Incident (2)
Sophien simply glared at the fountain pen fixed in midair. She had learned that destructive spells like Fireball, supportive spells like Barrier, and manipulation spells like Telekinesis were the fundamentals of each school of magic.
The output of magic itself had clear limits, so a mage's talent had the greatest impact on these basics among basics.
"……"
Sophien yanked the fountain pen toward her with her own Telekinesis.
The pen still didn't budge, but the Hall of Learning caught in her rough Telekinesis was already half-destroyed.
The floor ripped up, the ceiling collapsed, pillars shattered, bookshelves crumbled……
Even in the midst of that devastation, Deculein maintained his composed expression. He showed no sign of strain. His breathing was calm, his dignity impeccably refined. His noble bearing stimulated Sophien in some way.
"……Fascinating."
Sophien possessed sharp intuition and keen senses. She could gauge what was possible and what was still beyond her.
Deculein's Telekinesis fell into the latter category. Of course, she hadn't wanted to admit it at first, but time had run out.
"Twenty minutes have passed."
The emperor merely gazed at Deculein. His blue eyes met hers in return. They were mysterious pupils sparkling like crystal.
"I understand the confidence that led you to stake your neck. I cannot defeat you with Telekinesis."
Sophien let out a smirk. Deculein replied.
"Then let us now begin the conceptual lesson."
"Is there any concept left for you to teach me?"
"Yes. I intend to bestow upon Your Majesty a concept known only to me."
"A concept known only to you?"
"Yes. That is correct."
As he answered the emperor, Deculein drew a magic circle in the air. Its form diverged sharply from ordinary circles.
"Fascinating."
The emperor propped her chin on her hand. Deculein himself was more intriguing than the magic circle.
"I know you. I have read the documents, and I have seen you in person before."
Sophien produced the 'Deculein-related files' from the Intelligence Bureau and promptly handed them to Deculein.
"All of it is wrong. Not a single thing is accurate."
"……Your Majesty. These are top-secret documents. They should not be given to anyone."
Deculein frowned at the sight of the files. Sophien paid it no mind. They were all wrong anyway—what harm could come from it?
"They claimed your talent was fake, that you were a con artist deceiving others. But what of the you I see now?"
The emperor stared at Deculein. Her imperious gaze brimmed with intense doubt.
"You are full of oddities. I believe you are hiding secrets. What say you?"
"Yes. You are correct."
Deculein nodded at the question. He never spoke falsehoods.
Sophien was satisfied with that alone. If there were no lies, he was fully qualified to stand here and face her.
"Very well. Someday, I shall wrench those secrets from you."
"If Your Majesty devotes herself to these lessons, that moment will not be far off."
There was boldness in Deculein's response. The smirking emperor finally looked properly at the magic circle he had presented.
"This is the magic I intend to teach Your Majesty. A concept from ancient times, reimagined in the modern era as a school of magic."
"Oh ho. And what might that be?"
Rune Language.
"……Rune Language?"
Surprise colored Sophien's eyes, but Deculein remained impassive.
"Yes."
In truth, from the moment he had declared the Rune Language destroyed, he had planned to teach its entirety to the emperor. To shatter her boredom and grant her the great power to one day confront the final boss.
"I heard you destroyed it?"
Sophien was well aware of Deculein's symposium. The imperial eyes and ears were the fastest conduit for such news in the world.
"It still exists in my mind. Therefore, from now on, my lessons will have no physical evidence."
This was a lesson possible only because the teacher was Deculein and the student Sophien.
A communion made solely of words and mana.
"……"
At that very moment.
Sophien realized Deculein's intent. Another emotion surfaced in her glare.
"I shall teach Your Majesty all forty-eight runes as I interpreted them. With the Rune Language Telekinesis, you may even surpass me."
Of course, no mage would so easily discard their own research. Especially not if it was something as monumental as the Rune Language. What madman would bury it entirely from the world?
Mages were a breed desperate—truly desperate—to leave their mark on the world.
"Then, you now……"
Sophien grasped Deculein's aim.
This man had been waiting, hoping for it.
"……want me to become your prized disciple?"
A superhuman worthy of inheriting the grand magic of the Rune Language.
A talent to carry on his research from the most exalted position.
"Yes."
Deculein nodded frankly. The emperor, having read his intentions perfectly, flashed a deep smile.
"Your Majesty shall be the first direct disciple of my Rune Language."
This was his goal.
From their first meeting, he had harbored this ulterior motive.
