Chapter 628: Last Will (2)
Chapter 628: Last Will (2)
The night sky.
Anyone who saw that dark blue hair would have immediately thought of those words. Standing tall with her hands behind her back, the woman looked out over the cliff, her presence deep and heavy.
In truth, I had heard that name so often it made my ears ache, even before I joined the Imperial Intelligence Agency.
The ‘Blind Snake.’
Though she was merely the Fifth Princess of the Empire, she was evaluated as having a talent for personnel management that was second to none. It was to the point that rumors claimed she had gained the ability to see a thousand li in exchange for her eyes.
That name was by no means an empty title.
Before my knees could even touch the ground, the woman’s greeting reached me.
“You’ve arrived.”
She didn't even need to look back. Her eyes had been blind for a long time, after all.
Nevertheless, there was no one who could hide their presence from her.
‘Masters’ were monsters of that caliber.
Beyond the norm.
Common sense did not apply to them. I knew this well, having once served a ‘Master’ as my own teacher.
There was only one best option for most people, myself included.
To simply kneel.
“Your Highness.”
“You’ve worked hard.”
Before I could even begin my detailed report, the Princess began to commend me.
But that lasted only a moment.
“You’ve cleared the contamination remaining in the Holy City. However, despite going that far, you failed to find any traces of the Seven Deadly Sins hidden among humanity… Is this correct?”
I debated what kind of excuse to make, but soon let out a deep sigh.
Excuses were meaningless against this woman.
Only results.
That was all my liege pursued.
I bowed my head even deeper.
“I have no excuse. However….”
“However?”
“If only more Secret Arts had been passed down to me.”
“Hmph.”
At my cautious rebuttal, the Princess finally turned her head. It felt as though a sharp gaze was piercing through her tightly closed eyelids.
Even so, unable to suppress the turmoil in my heart, I cried out.
“If that were the case, a more successful—!”
“Let’s walk.”
A single phrase.
Her tone carried a will that brooked no further argument. Before I could say another word, the woman flicked her fingers.
Then, a miracle occurred.
Earth and rock swirled of their own accord, forming an elegant set of stepping stones. Down, down the cliff they went.
All the way to where the Empire’s last military camp was located.
It was a distance of at least several kilometers. To create a path by adjusting the angle and manipulating natural objects that possessed no mana?
Stunned, I was speechless for a moment. That is, until the woman asked with a playful smile.
“Is this perhaps an act of insubordination?”
“Of course not.”
I answered immediately and followed behind her. With every step she and I took, the boulders serving as our footing began to emit a rhythmic, pleasant sound.
After walking for a while.
“Sir Ian.”
The woman called my name lightly, as if she were merely mentioning something trivial.
“Let me be clear. The ‘Artificial God’ (Deus Ex Machina) project is nothing more than the ravings of a madman.”
“But, did I not succeed?”
“That is exactly why.”
Her argument was seamless, as if she had already anticipated my counter-question.
The Princess continued.
“Hundreds of young knights were sacrificed for my sister’s foolish plan. In truth, logically speaking, it was a delusion with zero chance of success. Then one day, out of nowhere, a successful subject appeared.”
There was no reason to move my lips further.
The Princess had already reached her conclusion, and I was merely there to listen. This was the proper dynamic of a lord and vassal.
“Isn't it strange? Why, of all times, did such an impossible being appear just when everyone was about to give up… and even now, no one knows the reason why that man alone survived.”
“If you are doubting me….”
“No.”
The woman cut me off instantly at my cautious question.
A faint heat was now bleeding into her voice.
“The important thing is that even that man doesn't know why he survived, yet he recklessly craves power. Do you understand? You are the sole survivor of a plan that was impossible from the start. If you accept any more Secret Arts, you will inevitably become a ‘failure.’”
Her tone was heated like never before.
Seeing this different side of my usually cold liege, I found myself falling silent. The woman then began to chide me, looking as if she might puff out her cheeks at any moment.
“And yet you still want to accept more Secret Arts? You are already strong enough. You don't need to be in that much pain anymore—!”
“I don't want to lose anything else.”
It was my unfiltered sincerity.
My voice, which felt like a mere lingering scent of a dried-up sigh, was thick with exhaustion.
“Nothing more… so, will you not grant me permission?”
In truth, my body was already a wreck.
As the Princess pointed out, it was nearly impossible to contain dozens of Secret Arts within one's body. Even if the physical form could endure it, the Mental Imagery could not.
And the end result of that?
The collapse of the physical body.
Upon reaching the level of High Expert, the body is no longer bound solely to the physical world. Because it also belongs to the world of concepts, a collapse of one's Mental Imagery inevitably leads to a fatal outcome.
The Princess already knew this. That was why she was warning me.
That if I accepted any more Secret Arts, I would have no choice but to die.
But sometimes, there were futures more terrifying than death.
I had already lost far too many precious people. Even if I only counted the lovers I had cherished, how many had I already had to send away?
I didn't want to do that anymore.
Perhaps she read my heart.
