Chapter 559: Good Evening, Sir
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 559: Good Evening, Sir
"A Magic Positioning Device... How? How could it be... Lawenny... How could you..."
After listening to Muen’s explanation, Albert stood frozen in place, his face turning even paler than when he had been facing a dead end moments ago.
The Magic Positioning Device was exactly what its name suggested. it didn't have any particularly flashy functions; it simply emitted a specific mana signature that could only be detected through a certain method, allowing the person who placed it to track the target’s precise location at any time.
"Now, Your Highness, you should understand. We haven't falsely accused anyone. To have the opportunity to hide this inside your collar... I don't think we could find a second person besides her, could we?"
Albert’s body trembled. He seemed to recall something, his lips quivering, but he could no longer find the words to argue.
He wasn't a fool. With such clear evidence laid out before him, what else was there to say?
"So... was it during that hug?"
Eken murmured, then lowered his head before Muen in shame.
"I am deeply sorry, Lord Bruce. Even though you gave me strict instructions, I still allowed such a blunder to happen. If I had discovered it sooner, then..."
"It has nothing to do with you. No one could have expected Lawenny to use such a method."
Muen waved his hand and said, "However, it truly is a stroke of luck. If I hadn't arrived in time, and if I hadn't discovered this thing, it really would have been game over for us."
"What should we do next?" Eken’s tone was grave. "Since the enemy knows our location, what awaits us next will surely be a frantic encirclement. With our current manpower..."
He glanced around. There weren't many people left who could fight. He was injured, and Lord Bruce was clearly exhausted. A team like this wouldn't get far against the tidal wave of Prince Andrew’s forces.
"A way... let me think..."
Muen rested his chin in his hand, sinking into deep thought.
Time ticked away second by second. Everyone knew this place wasn't safe. Muen accelerated his thinking as much as possible, even activating his Alchemy Core to buy himself more mental processing time.
Soon, his gaze fell upon the Magic Positioning Device in his hand.
"I have it."
A sharp glint flashed in Muen’s eyes. "We can use this."
"Use this..." Eken also thought of something, his expression shifting. "Does My Lord mean..."
"Up until now, we’ve been operating right under their noses. This might actually make them trust these coordinates too much. Therefore, this time, I will act as the bait."
"No!" Eken immediately protested. "That’s too dangerous."
"It’s the only way. Now that both sides have revealed most of their cards, the outcome will be decided by the players' maneuvers."
Muen toyed with the coordinate device in his hand, his eyes narrowing slightly as he whispered, "The opponent is in the superior position. They are too confident in the cards they hold, which means they might overlook this. That is our chance for victory."
*
Once the plan was set, everything proceeded in an orderly fashion.
Before the second wave of enemies could close in, Eken used alchemy bombs to obscure their vision. Then, under the cover of night, he led Albert away through a hidden path Muen had prepared.
At the end of that path, Marquis Angus, whom Muen had contacted in advance, would be waiting to receive them. It could be said that from the moment they successfully slipped away, more than half the hope for victory was already in sight.
Muen, meanwhile, stayed behind with the others, taking the original intended route while carrying the coordinates to act as the bait.
"To prevent any keen-scented beast-transformed ones from getting in the way, just to be safe..."
With no outsiders present, Muen casually drew Elizabeth and made a cut across his palm.
Blood flowed.
A faint scent of iron drifted into the night air with the breeze.
Muen closed his tired eyes, quieting the restless spiritual power in his mind while he waited in silence.
Soon, low animalistic growls echoed through the stillness.
Just as Muen had predicted, his blood—which was mixed with all sorts of strange substances—was incredibly attractive to these bloodthirsty beast-transformed ones.
Further away, moving shadows were closing in. They didn't doubt the location provided by the coordinates for a second, and were preparing to deliver a cruel judgment upon the poor First Prince.
*
"This is..."
"My father’s body."
Sharp’s face still bore a trace of anger from being offended, and behind him stood a heavy, ornate coffin.
Celicia walked over. Through the crystal lid, she could see a withered old man lying in eternal sleep amidst a bed of flowers.
