13. Plus Minus Zero
My legal wife, Marianne King Vlata, has a younger sister. That is Selemin Vlata, who is currently walking beside me.
When I read about Selemin in the Hound roster, at first I was genuinely surprised. This was the sisterly treatment I had only heard about in stories from the human nations.
After all, her older sister was the strongest emperor of the human nation, yet her younger sister was polishing the backsides of nobles and imperial government officials. That didn't make sense.
So I thought she had been left behind as blood that could threaten power, but when I secretly checked the records, I realized it was quite far from that ordinary situation.
Just looking at her now.
"Step aside."
"Why?"
"Because it's hard to walk."
I casually slipped my arm around Selemin's and gave her a light push.
Selemin, who had been appealing with volumes very different from her sister's, pouted unhappily and slightly distanced herself.
Of course, she hadn't interacted with me at all until now, so she couldn't possibly be in love with me. After all, the acting was too obvious.
Though it's speculation, I believe my sister-in-law harbors a serious inferiority complex towards her older sister.
In terms of talent and ability, my legal wife is on a level that even I, who have seen the records with my own eyes, can't believe. Not only physical strength and knowledge, but also charisma that leads people — she has all the qualities of a king.
On the other hand, Selemin has no such records.
Apart from the lack of volume, her appearance and talent aren't particularly inferior, but because her sister is too excellent, she couldn't shine.
That's reason enough to dislike her, but the bigger problem is that Marianne adores Selemin terribly.
Even if I look at all the records from the time of preparing the rebellion to overthrow the previous emperor, during the rebellion, and after, Selemin's name doesn't appear.
This is also speculation, but as Marianne, she wouldn't want her only precious blood left to be in danger.
So, she probably kept her far away during the revenge process, but that instead exploded the inferiority complex Selemin had accumulated from childhood.
Well, it's all just me imagining after reading the records, but if my thoughts are correct, Selemin's current mindset is probably not normal.
From her words and actions, roughly.
"Brother-in-law, it's pretty hot today, isn't it? Shall we go somewhere and rest?"
"We're going to the scene right now. Don't talk nonsense."
She's thinking 'Prove that by stealing my superior sister's husband, I'm better than her!' — completely insane.
Up until now, she had been quiet because she was observing me and looking for an opportunity.
"And if you call me 'Brother-in-law' one more time, I'll have you wait at headquarters."
"Tsk."
She deliberately scrunches her face and clicks her tongue. Actually, she probably isn't even trying to act.
By the way, I have no particular aversion to hugging my wife's younger sister. Naturally, such situations aren't common in the human nations. It's just that I'm trash.
I just don't like sleeping with someone just to feed them. I don't like being used, either.
So, while Selemin, who wasn't giving up and was appealing, kept pestering me, we eventually reached the vicinity of the scene.
"Put on the mask. Even if you have independent operational authority, you must hide the Hounds' identity."
As I said before, the difference between those who know in secret and those who are openly known is different.
So, when we were still at a certain distance, I and Selemin stealthily hid our bodies, put on the Hound mask, silenced our presence, and approached the scene.
I hadn't noticed this recently, but this Hound mask was a pretty convenient item. Not only did it cover the face, but it also had magic that modulated the voice, and above all, it had decent defense.
I wasn't fond of having to wear a mask or helmet, but once I tried it, I quite liked it.
"Stop! What are you people?"
We had approached quietly, but unless they were civilians, the Imperial Capital Garrison wouldn't miss the fact that we were approaching.
The moment the garrison saw our suspicious figures, they drew their weapons and aimed at us, but they had prepared for this moment.
"Step aside."
I took out a black imperial token from my pocket and showed it to the garrison members. When they recognized the emperor's seal stamped on the token, they were shocked and stepped back.
"S-sorry!"
"Excuse us!"
The empire's soldiers are so innocent. If it were the Meyer Kingdom soldiers, even if the king's seal was stamped, they would have drawn their swords saying to prove it with skill.
Of course, the seal stamped on this token is real. Like the golden token used for fun, we keep it because we don't want to waste time on unnecessary things everywhere we go.
To the garrison members who quickly stepped back upon seeing the seal, I added one more thing.
"Everyone vacate the area."
"Th-the magician from the Imperial Magic Academy is here, but if you need help..."
"I said everyone."
I was grateful in my heart, but the Academy people came because they couldn't do it, and having them interfere would only hinder.
After my words, the garrison members and the Academy magicians, who had been startled again, confirmed that they had gone far enough away. I entered the house of the murdered magician with Selemin and instructed an investigation.
