Chapter 23: Damage Control
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 23: Damage Control
Dame Noel’s position within the Imperial Military might have been absolute, but that didn’t mean she was universally liked. Though few in number, there were certainly those who had turned against her for their own reasons.
Whether due to envy, jealousy, or having belonged to an opposing faction that lost a power struggle, their resentment was palpable. The men gathered in this room were prime examples.
“…I understand what you’re trying to say, but…” Sir Levant, a knight known as the ‘Alpha Wolf,’ spoke up reluctantly.
It might have sounded like a decent nickname, but anyone who dared utter it to his face could expect a broken nose. It was an open mockery—a blatant reminder that he was merely the leader of those who served ‘beneath’ Lionheart.
That fact alone was enough to explain why Sir Levant despised Dame Noel, but how he felt about the ‘request’ they had just received was another matter entirely.
“Are you telling us to openly harm someone close to Lionheart?”
“Strictly speaking, they aren’t close,” a man with a voice so silky it could only be described as elegant replied smoothly. He possessed the refined looks of a young lord, but the words leaving his mouth were utterly sinister, a complete contradiction to his appearance.
“I am talking about striking her fiancé’s escort. Even if the attack is traced back to us, it won’t cause a significant problem.”
…Honestly, the man was insufferable. His radiant beauty felt like nothing more than a mask for a viper’s nature. But frustratingly, Levant couldn’t afford to show his distaste.
Rad Ilja Barphon. The Administrative Minister of the Empire. A high noble who ranked fourth or fifth in the Imperial Palace’s hierarchy. His status alone was intimidating, but another fact overshadowed even that.
The Second Imperial Prince’s closest confidant…
Recalling this, Sir Levant stroked his chin. For Rad to be making such an incredibly bold request in broad daylight, he was almost certainly acting on the Prince’s behalf.
“There is no reason for you to hesitate. You must already know whose orders I carry.”
“…”
“If you handle this matter well, think of whose protection you will gain. And think about who the legitimate heir to the throne is right now.”
“…It’s an appealing offer, but…” Sir Levant stared at him, his brow furrowed. He couldn’t fathom the man’s intentions. It would have made more sense if the target was Lionheart herself, but this…
This isn’t about Lionheart…
This request was clearly driven by malice toward her fiancé.
“I fail to see what we gain by striking him.”
“I heard Lionheart and her deputy fought at the training ground yesterday. Are you aware?” Rad asked.
“…?”
As Levant tilted his head, Rad continued with a chuckle. “They fought fiercely enough to injure one another. But the deputy completely ‘regenerated’ her wounds. Without a single hint of pain.”
“…What are you implying…?”
“It’s not widely known, but a member of the Holy Kingdom’s ‘royal family’ possesses that exact ability.”
“…”
At those words, Levant’s expression turned grim.
“Keeping a royal as a deputy is, in itself, an act of blasphemy against the Holy Kingdom. If she were to be injured in an ‘unexpected accident,’ it would create an even greater disaster.”
In short, success or failure didn’t matter. Simply involving the princess in a violent incident would trigger a massive crisis. Lionheart’s fiancé would be completely cornered.
“…But wouldn’t that make us, the ones who assassinated a royal, the bigger problem? That’s absurd—”
“Don’t worry. You will be safe.”
“Pardon?”
“The Holy Kingdom’s interest in her is purely based on her status as a ‘royal.’ They won’t care much for personal revenge. We can sweep it under the rug.”
“…Is assassinating a royal really something that can be swept under the rug?”
“If it’s that princess, yes,” Rad replied with a scoff. It wasn’t as if she would die from an assassination attempt anyway. But more importantly, she was a peculiar individual with no one on her side.
In other words…
“She is a loner,” Rad’s words flowed smoothly, sharp enough to draw blood. “Someone whom no one would mourn, no matter what happens to her.”
* * *
— System Message
[1 day remaining for the Side Quest.]
[Penalties will be applied upon failure!]
…I knew that perfectly well without the reminder.
It had been exactly a day since Katya, who had gone silent after our mess at the training ground, vanished without a word. Dame Noel was also holed up in her private room, refusing to come out. A grim, heavy atmosphere filled the entire headquarters.
Clearly…
The side quest instructed me to resolve this situation ‘peacefully.’ That was just another way of telling me to mediate between the two of them.
But first, I have to find her.
How was I supposed to resolve anything when I didn’t even know where she was? That had to be the starting point.
The clue, however, came from an unexpected place.
“Her Highness is on the rooftop.”
The moment we crossed paths in the hallway, Dame Stella spoke, her voice weary. “I’ve managed to contain the fallout from yesterday’s commotion, but calming down the people involved is beyond me.”
“…Thank you for your hard work.”
“She’s a ticking time bomb right now, so I’ve ordered everyone to stay away. It might be dangerous, but Aiden… could you try talking to Her Highness?”
“I’ll try.”
“…”
Stella narrowed her eyes, studying Aiden. “You think you can do it?”
“Yes.”
Her gaze questioned how he could so easily agree to handle such a volatile situation, but Aiden met her eyes calmly.
