Entering High Society (2)
By the time the bottom of the stew bowls began to show.
"Julian."
"Yes?"
"Now that I think about it, there is more we must discuss regarding your engagement."
My father pushed his cold soup bowl aside, reigniting a topic I had thought finished. I dabbed my mouth with a napkin and met his gaze.
"Is there something I need to do before the engagement?"
"Yes." Father nodded, neatly folding the napkin resting on his lap. "Before we discuss that, let us review something. Do you know how Julian Nihilit is currently perceived in high society?"
I shook my head. Come to think of it, aside from the fact that I had to enter a matrilocal marriage to maintain my noble status, I had no idea what my reputation was. Since I spent most of my time operating in the Limbus Pit or Civitas Square, I didn't have any close noble friends to keep me informed.
Father nodded as if he had expected as much.
"A somewhat decent-looking eldest son of a Baron whose family is moderately wealthy, but who has never been seen leaving his house."
Well. That's a worse reputation than I expected.
The reason was likely the vaccine. After I distributed the vaccine, quite a few black mages lost one of their primary weapons. In particular, those who had made a lucrative living off the curse of decay suddenly found themselves unemployed overnight. Naturally, they weren't about to leave me in peace.
So, on the day I invented the vaccine, I followed my master's advice and proactively applied for protective custody with the Inspectorate. The Inspectorate certainly gets things done. Since that incident, any connection between Director Shun and Julian Nihilit had vanished. I didn't know what kind of strings they pulled, but people never even thought to link Director Shun with Julian Nihilit. However, this resulted in a minor side effect: Julian Nihilit became known as a good-for-nothing shut-in who hadn't stepped foot outside his house until the age of fifteen.
I feel like some kind of homeless spider-boy.
Of course, for a protagonist in a misunderstanding-themed story, it was perfect positioning. But in the marriage market, it was a completely different story.
"Julian. I know very well how much good you are doing down below. But what can we do? Nobles only remember what happens in their own world. No matter how many angelic deeds you perform down there, they will hardly care."
That was true. Volunteer work was never a strong selling point in the marriage market. If anything, it was a detractor.
"That is why next year is crucial. Within a year, you must make your abilities known among the nobility. Do you have anything in mind?"
I shook my head. "Do you know what other kids my age usually do?"
"When children of your age turn sixteen, they either help with their parents' work or fight beyond the Wall to make a name for themselves."
"Then I suppose I would fall into the former category."
"Most likely," Father said, pausing briefly.
He hesitated for a moment before speaking again.
"Julian. It seems my work will become quite busy starting early next year. I have several backlogged cases."
"By your work... do you mean your duties as a Judicial Officer?"
"Yes."
The head of the Nihilit family, Hendel Nihilit, held the court office of Judicial Officer. It was roughly equivalent to a medieval prosecutor. His role primarily involved resolving unsolved cases that might involve magic, investigating disputes between nobles, and handling various other special crimes.
It wasn't for nothing that the Female Priest had panicked when she cast the wrong heal on Freya. With my father's authority, socially ruining a low-ranking priestess would be child's play.
"Lately, the backlog of unsolved cases has been piling up. I would like you to assist me."
"Me? Could I really be of help?"
I was a doctor, not a detective. Of course, I knew the basics of autopsy, as forensic medicine was a mandatory course for medical students. And as they say, assembly is the reverse of disassembly. Since I was a surgeon, I understood the general principles of an autopsy. But would they even allow me to cut open a corpse? Given the era, I doubted they would permit autopsies. I'd be lucky if I wasn't branded a black mage on the spot.
Perhaps sensing my inner reluctance, Father chuckled softly.
"Do not worry. I am not asking you to catch the culprit."
"Then what exactly...?"
"I want you to do what you do best. Saving lives."
Saving lives? Why would that be necessary for an investigation?
As if answering my silent question, Father continued.
"The investigators who return from these inquiries, or the witnesses who come to report, are often injured. It would be reassuring to have you there when that happens."
"Ah. What kind of injuries do they usually have? I should prepare in advance."
Father closed his eyes slightly and stroked his chin.
"It varies. Some nobles cast curses to silence witnesses, while others arrive with gunshot or arrow wounds sustained on their way here."
"???"
"There was even an investigator who returned from an inquiry only to drop dead of a sudden heart attack."
