Epherene tried. But she didn’t want to do so. There was no need.
Gulp—
The door to her room creaked open, revealing a sour-faced Sylvia.
“Arrogant Epherene.”
“…What is it this time?”
Epherene was dumbfounded but still felt somewhat happy to see her.
“What did you do with him?”
“Huh? Oh~, Professor Deculein?”
She must have seen Deculein outside. Epherene wiggled her eyebrows with a smirk plastered on her lips.
“You~, you’re upset because you didn’t get called~?”
“Why would I-“
“You like the Professor.”
Sylvia was struck speechless for a moment. But, she composed herself a second later and puffed her cheeks out.
“Stupid Epherene. I was going to say… you hate Deculein.”
“…”
Epherene smiled bitterly. What she said was true: Sylvia liked Deculein, but she hated him tremendously. It was like that during the first semester.
“I know. But you know… hate is not a closed-off feeling.”
“…”
“I will hate that person. Loathe him… I can’t just do that.”
Sylvia went quiet, sympathizing with her. To some extent.
“What should I say? It’s like clapping. You can’t clap with just one hand, right? I want to hate him. But even so, if that person understands everything and regrets what he has done….”
“You like the Professor.”
Epherene immediately waved Sylvia off, but she felt goosebumps forming up her back.
“Are you crazy? How? Of course, I don’t like him. I still hate him; maybe I will forever. He drove my father to death… but still.”
Epherene, going quiet for a moment, looked at the steel in her hand. Then, she smiled softly and muttered.
“I’m just saying that the Professor apologized first.”
“…”
Sylvia didn’t like this soft side to Epherene.
Whack-
She swiped Deculein’s gift from Epherene’s hands.
“Ah!”
Epherene tried to take it back, but Sylvia’s grip was strong. She stood and swiped at her three or four times.
“You, what are you doing!”
“…”
Then, without saying a word, she jumped up and left the room. Epherene watched her fleeing dumbfounded.
“Are you jealous or what…?”
*****
…The next day.
Julie headed to the Freyhem Knights. Maybe because of yesterday’s early morning work, her body felt a little chilly, but she didn’t have time to rest. Julie organized the ledgers, wrote the training schedules, and assigned the members’ tasks. That paperwork alone took two hours.
“Phew…..”
She stretched out, feeling a surging sense of pride.
Bam—!
The door to the Captain’s room slammed open, almost coming off the hinges. Julie reflexively stood up. Vice-captain Rockfell, who rushed in, began to shout with sweat soaking his face.
“Captain! We have a problem!”
“Rockfell, what…?”
He was followed close by a few people in suits.
“Well. Vice-captain, please get out.”
“Let me go!”
“Oho! If you don’t listen, that counts as an obstruction of the execution of official duties.”
“…”
After kicking Rockfell out, they looked around inside the Captain’s room. For some reason, they looked disappointed by the unsophisticated interior.
“What is this about?”
At Julie’s question, one of the suits smiled and presented his ID card.
“I’m Ruso from the special audit team of the Knights. It’s the season to audit private Knight Orders, so we came.”
“Huh. Audit our Knight Order?”
“Yes. There was a report.”
“Report?”
Julie went speechless. They hadn’t done anything that required an audit. She was confident that there were no other Knight Orders as upright as Freyhem.
“That’s right, a report. There was a report. So… hey! What are you doing? Take it all.”
“””Yes!”””
At Rosu’s command, his subordinates began packing up almost all the documents, including the ledgers and official documents she had just been working on and crammed them into a box. Julie set her jaw, glaring at them.
“Freyhem has no problems! We didn’t do anything-“
“That’s something that will come out after we take a look. Just stay still if there’s no problem. If there’s no problem, I’ll give you a certificate.”
“Now, that…”
Julie was about to retort, but suddenly she remembered what Deculein said.
—Whatever it may be, do as you please, but be prepared. You’ll regret it.
“No way…”
“Okay. There’s a lot we need to tear through! Everybody move!”
The agents moved busily, and Julie watched them with a vacant gaze. Her head began to warm up as her thoughts raced. Something was going wrong.
*****
The royal palace, where Cabinet members and the Imperial family gathered. Today, Sophien personally participated in state affairs for the first time in perhaps ever. Even inside the Snow Globe, she made decisions on key issues using her possessed body, but she found it too bothersome to deal with the vassals.
“Your Majesty, the Demon Blood rebellion has gone too far in recent years. We believe that radical suppression measures are needed.”
“Your Majesty, I can’t even speak about the evil influence of the Marik. There are too many rogue adventurers. Abolishing Marik’s opening now…”
“Your Majesty, the merchants of the empire….”
Sophien didn’t want to see those guys. 30% of them thought only about their advancement and had never spent a thought on the people of the Empire. 10% were brainwashed by the Altar. In addition, 40% of them followed their faction’s whims without knowing a thing, leaving only 20% as sincere in their efforts to manage state affairs.
“An appeal came from the provinces of the empire. Please look at this.”
“Give it to me.”
Sophien took the appeal with dissatisfaction written on her furrowed brow. Its content illustrated how there were more Knights who put up a resistance and died at the hands of the rebellion and that more were born with devilish powers who were plundering villages…
In other words, please kill the Demon Blood.
“There’s also a lot of worries about prices rapidly increasing.”
