Chapter 543: Jealousy is My Power (43)
Chapter 543: Jealousy is My Power (43)
Silence returned to the top of the bell tower.
Princess Iris’s confession had ended, but I couldn't bring myself to speak for a long while.
Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say I didn't even feel the urge to argue or point out her flaws.
It was the logic of a madwoman. Every secret art belongs to a specific school, and thus, the methods of mana utilization and the direction of the martial path they pursue are all different.
Naturally, it was standard to receive instruction from a master of each school over the course of several years.
Even in my case, I had experienced countless failures while learning ‘Diffraction.’ Although I had surpassed those limits in the process of crossing the line between life and death, under normal circumstances, it was a technique that would require years of additional training to master.
And yet, she wanted to learn secret arts haphazardly without meticulous guidance?
The end result was obvious.
Destruction.
After hesitating for a moment, I steeled my resolve and decided to pour out my honest thoughts.
“Are you insane, Your Highness? That is nothing more than a hollow theory not even worth considering… Secret arts aren't techniques you can just pick up at random. You have to invest years to learn them properly!”
“You’re right. Everyone thought so… until one day, an exception appeared.”
Step by step, she walked toward me, dense waves of emotion shimmering in her eyes.
The way she stared at me resembled a gourmet looking at a delicious meal. Feeling burdened, I tried to avert my gaze, but I couldn't escape her breath warming the nape of my neck.
Princess Iris’s lips curled into a deep arc.
“……I’m talking about you, Ian Percus.”
I let out a groan and squeezed my eyes shut.
I had suspected Princess Iris was showing an unusual amount of interest in me.
If her only goal was to bring Cien in as the Great Witch’s disciple, she didn't need to put this much effort into me. To put it bluntly, the First Prince, Vilteon—who was supposedly Iris’s rival—hadn't even shown his face to me yet.
In contrast, Princess Iris had met me twice already.
She had even sent the Alphenhauser twins, her closest confidants, to the Academy just to establish a connection with me.
None of this would have been possible if she weren't interested in me.
In truth, the attention of a beautiful woman was welcome in some sense. However, the fact that this interest stemmed from such an absurd plan was what truly pained me.
I had to back out of this somehow.
Even as I was hardening my resolve, Princess Iris continued in a voice as excited as a child’s.
“It felt like finding a lost treasure in the mud! The possibility I secretly believed in has manifested in reality!”
“Your Highness, regardless, it is far too dangerous.”
I said, feigning as much composure as possible.
Princess Iris was looking at me with sparkling eyes. It was a gaze full of interest, but of a different kind.
It wasn't the look one gives a human being.
It was closer to the look one gives a tool or a work of art crafted by a master.
Still, it was a small comfort that she was at least willing to listen to my opinion.
“As you already know, I am a very special case. It’s true that I learned several secret arts in a short period regardless of their school. But that was only because I survived countless brushes with death; I acquired them by sheer luck. Most people would have died in the process…….”
“It doesn't matter.”
It was a cheerful reply.
Her tone was so energetic that the coldness she had shown before was nowhere to be found. However, the implications of that short answer were absolutely terrifying.
“The point is, it is possible, isn't it?”
“Not even one person out of hundreds might survive.”
“Then we can just throw in thousands.”
Her voice was perfectly serene.
For a moment, I wondered if I had misheard her.
To learn a secret art, a minimum level of talent was required. Was I not one of the geniuses who had entered the Academy?
She was talking about grinding up thousands of such talented martial artists?
An instinctive revulsion churned in my gut. Following that emotion, which flickered like a black tongue, my mouth erupted in anger.
“Do you think human lives are a joke? Thousands… thousands! And you’re saying not even one of them might survive!”
“Ian Percus… that’s why I told you. You need to have the perspective of a ruler.”
A cold sneer formed on the lips of Princess Iris, who had regained her composure.
No, could that even be called composure?
I followed behind Iris with a confused gaze. The Princess approached the railing again and pointed at the scenery below.
“Now, look. Look at those countless dots! Every single one of those dots is a life… Do I think lives are a joke? Far from it! To manage so many lives efficiently, to choose the best move, you must have a broad perspective! And yet, you’re telling me I can create a Master by investing a few thousand people?”
Gritting her teeth, Princess Iris leaned against the railing with an anxious expression.
As if many others had already made the same point I just had.
“Any day! The value of a single Master is incomparable to the lives of a few thousand nobodies.”
“You’re out of your mind.”
I muttered those words, shaking my head.
I decided to turn my back on her. There was no need to listen to any more of this.
Who in their right mind would cooperate with such a mad plan?
There was a reason His Majesty the Emperor hadn't paid much attention to her. The pinnacle of the Empire’s power wouldn't have the leisure to entertain such delusions.
It made sense why Princess Iris was the one who knew the most about the ‘Imperial Secret Garden.’
Because neither the Emperor nor the Sword Duke would have cared.
It was a plan where thousands would die, and it was impossible to even guess how much pain the sole survivor would have to endure.
Anyone with a normal sense of ethics would never agree to it.
Just as I was about to climb down the ladder leading to the temple.
“……To create a Master, one needs a Master’s secret art.”
My footsteps came to a halt.
I had already listened to all sorts of nonsense. I figured I might as well hear what else she had to say.
Regardless of my thoughts, Princess Iris stared at me with cold eyes, hiding her mouth behind her folding fan.