Thanks to the security maintenance unit not being the Imperial Capital Garrison, the scene was quite clean.
In fact, rather than that, it was as expected that the perpetrator had excellent skill.
"Still, they must have moved the body. Should I have asked whether they took it to the garrison or the Academy?"
"It's fine. No problem."
Selemin answered with a confident tone. She looked around the scene once and opened the small bag she had brought from her room.
What she took out was a small transparent bottle. Inside, it looked like powder at first glance. The color was purple? It was a peculiar colored powder like it had been ground from amethyst.
"What are you trying to do?"
"What do you mean? I need to track the perpetrator."
Is it possible to track right at the first scene? As if answering my question, Selemin opened the bottle containing the purple powder.
"Ugh?!"
I instinctively tried to cover my nose without even realizing I was wearing the mask, due to an indescribable foul stench.
Even I, who had lived through wars and was accustomed to the various odors of rotting corpses, was startled. This can't be...
"...Tears of the Deceased?"
"Oh, you recognized it just by smelling it? How did you know this when you didn't know about the Turquoise Miracle?"
Because I'm the kind of person who does self-reflection.
After realizing my arrogance from having experience with poison and curses at Diarose and reflecting, I studied to correct the gap between my knowledge and common knowledge every time I had a chance.
I learned through knowledge, and I also went to shops to taste them directly.
Most of them were similar to those at Diarose, with slightly different names or uses, but there were some I didn't know, so studying was quite helpful.
To correct, the Turquoise Miracle was only different in name from what I knew; I hadn't missed anything. Moreover, it's a prohibited item in the empire, right?
Not only the empire, but among the human nations, probably only the Meyer Kingdom doesn't have a problem with it. Even in the Meyer Kingdom, if they find out, they'll immediately ban it since they don't even know it exists.
Of course, this is a reagent used when performing Necromancy, or Death Magic, also known as Summoning Magic.
"Where did you get this? Even if that's aside, don't you know that attempting Summoning Magic makes you a criminal?"
"I know."
Magic itself is like that from the beginning, but in the case of Summoning Magic, if misused, it can be out of control to an extent incomparable to normal magic.
That's why magic to summon the dead or move corpses is banned in all nations.
But my troublesome sister-in-law was saying she knew with her mouth but still naturally prepared magic without hesitation.
It was clear that she had done this more than once. Maybe there was also the reason that she couldn't get close to danger.
I started to feel sympathy for Marianne for the first time.
"Um. It's done."
Selemin, who had been scattering the powder with magic to draw something, informed me that she was ready. Upon closer look, there was a very complex pattern and characters drawn on the scene in a regular pattern.
"...Amazing."
"!"
I thought that just taking out the Tears of the Deceased would create more trouble, but it seemed I didn't have to worry about that.
"...What exactly is amazing about it?"
"Huh?"
I had honestly been admiring and wanted to start, but when I turned my head, I saw Selemin looking at me.
Even with the mask on, I could feel that she was staring at me intently.
"What is this feeling..."
"What did you say was amazing?"
"Ah, I was just admiring your magic control."
I was a bit startled by the sensation of being pressed in a different way from walking, but upon answering, I realized.
Maybe she was starving for praise? After all, if she had such a sister, she might not have received much praise.
If that's the case, perhaps I could relieve Selemin's inferiority complex by fulfilling her desired desire?
It was a sudden thought, but it didn't seem like a bad idea, so I opened my mouth again.
"I don't know much about magic, but my subordinate once said that mana is similar to aura. Just that the nature of power is different."
I also said that people with good hand skills can do more delicate work.
Anyone can do ordinary things, but to do work above a certain level, effort and talent are needed, similarly.
"The result isn't completely different depending on the control level, not just the amount of body and aura when fighting. For the same reason, I think it's amazing that you created this complex thing with just mana."
Although there was intent in the praise, the admiration itself was sincere without falsehood. Among the magicians of the Meyer Kingdom, no one showed such control.
There might also be the reason that there was no opportunity to show such things in the battlefield.
But more than that.
"Hoo, hoong. Really? Amazing, right? You're cool!"
It was awkward that the praise was too well received. I could see the pleased expression on her face even with the mask.
How much had she been starving for praise with just one word? Brother-in-law is worried that my sister might fall for a bad man.
For example, someone like me.
"Tongue..., no, Boss also has quite good taste. All the colleagues who have seen this so far just said they were uncomfortable."
"Completely uncomfortable. Because it's a blood-soaked room with a purple light painting."
"......"
The expression of Selemin, who changed due to the careless words I let slip, was also recognizable even with the mask.
In the end, it's Plus Minus Zero.