Awakening (1)

I checked the status window that greeted me in empty air. The interface flickered and blinked, feeding me Iris's state of mind.

The exposition was in its final stretch. All that remained was to set off everything we had prepared. Beside me, Rina spoke as she watched me staring into empty space.

"Something bothering you? You're staring at thin air."

"No, nothing in particular. How are things on your end?"

"You already came by and checked last time, so what's with the question. There's no problem. We start the operation today as planned."

The Imperial Guard deployment for first response was perfect. Intel on the infiltrated terrorists had already been passed to the Academy faculty, so that was covered. Gashir, too, was obeying without a fuss thanks to the Soul Brand, and the operation wasn't hitting any major snags.

There was just one thing that grated.

"The traitor's face? Still unknown, I take it."

"Couldn't get a look at it. I used Contemplation and still couldn't tell who they were."

"You used Contemplation and still…?"

"Yeah. Doesn't seem like an ordinary mage. Or they've got some trick."

I was only puzzled by the testimony that she couldn't identify them. Even Rina, skilled enough with Contemplation to pierce the true nature of a soul, didn't know. Some kind of trick, then? A variable that sat outside my predictions.

Dark Arts like Gashir's? Or some other supernatural ability?

What I knew for certain was that even I, who knew the original story, had nothing to go on.

"Has Professor Kentri's identity been secured?"

"Unfortunately, they say he vanished without a trace one day. Missing, apparently."

"Figures. The insider is Kentri."

I'd already ordered Lucas to investigate Kentri, but the man had already slipped away. The teaching assistants under him ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠had also suddenly gone dark, and they testified they had no idea where he'd gone.

Unidentifiable even under Rina's Contemplation, and gone without a trace in a single day. Acting this suspiciously was almost enough to make me laugh in disbelief. Was he just openly daring us to come catch him?

But it was fine. I had a guess as to his true identity. I simply didn't have confirmation yet.

"So, did you enjoy the date? That sword at your hip doesn't look ordinary."

Once we'd roughly finished pooling information, Rina switched to personal matters. We'd met to share intel, but nominally we were on a date. With a sly look, she eyed the sword at my waist with open interest. Even to her, who was famous for using whatever blade she happened to grab, it apparently looked like a masterpiece.

"It's a sword called Grace. I forged it with Beatrice."

"Oh… getting gifts from day one? My little brother's quite the capable man."

"And I named the sword after another woman."

"A bad man, even. This big sister of yours is getting a little worried."

"Weren't you the one who told me to?"

The day I first made a proper name for myself on the battlefield, she had advised me that a man had to play expensive if he didn't want the wrong kind of woman clinging to him. I was merely following that advice.

I shrugged and answered with a crooked grin. Rina, however, was not the type to take it lying down. She fired back without missing a beat.

"You'll be able to handle the fallout later, right? You should brace yourself for this one."

"…I'm prepared for detention, at least."

"Detention? Our Empress has changed quite a bit, you know."

Rina snorted and drew a wicked little smile.

"You think it'll end with just that? You'd better be careful."

The corner of her mouth curled, faintly vicious. Something in that expression sent a chill through me. Like a predator sizing up its prey, I supposed.

"What happens to me, then…?"

The moment I heard that, a shiver crawled up my spine.

Imperial Consort. The Empress's husband.

In name and in fact, the person ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠with the greatest power after the Empress herself. For the sons of other noble houses, it was a seat they could want and never obtain. For me, the title of Imperial Consort was a deeply uncomfortable one.

Why?

"Then I'd be stuck taking Her Majesty's dumped work… for life?"

"You've got it exactly."

If I thought about how busy the Empire was these days, I'd be working until I dropped dead. Damn it.

"She'd take a husband just to pawn off her paperwork? Is that even right?"

"Looking at your reaction, it's more than worth it. And besides you, who is there to be Imperial Consort? Think about it."

"The Four Great Ducal Families also have… ah, never mind."

