Gray Hair Dye?
Gray hair dye?
Once morning classes were over, I headed for the dining hall.
I had seriously considered just buying some bread from the store and eating it alone in a bathroom stall, but I was better than that. I had nothing to be ashamed of.
At any rate, I had expected today's meal to be another solitary affair.
Yet seated right across from me was the Imperial Princess.
I had been planning to seek her out anyway regarding preparations for the duel, so the timing could not have been better. Since she had been the one to propose we become closer, borrowing a little help like this should be fine.
Last time she had chattered away just fine, but today the Princess was quietly focused on her meal alone. Forgetting my own food entirely, I stared straight at her.
Just why was the Imperial Princess trying to get close to me, of all people? Pulling the crumbling, traitorous Wallenstein family into her faction was hardly a smart political move.
Perhaps she felt the weight of my lingering gaze and the thoughts behind it. The Princess spoke up.
"Why are you not eating? Are you not hungry?"
"No. It's just a bit awkward."
"Hahaha. Even if I am an Imperial Princess, within these academy walls I am merely one student among many. Do not feel burdened."
No, Your Highness—it's not you that's awkward. It's all those stares!
Look. People were already glancing our way and whispering among themselves. This princess really had no sense of atmosphere.
"Besides, the very fact that you would say such a thing to my face suggests you are not truly burdened at all, does it not?"
The Princess gave a small laugh.
Fine. I gave up. Rumors were something I had already endured to the point of exhaustion anyway.
I cut to the point.
"President, you know quite a bit about magic and alchemy as well, don't you?"
"Mm. It is nothing I would boast about, but beyond the swordsmanship I have primarily pursued, one could say my attainments in magic and alchemy are also rather deep."
No, anyone listening would call that bragging.
Still, I beamed at her answer.
"In that case, President—do you happen to know what these materials are used for together?"
I listed the names written in the letter: Swarlin Parchment, Mana Ink, and Alchemy Solvent.
"Hmm…"
The Princess sank into thought.
"Swarlin Parchment, you say…"
Her deliberation lasted longer than expected.
"I understand parchment and mana ink well enough, but…"
"Um, President? If you don't know, then maybe—"
"Be silent! It is on the tip of my tongue!"
No, lunch is already over, though?
"And adding solvent on top of that… just where would one…"
People were gradually filtering out of the dining hall. At last, after a considerable stretch of time, the Princess opened her mouth again.
"Ahem. Louis, a true swordsman ought to focus solely upon the blade without concerning himself with trifles such as magic."
"Excuse me? Why the sudden, out-of-nowhere excuse?"
"Excuse?! Excuse, you say?! Shut your mouth and listen!"
The Princess flared up all at once.
"Hmph! In any case, I also shoulder the duties of the student council, do I not? In short, it would be a waste of my intellect to allocate it to such petty matters."
"Ah. Is that so."
"You—did you not just look at me with eyes that said I was rather pathetic?"
"A misunderstanding."
Her face faintly flushed, the Princess pressed on.
"However, the truly important ability for a person of high station such as myself is knowing how to deploy those beneath me to the proper places."
Rising from her seat, she said to me,
"Follow. There is someone who would know."
The place the Princess led me to was the office that handled party commission contracts. Behind the desk sat a woman I had occasionally seen around, reading a book. As we approached, she spoke without looking up.
"Here for a commission?"
"Sasha, do I look as though I have come to accept a commission?"
"If it is not a commission, then stop bothering me and get lo— Excuse me. I meant, kindly disappear."
"…"
I stared at her, a little taken aback.
"Louis, this is Sasha Ryu—"
"Sasha."
Cutting the Princess off, she introduced herself.
"Ah, I am Louis Wallen—"
"I know. Just state your business."
Keeping my expression under control was difficult. The Princess cleared her throat.
"…Sasha. Do you happen to know what Swarlin Parchment, Mana Ink, and Alchemy Solvent are used for?"
The moment the Princess asked, the answer left the woman's mouth at once.
"Parchment, Mana Ink, Alchemy Solvent, Magic Quill, Mana Stone Powder. And a portion of the target's body."
A somewhat ominous list emerged from her lips.
A portion of the body?
"Those are the materials for crafting a Curse Scroll. I cannot imagine why one would deliberately make it in scroll form, but…"
"Ah!"
I let out a small exclamation. Hearing her words, something clicked into place. To secretly activate it mid-duel, it would of course need to be in scroll form.
"For reference, when produced as a scroll the activation range becomes shorter. Mana Stone Powder and a Magic Quill are common enough even within the academy."
