Chapter 30
Chapter 30
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: Goal, Nobel Peace Prize (2)
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#030
1.
In this world, wine was a luxury that commoners couldn't even dream of.
Simple logic.
A farm bursting with grapes in this cramped world packed with all of humanity?
That alone was as extravagant as a grand palace.
Even in Aden, it was classified as a luxury item—Necropolis went without saying.
"Good wine. Have some. Oh, what's your name?"
"Sedric."
In other words, Ceres inviting me to her home and treating me to wine.
It also meant she was welcoming me as an honored guest.
Felt a bit unfamiliar.
This was the first time across all regressions that Ceres had acted this way.
Her original line was, "You have good eyes. Mad eyes."
Probably due to my understanding of death?
Was this connected to the Necromancer tech tree?
"If you've come this far, you must have a purpose.... What brings you here?"
"Before that, I'm curious why you want to hire me."
"In negotiations, the disadvantaged side shows their hand first."
"Hmm, fair point."
I'd figure it out eventually.
For now, focus on the current situation.
"I've come with an offer you can't refuse. Shall we build some trust first?"
"Trust?"
Ceres was incredibly suspicious by nature.
I had to break through that suspicion first for the conversation to progress.
I summoned my attendant.
"Julien, my knight, bring him here. I'll show you something interesting."
At the unexpected request, Ceres pressed the intercom button with evident interest.
"You called, Director?"
From there, it unfolded as I knew.
"Naming a goat after you and fucking it! Absolutely not! That will never happen!! Are you doubting my loyalty?!"
"...Yeah, your reaction is way too suspicious...."
Julien, exposed for his filthy habit of goat-fucking, was deleted with a single gesture from Ceres.
"Sedric, was it? I'm impressed how you uncovered my subordinate's deviance.... But is that why you came?"
"No, this is just like a deposit to earn your trust."
"Then?"
"I'm here to stop Project Z."
Straight to the main point.
"You leaked company secrets to stop that project as well, Director Ceres."
It was meant to be a bombshell declaration.
But Ceres remained utterly serene, unfazed by my surprise reveal.
Without future knowledge, I'd have thought I was barking up the wrong tree.
"Go on."
I continued without hesitation.
"You leaked the data to Eiming of the Phantom Ghost Clan, hoping Overnus Pharmaceuticals would step in.... But he betrayed you. He snitched to Director Gisella instead."
Ceres showed no change in expression this time either.
Instead, she slowly took a cigarette from her case and exhaled a long plume of smoke.
The lipstick on the filter was seductive.
"Fuuu... And?"
"I'm not sure if the other board members know. But Gisella definitely does. Soon, those two will team up to take you down."
"Ahahaha! Those two? Against me?"
Ceres burst into laughter.
Laughter that dismissed it as absurd.
Hey! Fuck, this isn't the time to laugh!
You're really gonna die!!!
I started feeling a bit anxious.
Ceres wanted to stop Project Z.
I planned to piggyback on that to make this regression a bit easier.
But the crucial point.
Truth be told, this was half a gamble.
I didn't know how strongly motivated Ceres was to stop Project Z.
For me, it was tied to my long-cherished goal of dressing Arbel in reverse bunny....
But for her, it might just be nice if it worked, no big deal otherwise.
Even in the previous regression, her "efforts" to stop the project amounted to just leaking info.
No helping it.
She didn't know this was life-or-death for her.
I needed to instill more urgency.
"Of course, I know you're strong, Director Ceres.... But they've prepared thoroughly too."
"Hmm, poison maybe?"
I flinched.
Did Ceres already know about the Formless Poison?
"What're you startled about? Everyone knows the Phantom Ghost Clan uses poison."
Oh, the Sacheon Tang Clan type.
So she fucking knew and still gobbled up anything and everything, leading to her downfall?
"So what's this proposal?"
"Yes. Let's stop Project Z together, rack up some good karma, and reach nirvana."
Ceres pondered as she stubbed out her cigarette.
"Thanks for the interesting info. But I refuse."
After deliberation, her answer was rejection.
"Three reasons. One, no reason to take the word of someone I just met at face value. You seem to have picked up some good intel somewhere, but it's all talk. No evidence to back it up."
"Two, I'd like to stop Project Z if possible. But I'm not desperate enough to openly defy Twilight Resource Development."
"Last, three. Even if I wanted to stop Project Z... why should I partner with you specifically?"
Wow. Exactly.
If she'd used that brilliant brain of hers instead of ignoring the obvious, she might've survived the previous regression.
Fuck!!! So frustrating I could die!!!
Why act so nonchalant! You'll get fucked playing it cool like that, you bitch!
Saying "I saw the future! You're really gonna die!" here would be the worst move.
Not only lacks credibility, it's genre suicide too.
A regressor spilling their sweet regression cheat to everyone and revealing the future?
Never ends well.
Ends up screaming "I only know two weeks ahead!" under torture, or turned into brain canned goods.
Instead.
"Then, as payment for stopping Project Z together, I'll break your precepts for you."
Dangle the carrot.
"What are you?"
At those words, Ceres's relaxed demeanor turned fierce.
Heart-tightening pressure. Intimidation.
Hostility and wariness in her eyes.
My lips went dry.
"Sedric. Eldest son of the disgraced Montraven Count family from Aden. The man who'll end your bondage play. And, Nobel Peace Prize nominee."
