Festival of Silver Dust and Iron Blood (7)
"Assassination is basic."
The emperor said, "If you get caught, you lose your head. If you don't, that's it."
"How many people have you killed that way?"
I immediately countered with the absurd question.
"Do you know how many people I've officially assassinated? Zero."
"Unofficially, enough to fill Gibraltar Canyon."
"That's why I'm saying it."
"That's why I'm saying it."
There was something we couldn't understand about each other.
"You're under some grand delusion. No, let's align our perspectives for a moment."
What is assassination?
"Assassination means killing in secret. And here's the key difference between you, Grey Margrave, and me."
How it appears to others after the assassination.
"Through assassination, I instilled fear in others."
"Don't you dare mess with me?"
"Oh, exactly. That's what you need to learn from me."
"Doesn't seem like much to learn."
What use was learning the effects of assassination?
"Are you planning to swat every mosquito that appears? You need to exterminate them."
"Mosquitoes are annoying, but I have no intention of going down to sewers and ditches to wipe out larvae."
"Will you say that after getting bitten? Tsk tsk."
"As long as no mosquitoes can enter my space, what happens to the people outside doesn't matter."
I wondered if comparing assassins to mosquitoes was apt, but for him and me, it wasn't wrong.
"And Your Majesty plans to change the entire species so mosquitoes don't even dare to bite."
"Hah."
He laughed at my question.
"Yes. Whether an apple tree grows upward or sideways, as long as it bears fruit, that's fine."
Like whispering the secret of a magic trick no one knows to an audience member sneaking close, he smiled genuinely delighted.
"I don't think constant metaphors are ideal. Why not just say it straight?"
"It's just a personal hobby."
The emperor always loved strange metaphors. Guessing them earned his favor, but accurately piercing their intent made him wary—except for me.
"Then, say it directly."
"Instill fear across the continent so no one even dreams of assassinating the emperor of the Unified Empire."
"Exactly. But—"
"The reverse applies too."
The emperor didn't mind interruptions if they hit the mark.
"Anyone can be assassinated. If they displease the emperor."
"Don't you think you're displeasing me right now?"
"If you don't like it, you'd just behead me on the spot."
"Aren't you afraid of death?"
"Who knows. Maybe because I'm young. My own death still feels too distant to ponder."
No matter how many died around me, the departed were just gone.
"After killing your parents, siblings, and children, did Your Majesty fear your own death approaching?"
"Guess."
"You might have feared it once, but you'd have overcome even that fear."
"Right. You know me well. If you'd been born twenty years earlier in the Empire, you'd have been my prime minister."
"I'd hate that. No thanks. I'll stay comfortably as margrave."
The emperor was, in many ways, a hassle for me.
"Come unannounced for drinks one more time, and I won't open the door."
"That's harsh. Ah, then calling ahead and drinking is fine?"
"If you come as emperor, it requires official ceremony. Come as a private citizen."
"Open for Hapsburg the man, but not the emperor? Heh heh, but I know you'll open for either."
Relief mixed with annoyance.
"Life's so fun with you around. You do foolish things sometimes."
Like a six-armed monster in a world of normal folk, delighted by someone with three legs.
"Anyway, remember this. Assassination aims for success, but the attempt alone has effect."
And the monster rambled on about how he'd survived, how he'd lived.
"It drains the blood. Knowing you've been targeted once means it can happen again."
The emperor loved manipulating human psychology.
"Someone nearly drowning once avoids water for a while—or a lifetime."
Especially.
"Assassination's the same."
"Someone once facing murder lives forever in fear of it?"
"Yes. Exactly. That's why I have a favorite method. If you ever assassinate, remember. This is secondary."
About fear, especially.
"Assassination presupposes inevitable death."
And humanity's greatest fear is death—that was the emperor's creed.
"So, make it certain. Assassination must happen without the victim knowing when, how, or even that it's assassination."
"Is that Hapsburg's teaching?"
"Ah, this? It's not."
The emperor's creed.
"It's the creed of my proud late emperor and grand emperor—my father."
Make your enemy unaware even of the assassination.
Whoosh.
Flames burst everywhere. Magical embers scatter onto wooden stalls and fabric tents.
"Uwaaak!!"
"Kyaaah—!"
"F-Fire—!"
Shouts, screams, and the sound of annihilation. The crackling of rapidly consuming flames battered the ears, but I could breathe relief at the sound right before me.
"Hah, hah."
Astasia's breathing. Startled, she gasped desperately, quickly scanning left and right.
"A, ah—"
"Astasia."
"A, ahh...."
"...Princess."
"......!"
Astasia's eyes snapped open. Her breathing steadied, her pupils fixing on me.
"Sir Grey...?"
"R-Right now...."
"Do you trust me?"
"......."
"I promise. I won't let you die."
"......."
Astasia hesitated, then squeezed her eyes shut.
"Y-Young master!!"
A urgent voice from behind. Robert.
"A-Are you alright?!"
"I'm fine."
Thanks to shoving her down and covering her, Astasia lay on the ground with only my hand scraping as I caught her back. Her butt might sting from hitting the floor—but
"Th-This accident...! Nearly burned...!"
Robert stomped mana-infused feet where Astasia had stood.
