Chapter 176
Chapter 176
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 176
Chapter Title: Hero's Footsteps (3)
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The moment the topic of escape slipped from Hesperon's lips, Princess Riley couldn't help but glance around warily, instinctively checking her surroundings.
It had been nearly two months since she'd been confined to this Immortal Citadel.
In the cutthroat world of politics, where allies could turn into enemies overnight if you let your guard down, two months was a dangerously long time. Naturally, her anxiety as the head of her faction had only grown more urgent.
And truthfully, she was also worried that Isea might push himself too hard trying to rescue her and end up hurt.
So, her sensitive reaction to the word "escape" was only natural.
There was a simple soundproofing barrier set up around them, but this was the Immortal King's stronghold—how effective could such basic security really be...
'Wait a second?'
But that wary reaction didn't last long.
Soon, the thought flashed through her mind that the one who'd brought it up had only been in this world for a little over a month.
And just moments ago, he'd been learning magic from her, hadn't he?
'He's not the type to crack a joke like that out of nowhere. It might actually be possible...'
In the end, rather than truly believing him, she simply let a subtle hint of hopeful longing show on her face.
"...How?"
"Huh? You don't believe me?"
"Sigh, I'd love to believe you. It's been tough enough after just two months here—who knows how many years it might drag on."
At first, she'd tried to relax and treat it like a forced vacation, since there was nothing she could do about it.
But given her situation, even that self-hypnosis-like mindset control was reaching its limits now.
She probably wouldn't have lasted this close to two months without Hesperon.
Teaching him magic had helped her focus on something else and avoid dwelling on her plight.
...Though now that he'd even surpassed her in skill, the future looked bleak.
As if understanding her feelings, he opened his mouth with a playful grin.
"Come to think of it, I never told you what my unique skill is, did I?"
At those words, Riley's eyes widened in surprise as she slowly nodded.
She'd once casually asked out of curiosity, but hadn't gotten a straight answer then.
"...What is it?"
Asking about someone's abilities was rude to begin with, so she'd been waiting patiently for him to volunteer the information...
It looked like he was finally ready to share.
In response to her expectant look, Hesperon showed rather than told.
His claimed unique skill... whatever ability it was.
With a casual wave of his hand into the air, a skewer of mouthwatering meat suddenly appeared in his grasp.
"...Skewers? ...No, a sub-space?"
Riley's face twisted awkwardly for a moment before she focused on it, her nose twitching involuntarily.
The meals provided in the citadel weren't bad, but they weren't good enough to satisfy a former imperial princess.
That glistening, freshly cooked meat sent off waves of steamy, tantalizing aroma that mercilessly stimulated her salivary glands.
'The preservation looks too perfect for a simple sub-space, but even so, how does a skill like that help with escaping...?'
"Here."
Despite those skeptical thoughts, she accepted the skewer he offered as if entranced—then realized her mistake a beat too late.
But there was no putting it back now that it was in her hands.
They were way past the point of pretense anyway, so she gave in to her cravings and took a big bite.
The smoky aroma invaded her nostrils, followed by the chewy texture filling her mouth. As her teeth crushed through, explosive juices burst out, mingling sweetly with the sauce.
By the standards of someone who'd tasted every delicacy under the sun, it wasn't particularly gourmet.
But compared to the food she'd been eating here, it was overwhelmingly superior.
To be more honest, she personally preferred this over most fine dining anyway.
"...Don't tell me you brought this from Earth?"
"No, it's not from a sub-space either. It's food from somewhere in this world. I just paid a certain price to summon it here."
To be precise, it was a skewer airlifted from "Dancing with Orcs," a restaurant that had become a Tarak landmark after Hubert Trading Company invested in its expansion.
The seasonings and sauce were Earth-sourced, but the food itself was made in this world.
"A summoning-type ability? Is that why you've been so interested in summoning magic?"
"A bit different... but I guess you could call it similar?"
His vague answer furrowed her brow slightly.
His casual attempts to drop formal speech lately were annoying too.
She flicked the now-empty skewer stick, expressing her discomfort.
"To be exact, it's not just summoning—it's an ability that lets you bypass spatial constraints under certain conditions. And thanks to the insights I gained learning magic, the skill evolved, so now it can be used in other ways too."
This time, he glanced at her expression and politely elaborated.
It was irritating, but that paled in comparison to what came next.
"...Which means crossing space itself."
The moment he finished, Riley's eyes went wide, her heart pounding fiercely.
If spatial travel was truly possible, escape was well within reach.
And from summoning the skewer, it seemed he could activate it even inside the Immortal King's citadel without issue.
