Chapter 42
Chapter 42
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 42
Chapter Title: Recruitment and Revelation
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Acandus stared at Allen as if he were looking at a madman.
“Kill… Julius?”
“Yes.”
He didn't bother telling him the pointless stories about possession or regression either.
Why go into detail when they didn't trust each other yet? His goal was to get revenge on Julius, and Allen's goal was to bring him under his command.
The details could wait until trust was built between them.
“Yes.”
Allen calmly nodded in agreement.
“Ha, for crying out loud. I thought I was the crazy one, but it turns out the real madman was someone else.”
“I hear you're looking for your father...”
Allen let his sentence trail off, making sure he heard.
“Did I say that?”
Outwardly, Acandus was scoffing, but inwardly, his mind was a tangled mess, trying to discern the truth.
Inellia said nothing, but her confusion was palpable.
*I can explain it to Inellia when we get back to the estate.*
He had planned on summoning her at some point anyway.
“So, what's it going to be?”
“What about?”
“What do you mean, 'what about'? Isn't it obvious?”
At Allen's question, the scoffing look on his face instantly vanished, replaced by a blank expression.
Inellia grimaced, as if she disliked such an unnatural change.
“Right, right. What a fascinating story. An older brother trying to kill his younger brother?”
Acandus didn't fully believe Allen's words.
Even if it were true, why would he come in person to recruit him?
Acandus knew his own worth.
At best, he could be used as a hunting dog to tear at Julius's forces.
*It would be more realistic if he said he wanted to use me as a tool in a power struggle against Julius.*
Feeling threatened by Julius's recent actions, Allen was gathering those with a grudge against him to keep him in check.
This seemed like a much more plausible reason to him.
More so than openly mentioning Julius's death where anyone could be listening.
This disconnect arose from the gap between Allen, who remembered the future, and Acandus, who accurately perceived his own current value.
*But why would he spout such obvious bullshit that'll be exposed in no time?*
Was there a reason to say it so directly? Did he think I'd fall for it? Or does he really intend to kill him?
*Whatever the reason.*
It didn't matter.
*If you want to use me, then I'll use you right back.*
Even if this was a trap.
If it was true that he wanted to kill Julius.
If he could escape this wretched life and receive proper support.
And...
*If I can find out what happened to my missing father.*
Whatever it took.
So he answered lightly with a cynical smile. In the end, there were only two outcomes.
Either I die.
“Fine, I'll join you.”
Or he dies.
For that, he was willing to bet his life, which had already fallen as low as it could go.
“A wise choice, Acandus. We'll discuss the details in El Lound.”
“Deadline?”
“Just come into the city before the end of the month. You can manage that, can't you?”
“Of course. But, perhaps...”
Acandus hesitated, his face showing he was debating whether to say this.
“Is there anything to hesitate about now?”
“...There are others. They also hold grudges against Julius, so they won't be a hindrance...”
“Yes, bring them all. I'll give you the information about your father then as well.”
Allen answered nonchalantly, as if it were a trivial question, but what Acandus felt was slightly different.
*...At least I won't be used once and thrown away.*
The fact that he was taking in everyone, not just Acandus who could be used as a figurehead for fallen nobles, meant that he was looking at this as a long-term plan.
“...Thank you.”
“You're welcome. Now that you're my subordinate, I should take some care of you.”
Was their business done? Ah.
Allen suddenly remembered what he had said earlier and spoke.
“You said it before. That compared to Julius, you're not even a candle.”
Yes, from his perspective, Julius might seem that way.
In his past life, he inherited the position of family head after his father's death, but now he had been reduced to having nothing.
So he could understand why he would compare himself like that.
But.
“A light doesn't need to be too bright.”
He stood up.
Sunlight streamed through the crack in the door of the dark interior. Buried in the shadows that consumed the room, Acandus's green eyes shone.
“A light that is too bright is no different from darkness.”
Just like a candle.
“To light up a dark room, a single candle is enough. Anything more is just excessive.”
Acandus stared blankly at his retreating back.
