Chapter 95
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 95
Chapter Title: Lurking Shadows
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I slipped the magic stone into my inner pocket and mulled over Princess Lilian's fate for a moment.
The ill-fated princess who failed to punish the mastermind behind her assassination attempt and ended up sacrificed to the devil worshippers.
In the original story, she pressed on alone with no one to trust and met her end, but now she was this frail girl reaching out to me.
'Girl, woman, or lady—hard to tell.'
White wheel... No. Better not look too closely.
Even if the princess was a key sacrifice needed to awaken the great devil, such a grand ritual required multiple sacrifices simultaneously.
By the time they kidnapped her, alarms would blare, so they'd likely postponed her as a lower priority, but the fact that the devil worshippers were starting to eye her meant they'd gathered all the other sacrifices.
'The ones who were already desperate, and my interference delayed it even further. How impatient they must be.'
They'd do anything to pry me away from her.
Lost in these thoughts, I scanned the Ri Sete Academy, which was now well on its way to recovery.
With laborers and students working tirelessly day and night, everything was getting sorted out, except for the completely collapsed buildings.
The ruined structures were being rebuilt from scratch, progressing quickly thanks to the mages' help.
Most efforts focused on filling the pit the earth dragon had carved in the epicenter of the fierce battle, clearing monster corpses, and removing debris, but recovery was visibly underway bit by bit.
'Surely slipping in amid all this bustle.'
Blending seamlessly into the crowd around specific events.
It was something the devil worshippers excelled at.
They were probably posing as laborers, technicians, or even mages to closely monitor the academy's situation under the guise of volunteer work.
My own sweep of the academy in this shabby disguise served not just to receive reports from Radia, but also to hunt for these embedded rats.
'One, no, two of them.'
I flexed the joints in my right hand, itching to uproot them right then, but it wasn't time yet.
I had to hold out at least until I could save the princess.
'The reason the devil worshippers infiltrated the academy is obvious.'
The heretical mages—though the devil worshippers, with their superior intelligence network, never publicly announced it, they must have some inkling.
About Elise, the lake spirit.
"I can't drag this out too long."
"Pardon?"
Princess Lilian wiped the sweat from her forehead with a handkerchief pulled from her dirtied hand.
Sighing at her expectant gaze, I handed her the water bottle with ice floating in it.
"Oh, thank you. You're so kind, Professor."
Kind?
'Me?'
My brow furrowed as I probed Princess Lilian.
"You're awfully direct with your emotions. Is that common among royals?"
At my tactful remark, she gave an awkward smile.
"Ah, you're right. Definitely."
The imperial palace was a den of intrigue where peril could strike from anywhere.
Social balls were similar, but those were fundamentally for finding marriage partners. Not quite on the palace's level.
In that palace, where royals at the pinnacle of scheming vassal nobles had to harbor all sorts of serpents, none ever revealed their true feelings outright.
Princess Lilian quenched her thirst, then stretched languidly as if wondering how long it had been since she could straighten her back.
She pinched the sweat-soaked collar of her clinging shirt between thumb and forefinger, flapping it to cool off.
Charitably put, it was free-spirited; less kindly, it lacked decorum.
But it exuded a profound sense of refreshment on a personal level.
More than just cooling a sweat-drenched body—it felt like shaking off long-worn shackles.
Princess Lilian shrugged her shoulders.
"No, well... I thought something like this might be nice for a change. Sorry if it was rude."
I couldn't make out her exact expression, but she was probably looking refreshed.
Being a princess meant constantly minding others' gazes, maintaining perfect royal dignity.
Not just in moments, but from birth until death, endlessly.
It was a life tantamount to being someone's puppet.
'From that perspective, this is...'
Was it her true feelings bursting forth from the constant dread of imminent kidnapping and death?
"Princess Lilian."
"Yes? What is it?"
She looked up brightly, tilting her head.
No real agenda—just an impulse to call her name. I swallowed the words, finding even the notion amusing.
To the devil worshippers, reviving the great devil was a sacred duty, akin to gospel.
They were on the verge of the grand finale of their grand plan.
Having waited centuries, their patience must have reached its limit.
They'd try anything to separate me from the princess and snatch her away.
That deadline would reveal itself soon.
'They even tipped me off on purpose.'
That I'd have to part from the princess briefly during the commendation ceremony.
By then, the enemies would have devised a surefire way to kidnap her.
And I was preparing countermeasures accordingly.
