Chapter 120
Chapter 120
Chapter 120
Before executing the plan.
The prerequisite is to gauge the opponent's full strength.
It's unknown whether all professors know about [Tenebris].
The building created for [Tenebris], for whom Tia boldly requested information gathering.
According to Eleanor, Professor En Drode, an advanced alchemy professor, is guarding it.
So, is only Professor En there? Or do professors rotate patrols?
Or perhaps all the professors are lying in wait inside.
Well, that much information can be quickly found out using [Contemplation].
However, the problem is the strength that even [Contemplation] cannot confirm. Yes, it's information about Discreet Punisher. Others are fine, but he's the problem.
Unless I use my full power, I can't even detect him beforehand.
If I can definitively pinpoint his location, I can manage the rest somehow.
So, what should I do?
To get his location information, who should I reach out to?
Someone who is at the center of power yet sloppy, and at the same time, shows me favor.
“Hello, Prince Oz. Did you sleep comfortably last night?”
...appeared before my eyes.
I was planning to go find her anyway, but I never expected her to appear first...
“It’s sudden, but I think we’ll need time to get to know each other.”
Stacia von Helios.
It might not be a bad idea to openly aim for her head at this opportunity.
“Of course, that’s fine. In fact, I also thought it would have been good if we had tried to understand each other a little more after that night.”
“Even empty words are nice to hear.”
“Since things have come to this, would you care to have a meal with me?”
Stacia narrowed her eyes, examining me. And her gaze stopped at my forearm.
It's the spot where the scar from Marie was still visible.
“A meal, you say…”
Where are you looking when you say that?
I feel like a frog in front of a snake. It's eerie and unsettling.
“Yes, a meal… slurp…”
Should I change the target after all?
I feel like it would be the right choice to go find Professor Aira even now.
That person has some clumsy aspects, but she is an elder-level mage who is at least temporarily teaching advanced magic.
It's possible that someone of that caliber, like Professor En, might also know about this matter.
“Ahem, ahem… Princess Stacia? Come to think of it, the only restaurant I can guide you to is ultimately within Scientia, so perhaps another time…”
“Oh…! G-good. Prince Oz. I happened to be interested in Scientia's restaurant anyway.”
I thought of escaping, but she immediately agreed. There's no turning back now.
I wished she had said something like, "As a royal, I don't eat commoner food," but unfortunately, she seemed interested.
“You’ll escort me, won’t you?”
“...Of course, Your Highness.”
I took Stacia's hand.
Of course, that gaze staring ominously at the scar on my forearm was too much to bear, so I naturally offered my healthy arm. Even so, her gaze didn't leave.
Is it that after all? Blood? Is she after my blood?
“Um, come to think of it, Princess Stacia. I believe you collapsed after swallowing my blood last time. Are you alright?”
“Yes… It was incredibly rich and sweet.”
I wasn't asking about the taste.
More importantly, I don't even want to know.
In the game, she was clearly a half-blood, not a vampire, so she didn't know the taste of blood well, but perhaps she just didn't find any blood appealing?
Well, she has only ever consumed the blood of death row inmates, so that might be why.
“Ah! Were you asking about the memories I absorbed?”
“Ah, yes…”
As if recalling the blood she had drunk that day, Stacia, who had been wearing an ecstatic expression, belatedly shifted the topic as if she had just remembered.
That's a relief. I was wondering how I should react to her description of the blood's taste.
“Could you tell me what kind of memories you saw?”
“Huhu, you’re such a timid one.”
I'm not timid, you invaded my privacy.
Or as a royal, does she not know such things?
“Memories, you say…”
She can read memories by drinking blood.
That characteristic bothers me.
That’s why I tried not to give her blood... If she were to drink my blood, what memories would she read?
Would it be memories of me? Or memories of Oz?
“Unfortunately, I don’t quite know.”
“Huh?”
“It was all jumbled up like paint mixing together, so I couldn’t properly understand it. Is it because Prince Oz is a mage?”
“I wouldn’t know about that…”
Stacia couldn't read my memories.
It's a relief, but I also felt a bit disappointed.
If she had absorbed Oz's memories, I could have gotten information about him...
“Perhaps if I drink just one more sip, I might know.”
“...I will decline that.”
Judging by her eyes, that won't end with just one sip, 100%.
It felt like I'll be drained until I die.
“Prince Oz? I’m hungry.”
I need to find a restaurant quickly.
Originally, I intended to match her meal, but having talked too much earlier, I now have to find a restaurant within [Scientia].
What should I feed her? Perhaps Western dishes like steak would be safe? Or fast food?
A federal-style restaurant with a mix of Korean, Chinese, and Japanese cuisine might also be a novel experience for her.
As I was pondering the menu.
“Ah, Oz and… who?”
“Ugh…”
Just as an ominous voice seemed to sound, Stacia’s expression twisted into a faint fear.
Instantly, her escorts moved forward to take a defensive stance in front of Stacia.
