Chapter 169: Dragon's Eye, Human Heart (33)
Chapter 169: Dragon's Eye, Human Heart (33)
If you ventured just a little way into the Southern Forest, you would find many hidden clearings scattered about.
According to the seniors, these were remnants of the Hunting Festivals held since long ago. The trees of the once-dense forest often suffered during these events.
It was a clash between demonic beasts that could crush entire trees with a single swipe of a limb and powerhouses who faced those monsters with nothing but a sword.
Once a battle commenced, no tree was safe.
I myself had a record of toppling several trees during this year's Hunting Festival. Though, to be fair, most of those were the result of being sent flying by the 'Organ Collector.'
Some of the clearings created this way became excellent meeting spots once the fallen trunks were cleared away. Tidying up a few stumps was a simple task for anyone capable of wielding Aura.
The clearing where I sat with Senior Delphine and Senior Elsie was one such place.
The sun was scorching, as if the peak of summer were fast approaching. It was only after escaping into the shade of the overhanging trees that I felt even a hint of refreshment.
Even this would likely vanish once the Month of the Staff passed, leaving nothing but stifling air everywhere.
I fanned my face, which was flushed from the heat. Despite my efforts, the beads of sweat forming on my forehead refused to evaporate.
I was already circulating mana through my skin to endure the heat, and I was still in this state. While my mana capacity had increased significantly after consuming the 'Dragon's Pure Blood,' it was still not enough.
In contrast, Senior Delphine and Senior Elsie looked perfectly fine despite the sweltering weather. It was thanks to their mana reserves being vastly superior to mine.
It was further proof that I still had a long way to go.
The two women stood hesitantly before me as I continued to fan myself.
They seemed to think I was angry.
Of course, it was a misunderstanding. My heart was perfectly calm.
I was simply holding my tongue because I wasn't sure how to start the conversation.
To be more precise, I was contemplating how to suppress the bizarre competitive spirit between Senior Delphine and Senior Elsie.
It wasn't a problem I could solve just by thinking about it, but I couldn't hide my troubled feelings.
If things continued like this, the wrong kind of rumors might spread.
The nobles of the Empire valued honor above all else. If even the lower nobility like the Percus family felt that way, it went without saying for the high-ranking nobles.
To them, 'honor' was something more precious than life itself.
It was directly tied to the prestige of their families.
Yet, here were the successor of the prestigious Yurdina family and a daughter of the Lainella family calling a man who was a mere second son of a rural viscount 'Master.'
This wasn't something that would end with two historic noble families merely being disgraced. The fallout might very well hit me too.
In the distant past, when the concept of chastity was even more rigid, it was said that if a noblewoman had a relationship with a commoner, the commoner was executed.
It didn't matter if it was consensual or not. They would invariably frame it as rape and kill the commoner.
All to protect the honor of the nobility.
Why did I see my own reflection in those commoners who vanished like dew on the execution grounds?
A chill ran down my spine, and I broke into a cold sweat. Though, considering I was already messing with the Imperial Household, perhaps this wasn't the biggest thing I should be worried about.
Unaware of my inner turmoil, Senior Elsie crept toward me and began fanning me with her small hands.
Naturally, because her hands were small, the breeze they generated was pathetic.
When I turned a questioning gaze toward her, Senior Elsie cleared her throat and averted her eyes slightly.
A faint blush had risen to her soft cheeks.
"You... you looked hot, so..."
A hollow laugh escaped my lips.
It was absurd, but I was also grateful for the sentiment, so I decided to say nothing about it.
Instead, I asked a direct question.
"...Senior Delphine, so what happened with the information on that 'tunnel'?"
"Well, actually... there is a tunnel that leads from the Academy to the outskirts of the city."
Senior Delphine continued in a calm voice, occasionally glancing at me to gauge my reaction.
"It's a tunnel built back when the Academy was placed under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Household. It's just a tunnel, but since it was built as an emergency evacuation route for the royals, it should still be there. I heard it underwent magical processing."
An evacuation route for the Imperial Household.
If the Academy was placed under the Imperial Household's jurisdiction, that would have been hundreds of years ago. It was surprising that a tunnel could remain intact for that long.
