Chapter 27
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: Road to the North
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Not long after I stepped outside, there was a kidnapping attempt followed by an assassination bid.
It felt just like they'd been lying in wait to pounce.
Assuming it started from when news of my birth reached them, that's twenty years.
Roughly speaking, it had to be over ten years at least.
They'd warned me that venturing beyond the imperial palace would bring temptations aplenty—and dangers just as numerous...
The world outside really is a perilous place.
"But how'd you manage that?"
Actaeon, riding in the carriage, cocked her head quizzically.
The question came out of left field, no context at all, making it hard to pin down what she meant.
"What?"
"Finding me, I mean. I was cloaked in invisibility and had masked my presence completely. So how'd you spot me right away and come charging in?"
"Oh, that? No idea. Ask her yourself."
I turned my head toward Antiope, sitting beside me.
It wasn't something I could answer, so passing the buck was the right call.
"Show some respect to His Highness and mind your manners. Then I'll tell you."
Antiope blinked and replied.
A perfectly reasonable demand.
"I'll try."
"Good. To answer you—I just followed the scent. I flew straight toward the increasingly strong smell of an unfamiliar bitch in heat."
"Scent? Was it that pungent?"
Actaeon's cheeks flushed faintly.
She seemed a bit embarrassed.
Can't blame her.
I nodded as I looked at Actaeon's face.
Hearing you're giving off a smell like that would embarrass anyone, and maybe even shame them a little.
"My nose is just sensitive. It wasn't a stench or anything, so no need to be embarrassed."
"Oh, right? Well, that's a relief. Kinda ridiculous now that I know."
Actaeon let out a sigh, sounding almost disappointed.
Her embarrassment had faded, and the color returned to normal in her cheeks.
"By the way, you can turn invisible?"
"You saw it yourself—what's there to ask? Yeah, invisibility's my unique magic. Masking my presence is just from training."
Actaeon said it like it was no big deal.
Her attitude was that since she'd already been caught, spilling trade secrets wouldn't change much.
And honestly, it wouldn't.
Takes me back.
Patterns of unseen bullet hell barrages flying in.
Or her vanishing only to pop up nearby all of a sudden.
Thankfully, there were telltale signs, so I could dodge...
But the window was so short that I had to watch closely.
The patterns themselves weren't tricky, but spotting them strained my eyes.
"Then why not just hit me with magic? Why close in for melee?"
"Why ask me? Magic has such obvious tells. And it's too damn loud."
Fair point.
Unless there were no witnesses and it was straight-up assassination, stealth kills were tough with that.
"I knew that, but just checking."
Antiope coughed awkwardly and closed her eyes.
Was she really clueless?
I decided not to press the point.
Better to preserve her tiny shred of dignity.
"Anyway, Master. Mind if I ask you something?"
Me? Her tone was rough, but I could see the effort to show respect. Commendable.
And it sounded nice, too.
"Master—that's me, right? Sounds good. What's on your mind?"
"From what I heard, your unique magic is just healing. But you threw up a barrier like it was nothing. What's the deal?"
"That? I'll tell you after I save your family."
I smirked deliberately and brushed it off.
No reason to spill everything to a woman who wasn't fully on my side yet.
"Not fully allied yet, huh?"
"You held back for the same reason. I'm doing the same."
"Fair enough. Can't argue with that."
Actaeon sighed, looking a touch sheepish.
Her decisive personality meant no lingering regrets.
"Speaking of family, Master... you sure you can pull it off? Even as Crown Prince, taking on another imperial clansman won't be easy."
"It's fine."
I flashed a light smile, radiating confidence.
I'd never met her face-to-face, but the Ion imperial family got along decently.
Orpheus had vouched for it.
—Far away, you have an older sister...? And other kin, too.
—Really? Then why haven't I met any? They don't visit the palace?
—Too much hassle. Your mother was like that once, but she's changed a lot since having you.
From that talk, they were a tight-knit bunch despite the austerity.
Contradictory, but history backed it up.
So even a close aide would likely heed the words of an imperial like me.
"That confident?"
Actaeon's eyes sparkled as she studied my face.
My assurance seemed to spark hope in her, too.
"Yeah. But you'll have to get sneaky from here on out."
"How so?"
"Can't travel openly together—that'd look suspicious. Time to play dead. I'm planning to announce I killed you."
"Right, yeah. That way no one suspects."
Actaeon's eyes sharpened fiercely.
The moment work talk came up, there it was—the assassin's edge.
"Perfect skills for hiding, too. In crowded spots, stay invisible and shadow us."
"Got it. And when we hit the main base?"
"Guide the way at least—I'm clueless on the terrain. Oh, and how long can you hold invisibility?"
"All day if needed."
A bit of bravado maybe, but that level of confidence was plenty.
Should be fine.
"Can't let my guard down, but things might wrap up anticlimactically. Try not to worry—stay calm."
"Yeah. Will do."
Actaeon sighed and turned away.
Her expression alone screamed inner turmoil.
One sighing, another dissatisfied.
