Chapter 234: Lainella's Fate is Decided by Lainella (27)
Chapter 234: Lainella's Fate is Decided by Lainella (27)
The previous day’s commotion had reached the ears of everyone in the mansion.
The Percus mansion wasn't particularly large. While spacious enough for a noble's residence, it couldn't compare to the sprawling castle of a high-ranking lord. The noise erupting from my bedroom had been loud enough to carry all the way to the courtyard.
Dozens of people had gathered for the banquet. Moreover, the people of the Percus estate were famously nosy; it wasn't surprising that they had flocked over out of sheer curiosity. It was even less surprising considering my own family had been leading the charge.
Senior Elsie had nearly flown into a rage, demanding to know how mere commoners dared set foot in a noble’s residence with their muddy boots, but unfortunately, no one in the Percus mansion took issue with it. It was only a matter of time before the day's events became public knowledge anyway.
Before Elsie could press the point, she had to explain why she was brandishing a kitchen knife in the first place. It seemed she had rushed straight to the kitchen in her excitement, though why she had chosen a blade was anyone's guess.
Her excuse was simple.
"I-if I used magic, I might hurt you too, Master..."
In other words, she only wanted to stab the Saintess.
The Saintess looked utterly appalled, but she had her dignity as a Saintess of the Heavenly God Religion to maintain. Having regained some of her composure after the string of incidents, she slipped back into her demure act.
Without even a hint of shame, the Saintess spun her web of lies.
"I was merely sharing some doctrinal advice with Brother Ian in private, but it seems Sister Elsie misunderstood the situation. Immanuel."
Who could possibly doubt a Saintess as she radiated a gentle, white divinity? Only my mother, a woman of deep faith, crossed herself and uttered a single word.
"Immanuel."
Of course, not everyone was convinced.
The looks in Seria’s and Celine’s eyes, in particular, were nothing short of perilous. I found myself thinking it was a relief that Elsie had been the one to catch us. Had Seria arrived with a kitchen knife, a true catastrophe would have unfolded that day.
My younger sister also seemed profoundly irritated. A disheveled bed, the sweltering heat in the room, and two women at each other's throats—it was a suspicious scene by any standard.
However, even Ria couldn't openly interrogate me. This involved both the Saintess and a daughter of the Lainella family. If handled poorly, it could spiral into a major incident. Burying it here was the best course of action.
Nevertheless, my sister left me with a final warning.
"…See you tomorrow, Brother."
It was as good as saying, 'We'll talk later.'
In that moment, my plan to head straight for the 'slums' tomorrow morning crumbled. It looked like I’d have to endure a lecture from my sister before I could make my move.
Only after that whirlwind of chaos did I finally reclaim my peaceful solitude.
There was still some leftover wine, so I kept tilting my glass. As the intoxication heated my mind like steam, my thoughts grew increasingly complex.
Just what is the Dark Cult planning here?
My future self had instructed Sir Irene to keep a close eye on my sister. That meant she would likely be in danger at some point. Furthermore, the military strength currently gathered in the estate was beyond imagination.
Even for the Dark Cult, it wouldn't be easy to conquer a rural estate defended by a thousand private soldiers of the Yurdina family, the magic corps of the Lainella family, and numerous Experts.
And yet, did the warning mean 'some things must be sacrificed'?
As my consciousness blurred with drink, my dreams drew closer. It was a familiar sensation, like crossing a hazy boundary.
Once again, I dreamed someone else's dream.
* * *
"If you understand the flow, you understand everything."
It sounded like something a cheap swindler would say. The idea that knowing one thing could reveal all was usually dismissed as nonsense.
That is, if the person saying it wasn't my Master.
The black-haired woman, who looked to be in her mid-teens at most, possessed a surprisingly decadent beauty. She looked so natural with a tobacco pipe in her mouth that it was almost unsettling—even if her behavior was often no better than a child's.
The Great Witch poked a droplet of water floating before her. A thin stream of water shot through a tiny gap, soaking my body.
I, who had been busy chopping firewood, replied in an irritated voice.
"…What does playing with water guns have to do with any of that?"
"You brat, do you fail to see your Master's profound intent? When you master the flow like this, you can cram it into a narrow gap and produce power dozens of times stronger."
With that, the Great Witch tapped the water droplet several times with her slender index finger. Each time, a jet of water shot out and drenched my clothes. Since I was already soaked in sweat, I figured I might as well appreciate the cool water.
I let out a deep sigh and decided to ignore her.
I knew all too well that she was a woman who suffered from deep-seated loneliness. I had watched her for years, after all. In that time, countless disciples had left, exhausted by the never-ending training.
So, I could understand why she clung to one of her few remaining disciples. The problem was that I still had work to do.
Unable to bring myself to be truly cold to my Master, I grumbled instead.
"I'm in the middle of chopping wood… My Junior Sister will be here soon, and if the wood isn't ready, I'm going to get an earful again."
"Hmph. Falling into a little romance, are we? Is your Junior Sister more important than your Master now?"
"…It’s really not like that."
"We’ll see about that."
With a snort, my Master scurried away.