Memories shifted, and the face of Marquis Dion surfaced in Celicia’s mind. After a careful comparison, she confirmed that the man lying in the coffin was indeed the Marquis Dion she had come to visit.
So... he really was dead.
Had she been overthinking things before?
"My apologies."
Celicia remained expressionless, reaching out to touch the coffin, her words carrying a note of regret.
Even as a Princess, offending the deceased—especially a high-ranking Marquis—was something that required atonement.
"Does Your Highness still suspect that my father faked his death?" Sharp sneered.
"With the facts before me, I wouldn't dare."
Celicia bowed respectfully toward Marquis Dion’s body.
"I have caused much offense this time. Please, forgive me."
After paying her respects before the coffin, Celicia prepared to take her leave.
"I will have an apology gift sent to the manor later. For now, please excuse me."
"Won't Your Highness stay a little longer?" Sharp said in a muffled voice.
"I see you enjoy coffee. My father loved coffee during his life and collected many high-quality beans. Won't you stay to have a taste?"
"Time is pressing, and I have other matters to attend to. Thank you for the offer."
Celicia ignored Sharp’s passive-aggressive tone and walked out without hesitation.
Since she had gained nothing here, she would have to move on to the next house...
"President, President..."
As she was thinking, Wei'er, who had disappeared to who-knows-where, suddenly leaned in close to Celicia and handed her a letter.
"That guy sent this over."
"Oh?" Celicia raised an eyebrow.
That guy?
At a time like this, he should be having a "pleasant" time with her brother Andrew in the Lower District. He actually had time to send her something?
Driven by curiosity, Celicia opened the letter and scanned it quickly. Her expression immediately turned grave.
The letter contained nothing complex—not even a greeting. It simply asked her to help investigate a person... or rather, a monster.
Attached was a photograph. It was very blurry; one could imagine the shaky and dim conditions under which the image-recording magic device had captured it.
However, she could still vaguely see that the so-called monster was a young girl, her body stitched together with massive magical beast limbs. It was a horrifying sight.
"I see. So this is the only experimental subject taken from the research institute? A little girl who, thanks to powerful beast blood, can be grafted with magical beast limbs without side effects... Grafting... stitching... research institute... beast blood... fusion..."
Celicia’s habitually tapping finger suddenly stopped. As if she had realized something, she abruptly turned her head to look at Sharp, who had come to see her off out of courtesy.
"Master Sharp, there is one more question I would like to ask."
Celicia’s expression was exceptionally stern, leaving Sharp no room to refuse.
"Regarding your past..."
*
"For now, I suppose that’s the end of it."
In the increasingly dark streets, Muen was covered in blood. His body swayed, and he had to lean against a wall to stabilize himself.
"This time, I’ve really spent everything. Not a single drop left."
Looking at the scattered limbs and corpses around him, Muen couldn't help but give a bitter smile.
He had just finished fighting for his life against that little girl, only to have to deal with these beast-transformed ones and the assassins sent for Albert. Even though he considered himself quite durable, he had reached the point where his mana, fighting spirit, and items were all exhausted.
It had been a long time since he felt this weak.
Muen crushed the coordinate device in his hand and staggered away before the next wave of enemies could arrive.
As he walked, Muen replayed the night’s events in his mind.
This wasn't just a duel of individual strength; it was a collision between two major factions.
Aside from the confrontations on the surface, there were countless bloody battles happening in the darkest corners of this district. Both sides had exhausted their means.
But overall, Prince Andrew still held the upper hand.
It was unavoidable. Even with the support of the entire Duke’s estate, the opponent was a Prince. The power he could mobilize was bound to exceed Muen’s.
"Still... I’ve done my best."
Muen finally pushed these thoughts to the back of his mind. He looked up at the deep, dark sky and laughed at himself.
"Is the rest up to fate? Goddess, for Liya’s sake, please watch over me."
"But... heh. To be pushed to the point of relying on fate, I really am in a pathetic state. If I calculate carefully, the chances of success are still quite high. There’s only one block left; even if he has to crawl, Albert should have made it by now."
"Speaking of which, that First Prince was still thinking about Lawenny until the very end. Should I call him devoted or just stupid?"
"Hmm?"
