Chapter 52
Chapter 52
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 51
Chapter Title: Elenoa Luden Griffin
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"Hmm."
Dayah took a sip of the warmly steeped tea, savoring its aroma for a moment before rolling it around on her tongue like fine wine.
It wasn't a particularly meaningful gesture, but tea leaves were hard to come by even in Northsweden, so she wanted to appreciate it fully.
Lately, things had been going so smoothly that a sense of leisure had settled in her heart.
Her eldest son, Darius Verdi, had used his defeat against Pindenai as a springboard to throw himself into training lately.
When the lord was training, the militia couldn't just sit idle, so the overall level of the troops was rising accordingly.
Even the Scrap Merchants' members under Pindenai were getting along without much friction, despite their leader's absence.
Rumor had it that a woman from Northsweden and a man from the Scrap Merchants had even taken a liking to each other—they were on such friendly terms.
"Peaceful."
Dayah was basking in that peace.
"Ah, ah, miss!"
But then came the maid's urgent voice from outside the office. Dayah already felt a crack forming.
It was the sound of peace fracturing.
The maid burst in, clutching a single letter.
"A, a, a letter! From the Magic Tower, no less!"
"The Magic Tower?"
Dayah's brow furrowed instantly as she snatched the letter. Sure enough, it bore the Magic Tower's seal, wrapped in a blue glow of mana for sealing.
'No way... something happened to Dayus... that guy?'
The bombshell revelation about another personality inhabiting Deus's body came flooding back vividly.
'They didn't catch on that he's a necromancer, did they?'
She had barely managed to forget about it, but now she swallowed hard, her hands trembling as she broke the seal.
As she read, Dayah's shoulders twitched.
"Self-surrender...? No, that he's a necromancer?"
From Dayah's fragmented mutterings, the maid could roughly grasp the contents.
"Ex, ex, execution? Magic Judge...?"
Crumple.
The letter crumpled in her fist. Dayah took a deep breath, forcing herself to feign calm.
She flashed a smile and nodded.
She nodded vigorously several times, then turned and gulped down the tea she'd set aside.
"Hoo."
Yeah, calming down now...
Calming...
"As if! That bastard! Self-surrender?! When he should be hiding like his life depends on it? What about our territory?!"
Bang!
Dayah kicked the desk hard. Her toe throbbed painfully, but she blinked back tears and shouted as if nothing happened.
"Prepare the carriage and get my coat! We're heading straight to Graypond!"
"Y-Yes, miss!"
The maid rushed out. Dayah felt her head spinning.
She had thought the next time they'd meet wouldn't be until at least next year. He was supposed to be working as a professor at Robern Academy.
To think they'd reunite so soon.
It would take some time to reach Graypond from here. About a month since they parted, give or take.
Assuming he was still alive.
The other soul inside Deus's body. She hadn't expected to get answers about it so quickly.
For now, though, she wanted to praise him.
"At least you're alive. That's something."
At the very least, she could give him a good smack.
* * *
Unlike my warp-assisted emergency arrest, it took Princess Elenoa about a week to return from Robern Academy to Graypond.
"Hoo."
So what had I been doing in the meantime?
Receiving lessons in necromancy from the Black Necromancer.
The only necromancy I could use so far was still basic, converting the mana contained in souls into simple spells.
The grand mage and his disciples kept glaring at me, but since I was someone the princess had to meet, they no longer dared treat me roughly—they watched warily but didn't touch me.
"More aggressive spells than I expected."
[That's why it's called black magic, after all.]
A typical necromancer captures evil spirits and manipulates the mana and grudges within them.
Thus, the spells are violent, and they consume a tremendous amount of mana.
But that approach was quite distant from my own way of handling souls.
I had no desire to inflict additional pain on the dead just to force them under my control.
Of course, it wasn't some unbreakable conviction. As a human myself, I was prepared to shift directions if necessity demanded.