Not long after, a shrill scream echoed through the air. Judging by the irritation in that voice, it seemed she hadn't been able to resist pestering my Junior Sister.
Sure enough, a girl with a lovely appearance soon appeared, grumbling under her breath. Her brown hair was soaking wet. Her blue eyes were clouded with annoyance, making it clear to anyone that she was in a foul mood.
As soon as she stood before me, she shrieked.
"Ugh, seriously! That old hag is driving me crazy!"
She shook her head violently to spray off the water. Her attitude showed not a shred of respect for our Master. I sighed and shook my head.
"Junior Sister, is that any way to talk about our Master?"
"Master? That brat who shoots water guns at her disciples? And... and I told you I'm not your Junior Sister!"
Thwack! The hand axe split another log.
The girl, who had been pointing a finger and raising her voice at me, suddenly let out a hum and wore a peculiar smile. She stood with one hand on her hip, looking somewhat rowdy. It seemed her old habits were resurfacing.
"…So? Why can't you look your Senior in the eye today?"
She was as sharp as a hawk.
I cleared my throat and tried to ignore her, but she skipped over and pressed herself against me. I could hear her giggling.
"What? Did seeing your Senior all soaked get you excited?"
I wanted to deny it, but it was difficult. Due to the murderous heat of the Great Forest, she often worked with her outer robe tied around her waist. One might wonder why she didn't just take it off, but she claimed it was a matter of a magician's pride.
Instead, she always wore a thin, white short-sleeved shirt underneath. Since her clothes were now completely transparent from the water, it was only natural that her undergarments were visible.
She puffed out her chest smugly and poked me with her finger.
"You little brat, I guess you really are a man, aren't you? Hey, no matter how much you pretend not to be interested, it's written all over your face! Are you turned on? You are, aren't you? Hmm?"
"…Ugh, stop it. Seriously!"
"Kyaa! My horny Junior is trying to pounce on his Senior!"
After teasing me for a while with her giggles, she stood on her tiptoes and whispered into my ear.
"…Hey, but if you're going to get turned on, make sure it's only for me, okay?"
"Is that even possible?"
"Otherwise, I'll report you for sexual harassment."
What a joke. How could someone who wasn't even the victim file a report?
Only after entertaining her banter for a long time was I able to steer the conversation toward something more serious. She blew on the embers to start a fire. It felt like only yesterday she was complaining about why a lightning magician had to do such menial chores, but now she was quite skilled at it.
As I prepared the utensils beside her, I asked.
"…So, why is Master suddenly obsessed with water guns?"
"How should I know? Probably… that 'fateful intuition' or whatever. She said there are enemies you can't face unless you understand the flow."
She sneered as if it were ridiculous.
"Though I doubt anyone like that actually exists for a Great Witch like her!"
Ever since she’d made some recent breakthroughs, she had been like this every time. Of course, if she was happy, I was happy. After wearing a faint smile for a moment, I asked cautiously.
"Why are you still here?"
"…Huh? What kind of nonsense is that?"
She tilted her head, looking genuinely confused. A bitter smile touched my lips again at the sight.
"You've reached a new realm, and you've learned everything there is to learn… Honestly, you could leave whenever you want, couldn't you? You spend all day badmouthing Master anyway."
Perhaps I was a little anxious. If even she left, I didn't know how I would endure the time I had left.
Whether she sensed my feelings or not, she remained silent for a moment, simply tending to the fire.
Then, after a short while.
"…There was someone I swore to protect."
She spoke as if it were nothing, bringing up a story she had buried deep within her heart.
"But I failed. It was my younger brother… Remember the Homecoming Festival? He died then."
The Homecoming Festival.
The Dark Cult's raid, where the Princess's eyes were gouged out and countless students were killed or injured. Many lives had been lost that day. The talents who were supposed to lead the continent's future had vanished into a handful of blood. It seemed her younger brother had been among them.
She tried her best to sound strong.
"It took years of wandering before I finally made up my mind. I wanted the power to protect my people."
"…But you don't have anyone left to protect now, do you?"
"No, I found someone recently. Someone precious to me."
Her blue eyes curved into a charming arc.
"…Who do you think it is?"
She looked so beautiful in that moment that my breath hitched for a second.
"Who is it?"
"…You don't need to know, you virgin brat!"
Watching her laugh and slap my back, I thought to myself:
I wish I could protect this person, too.
It was a time when the world still had color.
* * *
I woke up gasping for air, a sword already gripped in my hand.
A flood of inexplicable emotions washed over me. My head throbbed so intensely I could hardly bear it. I fumbled for my canteen and gulped down water. Even then, my hand remained clamped around the hilt of my sword.
An unknown anxiety choked me. Only after several deep breaths was I finally able to steady my heart.
Suddenly, a piece of stationery caught my eye.
It was the fourth love letter I had received from the future. On the back, another phrase was scribbled.
‘The Swindler in the Slums’
It was exactly the information I had been looking for. The date matched, and a faint smile played on my lips as I felt my hypotheses beginning to align.
I held the sword upright, feeling the cold, sharp edge of the blade.
It was time to begin.
Today was the day the young master of the Percus family would pay a visit to the slums.