Chapter 148
Chapter 148
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 148
Chapter Title: It Opens?
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The portal from Jefrin to the capital Loengrin is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
Other portals might close a few times a year, or not open at all outside of vacation seasons, but Loengrin is completely wide open.
Mana stones and magic crystals. They're subtly different, but both are expensive power sources, and they pour them in nonstop to keep the portal running year-round. The annual cost is over ten billion rin.
You think it comes from taxes? Nope. This is Loengrin squeezing the imperial nobles to cough it up.
Isn't that just taxes?
Hmm. Taxes taken from the rich—what's the harm?
On top of that, the Empire throws in some prestige.
It's free of charge, of course, and high-ranking nobles can travel back and forth to Loengrin during the semester with just an approved leave request.
And that hits big with the nobility.
To put it simply, in a full-board school that doubles as military training, nobles get the chance to go home on weekends if they're lucky.
Of course, leave requests are scrutinized pretty strictly, but kids raised with everything handed to them on a silver platter get their feelings hurt and struggle... then they go home, eat a steak made by the head chef, chat with family, sleep one night, and come back refreshed to study hard again.
Once they taste that, noble families compete to cover the costs of maintaining this mana stone gate.
How to put it? The Jefrin alumni association from noble houses pipes up: "We had it back in our day—shouldn't we support it too?"
"Who hasn't written a leave request, gone home for a hot meal, lain in bed thinking 'I'll push through tomorrow back at Jefrin,' and cried into their pillow? Not me!" And everyone chips in.
Anyway, long story short: if even nobles have to submit leave requests and face strict reviews, imperial family members skip the review altogether.
It's like the chairman's grandson at a private school saying he wants to skip class and go home—what are you gonna do?
So Eve could hop the portal to Loengrin anytime, and originally, so could I. Wolfram took the portal to Loengrin in the middle of the night too... but he got stabbed and died in the capital before even reaching the palace.
Poor guy.
Poor guy.
Anyway, I still had a faint unease that I'd get stabbed if I went the same way. Asking Nefti to escort me? She requested leave to spend time with her family, and I approved, figuring it was just her being Nefti.
Anyway.
So now I had to head to Loengrin alone.
No matter how majestic a wolf I was—a retainer of the fairy queen who'd strode battlefields with the founding emperor—bringing Patrasche to the palace was out of the question.
No, precisely because of that majesty, dragging Patrasche along could draw unwanted eyes from other royals and spell serious trouble.
Aila's in heir training right now, and Rudika's nowhere to be seen.
Patrasche is too risky... and Filtia? No way.
So who escorts me?
What if I really get stabbed on the way?
I was seriously pondering that when I spotted the next page of Eve's letter.
【In case you feel threatened, I've arranged an escort and companion.】
【Don't run—hurry up and come.】
Oh.
Lucky break.
Eve's quick on the uptake, as always. She's smart but dumb in spots—that's her flaw—but sometimes that smarts saves the day.
So who did she assign as my escort?
Silvia Evergreen Glove? She graduated this year, so she's swamped with prep.
Who else, then?
Someone Eve would pick for my guard duty.
The person who fit the bill opened the door and approached me.
"I've volunteered as your escort."
"……."
"From today until the imperial palace in Loengrin, I'll guard His Highness, third-year Magic Division vice-topper."
"………."
"Regina Cielra."
No.
Eve.
I asked for an escort, not an assassin?
This lineup right?
While seriously rolling dice in my head on whether dying torn apart in a swamp under Regina's guard or getting stabbed without her would hurt more... the time came.
"You're my escort?"
"Yes. Though I'm lacking, I look forward to working with you, Your Highness."
No, it's fine—be casual.
If I point out your shortcomings, I might end up missing a limb, so I'll keep quiet.
"Let's go."
"Yes."
After that, with Regina's protection, we began our thrilling journey.
"If anything's uncomfortable, just say the word."
"So far, so good. Didn't know you had talent for escorting too."
"I don't think I have such qualities. I just... do my utmost for those I want to protect."
"I see."
Even with my measly Magic Power of 3, I could feel it: Regina's magic enveloped me tightly.
If I pushed out my magic, her swamp peeled just a fraction from my skin to block it.
Like my whole body was wrapped in thick, viscous fluid.
...Swamp?
But aside from that, Regina's escort was truly serene.
Less strain on my legs with magic cushioning my steps, cool air adjusted against the wind, pebbles cleared three steps ahead.
All the while, Regina just silently followed behind. No odd behavior until I spoke first.
God-tier magic control. She earns her rep as one of Jefrin's three magic geniuses alongside Aila and Eve.
...On the flip side, imagining all that consideration turning into a crushing storm of magic in an instant? Terrifying.
After the portal, a carriage stamped with the Ciela house crest awaited us.
Obviously, while you can portal to the capital Loengrin, the Loengrin Palace itself has no portal.
Terror risks and all sorts of issues. Official procedure: dismount near the capital and take a carriage in.
We boarded, settled in, and as the carriage began rolling slowly, Regina spoke for the first time.
"The road's dull—mind if we chat a bit?"
"……."
If I refused here, Regina Cielra would surely stay silent.
That'd be easiest on my mind, but... I met her gaze squarely and nodded.
