41
Chapter 41
I reflexively closed my eyes against the light, and when I opened them, I found myself in an unfamiliar place.
It was so dark, perhaps because it was night, that I couldn't see a thing.
"Good heavens, Evankel left the laboratory intact. This is an unexpected windfall."
"Ark?"
"Just wait a moment. I'll turn on the lights."
With a few rapid tapping sounds, the area suddenly brightened.
The previous space hadn't been ordinary, given the giant crystals, but I didn't know how to describe this place.
There were plenty of strange devices that looked similar to those I'd seen at the Magic Tower when I went to get a prosthetic arm, and the floor and walls were made of materials I'd never seen before.
There were many books on a bookshelf in one corner; I pulled one out, but it was filled with unrecognizable characters.
With an excited expression, Ark was tapping away in front of a rectangular box that displayed strange characters in black and green light.
"Stop looking around like a country bumpkin and come here. Don't touch anything and break it."
"That's a bit harsh. A country bumpkin? I remember seeing similar things at the Magic Tower, so it doesn't seem that different."
"To think you'd compare the devices here to that kind of trash... No, never mind. To an ignorant fool, I suppose they look the same."
...He was being completely dismissive.
"Forget about these things. Are there any Artifacts here?"
I didn't expect gold or jewels, but I thought there would be a few Artifacts like last time; instead, it was all strange devices and books written in unknown scripts.
A sucker... No, it would make some money if I took them to Old Man Roy and sold them at a markup, but I was disappointed that this was all there was.
"Artifacts? Why do you care about those? This laboratory itself is an Artifact."
The space itself is an Artifact?
"What can you even do here?"
"Most of it is offline, but it's been well-maintained by emergency power. If we secure a power source and get it running properly, you could even become the ruler of this planet."
Offline, emergency power, power source, planet... there were too many words I didn't know.
"Stop using difficult words and explain it simply."
"The planet is the star you live on... In simple terms, it means you could become the Emperor."
It sounded absurd, but he was so confident that it didn't feel like a bluff.
But I had no interest in power.
"What's so great about being an Emperor? I wouldn't take such a tedious position even if it were handed to me."
"True, you never had that kind of greed. Though it's an impossible story anyway, since you'd need at least ten nuclear power plants to run this place properly."
"Nuclear power plants? What on earth are those?"
"Would you even understand if I explained? Hmm, just think of it as a factory where ten Sword Masters or 7th Class Wizards reside and do nothing but pump out magic power, except when they eat and sleep."
The Beluga Empire alone could gather enough, but ten of those would be impossible even if you called people from the entire continent.
"Forget about nuclear plants you can't even understand. How about this? I can treat your arm here."
"Treat my arm? Stop talking nonsense."
I knew something was off when he mentioned the Emperor, and as expected, it was just a bluff.
An Archmage of the 7th Class can reattach severed limbs.
However, that's only possible if the cut is clean and immediate action is taken; if some time has passed or the limb is damaged, even they are powerless.
In my case, it had been three years, and my arm had been shattered.
Moreover, when I had tentatively asked Old Man Roy if he could fix my arm before, he told me it was impossible.
"It'll be faster if I just show you. The power is critical, but I should be able to operate it once."
Following Ark, who led the way boastfully, we arrived at a bed made of blue metal.
"Lie down."
"You're saying I'll be cured if I lie here?"
"It's only emergency power, but it should be enough to run the Nano Treatment System once. Take off that trashy prosthetic arm and lie down."
There were still many words I didn't understand and I couldn't believe it, but since I'd never lost out by listening to him—like with the wild ginseng—I obediently removed the prosthetic arm and lay down.
As Ark tapped and clicked the bed a few times, a transparent glass tube enclosed me.
"Ah... Ark?"
"I blocked everything out to avoid bacterial infections and fine dust during the treatment. Just stay relaxed and don't be scared."
"...You should've told me that beforehand."
"Stop talking. Hm? It seems we're out of anesthetic sleep gas."
No sleep gas?
"You're planning to put me under?"
"Normally, the procedure is done while the patient is asleep. But since you're a Sword Master, even if you're only half a man, it shouldn't matter. It'd actually just waste the gas. Bio, don't move."
He's asking for way too much.
"Ark, if you don't have the materials, we don't have to do this right now..."
