Chapter 77
Chapter 77
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 77
Chapter Title: The Tigers' Fight #3
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「Gamigin: High-level necromancy spell. It can turn the living into puppets. The higher the caster's circle, the greater the effect.」
That was the explanation for Gamigin.
A technique that turns the living into puppets.
A spell that lets you manipulate your opponent as you wish and turn them into a subordinate. But with insufficient information and few experiments, I'd been putting off using it.
However, as Elga's trembling fist seemed ready to smash down on my head, I had no choice but to chant the incantation.
This forbidden spell, Gamigin.
So, what happened?
“…….”
I'd squeezed my eyes shut and shouted, but now I cautiously opened one eye.
Right in front of my face was Elga, her face flushed bright red with rage, trembling all over.
Tremble, tremble.
Her right fist was raised high, poised to strike me down at any moment.
But something was off.
Her lips were tightly pressed together, not moving at all....
Could my spell have worked? My brainwashing magic, Gamigin? From the current situation, that seemed to be the only explanation.
「Calm Situation Assessment!
You gain experience points due to the talent 《Calm Thinking》.
All job experience +5」
Just as I thought!
I inwardly cheered.
But my joy was short-lived.
Elga's pale, petal-like lips twitched slowly.
“Hey, what the hell. Did you. Do to me? You wanna. Die for real?”
“Eek...!”
Startled by her words, I hurriedly backpedaled to put some distance between us.
“Come. Here.”
Step, thud.
Elga took a heavy step toward me. She moved unnaturally, like a stiff machine trying to shake off rust.
“I don't know what. You did, but undo. This quick...!”
There was only one thing this situation meant.
My Gamigin spell wasn't perfect.
Far from turning the target into a perfect puppet through brainwashing, its limit was binding a person for a few seconds.
Even using the great Demon King Angmar's spell, it couldn't compare to the magic of Angmar at the 10th circle versus my meager 3rd-circle mage level.
And the target was the strong-willed Elga, no less.
Thud, thud.
Elga advanced toward me like a terminator.
I hastily grabbed the wand coiled around my left wrist like a bracelet and aimed it at her.
—Gamigin—!
Zap—.
A bizarre pink lightning bolt surged toward Elga. Struck by it, she let out a short “Ugh—.” and froze again.
“Hoo, huu....”
A groan-like sigh escaped my lips. This Gamigin spell consumed far more stamina and mana than I'd expected.
Even at full strength, I could only manage about twice.
Squeezing out my mental strength might allow three times?
“Hey, cut. This weird shit. And come. Here quick...!”
Elga seemed frustrated by her suddenly unresponsive body.
Had I just stoked her anger for nothing? If I hadn't stopped her like this, I'd surely have gotten a knuckle rap and had my head torn off.
Either way, I had to make full use of these precious few seconds—!
I frantically tried to soothe her, speaking in a placating tone.
“So, there's a reason those rumors started. The truth is, I had to approach the Draco family. And in that process, I ended up proposing with a lie.”
“What reason did you have to approach the Draco family?”
“Well, something about Angmar..., you know. Actually, I'd already figured out a bit about the Draco family and what they're hiding.”
“Really? You'd figured it out?”
“Yes. But in the process of getting close to the secretive Draco family, I had to tell a few lies. And that's how it turned into something like a marriage proposal.”
Even to me, my explanation sounded like utter nonsense.
But perhaps, thanks to the brainwashing effect halting her movements briefly, my story unexpectedly got through to her.
“…….”
Her footsteps, which had been forcing their way forward against my magic, stopped. The fist clenched high in the air slowly lowered.
“So, you have no feelings for Mirna at all, is that it?”
“Exactly. How could I even think of meeting another woman when I have you, Lady Elga?”
“That's true, but.”
“If I could open my heart and show you, I'd rip out my own to prove my innocence.”
It was a bit of an exaggerated lie, but in this emotionally charged moment, such drastic words would hit just right.
Rustle.
Finally, Elga unclenched her fist.
At the same time, I saw experience points rise by 50 each for actor, assistant instructor, and mage.
* * *
Elga and I sat side by side on the rooftop railing.
The view of Arc from above, with the red sunset sinking between the clouds in the distance, was quite picturesque.
It would be nice to just admire the scenery like this. But my eyes were too busy catching every change in Elga's expression to bother with the view.
Elga spoke.
“So, that marriage proposal was actually just Mirna's misunderstanding?”
“Yes. She jumped to conclusions on her own, and it spread as a rumor. I never expected it to come out in front of everyone like that.”
I revealed a tiny sliver of truth to Elga.
