Chapter 287: Impersonation(2)
Chapter 287: Impersonation(2)
The world is vast, and lunatics are everywhere.
People are the same wherever you go.
Therefore, there are plenty of lunatics in this world I live in as well.
It’s a bit of a moronic syllogism, but it’s a logic that holds true in practice. The world is full of all sorts of crazies.
In this world specifically, one witnesses eccentricities that would be rare even by Earth's standards.
The Maishal Territory and Halo Academy have relatively excellent public security, so it’s not immediately obvious, but you’ll realize what I mean the moment you step into a blind spot.
Theft and pickpocketing are basic; brawls break out in taverns daily, and occasionally, even murders occur.
Unlike my previous life, this is a fantasy world—meaning unique forces like mana exist.
Not just any random person can wield mana, but those who can are capable of exerting far greater power than an ordinary citizen.
Fortunately, it is nearly impossible to wield such force recklessly in the face of the grand order known as the 'Law,' but given the nature of this society, many things are overlooked.
If a person with the power of a strategic weapon—rather than just a tactical one—commits a crime, people tend to turn a blind eye unless it’s a truly catastrophic incident.
Perhaps because of this, it’s common for those who have made a name for themselves, especially adventurers and mercenaries, to have atrocious personalities.
You might ask what the difference is between an adventurer and a mercenary. Adventurers aren't affiliated with a group like a guild, whereas mercenaries belong to a Mercenary Guild.
To put it simply, an adventurer is a freelancer, and a mercenary is, well, a mercenary.
Adventurers are as free as any freelancer, but they earn less than mercenaries for the same request.
This is because a mercenary leaves a 'record' upon completing a request, whereas an adventurer’s skill must be judged solely by rumors, making them less reliable.
However, even this is a matter of personal preference. For both adventurers and mercenaries, martial prowess, experience, and knowledge are paramount.
Even in a world without the internet, rumors spread quickly. And if bad rumors spread, most people... don't actually avoid them.
As long as they get the job done, it’s fine. Even if their personality is in the gutter, as long as the request is fulfilled, that’s all that matters to the client.
Since social culture isn't particularly developed compared to my previous life, many people outside the upper class lack a sense of morality.
So, even if foul rumors circulate, if one can complete a task or request, their reputation naturally rises. Especially if a 'Title' is granted, that person’s prestige soars to the heavens.
Just as my father is called the 'Red Lion' and Kate is called 'Blue Flame,' countless titles float around.
At least titles like my father’s or Kate’s sound cool; if you dig a little deeper, there are plenty of bizarre nicknames. I’d like to mention them, but there are too many, so I’ll pass.
Apparently, they consider these titles a badge of honor, as they are a direct reflection of their fame.
Anyway, these factors combine to give adventurers, and especially mercenaries, a reputation for being reliable but people you wouldn't want to be close to.
Did someone commit an unbelievable act of eccentricity? It might be a hasty generalization, but most of the time, it’s a mercenary.
[The number of humans in Albenheim claiming to be the motif for Kair and engaging in arguments and assaults is on the rise...]
[Among them are famous adventurers and mercenaries such as Blue Ghost, Hyena, and the Ghost of Messos.]
Just like the news I heard recently. Crazy people who went beyond Albenheim to seek out Arwen, claiming to be the man who served as the motif for Kair.
As everyone knows, Elisha’s lover in the Xenon Chronicle is a human male named Kair. They were lovers whose story depicted the romance between a human and an elf, only to end in tragedy.
Their story is as popular as the protagonist's, so much so that the Matrix Theater Troupe recently adapted it into a film.
In that sense, since Arwen announced herself as the motif for Elisha, it was only natural for people to wonder if there was a human who served as the motif for Kair.
Cecile had already opened the door of 'possibility' by revealing her demonization, and Arwen had gone and slammed a seal of confirmation on top of it.
The problem is that while the identity of the lover of Lilith—the character modeled after Cecile—remains unknown, Elisha has Kair right there.
Instead of someone with an unclear track record, let's just pick the one who's certain. That must be what the lunatics in the newspaper were thinking.
'Especially now that the Magic Engine has been invented.'
It’s a bit awkward to call them imposters... but let’s go with that. Anyway, the reason these imposters could raise their voices so loudly was partly due to the motifs, but the existence of the Magic Engine was the biggest factor.
There is a clear difference between something that actually exists and something vaguely called a motif. While the cases of Cecile and Arwen are uncertain, the Magic Engine is a physical reality.
With the Magic Engine—something everyone thought was impossible—actually existing, Cecile and Arwen declared themselves the motifs for the characters.
If this were Earth, there would be scientific analysis, but there’s none of that here. People just go, "Huh? Really?" and blindly believe it.
Because of this, some of these imposters might genuinely believe they are Kair. No, most of them probably do.
What kind of sane person would scream that they are the Elf Queen’s lover just to ride her coattails? Even swindlers know how to look out for themselves; these imposters are dead serious.
"There was someone who impersonated Isaac in the past, too."
"There was someone that insane?"
We were gathered at a cafe to discuss the current situation. When Mary mentioned a past incident, Cecile’s eyes widened as she asked.
Cecile usually speaks quite elegantly, but she was apparently so shocked that she spoke quite bluntly.
On the other hand, Lina, who already knew about the incident, was calmly taking a sip of her tea.
Adelia also sat quietly, listening with an interested expression.
"Yeah. A year ago, there was a man going around scamming people by claiming to be Xenon. He was bold enough to come directly to our family and ask for sponsorship. Well, we caught on immediately and punished him."
"If it was a year ago... that was long before the pollution of the World Tree's roots."
