Chapter 89
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 89
Chapter Title: The Parachute's Predicament
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From the perspective of a practitioner, a parachute is always bound to be in a tricky spot.
Depending on whether it's a rolling stone or an embedded one, the stance might differ, but from the embedded stone's view, suddenly having a superior pop up above one's head doesn't mean handing over all duties wholesale.
Having worked in the field myself once, I get it.
Back when I was director, every time the board changed, I had to deal with their absurd demands countless times.
'Was it something like wanting to sell a game to players of a completely different genre from the previous title?'
Even recalling it now gives me a headache, but using that as an excuse to plant a boss over my head would make anyone freak out.
In short, I'm not someone who's sticking around for ongoing princess escort duties—I'm the guy who'll pinpoint the traitor among her closest aides and then vanish.
Philia, who's been deeply involved in the escort mission all along, won't easily hand over full authority.
Whether emotional, rational, or some other scheme at play.
'Though it feels laced with some checking too.'
Infuriating as it is, I haven't received formal honors, so publicly, I'm just the young duke of Pisvolt.
Those folks hold a count's title from Rosert and are knights to boot.
Mentioning my Master status would make them untouchable, but it wouldn't look good.
If I'd gotten official honors, I'd have court-martialed them on the spot for that insolence, so they know they can't go too far, leaving a bitter taste.
A Master with honors stands right below the emperor.
'Even accounting for that, I can't imagine her confronting me alone.'
Since the princess directly demanded I purge her inner circle, no one can dodge my suspicion.
Regardless of identity, in a crisis, they'd cover for each other if doubts arose.
If such an agreement floated among her closest aides, Philia was just the one taking the bullet.
Realistically, the entire inner circle is checking me.
And if a devil worshiper's mixed in there, it's near certainty—they definitely are.
Those types excel at incitement and using innocent civilians as shields.
'Which is why I needed to make an example even more.'
To pull the maids and knights off the suspect list, I should've reined them in.
"Hmm……."
That realization suddenly made the princess intriguing.
"Is she testing me? Sly one."
There's a traitor among her closest aides.
But she doesn't think they're all traitors.
She begged for help at the brink of death, but they've been her loyal limbs propping her up for ages.
She can't risk her long-term neck to put out an urgent fire.
Even in this mess, the princess needs to keep relations cordial, so she's dumped all the "get on my bad side" roles onto me.
"And she figured I'd handle it myself anyway."
Infuriation aside, since I have business to settle using the princess, incurring a debt isn't bad.
'High risk, high return…….'
I glanced around casually.
From knights stealing peeks this way, to maids, attendants, advisors, secretaries—every last one scanning me.
Failing to rein them in means those eyes and ears belong to the closest aides I must suspect, making this place far from ideal for me.
If the environment's not favorable, change the environment.
I rose from my chair and started walking.
It might seem tangled every which way, but a simple approach makes it not so tough.
Princess Lilian looked mildly surprised as she asked back.
"You're saying I should handle the official duties I entrusted to Silbeia myself?"
"That's right."
Princess Lilian fell into thought.
The public excuse for coming down was to console the half-destroyed academy, but she had zero intention of handling duties personally.
'But why suddenly?'
"I could become a target."
"Weren't you planning to bait the enemy using yourself anyway? Then keep playing that role to the end."
Professor Aiden tossed out a recklessly dangerous demand with an inscrutable expression.
Her lips tightened briefly, a faintly bitter taste seeping from between them.
"I'm a bit out of sorts asking again, but... you mean for me to stand before the public, right?"
"Exactly."
Locking eyes again, Princess Lilian's pupils quivered deliberately.
"...Why on earth? It doesn't feel like lingering resentment from earlier, and surely not that Silbeia's the traitor?"
She blurted suspicions in a fit, and the utterly unpredictable Professor Aiden curved his lips into a long arc.
A terribly mischievous smile.
Sharp dagger honed within that friendly grin—so alluring it could tempt despite knowing.
Even the princess couldn't help but have her gaze stolen for a moment.
"You brought in a joker like me. Doesn't that mean we can walk a tighter rope?"
"And that means me standing before the masses to give a speech."
"Spot on. Your subordinates are masters of disguise; I'll stand ready behind."
Even securing safety that way left lingering doubt.
"If it's going through my inner circle anyway, won't all your movements reach their ears? What's the point?"
"There is one."
When her eyes asked why, Aiden laid it bare.
"Your closest aides seem to be colluding."
"I see."
Having overheard the whole exchange, she'd anticipated some backroom handshakes.
Didn't expect it so immediate, but just a matter of sooner or later.
It was bound to happen anyway.
They all knew, so no questions arose.
"This place is thick with their eyes and ears. You might be weighing options, but to me, it's crawling with provisional enemies. Environment's not in my favor."
"Then……."
"Time to change the board. Like how you bolted from the palace."
He said it with a playful grin.
"Truth is, I couldn't see a way myself. Doesn't it tickle you that even I hit a wall?"
His eyes weren't crinkled despite the smile.
That sent a chill through Princess Lilian, and Aiden quietly sent her a mental message.
─Was your bolt from the palace meticulously planned? Or just you and a few pulling a stunt?