“...Nonsense.”
His belated reply came from behind.
Right, of course.
“Well... think whatever you like.”
Allen replied with a pleased smile.
On this day, Allen had acquired a talented individual and the people who would become his foundation.
* * *
The journey back to El Lound was uneventful.
Neither bandits nor monsters obstructed their path, and Allen returned to his home within a week.
The day after he returned.
Allen finished his habitual morning training and meditation and headed to his personal study.
It was rare to find a place as quiet as a study for a private conversation.
Allen finished replying to the letters from Rachel and Catherine that had arrived from the academy and sent his responses back.
“Catherine seems to be doing the work I gave her quite well... and Rachel is the same as ever.”
Allen recalled the letter filled with emotion, then examined the dizzying array of magical formulas spread before him.
“...Hmm. I need to advance my magic further.”
In terms of tiers, his level was around the 5th Circle.
Mana was endlessly produced from his heart, which had turned into a dragon's core. He didn't lack mana. However, he lacked the magical knowledge to utilize it.
The power of a spell could be increased by pouring more mana into it. But...
“That's too inefficient.”
Mages accumulate and research knowledge in their specialized school of magic to interfere with phenomena and twist reality.
Based on that understanding, a mage casts spells.
Spells cast in this way were meant to be efficient and without excess.
In other words, the very act of increasing a spell's power by adding more mana was a sign of an immature mage.
“...However, finding such knowledge near the territory is a distant dream.”
Having spent ten years in his past life searching for books on magic, Allen knew this better than anyone.
He knew that he couldn't find the knowledge to raise his current level here.
To reach a higher level...
*The academy.*
He had to go there.
Allen finished his thoughts and closed his eyes.
When he had taken in Linbelle and Inellia in Hivel, something had stimulated his inspiration.
*There hasn't been any particular progress since then, but...*
He had been consistently meditating, trying to recall that sensation.
He didn't expect to achieve results all at once.
How long had he been lost in meditation?
-*Knock, knock.*
In the space between consciousness and unconsciousness. As he shook off the hazy, dreamlike sensation, he heard Inellia's voice.
“...Young Master. May I come in?”
Is it that time already?
Allen checked the clock hands moving into the afternoon and immediately granted her entry.
“Yes.”
-*Click.*
Inellia walked into the study hesitantly, a strangely nervous look on her face.
*This isn't her first time coming in here, is it?*
Does she think she's going to be reprimanded for something?
“Well, there's something I wanted to talk about... Have a seat.”
Allen sat on the study's sofa first, and she cautiously sat across from him.
“Young Master, w-why did you call for me?”
*Glance-*
She couldn't look Allen straight in the face, her eyes constantly darting to the side.
Her violet eyes were a mixture of nervousness and firm resolve. Her beautiful features held a trace of fae ancestry.
Her black hair, still damp as if she'd just washed it, was moist, and a faint scent of lilac, perhaps from perfume, wafted to his nose.
“Inellia.”
Allen wore a serious expression.
“Y-Yes!”
As he began to speak, Inellia clutched the hem of her clothes, as if the moment she'd been waiting for had finally arrived.
*Nothing happened last time, so...*
It will be the same this time.
The Young Master Allen she knew was a rational person. But, what if, just what if he wasn't?
*What if everything up until now was just to make me let my guard down...*
“...Thank you for following me without any particular questions.”
However, contrary to her thoughts, Allen did nothing of the sort.
“You have a strange look on your face. Is something bothering you?”
“N-Nothing at all!”
With a quizzical look, Allen took an antique box carved with a wave pattern from his coat and offered it to her.
*This isn't what I expected...*
She accepted his gift with a bewildered expression.
“Th-Thank you, Young Master...”
As her expression turned peculiar, Allen asked curiously.
“You don't like the gift?”
“N-No, that's not it. It's just so sudden...”
Allen shook his head.
“You've accepted many tasks unbecoming of a maid without complaint and have served me diligently until now, haven't you?”
Tailing someone.