I figured as much.
What I glimpsed with the "monocle" was her complex or something she desperately hid.
To Ceres, I was a suspicious figure who pierced her hidden secret in one go and offered a solution.
"You're secretly researching how to break the mage precepts, right? Am I off base?"
Conversely, that made me seem all the more mysterious.
Exposing her attendant's deviance at first meeting.
Listing betrayers while bringing up Project Z.
Even piercing her hidden desire to break the precepts.
See?
This is why ants can't beat giants.
Difference in quality and quantity of information.
Ceres grimaced, clearly displeased.
"Pisses me off. A mage's precepts are absolutely unbreakable. Think I'm an idiot?"
Thank fuck.
Worst case was if even the "precepts" were no big deal to her.
But that line confirmed it.
"You haven't killed me right away despite saying that because you're clinging to that sliver of hope, right?"
"......"
Breaking the precepts was a grave matter for Ceres.
"I guarantee it. I'll stake everything to break your precepts, no matter what. No prepayment, of course. If you plan to threaten me into doing it, give up. I'll kill myself immediately."
After a long silence.
Ceres, staring straight into my eyes, finally spoke.
"Fine, I'll bite. But if you're trying to mock me with that glib tongue...."
"Castrate me and send me to the male brothel."
Perfect wrap-up.
"Deal?"
She grabbed the hand I offered.
"Won't end at just a male brothel."
"What then?"
"I'll make you regret being born."
Hmm, something the Fed Chair often said.
...But what really are Ceres's precepts?
2.
Anyway, the joint front with Ceres to stop Project Z was successfully established.
Now it was her turn to answer my questions.
"Can I ask now? Why did you want to hire me back then? We were total strangers."
This had been bugging me.
Even initially, she said something about liking my eyes.
But this regression was definitely different.
Not "Your resume and interview were impressive..."—straight-up scout offer.
Without even demanding my eyes.
"You have aptitude as a mage."
"Death affinity maybe?"
"Yeah."
"Lucky me. I never told anyone, but my dream since childhood was to be a necromancer."
Ceres tossed it out casually.
"Want to learn?"
"For real?"
What the hell?
Seriously? I just laid the bait, and she bites this easily?
Sedric, Grade 9 freelance fixer turned mage job change event?
"Personal curiosity. I'm curious too. How far you can go."
Couldn't miss this chance.
"I'll teach you a simple 0th Rank spell."
"Not magic tricks—actual magic! Can I even learn that?"
"You're nobility, so you have a mana circuit, right?"
"No talent. Zero spells I can handle. Can't even do tricks."
Tried it when I first arrived in this world.
But magic isn't just having a mana circuit and mana then flicking a switch.
Starts with sensing the mana flow....
Gave up after two days.
Like asking me to feel the blood in my veins—absurd.
"Possible. I can't handle systems opposite my affinity either. Know the three elements of magic?"
"Heart, Technique, Body, right? Roughly."
Magic's three elements: Heart, Technique, Body.
Yeah, the virgin theory.
"First, Body."
No matter how grand the magic, it starts from the human body.
Bloodlines evolved through ages and history.
The innate "mana circuit" woven within is paramount.
Same spell yields entirely different effects based on circuit shape.
Reason crude artificial circuits allow tricks but not true magic.
"You're at least at the starting line. Proper mage noble family and all."
Next, Technique.
Skill, technique—same in Heart-Technique-Body mage theory.
"Magic is miracles wrought from knowledge toward ascension. Never coincidence. Even with great bloodline and constitution, without rational control, it's like putting a child on a wild horse."
"Same mana, same circuit level—'Technique' decides 0th Rank or 2nd Rank."
Think piano.
Same keys and tuning: pianist vs. amateur, worlds apart.
Last, Heart.
Heart means mind, imagery.
"Magic is overlaying my world atop the world. But 'I' is too small."
"If reality is the ocean, personal world is a mere droplet."
"To ripple the surface and stir waves with that drop... need an overwhelmingly strong 'I'."
"Project a firm, vivid image of heart onto the world."
Theory I knew.
Why mages are insane.
Think about it.
Folk free-falling sans parachute, imagining flight without doubt.
Plunging hand into boiling molten iron thinking "cold."
"Then, simple aptitude test?"
Ceres stood, covered my eyes with her hand.
Cool hand, still lemon-fresh scent.
Something soft against my head.
"Ooh."
Aren't we not that close this regression?
Fine by me!
"For one minute now. I'll show you 'death.'"
"Pardon?"
Chilling words—I reflexively asked back.
That instant, senses shut off like power cut.
Smell, hearing, sight, touch, even direction.
Felt ejected from reality into abyssal void.
Then, tossed into pitch-black darkness.
Thoughts spun wild, my existence tiny and meaningless.
"What. Did I die?"
This place, right?
The one before regression.
Did she snap my neck from behind?
No round summary though.
Panicking briefly, vision cleared.
"How was it?"
Ceres smiled before my dumbfounded face.
"No grudges, since you asked."
Puppy schooled—smug grin.
Showing death's imagery was this?
Just visited there?
"Yeah, good view. Does this mean I can use magic now?"
Right after answering.
For the first time since meeting Ceres.
I learned she could make that face.
"......???"
Slightly dumbstruck, mouth agape blank expression.