“Oh, good! You said it well! As a countermeasure for the price inflation, I will control the supply of holystone directly and raise interest rates.”
An increase in interest rates would cause a decline in liquidity within the empire. The citizens would buy fewer goods and deposit their money in banks, and merchants would have no choice but to lower the price of goods to move their stock.
Currently, Sophien’s biggest weapon was not her authority as the Emperor or her power, but the nation’s key currency and the holystone of the largest empire on the continent. The power of interest rates was also a part of that key currency.
“Your Majesty! Please reconsider! A sudden rise in interest rate-“
“Do not make me repeat myself.”
Sophien was planning a war against the Altar. Therefore, weapons and the like, which wouldn’t be sold because of the increase in interest rate, would be purchased directly by the
Imperial Family.
“Your Majesty! Your commitment-“
“Commitment? With whom?”
Sophien’s next policy was the true-name financial transaction system. She planned to punish those sons of bitches with ambiguous identities and screw over her rotten vassals. It was a good strategy. But, since this information shouldn’t be prematurely leaked, she needed to discuss it with Deculein at once after Keiron returned.
“I will remember your name for speaking nonsense about commitment. What if I commit to you? You have to benefit from that information?”
They were all speechless as Sophien’s solemn voice pierced them.
“Do you know how my predecessor dealt with you? It was politics in which the Emperor and his vassals were in harmony. But, the times have changed. Now, in recent years, the Emperor is Sophien, not Crebaim. You are nothing but the Emperor’s tool.”
“…”
Sophien pressed them as they remained silent.
“Ask me why.”
“…Why is that, Your Majesty?”
“Because I am a hundred times more effective than you. Because it is better for the civilians if I used you as tools rather than as politicians.”
Her intimidating confidence, added with the pressure generated by her mana, silenced the entire palace.
“But, I feel the same way about the Demon Blood. I don’t like them. Then, the Demon Blood hideout that was discovered this time.”
Sophien paused a moment, allowing all her vassals’ eyes and ears to focus on her.
“I will wait for Deculein.”
Sophien declared it as law. The seventh strongest wizard in the empire, who made demons shiver just to hear his name. Upon learning that they would mobilize him, the vassals quickly bowed their heads.
“””Your grace is immeasurable…”””
*****
Clang clang— clang clang—
In the northeastern part of the Empire, on the way to the Demon Blood hideout, I was conducting various experiments on the Authority of Iron Man. My conclusion: Carla’s authority was amazing.
First of all, it harmonized with [Iron Man] to spread to different characteristics. In fact, [Vision], [Man of Great Wealth], and [Midas’ Hand] had all been strengthened to some extent by its influence. Also-
“We’ll be there soon.”
The driver spoke. I nodded as I glanced in the rearview mirror. Today, I was wearing a uniform, not my usual suit, with medals pinned here and there. This garment represented the Royal bodyguard, and the leader tasked with the Demon Blood’s annihilation.
Kiiiiiiii—
The car stopped, and almost immediately, knights rushed up to open the door. As I stepped out, I put my hand on my hat and looked around. One of the guards standing next to me spoke up.
“…It seems that the Demon Blood secretly built a village and are residing there. It looks like an ordinary village on the outside, but it’s a hideout for the Demon Blood underground.”
Burning buildings and rising smoke greeted me. Numerous knights and soldiers occupied the wide village, surging to and from.
“Also, he’s the leader.”
The guards dragged a man in front of me.
“…Kugh!”
I met his eyes head-on. A desert clan, he looked like a Demon Blood.
“How dare you! Who are you?!”
One of the guards slapped him.
Slap—!
His lip cracked, beginning to bleed, and his head fell back down.
“I need to interrogate them. Send him to Rohalak.”
“…”
At that moment, he opened his mouth wide, intending to bite his tongue and kill himself. But, his mouth could not close. I used [Psychokinesis] to hold it open as I looked down on him.
“…Stay alive.”
Boom—!
Flames shot up from the other side of the village as an explosion went off. I looked back down at the restrained man.
“If you’re alive, opportunities will come. But if you die, then I have no choice but to kill the whole village, right?”
I released [Psychokinesis]. He clenched his jaw but made no further attempt to bite his tongue. Tears began to roll down his face.
“Send him to Rohalak.”
“Yes!”
The man was hauled along after the guards gave me a crisp salute.
Boom—!
Another explosion rocked the village. I watched the smoke and embers filling the air around the village from afar. Though my expression remained still, things felt more complicated in my head. As a modern person from Earth, I felt it was hard to shake off some thoughts.
“Professor! I found out that there is a tunnel nearby.”
Some mouse-like guy came over and spoke.
“Tunnel?”
“Yes! It’s a tunnel built for emergency escape. The troops-“
“Do we need to deploy troops? If there’s a gap in our entrapment, it would be a big problem.”
“Oh! I see! As expected of the Professor!”
The man, Duren, thoughtlessly agreed with me without much concern. He might even commit suicide if I told him to.
“I’ll go to the tunnel on my own.”
“…On your own? Will you be alright? You can take a few knights-“
“Forget it. The knights are disposing of the garbage. Where is it?”
“Ah, yes. This is the map.”
I took the map from Duren, then ordered the knights who wanted to follow me to not move, and I went alone to the marked tunnel.
[Active: 1-3 more chapters will be uploaded tonight.]