Chapter 268: The Ashes (1)
The Principality of Yuren. There were five-count families in Yuren, which had recently been called the kingdom of Maho and undergoing remarkable development. As the country was small, the number of nobles was also small. Sion, Pharah, and Bellic… anyway.
The eldest daughter of the Sion family, Rose, was tidying up her short, light blue hair. She had a staff, magic handcuffs, and a revolver tucked away for self-defense.
“Hey. Do you work on holidays too?”
While enjoying tea time on the balcony, her mother tilted her head and asked, and Rose replied with a stiff expression.
“Yes. I’m busy with the coming exhibition.”
She had a sense of duty as the countess’s wife. She had no intention of pursuing the old-fashioned formalities or the intellectual vanities of aristocrats. Yuren was destined to become a republic, so the nobility was a vice that would eventually disappear. The caste system was an evil custom.
“Your brother hasn’t come in yet. What is that kid trying to do…”
“Really? He hasn’t contacted me either.”
“Go, don’t hurt yourself. Don’t let yourself be heartbroken like your little brother.”
Rose’s mother put down the teacup elegantly. Rose left without answering and got on the motorcycle parked in front of the house.
Vrooom-!
After driving away, she plastered a wanted paper to the wall and sprayed it. With less than a week left before the expo, Rose was immersed in her duties as a magic prosecutor.
“…”
So, after distributing all the wanted notices on her way, Rose reached her workplace.
[Yuren Magic High Prosecutor’s Office]
Many people were rushing around inside even though it was a holiday.
“Hello. Hello.”
Rose walked in, greeting her seniors. They didn’t look happy to see her but rather avoided her eyes… this was all because of the caste system.
“Um, Rose.”
“Yes?”
At that moment, she replied to a certain senior who called her name. He seemed a bit uncomfortable, but still, he delivered a stack of work papers to her desk.
“This.”
“Yes. What is it?”
“It’s a complaint.”
“A complaint?”
“Er… Rose. Rose, you’re a prosecutor, right?”
He scratched the back of his neck and asked. Rose nodded.
“Of course. I’m a prosecutor. What would I be if not a prosecutor?”
“Yes. So, don’t do random interrogations outside or go around looking for wanted criminals like a detective. Don’t distribute wanted posters either. Complaints have been coming in.”
“…”
Belatedly, she read the list of complaints. They were all marked for Prosecutor Rose.
“…Oh~, yes. I… okay. I won’t.”
“And, this is your real work.”
He handed over a paper with a red label. Rose’s eyes went wide.
“What is that?”
“Professor Deculein, you know him, right?”
“…”
Instantly, her expression hardened. Of course, she knew. The villain of the times, Deculein.
“I… do. It’s not that I don’t.”
Most of Yuren’s citizens were firmly against the Demon Blood Massacre. Killing people just because they were born from a certain bloodline?
“He’s coming for the expo, so please escort him.”
“…”
“Please. He’s someone that values manners, so you’re the fittest to do it. You’re the most appropriate. No one but you will do.”
The senior spoke with a sneer, and Rose nodded.
“…Yes.”
“Go now.”
“Okay.”
Rose pouted as she walked down the hallway.
“…”
Her eyes darted around, examining her surroundings. Almost everyone in the prosecutor’s office whispered something while squinting at her.
—As expected, Ms. Rose is taking it. That mission.
—Well, when people like us go, they don’t even match eye level. We live in different worlds.
—Well, it is different. Ms. Rose and Professor Deculein too. Both of them are great aristocrats.
It was because Professor Deculein was an important person. Escorting him, or simply guarding him, would be a tremendous achievement. But she hated Deculein’s actions, and she only felt more annoyed when her parents’ faces came to mind.
“…They must have requested it, again.”
Rose returned to her office, sat down, and muttered helplessly. Her parents always pushed her to do the things everyone else wanted to do, but she didn’t. No matter how hard she tried to avoid it, it didn’t change at all… still, when she made it home today, she would have to make a fuss one more time.
Her radio crackled, catching her attention.
“This is Prosecutor Sion.”