Still, I wanted to minimize the suffering of the departed.
[You're absorbing it incredibly fast.]
The Black Necromancer marveled honestly. My affinity for souls had always been high, after all.
It was only natural, really.
I didn't even need separate souls for practice. She handled that.
She was my master, a magical prodigy, and faithfully served as a training tool.
"......"
I wasn't using Remegaton. I'd witnessed its power firsthand at the execution grounds, but this was to build my personal skills.
"Time to get ready."
The princess had returned yesterday, and we'd meet after lunch today, so the escort should arrive soon.
I slipped on the black jacket provided by the royal family. It was impeccably tailored with gold embroidery—clearly high-end.
[You really suit it well. Clothes look great on a good frame. How about a trim?]
"......"
[Your hair's gotten a bit long. Tying back the back part wouldn't look bad.]
As she said, my bangs were starting to poke my eyes. The original Deus had styled his with gel, so it wasn't an issue.
But I didn't bother with that, so I'd just left it.
"Enough."
I didn't have the bandwidth for such minutiae right now. Elenoa's nightmare contained things even I didn't know.
And hearing that even the Saintess had failed made it crucial to proceed with caution and focus.
[Good thing your disciple died. If she'd lived, I'd have messed around with her tall, handsome looks.]
"Cut it out."
Give her an inch, and she rambled endlessly. The Black Necromancer, who had been hanging her head glumly, perked up as the door opened and the grand mage's disciples entered.
"Come with us. The princess awaits."
Without hesitation, I stepped out, and the Black Necromancer floated after me, her hand on my shoulder.
[Tea?]
[Kekeke, kekekeke.]
[......]
As we walked the royal corridors, souls came into view. The Black Necromancer clicked her tongue at them with cold eyes.
[Even the royal palace has all sorts. But mostly small fry—no real issues.]
"......"
Then, sensing something off, she tilted her head.
[But usually places like this are crawling with big grudges. Royals mean faction fights among nobles, intrigue, under-the-table wars, you know?]
"......"
[Yet there's not a single one here?]
I shot her a glance, and she shut up with an "Got it."
We reached the door at the end of the long corridor and stopped. The disciples glared sharply, issuing warnings.
"This is Her Highness's private chamber. Mind your words and actions."
"If you act out, we'll move immediately. We're watching you."
"Hah."
I sighed in pity at their pointless warnings.
"To you, she's just the princess."
Creak.
No need to knock.
If it matched the Elenoa I knew, that would only backfire.
"To me, she's also a student."
I entered directly.
Elenoa was waiting, seated and staring blankly my way.
Her blonde hair was disheveled, her skin sallow. Her eyes were sunken and weary, ringed with deep dark circles.
I could tell at a glance the situation was graver than thought.
"Deus Verdi."
She called my name as if broken somewhere. The grand mage's disciples sighed and looked away.
"Tch."
I could only click my tongue.
It was obvious she hadn't slept in days. The nightmare's terror was crushing her.
"Princess Elenoa. Are you with us?"
"...Huh? Oh, yes. I'm fine."
She'd just called my name, yet she wasn't fully lucid. It wasn't just sleep deprivation—her mind was severely frayed.
'Her condition is far worse than expected.'
This wasn't the Elenoa I knew.
Proud and brimming with confidence, she took pride in her royal blood and spared no effort in upholding dignity.
She feared losing the royal house's nobility more than death itself.
For instance, she abhorred her golden locks getting dirty or failing etiquette.
Her obsession was so fanatical that even in her dying moments, she closed her eyes maintaining royal poise.
Proud and unyielding, convinced she'd walked the king's path no matter what others called heresy, without a shred of regret.
Elenoa Luden Griffin.
Nicknamed the Fallen Princess, the Rebel Who Burns the Night, the Dignified Ringleader.
Just like Pindenai.
She was the boss concluding a chapter.
Someone who had to die by Aria's hand one day.