"In teaching Your Majesty this Rune Language, I shall come to understand you, and as Your Majesty learns it, you shall come to understand me."
"Insolent fool."
Sophien laughed. It wasn't a bad feeling. Quite the opposite—this audacity pleased her.
"Very well. Whether it goes as you wish, I know not, but make the effort……"
Deculein immediately began assembling the runes.
His eager charge, as if he had been waiting, was so earnest it bordered on endearing.
……After ninety minutes of lesson.
I stepped out of the Hall of Learning.
"Duke Yukline."
As I walked the imperial palace corridors, someone called my name. Turning, I saw the eunuch Jolang.
"Has the instruction concluded?"
Golden blond hair, typical eunuch attire. Short stature, pale skin, no beard growth. Neat as a valet rather than a mere servant.
I knew who this Jolang was. He was a named retainer of considerable influence in the palace. Moreover, he was the quest giver for "Devil's Mirror," part of the "Palace Shadows" questline.
"It has."
"Then, I have something to tell you."
"The palace underground, I presume?"
"……"
Jolang looked startled. But he quickly composed himself and gazed up at me.
"Yes. Correct. First, follow me. The palace has ears and eyes everywhere."
I followed Jolang through the corridors. The palace held hundreds, thousands of rooms, and he led me to one.
A vacant chamber hazy with incense.
"Fitting for a secret meeting."
"Haha. Yes. It was made for such purposes."
"Even eunuchs fall in love?"
"Well, it depends. Anyway, Duke Yukline. Now, I shall explain. What lurks in the palace shadows……"
The palace underground. I already knew its secrets.
Darkness dwelled in the imperial depths, harboring a devilish artifact.
Or whether it was truly a devil, no one knew. But that mirror reflected the underside of the world.
Reflection alone would be fine, but it also connected to the netherworld, having long infested the underground.
"……Thus, we are gathering those to purify the depths. His Majesty trusts you……"
"Very well."
I asked few questions.
No need. I had cleared this quest back in my test play days.
"One condition, however."
"What is it?"
"Exclude Julie."
Jolang raised an eyebrow. He soon chuckled softly.
"……Hedgehog love, is it?"
Hedgehog love.
Jolang had meant it as a jest or mockery, but the phrase pierced my mind intensely.
Two hedgehogs, shivering in the cold, approach to share body heat. They try to embrace and endure the winter, only to realize.
The closer they draw, the more their bodies' myriad spines wound each other.
"I was joking."
Misreading my stiff expression, Jolang quickly backpedaled.
"……Very well. Understood."
"Yes. I shall explain it well to Knight Julie."
I nodded and departed. My head was quite muddled, and teaching runes had consumed much mana, but my schedule wasn't over.
Haelchi's auction house awaited.
……Haelchi, the empire's wealthiest city, was the vanguard of fashion where all manner of goods, rare treasures, luxurious brands, and beautiful artworks converged.
Al Ross closed her eyes, feeling Haelchi's sunlight as radiant as gold. The vibrancy differed from the Ashes Heap, filling the affluent streets.
Rustle, rustle, a small leaf drifted onto her shoulder. A voice emanated from it.
Al Ross narrowed her eyes.
Jukaken. Like Al Ross, in a cooperative relationship with the Altar, but also one of the six serpents of the underworld heads.
"I told you I'm not participating."
"……Gerec isn't helpful for the plan. The guy's obsessed with Deculein. Doesn't match your cautious nature."
Jukaken of the underworld was meticulous.
He had likely been plotting since the Altar put a thirty-million elne bounty on Deculein's capture.
By comparison, the multiple-personality Gerec was closer to a raving lunatic.
"Gerec would do it for free if it meant killing Deculein."
Continuing the conversation as she walked, Al Ross arrived at Haelchi's auction house. She looked up at the sign.
[Kline]
"Cut it."
"……"
The Mana Stone of Mieolji was tempting.
Jukaken seized the opening.
Al Ross glanced that way. A suited chauffeur was smoking.
"Idiot. Deculein saw through my doll before."
He was the first to pierce her doll.
Thanks to his hint, no more ash residue now, of course.
Al Ross didn't reply.
"……"
After agonizing, Al Ross spoke.
"Twenty percent."
This time, Jukaken fell silent. Al Ross had no regrets.
She held a personal grudge against Deculein, but didn't want the entire Yukline house as enemies.
"Good. But no more rushing next time."