—Professor Deculein’s new theory was stolen from Yuren’s airship. It’s an emergency, so let’s gather as many people as possible.
* * *
As soon as the airship landed, countless reporters flocked in. As there were too many people there, I snuck out the back road and arrived at Yuren’s Palace.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. How c-could this happen…”
And now I was in the reception room of the palace. Princess Maho apologized with tears streaking down her face. I shook my head.
“It’s not your fault. The louts will not even understand the theory.”
“Even so… wheeeeeew… the prosecutors are currently investigating, so please wait a little bit.”
“Okay.”
Maho walked away with tears in her eyes while Epherene remained cheerful.
“Seriously! Who dared to!”
“Shut up and rest in your room. I’ll give you an assignment.”
I handed the suitcase to her. Epherene blinked as she looked at it.
“You give me assignments while telling me to rest?”
“These are the eight mana stones I used in the conversion formula. You know what to do.”
“…Yes.”
“With results, I’ll even allow you to write the experimental paper. I’ll let you be the author.”
Epherene’s eyes widened. If my conversion formula turned out to be an achievement, the price of the experimental thesis would, of course, soar, as would the standing of any authors on it.
I added in a low voice:
“However, keep silent for the time being. We still need to hide it.”
“…Yes.”
After answering quietly, like some sort of spy, she moved to her room. When I was about to enter my quarters-
“Professor Deculein.”
Someone caught my attention. I recognized her face as soon as I saw it. It was one of Yuren’s Named, Rose.
“The results of the airship investigation are in. We’ve detected the magic ingredients used. That-“
“It must have been that a summons was concentrated in an extremely narrow range so that only a piece of paper was taken.”
“Yes. That’s right. We are looking for a wizard who is proficient in the secondary and manipulation classes.”
I nodded then pointed to the cage she held.
“More importantly, is the cat okay?”
“Yes. Take it.”
Rose held out the cage.
—Meow.
The red cat was meowing inside. Pets were not allowed on the airship proper, so Sophien was trapped in the luggage compartment.
“It’s surprising. I didn’t know you would have a pet.”
“Keep that kind of thought to yourself.”
“…”
I grabbed the cage and opened my room door. Rose followed me.
“Take this walkie-talkie. I will keep you up to date on the progress of the case.”
“I’ll take it, but you don’t have to be so worked up. It’s not a theory that those morons can understand.”
“Yes. I’ll keep that in mind.”
Rose smiled softly. As soon as I entered the room, I released the cat.
-…Wow, he’s horrible. I have goosebumps…
Rose’s voice faded away, and Munchkin squinted her eyes at me.
—You dared to lock me in the airship’s luggage compartment.
“You should’ve turned off the possession magic.”
—This is Yuren, and I’m in the Imperial Palace. Once dismantled, I would never be able to reconnect.
“Hmm. I see.”
—Professor, don’t pretend you don’t know.
I nodded, took off my coat, and then put on a black robe. It was a robe with no special characteristics or identifying marks.
—Are you planning to go somewhere? Take me with you.
“It’s a place that cats can’t go.”
—Hmm. Are you going to the Ashes?
“Yes. I’m going to buy some stuff and do some research.”
With the Ashes, plenty of Decalane’s legacy remained. He didn’t care for the family’s honor, so no matter how low the status or how disgusting the Ashes were, he collaborated with them to leave his research and legacy behind.
—What about your theory?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
The cat jumped onto the bed.
—That’s so stupid. If it were me, I would have held Yuren responsible. Wasn’t that an important theory?
“It’s a theory I’ve been focusing on lately.”
—Is it your invention?
“It’s my invention, but it’s to complete Decalane’s theory.”
The cat went silent for a moment. I tidied up the sleeves of my robe and turned around.
—It’s your father’s magic theory?
“Yes.”
—Professor, didn’t you hate your father?
“He’s a disgusting specter, of course, but he’s also a Yukline. I have to uphold the former family leader.”
Carrying three wood steel and the Snowflake Obsidian, I went to the door. The cat opened its mouth again.
─…Don’t leave me alone for too long.
“Okay.”
* * *
─Deculein’s thesis was stolen?!