"..."
Right. This was a dark fantasy world. There was no way investigations would proceed through normal, civilized procedures like in the 21st century. In the first place, that was precisely why my father, a 3rd Tier knight, had been appointed as a Judicial Officer. While it was rare for a Judicial Officer to be directly attacked, they had to protect the witnesses and investigators.
"...Just to be sure, which is more dangerous: fighting beyond the Wall, or assisting you with your duties?"
"What a ridiculous question. Naturally, beyond the Wall is far more dangerous."
Ugh. He was right, but why did assisting him feel just as perilous as fighting beyond the Wall? If there was any consolation, it was that no one would openly try to kill me. A Judicial Officer on duty represented the Imperial Family. Crossing them could easily be construed as high treason. Naturally, as his assistant, I would share some of that protection. Of course, the more active I became, the harder the culprits would try to silence the witnesses and investigators.
My future is looking incredibly exhausting.
"...Understood. I look forward to working with you, Father."
"You made the right choice. We won't start immediately. I will call for you only when I am certain a case is safe enough, so continue as usual until then."
With that, all discussion regarding my engagement for the evening came to an end.
The voice drifted from the crystal ball. The Great Sage, Louis Edelhardt, stared at the crystal ball resting in a corner of his study and set down his teacup.
"Assisting the Nihilit Judicial Officer. You certainly have your hands full."
"Of course I do. He is the Judicial Officer in charge of unsolved magical cases. His name has been circulating quite a bit within the court lately."
"Indeed. His track record is so outstanding that he is frequently mentioned as a candidate for the next Chief Judicial Officer."
Chief Judicial Officer. To borrow Julian's terminology, it was a position equivalent to a chief prosecutor.
"Are you surprised?"
The Great Sage chuckled inwardly. He refrained from pointing out that a lion cub could never be raised by a mere cat. "It is a good thing. There is a lesson to be found in everything. If you accompany him, you will learn things that even I cannot teach you."
Inspiration often springs from unexpected connections. Having realized countless truths in such a manner himself, the Great Sage did not mind his disciple postponing his lessons for a while. "Go, and observe as much as you can."
A brief silence fell over the crystal ball. Louis quietly gauged the texture of that silence. Usually, this kind of pause occurred when Julian was deeply contemplating something. Louis lifted his teacup, took a sip, and waited for Julian to speak.
Scratch, scratch.
From the other side of the crystal ball, the faint sound of a pen gliding across a notebook reached his ears. He was likely preparing to take notes before asking his question. Soon, the scratching stopped.
"Speak."
Louis set down his teacup. It was an expected question, and an understandable one. As the disciple of the Great Sage, the creator of the vaccine, and the co-director of the Merkur Merchant Guild, it must be incredibly frustrating for him to have to bow his head in the marriage market despite holding such titles. Yet, Julian was not yet ready to reveal his true identity.
"Julian. As you know, your reputation is still far too heavy a burden for you to bear."
It was a deeply paradoxical situation—that one's abilities could be so outstanding that they could not bear the weight of their own fame. But it could not be helped. Julian's vaccine had made enemies of far too many black mages. His other medicines would only arouse the jealousy of the nobility. Considering his recent cure of the Devil's Disease, the shadow of a mere Baron's house was far from enough to protect him. That was why the Great Sage was currently shielding him.
"You are asking for a concrete standard of when you may reveal your secret, correct?"
"At the very least, you must either secure a trustworthy 4th-Tier guardian knight, or acquire enough capital that even a Duke's house cannot ignore you."
A moderate amount of wealth could never replace a blade. However, overwhelming capital could become a blade in its own right. In fact, there were a few guild masters who, despite being commoners by birth, wielded power comparable to a Duke's house solely through their staggering wealth. The Great Sage recalled their faces as he spoke.
"Do not be too hasty. You still have plenty of time. By the time you turn thirty, this issue will naturally resolve itself."
Instead of an answer, only the sound of a pen scratching against paper echoed from the crystal ball. Scratch, scratch. Louis chuckled inwardly at the sound. What on earth is there to take notes on here? The Great Sage waited patiently for his disciple's pen to stop. After a moment, the sound of pages flipping rapidly echoed from the other side. What was he searching for so diligently? Just as the Great Sage's curiosity was peaking, Julian's voice came through once more.
"?"
