Working in the Shadows
After following Rafaela's lead to the mansion's drawing room, she smoothed her dress, sank to one knee before me in the seat of honor, and bowed her head.
"O supreme master of the Empire, I offer my deepest apologies for failing to seek you out first. I beg your forgiveness."
Violet hair spilled forward with the dip of her head, and through the plunging cut of her dress a generous valley of pale skin came into view.
That's a bit much.
I'd thought I had adapted reasonably well to this world over the past few days, but devotion this intense still sat heavy on me. And supreme master of the Empire, no less. For a second I nearly jumped out of my skin, wondering if anyone might overhear — but fortunately, we were the only two in the drawing room.
How am I supposed to respond to this...
There was a question I had wrestled with from the moment I first arrived in this world. How was I supposed to talk? How was I supposed to act? If I suddenly became a completely different person, it would throw everyone around me into chaos. After thinking it through on my own, I had arrived at an answer.
Act like Behirith.
This was his body I had possessed, after all. If I wanted a happy ending with the heroines I loved, behaving naturally in front of my subordinates seemed the wiser course. That was how I had handled things ever since.
This situation is a little overwhelming, but... yes. Playing it this way is still the right call.
Charisma
The message replayed inside my head. At the same time, I slouched sideways in my seat, propped my chin on one hand, and flicked my fingers.
"Rise. I came because I have something to tell you myself."
"I am grateful for your consideration. And what is it you wished to say?"
Rafaela rose with demure grace and put the question to me. I crossed my legs with arrogant ease and went on.
"All previous plans are hereby discarded. See that you understand."
"...You're discarding the plans?"
"That's right."
According to the original novel, House Divelion was related to the Emperor through his mother's side. After a certain incident, Behirith had come to harbor a deep hatred for the current imperial family, and had spent years working to eliminate the two princes and the princess and seize the right of succession. That path, in the original, led him to intervene even at the Academy the princess attended — and the story unfolded from there.
I had no desire to walk the same road as that man. I did not want to fight the heroines over a bid for the throne.
That said, pledging loyalty to the Empire was not an option either. Every last one of my subordinates had their own reasons for resenting the Empire — and House Divelion was no different.
So... there's really no other path, is there.
A plan I had written and erased countless times, alone. A conclusion reached after endless deliberation. After a brief silence, I declared it to Rafaela.
"...!"
"I'll say it once more. From this day forward, I intend to expand my influence and found a new country. I would have my loyal subordinates walk that path beside me. What do you say, Rafaela? Will you join me?"
"Ahh... Lord Behirith..."
Rafaela's face flooded with emotion, and her hands began to tremble. Then a new message filled my mind.
Conditions have been met.
The Character List function has been unlocked.
Would you like to use it?
[ YES ] [ NO ]
What is this...
I hadn't expected it. Had something I had done while acting as Behirith triggered this? Or was it what I had just said?
Either way, I should check.
If this turned out to be a gift, I was more than happy to use it. I swallowed dryly and selected Yes.
And in that instant, a translucent window appeared before my eyes.
Displays the comprehensive ability ratings of each individual loyal to you, graded by rank.
Text flooded my vision. Familiar names stood out among them.
Lüdenburger, King of the Underworld. Milynarije Whitewell, the fallen high priestess. Laplace Diepove, the puppet master. Goldman Rockefeller, the Myriad Gold Merchant. These were Behirith's subordinates, infamous in the original novel.
Every last one of them is five stars.
What was this, a hotel rating? Then again, perhaps that was only natural. Each of them possessed the kind of power that could shake the Empire. Their ratings were so outstanding that Lucy's evaluation looked harsh by comparison.
A Character List, huh...
A trait I had acquired out of nowhere. But it would clearly be a tremendous help as I expanded my forces and my influence going forward.
When I looked up, Rafaela had already collected herself and was dipping her head lightly.
"I apologize for that unsightly display. Lord Behirith was simply so magnificent that I was overcome. And... there is something I wished to ask..."
"What is it."
"Have you spoken of this plan to any of the other subordinates?"
"No. You're the first."
"The... the first...!"
At my words, Rafaela covered her face with both hands. From behind her flushed cheeks I caught something along the lines of, To think I claimed Lord Behirith's first... heeheehee... — I decided I hadn't heard that.
Leaving Rafaela to mutter to herself and rub her thighs together, I rose from my seat.
"That's enough sitting. I have somewhere I need to be."
"Ah. Where are you headed?"
"The Academy. I need to meet Princess Eustia."
"Pardon...?"