Hesperon nodded in satisfaction at her eyes sparkling with hope.
'I was planning to summon full-body Harley to bust out, but this Immortal Citadel's defenses are too high for a frontal assault. Sneaking away is cleaner and more convincing.'
So he'd roughly mashed up Avatar Cloud and Hero's Footsteps to improvise a spatial skill.
He hadn't even named it or set conditions yet since it was a rush job, but he could brush off details as "classified."
"Then, right now—!"
"Ah, but there's a small issue."
He cut her off firmly, dousing her excitement.
Due to his own limitations, taking someone else along was tricky.
Her face fell in disappointment once more.
Her rollercoaster of expressions was amusing, but he kept a straight face and continued slowly.
"That's why I had an idea..."
They'd shared hardships in this extreme environment, but strictly speaking, their bond was just a bit over a month old.
Once they escaped, who knew when this shallow connection might snap.
'Can't let that happen. If Riley returns, she'll be the top candidate for next emperor. Sticking by her side means endless opportunities. Plus, the ties with Isea as fellow Awakener will help.'
So, he needed to forcibly forge a lasting link this time.
"Full strangers are tough, but if we bound ourselves with a contract, wouldn't that raise the odds?"
"...A contract?"
Fortunately, contract magic was a versatile spell even at their level.
It scaled with the caster's power, so at their tier, the effects would be limited, but...
"A contract spell between mages like us—would it even hold that much power? I doubt it'd be useful."
"Ah, that should be fine."
Hesperon flashed a meaningful smile.
He had Cord of Binding, a skill that strengthened ties between caster and target, plus added contract bonuses.
'Never thought I'd use it like this.'
And so, just days before the planned grand escape,
the novice Awakener Hesperon—who'd only been isekai'd a month and change—successfully planted a sturdy straw into the heir of the world's superpower.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The New Talia Kingdom underwent rapid changes and suffered various growing pains as a result.
No matter how thoroughly they'd planned contingencies and prepared in advance, upheaving a nation's foundations couldn't happen without some turmoil.
In the royal castle at the heart of Talaria, the capital of Talia Kingdom,
'Heinz Hybrid 2nd' frowned as he reviewed reports from below in the lavish office that had only recently changed hands.
"Tch, as expected, things aren't going smoothly."
He'd made extensive preparations to create a nation where vampires and humans could coexist, but the world rarely went according to plan.
Seeing conflicts reported from all over—between humans resisting change and vampires misinterpreting his intentions—it seemed stabilizing this chaotic regime would take considerable time.
'At least the bureaucrats are under tight control, so no major issues there. That could've been a real headache.'
Instead, the officials were being ground down by overwhelming workloads, but the contingencies he'd prepared for exactly that were shining now.
From fatigue-recovery potions to wakefulness awakeners, vitality boosters, and all sorts of health elixirs!
Preparing this much for frail humans compared to vampires—what foresight from a wise ruler who cared for all his subjects!
As he basked in his own praise, Heinz soon flipped through more documents, stroking his chin.
'Still, vampires are easier to exploit. Can't expand numbers recklessly to maintain balance, but for now, prioritize vampire applicants for civil service.'
He aimed for equal treatment in normal governance, but inevitably, the ruling vampires got some perks.
Unlike humans he couldn't fully control, his vassal vampires couldn't defy his orders.
But perks aside, New Talia Kingdom's strict meritocracy let any capable pure human rise high.
'Makes my job easier. Idiots in power just tire me out.'
He delegated practical work to the talented regardless of race, scattering vampires lacking aptitude as inspectors and regional security chiefs nationwide.
The old kingdom's nobles—intellectual elites—often held offices too, but commoners showing quick promise weren't rare.
Uncovering such talents was the vampire inspectors' duty, so the kingdom should stabilize swiftly over time.
'The problem is the present. Humans aside, didn't expect this much backlash from vampires.'
He'd thought he'd drilled it in enough beforehand, but long-buried elitism and superiority complexes had bubbled up naturally.
In those cases, a warning first—and if it persisted or repeated...
He'd have no choice but to turn the offender into blood crystal material.
[Lord, Bricky has arrived. Shall I let her in?] At that moment, telepathy came from the palace guards stationed throughout.
Bricky, another Holy Blood hybrid who'd been on a mission, had returned.
[Send her in.]
And naturally, a Holy Blood's personal involvement meant the mission's importance went without saying.
'Can't just leave a Holy Blood like her idle. Especially not for this—she's perfect for it.'
Yes, Hybrid's next goal for the hybrids.
An unavoidable task for any bearing the name "Auterica Vampire Clan Alliance."
To unify all vampire clans across the continent.