The Maid's Plan
The maid's plan was to ask another servant who attended the crown prince's bath to switch duties for just one day, then carry out the deed while he was bathing. It seemed a bit sloppy at first glance, but as a maid, she probably couldn't come up with anything better, so I kept quiet. I didn't have any better ideas myself.
Before the crown prince entered the bath, his guard knights inspected it first. Then the maids went in, followed by the prince himself. Having trained in basic martial arts and learned the royal family's secrets since childhood, the crown prince possessed strength comparable to an average knight. For a mere maid to deliver a significant blow to him was practically impossible.
As the crown prince soaked in the hot water to warm his body, the maid began doing something. Curious, I watched and saw her discreetly soaping the floor near the bath's exit where he wouldn't notice.
[Smart one, huh?] I was impressed. That method just might work.
The maid smiled upon hearing my words.
Finally, the bath ended, and the tense moment arrived as the crown prince stepped out.
Slip! He lost his balance for an instant and started sliding, but his animalistic reflexes kicked in as he tried to regain his footing.
[Now! Ultimate Saltshaker Takedown!] It was a chance that might never come again, and the maid's life hung in the balance. I channeled my soul power to the max and slammed into his heel.
[Did I get him?!] But the ultimate saltshaker takedown wasn't powerful enough. The prince staggered briefly but was already steadying himself.
"Your Highness! Forgive me!"
At that moment, the maid burst forward and body-slammed him. This time, even the prince couldn't recover—he toppled backward with her, tumbling as a massive crash echoed through the bathhouse.
Thud! The crown prince smashed the back of his head against the floor and collapsed. A gigantic evil spirit slithered out from his body.
I seized the opportunity, lunging at the evil spirit and absorbing it. Power surged through me—stronger than any soul I'd devoured so far.
Lost in the rush of power for a moment, I snapped back to reality to find the guard knights rushing in. They had the maid pinned on her knees and were checking on the prince.
I floated to her side and spoke.
[The evil spirit is dealt with. The crown prince will return to his senses now.]
"Your Highness!"
The maid laughed through her tears, a mix of emotions streaming down her face.
"You wench! What the hell are you laughing about?!"
The guard knight bellowed and backhanded her hard across the cheek. Her lip split open, blood pouring, but she kept laughing and crying.
"This bitch is crazy!"
As the knight raised his hand again, the crown prince's voice rang out.
"Stop it!"
The prince had already awakened and was looking our way. Even when possessed by the evil spirit, his soul had been enormous—twice the size of an average academy professor's, by my estimate. That meant immense potential. But its color was disturbingly dark—not black, but a very deep gray. I wondered if I'd done something reckless.
"I've never told anyone, but my mind hasn't been clear lately. Voices constantly urged me to harm others, and sometimes I acted on them without realizing. But now... my head is crystal clear. Isabel, you saved me, didn't you?"
Come to think of it, I hadn't known her name. Isabel, huh.
"Yes, Your Highness. A vile evil spirit had latched onto you. I had no choice but to use this method to remove it."
"Oh? And who told you about it?"
"Someone whose name I don't know—a passing good soul spoke to me and revealed it. That same soul also vanquished the evil spirit."
She'd said "passing soul," not "good soul," but suddenly I was a good soul. Well, I hadn't done anything evil, so maybe it fit.
"You can communicate with it?"
"Yes. He said my bloodline is connected to him somehow."
"A good soul? No ordinary spirit, surely. The gods must have aided you and me."
Now I was suddenly a god. Was I really going to get smited by the actual gods?
[I'm not a god. And it's about time I left the palace.]
"The good soul says he's no god and that it's time for him to depart."
The maid relayed my words exactly, but the prince bowed his head in the wrong direction—not toward me at all.
"Good soul, I owe you a great debt."
I received thanks from the crown prince. If I'd left things as they were, this evil-spirit-possessed prince might have inherited the throne and ruined the kingdom. I'd saved the country. What a strange feeling.
In life, I'd been nothing more than a viscount's bastard son and administrator. Now, dead, I'd accomplished something monumental—and gotten a prince's gratitude to boot.
