Chapter 103: Take Your Clothes Off!
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 103: Take Your Clothes Off!
“Your Imperial Majesty, the mages have arrived.”
“Good, quickly… have them check for any traces of magic.”
“Yes, Majesty!”
Watching the mages swarm in, Veronica barely managed to steady her swaying body.
Of all times, this had to happen while Dantalion was away dealing with the Southern Plague. It was clearly a calculated move.
If so, the culprit was obvious. Her worry for her child quickly sharpened into cold fury.
[Calm down, Berry. Your child is safe.]
Is that true?
[Yes. I never lie to my contractor.]
Haaa.
Only after hearing Luers’ words did Veronica feel a wave of relief.
However, she couldn't be completely at ease. Until Claudia was found, the child would remain in constant danger. Veronica steeled her heart.
“We have found traces of magic.”
“Can you track it?” Veronica asked, her tone razor-sharp.
The Imperial mage replied hesitantly. “From what I can see, it appears to be a makeshift teleportation spell without a set coordinate. Such spells are incredibly difficult to track.”
“Can you do it or not?”
“W-we will do our best.”
At her fierce questioning, the mage bowed his head deeply. Veronica glared down at the crown of his head.
The Imperial mages weren't particularly skilled. Because the Temple branded magic as heresy and kept a watchful eye on it, she couldn't bring in mages from the Magic Tower. These men were merely imitators who could barely mimic the craft.
Even these meager talents had to be vetted and appointed by the Imperial Family while walking on eggshells around the Temple. Veronica grit her teeth.
Of all times, I had to send Melissa to the South…
Veronica deeply regretted sending Melissa, a true mage of the Magic Tower, to the Southern Region. If she had been by her side, this situation would never have happened.
But she couldn't just stand there. Regret wouldn't change anything.
“Track it to the best of your ability.”
“Understood.”
After commanding the mages, Veronica turned to Luers.
You can use as much of my mana as you need. You find the child, too.
[Got it!]
She felt Luers slip out of the gem that served as his medium. Even if the mages failed, she felt that Luers would be able to find her.
Please, Dia.
Veronica clasped her hands tightly.
Please let the child be safe. Let her return safely to her mother’s arms.
Veronica prayed and prayed again.
*
“Ugh.”
Sway, sway. My body kept jolting up and down. With my arms and legs dangling limply, I furrowed my brows and slowly opened my eyes.
“Huh?”
[Master! Are you awake?]
[Master!]
Desmond and Bibi shouted simultaneously. Only then did the recent events come rushing back to me.
The fanatics who invaded the Empress’s Chambers, using Melissa’s magic stone to teleport, the fanatic who was attacking Sophia being dragged into the teleportation with me, and threatening him into a contract sorcery.
Once my thoughts were organized, I turned my head. I was draped over Desmond’s back. Philip was walking ahead of me, and Desmond was following him.
“Imperial Princess, have you awakened?”
“Yeah.”
Realizing I was awake, Philip turned around and asked in a respectful tone. I nodded and looked at him.
“Don't call me 'Princess' out here.”
“Then what should I call you…?”
“Call me 'Little Lady.'”
“Understood.”
Recalling the title I was called before becoming a princess, I answered calmly. Philip adopted a polite posture again.
The pattern was no longer visible on the nape of his neck. It seemed it would only reappear if he violated the contract or if I chose to exert control. I watched him with curious eyes before speaking up.
“We’re heading to the Loben Orphanage, right?”
“That is correct.”
“If you try anything funny, you’re really going to regret it.”
“I wouldn't dream of it!”
Philip shook his head, his face turning pale. Seeing him properly in the light—and outdoors—his outfit was quite conspicuous.
I glared at his cultist robes and continued.
“You’re a fanatic. Aren't you guys supposed to be willing to throw your lives away for your god?”
“That’s…”
Now that I mentioned it, it was suspicious. The bastards from the Apocrypha in the novel were all out of their minds. They were the type to dive into fire like moths for their god, yet here he was, cooperating just to save his own skin.
Is he acting? What if I trust him and we end up at an Apocrypha stronghold or face-to-face with the Empress Dowager instead of the orphanage?
I hadn't been able to think deeply before I lost consciousness because I was so flustered, but now that I was awake, my doubts grew. I glared at Philip.
“That… you’re right. Why am I acting like this?”
“What?”
I was dumbfounded by Philip’s own bewildered reaction. As I stood there speechless, the voices of the demons echoed in my head.
[It seems the brainwashing broke when you placed the contract sorcery on him.]
[The cracks probably started when he was swept up in Master’s magic, and then it vanished completely.]
He was brainwashed?
My jaw dropped at the demons' words.
So it turned out the followers of the Apocrypha were brainwashed. Of course, not all of them, but there were surely many like Philip. After all, the Temple had brainwashed Nathaniel to turn him into a weapon.
They really are terrifying people, I muttered to myself, shaking my head.
“Well, don't think too hard about it. Just remember that you have to follow my orders if you want to live!”
“Y-yes, Little Lady.”
Philip scratched the back of his head and nodded. Looking at him now, he was a pretty pitiful guy.
He said he was from the Loben Orphanage, so he must be an orphan, and it seemed he had been brainwashed by the Temple to become a member of the Apocrypha. And for the cherry on top, as soon as he escaped the brainwashing, he was forced into a contract with a demon.
Hmm, he is a bit pathetic.
If he followed my orders obediently this time, I’d have to ask Dantalion to show him some leniency. He probably wouldn't kill him if I asked.
Nodding to myself, I watched Philip as he started walking again. Come to think of it, he couldn't keep walking around looking like that.
A cultist’s robe was way too eye-catching. I shook my head as I looked at the white cloth covered in dizzying patterns.
“Take your clothes off.”
“P-pardon?”
“I said, take them off!”
“Eek!”
Philip cringed and pulled back as if he were being harassed.
“No, I mean that outfit stands out too much, so just take off the outer robe.”
“Ah.”
Only then did Philip look down at himself. Realizing his clothes practically screamed that he was a fanatic, he hurriedly stripped off the outer robe.
“Hmm.”
Fortunately, the patterns were only on the hood that had partially covered his face and the long outer robe. The hood had disappeared during the teleportation, and once he took off the robe, he was just a man in plain white trousers and a shirt.
Philip’s hair and eyes were a common grayish-brown, but his features were somewhat exotic. His skin was darker than the average Imperial citizen, and his features were more defined.
The East had a lot of trade and foreign visitors, so there were more people of mixed heritage there compared to other regions. It seemed Philip was one of them.
“Is there a village nearby? I need to change my clothes, too.”
“Ah, there’s one just a little further ahead!”
“Okay, let’s go…”
Growl.
“…”
“…”
At that moment, a loud sound erupted from my stomach. Come to think of it, I hadn't eaten anything since yesterday evening.
“Ahem!”
“I-I’ll hurry!”
Philip quickened his pace. Fortunately, since I was riding Desmond, the only problem I had was being hungry. Though it was a bit embarrassing.
However, a problem arose once we reached the village.
“M-monster!”
“Kyaaaak!”
People screamed the moment they saw Desmond. I had forgotten just how large and threatening a Direwolf looked, even with a collar. I looked at Desmond with a troubled expression.
“You need to get smaller. You can get smaller, right?”
[Urgh, but I look so majestic when I’m big!]
“If you don't want to be chased by the guards, hurry up and shrink.”
[Sniff, fine.]
Desmond’s size began to dwindle. Only when he became just slightly smaller than me did he look like a small wolf or a large dog. At this size, people might be a bit surprised, but they wouldn't be overly suspicious.