“An immeasurable gap exists between a Master and other martial artists. It means that to reach the level of a Master, a certain enlightenment is required. An enlightenment qualitatively different from those who fail to reach it…….”
“Is that why you covet the Great Witch’s secret art?”
“Rumor has it that those who master the Great Witch’s secret art can cut through anything and are blocked by nothing. Isn't that a fitting first step toward creating an ‘Artificial God’?”
“Nonsense.”
I intended to leave the bell tower after that single word, but for some reason, my anger wouldn't subside, making me hesitate.
“Then were you planning to use Her Highness Cien as a tool for that? To have her become the Great Witch’s disciple just so she could participate in your absurd plan?”
“Is that not allowed?”
“Let’s not cross paths again.”
As I spoke, I slightly pulled back my cloak to reveal the hand axe at my waist.
“……Unless you want to be beaten to death.”
That warning, spat out from a strained throat, was my final word.
I began to stride down the ladder, and Princess Iris’s voice echoed like a haunting refrain.
“If you need help, look for the ‘Crow’! Because we already possess more secret arts than you could ever imagine…….”
The ‘Crow.’
It was a term used to refer to the Imperial Intelligence Agency. But if she went out of her way to say it like that, it seemed Princess Iris had her own organization acting as her hands and feet.
It was a fitting name.
Like a crow that gathers everything shiny into its nest, it meant they coveted secret arts from all over the continent.
Of course, such words had no effect on me.
Because the Great Witch’s secret art, which Princess Iris desired so much, was already in my hands.
‘Binding and Unbinding.’
I could never hand it over to Princess Iris.
Waiting for me after I shook off Princess Iris was another member of the imperial family.
It was the Sword Duke in the guise of a young girl.
As soon as she heard my words, the girl let out a shrill shriek.
“What? Postpone the sparring?!”
“We’ve discovered a vampire stronghold. Surely official business takes priority.”
“That old hag could handle it alone!”
The Sword Duke seemed to have been quite looking forward to our duel, as she pointed at the Great Witch with a sulky voice.
The Great Witch happened to be in the middle of a conversation with Cien. Cien was trying her best to get on the Great Witch’s good side, even using her ‘Dragon’s Eye,’ but there was no way she could read the mind of a powerhouse who had reached the level of a Master.
In the end, Cien had to resort to an awkward smile and excessive flattery.
On the other hand, the Great Witch’s expression was perfectly calm. It was impossible to tell what her intentions were in speaking with the Princess.
I swallowed a groan and asked.
“What are you two talking about?”
“Now you’re even changing the subject… Ugh, fine. From what I overheard, it sounded like they were talking about ‘Dragon’s Blood’ or something.”
‘Dragon’s Blood.’
Come to think of it, I remembered hearing that term somewhere before. It felt like an itch in the back of my mind.
But I didn't have much time to dwell on it.
The Great Witch, having finished her conversation with the Princess, shot me a glance. I approached her side without a word.
“Is your conversation with that girl finished?”
“It was a story not even worth listening to. I worried for nothing.”
Despite my cold reaction, the Great Witch only let out a small chuckle.
“Is that so? The Imperial Household has been famous for doing strange things since a long time ago… I suppose when you have an excess of money and power, the desire to act on such impulses boils over from time to time.”
“Even so, criticizing the Imperial Household in front of an imperial noble is……”
“Tsk, tsk. I’m someone who spoke my mind even to the face of the Emperor two generations ago. Why would I hesitate now?”
Left with nothing to say, I could only scratch my head.
Then again, the Great Witch was a being that even a Princess of the Empire had to treat with trembling reverence. On the other hand, I could understand why Princess Iris viewed a ‘Master’ as a dangerous existence.
Since it looked like the poor Princess was on the verge of tears, I decided to rescue her.
“Your Highness Cien, may I ask you to look after Seria?”
“Yes, yes……?”
“Seria fainted. As you know, the atmosphere within the Academy has been grim lately. I wanted someone trustworthy to look after her…….”
It didn't take long for the Princess’s face to brighten.
Vitality returned to her pale gray eyes, and soon Cien nodded with sparkling eyes.
She seemed genuinely happy that I had asked her for a favor.
“Yes, yes! Please leave it to me! I will faithfully follow Sir Ian’s instructions……!”
“No, it’s not really an instruction……”
“Then, I’ll be going!”
As always, the Princess finished what she had to say and ran off.
She probably didn't even realize I was doing her a favor.
I let out a soft sigh and glanced at the last remaining person.
“Elder Sword Duke, will you come with us?”
“Hmph, no!”
It was a flat refusal.
Watching this, the Great Witch couldn't hide her leaking laughter.
“Looks like he’s sulking.”
“I am not sulking!”
“Oh, come on, you’re totally sulking~”
“I told you, I’m not!”
It felt like the Sword Duke was about to explode in anger, so the Great Witch and I had to practically flee the temple.
Even then, the Great Witch couldn't stop laughing.
“Pfft, hahaha! To be that childish at his age!”
“It’s terrible.”
“That’s why I purposely gave him a girl’s prosthetic body. It’s at least better to look at, isn't it?”
I could only marvel at the Great Witch’s words.
To think she was looking at the big picture like this.
Indeed, the insight of a Master who had lived for hundreds of years was on a different level.
But who could have known?
It wouldn't even take a few hours for me to regret the choice of not bringing the Sword Duke along.
Because the ‘Vampire’ was waiting for us.