Chapter 47
Chapter 47
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: EP.14 – Berserk?(1)
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The woman despises the "press."
She loathed those reporters who overstepped their bounds as if they were paragons of justice, and she found their duplicitous standards—treating information like power and acting superior like the upper class—utterly repulsive.
However, that didn't mean she denied their necessity.
Thus, she read the newspapers every day and sorted them out.
Those to exterminate and those to observe a bit longer.
And now, the woman decided to spare one particular media outlet that she'd been contemplating eliminating lately.
Wasn't it commendable that they'd written such a satisfying headline?
It was a third-rate article full of flattery toward the royal family, but thanks to framing the White Silver Lion Knights as the side of justice while relentlessly criticizing the mage, that media outlet seemed likely to survive this year.
...Though what would happen next year was anyone's guess.
"Your uncle is stirring up quite the spectacle."
"Uuu?"
"Hehe, I'm not referring to those incompetent fools bound by blood. How could such people be called your uncle? No, the uncle I speak of is Lee Han—the only friend this mother has acknowledged. Even if he lacks royal blood, he is my sworn brother, so you must show him respect when others aren't watching. Understood, Arthur?"
"Auuu."
"Good. Are you interested too? Your eyes are sparkling. Well, it makes sense. I'm already looking forward to seeing what kind of fierce battle my sworn brother will wage."
"Uuu?"
"Arthur, my son. Remember this: warriors' bloodbaths are a great stimulant for banishing boredom. Even this mother occasionally relieves stress by watching such battles. Or, if there's a criminal plotting to harm you, trying to sever their head yourself could be an intriguing experience. It's a beneficial stress reliever for an aspiring king. Sometimes, sitting in this position makes me want to rip the heads off so many beasts..."
"Uuu?"
The woman whispered affectionately to the child in her arms, but the content was hardly suitable for a child's emotional development.
Fortunately, the child wasn't old enough to understand her words yet.
And the only one in the royal household bold enough to point out the woman's flaws—the butler—chided her.
"Morally speaking, those are not words for a child, Princess."
"Is that you? You still have no presence. Be more careful; you'll scare Arthur."
"I'm more worried he'll fear you even more in the future."
"What have I done?"
"Albert is truly impressed that you don't even know. Hehe."
"Insolent fool."
Butler Albert shook his head, deeming the princess incorrigible.
He even thought it might be ethically right to separate the child from this cruel princess right now.
"You've been going out frequently lately."
"What choice do I have when the Princess assigns me tasks?"
"Such exaggeration."
"It's no exaggeration. Investigating lions in the heart of the north is no small feat, even for me. Hehe."
"Hm."
Her brow furrowed—Isis Irene de Pendragon's.
One might dismiss it as mere whining or feigned weakness as usual, but unmistakable fatigue shadowed Albert's face.
For an aura user of his caliber to look so weary, it couldn't just be whining.
"The north, huh. What troublesome folk."
"Instead of poking a hornet's nest needlessly, why not just leave it be?"
"I've considered that too, but by nature, I prefer to burn any nest that bothers me."
"...If only you could temper that radical side a bit."
"I've lived this way my whole life. Just leave it be."
If something irked her, she burned it down—honey or not.
A ruthlessness that pursued efficiency above all.
It was the foundation of Isis's character.
Of course.
'She's much improved compared to before.'
Having been embroiled in bloody political strife with her own blood kin since birth—not others—Isis's cruel disposition was inevitable.
Betrayed by siblings she trusted, hunted by assassins dozens of times.
If she had a gentle nature instead, one might suspect mental illness given her upbringing.
This was why she didn't hesitate to spill blood and had driven even her siblings from the palace.
But lately, she'd shown a softer side.
Probably thanks to acquiring a "friend" who amused her more than those petty, unpleasant crowds.
Albert glanced at the newspaper safely on the table, unmarred and un-torn—a rarity.
An article about a certain knight dominated the front page.
'Hehe.'
Albert suppressed his delight and spoke.
"I've heard the news. He's quite active. Youth is truly wonderful."
"...Another old man saying that would earn my agreement, but coming from you, it doesn't resonate."
"Hehe, I've grown old too. More importantly, will you not intervene, Princess?"
"Why would I?"
"Hoo."
By her true nature, she wouldn't have let a "foreign substance" like the mage run rampant.
Not when it risked disrupting the mission she'd assigned him.
Yet now, she was silent.
Even though the mage surely irked her.
"As expected of my butler. You know me well."
"Then..."
"However, this time I won't step in."
"?"
It was an unexpected statement, and Albert tilted his head.
What had come over his liege to stay put?
But her following words explained.
"If I step in, won't I rob my sworn brother of a chance to raise his fame for once?"
"......"
"If he builds his reputation through this opportunity, it'll be to our gain."
"Hehe, such devotion to your brother."
Only then did Albert grasp his mistress's intent.
"That boy undervalues fame too much. With achievements like his, how can he remain 'nameless'? Honestly."
"Hmm."
"Hm? Why that look?"
"Hehe, I just think our Princess hasn't lost her youthful spirit yet either."
"...What nonsense is this?"
"It happens."
Now he understood why she wasn't intervening despite the mage's presence.
She valued knights above all.
She'd always been dissatisfied with him remaining nameless.
Thus, no interference in the war game.
It was his chance to gain recognition.
'Like young ladies rooting for unknown actors in theater troupes to shine?'
The sentiment of hoping her favored actor succeeds.
In their parlance.
'Fan sentiment, hehe. Our Princess still retains some purity.'