"It doesn't matter. I can't even get the gas production unit to work on emergency power anyway. It'll hurt a bit, but you won't die, so just bear with it."
"Wait, hold on!"
"I told you to stop talking."
You won't die?
I tried to get up, thinking it would be better to hear a proper explanation first, but suddenly a metal belt shot out from the floor and wrapped around my body.
"The restraints are working perfectly."
No matter how much strength I used, I couldn't budge an inch.
"Ark, what on earth is...!"
"I said stop talking! Bacteria and viruses will get into the nanomachines! They'll release automatically once the procedure is finished."
Startled by his uncharacteristic shouting, I had no choice but to shut my mouth and stay still as a green line appeared and scanned me from head to toe.
"Scan complete. I'll calculate the original shape of your right arm and administer the nanomachines. Just wait a moment."
After about ten seconds, a metallic arm that looked like a giant version of the prosthetic I'd been using rose up.
It held an opaque cylindrical object with a massive needle attached to the end.
Is he really going to stab me with that?
"Bio, flexing your muscles won't stop it from going in. Relax, or it'll hurt even more."
The moment I decided that I absolutely needed a Special Blessing the second I escaped this place, the metallic arm had already reached my shoulder.
"It'll sting a bit. Bear with it."
Thud—
A needle almost as large as a small flying dagger plunged into my right shoulder.
It was definitely not just a 'sting' as Ark had claimed.
Just as I thought it was manageable, hell began.
At first, it felt like a tingling sensation, then suddenly my shoulder felt as if it were on fire... no.
It was a heat and pain like thousands of fire ants biting me all at once... no, that wasn't it either.
It was a completely new kind of pain, something utterly indescribable in words.
It was worse than my active-duty days, worse than training, and even worse than when I lost my arm three years ago.
Tears welled up and I felt like I was about to faint; how on earth was this just 'a bit'?
"You're handling it well. It'll be over in about two hours, so just stay like that."
For a moment, I doubted my own ears.
I have to endure this pain for two hours?
"Keep your mouth shut. If even a bit of spit flies out while you're talking, the nanomachines might malfunction and your hand could end up fused to your elbow."
That bastard Ark, I told him to explain things beforehand!
The moment I decided I wasn't human if I let him get away with this, the surroundings suddenly flickered.
My consciousness was clear, so what was happening?
"I guess the emergency power is cutting it close. I'll go check on it."
Having said that, he left immediately.
That demonic bastard.
Once I get out of here—no, once I get out of this ruin—my next destination is absolutely the Papacy of the Holy Empire.
****
"I've confirmed he entered the Krinis Desert, but his trail has gone cold after that... I'm sorry."
"No need to apologize. That's more than enough."
"I heard he was just an ordinary Baronet from the Callos Duchy in the south, so I was wondering why we're chasing him..."
"Dox, since when do Black Agents question orders?"
"I... I'm sorry."
"Erase this incident from your memory and go get some rest."
That's a question an experienced instructor would never ask...
I'm really not fond of the rookies these days.
I decided I'd have to give the training camp instructors a piece of my mind and opened the report.
[Departed Seinti for Zent early in the morning, then took a Gate to Maridia. Purchased desert clothing, shoes, food, and water at the market before entering the Krinis Desert.]
If he went as far as the Krinis Desert, he's truly committed.
The Imperial Princess told me not to look for Bio, and I felt the same, but it occurred to me that His Majesty the Emperor might have worked something behind my back.
Otherwise, there's no way he'd leave without contacting me.
Bio. That brat might be rude with his words, but his actions are otherwise.
Since no one particularly followed him, he's probably hiding because he's afraid the Princess or I will bother him again, just as I first thought.
Still, he could have at least let me know.
Thinking about it again, it's a bit galling.
I briefly considered asking Leila or Laila to handle it, but I decided against it.
He left because he hated being bothered; pairing him with those two would only irritate him.
He might actually defect to Quasar.
Moreover, since both Leila and Laila believe Bio is dead, they might lash out at me for lying or desert their posts to find him...
Ugh, just thinking about it is nightmarish.
Since he entered the desert three weeks ago, he's likely well-hidden by now, so poking at it would only cause unnecessary trouble.
Knock, knock—
"Come in."
