Chapter 76
Chapter 76
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: Procurement
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“⋯⋯What was that about?”
[⋯⋯What do you mean?]
“What did you do to make the Lady let us go so easily?”
And it wasn’t as if she was wrong. Last night.
Gray had hesitated, staring into empty space, then grabbed Carlyle by the collar and hurled him out of the room.
“⋯⋯.”
No, really, what had happened?
He vaguely remembered her entire face turning bright red, which wasn’t like Gray at all.
“What did you do?”
[⋯⋯.]
Carlyle glared at the Holy Sword, which remained silently tucked in his chest.
It seemed the sword intended to play innocent, but the irrefutable evidence was right in front of him.
-System Message
▶ A relationship has formed between the ‘Holy Sword’ and ‘Gray Chasefield’.
▶ ‘Gray’ moves according to the ‘Holy Sword’s’ intentions!
▶ As the relationship progresses, conflict may arise between the ‘Holy Sword’ and ‘Gray’.
⋯⋯Even just looking at what was written there, it was clear something irregular had gone down.
What on earth had it done to create future conflict?
“Did you trick her or something?”
[I didn’t do anything I can’t take responsibility for.]
“⋯⋯.”
[Hey now, I’m serious.]
“⋯⋯.”
Chilling.
It felt like a dagger had flown straight into his chest⋯⋯
[Well, you’ll figure it out in time. It’s not a bad thing for you either.]
“⋯⋯I don’t buy it.”
[Your communicator’s signaling. Shouldn’t you answer it?]
“⋯⋯.”
The Holy Sword’s blatant subject change was highly suspicious, but the communicator was indeed buzzing.
The caller was none other than Felix. It was the device she had given him.
In the end, Carlyle shot the Holy Sword another glare but held the communicator to his ear.
[About what I mentioned before? I think we can make it happen.]
“⋯⋯Could you explain a bit more kindly, Your Eminence?”
As expected of a busy person, she dove straight into the main topic, but it was too vague to understand anything.
[You know, that thing. That.]
“⋯⋯.”
[That headache just looking at it. I found a way to deal with it.]
He couldn’t see Felix’s gestures over the call, but he knew exactly what she was pointing at.
Carlyle craned his neck out and looked up at the sky.
There floated the Black Whale above Cradle.
⋯⋯Just its presence cast a shadow over part of the academy, so they had begged and pleaded to moor it a short distance away.
At least it seemed willing to accommodate Carlyle’s requests, which was a relief.
‘It definitely understands speech⋯⋯’
The hint from the legend Panhaima had shared confirmed it possessed intelligence, even as a magical beast.
No, it was almost certain it had emotions and cognition on par with humans.
It kept showing it understood his explanations.
When he conveyed through gestures and mime that its presence made others uneasy and uncomfortable, it blinked, then nodded agreeably.
It even spun half a turn in the air, flapping its fins apologetically, as if sorry for the inconvenience.
At this rate, he’d believe it was a human taking whale form rather than a beast driven by instinct⋯⋯
That said, another desire arose.
‘It’d be great if we could communicate directly.’
The fact that a bomb made of demonic energy was lodged in its brain meant it had encountered a demon at some point.
What Carlyle needed was information on that.
“⋯⋯.”
And the reason that mattered.
If it was a being capable of freely manipulating a calamity-level beast’s mind without resistance, there was only one possibility.
The most insidious dregs at the bottom of the sulfurous flames.
Humanity’s ultimate foe, forged in malice that could crush brains on sight alone.
‘Archdemon.’
The seven Deadly Sins.
In every playthrough, only Gray could stand against them in the end.
Even the Hero Party, excluding the Hero herself, could barely handle one with their full might.
Whether they were already active in the material realm from Hell or had merely sent their power was unknown.
Tracking their movements in this timeline alone was invaluable intel.
