Chapter 494: Deep Infiltration
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 494: Deep Infiltration
"Let’s go."
Having confirmed their location, Celicia said no more. She took the lead, heading deep into the pipes.
The sewers were dim and dilapidated, yet Celicia’s stride remained steady and light, like a mountain lotus swaying in the wind.
Before long, the pipe took a sudden turn, and a downward opening appeared before them.
Muen glanced around. Ever since Celicia mentioned they had entered the perimeter of the food processing factory, the sewers had become bone-dry. It was as if the water that should have flowed here had been forced to take another route for some reason.
"Won't we be discovered if we just go down like this?"
Muen peered down the opening. It seemed to have been designed as a main drainage pipe for collecting water, but it was now abandoned. The pitch-black tunnel was roughly two meters in diameter. Since he didn't dare use an Illumination Spell to scout ahead, he had no idea how deep it went.
However, the wisps of cold wind blowing up from below made it feel like a gateway to the underworld.
He recalled his previous two experiences entering the black market. As a place for illicit underground dealings, the security was naturally tight—not to mention that what lay beneath them was likely far more than just a simple black market.
"Of course we would be discovered."
Celicia nodded slightly. "So, use that cherry-sized brain of yours for a moment. Do you really think we’re just going to jump down there in broad daylight?"
"...Fair point. But why a cherry?"
Muen’s gaze drifted to Celicia’s lips, which were as red as a ripe cherry.
Celicia met his gaze with her usual cold stare.
"..."
"Alright, alright, I was just asking."
Muen shrugged in defeat.
As for the fact that cherries were perhaps the most common fruit found on cakes, or that Celicia was actually quite cute for using such a metaphor—he decided to act as if those thoughts didn't exist.
"However, if we're talking about disguises... I'm an expert."
Muen stood tall, brimming with confidence as he snapped his fingers.
Ding.
Accompanied by the sound of clashing blades and a flicker of faint electric arcs, his Alchemical Domain expanded to hug his body. In an instant, his presence vanished from Celicia’s perception.
Celicia raised an eyebrow slightly.
But he wasn't done. With a ripple of distorted light, Muen slowly faded away right before her eyes.
"This is..."
Celicia stroked her porcelain chin, looking left and right. She confirmed that Muen had completely disappeared, both visually and through her senses.
It was a powerful and practical technique. Most impressively, she noticed that the foundation of this invisibility spell was actually the most basic Illumination Spell—a spell so simple it was said a professor’s cat could master it in three days.
After a moment of thought, she nodded seriously.
"I see. So this is the method you use to sneak into the women's baths? I'll have to be more careful from now on."
"No... wait... why is it that whenever I show off a move, your mind immediately goes to peeping?!"
Muen instantly reappeared, his face contorted with the tragic indignation of a virtuous man who had been wronged.
"Am I really that kind of person?"
"Are you not? Would a normal person refine an Illumination Spell to this level?"
"That’s only because the Illumination Spell is the only thing I know... Celicia, Thea, Princess, we really need to talk. I thought your stereotypes about me had cleared up, but it seems your perception of me is stuck in a very twisted place. Do you really see me as nothing more than a lecher with nothing but women on the brain?"
"Are you not?" Celicia’s beautiful face suddenly turned cold. "Or do I need to find a witness for you? Your Senior Sister? Your maid? Or perhaps your precious Saintess?"
"I am deeply sorry. I suppose I am, in fact, about one-third lecher."
Muen admitted his guilt with mock tears.
Facing a Celicia who had seemed somewhat short-tempered lately, Muen felt his apologizing skills had improved drastically in just a few days.
If he had possessed this level of skill back then, perhaps he could have made peace with the Soaring Phoenix protagonist, Ariel, when he first entered the academy, letting bygones be bygones.
No... that probably wasn't possible. Apologizing wouldn't exactly fix the fact that he had spent ten years painstakingly undermining her progress.
Still, apologizing wasn't a bad thing. At the very least, the view of those long, black-stockinged legs from this angle was quite exquisite.
After a moment of idle wandering thoughts, Muen looked up to steal a glance at Celicia.
He found that she wasn't truly angry.
Though her expression was always icy, like frozen permafrost that betrayed no joy or sorrow, one could eventually distinguish the difference between her "negative ten degrees," "negative fifty degrees," and "negative one hundred degrees" after spending enough time with her.
Right now, she was at about negative thirty—the normal level where she wouldn't suddenly knee him in the gut or kick him hard in the rear.
"Since you're ready, let's go down."