Princess Lilian's eyes narrowed.
Something sayable aloud, yet sent via telepathy.
Meaning someone's listening.
And he'd even drawn attention by saying no methods came to mind.
Publicly feigning desperation, while privately sharing secrets.
"The great Master hits snags too, huh."
"I'm no fixer; what can I do."
"I get it... Demanding this 'suddenly' must be awkward."
She subtly stressed "suddenly."
Her palace escape was near solo recklessness.
Professor Aiden blinked as if getting it.
─There's someone I'd like you to befriend.
'As expected. Someone's watching us.'
Guessing his intent, the princess sharply scanned around, but her view was blocked.
Professor Aiden's upright torso screened it.
'Telling me not to look?'
"What can you do? If it's blocked inside, find solutions outside."
His casual tone strengthened the "don't poke" vibe.
Buying suspicion over one potential lead was unwise.
─Head to the Magic Department; there's a girl named Lianel, Lianel Roosevelt. Bring her here.
"'Will that be okay?' It's scary outside."
Unlike Aiden with telepathy, Princess Lilian had no discreet voice transmission.
So she adopted phrasing with double meanings via accents on key parts.
"Don't worry; I'll be with you."
─You must know the Roosevelt family well.
Princess Lilian blinked affirmatively instead of replying.
With eyes about, even a nod could hint at separate talk.
─A count house of founding merit, court count handling the emperor's meals and lodging. He'd grasp palace internals crystal clear.
Princess Lilian blinked once more.
─If you bolted abruptly, traces linger there still.
No evidence dispatched.
She'd scoured everything and was sure it'd been erased before fleeing, so hunting traces now...
'Time's passed. All evidence is gone.'
"If you're formally enrolling in the academy, making 'friends' matters too, right?"
'Ah.'
No traces, no evidence.
But people remain.
As long as the dispatcher lingers in the palace, self cannot claim total erasure.
People are traces and evidence.
─Proceed in order. Contact Lianel Roosevelt; borrow the count's hand through her.
"Sure, skipping duties too long would dull my edge anyway."
She deflected to dodge eavesdropper suspicion.
'But spotting palace internals' whiff, returning now as a fugitive would draw instant wariness...
─Borrowing Count Roosevelt's aid means entering the palace once for my commendation issue. Grab the spy's tail then.
Professor Aiden's commendation.
Exploiting it this way.
Princess Lilian inwardly let out a small gasp of admiration.
The ploy: enlist external ally unknown to foes.
With the target outside palace walls, plotters have no need to stay; they'd shift tasks or standby.
A court count attuned to palace vibes might sense that oddity.
Secure list of suspects via cooperation, then tag along to palace for Aiden's commendation and...
'Handle them.'
Nab one, and even sans confession, circumstantial links purge inner circle.
But all hinges on whether that court count's trustworthy.
If already in league with enemies...
Anxious, Princess Lilian met Aiden's gaze.
His unwavering, conviction-filled eyes drew an inward chuckle from the princess.
Gameless from start anyway. Might as well trust the professor's judgment once.
"Then I'll accept the favor and enjoy campus life."
Fully grasping, Princess Lilian nodded in seeming agreement.
Publicly, responding affirmatively to "make friends"; inwardly, assenting to the plan.
Aiden nodded back and rose, ending the meeting.
As departing Professor Aiden paused, he added one thing.
"One request: a traitor among your closest aides is certain."
"……."
"To draw reactions, I'll get rough, so don't intervene like with Lady Philia. Last time was a mismatch; this time's different."
He dropped it without waiting for reply and strode off.
Princess Lilian tracked his back briefly before looking away.
"...The road ahead looks rough."
* * *
A silent corridor.
Knights occasionally meeting eyes, maids gliding soundlessly almost invisibly.
Unlike them, I strode boldly to my assigned room.
Both princess and I have too many eyes for direct moves.
I told her to hunt the mastermind's traces, but realistically, they're gone.
So what to hunt is...
'Devil worshipers will act beyond just excluding kidnapping the princess.'
In the original, Princess Lilian gets sacrificed as offering, murdered.
Thus, an altar for the offering, preparations underway.
'Not solely Princess Lilian for awakening the great demon lord. Naturally gathering other offerings secretly too.'
Snag that movement, and her issue resolves naturally.
To settle bumpkin Donapart, flip every card, have or not.
But my movements remain constrained.
Pre-great demon meddling, a Master's existence is a natural disaster foes can't resist.
When big fish moves, small fry scatter fast.
'If I move upfront, they'll hole up underground.'
"Then I'll play the perfect bait."
Lounge comfy and drowsy, proving harmless.
Simultaneously, draw eyes just enough—neither overdone nor under—to induce complacency.
And in that time...
'Must send a letter to Ladia.'
Protagonists knowing my intent will diligently probe the lurking foe's identity.
Carrying defeat from prior raid allowance, honing fangs like whetting blades, thirsting for revenge chance.
My role: drop hints to fired-up protagonists about such enemies.
The rest...
"Better maximize the commendation if unavoidable."
Lure foes with my commendation issue.
That's my biggest card now.