She continued in the same indifferent tone.
"As for Swarlin Parchment, unlike ordinary parchment it is woven from mana. An absurdly expensive item with virtually no practical utility."
"And the difference when using ordinary parchment…?"
"It assists the spell's activation slightly. Also, once used, a Swarlin Parchment scroll vanishes entirely, unlike the ordinary kind."
The latter half was the key. If the scroll disappeared, the only thing left as evidence would probably be the potion…
Anyway, I had first disliked her because of that attitude of hers. Yet she was explaining things in considerable detail. What a helpful person, truly.
The Princess's expression hardened a little as she spoke.
"A curse involving a body part… Is this, by chance, magic forbidden under Imperial law?"
"No. A body part as minor as hair or a fingernail is sufficient, and a scroll produced in that fashion is too weak to even properly call a curse."
Only then did the Princess's face ease with relief.
"Louis, why are you asking about something like this?"
"Well… there is a reason. Sasha, thank you. Truly."
I brushed the Princess's question aside and expressed my gratitude to Sasha. It was better if the Princess knew nothing. If Leo's scheme came to light before the duel, he would certainly be disciplined—but the public apology I was due from my former party members, and the Epsilt Treasure Sword, could easily vanish into thin air as well.
I said to Sasha,
"If there is anything you would like in return…"
Favors ought to be repaid properly.
Sasha replied,
"I am not certain your collapsing house could even afford what I want. Ah, right!"
…The gratitude I had felt until a moment ago evaporated.
"Even if you get caught cursing someone, I would prefer my name not come up. That is the full extent of my request. Now then, if you will excuse me."
She turned her head back to her book.
What kind of person was this?
Anyway… a portion of the body, is it?
Leo Epsilt summoned Ian Dexter, the academy's swordsmanship professor.
An academy student summoning a professor would normally be unthinkable. But when that student was the heir of a ducal house, and the professor had received a great many favors from that same house, it became entirely plausible.
This was the same professor Leo had sought out during the previous party-expulsion incident. This time the matter was even more dangerous, so secrecy was essential.
"Professor, I will be dueling the Wallenstein family brat."
"Yes, I am aware."
The professor had already confirmed the duel application that had come in that morning.
"I would like you to serve as an observer for the duel."
"I shall do my utmost."
As a professor who had taken money from House Epsilt, there was little benefit in ignoring Leo's words. Last time he had refused only because the headmaster himself had been involved. Naturally he intended to accept this request—yet the problem was Wallenstein. The previous matter the headmaster had handled personally had also involved Wallenstein; there was no telling what might happen this time. That was why he had phrased it as "doing his utmost." Leo, however, did not care for that answer.
"Professor, I would very much like to pass along only good things about you to my father…?"
"Ah—understood! Ahem…"
Leo still had one more request remaining. He recalled the letter he had sent to the estate. He had demanded every material difficult to obtain at the academy. The Magic Quill he already possessed, since it was used in class. Mana Stone Powder, even if not the highest grade, was common enough on campus. Yet there was also something that could only be obtained here at the academy itself.
Leo instinctively glanced around.
"Professor, there is one more thing I require…"
He leaned in and whispered to Professor Ian. After listening, the professor eventually nodded.
"That much is easy enough."
Leo smiled, well pleased. Everything was proceeding according to plan.
Louis Wallenstein—soon I will paint that irritating face of yours with humiliation.
Once the professor left, Leo laughed loudly. What he did not know was that, from between the trees, a pair of eyes was watching him glitter. By calling the professor outside to avoid prying eyes, he had only made it easier for a certain masked someone to tail him.
"Welcome…"
The same listless voice as always. The clerk seemed to recognize my face; her tone rose a little in surprise.
"Oh? You're that suck— that customer from before…?"
I gave a light nod.
"Where would I find the magic hair dye?"
"Over there… that way…"
She pointed toward a corner of the store with a languid expression. When I returned holding one of the bottles, the clerk's face shifted strangely.
"Uh… customer? This is black dye, though…"
"I know."
"W-well, you do have black hair… never mind…"
She took my money.
"Thought he was a total mark… turns out he's a little…"
She muttered something, but I did not catch it. Whistling, I tossed and caught the dye bottle in one hand as I left the store.
Heh… so what's that bastard going to do? Clip my nails? Tear off a scrap of flesh? It's obvious, really…
Everything was going smoothly—
"Ah!"
Crash!
The magic hair-dye bottle I had accidentally dropped shattered on the ground.
…Am I an idiot?
In the end, I bought another one. The clerk's expression twisted into something bizarre, but I ignored it.