That my proposal to Mirna Draco was a misunderstanding caused by her hatchet wound.
But I also told her that the situation stemming from that misunderstanding seemed helpful to me in various ways, so I hadn't bothered to clear it up.
At that, Elga burst into laughter, as if her earlier rage had been a lie.
“Mirna, that idiot. Thinks everyone likes her. I wanna tell her the truth quick and watch her face twist up red.”
“No, that's a bit....”
If I did that, Mirna Draco would come kill me instead of Elga. I might actually die.
—You proposed to me as a lie? Die!
I could practically see the future.
So I desperately pushed back with my opinion toward Elga.
“As Angmar's investigator, I need to make use of the current situation a bit more. It seems the Draco family is still hiding something.”
“About the Demon King's bloodline?”
I nodded at Elga's question.
“Yes. If we reveal the truth now, we'll cut ties again with the Draco family, who just started cooperating. That would make it harder to prove your innocence and the Lioness family's.”
“Innocence?”
Elga snorted dismissively.
“Innocence my ass. It has nothing to do with the Demon King's bloodline, got it?”
Nothing to do with it? I'm right here next to you.
We've even done it, literally.
Elga would never suspect that the man she'd just tried to knuckle-rap to death was actually the slithering spawn of evil.
Thinking about it made me chuckle.
Just like how Elga wanted to reveal the truth of the fake proposal to Mirna Draco and savor her reaction.
I was equally curious what face Elga would make if I revealed the truth to her: “Ta-da, I'm actually Angmar.”
But—.
Not yet. The time isn't right.
Only after Elga bears about five little Angmars—.
Only when there's no turning back—should I reveal it. That's how you get revenge on the Angmar family. A gentleman's revenge is never too late, no matter how long you wait.
So, hiding my emotions, I said,
“You and your family might have no connection, Lady Elga. But your father, Duke Reinhardt, and the former Draco family head, Duke Alesta. It's certain those two were closely tied to the last remnant of Angmar.”
“…….”
Elga didn't deny that. She didn't deny it, but after a moment's thought, she slowly voiced her opinion.
“My father would never think of rebellion. Do you even know how much blood our family shed to put Tarantella on the throne?”
“I do. From your grandfather, the Golden Knight Delac Lioness, to his sons Hovann, Darkan, Gorsus Lioness, and so on. They all fell on the battlefield fighting Angmar's remnants.”
At my words, Elga glanced down at me. Her expression seemed to say, “This guy's done his history homework.”
Good thing I'd been peeking at history books and records whenever I had time.
Elga said,
“So many died just for Tarantella's throne right away. Why would we smash it with our own hands now?”
Elga's argument was perfectly logical.
The Lioness family was Tarantella's greatest shield and spear.
Which only confused me more.
Why had Reinhardt hidden the fact that Angmar's descendant was alive?
Part of me wanted to rush back to Angmar's capital, Monarch City, and demand answers from him at court.
I'd sent a messenger bird, but whether that man would answer honestly was anyone's guess.
Rustle.
Then Elga stood from her seat. Leaning slightly on the railing, she gazed at the fading twilight in the distance.
Whoosh, as the blowing wind sent her bound-back hair fluttering like golden threads dyed red, she spoke in a firm, clear tone.
“My father and I are innocent. Aira would know that too. To slap the label of traitor on me like that—Theo Gospel, prove my innocence no matter what. Got it?”
Rustle.
I stood beside Elga as well.
“I will. But suppose.”
“But?”
“What if, just maybe, you or the Lioness family really were in league with hiding the Demon King's descendant?”
I wondered what Elga would do if she learned my true identity.
And realized she'd been deceived by someone like me. So I probed gently, and Elga whipped around from the twilight.
“You think that's possible? Absolutely not.”
I was looking forward to seeing that confident face colored with what emotion.
“I'm hungry. Let's go eat. Damn Mirna and her hatchet wound drama. You, proposing to someone else and ditching me? I didn't believe it.”
What didn't you believe?
“Don't let rumors like that spread anymore. Be cold to other women. Got it? No smiling casually either.”
Be cold, huh. Like jealous, possessive lovers binding each other, Elga seemed intent on binding me.
Then Elga stretched languidly with a long “Ahhh—.”
Not only that, but she extended her long legs in a stretch, forcing me to plainly stare at her thighs and calves sparkling in the sunset below her dolphin pants.
That made me stiffen right up.
So I grabbed the sleeve of her descending the rooftop and slowly reached my hand toward the back of her thigh.
Srr.
As my palm touched her cool, smooth thigh chilled by the cold wind and long exposure, Elga halted in her tracks.