“…Aiden.” After a long moment, Dame Stella let out a deep sigh. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Dame Noel act so emotionally. Not since the Alliance War.”
“…”
“You really are something else, Aiden. To think two prominent figures are being swayed this much because of you.”
“Thank you… for the compliment?” he replied hesitantly, as her words hadn’t sounded complimentary at all.
Her next sentence made that abundantly clear.
“Please, just make sure you don’t end up a playboy.”
“…”
“If Dame Noel ends up heartbroken later, well…”
—You’ll have to deal with the fallout yourself.
Watching Dame Stella walk away after delivering such a terrifying warning, Aiden scratched the back of his head.
…I’m sorry, but…
Honestly, he couldn’t make any promises. He had taken on the burden of saving the world, and he had to do whatever it took. In fact, that was the very reason he was actively trying to handle Katya right now.
— Skill Info
◈ Weaver of Fate
Only you know the truth of this world. Build bonds with key figures of the main story to obtain new rewards!
Human relationships naturally progressed or regressed when emotions ran high. From the perspective of building a ‘Bond’ with Katya, there was no better time than now.
“…”
…His conscience pricked him a little. But this was the path he had to walk. He had no intention of deliberately playing with people’s feelings, but with the Weaver of Fate ability, Aiden was in a position where he had to do whatever it took to gain affinity. What form that ‘affinity’ would take was still a question, and he couldn’t be sure it wouldn’t develop into romantic affection.
Still, one thing was certain.
This one should be safe, though.
Looking at Katya, who was sitting on the rooftop railing with her legs stretched out, Aiden muttered the thought to himself. He had a strange conviction that, whatever happened with others, Katya was nowhere near someone with whom he could discuss romantic love.
How should he put it? She seemed like someone who wouldn’t even understand what such emotions were.
“Your Highness.”
When he called out, Katya whipped her head around. Her face crumpled in an instant before she quickly turned away again.
She looked like… a sulking child.
“…”
Aiden let out a faint, bitter smile. Since she wasn’t running away, this was a good chance to talk. The fact that she remained silent as he approached and sat on the railing beside her confirmed it.
“Why are you in such a bad mood?”
“…Go away.”
“Are you brooding over what Dame Noel said?”
Katya’s mouth snapped shut. Silence was as good as confirmation.
His smile widening, Aiden sat quietly beside her. He hadn’t known this princess for long, but her behavior gave him one distinct impression.
She’s like a child.
She tried to have everything her way, and when things didn’t go as planned, she threw a tantrum. While she could be needle-sharp when reading others’ emotions, she had absolutely no control over her own.
“…”
It wasn’t hard to guess why she had developed such a personality.
Come to think of it, it is strange.
She had entered the Empire completely alone, without a single attendant. Despite her staying here as she pleased, the Holy Kingdom hadn’t made a single formal request for her return or well-being. It was as if they didn’t care whether she existed. That was how Katya was treated in her own kingdom.
If he recalled her background lore, it even stated that before joining the main scenario, Katya didn’t have a single acquaintance, let alone a friend.
An oddity. A monster. An anomaly. An abomination. An object of terror.
In other words, a loner.
Regardless of how smart she was, she had clearly never formed a proper human relationship. She never had the opportunity to mature as a person.
And now, such a person… wanted to make a good impression on Aiden, of all people. It made perfect sense why her affinity was listed as ‘Obsession.’ Aside from him, there was probably no one else in the world she wanted to be close to.
“…Why did you come?”
Her gloomy voice was likely born of fear—the fear that she might be hated by the only person who mattered to her.
Aiden stroked his chin and replied, “I came to check on you. You looked pretty down.”
“I’m fine.”
“Are you sure?”
“…”
“Well then, I’ll be going.”
When he said that with a playful grin, Katya glared at him sullenly.
“…Am I…” After trailing off, she forced the words out. “…nothing but a nuisance to you?”
“No.” Putting it that way would be too harsh. After all, she had done everything he’d asked so far without complaint.
“…Then did that woman lie?”
“No. You are a pain, though.”
Katya’s face went completely blank at his immediate, matter-of-fact agreement. Seeing her expression, Aiden chuckled.
“Let me ask you instead. From a common-sense perspective, how is that not being a pain?”
To the dumbfounded Katya, Aiden rattled off a list of grievances without a shred of hesitation.
“You ask me to kill you at random times just because you want to ‘feel’ something.”
“…”
“You follow me around constantly, leaving me with zero privacy. I can’t sleep properly, eat properly, or even go to the bathroom in peace.”
“…”
While Katya’s expression grew increasingly bizarre, Aiden yawned. “If you did it out of ignorance, that would be one thing, but being a nuisance when you know better is even worse. Please, show some consideration for others. Even the servants here are constantly complaining because of you…”
“…Then…” After being verbally pummeled until all her usual self-assurance drained away, Katya mumbled, her expression twisted. It was an unimaginable sight, but her eyes were slightly watery. She looked genuinely hurt. “Am I… useless to you—?”
“So, just don’t do it in the future.”
Katya’s eyes widened. She looked as if she had heard something completely inconceivable. Aiden sighed inwardly.
