Chapter 78: Baron Ashro’s Estate 9
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 78: Baron Ashro’s Estate 9
A few hours before Loki donned his disguise as the Phantom Thief Cardinal to infiltrate the estate.
Knock, knock.
Elicia, who was resting in her assigned room, heard a sharp rap at the door.
"Who is it?"
"It's Loki!"
"Sigh..."
A heavy sigh escaped her lips the moment she heard that playful voice. Her head was already beginning to throb, wondering what kind of trouble the boy—who seemed to attract accidents like a magnet—was planning today.
"A-ha! You just sighed, didn't you? Do you think I can't hear you just because there's a door between us?"
"I intended for you to hear it. Just come in."
Elicia pressed her fingers against the bridge of her nose, rubbing it wearily.
Becoming an Academy professor had originally been a whim, a bit of "amusement" to pass her long life as a dragon. Before that, she had enjoyed her leisure time as an adventurer, but after a while, even that life had grown dull.
Upon learning that Casten’s son was enrolling in the Academy and that Idra, a former member of her adventuring party, was a professor there, she had used Casten’s influence to secure a teaching position.
"Well then, excuse me~."
Loki entered the room, wearing that mysterious mask that never failed to pique her curiosity.
"Right. What kind of trouble have you caused this time?"
"I’m planning to cause it starting now!"
Watching Loki speak with such a bright, cheerful voice made another sigh slip out involuntarily.
"Right. Thank you so much for the heads-up. So, what kind of trouble are you planning?"
Loki began to explain his plan as casually as if he were discussing his lunch menu.
Elicia listened with her eyes closed. After a moment, she slowly opened them and spoke.
"You know my true identity."
Loki’s plan was built on the absolute certainty that she was a dragon. He had requested three main things: a powerful physical enhancement spell, magical interference to prevent Clara from casting, and finally, the use of Dragon Fear.
This was only the second time someone had seen through her disguise without her revealing it first.
"Well, of course I know. Your identity is 'Professor Elicia,' isn't it?"
Elicia looked at Loki as he gave that shamelessly vague answer and wondered to herself.
Did Casten tell him?
The day before the first Academy classes began, Casten had contacted her via a communication device.
—It has been a long time, Lady Ruska.
—It's Elicia now. So, why are you calling?
Casten had asked her to look after Lucas and Loki in the Special Class.
—I understand Lucas since he's your son, but what is your relationship with Loki?
Casten had smirked, as if recalling something amusing, and told her the story of how Loki had discovered he was Cardinal and how he had taken the boy as his disciple.
However, despite Casten’s request, there wasn't much need for her to look after him.
Though Loki himself didn't seem to realize it, he was currently the heart of the Special Class. This was easily observable during the time Loki was away fighting the Necromancer.
When Loki was present, every student in the Special Class would exchange at least a few words with him before or after their duels. But with Loki gone, Sepia only spoke to her spirits, and Clara sat in icy silence, buried in her books.
Loki was the only one among the Special Class students who had managed to bridge the gap with those two. He was the only person thick-skinned enough to strike up a conversation with Sepia while she was talking to spirits or with Clara while she radiated an aura that screamed "don't come near me."
His skills went without saying. When she first saw him, his physical stamina was severely lacking compared to his other abilities, but he had somehow resolved that issue in a remarkably short amount of time.
"Then, I'll go meet with Frederick."
"Why?"
"If both of us disappear the moment Cardinal shows up, wouldn't that be suspicious? So, I'm going to give him a heads-up."
* * *
Recalling the conversation she’d had with Loki earlier, Elicia watched the situation unfold from the roof.
The knights who had rushed into the estate all collapsed after being struck by two streaks of black light emanating from Loki’s fingers.
Is that Casten’s Shadow?
She wove illusions to match the movements of the Shadow. To an outside observer, it would look as if Loki’s black light was the physical force knocking the knights unconscious.
The students were trembling as they watched the aura surrounding Loki. In truth, the reason they were shaking was that Elicia was radiating Dragon Fear from the rooftop. The ashen aura surrounding Loki was merely a hollow illusion with no actual effect.
The pressure exerted by a human and the weight of Dragon Fear were fundamentally different. However, none of the people present had ever experienced the latter before.
"Regardless, that versatility is absurd."