“...Did I do something wrong?”
Marie, the one who taught her the emotion of fear, started to pout, unbefitting of her achievement.
“Are you feeling a bit better inside?”
“Huh? What? More importantly, who’s the person next to you? She’s pretty.”
“So you’re the type who doesn’t remember anything the next day after you’ve blacked out drunk, huh.”
She carried all the worst conditions related to alcohol. Seriously, this person should never be given alcohol.
“Let me introduce her. This is Her Highness Stacia von Helios. She is the Princess of the Empire.”
“Princess!”
“You know her?”
“My father said she would be a good pawn after he dies.”
“Let's not say such things in front of the person concerned.”
Stacia’s complexion turned pale. Surprisingly, Marie, who is in a position of authority below all others in [Scientia], was acting as Stacia’s personal tormentor, who is in a position above all others.
“Since we've run into each other, would you like to grab lunch together?”
“Is that alright? What if the atmosphere turns bad because someone like me joins in for no reason?”
“Your Highness is benevolent, so she will allow it.”
“……Of course. It’s fine.”
In reality, there's no way it's fine. Hasn't she turned completely pale already?
But since I brought up her character first, it would be difficult for her to refuse.
Moreover, Marie can also be considered a royal, after all.
Although her status is virtually non-existent compared to mine, Stacia probably doesn’t perceive it that way.
I was lucky. Stacia being so afraid of Marie means there might be more openings.
Even if she's less of a soldier than I am, she's still a royal. I thought it would be quite difficult to extract information, but this way, things will go smoothly.
“Wow! I’ve made a new friend! By the way, Oz, what are we going to eat?”
“Hmm… Indeed.”
I looked back and forth between Stacia, whose complexion was pale, and Marie, who was naturally pale.
Marie would eat anything I give her, but what should I feed Stacia?
If Marie's presence is the whip, then I must be the carrot now.
“Come to think of it, Oz. My stomach feels a bit strange. Why is that?”
“...Seriously, you should never drink alcohol.”
Leading the two people, pale in a different sense, I headed towards the restaurant.
The destination I chose was a federal-style restaurant.
To be more specific, it was a place that sold food similar to Korean cuisine.
I wanted to eat familiar food after a long time, but there was also food that suited both of them best.
Due to the narrowness of the store, it was a bit difficult for Stacia's escorts to find a place, but that actually worked out well. It would be troublesome if others interfered while I tried to persuade her from now on.
“Oz! There’s no knife. What should I do?”
“W-why are you suddenly looking for a knife?”
“Huh?”
“There’s no knife here because it’s a place that doesn’t need one, Marie.”
Such an overreaction to just one knife... The discrepancy between the Stacia I know and this one is no joke.
And so, in one person's uncomfortable silence, we waited for the meal.
Finally, the food arrived.
“Ah, it’s federal-style stew.”
Federal-style stew.
Meaning, gukbap (rice soup). This was also a typical, predictable cliché.
Come to think of it, it's been a long time since I ate this kind of food after possessing this body.
Honestly, I didn't miss it.
Perhaps my taste buds unconsciously became similar to Oz's, or perhaps I simply enjoyed a luxurious life, but I just preferred expensive and delicious food.
“I don’t know if federal-style food will suit Your Highness’s taste.”
“No, it looks delicious! I’ll eat well.”
She said that, yet she never picked up her spoon first.
Is she nervous? Or perhaps she might be thinking about poison.
“I’ll eat well, Oz.”
While Stacia hesitated, Marie unhesitatingly picked up her spoon and sipped the broth.
Honestly, I don't know if this suits Marie's taste. But if she still has a hangover, eating hangover soup would be good.
Marie eats everything without being picky, so it won't matter.
“Hmm, I like it.”
Marie, who was sipping the broth, soon smiled gently as if she liked it.
“Th-then, I too…”
At that sight, Stacia also finally picked up her spoon. Like Marie, she sipped the broth, then took a small bite of the ingredients.
“Ah…!”
Stacia’s expression, which had been uncomfortable all along, instantly fell into ecstasy.
At her sudden exclamation, her escorts flinched for a moment.
“It’s a taste that reminds me of a cow walking through a wide field! To think such a taste exists…!”
Look at that specific exclamation.
Is that really an exclamation about the taste? No matter how I think about it, I think she's mistaken?
“I’m glad you like it.”
It seems she absorbed the cow’s memories through the coagulated blood.
Blood sausage soup was indeed the right choice.
“Hmm, this tea has a strong, unique flavor.”
Stacia, seemingly satisfied with her meal, sipped the jujube tea served for dessert and smiled contentedly.
I didn't expect her to like it this much, but anyway, this must have raised her favorability quite a bit.
Marie, who I expected to act as a whip, had fallen asleep, though…
Anyway, shall we get to the main point soon?
“Then, shall we get to the main point soon, Prince Oz?”
“Yes, let’s get to the main point.”