The Princess remained silent for a while, studying my expression, before finally pouting her lips slightly. She even reached out her hand.
“Lead the way.”
“……?”
I looked at her with a questioning gaze. It was only natural, as she was one of the Masters.
Even though she was blind, she had never complained of any inconvenience in her daily life. She had likely never entrusted anyone to be her guide until now.
Nevertheless, my liege’s will was unshakeable.
“Hurry. Since I lost my sight, I have been perceiving my surroundings through mana, but that is only at a superficial level. Since we are suspended in the air like this, I naturally require a knight’s escort, don't I?”
“……If you insist.”
Though there were still parts I couldn't quite understand, my liege had given her command.
Since there was no reason to argue, I quietly took the woman’s hand. As her slender, cold fingers touched my skin, an unnecessary fluttering rose in my chest.
The Princess seemed to have grown quite grumpy in the meantime.
“You must have had many precious people.”
“Yes, quite a few….”
“Lovers too?”
“Yes, well, naturally….”
Twitch.
The Princess pursed her lips again, making no effort to hide her dissatisfaction. It was a reaction I found utterly baffling.
Just why was she acting like this?
Fortunately, that strange behavior didn't last long.
“Anyway, there is someone I’ve hired for you, Sir Ian.”
“For me?”
“That body of yours isn't normal, is it? It can't be treated with divine power.”
This was even more incomprehensible.
It was true that my body was collapsing due to the imbalance between my physical form and my Mental Imagery. But what other than divine power could possibly resuscitate my broken body?
I didn't have to wait long for the answer.
“Alchemy.”
It was a word I hadn't heard in a very long time.
When I couldn't find my voice for a moment, Cien continued her explanation of her own accord.
“She is a former senior researcher from the School of Immortality. She charges a high commission, but her skills are said to be certain.”
“But, the School of Immortality is….”
“I heard she is the last survivor.”
At that, my mouth clamped shut once more.
The ‘School of Immortality.’
It had been the largest school in the field of alchemy, but its lineage had been severed due to the schemes of the ‘Dark Cult.’ I had heard that most of its members had perished, yet there was a survivor.
Then again, it wasn't an uncommon story.
The ‘last survivor.’
I, too, was the last survivor of the Percus family. The fact that such tragedies were occurring all over the Continent was no longer news.
It was just as a bitter smile crossed my face once more.
“You have that lonely look on your face again.”
Her voice was full of pity.
I tried to act as if nothing were wrong at the Princess’s words, but then a single question occurred to me.
“Um, Your Highness? Just a moment ago, you said you only perceive your surroundings at a superficial level….”
That was it. If she only judged her surroundings superficially, she naturally shouldn't have noticed the subtle changes in my facial muscles. If her vision was that sophisticated, she wouldn't have needed me to lead her by the hand.
But I never received an answer to that.
“It would be best to exchange greetings quickly.”
Clapping her hands together, the Princess stepped down the final stair.
I let out a sigh and decided to turn my gaze forward. If my liege said so, it would be ridiculous for her confidant to raise an objection.
However, the moment I looked straight ahead.
Ping.
A golden coin spun through the air.
The gold coin, reflecting the sunlight here and there, was soon sucked into a snow-white hand. But as soon as the owner’s face registered on my retina, I could only remain silent.
For she was a familiar woman.
“It is a pleasure to meet you. Your Highness the Princess, and the renowned Sir ‘Crow’… Please understand that I have no surname due to my humble origins.”
Reddish-brown hair, light green eyes.
My mouth opened and closed repeatedly. I didn't know what to say.
Even in the midst of that, the woman wore a confident smile.
“My name is ‘Emma.’”
Her snow-white cape fluttering, she bowed at the waist. That cape, engraved with the patterns of the sun and moon, was the very proof that she was a former senior researcher of the School of Immortality.
It was a symbol of the Truth that only a tiny fraction of the Continent could reach.
“If there is anything you need, please do not hesitate to call upon me. Of course… provided the commission fee is sufficient.”
The face that wore that bright smile was far too beautiful.
I finally realized.
That a connection from long ago had found me once again.
It was a reunion with the alchemist.
Gasp, cough.
The moment I opened my eyes, I let out a sound as if my breath were failing me. Soon, as I coughed and hacked, blood came pouring out.
My eyes, as I beat my chest for a long time, scanned the surroundings blankly.
Where is this?
I was certainly…
Was I in the conference room? I feel like I collapsed there.
Memories of dreams and reality mixed together, adding to my confusion. Not even knowing where I was, I frantically fumbled around my bedside, searching for water.
It was then.
My hand brushed against a familiar sensation.
The texture of paper.
In an instant, my body froze. I didn't know if I had received some ominous premonition from that cold sensation.
Blankly holding the envelope.
Forgetting even the desire to drink water immediately, I tore open the sealed envelope and unfolded the snow-white stationery inside.
Then, only one word entered my sight.
‘Last Will’
It was the title of the letter, situated at the very top, without a doubt.