I started to argue by thinking of the children of the Four Great Ducal Families, then remembered Magni and gave up. By temperament, he was the kind of man who'd use any means necessary to dodge a marriage.

More than that, if the Empress chose me over everyone else, there wasn't much to be done about it. People around us would talk because of my identity as Eugene, but who would actually set their mind to opposing it?

"Got it, little brother? Mind how you carry yourself."

Looking at Rina as she said it, the fallout was going to be harder than I'd thought. But what could I do? It was too late to turn back now.

I left her advice behind and parted ways with Rina. I'd met with her. Only one thing remained.

"Kassel! Kassel! You were here! Talk to me for a second! Right now!"

"…You've arrived."

Time to have a word with our Ash Saintess.

There was a lot I wanted to confirm.

"Kassel! Kassel! You were here! Talk to me for a second! Right now!"

Iris, who had been hunting for me in earnest, found me. Had she been running until the taste in her mouth turned sweet? Sweat traced down the line of her throat.

I had a rough idea why she'd come looking for me. She was here because she suspected the attack on the Academy — exactly as I had led her to.

My lines here were already decided. First, greet Iris with a face that showed no panic — a face that said I already knew everything.

"…You've come, Iris."

"Kassel, from now on I need you to be honest with me. I'm seriously worried."

Iris pleaded with a grave face, earnest to the point of desperation. My hastily thrown-together scheme seemed to have landed better than I'd expected. I met her glare without looking away.

"You're not thinking something weird, are you? Right?!"

"…Weird ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠as in?"

"…Like an attack, or a kidnapping, or something like that."

At Iris's question, I let out a silent exclamation.

Wow. She's just asking it to my face.

A person could be honest, but this was too honest. She still seemed terribly naive — she hadn't yet, as a romance-fantasy heroine, lived through palace intrigue. Or maybe that was simply her nature.

I read Iris's gaze. Please say it isn't true — that was what her ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠eyes were begging. Her thoughts were so completely readable I had nothing to say.

No need to dodge any further. But it would be a waste to come clean here and now. I had a far better stage waiting — a spectacular location, with actors already on standby.

So. Time to confirm something.

"My lady, don't overthink it. Just answer what I ask you, plainly, as it is. Understood?"

"You have to answer my question first…!"

"Hypothetically speaking. If the world demanded sacrifice without question, what would you do?"

"…What?"

Whether she, who had not become the Ash Saintess, was truly worth trusting.

I thought, for a moment, of the Ash Saintess from the original story.

Looked at one way, she had been more a saint than anyone — a true holy woman. If a person like that ran into the same situation, would she volunteer for sacrifice all over again?

"If you want a sincere answer from me, you'll have to answer my question first. That's the condition. So please — tell me."

"Kassel…"

If she wanted the answer she was looking for, she would have to answer my question first. Without wrapping herself in lies and pretense.

I didn't know how my words sounded to her. But one thing was certain.

"Your question… the premise is wrong."

And the answer she gave from here on contained not a shred of falsehood.

It was a truthful answer.

Hearing it, I let out a small sigh.

The only route that saved the Ash Saintess. The line the Ash Knight had spoken when he persuaded her on that route. To think I would hear it from Iris. Thanks to that, I was relieved.

"I see. Understood."

Now I can become bound to Iris in a shared fate with my mind at ease. Thinking that, I gave her the answer she wanted.

Of course, I didn't give it back to her as it was.

You know the kind of plot, don't you? The character who starts out as a villain, is moved by the protagonist, and turns to the side of good. That was the concept I was going to play.

"What?"

Iris's face went pale. Her pupils shook. And then a call came through on the communication crystal I was carrying. It was Gashir, who had been preparing the attack all this time.

Right. The time had finally come.

I answered Gashir in a single breath.

"Do it. Now."

That was all it took.

A massive explosion boomed from the outskirts of the Academy.

A heavy hum vibrated through the air.

And as if I had been waiting for precisely that moment, I triggered the trap I had installed in the booth.