No Business Like Deception
“Got it. You can go now.”
She no longer cracked even her usual lame jokes. Her serious face seemed laced with all sorts of worries.
[She must cherish her little brother something fierce. Whatever it is he did, it’s clear it’d spell big trouble if it got back to the Ice Palace lord.]
‘The Ice Palace wields immense power from artifacts scavenged from hidden ruins in the North Sea. But the real reason they’re so strong isn’t just the gear.’
Secret family techniques passed down only in the Ice Palace. One was the Ice Palace Swordsmanship Karin had used recently; the other, a special breathing method.
‘Karin called it the heart method. It purifies the body and sharpens the aura.’
It was on a whole different track from the breathing technique created by the druid Elune. Hers cleansed the body to absorb more of any power—divine, mana, spirit, whatever. The Ice Palace’s heart method, though, focused purely on raw aura. In other words, it honed the human body itself.
‘With that power, I could take Heaven Kill to the next level.’
But acquiring it wouldn’t be easy. No, it was damn near impossible.
The reason? Ice Palace techniques could only be learned by women.
‘That’s why Daran Samakal’s voice changed—pushing too hard to master the heart method.’
Adel smacked his lips in regret.
‘Well, the guy had no choice if he wanted to survive in the Ice Palace.’
Ice Palace bloodlines passed only to daughters. Throughout history, the men either died young, got exiled, or left on their own. For a man like Daran Samakal to still be hanging on there was downright unprecedented.
That made the siblings’ bond all the tighter.
‘A mother trying to boot him out, and a daughter defying Ice Palace rules to protect her sole male heir of a brother.’
To her, Daran Samakal was her staunchest ally—and her greatest weakness.
‘And that guy followed me.... Man, he gave me hell back in the day.’
Adel gave a wry smile, recalling the past.
Daran had survived that cutthroat world, so he craved power more than anyone. Adel figured he himself must’ve fit the bill perfectly.
Zipra’s contractor Ralka followed him because he was contractor to Kalderet, an upper god in the same lineage. But Daran was drawn to Adel’s own power, not any god’s.
‘...Because he wasn’t a god’s contractor.’
The North Sea’s so-called winter gods, like Kiransha, lent their power only to women, just like the Ice Palace techniques.
‘No one could’ve been lonelier than that guy.’
On the flip side, maybe that was why Karin had tipped him off about the assassination in his previous life—because he was the man her brother had chosen to follow. Someone the lonely guy had opened his heart to.
“......”
Adel remembered the look in Karin’s eyes that day at the empire’s founding banquet, amid the blood-red winds, as she stared at him.
“That all you’re curious about?”
“Now it really begins. The more info you give the little palace lord, the lower our odds of losing our heads.”
Adel brushed aside old emotions and spoke to her.
“Hmph, you’re so damn reckless. First time I’ve met someone like you. You cause the mess, then want to clean it up together?”
“But I saved your life in return. Cut me some slack—I jumped into the fire pit myself.”
Karin’s lips twitched, like she wasn’t thrilled with his comeback.
“Why’d the Ice Palace lord send you after a mamant? Its fur’s coarse, the meat’s tough—useless unless you’re desperate.”
Adel eyed her.
“That’s......”
Karin hesitated a beat.
“She received a revelation.”
“......A revelation? From what I know, the Ice Palace hasn’t worshiped any god since Kiransha vanished.”
“It’s recent. An apostle who came to the North Sea told my mother about it. He claimed to be the guide of an ancient god.”
“Cough.”
Adel couldn’t help a startled cough at her bombshell.
“......An ancient god?”
“Yeah. Even you’re surprised.”
She let out a low sigh at his reaction.
[An ancient god like me’s right here, and the other one’s stuck in the demon realm... What? An ancient god’s contractor?]
Kalderet was even more baffled.
[This is insane.]
“It’s absurd, I know. But he showed us miracles we couldn’t deny.”
“Like what?”
[Something’s fishy as hell.]
Kalderet muttered at Karin’s words.
“Guide of the ancients...... Not contractor—guide, huh.”
It sounded similar enough to gloss over, but it was just cheap wordplay.
“Guide......”
Adel bit his lip, murmuring as something clicked.
“He said if we bring three offerings, he can resurrect Kiransha.”
[Ridiculous. Who’s he bullshitting about reviving the winter god right in front of? We’ve got Kiransha’s treasure.]
As Kalderet said, with 【North Sea Ice Crystal】—Kiransha’s sacred relic—in his possession, no ritual could summon her, no matter what.
‘Lucky break. Whoever this North Sea creep is, he’s definitely a con artist.’
“One was a live mamant. Dragging a corpse back won’t cut it—the lord won’t buy it quietly......”
She clutched her throbbing wound.
“Can’t hunt again like this anyway. Gotta brace for punishment.”
“Dunno. I don’t think you’re heading back without another mamant just ’cause of the wound.”
“......What?”
“You know the mission’s bullshit. Failing because of me might even be your golden ticket.”
“......What’re you on about? Hunting a mamant’s hardly unfair.”
“The other two offerings.”
Adel stepped closer.
“Any chance one’s not just some monster—something we shouldn’t touch?”
Gulp. The dry swallow was answer enough.
“Tell me about this guy.”
“Well...... Been away from the Ice Palace a while, so details are fuzzy. But I know Daran brought him.”