The door opened and Deputy Director Viscount Jeff entered.
"What is it?"
"I'm told that Sir Shine of the Dylan Duchy is at the entrance of the Intelligence Agency's main office."
Shine? That reckless escort knight?
I wondered if the Imperial Princess had sent him on an errand, but then I remembered I'd given her a separate crystal ball for communication.
I'm always careful during our meetings, as it would be a problem if the Emperor found out.
So why would he come here?
"I'll head to the main office."
I tidied up the documents and made my way to the main office.
When I arrived about five minutes later, I saw Shine leaning against the wall at the entrance with a grim expression.
First, I brought him to a reception room within the main office.
"What brings you here? Visiting like this isn't ideal, as it might reach the Emperor's ears."
"I know. But I had no other choice. And my father..."
His father... Duke Dylan?
"What did Duke Dylan say?"
"My father is the Commander of the Royal Guards, so he told me to tell his subordinates to throw the fight if they end up dueling the Imperial Princess."
Good grief, he said something that's completely out of the question.
Duke Dylan may be the Commander, but the Royal Guards are an organization that lives and dies by the Emperor's command.
Such an order is impossible.
Loyalty is one thing, but knights loathe dishonor above all else.
Being a knight himself, he must know this; he seemed truly desperate.
"I assume she refused."
"Right. She said she'd go to Quasar with the Princess, and as a result, she was grounded for two weeks. She didn't eat or drink, so eventually, the Princess came back to plead with her, asking if she shouldn't repay the kindness she'd received."
So he remembers what happened thirteen years ago.
I suppose there's no other reason he'd turn down prestigious positions just to be the Princess's escort knight.
I don't like his insolence, but that part of him is quite admirable.
"Count Daph? Are you listening?"
"Please, continue."
"My father told me to find Count Daph. He said you're the only one in the Empire with a chance of defying His Majesty's will."
Sigh, it sounds like a compliment on the surface, but it feels more like he's just passing the burden to me because he's lazy.
"I came because I couldn't tell him I was already helping. Have you still not found a way?"
"I've given it a lot of thought, but nothing seems to come to mind."
Actually, one plan did occur to me.
To spirit her away when the Princess loses the bet and is sent to Quasar.
Just as when the Quasar Princess visited, various factions opposing peace would likely try to interfere.
But realistically, there are too many problems.
Even Bio, the Intelligence Agency's top Black Agent, lost an arm during his last escort mission.
Moreover, I'd have to deceive the entire escort detail this time; is there anyone capable of that?
Leila and Laila exist, but even deploying both might not be enough.
Even if they succeeded, one of them might end up disabled or dead—or perhaps both...
"My father said that if it were you..."
"I think the Duke is mistaken. I am not the one in the Empire capable of defying His Majesty's will."
"...Then who is?"
It's Bio.
He was the best agent, but he never blindly followed orders.
For example, once there was a case where a noble was arrested for corruption and embezzlement, but all his dependents had fled.
The order was to capture them or bring back their heads if it was too difficult, but Bio didn't do that.
Instead, he revealed that all the criminal charges against the noble had been fabricated by other nobles through forged evidence.
I tried to scold him severely, but he countered quite boldly, 'Was I not helping His Majesty avoid making a wrong judgment?'
His Majesty was actually pleased and told him to be more careful next time, but Bio always uncovered the hidden truths of a mission and brought back the best results.
"Count Daph?"
"I am the Blue Mist."
"Bio? How could a mere Black Agent...?"
A mere Black Agent?
It seems he didn't learn his lesson last time.
"You're likely the only one who views the Blue Mist so lowly. I doubt Duke Dylan thinks as you do, so why don't you ask him?"
He seemed shocked and couldn't find his words.
"I thought you said he'd already left?"
"Even during his active days, he always talked about retiring. He hates nuisances, so he probably left to avoid being hounded any further."
I told him I'd look for more ways and sent Shine on his way.
His expression was ominous as he left; maybe I shouldn't have said anything?
It's obvious he'll go find Bio and bother him, but it doesn't matter.
Bio already disappeared three weeks ago, even detouring through the Krinis Great Desert.
It's absurd to think a novice who's spent his whole life swinging a sword could find Bio, whom even a Black Agent trained in Tracking Techniques couldn't locate.