─I heard it’s worth 1 billion Elnes.
─If we could just find it… but what kind of bastard has that kind of guts?
Arlos was shopping around the Ashes’ market looking for materials related to dolls before being taken by the unusual rumors.
“Deculein had his theory stolen… what kind of theory would that be?”
Arlos muttered and opened the door of Arms and Legs. It was a store that sold animal tendons and organs.
“Hey. Did anything come in today?”
At Arlos’ question, the owner shook his head.
“What a shame. There was, but a customer just swept it away.”
“…All of it?”
“Yes.”
Shrugging, he pointed to the stand behind him. It was empty
“Everything.”
“…What kind of son of a bitch was it?”
“I don’t know.”
Clink—
She held out a silver coin. The owner swiped it.
“Tall man.”
Clink—
She held out another silver coin.
“He wore a black robe. Seemed to be a nobleman from Yuren.”
“A noble from Yuren?”
Clink—
One more silver coin.
“He spoke the Yuren language. And with a distinctive tone of voice.”
“Hmm…”
A noble of Yuren in the Ashes’ territory? Yuren and the Ashes were close yet far. One was above ground, and the other was underground, completely blocked by mountains. You had to go around unless you went through the dungeon passage infested with thugs and robbers.
Creek-
Then, the door of the store opened again. Arlos and the owner looked over at the same time. The owner frowned, and Arlos grinned.
“…What day is today?”
A group of people with a rather high-pressure gait walked inside. From inside their robes, leather armor sparkled. It was the uniform of Yuren’s public authority, dazzlingly silver.
“Owner.”
One of them stepped forward and put her hand on the counter.
“They were talking outside about Professor Deculein’s theory.”
“Are they? I didn’t hear.”
“…”
Arlos watched them with interest. The blue-haired woman shook her head and took out a gold coin from her pocket.
“Did you not hear?”
“…Hmm.”
The owner still watched with his arms crossed. Then the woman took one, two, three, four, five coins… she was building a tower. Arlos smiled inwardly. She looked to be from Yuren but seemed to know about the Ashes. Among the Ashes merchants, the owner of the Arms and Legs had a good reputation for his information.
“I think I heard something.”
He decided to negotiate after receiving fifteen gold coins. The owner smiled as he swept them into his pockets.
“I heard that the one who stole Deculein’s theory is in the Ashes.”
“Is that true?”
“Yes. Go to 「Poisonous Horse’s Bookstore」.”
“Yes. Thanks.”
The owner held up a hand to the group before they left.
“Hey.”
“…Yes?”
“Listen to one more piece of information. There are still more left if it’s fifteen gold coins.”
“Oh… okay.”
The merchant was surprisingly honest. Even if there were cases where the copyrights of the Floating Island were deciphered and sold at a lower price, they didn’t attack each other.
“Deculein’s father is Decalane.”
“…Who doesn’t know that?”
“There is a man who follows the trail of Decalane in the Ashes.”
The owner glanced at Arlos. She smiled bitterly, and the woman asked.
“Following Decalane?”
“Yes. Exactly, thirty minutes ago.”
“What kind of information is that?”
At that moment, Arlos stepped forward.
“You must know that Decalane and Deculein didn’t have a normal father-son relationship, right? And, the legacy of Decalane is very dangerous to the Ashes.”
“…Dangerous?”
“Decalane, through a magic experiment, exploded this volcano. At that time, Yuren must have been in an uproar, right?”
“…!”
Her eyes grew large as saucers. Arlos shrugged.
“You mean the volcanic eruption from fifteen years ago?”
“Exactly. This is a dormant volcano-“
Creek-
It was then the door opened once more, and three young people shuffled in. They looked around with tense faces, then stood in front of the counter.
“…Excuse me.”
The female wizard who spoke like that was Epherene. She looked up at the owner with a stiff face.
“I heard that Professor Deculein’s theory was stolen by someone from the Ashes. Do you have any information?”
“…”
Arlos smirked with a slightly perplexed look. She didn’t know if the dungeon men were all dead, but why was the barrier for entering this place so low?