Just like that. The fact that she couldn’t even fathom the concept of being ‘forgiven’ spoke volumes about the life she had lived.
“…”
Come to think of it, Act 2 of the Main Scenario, <Blasphemy>, was an event triggered precisely by Katya’s nature as a loner. Right here, right now, he would plant the seeds to completely twist that future.
“Friends can be a bit of a pain sometimes. As long as you don’t do it again, it’s fine.”
Honestly, for someone like Aiden to suggest being friends with royalty was practically lèse-majesté. Nevertheless, he said it with a firm tone. While his goal was to raise her affinity and copy her skills, he also felt she was the one who needed this kind of relationship the most.
Upon hearing his words, Katya’s face contorted into an even more bizarre expression.
“…Friends?”
She pronounced the word as if she’d been told to eat her own shoe, as if it were a word she had never heard or spoken in her entire life.
“Friends.”
“…You and me? Friends?”
“Friends.”
Driving the point home, Aiden pulled a small hip flask from his coat. It was something he used from time to time. It was a bit much to call it a gift, but it felt better than offering empty words.
“This is a token.”
“…”
Katya accepted it reluctantly, her expression still bewildered.
“Katya.”
“Yeah.”
“Since we’re friends, make me a promise.”
“…”
“Don’t go picking fights with people for no reason. And try not to do things that hurt others.”
“…”
“And apologize to Dame Noel later for starting that fight.”
“…”
“Can you promise me that?”
“…Okay.”
Katya curled inward, tightly clutching the hip flask to her chest like a mother bird brooding over an egg.
“I’ll keep it.”
…Well, at least she was listening to him. That was a relief.
“I’ll trust you,” Aiden said, stretching.
Katya nodded. Uncharacteristically, she was incredibly docile.
* * *
— System Message
▶ The target Katya’s ‘Obsession’ level toward you has risen to Level 2.
▶ The skill ‘Weaver of Fate’ has been activated. You can copy an additional skill!
▶ Your influence over the target ‘Katya’ has increased significantly.
▶ A major change has occurred in the target Katya’s state of mind because of you. A possibility of Future Alteration has emerged.
▶ The target’s ‘Individual Quest’ will unlock soon.
▶ Information on the Unique Trait ‘Source’ has been unlocked.
“…”
One at a time, please.
He hadn’t expected such a flood of alerts just from getting her to agree to be friends. Among them, one in particular caught his eye.
…A Unique Trait?
Aiden tilted his head and opened his skill window. If he remembered correctly, it was a powerful ability on a completely different level from other skills.
— Skill Info
■ Omnipotence [Level 1]
You can combine two or more supernatural abilities to produce a more powerful effect than before.
▶ Currently Discovered Combinations
〓 Guardian’s Flame (Pure White Heart ↔ First Vow)
…
■ Source [Locked]
Increase your influence over others to unlock this ability.
▶ Individual Quest [1/2]
…An Individual Quest. Judging by the system messages, it seemed to unlock when he caused a major shift in someone’s heart, creating a possibility of ‘Future Alteration.’ That meant if he unlocked one more, the skill would be fully opened.
Omnipotence was a trait that provided bonuses for combining abilities. Deducing from Source’s unlock conditions…
…Is it some kind of ability that exerts a massive influence on others?
It seemed like a reasonable assumption, though he wouldn’t know for sure until he unlocked it.
More importantly…
So, one side seemed to be resolved.
— System Message
[1 day remaining for the Side Quest.]
[Progress: 50%]
“…”
Aiden stared at the window, his eyes narrowed. Why was it only half complete?
…Am I supposed to comfort Dame Noel, too?
He’d figured Katya needed soothing since her mental age was so young, but he hadn’t expected Noel to need it as well. Just what kind of state was she in?
“…Just my luck.”
Sighing, he started walking again. Unlike with Katya, he already knew where Noel was. Arriving in front of her private room, Aiden knocked.
“Dame Noel, it’s Aiden. May I come in?”
Even after a long wait, there was no answer.
Tilting his head, Aiden gently pushed the door open. Immediately, the sharp, distinct scent of alcohol assaulted his nostrils. The smell was so thick it felt like it was washing over his face, causing him to frown deeply. He enjoyed a beer or two after work himself, but drinking until the entire room reeked of it was something he found more vulgar than a matter of preference.
This situation was undeniably bizarre, even more so considering who owned the room.
“…Dame Noel…?”
As he cautiously stepped inside, his jaw dropped at the sight.
Empty cans. Alcohol bottles drained completely dry. There were enough to build a small pyramid. Even in her drunken state, the empty containers were neatly arranged in perfect rows and columns, a surreal reflection of Noel’s meticulous nature.
Standing there dumbfounded, Aiden picked up the nearest bottle. The label proudly indicated a 50% alcohol content. Looking around, he spotted at least five more empty bottles with the exact same label.
“…”
As he stared at the scene, lost for words, a figure on the bed squirmed and sat up.
“Oh.”
With a flushed face, Noel…
“Heh—”
…spoke with a slurred tongue.
“It’s… It’s Aiden—”
A goofy grin was plastered across her face.
“…”
…What on earth is this?