"Yeah. If he tried to impersonate him now instead of back then, he would’ve been dragged away for sacrilege."
"Would he just be dragged away? He’d deserve divine punishment."
I wanted to say something while listening to Mary and Cecile’s conversation, but I couldn't. Because it felt like that would actually happen.
If an imposter claiming to be me appeared, Cecile would probably destroy them herself.
Of course, even before she could give the order, ordinary citizens might tear the imposter apart. The gods would probably turn a blind eye to that, too.
I chuckled softly at their conversation and then turned my head. Lina was sitting there, elegantly drinking her tea in silence.
I was curious about what Lina thought of the current situation, just as much as Cecile.
"Lina."
"Yes?"
"How do you see the current situation?"
Clink—
As soon as my question left my lips, Lina set down her teacup. Simultaneously, everyone’s gaze shifted toward her.
Lina seemed to think for a moment, tapping her cheek with her finger, then spoke with a bright smile.
"It seems like an entertaining situation, doesn't it?"
"You think so too, right?"
As soon as Lina spoke, Cecile nodded in agreement.
Certainly, from the perspective of a third party rather than the person involved, it was a hilarious situation.
They had made the announcement to keep Helium and Cecile in check, only for a swarm of unexpected imposters to come rushing in.
From the perspective of Albenheim and Arwen, it was as if countless leeches had attached themselves.
They couldn't easily shake them off, but if they accepted them, these people—who already had poor reputations—would likely run amok.
"It won't be easy to get rid of them. The imposters must have a plan; they wouldn't just scream that they're the motif for Kair without reason."
"Wouldn't it be difficult just because of their appearance?"
"Why don't you try comparing Queen Arwen's appearance with Elisha's from the Xenon Chronicle?"
Hearing Lina’s question, Mary looked upward and blinked. Then, she nodded as if she understood.
The reason she understood was that Elisha and Arwen’s appearances were far too different.
Unlike Arwen, Elisha is a pure-blood elf by setting, and because of that, she is superior in both height and physique.
On the other hand, while Arwen has a magnificent figure (especially her hips), her height is by no means tall. If anything, she’s slightly below average.
Even in terms of facial features, Arwen looks like a cute girl, while Elisha is mature and intellectual. They are different even in their looks.
The only reason Arwen could claim to be the motif for Elisha was that the situation she faced was so incredibly similar.
"That's why adventurers and mercenaries with some degree of martial prowess are seeking her out. As you’ve heard, they are people who are at least high-rank or above."
"Are those people as strong as my father?"
Since they were called high-rank, I was curious about how strong they were. They’d probably be in the top ten, so wouldn't they be about as strong as my father?
However, as soon as Lina heard my question, she looked at me with one eye squinted, as if she had heard something insane.
It wasn't just Lina; Mary and Adelia were the same. Every single one of them had an expression that asked if I was being serious.
Cecile, well, she didn't know much about my father, so she just watched blankly.
"Whew... Isaac."
"Yeah?"
"Even with the help of an army, your father is the first 'human' in the history of the Minerva Empire to slay a dragon alone. Do you understand what that means?"
"..."
To be honest, I didn't really know. Apparently, unlike dragons in media that get slain all the time, dragons in this world were more like walking natural disasters.
Then just how strong was my father? While I was lost in thought, Mary chimed in from the side.
"Lina is right. My father-in-law would be a much better fit for Kair's motif than those guys currently blustering in Albenheim. If father-in-law had been an adventurer or a mercenary, it would have been even more convincing."
"There are no adventurers or mercenaries as strong as my father?"
"If there were, the state would have moved to recruit them. They would be a force equivalent to an Elf Warlord. And the ages of the imposters vary widely, from their 20s to their 50s. They probably firmly believe that their future selves will become as strong as Kair. With the naive thought of, 'Could it be me?'"
So, a combination of arrogance and delusion had produced these imposters. Confidence can be a good driving force for improving one's skills, but conceit is the opposite.
The imposters were harboring groundless faith in their current abilities. And on top of that, they were delusional.
I could clearly see Arwen clutching her head in a dizzy spell. I wondered how she would react.
"Isaac."
"Yeah?"
"Are you going to help her?"
While I was anticipating Arwen’s reaction, Cecile asked me in a subtle voice. The others' gazes shifted to me as well.
I calmly accepted their various stares while pondering the answer to Cecile’s question.
To be honest, there wasn't much I could do to help. If I had to, I could write a letter.
A single letter would solve everything, but it would also cause problems in the aftermath. People would nitpick, asking if Elisha and Lilith were also lies if Kair was a lie.
Furthermore, helping her every single time wouldn't have a good effect on Arwen. She was already known for her connection to Xenon.
If I wrote a letter, there was a high possibility people would spout nonsense about me lying for Arwen’s sake.
Above all, Arwen would feel guilty for constantly imposing on me, and it might even negatively affect her growth.
"I should watch for now. I can't help her every time."
"Good thinking. This is a bit of a headache, so it’s better to wait until Albenheim says something."
"I'll keep that in mind."
About three days had passed since I heard Lina’s words.
[Albenheim: Queen Arwen is a gift for the Saint, Xenon. Do not even dream of taking her away.]
Albenheim had made a bold move.
"What are you going to do now?"
"..."
"Albenheim says they're giving Queen Arwen as a gift?"
At my question, Lina spoke with trembling eyes.
"...This isn't the Queen's personal statement, right? It's the position of the entire nation? Including the citizens?"
"Yeah. It says 'All Citizens of Albenheim' right here."
"...Have they all gone mad?"
They’ve lost their minds to the taste of Elven Communism.