As expected, it's not that simple. Stacia also easily discerned that I had a separate main point.
“Hmm… What could it be? Tenebris? Or Miss Lucia?
“It seems you know everything, so this conversation will be quick.”
I thought it would be easier than dealing with [Tenebris] agents, but it's not going that smoothly after all.
Stacia wasn't an easy opponent either. For someone who doesn't understand human emotions, she reads situations quite accurately.
“Do you want to know the situation?”
“Strength.”
“This is quite a bold question.”
Stacia smiled faintly at my direct question.
For a moment, she looked like an ordinary girl.
It wasn’t something I hadn’t thought about before, but perhaps stopping her before she becomes a villain might be a worthwhile endeavor.
“Prince Oz. Will that truly help the Empire?”
The reason I chose Stacia, is that her principle of action is 'for the Empire.' That principle follows consequentialism.
No matter how terrible the process, if it's for the Empire, she's someone who does it without hesitation.
She sees beyond.
It must have been that way of thinking that led her to absorb the blood of death row inmates in the first place.
Someone's sacrifice is taken for granted, and if it ultimately benefits the Empire, then that's fine.
“If you help me with this matter, I will overlook the incident where you sold my information recently.”
“Did that incident perhaps annoy you enough to create a rift with the Empire? I didn’t know…”
“Of course, it’s not that serious. To create a rift with the Empire for such a trivial reason would be a foolish thought, no matter what.”
She sold my photo.
It would be ridiculous if the relationship with the Empire became strained over just that.
Stacia must have known that much, so she committed the act without hesitation. She never thought I would create a rift with the Empire.
Of course, she only sees outcomes, excluding emotions, so she cannot even consider people's feelings.
But now, that terrible way of thinking will actually be helpful.
“If you don't cooperate in this matter, you might end up at odds with the Empire.”
“...Do you perhaps want to retaliate against Tenebris? That would be difficult.”
It’s not unreasonable to think that if I come on so strong.
“It’s not that serious. I’m not even thinking of killing them. I just want to meet that cat who arbitrarily sold my photo.”
However, this time's objective isn't anything grand. It's just about disciplining one cat.
Yes, just that much.
For her, who doesn't understand emotions, Lucia's feelings wouldn't be an important issue.
“Hmm… That much might be fine, but wouldn’t it still be difficult? Discreet is protecting her. Even my orders wouldn’t be easily accepted by him.”
Even after such a thought, there's still the wall of reality.
Simply put, there's no way he'd sell organizational information or disrupt its system.
That's common sense, even before emotions.
But my current goal is to gauge the opponent's full strength.
Through the conversation just now, I confirmed that Discreet has returned.
In that case, the remaining strength can be checked with [Contemplation].
“Then, could you arrange for me to meet Discreet?”
“Hmm… That, too, would be difficult to decide arbitrarily, I think.”
I gradually adjusted.
I looked for methods within the boundaries of what she could permit and in the gaps between them.
The minimum information I needed was Discreet's location. His concealment cannot be detected even with [Contemplation].
If I can't ascertain his location beforehand, the plan might fail at its very start.
“Then, could you convey that I wish to meet him?”
“Hmm…”
Stacia closed her eyes and began to ponder deeply. She was weighing the situation.
“If it’s just that much…”
The result was acceptance.
Indeed, simply relaying a message would be an easy matter for anyone, not just her. This is enough.
“But it feels strange to just grant that request.”
“I thought you would say that.”
Well, I expected that.
That's why I had prepared a way to persuade her.
“How about this?”
I pulled out a glass vial filled with blood, which I had prepared beforehand, from my pocket.
A few drops of blood in exchange for granting a request that isn't particularly difficult for her. It wouldn't be a bad deal for her either.
Stacia’s eyes fixated on the bottle. It’s an easy reaction to read.
“...What message should I convey?”
And as expected, she took the bait.
“Could you tell him I’ll be waiting at 8 PM tonight in front of the main gate of that building, and ask him to meet me briefly? Tell him I need to hear about this matter accurately.”
“Alright. But don’t expect too much, okay? The choice is ultimately Discreet’s.”
“That will be enough.”
Whether he comes or not doesn't matter. What truly matters is the justification.
As long as I have justification, I won't be able to launch a preemptive strike.
Moreover, if someone of my standing waits, Discreet won't be able to ignore it.
He won't know what kind of scheme I'm planning, so he'll watch from not too far away.
At least I'll be able to keep him preoccupied.
“Th-then, about that…”
“Yes, I’ll give it to you. It seems like a good deal.”
I handed Stacia the glass vial.
Incidentally, I never said the blood inside was mine. That's Eleanor's blood.
When I said I didn't want to give my blood, she readily offered hers for some reason.
In a way, that blood can be said to have its own significant value, so she wouldn't be able to say she was deceived.
Perhaps through this incident, she might realize the feeling of frustration?
Yes, this was all for her own good.