Muen, who was talking to himself to soothe the mental strain in his mind, suddenly paused and looked ahead.
"Heh, speak of the devil."
Surrounded by several fallen beast-transformed ones, a mangled corpse lay quietly on the ground.
The oversized black robe had been torn to shreds, so Muen recognized her at a glance... it was Lawenny.
Muen walked closer and saw that she was in a worse state than he had imagined. Half her body was covered in bite marks, and her internal organs were spilling out from a gash. There was absolutely no chance of saving her.
"To end up like this... was she discarded after being used? Should I say she got what she deserved? She had a Prince who cared for her so much, yet she chose to betray him."
Muen sighed and picked up a larger piece of black cloth nearby, intending to drape it over Lawenny.
"..."
"Wait? She’s not completely dead yet?"
As he leaned down, Muen saw Lawenny’s lips twitch slightly. She seemed to want to say something, so he leaned his head closer...
*
"Your Highness, we’re almost there."
In the hidden alleyway, Eken supported Albert as they hurried along.
After a period of stealthy movement, they were advancing rapidly along this path Muen had meticulously chosen. They hadn't encountered any danger or obstacles along the way.
And now, even with Albert’s ordinary senses, he could clearly see the end of the path—the wide avenue, and beyond it... those ornate carriages parked there.
That was the venue for Marquis Angus’s charity gala. It was their destination, the shore of victory.
Marquis Angus was surely waiting there anxiously for them. Once they met, even the reckless Andrew would be forced to give up and admit defeat.
Thinking of this, Albert’s eyes, which had been dim after a series of blows, finally brightened.
Finally...
"Finally, finally, finally..."
"After losing so many things, after sacrificing so many people, after enduring a whole night of desperate flight..."
"I am finally going to win this game. I am finally going to be the victor and trample that foolish younger brother under my feet... I imagine that’s exactly what you’re thinking right now."
Suddenly, a blinding light flared up.
The road ahead was cut off by a massive shadow.
Albert turned his head blankly. At the end of the piercing light source, he saw an ornate chair.
And sitting on that chair was a familiar, mocking face.
The Second Prince, Andrew.
"You..."
"How could I be here?"
Andrew cut Albert off and laughed loudly.
"I knew you were going to ask that... what an utterly stupid question. By now, my dear brother, do you still not understand?"
Andrew slowly clenched his fist and grinned savagely.
"From beginning to end, no matter how much you struggled, you were always in the palm of my hand. Do you understand, Brother? You never had any chance of escape. It was like this from the very start."
"From the very start..."
Albert looked as if he had been struck by lightning, his expression turning hideous. "Impossible. Even if you have the support of the Inner Council, your power couldn't possibly be this great. Why... why..."
"But I am right here in front of you, aren't I?"
Andrew stepped down from the ornate chair with his hands behind his back, walking toward Albert step by step, savoring his brother’s defeated expression with great interest.
"Your Highness, I’ll hold them off! You run!"
Eken suddenly roared and charged at Andrew.
Puchi.
Sharp beast claws pierced through his chest.
His face turned pale and stiff. He turned his head with difficulty and found that the terrifying, hideous beast claw belonged to... a little girl.
"Well done."
Andrew looked on with admiration. "As expected of a weapon created by the Inner Council. I owe you much for tonight."
The little girl gave no reaction. She simply flicked her claw, and Eken’s lifeless body was tossed into a corner like a broken sandbag.
"Congratulations, Your Highness."
A robin landed on the little girl’s head, extending its wings to clap enthusiastically.
"From now on, no one will ever stand in your way again."
"Haha, yes. No one will ever be an obstacle again."
Andrew spread his arms, letting the night wind—thick with the scent of blood—wash over him, intoxicated by the taste of victory.
Something that should have belonged to him had been contested by a sudden interloper. That anger was finally being fully vented tonight.
After tonight, he would ascend to the peak of the Empire’s power without hindrance. He would take... that throne.
"I still don't understand... how did you know my location?" Albert gritted his teeth in frustration. "If you truly had this much power, you wouldn't have needed to fear me at all."
"Oh, it seems you really want to be a ghost who knows the truth."
Andrew’s smile grew even more exaggerated. The more frustrated and grief-stricken Albert became, the happier he felt.
