Chapter 143
Chapter 143
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 143
Chapter Title: Plunder
-----------------------------------------------------------------
After that, all I did was sit there blankly next to Eve.
If this had been Jefrin, I would've cross-referenced who that guy was or what that kid did in my mental encyclopedia, but this was outside Jefrin. Meaning, I knew hardly anyone.
If Eve or Regina had picked a dance partner, I might've wondered who they were, but with Kelters gone, neither Eve nor Regina seemed interested in dancing.
Aila wasn't about to dance if I wasn't. So the three faces I knew were just part of the scenery at this ball.
Fine, Aila and I had crashed the party for fun, but if Eve and Regina were just going to sit this out, why hold a ball at all?
When I asked Eve that, she let out a deep sigh.
"Wolfram. You know Regina and I don't have fiancés yet, right?"
"...Is that so? Why not?"
"If we got engaged, it could throw the balance of the Loengrins way off."
"I see. Because if the strong band together, it tips the scales."
"Yes. So I'm sure Regina Cielra has her worries too."
"I see. Though who'll end up protecting Regina is anyone's guess."
"Why are you talking like it's someone else's business?"
"...Huh?"
"You know you were almost that person, right?"
No.
That was news to me.
Was that true?
"Strictly speaking, all the power in this empire except the Loengrins comes from the imperial family. Everyone wants ties to the throne, especially blood ties."
"I know that much."
"The Cielra family is a great noble house that rallies the central nobles, but precisely because of that, they know how fragile their power is. They're well-trained hounds."
Hm.
Yeah, that makes sense.
"Otherwise, the Loengrins would've wiped them out."
"You know it well."
Power centralized in the capital. That's why the empire's enjoyed three hundred years of peace.
Think about it simply.
Even after Wolfram von Loengrin's misdeeds, the 'Loengrins' only issued a directive to install Eve von Loengrin as student council president instead. His punishment was just 'exile from Jefrin.'
If he hadn't gotten stabbed on the way out, he'd probably have married moderately, carried on the imperial name in some distant post as a provincial overseer, living cushy.
That's how great the Loengrins are. Even for a Wolfram with 2 stamina.
At the very least, they'd have sold him off to another noble house to solidify their position further.
On the flip side, Eve's too big a piece to use like that; the whole imperial family struggles to handle her.
Anyway, now's not the time to gush about how OP the Loengrins are...
"So you're saying my first fiancée was Regina?"
"Yes. There's even official documentation."
For real?
Such a horrific future had existed?
"Then why'd it switch to Trista?"
"Word is the Cielra family said they didn't need you."
For real?
"...I see. Me engaged to Regina Cielra... Haha. Well now."
"Why are you laughing?"
I gazed at my fiancée far off, smirking smugly in her dress under Patrasche's guard, beaming all around.
The third-rate villainess who'd originally been set to exit tied to Wolfram was now strutting the ball with a confident smile.
Yeah.
Whatever.
"I'm just thinking, 'What a relief.'"
No.
For real.
The lavish ball was drawing to a close, and we'd pretty much exhausted our pointless chit-chat.
We'd started with some actual topics, but by the end, we were just flipping each other off verbally. Siblings gonna sibling.
"By the way, we talked about some pretty heavy stuff all night. Wouldn't it be a hassle if other nobles overheard?"
"You think I'd chat it up with you like that without soundproofing?"
Ah, right.
As expected of Eve von Loengrin, student council president for a decade straight, crammed full through grad school.
"Then I'll be off."
"Wolfram. Before you go, I have something to say."
"What?"
"Honestly. I want you to know it's infuriating, enraging, upsetting, and a blow to my pride."
"Hm. Seeing how disgusted you are, sounds like you want to ask me for a favor. Fine. I'll grant one request."
I owed her for saving me from getting crushed by Regina Cielra anyway. One's no big deal.
"What did you... see in the imperial library?"
"What?"
The question came out of nowhere.