Tunnels made of soft earth rather than solid rock were prone to collapse. Therefore, they were usually short and located at shallow depths.
But this was a large-scale tunnel leading all the way from the Academy to the outskirts of the city. As an emergency route for royals, it would have been built deep underground to avoid detection.
If it hadn't collapsed by now, an enormous amount of mana must have been invested in it back then. Especially considering that the technology of that era was inferior to today's.
One thing that puzzled me was that if the project involved such high costs, there was no reason to insist on a 'tunnel.'
Considering durability, it would have been more logical to build a formal underground passage. Why did they insist on a tunnel?
Since it was a question I couldn't answer for now, I decided to set it aside.
"...And its location?"
"Where else would the royals stay when they enroll?"
The answer to my question was clear.
Every prince and princess was the master of their own palace. For various practical reasons, including security, the royals received special treatment even at the Academy.
The dormitory assigned to them was 'Versia Palace.'
It was a building named after the wife of the Conqueror Emperor Idalos. Its official name was 'Versia Hall,' but since a royal used the small palace alone, it wasn't strange to call it a 'palace.'
Senior Delphine was saying that the entrance to the tunnel was located in its basement.
I nodded, satisfied with the answer, but then another curiosity arose.
"By the way, where did you hear that I was looking for information on a 'tunnel'?"
"The Yurdina family is the most loyal vassal of the Imperial Household, so we tend to hear many things."
I clicked my tongue.
It was a vague answer, but given the mention of the Imperial Household, it was safe to assume the information had leaked from the Newspaper Club.
Even if they weren't a formally disguised group, their internal information security was far too lax. It didn't matter if the person they were talking to was the successor of the Yurdina family.
I'd have to set aside a day to train them properly.
The thought crossed my mind, but I quickly shook my head to clear it.
It was an arrogant thought for someone ignorant of intelligence work. I didn't even know why such a thought had occurred to me.
Senior Elsie, who had been watching my conversation with Senior Delphine, seemed somewhat anxious.
She appeared uneasy because only Senior Delphine was being helpful. She fidgeted with her fingers, lost in thought for a while, before suddenly speaking up as if she had remembered something.
"...O-Oh, that reminds me!"
My eyes turned to Senior Elsie. Senior Delphine did the same.
Having successfully captured everyone's attention, Senior Elsie continued hesitantly.
"Um, you know that demonic beast we caught during the Hunting Festival... I heard that, in the end, the case was closed as 'cause unknown.'"
"Cause unknown?"
My brow furrowed at those words.
The only demonic beast we had caught together was the 'Organ Collector.' That was the first time I had been paired with Senior Elsie.
Demonic beasts of a level high enough to earn a name do not appear easily.
First, a powerful mana source was required, and they had to be influenced by it for a long time. The fact that such a creature appeared in the peaceful Southern Forest meant that something was concentrating mana.
The Empire's investigation team wasn't stupid. There was no way they didn't know that.
But the fact that it was handled as 'cause unknown' meant they had failed to find the point of mana concentration.
It was nearly impossible for such a mana source to vanish without a trace. There were many suspicious points, but I let out a deep sigh and decided to stop thinking about it for now.
I had plenty of other riddles to solve immediately.
I had called Senior Delphine and Senior Elsie here to borrow their strength for those tasks.
"Anyway, we'll talk about that later... Senior Delphine, Senior Elsie."
The two women looked at me, their eyes urging me to speak.
I hesitated for a moment.
I wished I could give them a reason, but the information from the love letter from the future was for my eyes only.
The moment I spoke of it, the contents would change into something else entirely.
Therefore, there was only one thing I could say.
"I can't tell you why, but... the procession for the Homecoming Festival is coming up soon, right?"
Senior Delphine and Senior Elsie nodded.
No student at the Academy could be unaware of it. It was that big of an event.
I carefully made my request.
"Could Senior Delphine lead your group and take the vanguard? Senior Elsie, just in case, have your magic ready... and pack plenty of potions too."
I added the last part because I couldn't help but worry about them.
Actually, even as I said it, it felt absurd. I was telling them to prepare for an attack without giving a reason.