It'd pass, but the awkwardness was stifling right now.
So I turned my gaze to Ekyon, handling the reins.
"Ekyon. You catch all that?"
"Yes. But have you actually met the other imperial members, Your Highness? I've only heard rumors myself..."
"Just stories from Mother."
First time meeting kin had me tense, but also excited.
Felt like facing a hidden boss.
I knew the basics—temperament, looks, magic—but the rest I'd learn firsthand.
"You've heard, right?"
"Yes. She's the one who's long managed the northern territories. Lots of rumors about her personality, but nothing solid."
"Exactly. You gotta meet 'em to know for sure."
This game's world was a rigid class society.
Subordinates rarely grasped superiors' true characters fully.
Especially tight-lipped types like the Ion imperials.
Tricky.
Like most imperials, she was said to be ruthless—but probably not.
Even Orpheus turned doting mother around me.
So this blood kin might be similar.
Only one way to find out: meet her.
"I'm worried about committing a faux pas in front of her. From her border vantage, I must look like some pampered noble miss."
"I'll have your back, so don't sweat it. And you're no flighty debutante anyway."
Ekyon truly gave her all.
Sure, noble ladies got some slack on duty, but that was it.
I knew she worked extra hard because of it.
And such dedication always satisfied imperial eyes.
Even earned the Emperor's nod in the end.
"Thank you."
Ekyon stared ahead and sniffled.
Her shoulders trembled—she was genuinely touched.
"How long to the north?"
I let a silence fall, then changed tack.
Talking with Ekyon had eased the awkward vibe considerably.
Ahem! An awkward cough came from up front, followed by a reply.
"Ahem... well, skipping village and territory inspections, about three days."
"Got it. Was gonna tour them all, but let's go straight there. No rush really, but my gut's impatient."
"Understood, Your Highness."
Ekyon nodded and snapped the reins.
The once-leisurely horses snorted roughly and pounded the earth with renewed vigor.
Thanks to the pace, we entered northern territory a touch faster than three days.
Actaeon kept invisible as instructed.
She only dropped it in deserted spots to eat with us.
"Reports must be rolling in by now, right?"
I asked amid the pre-dawn chill.
The north was colder than the capital, winds sharper.
But that crisp air felt refreshing, clearing the lungs.
I'd always liked winter, and breathing this cold made any stuffiness vanish.
"Probably. Eyes follow Your Highness's every move, after all."
"It's her domain up north—they'll reach her for sure."
Antiope and Ekyon murmured by the campfire.
Time to rise; everyone was stirring, shaking off sleep.
"Little farther and we'll hit Krueger's main compound. One more day after that gets us to the northern wall and the imperial outpost."
Actaeon muttered, tearing into roasted meat.
Northern-born assassin knew the lay well and was full of pep.
Plus, Antiope and Ekyon treated her neutrally, no hostility.
Her tragic backstory earned Antiope's empathy and Ekyon's pity.
Parents dead young.
Endured abusive trash relatives until snapping in a spur-of-the-moment kill, and so on...
A chest-tightening history.
"Master. Mind if I hole up in the cargo like usual?"
Actaeon asked from across the fire.
The flickering flames dazzled a bit, hard to see her face clearly.
She's come a long way.
Still blunt, but the edge had dulled.
Her voice was calmer now, respect shining through.
My aides must've sensed it too, hence lowering their guards.
"No one detects presences outright, or has a nose like Antiope's?"
"No one that dangerous. And Krueger doesn't even know my unique magic. He hired me just 'cause my assassin rep's out there."
"Lied to his face?"
"Can't spill my hand to a guy threatening my family, right? Gave him the bare minimum."
Solid logic.
One-off meeting, extortion on top—no need to reveal more than necessary.
"Stick to that. If it goes south, we make a scene."
"How?"
"Announce we're coming outright."
Same snitching, but covert vs. blatant are worlds apart.
One's a matchstick, the other's a wildfire.
"For real? Might get too noisy... feels off."
"Why gripe? It's using what we've got. And saving one person—nothing to be ashamed of."
"Grateful, sure, but what if he goes after my brother? People get stupid in a corner and lash out blindly."
"If it feels dicey, I'll stick Antiope or Ekyon on him. Watch, stir chaos, snatch the family, and bail."
Best was sneaking in per original plan.
Plan B: make a racket openly, exploit the chaos to extract them.
Neither bad, but I preferred A.
Noise cluttered my head, made me antsy.
Still, if needed, we'd do it.
Better loud than botched.
"Got it."
Actaeon nodded, ripping into her meat.
The savage chomping looked like determination to devour the viscount whole.
And she should.
Krueger was suspect anyway—one shake-down coming.
But what if it was some elaborate frame job?
Actaeon was straightforward, but if so?
Go full degradation play?
As a pro degenerate, I'd devoured nearly everything bar NTR and gore.
Degradation stuff was right up my alley.
Physical overpowering, blackmail, etc...
Varied flavors kept it fresh even within the genre.
Pure love or ruin.
My approach would shift based on Actaeon's moves.