"You said you obtained the great ancestor's knowledge, in your own words. What exactly did you see there? ...Since I helped, at least give me a hint."
Ah.
Aha. Got it.
Oops. My mistake.
I'd accounted for Eve checking the imperial library over summer break.
But I hadn't figured her pride would let her ask me.
What changed her mindset? Enough to come to me?
It's fine.
Luckily, the info isn't totally absent there.
Besides the Fairy's Paradise, there's another path of the founding emperor hidden.
"Or... was everything you said a lie? Did you get info some other way?"
"No. Not that. Central First Archive Wing, third floor, aisle eight, bottom shelf of the third bookcase. Somewhere among those two thousand books is a secret. It was sealed with heavy magic I couldn't open, but you can."
"...W-Wait. First Archive Wing, third floor, aisle eight, third bottom... Got it!"
"It won't be easy, but hang in there. You can unlock it."
I shrugged as I said it.
That was probably the key to her 'promotion quest.'
Tough without Kelters, but she'll figure it out.
Alright, now that I've ragged on my imperial bloodmate, time to meet tonight's star.
"Wolfram! The rebellion was a success!"
"I see."
No clue what she succeeded at, but whatever.
We're speaking the same language, yet so far apart. Oh, Aila.
As Aila and I headed out of the ballroom.
A voice called from behind.
"Aila Trista."
"Oh. Regina Cielra...?"
Regina's here to bother us again, I figured, brushing it off.
But Aila's voice trembled as she looked at her.
Raising my head to Regina's face, it was the Regina Cielra from my memories.
"Congratulations, Aila Trista."
"On what?"
"Next head of the Trista family. Top of your year? Nah, forget the small stuff... Being Prince Wolfram von Loengrin's fiancée?"
"Oh my, so many reasons to celebrate without me even knowing."
"Hehe. But enjoy it while it lasts."
"..."
Regina brushed past us, leaving a voice laced with amusement.
"Second semester won't be like the first. I win, and everything goes back to how it was."
That fleeting figure matched the Regina Cielra in my memories.
Not the magic merchant. But the start of her great merchant route.
The incarnation of obsession and fervor.
A monster of sticky determination that never backs down once decided.
Someone who stakes her life on everything, shifting from annoying to downright scary.
Good lord.
"...Second semester won't be easy, Wolfram."
"I see."
No kidding.
Not looking easy for me to survive, for real.
After the ball, Aila returned to Eden on business, Eve to the palace, and I... naturally, to my home.
The desolate convenience store in Magic Wing 8, the ass-end of Jefrin where no guests come.
"A shame. It was pretty fun."
"Was it?"
"Mm. Watching humans tremble and revere me just from a bit of mana was pure bliss."
Patrasche gave that, gesturing that tagging along to outings, balls, and official events wasn't bad.
What? Showing off? Sorry, but I have zero plans to go out. In fact, I'm staying put in Jefrin.
It was already midnight.
Good thing I used imperial privilege for the warp portal back to Jefrin. Otherwise, I'd be stuck in Eden.
As I arrived at the convenience store thinking that, I ran into it.
Something chestnut-colored, wobbling in front of the store.
Human-sized and jiggly, the word for it was...
"Maggot?"
"No. Wait. It looks like one, but... this mana signature... Ah, yes. Master. Seems to be that girl."
"That girl?"
I motioned for Patrasche to check, true to his no-close-danger creed. He approached the chestnut oval blob and nudged it with his foot, rolling it half-turn toward me.
And there it was...
"Ehe..."
"..."
Nepthelian, sleeping soundly in her sleeping bag, oblivious to the world.
The girl who could survive anywhere.
Nefti.
The moment I realized it was harmless Nefti, I sighed deeply. As I approached to ask why she was sleeping here now, sleep-talk wormed into my ears.
"Hehe... I'm a Royal Guard..."
"Now I'm seriously debating freeing you from that duty."
"...Ehe..."
"Nefti. Wake up."
"Salary's 200 million rin. Hehehe..."
..."
