Chapter 44
Chapter 44
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (7)
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Fren's death came as a shock in more ways than one.
Not only had he injured the prince, but he'd also spouted all sorts of strange nonsense before dying.
His body was quickly taken away, but the incident left ripples in its wake.
Unfortunately, the prince's speech ended right then and there.
The address, which had covered topics like the economy and culture, concluded in a hollow—or gruesome—fashion.
Some say it was a planned act of terror that must never be forgiven.
They insist it demands stern punishment under imperial law and the will of the gods.
Others claim it's a declaration of war against the imperial family.
Punishing Fren matters, of course, but digging out his backers is far more crucial.
In other words, this is just the beginning.
According to the mages who witnessed the event firsthand, a dark mage had gotten involved.
Thanks to that, they requested aid from the Holy Kingdom to prevent it from escalating further.
"What in the world could have driven him to do it?"
"Hm, I figure he just craved attention. What do you think?"
Today's salon was gripped by a single newspaper.
They had originally planned to discuss Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
"Hah, no matter how I look at it, he must've been influenced by the novel."
Edn might feel wronged, but the connections between Fren and the story ran deep.
And so, they sat together, newspaper in hand, hashing it out.
"Let's see how the prince handled it first. According to the paper, he even exchanged a few words with the guy."
"I saw that too. Honestly, wasn't it a bit too risky?"
One noble shook his head with a click of his tongue.
He wouldn't dare say it in the prince's presence, but among nobles alone, he spoke freely.
Several others nodded in agreement.
But some praised the prince's response.
"Take a look at this. It says the man called Venta spoke of good and evil. And he even asked about humanity."
"What does that mean?"
"Simply put, it was to uncover the culprit's intentions! And thanks to that, we realized the link to the novel!"
The objecting noble shut his mouth at those words.
The man flashed a triumphant smile and pressed on.
"The prince handled it brilliantly. He figured out the culprit's goal and even sacrificed himself to stop the kill!"
He bellowed proudly, assuming no one would contradict him.
But an elderly noble spoke up.
"We can't be sure the culprit spoke his true intentions, though. What do you think?"
"W-Well..."
The man faltered at the old noble's words.
He racked his brain but found no rebuttal.
As he geared up to bulldoze with bravado, another man intervened.
"Enough. Let's skip debating the prince's response. Aren't you curious why the culprit said what he did?"
"Oh, that's definitely intriguing. Count Hopton."
The man—no, Count Hopton—seized the moment to share his view amid the agreement.
"I suspect he had a terribly unfortunate past. Questions about good and evil, humanity... Those don't come out of nowhere."
Several nodded along.
They figured it was the kind of question that only arose from such a background.
They didn't know it, but Hopton was spot on—Fren did have an unfortunate past.
Whether consciously or not, it had shaped those thoughts.
Of course, deeper queries like good and evil had been sparked by reading Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
But the foundational ideas had been brewing long before.
Not content with mere questions, Count Hopton scanned the room.
He checked for any dissenters.
And sure enough, one piped up right away, as if on cue.
"As you know, we're discussing the fourth prince's assassination attempt because of Venta. We don't know who he is, but one thing's clear: there's a strong connection to the novel we meant to talk about."
"So what are you getting at?"
An impatient noble prodded him.
Undeterred, he replied slowly.
"No need to rush. Patience is a virtue sometimes."
"What?"
"Anyway, my point is this: What if he really hadn't read Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde? I don't buy it. Literature gives us so much. This novel especially makes us ponder humanity in all sorts of ways. So I think he did read it, and it influenced him—for the worse."
Some agreed, others shook their heads.
Hopton, meanwhile, mulled it over with interest.
"Then what do you think good and evil are? And humanity?"
"Hm, Venta's questions, eh?"
He seemed intrigued by them too.
They strayed from the original topic, but they were extensions of it anyway.
Inevitably bound to come up, he decided to answer.
After a moment's thought, he addressed Hopton and the group.
"Good and evil are just human constructs. So humans are beings who don masks and put on acts. That's my take."
"...Hah."
Even Hopton hadn't expected that.
His hollow laugh ushered in a long silence in the salon.
A minute passed, then five, with no one speaking.
The answerer just watched quietly, prolonging the hush.
Finally, someone broke it.
"Could you say that in front of the Goddess?"
"Why not? She'll watch over us regardless."
A noble shot to his feet, shouting and pointing accusingly, face flushed with rage.
"Hah! You really believe the Goddess will just sit idly by?"
"No. She merely disciplines us when we stray from the righteous path."
He gave as good as he got, brushing it off without a flinch and countering.
The standing noble fumed, unable to hide his fury.
He was a devout follower deeply embedded in the Church of the Goddess.
But Hopton stepped in, quelling the spat.
"That's enough, both of you. We're not here to get heated."
"Tch."
The noble sat first, followed by the other.
Only Hopton remained, looking like he had more to say.
"Regardless, thanks to this Venta, we've gotten a chance for some deep thinking—about good and evil, humanity. The gods are watching, so let's keep it civil."
Hopton's deft mediation and eloquence eased the tension.
The salon resumed their discussion in a calmer atmosphere than before.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Meanwhile, the culprit behind the ripples in the imperial family, nobility, and some commoners alike had injected Fren with the drug and watched.
He shook his head as Fren's body was retrieved.
"This experiment failed. No results to observe. And the drug's effects were unstable too."
The black-robed figure recorded his observations.
Notes filled the pad in an instant; he snapped it shut and spoke.
"If we gather more materials later, we'll try again. On hold for now."
Regret tinged his voice, but he turned away.
Then, struck by an idea, he stroked his chin and gazed skyward.
"Should I slip some of this drug to those noble bastards?"
The nobles would play key roles in the upcoming coup.
Supplying it to those allied with them could yield intriguing processes and outcomes.
"Yes. Time to test it out."
No sooner decided than a shadow erupted from his feet.
It enveloped the black robe in a flash, then sank into the earth like absorption.
No one saw.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Fan letters.
What are fan letters?
Letters sent with admiration by fans of celebrities, authors, famous figures, and the like.
Not just letters, either—gifts are fair game.
Or money for support.
Anyway, it's a term for anything fans send to express their feelings.
Just a slightly narrow scope.
"So Jenectra Publishing House will handle the screening?"
"Exactly. It's only right! We'll even assign a few people. I was shocked, honestly. Hearing someone from the capital suddenly mention 'fan letters' out of nowhere."
Foren feigned surprise, but embarrassment lurked beneath.
I picked up on it—or even without, I had my pride.
I knew Jenectra had done me a huge favor.
Still, springing this suddenly was inconsiderate on my part.
Our partnership made prior notice essential, my oversight.
At least Foren stepped up first.
"Thank you. Looking forward to our continued collaboration."
"Of course. Oh, by the way, we've already received a few letters."
What, already?
We were just discussing protocols, and letters were arriving?
Probably from eager types or those who wrote on the spot.
In other words, sent without knowing the details or under a misunderstanding.
Foren said he'd screened them—no dangerous items.
I thanked him, took the letters, and headed home.
"Let's see."
At my desk, heart pounding, I opened the first one.
Wondering what it might say.
I peeled back the paper and read the contents.
"...What the hell is this?"
It was from someone claiming to be Fren.
The content was, charitably, profound.
Uncharitably, packed with convoluted verbiage.