Celicia gave her parasol a light twirl. Instantly, her presence vanished from Muen’s senses as well.
Before Muen could say a word, she leaped directly into the vertical pipe.
She really is a woman of action, Muen thought with a wry smile before jumping in after her.
Specks of light followed Celicia like sprites, illuminating the passage. She held her parasol elegantly with both hands. The parasol, made of some unknown material, didn't deform at all during the descent.
As a result, Celicia wasn't so much falling as she was drifting downward.
Muen, who couldn't use magic, naturally had no way to make himself float. He had to plunge his short blades into the pipe walls to slow his descent while using his Alchemical Domain to mask the sound.
Soon, the two landed.
Nothing unusual happened.
Shadows flickered.
After temporarily deactivating their disguises, the two looked ahead.
On one side of the passage, massive fan blades were hidden behind a metal mesh, spinning lazily.
In the glow of the Illumination Spell, faint dust could be seen dancing in the air.
It appeared to be some sort of ventilation device. The breeze they had felt earlier likely originated from here.
The two exchanged a look, both seeing a hint of gravity in the other's eyes.
Since this device was still running, it meant they were in the right place.
This black market site, which was supposed to have been abandoned long ago... was, in fact, still active.
Celicia gave Muen a look.
Muen shrugged and obediently walked up to the massive fan blades.
A blade flashed.
The metal grate in front of the fan was silently sliced open. Muen held it with both hands and slowly set it aside.
He glanced at the rotating blades. Though they looked lazy and weren't spinning fast, they were incredibly sharp—likely designed to prevent sewer rats from getting stuck.
Of course, this was no obstacle for the current Muen. With a slight flicker of his silhouette, he appeared on the other side of the blades.
The entire process was seamless. If an ordinary person had been there, they would have applauded such a brilliant magic trick.
Once through, Muen turned back and gallantly extended his hand, like a polite gentleman offering assistance to a lady.
"Need a hand?"
Celicia looked up, giving Muen her usual cold, expressionless glance.
Then, she gave her slender hand a light wave.
With a crack, the rotating blades were instantly frozen solid. Still holding her little parasol, Celicia didn't even lower her head; she simply tilted her body slightly and stepped elegantly through the gap between the blades.
Once through, she turned back and stared quietly at Muen.
Muen: "..."
Dating Rule Number Fifty-Seven: Never try to look cool in front of someone who is cooler than you, or you'll only humiliate yourself.
Damn, she’s cool.
...
They continued forward.
As they delved deeper, sounds from further away began to reach their ears.
"Is that... the sound of machinery?" Muen listened intently for a moment, frowning.
"It seems so."
"A pity it's being masked by the sound of flowing water. I can't hear it clearly."
"It's just a bit further ahead."
Muen extinguished the spark of his Illumination Spell.
In this dark space, a sudden, brilliant light from afar had rendered the area not far ahead of them as bright as day.
Muen habitually hid behind cover, squinting as he looked out.
"Searchlight magic?"
On a high platform in the distant shadows, a piercingly bright spotlight swept back and forth without any discernible pattern. Anywhere the light touched, even the most skilled rat wouldn't be able to hide.
Searchlight magic was technically a form of the Illumination Spell, but in Muen’s eyes, it was a crude application of the art, and he looked upon it with utter disdain.
Even so, Muen could tell the security here was extremely tight. The searchlights were only the visible layer; there was no telling how many hidden alarms were lurking in the dark.
"What now?"
"Infiltration and peeping—isn't that your specialty?"
"..."
Muen, having lost the energy to explain to Celicia that his specialty was infiltration, not peeping, sighed helplessly. His form distorted once more as he melted into the air.
However, just as he was about to confidently cross the area ahead, his expression suddenly changed. He took several quick steps back, and his figure reappeared.
"What's wrong?" Celicia’s brow twitched.
Muen didn't answer immediately. He frowned in thought for a moment, then suddenly reached out his hand.
Under the distortion of light, his hand slowly blended into the surroundings. But as Muen pushed his hand further forward...
The patch of light and shadow that had merged with the environment suddenly flickered and distorted. Although his hand didn't fully reappear, the flickering state looked exactly like... a cluster of mosaics.
At the thought of becoming a walking cluster of pixels if he went any further, Muen’s expression grew increasingly grim.
"I see. Interference Magic."
Just by watching Muen’s movements, Celicia identified the obstacle blocking their path.
"A clever move. While Interference Magic can't truly affect the casting of all spells, it is exceptionally effective against concealment magic, which requires delicate mana manipulation."