For a brief second, the Great Sage doubted his own hearing. "...What do you mean by that?"
Ah, yes. I must be hallucinating because I stayed up all night researching. The Great Sage added a few drops of diluted potion to his tea and took a sip. Unfortunately, the words coming from Julian on the other side of the crystal ball remained unchanged.
"...What on earth is this medicine that you speak of?"
"..."
Quinine, insulin, heparin, saline solutions, colchicine... Julian had elevated the merchant guild to a first-tier grand guild with these medicines alone. A first-tier guild! A merchant guild with no rivals left within the Empire. Yet, Julian was claiming that those medicines weren't particularly profitable.
Suddenly, a past conversation flashed through the Great Sage's mind.
—You do not need to feel sorry about the vaccine patent, Master.
If those words hadn't been a mere empty boast...
Should I stop Julian right now?
A medicine that would make quinine, the vaccine, and even insulin look utterly mundane. The Great Sage felt a deep curiosity about this drug, but at the same time, a creeping dread.
...I must be growing senile to have such wild delusions.
There was no way it could be that extreme. The Great Sage shook his head, brushing aside his anxiety. "Haha. My disciple's exaggeration is quite grand."
"Then, perhaps, could your master join you in researching this medicine?"
"..."
Well. The Great Sage stopped thinking right there. Instead, he pressed his throbbing temples with two fingers. He felt he needed the potion-infused tea far more now than he did a moment ago.
That Baron Nihilit... Why did he have to provoke the boy? If he had just left things alone, everything would have resolved itself in due time.
In Louis's eyes, Julian's engagement was never something to worry about in the first place. If left to run its course, a good match would have naturally presented itself.
Ugh... If his fame grows any larger in this half-baked state, it will be far too dangerous.
Making a vast fortune was not a bad thing in itself. In fact, it was highly desirable. The problem lay in what came after. A blockbuster medicine would bring immense fame. Immense fame would draw more eyes. Even now, black mages and greedy nobles were desperately searching for Director Shun's true identity; this would be akin to pouring a barrel of oil onto an active fire. The Great Sage wasn't entirely confident he could shield Julian from all of it. His mounting anxiety had manifested as a splitting headache.
Tsk. But as his master, I cannot stand in the way of my disciple's future.
What else could he do? He would just have to work harder to cast a wider shadow of protection over his disciple. Louis let out a deep sigh and leaned closer to the crystal ball.
"Julian."
"Let us conclude our discussion of medicine here. There is a more pressing matter to discuss."
"Before you accompany your father on his duties, there is something you must review."
"The back-tracing of black magic, and Dispel. Though your mastery is already at a level where I dare not dictate what you should do, it would still be wise to review them once more just in case."
Louis smiled. Normally, disciples who reached such heights would let such warnings go in one ear and out the other, thinking their master was simply worrying too much. In a world that treated mages with such high regard, it was easy for them to grow arrogant. But mages were not invincible. If an assassin clad in Battle Aura launched a surprise attack, a mage's throat could be pierced before they could even prepare a catalyst. Countless mages lost their lives in vain to curses or spells cast without their knowledge. Louis had lost more disciples this way than he could count on his fingers. Yet, despite reaching such heights, Julian never lost his humility.
He is truly destined for greatness.
"Since back-tracing and Dispel only require you to consider the variables within your own body, you should be more than capable of it as long as the conditions are met. However, since catalysts might be difficult for you to acquire, I shall send some to you by parcel. Wear a protective magical artifact as well, just in case."
"Yes. And Julian." Louis paused, choosing his words carefully, before adding softly, "Do not overexert yourself while accompanying your father. A cornered beast has nothing left to lose. There are always those who would rather drag you down with them than lose everything alone. You must be cautious, always."
Louis withdrew his hand from the crystal ball. Its light slowly faded, and silence returned to the study. The Great Sage leaned back against his chair and stared up at the ceiling. After gazing at the coffered patterns for a long while, he muttered to himself, "...Perhaps this is actually a blessing in disguise."
Straightening up, he picked up his pen and began to write a letter.
My child,
There is a youth I would like you to meet.
After writing that short sentence, the Great Sage whistled.
Squeak.
A silk weasel slipped through the window, and the Great Sage tied the note to its back.
"You know where to go, don't you?"
The silk weasel nodded and vanished out the window.