Chapter 16
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: 1.5 - Rumor
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Marquis Lutvihi's motto was simple and clear.
"Son. Remember this one thing clearly. We are number two."
Number two.
With the imperial family and dukes around, calling it number three might have been more accurate.
But when it came to methods of behavior and conduct, there was no difference between second and third place.
"I shall heed your words."
"The most important thing is reading the room."
"Yes."
"Second is reading the room, third is also reading the room!"
"...Yes?"
The moment you misread the situation and upset the top dog, your body and head would part ways.
And even setting aside such extreme examples, getting pushed out from the center of power could happen in an instant.
So the claim hidden beneath the wrapper of that word "reading the room" was crystal clear from Marquis Lutvihi.
Assess the situation you're in, infer what the other side wants, and make the optimal choice accordingly.
This was, of course, no easy task. There were more than a few who had already lost their heads for failing to do so.
That was precisely why Marquis Lutvihi deserved the title of number two.
Through the experience and gravitas accumulated since his days at Ailene's Cradle Academy, he had risen to wield the second-strongest influence among the thirteen marquisates.
He was a man who deserved applause.
But even such great men faced problems they couldn't solve.
'...This is enough to drive me mad.'
The frozen tundra had entered its winter dormancy.
Upon that land suddenly appeared a black fortress towering 500 meters high.
When he received the report that black mages had created it, his body was already racing to the scene.
Thanks to the Holy Empire's swift action, they had managed to prevent those vile black mages from shattering the territory's barrier.
'I should increase the donation amount.'
With a sigh of relief, he looked up at the fortress. Even with eyes honed as an aura user, he couldn't gauge the top of that ominous structure.
500 meters was common enough on a map, but as height, it was another story entirely.
According to the territory's mages, it was like a mountain poured from every rare mineral imaginable.
At this height, even the mage towers of the Mage Republic would be a joke. The thought sent chills down Marquis Lutvihi's spine.
He didn't know their exact plan, but black mages' schemes were all cut from the same cloth.
Plague, bitter cold, drought—surely the entire territory, and even neighboring ones, would have been ruined.
'I need to take just the right amount.'
By custom, when such issues arose, money changed hands under the pretext of "gratitude for cooperation."
At this scale, they'd likely shove in a huge sum just to buy silence.
Of course, accepting it all would irk the imperial family and draw concentrated fire from the court and imperial factions, so he had to tread the line carefully...
"Lord Lutvihi. What if we buy the entire fortress?"
"...Your Excellency. My humble insight cannot immediately grasp such words."
...Until the Astria family—undisputed 1.5 in the current empire—intervened.
"I've long been concerned about the lack of proper siege training grounds in the empire."
If the Astria family, masters of the military and the empire's sword and shield, wanted in under the banner of bolstering military strength...
"Yes! I shall personally—."
"No. I shall go myself. It's an unofficial visit, so no formalities."
"Yes!"
A number two had to keep his head down.
'This time, I'll just breathe quietly.'
I'm a plant. A tree, grass, flower.
All intentions bent to the Duke of Astria's will. Marquis Lutvihi would simply stand there like a decorative screen.
"First time meeting, but let's get along from here on. Future son-in-law."
"Marquis Lutvihi. Sorry, but I'll step aside for a moment to chat with the young man. Handle the rest."
"Ah~ Will you?"
Gregor Dia Lutvihi, current head of the Lutvihi Marquisate, saw nothing.
That the Execution Bureau's true powerholder in the Holy Empire was a man barely twenty-five. Or that the duke called him "future son-in-law." Or that the Astria family's youngest daughter was putting on an obvious act of sincerity.
And that those two fine specimens spent a week sweetly wandering his territory.
Gregor Dia Lutvihi knew nothing. Truly nothing.
'Damn black mage bastards.'
The fortress alone was ominous enough, yet they'd even brought a hole punched through the sky to his territory.
He already despised them, but now he resolved to loathe them even more.
The seven-day bloodbath called negotiations finally ended.
"Then, take the rights to this area, son-in-law."
As someone with both justification and power desired, the fortress would function as a training ground.
The empire would manage the training ground, while the Holy Empire took control of part of the land it stood on.
Even the summary alone painted a future of the Foreign Affairs Bureau shedding tears of joy and dancing.
But what could he do? This was a disaster even he couldn't stop.
"A gift."
"...What's this now?"
"They said it's a lovers' communication orb."
Lucia handed over the gift with a shy smile. Behind her loomed Duke Baltar, exuding grim portent.
Finally, achingly familiar—no, not familiar at all—Daniel returned to the Execution Bureau in the Holy Empire.
The moment he opened the door to his familiar office to prepare for the afterparty...
"..."
Deputy Director's Marriage Celebration!
- All District Chiefs of the Execution Bureau
His instincts whispered. Would they really let his week of fake dates slide?
If 1st District Chief got married, they'd be the type to moonwalk at the wedding while belting out a congratulatory song.