Princess Lilian eyed me curiously, wondering why I'd called her only to go silent.
Even without seeing her face, her pointed gaze deflated me, so I swallowed my intended words.
Instead, I offered a faint smile.
"Never mind. More importantly, that iced water bottle was prepared by the head maid, not me. If you're grateful, thank her instead."
"Oh, is that so? I didn't think you'd be the type to fuss over details like that, Professor."
"...You always have to say it like that, don't you."
The princess laughed, loosening her stiff body with a hearty yawn, then rallied with renewed vigor to keep going.
I watched her back for a moment as she strode ahead.
"Keep going, huh... Guess I should do what I have to."
Gray molecules? If usable, I'll use them.
I'd exploit even enemy forces without hesitation.
More cards and pieces are always better.
Especially if they help paint the picture I'm envisioning.
* * *
Amid the restless populace, with early summer upon us and only a few months until the August social season ended.
The social season, which had kicked off splendidly after Christmas with courtship gatherings, peaked around Easter in April before abruptly halting.
"It's by His Majesty's decree."
"We have no choice but to hold back."
"Her Majesty the Empress suggested abstaining for a week or two as well."
"And the Grand Matron?"
"She's of the same mind. Everyone's keeping it hushed."
"It's because the capital was attacked. That's why."
"Indeed, what will become of the nation?"
"Exactly."
The matrons chattered busily before converging on one topic.
"The hero of the capital tragedy."
"The veiled young duke."
"The protagonist of the empire's four-century glory."
"The last of the Three Swords."
One young lady added,
"I've heard Young Duke Aiden is prickly, but I'm a bit excited. They say he's strikingly handsome too."
"Oh, now that you mention it. His Majesty issued a restraint on balls but apparently lifted it after the imperial one. Maybe we'll see him then."
"That imperial ball is to honor Young Duke Aiden. Some say His Majesty imposed the restraint just to highlight the imperial ball."
"Those rumor-mongers always inflate nonsense into fact."
The lady who brought it up hurriedly elaborated.
"They say His Majesty opened a palace usually reserved for major holidays. The scale is supposed to be immense."
"Oh, really? The lake view from there was stunning."
Radia, seated at the head table, overheard it all and secretly sighed.
'Lady Charlotte's efforts must have failed.'
His Majesty had no intention of scaling down the commendation ceremony.
In the current chaos, he wanted someone to play the figurehead.
To soothe the public by parading a hero they could easily rally behind.
But contrary to that scheme, Aiden was the young duke of a house aligned with the nobles, subtly opposing the imperial family.
In a feudal society, a grand ducal house like Pisvolt forged ties not just with imperial blood but foreign royalty as well.
With countless ways to connect, marriage alliances were the easiest, so Pisvolt bloodlines mingled with various royals.
Nominally loyal to the empire, they were powerful enough to stab it in the back.
"They're trying to award him some title or other."
If made a knight swearing fealty to the emperor, Aiden would have to relinquish his young duke status, leaving Lady Charlotte to inherit the Pisvolt duchy.
Aiden was the one hailed as frighteningly competent, not Charlotte.
That level of power could be checked somewhat by imperial authority.
Then Professor Aiden would...
'Marry into the imperial family?'
That professor?
Radia tried to mask her unease.
This was mere speculation among nobles, and a master like Aiden facing them head-on...
"Chaos."
It would be chaos.
Radia racked her brains.
But regardless, the emperor was indeed investing heavily in Aiden's commendation ceremony.
With her own intelligence network, she knew roughly how many resources were flowing into the palace.
"Oh my, Lady Radia. You look so pensive."
When a chattering young lady turned to her, Radia responded smoothly as if expecting it.
"Oh dear, is it that obvious? I thought I'd hidden it well, but you saw right through me."
"Share your worries with us. Who knows, we might have good ideas."
Ha ha...
Radia let out a hollow laugh.
Earlier, in contact with Court Count Roosevelt, she'd sent much information to Professor Aiden.
He seemed disguised, but few matched his tall frame and distinctive aura.
Being with Princess Lilian made his identity obvious anyway.
That aside, a group had infiltrated the palace with clear intent.
'Couldn't pinpoint their exact identity.'
Even the well-informed court count had only suspicions, no proof—the infiltrators were that thorough, acting in concert.
She didn't fully grasp how Professor Aiden had noticed.
But one thing was certain...
'He said things would resolve one way or another at the commendation ceremony.'
And that ceremony was now just days away.