Rafaela made a dazed sound of shock. She seemed to be getting surprised a lot today.
"...Lord Behirith. If it is not too forward of me, might I ask why you would go to the trouble of meeting the princess?"
Rafaela posed the question with care. I could hardly come out and say I was a fan and wanted to meet her. I shrugged on my coat and looked back.
"Rafaela. Do you remember what I said a moment ago?"
"Yes. You spoke of your grand design to expand your influence and become the master of a new nation."
"Precisely. And to that end, I intend to bring the princess over to our side."
"...Meaning?"
"The princess is used as a propaganda piece for the imperial family — the so-called Treasure of the Empire — but in reality she has been politically isolated, pushed aside by the two princes. So first we help her, and make her ours. Do you understand?"
"Ahh..."
Rafaela's eyes lit up as if something had clicked. Hmm. Had that landed? I had just thrown together an excuse because I wanted to help Eustia, but fortunately it seemed to have worked.
"I understand. I understand completely."
"Mm... right. Anyway, I'll be going. I'll leave informing the other subordinates to you."
"Yes. Leave it to me."
Rafaela nodded obediently. There was something faintly unholy in her gaze, but...
It would be fine. Time was tight if I wanted to make the Academy's entrance ceremony.
All right. Time to head out. To the Academy.
I gave the seeing-off Rafaela a nod of farewell and started walking.
After the carriage of the Grand Duchy of Divelion had departed, a violet-haired woman in a tall witch's hat walked the corridor in the deepest chamber of the Gremory count's estate — a space permitted only to the head of the house.
Click. Click.
The sound of her heels carved itself into the long hallway. At last, Rafaela's steps halted before a door.
A low rumble.
She opened it and stepped inside, revealing a table that looked built for council. Six seats in all — and in every seat but the place of honor at the center, communication crystals projected the images of those in attendance.
Rafaela took the seat to the right of the head and, after a brief pause, spoke.
"It seems everyone is here. Let us begin."
"Hold on. Where is Lord Behirith?"
Just as she was about to introduce the agenda, a man wearing an eyepatch asked from one side. Rafaela folded her arms and answered.
"He has gone to the Academy to meet the princess."
"Wait. That doesn't make sense."
"Just today, Lord Behirith declared that he would become the master of a new nation. And he said he would meet the princess in service of that plan."
"What!?"
Lüdenburger — one of the three great bosses who ruled the Empire's underworld — shot to his feet with a shout. Rafaela continued, her expression brimming with confidence.
"We back the politically isolated princess and make her dependent on us. Eventually, when she inherits the throne, the Empire will fall, in all but name, into the hands of the man behind her — Lord Behirith."
Rafaela's words sent ripples across a still lake. Shock swept the room in a single breath.
While everyone sat unable to hide their astonishment, Goldman Rockefeller — master of the Empire's greatest merchant house — stroked his mustache and let out a hearty laugh.
"Now that is one hell of a plan. That's Lord Behirith for you, eh? Gahaha."
"Oho, Goldman. Caught the scent of gold, have you?"
"Of course I have! You'd do well to drop that unfunny corpse-doll hobby of yours and learn just how wonderful money is, Laplace."
"Hahat! I'll have you know my beloved dolls all exist for Lord Behirith's sake!"
The man in the eerie white mask — the puppet master Laplace Diepove — protested as if deeply wronged. While he gesticulated theatrically, a white-haired, ruby-eyed woman in a scandalously revealing priestess's robe addressed the gathering.
"Ahh... what are you all doing? You've heard Lord Behirith's magnificent plan. We should be worshipping him this instant."
Milynarije Whitewell, the highest-ranking priestess of the order, clasped her hands together, her face rapturous. Between a pair of vulgarly enormous breasts — hardly what one expected of a priestess serving the chief god — the golden rosary that marked her rank shone brilliantly.
Watching the scene, Rafaela pulled the room back into order.
"Enough. That's as far as the chatter goes. And I believe this needs to be said plainly — there are no objections to Lord Behirith's decision, I trust?"
"Of course not. Opposition is out of the question."
"Gheheh. I'm of the same mind."
"As am I. He is the one who granted us true salvation."
"I agree as well!"
Those present answered in turn, without a hint of hesitation. Rafaela surveyed the room, the corner of her mouth lifting as she declared:
"Good. Then we begin by expanding Lord Behirith's influence within the Empire. All of it — for the supreme master of the Empire."
Voices of every timbre filled the chamber.
In a place no one could see, the deepest and most powerful shadows of the Achaemenes Empire were about to begin their work in the dark.