He was certain they wouldn't let it go. A belief beyond mere suspicion.
So, steeling himself, he opened the door.
And sure enough.
A garishly festive placard hung there, eye-catchingly elaborate.
The rumors had already spread everywhere. Damn it.
"Who hung this up?"
"Me."
1st District Chief Alric, chewing gum with his usual blond delinquent attitude after so long.
Beside him, 3rd District Chief Vargas and 4th District Chief Ceres shot him looks demanding explanations.
"Alric, you really lost your—."
"Some guys were scrapping with those black mage buddies, while one was busy dating his dream girl the whole time?"
Smack, smack. Dark circles under his eyes, he spat his gum into a tissue and sneered.
"Ahh~ Sweet dates with the beauty you always drooled over? And six years younger? What the fuck! Some of us didn't sleep a wink for a week!"
"And I knew about your secrecy, but who would've thought 'true Nicano' was an alias? Of all things!"
"We worked together for two whole years! How does it make sense I didn't know your real name? As your sidekick—."
Something wearing human skin wailed. Should he shove a holy relic in first? That thing was possessed, no doubt.
"And Vargas says you were all, uh! Fuck! Ceres, what do you think?"
"Deputy Director is at fault here. In my opinion, two glasses of Darian whiskey should cover it..."
You wanted it that bad?
Ceres's gray eyes bored into him. She usually listened quietly, but her strong stance showed she was seriously pissed.
"Two glasses, then two more."
"Deputy Director did nothing wrong."
"...? Hey!"
He'd successfully neutralized Ceres, Alric's right hand. Remaining wings: 3rd District Chief Vargas and...
"Come to think of it, where's 2nd District Chief?"
"Sister Rianna stepped out for urgent business."
Alcohol's power was mighty indeed. It even pried open the reticent Ceres's red lips.
'She wanted it that much.'
He vowed to snag some for Ceres next time too.
Though it wasn't something money alone could buy, connections should reach it.
"Ahem... Deputy Director."
Leaving the turned Ceres behind, 3rd District Chief Vargas cleared his throat awkwardly.
"Honestly... I felt betrayed. I thought you were an orphan like me, but turns out you're some noble young master—."
"I am an orphan."
"...Pardon?"
After hearing the tale of becoming a boring, pedantic Western-style son, Vargas paled.
"...Sorry. Your attitude and behavior suddenly turned all noble-like. I thought you were one of those guys."
"Forget it. It happens. No need to sulk over that."
In this world, half the problems stemmed from nobles, half from black mages. Like England duplicated.
Guessing either gave a 50% hit rate, showing how rampant the abuse was.
Reason enough for 3rd District Chief to be touchy.
'...How did they all end up here.'
Thinking it over, it was uncanny.
Illegitimate child kicked from his family (1st), refugee from a minority ethnic purge (2nd), fellow orphan (3rd), near-victim of black mage experiments (4th), complicated second orphan (5th).
He'd street-recruited them, but how did it cluster like this?
'The most normal one's the reincarnation beam victim.'
In a place where the reincarnator was the straightest arrow. The Execution Bureau was doomed.
"Deputy Director, so are you really getting marri— Gahk!"
After quelling Alric's final outburst, he could finally state his purpose.
"Drink up with this."
He set a leather pouch bulging with silver coins before them.
First rule for a boss at a company dinner: Drop the card and vanish.
Seeing the hefty pouch, life returned to 1st District Chief's face.
"Deputy Director, as thanks, let me kiss your chee—."
"Stop."
"Yes!"
Leaving the pitiful bunch behind, he grabbed the medieval card—his silver pouch—and exited the office.
As he turned to head to Execution Division 2...
"Da... ni... el... op... pa?"
Crack.
A chill clung stubbornly to those syllables, stiffening his cervical vertebrae and numbing his hearing.
A little girl's sweet whisper tickled his ear.
'...Sigh.'
The rumors had spread this far, so of course she'd heard. He hadn't expected to run into her right here, though.
Turning, he met her smile—merciless despite the laughter.
Sylvia Basilissa.
"I heard a weird rumor."
The moment he saw her pink hair and eyes tinged yellow, certainty hit.
I'm fucked.
"They say Daniel oppa got engaged to a super pretty young lady! And she's the same age as me!"
"..."
"Someone said they've loved you for ten years."
"..."
"Not as family, but as a woman."
Still late January, perhaps. A persistent cold kept drifting in. Time for some official business after so long—.
"Got anything to say?"
"...No."
She flashed a bright smile. The instant Sylvia's hands touched his collar and waist...
The ground tilted, heaven and earth flipped.
The natural law of light drawn to heavy reversed.
No falling technique, no evasion.
One of the Holy Empire's rare secret arts, known to few even there.
Holy Empire Jujutsu - Supreme Art
"You bad boy!!!"
⟨ Falling Star ⟩
The mass of a blue star slammed into his entire body.