Chapter 65: The Cleanup (4)
Chapter 65: The Cleanup (4)
'The objective's already been accomplished anyway.'
The remaining cleanup was handed off to Cruel Hart.
Unlike Deon Hart, who knew nothing, he was well aware of how to enter 'that room,' so by the time Deon Hart arrived, everything would have been tidied up.
In other words, there was no way Deon Hart would find out that the Salvation Church's backer was the Duke, and Cruel would take responsibility for all the outcomes of whatever happened next. From her standpoint, all she had to do now was step back and enjoy the show.
And from her perspective, what Deon Hart had pulled this time was.......
'Soft.'
Too soft. So much so that she almost doubted whether he really was the 'Deon Hart' she knew.
If it had been her, she would have completely sealed off the building so that not even a single rat could escape, and then slaughtered everyone inside.
The enemy could slip away among the civilians.
There was no way someone who'd been through war wouldn't know that.
'......Does he mean it doesn't matter if one or two get away? Since they're just small fry anyway?'
Well, she could understand it well enough if she tried to predict his priorities.
Securing evidence would be the most important. That was what he needed to punish the mastermind and completely wipe out the Salvation Church. Going for the head first was a commander's instinct, too.
But.
Saelin's lips curled up slightly. A smile that was anything but pure spread across her face.
'In the end, the winner is me.'
Deon Hart would never find out who the mastermind was.
* * *
I saw documents stacked up like a mountain. A strange smell of oil hung in the air.
And in the middle of it, Cruel stood frozen, one hand tucked into his coat.
Silence stretched.
I quietly lowered my gaze and checked the bastard's upper body, frozen in that awkward stance.
Maybe he was startled too, because the hand he'd tucked into his coat had slipped out slightly, and what entered my field of vision were a few sheets of paper clutched at the ends of his fingers.
"......."
"......."
He blinked several times in that exact pose, then apparently caught my gaze, because he tucked the documents back into his coat.
Then he glanced at me just once, perfectly naturally, and took the torch he was holding—
—and hurled it onto the pile of documents.
'......?!'
No, wait. What the hell is he...!
In what felt like an instant too surreal to be real, no, almost immediately, all the documents were engulfed in flames.
So that was the oil smell!
Damn it, at this rate I wouldn't salvage a thing. After coming all this way, I couldn't just stand by and let the evidence vanish before my eyes, if for no other reason than sheer indignation.
I frantically reached for the blazing documents. Grabbing them for a moment wouldn't cause that severe a burn. I'd just snatch them, throw them on the floor, and stomp them out.
But my objective wasn't achieved.
Thud.
"Let go of me!"
"......."
"You crazy bastard! Why are you burning this?!"
Crazy bastard. Fucking lunatic.
I'd used the knights to drive out the civilians, and the leadership was nowhere to be seen, probably hiding somewhere. They'd likely already fled this place. They wouldn't be back for a while.
So all that was left was to contact the Imperial Palace and have them take these documents away...... so why the hell?!
I thrashed with all my strength to shake off his grip, but this feeble body of mine couldn't exert any influence whatsoever over Cruel's restraint. If anything, while I was struggling, my hand grazed the burning documents, and the bastard simply hoisted me up and slung me over his shoulder.
"Fuck!"
It was frustrating as hell, and it pissed me off as hell.
Cruel, who was blocking me, and my pathetically weak body that couldn't do a thing about him. I'd only been huffing for a moment with complex rage directed at both, when a certain thought brushed through my head, and without realizing it, I just—stopped all movement, like a doll with its strings cut.
I could feel Cruel glance at me, as if he found this strange, but.......
"......Duke."
He flinched.
Just as I had a moment ago, the bastard froze on the spot.
Soon after, he started walking again as if he hadn't heard a thing, but it was already too late. I'd already gotten my confirmation.
Yeah, the Duke.
The Salvation Church, suspected of having an enormous backer. The purple cloth used only here. Cruel burning the documents.
Who was it that Cruel followed?
Whose symbol was the color purple?