Albert was pleased.
However.
"Hm, I don't know what he's up to."
"Uuu?"
"More importantly, Arthur, we'll need to prepare for an outing soon."
"?"
"It'll be fun."
The "purity" Albert called pure would spell great disaster for others.
...The news that Crown Princess Isis would visit the Royal Academy spread four days later.
"......Haa."
The boy sighed.
A boy with a somewhat gloomy impression.
His shaggy hairstyle and dull grayish hair amplified his outward melancholy.
To top it off, his aura screamed "stay away from me" without mercy...
He was the epitome of someone no one wanted to befriend.
Yet.
"Derek? Where are you, Derek!"
"......"
"Ah! Found you!"
"!?!!"
...Lately, the boy—no, Derek—was facing a major crisis in his loner life.
Because of a certain girl who suddenly stuck by his side and meddled.
He'd minimized his presence and hidden atop a leafy branch, but it was futile against the sharp eyes of the intellectual girl with a ponytail that suited her perfectly.
"L-Lady Karin. Wh-Why did you seek me out again?"
"To eat lunch together. We're friends, right?"
"...Wh-Why not eat with others? You have plenty of friends."
"Hehe, those are just my followers. I don't have many real friends."
"......"
Was it okay to say it so bluntly?
What a personality.
"Derek, looking up hurts my neck. Won't you come down? I even packed a special lunch."
"...I-I'm fine coming down, b-but no touching my hair this time."
"Got it. I promise."
"Th-Then, alright."
Whoosh.
Shaggy-haired Derek hopped down from the branch just like that.
He descended so lightly it was like a flying squirrel leaping, and the girl's eyes sparkled.
'As expected, superhuman physical ability.'
A free movement even swordsmanship cadets couldn't mimic.
She'd sensed he was extraordinary from their first meeting, but the more she learned, the more his exceptional nature shone.
Well, more prominent than that exceptionalism was...
Smooth.
"Y-You said you wouldn't!"
"A woman's heart is as fickle as a reed."
"!!"
The moment he landed, the girl approached and brushed back his bangs.
Revealed were beautiful golden irises beneath hair that fully covered his eyes.
Unlike the dull gray locks, these eyes were stunning, exuding a seductive allure that could overwhelm even women.
'Such pretty eyes.'
The more she saw them, the more she wanted to look again.
And the occasional glimpses of his extraordinary side.
It was inevitable that the girl took interest in the boy; he was worth ditching her boring followers for.
"Derek, no real plans to tidy your hair? I can introduce you to a great stylist."
"N-No, really, it's fine. Hair grows back even if cut, and wrapping it up works."
"How about tying it with a band?"
"Why bother?"
"......"
...But sometimes his staunchly dark personality was a hassle.
The girl, Karin Allensia de Guinevere, puffed her cheeks.
'Th-This is burdensome.'
Derek found the girl burdensome.
Inevitably so.
As he'd said yesterday, women had no place in his life; they were wild beasts he couldn't get used to.
For example, lions or bears?
With such a lion circling him, herbivore-like Derek froze, sweat dripping as he pondered a new hiding spot.
But only briefly.
Derek found not just the encroaching girl bothersome, but also what kept nagging at him.
'The cadets who trained with that person are returning today, right?'
The culprit behind the Academy's uproar.
Foolish warriors challenging mages to a war game.
Now, criticism and harsh invectives poured on the swordsmanship cadets.
Fools who'd dared challenge mages to a war game.
'It's not foolish, though.'
But Derek didn't see their actions as foolish.
Warriors could win against mages in war games if they met certain [Conditions].
'Hidden piece. If they got that, their win chance would skyrocket.'
However, only he knew of that hidden piece's existence in this world.
Thus, he was curious.
About that person, Lee Han Turtle...
'If he's someone involved in the game like me? Or someone who knows the original story?'
Derek's uncertain conjecture.
That the swordsmanship instructor might know the game or original story...
Such an uncertain hunch.
'If so, I can confirm it this time.'
One trump card to beat the mages.
Proof of acquiring the hidden piece.
'He might have obtained the [Musket of the Mage Hunter].'
Hidden piece: Musket of the Mage Hunter.
A musket developed by an alchemist who devoted his life to slaying mages. Unlike standard muskets, it had a long barrel and immense power.
Moreover, it wasn't just powerful—it resisted magic too.
With its blueprint, time to develop and master it, a mage suppression unit could form.
'If it were me, I'd have raised them that way for sure.'
It was the sole route for lowborn cadets to defeat mages quickly.
Thus, Derek placed high hopes that the lowborn swordsmanship cadets would return with the 'rare job—'.
If the instructor knew the game or original, he'd have trained them that way.
Other jobs for lowborns weren't promising anyway.
'So if the cadets return with muskets on their backs, it means he's definitely in the same boat as me!'
Thus, Derek anticipated.
A 'comrade' to end his lonely life in this world.
As the boy secretly brightened with modest expectation.
"Hm? It's the swordsmanship instructor. They've finally returned."
"Wh-where?"
"There."
"Ah, finally... Hm?"
...What was that?
The Academy's main gate.
During lunch hour, cadets using the nearby lawn garden were the first to unwittingly welcome the swordsmanship instructor and cadets' return.
But the mood that swept over them was...
"...?"
An awkward expression, as if they'd seen something they shouldn't have.
Derek...
'Am-Among the selectable jobs, there's no ...?'
The man draped in bear pelt.
Eyes wide, blinking at the berserker—no, the 18 cadets.