I was worrying about what to do if they started asking questions.
"I shall do as you command."
"I'll do that."
The answers came without a moment's hesitation.
I looked at Senior Delphine and Senior Elsie with a slightly surprised expression.
Even though they followed me faithfully, I expected them to at least ask why.
But both Senior Delphine and Senior Elsie simply answered as if it were no big deal.
"Anyway, that's what needs to be done, right? I shall follow your orders, Master. Leave the vanguard to me."
Following Senior Delphine's playful response, Senior Elsie gave a loyal reply.
"W-Well... Master has never been wrong before, right? Hehe, leave it to this Elsie Lainella!"
On the contrary, Senior Elsie seemed a bit happy to receive my instructions. It seemed she was quite pleased that I needed her.
Only then could I manage a bitter smile.
Whatever the reason, it was reassuring to have these two. They both had their own followers they led.
However, feeling apologetic until the very end, I could only add one more thing.
"...Be careful."
Noticing that my mood was unusually heavy, the expressions of the two women also sobered.
But that was only for a moment. Soon, a seductive smile appeared on Senior Delphine's lips.
"So, what about the 'punishment'?"
She leaned in as if to tempt me, her hot breath whispering in my ear.
It felt as if my eardrums were melting.
"...My body is ready today as well."
"H-Hey!"
Of course, Senior Elsie let out a roar before anything could happen.
She looked at me with pitiful eyes.
"M-Master... what about me? I-I haven't received a reward in quite a while..."
It was a total mess.
In the end, it took a few more minutes to satisfy their demands.
And just before leaving, while adjusting her clothes and breathing heavily, Senior Delphine asked as if she had just remembered.
"...By the way, did the Princess seem alright?"
My steps came to a sudden halt.
There were several things that bothered me. Her abnormally aggressive attitude, and that melancholy expression she occasionally wore.
When I glanced at Senior Delphine, she spoke in a casual voice.
"She has painful memories from her childhood. She almost died, after all..."
"...At whose hands?"
In response to my faint question, a meaningful smile played on Senior Delphine's lips.
"Her own mother."
There wasn't much time left until the Homecoming Festival.
*
The clearing in the dark night gave off a chilling atmosphere despite the pouring moonlight.
It was behind the sparsely populated research building. I sat blankly on a nearby rock without saying a word, then asked the empty air.
"...Neris."
"Yes, Lord Ian."
Suddenly, a shadow descended from the darkness.
She was a beauty with brown hair and an impressive hairpin on her bangs. She lowered her head, hiding her light green eyes.
Today was the day I was to receive the information she had gathered.
Senior Neris seemed extremely nervous, just as she had been a few days ago.
Stammering, she first tried to make up for her previous failure.
"Um... Lord Ian? F-First, regarding the tunnel, I have information that there is an emergency evacuation route for the Imperial Household..."
"The tunnel that leads from the basement of Versia Palace to the outskirts of the city, right? I know."
Senior Neris's eyes widened. She looked flustered, no matter how you looked at it.
Soon, her head slumped.
I didn't know how she had interpreted my words, but Senior Neris apologized to me in a trembling voice.
"...I-I'm sorry."
I didn't care about that. However, a question kept nagging at me like a thorn.
The Princess almost died as a child.
At the hands of her mother? Why on earth?
A sharp question pierced through a certain word.
I found myself speaking the words aloud.
"...'Dragon's Eye'."
Neris flinched, her body stiffening. A look of bewilderment appeared in her eyes as she looked up at me from her kneeling position.
Only then did I turn my gaze toward her.
My eyes, with the moonlight at my back, were sunken deep. As soon as our eyes met, Senior Neris immediately lowered her head to avoid my gaze.
Her ragged breathing in that brief moment spoke of her terror.
Ignoring even that, I asked Neris.
"The Dragon's Eye. Tell me everything you know about it."
It seemed the story Senior Neris had prepared would be quite long.
She cleared her throat with a few coughs, then continued in a dry voice.
"It is an ancient legend passed down through the Imperial Household..."
The story that followed was exactly as I had expected.
It was the Princess's past.