He used it for combat and for disguise. As long as that child didn't stop imagining, there was nothing he couldn't create. Even the loud shout announcing Cardinal’s appearance at the Baron’s estate earlier had been an illusion created by Loki.
Joden, another Innate Magic user at the Academy, had an impressive ability as well. A spell that could freeze space in an instant would likely seem superior to Loki’s Innate Magic in the eyes of others.
However, if it were Elicia, she could easily block Joden’s magic. But she couldn't block Loki’s.
Loki’s Innate Magic worked equally well whether the opponent was strong or weak. Even for a dragon sensitive to mana, it was impossible to immediately realize that what Loki created was a fake.
If you didn't know the nature of Loki’s Innate Magic, you were bound to be deceived. If you did know, you might be able to prepare for it, but...
"When the opponent doesn't even know it's Loki, like right now, they can't prepare at all."
* * *
Thud.
As Cardinal took down the Baron’s knights in the blink of an eye, Baron Ashro collapsed to the ground, trembling violently.
"I shall ask once more. Did you really think you could stop me with such meager forces?"
Step, step.
Cardinal walked toward Baron Ashro with agonizing slowness.
The Baron couldn't even think of standing up; he simply pushed against the ground with his hands, scooting backward in terror. But Cardinal was faster, closing the distance until he was looming directly over the Baron.
"W-What do you plan to steal this time?!"
The Baron’s body and voice shook like a rabbit caught in a winter gale. Just looking at Cardinal made the spot where he’d been kicked in the stomach last time throb with phantom pain.
He wasn't this terrifying last time!
Previously, Cardinal hadn't launched any attacks other than planting a foot in his gut. That was why the Baron had thought the Special Class students would be able to catch him.
"It is the opposite. This time, I have not come to steal, but to return what was stolen."
Cardinal reached into his cloak, pulled out a bottle containing drugs, and set it on the floor.
Why is that here?
"I must say, I was surprised. I didn't expect an Imperial noble to be in possession of 'drugs.'"
The Baron needed to deny it immediately, but he couldn't find his voice. He was paralyzed by the fear that if he uttered a single lie, this man would slice his throat then and there.
"Then, I shall take my leave."
As if his business were concluded, Cardinal walked out of the estate with a leisurely gait.
No one inside the mansion could stop him or even find the courage to call out as he departed. Everyone knew: if Cardinal had felt like it, he could have killed everyone present.
Just as everyone was gasping for breath, relieved that the phantom had left...
"Is everyone alright?!"
Loki’s voice rang out as he came running in from outside. Compared to Cardinal’s terrifying presence, his familiar face was a comforting sight.
"W-Where were you?"
Sepia grabbed Loki’s arm and pulled herself up, her hands still shaking.
"Ah! Be careful!"
But the strength had long since left her legs, and Loki had to catch and support her as she stumbled.
"Well... I heard information that Cardinal was hiding in the village, so I went quietly with Professor Elicia so he wouldn't notice. I never imagined it was a trick!"
Elicia looked at Loki with a deadpan expression as he spoke so shamelessly. He was so natural that for a split second, she almost wondered if that was actually what had happened.
"Tsk."
Perhaps due to the lingering effects of the Dragon Fear, the students were still trembling like Sepia.
"You are all frightened. Pull yourselves together."
Elicia used her power to calm the students' nerves. As time passed, they seemed to recover and sat down to rest. However, Baron Ashro was still shivering, as Elicia hadn't bothered to include him in her soothing magic.
"By the way, there's a strange bottle here."
Loki picked up the bottle lying on the floor, acting as if he had just discovered it by chance.
"That's—!"
"Let me see that."
Before Baron Ashro could say another word, Elicia took the bottle. After inspecting it for a moment, she furrowed her brow.
"These are drugs. And quite potent ones at that. Just in case, Loki, keep this in your Pocket Dimension."
"Understood."
Loki took the bottle back from Elicia and made a show of stowing it in his Pocket Dimension.
In reality, it wasn't drugs. It was just a bottle with an illusion of drugs placed inside.
Contrary to his expectations, the Necromancer’s subordinate hadn't appeared while he was disguised as Cardinal. This confirmed that the combat power of the subordinate hiding near the Baron wasn't particularly high.
"But why are there drugs here?"
Elicia stared at Loki as he spoke, sounding genuinely puzzled as to why such things would be in a noble's home.
She wondered if the reason Loki was so skilled at using his Innate Magic was because of that very bottomless shamelessness.