"Th-That's...."
"Residual from Explosion magic. Specifically, diffusion and linkage."
Chained incantation: embedding another spell for continued effects beyond the initial one.
"Not an accident—a incident."
I withdrew my hand from her back and stood.
"Worst case, an assassination attempt."
"Ass...assassination...."
"Target unknown yet."
"......Yes."
Astasia rose to her upper body; I took her hand, supporting her back to help her up.
"Sir Grey."
Mente Knight and Naria Geo Nostrum approached.
"Sorry."
"Nothing to apologize for."
Their states told it all. Mente with drawn sword, Naria covered in dirt. Behind, a couple staring confused at Naria. Nearby, mana embers burned; the couple clutched their crying child, eyes only on Naria.
"Lady Mente. Ensure Her Highness Naria doesn't recklessly shield territory folk."
"Sir Grey, now—"
"If the princess gets burned, Saint Geo Nostrum will come to Gibraltar."
"......."
"For Marchioness Charlotte's sake, please restrain her."
Naria nodded heavily without reply. She'd act instinctively, but with Mente attached, it'd be controlled.
"Young master's guard—"
"I'm fine. Sir Robert? Entrust Astasia to you. Protect her with your life, as if she were me."
"P-Pardon? B-But this situation...."
"I have to resolve it."
I could resolve it fastest.
"Father must protect Mother. Closest to the scene is Gibraltar. And I know the culprit."
"I-Is that true?"
"Of course. Magic exploded—gotta crush the mage. There—"
"This way—!"
A booming voice from the opposite side.
"Sir Carlos!"
Tournament runner-up Carlos Knight rushed with other knights.
"Sir Robert! What happened, ugh."
Flushed face, light attire—he'd been drowning sorrows in beer post-tournament.
"Ah, Lady Mente! Here... Young master Grey?"
"Perfect timing, Sir Carlos."
He startled at me but saluted crisply at my raised hand.
"I follow Young Master Grey's orders."
"Sir Carlos? Th-That...."
Some knights behind panicked, glancing around, but Carlos bowed, eyes only on me.
Because Grey too bore Gibraltar blood? Respect after losing to Mente and learning from her? Or—
"Ah, right. Three years ago, in Father's study?"
"...I had a comrade. I was on external duty."
He knew somewhat but feigned ignorance.
"Good. Knights behind: protect territory folk immediately. Command arriving soldiers to suppress fires."
"F-Fire...."
"Magic embers. Won't extinguish without mana-charged sword winds."
Magical flames spread, growing wildfires; water douses surroundings but leaves mana embers.
"Soldiers tear tents to smother fires; knights hunt and remove scattered Explosion embers."
"Understood!"
"Sir Carlos. Follow me."
I bolted forward. Carlos hesitated briefly, then followed, shouting back.
"Follow Gibraltar orders—!"
"Y-Yes!!!"
Gibraltar, not Grey. Drunken knights moved at that. No issue.
"Sir Carlos. Sword?"
"Always carry it!"
He pointed to the sword swinging at his waist.
"Draw."
"...Yes!"
"From now, move on my command."
Forward.
"Aura it."
Beyond square, tournament arena's center.
"Prepare full sprint."
Arshen Gillarus.
"There, the mage."
Staff in hand, he gazed at the night sky. Mana gathered at staff tip, prepping next Explosion.
"Th-That one's the culprit...?"
"Sir Carlos."
I drew my dagger from inner pocket.
"Kill him."
"Pardon?"
Will it reach?
"B-But a mage and noble...!"
Not sure if it'll reach—but
'Damn.'
Carlos hesitated; too late for him to charge.
'Mana to dagger tip.'
Not full aura, but materialize mana at tip like aura.
"Huh...!"
No time to gawk at my control—should've lunged and slashed.
'That's the gap between you and Lady Mente.'
No freezing in awe at a 13-year-old's mana control.
'If you'd charged before I threw.'
Swoosh!!
'It'd have reached faster than the dagger.'
Dagger sliced air. Thrown with run's momentum and arm strength.
It'll reach. It will—but
"Tch...!"
Pfuk—the dagger embedded in Baron Arshen's neck. Aimed precisely beside windpipe, it sliced flesh inward—but
"......."
Too shallow to kill a mid-tier mage with low mana in one strike. Not just because he was mid-mage—
"Guh, heuk...."
His flesh was hard, like undead.
"H-Huh...?!"
Dagger pierced 3cm into neck, then dropped. Mana glow revealed the wound briefly.
No blood flowed; dark red bubbled.
"H-Huh...."
Sir Carlos's eyes widened; he bellowed.
"Vampire—!!!"
If only I'd severed the neck then.
Too late.
"Grr, eee...."
In Baron Arshen's blackened pupils, my reflection seemed so small tonight.
At the same time.
'It's here.'
The thick scent from him made my heart race instinctively.
'My treasure.'
The silver scent boiling my blood.
"Sssip."
I crushed the pouch of Somnus powder in my pocket, licked the powder—Silver Dust—from my fingertips.
"Sir Carlos."
"Y-Yes...!"
"Gibraltar commands. No other thoughts."
Lick.
"Kill that vampire. Reduce to ash."