Even after Patrasche rolled her a few times with his foot, Nefti wouldn't wake, so I levitated her with telekinesis and stashed her in the corner of the store. Then back to work.
Dusted the shelves, tidied the counter—Patrasche's telekinesis handled it. Thanks. Cheers.
"Nngguuuh..."
"Awake, Nefti?"
What a weird waking sound.
"Where's... Uh. Uuuh...? Not Gluco Village."
"Sadly, Loengrin territory, Jefrin Island. Jefrin Academy Magic Wing 8 convenience store."
"...Ah. I know this place. Hehe... My senior's here."
Nefti rubbed her eyes, still half-asleep.
"Something to drink?"
"...Ah, that's what senior always says. Heh... Something cool, please."
"Got it."
I went to the back office, mixed two Mix Beans smoothies, and by then Nefti seemed alert, staring at me wide-eyed and trembling.
"S-Senior."
"Hm?"
"Wh-Why are you here? You were in Gluco just this afternoon...?"
Beats me.
That's what I wanna ask.
Why are you here?
"Drink first, talk after."
"...Ah. Yes!"
She took the drink without question, smiling.
The cold drink cooled her head, sugar got her brain spinning, and Nefti nodded with an "Aha."
"Didn't you say you were at the convenience store, senior?"
"Had personal business, so I stepped away from Jefrin briefly."
"...Ah. I see."
"So, why were you sleeping in a sleeping bag in front of the store?"
"Well, see..."
Nefti hemmed and hawed, then sighed deeply and clasped her hands in front of me.
Like a kid begging an adult, "Please."
"What?"
"C-Could I get some proof?"
"Proof?"
"Y-Yes... See, senior..."
Nefti's story went like this.
Returned to Gluco Village. Everyone cheered her top-of-year spot.
But what followed would've made even the pure-hearted villagers, who always rooted for their own's success, tilt their heads.
"I said I'm your Royal Guard and will work for the imperial family after graduation, and they all treated me like a delusional liar...!"
"..."
"They all gave me these warm looks like, 'Jefrin life's tough, huh? Nefti's dreams are big! We believe in you, sis! From all of Gluco Village, we wish for your career dreams!' Stuff like that!"
"I... see."
Even the great Wolfram couldn't hide his fluster.
Royal Guard contracts usually happen post-graduation; formal ones during school are rare.
"So I'm going back to the village with proof! Shut them all up! Please, senior. Give me proof!"
"Don't you have proof already?"
"...Eh? I do? Where?"
This girl...
"Didn't I give you the Royal Guard uniform? Or did you forget?"
"Ah, that. It's... kinda awkward."
"Why? Isn't it the surest proof of a Royal Guard?"
"I haven't even shown you me in it, so wearing it just for my own satisfaction feels off..."
"I see."
"Y-Yes..."
Hm.
Got it.
In ways like this, Nefti's got firm boundaries—a strength of hers.
"But I don't have anything else to give as proof. Misusing the imperial crest could be treason if villagers get hurt or whatever."
"...U-Uh. True. So no way?"
"There's a way, isn't there, master?"
Patrasche, who'd been listening, chimed in.
"Got an idea?"
"Just go to the girl's village yourself."
"Physically... impossible."
"What. I'll assist your movement with telekinesis. Manageable even for you, no?"
This guy.
This red mutt.
Scheming to drag me out of Jefrin to flaunt himself to civilians.
Attention whore by nature...
"What'd Mutt say?"
"He says I should go to your hometown, Gluco Village, myself... Nefti."
"Y-Yes!?"
Nefti's eyes went wide.
Yeah, even so, showing up unannounced at someone's home...
"Even so, that's a bit much..."
"Let's go!"
Eh?
"...?"
"Come on, senior!"
"You sure?"
"Of course! It's perfect timing!"
"Timing?"
"Yes! Chance to introduce you to Mom and my siblings myself!"
"..."
"I'll say you're the lord I'll serve my whole life! Let's go, senior!"
Come to our house!
Nefti's voice rang out like that.