“Hm......”
A name flashed through Adel’s mind.
“Did he maybe claim to be from the Dale Church?”
“......How’d you know?”
“Aha.”
Adel chuckled at her reply.
“You know him?”
“A bit.”
His eyes gleamed oddly.
‘Well, damn. That bastard’s here? Weird, though. The Ice Palace lord falling for his crap...... Daran couldn’t be helping with his schemes, right?’
[That guy? Spill what you know.]
‘Oh, I know him. Too well.’
His mind raced.
‘Makullan Hun.’
Master of silver tongue, con artist extraordinaire—his past-life exploits were legendary. Cult leader, merchant lord, guild master, even mercenary captain. Nothing was beyond his grasp with words alone, and he’d fleeced kingdoms with bizarre schemes.
The only man wanted by multiple kingdoms at once. Yet some swore, talent-wise, he rivaled Vantis Grimm, the genius strategist.
[How do you know him?]
‘Guy I beat half to death.’
[Ah.]
This might wrap up easier than expected.
“You’ve got that scheming look.”
“Wanna hear it?”
“Obviously. But if it’s nonsense, your head’ll hit the ice before the Ice Palace does.”
Her threat only made Adel nod eagerly.
“If I unmask the con and boot the winter god back to the North Sea—what’ll the little palace lord offer?”
“Con? Hmph, you sound like one yourself.”
“Perfect, then. Old rule: fight fire with fire—or con with con.”
He flashed her a sly grin.
* * *
Slap—!!!
Karin’s head snapped left. Her cheek burned red; her tiara clattered to the floor.
“You fool...!!! Can’t even fetch one measly mamant?!”
The sharp roar echoed through the hall. The Ice Palace lord’s voice boomed.
Jeo, Karin’s retainer, fidgeted helplessly as she ground her teeth.
“The anesthetic he gave was fake.”
“......Shut your mouth. Blaming him for your failure?”
“He said it was basilisk venom. But only the Ulan tribe in the desert makes it—and they don’t sell the poison.”
Karin spoke, blood trickling from her lip untouched.
Throb—the stab wound from the mamant’s tusk ached.
But her mother’s reaction hurt worse than the injury after that long trek back.
“......Couldn’t drag a rampaging mamant tens of kilometers here once the anesthetic wore off.”
“You know the penalty for failure.”
“L-Lord... The little lord’s wound is still......”
“Quiet.”
Karin shoved Jeo back.
“......I’ll take my punishment.”
“Take her to the ice chamber. No food for a hundred days—let her repent her sins.”
Crunch—she bit her lip and turned away.
“Heh, Lady Ice Palace. Cool your wrath. Isn’t that a bit harsh?”
Then, a man strolled in, utterly at ease.
“The little lord’s badly hurt. She’s the precious heir. The chamber’s chill could be dangerous.”
His shabby robe glowed faintly, like a halo.
“You’ve come, Lord Makullan.”
“Lord? Hardly worthy.”
“Resurrect Kiransha in the North Sea, and you’ll be its hero—fitting treatment.”
Unlike her fury at Karin, she was deferential to him.
“Not a hero yet.”
“Quiet.”
She glared daggers at her daughter.
“I heard. Quite the pickle.”
“If you’d given proper anesthetic, this wouldn’t have happened!”
Jeo finally burst out.
“That’s why I’m so sorry. Revelation or not, I paid a fortune in Ruinxen for the North Sea’s sake...... Who’d think it fake?”
Thud—he knelt casually before Karin.
“Forgive my folly.”
“Lord Makullan, no need to beg pardon. Even if the anesthetic failed, Karin should’ve brought the mamant. That’s her duty as little lord.”
Her icy words stung Karin deep, but she turned away without a word.
“Opportunity remains. Monsters are just ritual fodder. Can substitute the mamant.”
“Really? That’s a relief.”
“It’s all about devotion. Gods feed on human yearning, as you know. Prepare a hundred devotees’ prayers at once, milady.”
“Hm......”
“And give me the 【Millennium Crystal】 to prepare the rite.”
He said it coolly.
“I know the little lord doubts me. I’ll view the crystal only where you designate. No worries.”
“......”
He’d name-dropped Karin on purpose. Undermine her after her screw-up, boost his own cred—classic play. And it worked like a charm.
“......I’ll fetch another monster for the offering.”
She glanced at Makullan and left. Jeo hurried after.
“Sigh, really...... No idea who she takes after, so bullheaded. Forgive her, Lord Makullan.”
“Of course. I’m here only to fulfill the North Sea’s wishes.”
He bowed low.
“I trust only you.”
* * *
“......This work?”
Karin halted in the Ice Palace corridor.
“Good job.”
Adel nodded.
“How’d you know? That Makullan would block my jail time.”
“Just figured. He’d probably want you to fail.”
“Why?”
“The offering’s an excuse, obviously. His real goal’s getting you out of the Ice Palace.”
“Hm...... Clearing out the nuisance, huh.”
“Probably.”
But she still looked uneasy, like she didn’t quite get it.
“You’re worried. Hiding you from Mother and taking the blame alone—was that smart......?”
She touched her red cheek.
“What now?”
“There’s one truth that’s held from ancient times to now.”
He gazed out the window, past her.
Makullan’s figure crossed the Ice Palace garden.
“No business like deceit.”