Retrieving a hidden elixir from the back mountain.
Investigating a specific person.
He had called for her because he wanted to reward her for following his orders without question, even though she had every right to be curious.
*And also to talk about the chimera user and Julius.*
“Inside is the Spirit Jade we acquired before. You said you were a fae chimera... so I thought it might be helpful to you.”
She doesn't use spirits.
Whether that was a side effect of being a chimera or if she simply hadn't formed a contract yet, he couldn't tell, but the Spirit Jade would surely be helpful to her in some way.
“And since we've been busy, we haven't had a chance to talk in detail, so I wanted to make some time for that.”
“...Ah.”
She let out a sigh filled with various emotions and stared blankly.
“Then... shall we first talk about the chimera user?”
Allen began to speak, looking at her as she seemed moved by his actions.
She began to tell him everything she knew.
How the chimera user would go out somewhere once a month, and that's when he would bring back materials.
And that on the days he went out, an ominous energy would linger in the mountains.
“So the force behind the chimera user is them, after all? I had my suspicions...”
As Allen fell deep in thought, as if he'd remembered something, Inellia spoke up cautiously.
“Young Master, is that all for your questions?”
“Ah, yes.”
Allen nodded in understanding at her question and replied.
“You must be curious about Julius. I should have told you sooner... my apologies.”
“Y-Yes.”
That wasn't her intention, but she nodded anyway.
“Alright. Julius's body is currently possessed by a 'demon'.”
It was necessary to tell Inellia.
Unlike Acandus, with whom he hadn't yet built trust, he had a certain level of trust with her, and besides, she was bound to find out something if she stayed by his side.
*It's better to tell her directly than to let her make strange assumptions.*
That way, if he gave her strange orders in the future, like when he had her investigate Acandus, there was a higher chance she would just go along with it.
“A demon... you say?”
“Yes. A demon. He's possessed by a very terrible demon.”
By the kind of demon who feels no guilt after stealing someone else's body.
He extended his senses.
Information from within a radius of several dozen meters flooded his mind.
*No one is listening. But just in case.*
Transparent threads wrapped around the room, sealing it off from the outside.
“To explain about him...”
Inellia tensed at Allen's cautious demeanor. She could tell from his attitude that this was not a light matter.
Allen explained, embellishing the story within a scope she could understand.
That Julius's body had been stolen by a demon.
That he wanted to defeat the demon possessing him and save his younger brother.
That the reason he recruited Acandus was also to build a force to oppose him.
“The orders I gave you were all part of the preparations for that. Do you understand now?”
“Ah...”
She felt as if everything finally made sense.
“He acts as if he's for the good of the world, but that's not the reality, so be careful not to be deceived by appearances.”
With that final warning, the conversation about Julius came to a close.
“Anything else you're curious about? If not, let's go have a meal.”
When it looked like Allen was really about to get up, she hesitated before quickly speaking.
“S-So, is this it? We talked... and you gave me this...”
“Yes.”
“Really...?”
He couldn't understand why she was asking, but when Allen gave a small nod, she looked crestfallen.
“Is something wrong?”
“...No.”
“Then let's head to the dining hall. It's about time...”
“...Understood.”
Just as Allen was about to stand up, someone knocked on the door.
-*Knock, knock.*
“Young Master, it's Linbelle. May I come in?”
Allen, who had been halfway up, settled back down and spoke.
“Yes, come in.”
She froze upon seeing Inellia in the room with Allen.
“Ah...”
.
“Linbelle? What is it?”
Then her eyes met Allen's, and she seemed to snap out of it and spoke.
“Ah, um, you have a visitor, Young Master.”
“A visitor?”
“Yes, someone named Merchant Karic is looking for you...”
Already? Did they succeed in contacting that merchant guild?
Allen, feeling that things were proceeding smoothly, replied.
“I'll see him at once.”
It was time to execute the plan he had vaguely formulated right after his regression.
Allen thought of the tasks ahead and quickly left the room. And so, he didn't see it.
“......”
The way her expression darkened.