Who was it that held the strongest power, excluding the imperial family?
'——Stave Illustar.'
The one Cruel followed. The head of the Noble Faction, with purple hair and purple eyes.
"You......."
"......."
"You son of a biiiiiitch!!"
Rage erupted.
* * *
Honestly, I don't remember much after that.
According to Rien, smoke came from the formation, then a door in the corner opened, and Cruel and I emerged with thick smoke, and that was it.
Apparently, Cruel had me hoisted up, and when I tried to plunge a dagger into his side, he immediately threw me at Rien and disappeared.
"That was the first time I ever saw you that angry."
"W-Was it?"
"Yes, you were so angry you even coughed up blood. I was so startled then..."
"I-Is that so......."
I definitely was incredibly angry. How furious must I have been for my reason to fly out the window like that.
No, thinking about it again, it still pisses me off. They were playing me for a fool, weren't they. Fuck, and I don't even have anyone to complain to.
Even if I told the Emperor, it'd be useless without evidence. I'd be lucky if he didn't just see it as the pathetic slander of a sore loser.
'Fuck, Cruel.......'
He managed to snag the documents I couldn't, so he'll be the winner of this little competition. What's he going to demand, I wonder? Whatever it is, I can only hope it has absolutely nothing to do with me.
"Ah, more importantly, what about the sorceress?"
"She went back."
"......Pardon?"
"She said she had no further business here and was returning."
Well, I mean, there's no reason to hold her, so letting her go was the right call, but.......
"That......."
"Ah, she said the reason you were transported into that space, my lord, was because you circled the room."
"No, that's not what I... Pardon? What did you say?"
"She said that no matter the method, if you drew a circle three times to the left and twice to the right, you'd be moved. She probably intended to draw it conveniently with her finger and go, but who could have known? That the Count, while pacing the room, would end up being transported."
"......."
"That is tremendous luck."
I was at a loss for words. So that's how I was transported?
No, that's not the important thing right now.......
"Don't tell me you just sent the sorceress off? Empty-handed?"
Sorcerers were rare beings, so it was better to be remembered favorably if possible. But if we'd worked her hard and then just sent her off without any compensation?
"The butler provided her with a gratuity and a carriage."
"Ah, then it's fine."
As expected of Rememver. Thanks to him, I wouldn't be remembered as shameless.
......Still, it's a bit of a shame. I was meaning to ask her about the curse.
"Lady Rien. There is one thing you seem to be mistaken about, but the reason the Count coughed up blood was due to the strong pressure applied to his abdomen while he was slung over a shoulder."
"......?"
I lifted my head, feeling bewildered. Faded streaks of silver-blue hair entered my vision.
Rememver, having brushed past me naturally, set down the tray he'd been holding onto the table. I was staring at this with a dumbfounded expression when a voice reached me, sounding like it was thoroughly excluding me.
"Ah... so it wasn't because of anger. It seems I was mistaken."
"It can't be said that the anger had no influence whatsoever, but the biggest cause was that. Though, you need not be embarrassed for having misunderstood. It was simply that the Count has a glass body."
"A glass body......."
And why are you muttering that to yourself.
I take back what I said about you being competent.
In the end, I couldn't hold back and said a single line.
"No, Lady Rien. Why are you dwelling on that, of all things. And Rememver, what kind of thing is that to say, barging in......."
"Ah, my apologies."
Because there was no answer even after I knocked.
Completely leaving out the 'glass body' remark, which was what I most wanted to object to, Rememver bowed respectfully.
Faced with that courteous and impeccably flawless demeanor, I couldn't bring myself to say anything more, so I clicked my tongue inwardly and shifted my gaze to the tray on the table. On the tray, along with a decoction, was a strange note.
Ugh, that decoction.... Was there still some of that left?
"......What's that note?"
A shabby little note that felt entirely different from the invitations I'd seen from time to time.
Rememver's eyes narrowed.
He caught on! That I'd changed the subject because I didn't want to take the medicine! So that's what they call the wisdom of experience.