Al Ross nodded and entered [Kline].
"Identification, please."
"Here."
"Yes. Duke Sollet. Confirmed."
Haelchi's auction house [Kline] was crowded. Most seemed nobles, dressed elegantly. Probably after the same 'Homeren Fragment Ring' as her.
Al Ross had no intention of yielding.
……Two hours later.
"Duke Sollet. Congratulations on winning the Homeren Fragment Ring. The item's owner awaits inside."
Having won the bid, Al Ross nodded. Guided by the staff, she reached the backstage behind the auction house.
The owner stood in the center, back turned. Al Ross found the silhouette familiar.
"The winners have arrived."
The staff announced. He turned. Though she hid it, Al Ross was greatly startled.
Deculein. Backlit by the sun, gazing at her. The scene gleamed like a halo.
"Congratulations on the win."
He said, holding the item in one hand. Al Ross approached calmly.
No need for tension. Deculein didn't know her true face.
"Thank you."
"Sollet, is it?"
Al Ross nodded. Deculein smiled at her.
A smile she knew well. Men always beamed at her appearance.
But from Deculein, it felt somewhat ominous.
"Homeren Fragment Ring. Here it is. A fine deal."
"Yes."
A whopping twenty million elne item. As Al Ross received the cased ring.
Deculein widened his eyes at something behind her.
"……Sylvia?"
"Yes."
Al Ross belatedly looked.
It was truly the Ilayde scion, Sylvia.
"……'Loterin Amber Brooch.' Did you buy that?"
"Yes. With my saved allowance."
"Aren't you busy with finals?"
"It's fine."
Al Ross watched the odd pair briefly. Deculein seemed flustered, Sylvia expressionless but oddly bright.
"Then I'll be going."
Al Ross soon exited.
Sylvia or whatever, if she stalled time, all the better……
After the auction, I boarded the car.
"Farewell."
Sylvia bowed outside the window. The Loterin Amber Brooch adorned her hair—she had lingered with me backstage for nearly thirty minutes.
"Yes. The brooch suits you well."
"Ah."
Sylvia puffed her cheeks; I closed the window.
"To the tower."
"Yes."
Today's driver was Jeff.
The car glided away. As usual, I leaned back and pulled out a paper.
[Soda Drent Thesis: "Earth Axis Rotation"]
Last week, Soda Drent had asked for edits during career counseling.
My revisions were high-value, so I didn't accept just anyone.
"Inefficient."
Hmph—I let out a hollow chuckle from the first paragraph. An inefficient circuit right at the start.
"Too naive."
The circuit flow, knots, and connections lacked solidity. The Earth Axis Rotation effect itself was too advanced.
"Lacking ability for the set goal."
I continued reading.
"Coming to me is commendable in itself, but……"
That 'idea' wasn't bad, so there was room for growth.
"……Needs proper training."
Honestly, too much talent for under Deculein……
……
……Meanwhile, Al Ross was driving Deculein's car.
Jukaken had kidnapped driver Jeff as planned; Al Ross had infused her doll with Jeff's form and her soul fragment.
"……"
Al Ross glanced at Deculein in the rearview. He was reading some document. Couldn't see the content.
'This distance, he won't notice.'
Al Ross swallowed a sigh of relief.
Her doll was no different from a human.
Perfectly mimicking chauffeur 'Jeff,' Deculein—who ignored servants—would never spot it……
So she thought.
Then.
"Inefficient."
Suddenly, Deculein spoke.
Al Ross's heart sank. She gripped the wheel tightly without thinking.
Out of nowhere, what was inefficient?
Al Ross checked Deculein in the mirror. He continued calmly.
"Too naive."
Al Ross gritted her teeth.
"Lacking ability for the goal."
Certain.
Her doll was exposed.
For Al Ross, it was humiliation and bafflement.
How? Some spell to instantly see through her doll?
'Plan failed.'
She tried signaling Jukaken, but something felt off. An eerie dissonance.
He saw through her, yet no hostility? He freaked in that barrier before. Maybe just mumbling to himself?
……As she pondered.
"Coming to me is commendable, but…… needs proper training."
Training.
At that arrogant tone, Al Ross bit her lip.
Simultaneously, realization dawned.
Whether through intel, a traitor, or whatever—he had anticipated this op. Likely knew the mastermind, and had been waiting for this encounter……
Al Ross exhaled roughly but soon calmed. She could just abandon the doll.
Jukaken.
If I bring him out.
The rest is yours.