Thus, communication with Blackie was essential⋯⋯
[⋯⋯So I’m wondering if calling it Blackie is even right— Never mind. You’ll just dig in your heels anyway.]
‘What would you know about Blackie?’
[⋯⋯.]
Blackie was Blackie.
No matter what anyone said, Carlyle had decided that⋯⋯
[Wanting to talk to it? Yeah, probably possible. That’s the angle I was investigating from the start.]
While Carlyle bantered idly with the Holy Sword, Felix delivered that from the other end of the line.
“⋯⋯.”
How had she even investigated that?
Did this woman have any impossibilities? ⋯⋯
[I squeezed some contacts in the Magic Kingdom and the Alchemist Guild. Turns out, they’ve made surprising progress on ‘humanizing’ magical beasts.]
“⋯⋯Why the hell would there be progress on humanizing magical beasts?”
[⋯⋯.]
Felix fell silent on the other end.
She seemed to deliberate whether to say it herself⋯⋯
[⋯⋯Among magical beasts, you know, some that’d look pretty cute if turned human-shaped? There are a few like that.]
“⋯⋯.”
[⋯⋯Don’t go quiet like that. It’s not my opinion; it’s what the researchers said.]
“⋯⋯Yes, I think that’s enough.”
He was afraid to hear more.
What twisted thoughts had those vile humans harbored upon seeing magical beasts? He didn’t want to know⋯⋯
As Carlyle shuddered at the depravities of those extreme fur enthusiasts, Felix cleared her throat and continued.
[Anyway, they say it’s possible with special materials and the right process. The materials are so rare they’re not easy to obtain, though.]
“Even you can’t get them?”
[Even me.]
Hm.
If even she said so, they must be truly exceptional.
As Carlyle nodded in thought, Felix pressed on.
[But I do know someone who can procure them. Well, their family, technically.]
“Their family?”
[Through someone you know.]
?
◆
Elena Lindel Anastasia had been spending her recent days fulfillingly.
At the empire’s top academy, Cradle, she mingled broadly, enjoying the prime of youth.
A beauty with a gentle, rounded personality, she was a hub for all academy-useful info—practically an overstatement-proof connector. Being welcomed everywhere felt great, naturally.
“Hello.”
“⋯⋯.”
“⋯⋯Elena, senior, long time no see.”
⋯⋯So.
Running into someone who could shatter that happy life in an instant, her face paling immediately wasn’t an overreaction.
Seeing the familiar orange-haired underclassman before her, Elena trembled as she replied.
Her dead-eyed, ashen retreat looked like facing trauma twofold.
“⋯⋯Wh-wh-whyyyy⋯⋯ Ack, wh-wh-whyyyy⋯⋯⋯⋯”
“⋯⋯.”
Anyone hearing it might think she was retching.
And it wouldn’t be strange if she did; Elena was that tensely terrified.
Anyway, Carlyle somehow deciphered the meaning.
‘Why bring these people to see me?’
“⋯⋯You may remember them, but allow me to reintroduce: Her Eminence Felix, and the Hero.”
“⋯⋯.”
“⋯⋯.”
Felix and Gray stood with arms crossed, silently watching Elena.
Both had, in some way, inflicted horrific memories on her.
At least Carlyle had begged them—begged—with ‘Absolutely say nothing and stay still,’ so they did.
If either opened their mouth, Elena’s mind might snap and she’d faint on the spot.
“I have a favor to ask.”
“Bu-bu-buh—!”
“⋯⋯.”
He didn’t know one had to be so tense to lose language entirely, but anyway.
“I think we need to visit your family home with these two.”
“⋯⋯.”
“I’d like to meet your family.”
“⋯⋯.”
“⋯⋯Sorry.”
It wasn’t his fault.
But some apology was needed to keep Elena from fainting—
“—Wait, senior? Senior?!”
“⋯⋯She fainted?”
“⋯⋯.”
Hm.
Futile effort, it seemed.
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