I was just watching his reaction, feeling unduly guilty, when he shook his head back and forth as if there was no helping it. The answer came back with a faint smile.
"It is a note from the sorceress. She left word before departing that I should deliver it to the Count."
"The sorceress?"
I murmured with a hint of puzzlement, but I still reached for the note. Before unfolding it, I hesitated briefly, wondering if she'd rigged it with some suspicious device, but the hesitation was momentary.
At least, in my memory, I'd never committed any great discourtesy toward her.
The note's contents weren't as long as I'd expected.
[A curse is not something to be taken lightly. To kill someone, the caster must necessarily offer up what is most valuable to them. Would a noble be able to sacrifice his own life to kill another?]
Crumple. Strength went into my hand. Without any change in expression, I calmly finished crumpling the note and dropped it—plop—into the decoction right next to me. The pristine white note soaked up the pitch-black liquid and stained dark.
I quietly watched that sight for a moment, then slowly chewed over the note's final sentence.
'Would I give my life to kill someone?'
Bullshit. My answer was obviously 'no.'
She probably predicted even this answer of mine, which was why she didn't write down the method for casting a curse. Though, how did she know I was planning to ask such a question in the first place?
'The sorceress, Ran.'
While I was firmly inscribing that name in one corner of my head, Rememver carefully called out to me. I lifted my head, and the pitch-black decoction filled my vision.
No, I definitely made it undrinkable by soaking the note in it?!
"I had a servant bring a fresh one. Trying to evade it like this is useless, so please, stop vexing this old man and drink up."
"......."
This stuff really does taste awful.
I took the decoction with trembling hands. Under the unspoken pressure I could feel from Rememver's gaze, I forced myself to bring it to my lips. Just as I opened my mouth to take in this dreadful liquid—
- Knock knock.
"Come in!"
I slipped the medicine bowl down onto the table. Maybe I'd welcomed the interruption too eagerly, because Rememver was narrowing his eyes and staring at me.
Whether he did or not, I greeted the servant who entered with a joyful heart.
"What is it?"
"Someone has arrived from the Imperial Palace."
"Ah."
......Ah?
My head, which had briefly frozen at this larger-scale news than I'd expected, creaked back into motion.
My impression of the servant's words—that it wasn't just an invitation but an actual person who'd come in person—was simple.
What was coming had come.
* * *
I'd refused the summons several times using the excuse that I'd collapsed, so in a way, this was predictable.
Though, I hadn't expected them to go so far as to send a person and a carriage, practically leaving me no choice but to be taken along.
And besides that.......
"......."
"......."
Did it have to be with Cruel at the same time? Would meeting us separately somehow break something?
'Ugh, this is awkward.'
I kept my mouth tightly shut and fixed my head facing straight forward. I already hated this situation, and the bitter taste was still lingering in my mouth, so my expression wasn't very good.
Damn butler. To think he'd make me take the medicine before sending me off.
When I'd stood up to hurry to the Imperial Palace, Rememver had stopped me, the decoction had been thrust right in front of my nose, and now that the memory of that hideous taste was surfacing again, my face involuntarily twisted mercilessly.
But that was only for a moment, and sensing the gaze from beside me, I immediately fixed my expression and fixed my eyes on the door.
'Let's see, what's carved on this fancy door.......'
There were jewels embedded, mana stones embedded, and a gaze embedded in me.
......The side of my face felt hot. What was there to look at for him to be staring at me like that.
The gaze that had been fixed on my face slowly lowered, lingered once around my shoulder area, then descended further and stopped at one spot.
Realizing where his gaze was directed, I whipped my head around and glared at him.
Yeah, my hand's wrapped in bandages. I got properly burned while making a racket trying to grab the documents you set on fire, you bastard. Fuck, it still pisses me off. Damned bastard.
"What are you looking at?"
"......."
He'd been staring at me blankly, and now he slowly opened his mouth as if about to say something.
But before the first syllable could even come out.
"His Majesty commands you to enter."
As the doors to the audience chamber slowly opened, both he and I turned our heads back to the front as if nothing had happened.