[Well, I'm off. Might come back around winter. Oh, and you should investigate the chamberlain. He's up to some seriously shady shit.]
Tracing the rumors I'd overheard during my palace tour, most were baseless, but the ones about the chamberlain were true. He was involved in things too vile to speak of.
Leaving Isabel's thanks behind, I departed the palace where I'd lingered for nearly a month. The academy break still had a month left, so I wandered the capital's markets.
I'd seen them before, but sights were endless depending on your perspective. The kingdom's richest merchants and finest artisans gathered here.
The academy offered lectures on commerce and technology—ones nobles often skipped. For me, observing their practical applications was effortless.
I headed to the headquarters of Ashronz Merchant Company, the kingdom's largest. It bustled like the palace administrative offices, teeming with people.
I observed their work from the ground up, peeking over shoulders. With my academy knowledge and experience as a territory administrator, most tasks were easy to grasp.
Climbing level by level, I even spied on the company head. Watching him was fascinating. Running the kingdom's top merchant house, he was no ordinary man.
His soul was a deep gray but enormous, with a faint glow—innate merchant talent. He reviewed and signed hundreds of documents daily, some approvals rivaling a baron's five-year budget. He skimmed them casually and signed without hesitation.
[Impressive.] I couldn't help but admire him.
But beyond his skills and boldness, something else caught my eye. Where vast sums flowed, corruption was inevitable—unrealistic to expect otherwise. Ashronz had plenty of backroom dealings: massive tributes to the palace and nobles, emergency funds stashed everywhere.
One secret vault was known only to the head. Midway up a mountain not far from the capital, it was a cramped earth cave barely navigable by one person. Even he rarely visited, but luck let me follow.
Illusion magic guarded the interior; passing the back wall revealed a sturdy chest. He stored small, valuable items there—mostly gems, but the pinnacle was artifacts. Several artifact-like objects sat inside.
I had no clue what they did or their worth, nor did I care. Souls needed neither artifacts nor money.
Should I tell Isabel about this place? Nah, I decided against it.
By the time I'd finished observing operations, the academy break ended. I returned and resumed my studies. My knowledge grew daily, as did my soul power.
With nothing to do at night, I ventured out to absorb evil spirits and large wandering souls. That's when I stumbled on something odd.
The world I saw was inverted, like snow falling upward. Souls rose to the sky wherever life ended. At night, it was clearest—and I spotted souls that looked human ascending nightly from a specific spot.
People dying there every night. I first thought it was a clinic, but no—it appeared as a large warehouse. Passing through the walls revealed an empty interior, so I descended underground.
There lay hell. Like the palace dungeons, countless iron cages held people—none in good shape.
[What kind of lunatic does this?] Could this be a black mage, like the rumors? They used souls, and I might get caught too.
A black mage in the capital? Suspicious. Black mages were generally shunned for using corpses and souls, though some were tolerated. Hiding this many victims undetected was bizarre.
I cautiously explored the underground prison. If I encountered a real black mage, I'd bolt.
The first basement was just cells. Descending further revealed a butcher shop—human body parts strewn everywhere. Maybe not a black mage's lab, but a gang's torture room? I kept searching the second basement.
Passing a wall, I entered a vast cavern. A massive magic circle covered the floor, and at its center lay a chained, naked giant—over three meters tall, with four arms.
[Fuck! A real black mage!]
Beyond the circle stood a middle-aged man. He looked perfectly normal—no black hood—just fine clothes and a kindly smile. Our eyes met (assuming he could see me).
"A most intriguing soul. Come to me."
He reached out. Instinct screamed danger; I fled at full speed. Pouring all my soul power into upward flight, something dragged me back toward him. Progress was glacial.
If pulled in, I'd be done for—who knew what horrors awaited. I gathered every scrap of soul power and unleashed it.
Slowly, I pulled away. The pull vanished suddenly, letting me rocket to the surface. Without pause, I bolted straight for the palace—the safest spot from a capital black mage.
I flew frantically. Crossing the palace walls, exhaustion hit like a deflating balloon. I blacked out.
Souls could lose consciousness too, it seemed. When I came to, days had passed.