"Sure. Let's talk... Ciela house eldest daughter. No, wait... Regina Cielra."
"Calling me by name now?"
"Yeah."
Because right now, Regina's eyes... were unmistakably from her personal route.
The incarnation of obsession and fervor. A grand magitech merchant who must claim everything that walks its path unapologetically.
I could clearly see that glimpse.
This D/Z SAGA has a character 【Promotion】 system.
Usually grouped by class: magic users have magic promotion quests, knights have knight ones.
Form a party, adventure together, raise affinity high enough to accept the quest. Promotions usually change your title. Two promotions, plus one awakening—three changes total.
Stats don't skyrocket, but promotion skills are decent, outfits change, and for heroines, illustrations get updated. Solid system.
Regina shifts from magitech merchant to grand magitech merchant, and at that point, she drops the "reckless obsession."
Instead, it morphs into something more "manic" and "sticky in the shadows."
Outwardly normal, but festering inside.
And the Regina before me... was showing exactly that.
Madwoman.
"So, we have that much to talk about?"
"Heh. Indeed. The Ciela house supporting Eve... and that 'nothing' relationship where talks went ahead without us meeting and then fell apart on their own."
"Yeah."
"But if fate had flowed that way, this could have been a sweet homecoming for fiancés, right?"
No, I hate that future.
"You can't change the future by musing 'what if the past was different.'"
"Yes, well said, Your Highness. So... now I'll change reality."
"Change reality?"
"Yes. How? Look forward to it. No matter what anyone says, I'm your grand game rival."
"Like I said before, don't just spout empty words. Fast talk means light actions."
"...Meaning?"
"Show me with deeds before words. I hate smooth talkers. If you're my acknowledged rival... save the number-crunching for after the game ends."
Basically, shut up and prove it.
At that, Regina's face flushed red.
She hugged herself, shuddering like chilled to the bone—my words must've bruised her pride.
"Ahh... as expected... no one else but you. Yes. I'll do that. For you and me alone... to rewind this wayward past..."
"……."
We seemed about to reach Loengrin Palace... but the carriage veered deeper inside.
Not the palace— the adjacent Central Imperial Library.
"Student Council President Eve is waiting inside. My escort ends here."
"Mm. Bill Eve for the fee. Good work."
"Oh... those words alone are reward enough."
"Head back."
"Yes. Oh, right, Your Highness— one word before I go? Forgive my rags, but may I speak?"
"Permission granted."
"House Ciela swore absolute loyalty to the Loengrin imperial family as one of the Ten Elder Houses. Yet... we've bowed to no one else on the continent."
"I know, but..."
"Yes. So even against western pioneers like the Tristas... we submit to no one but Loengrin. We don't lose."
"……."
"But if Loengrin rules us and tightens the noose... I'll die smiling."
"I see."
"Yes."
Regina bowed and withdrew.
What the hell was that?
Her headspace is impossible to read.
So all other nobles are enemies, but being dominated by Loengrin is fine?
And that matters how?
After that, I opened the door to the Central Library.
In the center, surrounded by books stacked like towers, sat Eve at a desk.
Eve von Loengrin, immersed solely in her books.
Her usual poise gone—hair down, brow furrowed.
Yet her eyes burned undimmed.
This was the original Eve von Loengrin I knew.
Strange.
"If you call someone, shouldn't you answer?"
No response from Eve.
Obviously—she blocks out all senses with magic when deep in focus.
She won't hear you.
Poke her finger? Holy spear auto-counters.
Only one way to rouse Eve like this, per canon.
Extend your magic, and her widespread mana senses it, sending a signal.
Canon Eve said: her pure mana picks up even slight wavelength shifts.
"What? Who's irritating me with this weak-ass trash mana... Wolfram?"
"That's right. The one with weak-ass trash mana... but your dear older brother whom you summoned here, Wolfram von Loengrin."
"You talk so pretty."
"Can't I? You did call me."
We greeted with middle fingers.
What? Why the glare?
"Sigh. Fine, I called you—so come look at this."
Eve shoved a book at me. A familiar one.
A massive tome with a sturdy lock on the cover.
Written in continental common tongue:
【Tome of Light's Guidance】
Oh. Found it.
I vaguely recalled telling Eve at the ball about the location of "Hark's Arrangement."
This was it.
The trigger for Eve's first promotion quest.
"This the book you mentioned? Our great ancestor's...?"
"Yes. You found it."
"Yeah. But... it won't open. That's why I called you. I slammed all 22 Magic Power into it—no budge."
Eve sighed.
"So you begged me, all petty and desperate?"
"Could you say that even if you lost two limbs?"
"……."
No, that'd hurt.
"Not begging for help. Help? My pride wouldn't allow it."
"Then why call me?"
"Told you. A deal. No taxes on whatever you do at Jefrin all second semester. Spill everything you know about this book."
"...Hmm."
Not bad terms.
But... explaining why I know is tricky.
It's Eve's promotion quest book. Condition to open: someone she sees as an equal must be present.
It opens when you're together.
But Eve has no such person now.
Not even Kelters.
So helping feels off—better tease her about it not opening and head home.
"Won't open, huh?"
"See. Like this... "
Clunk.
The lock fell.
And Eve...
opened the book.
"?"
"?"
It opens?