"Then I’ll tell you, dear brother. By your side, from beginning to end, there has been one of my people. As for who that person is... well, I haven't actually asked yet."
Andrew clapped his hands.
"Robin, come. Tell my brother who that person is. It just so happens I want to meet my great hero as well. For tonight’s work, I will surely reward them handsomely!"
"Yes."
The robin acted like a performer in the center of a stage, saying word by word:
"Our internal agent is actually..."
*
"I didn't... betray His Highness."
"What did you say?"
Muen’s pupils shrank. He grabbed Lawenny’s blood-stained shoulders and shook her.
"Say that again!"
"I... know... you all... suspected me... cough... but..."
Lawenny, her face deathly pale, coughed up blood along with her last sparks of life.
"I... absolutely did not... betray His Highness... never..."
"You didn't betray him..."
Muen whispered, his face a mask of uncertainty.
"If you didn't betray him, then the traitor is..."
*
"Yes, the traitor is..."
"Me."
Puchi.
A sharp object pierced through flesh.
Andrew’s smile froze. He looked down blankly at the hideous bone claw protruding from his chest. Sanguine blood surged from his throat as he murmured in disbelief:
"Wh... what?"
Why?
Why would the Inner Council’s weapon suddenly attack me?
And what did his words mean?
"I said, the internal agent, the traitor, the person who provided you with location information from start to finish... was me."
Albert smiled.
It wasn't the peaceful smile he showed at banquets.
It wasn't the gentle smile he showed Lawenny.
And it wasn't the handsome smile he showed Muen.
It was a deep, hidden, complex, and meaningful smile—one that was even a bit terrifying.
Like... a grinning old fox.
*
"Let me ask you, Sharp. I remember you were once the First Prince’s tutor, weren't you?"
Sharp blinked, startled. "What if I was?"
"What did you teach Brother Albert?"
"Why are you asking this?"
"Stop wasting time and answer me."
"You..." Sharp was annoyed by Celicia’s rudeness again, but given her status, he could only answer truthfully. "Just the standard royal curriculum. I imagine it wasn't much different from what you learned."
"And how did Brother Albert do?"
"How should I know? You understand his situation. I can only say I taught what I was supposed to teach."
"Is that so..."
Celicia rubbed her chin, falling into a long silence.
"Then, one last question. Did you ever teach my brother how to brew coffee?"
"Brew coffee?" Sharp looked at her strangely. "Are you making fun of me, Your Highness? Who would randomly teach a Prince of the Empire how to brew coffee? Besides, does a Prince need to brew his own coffee?"
"He didn't... I see."
Celicia closed her eyes. Every word Muen had told her after that banquet surfaced in her mind, not a single syllable missing.
After a careful review, she took a deep breath. "Very well. I understand."
With that, Celicia didn't linger. She turned and left.
"Eh? What’s wrong?"
Wei'er, still confused, trotted to keep up with Celicia’s pace. "What happened, President?"
"Do you think a person, no matter how much of a genius they are, can suddenly awaken a skill they’ve never learned?" Celicia asked suddenly.
"Well... I don't think so," Wei'er said, tapping her lip. "No matter how much of a genius someone is, they can't know everything from birth."
"That’s the problem."
Celicia’s expression was more serious than ever before.
"We have to hurry. I hope it’s not too late. My brother, First Prince Albert... there’s something wrong with him!"
*
"This is the new research data sent by Mr. Robin, Mr. Yalur."
the new assistant, swaying her hips, handed a stack of documents to Yalur’s desk.
Yalur, who had been drowsy, sat up instantly upon hearing the words "new data." He casually slapped the assistant’s firm backside before grabbing the documents to flip through them.
"Good, good, very good! Everything is normal. A month has passed, and everything is still normal!"
Yalur grew more excited as he read, eventually even dancing around.
"This proves my research is correct! There’s no problem! This is a viable path!"
"Is it really worth getting that excited, you old bastard?" The assistant gave Yalur a flirtatious, annoyed look.
"Hmph, you don't understand. Do you know what this is? Do you know how much effort I put into this?"
Yalur proudly waved the documents in his hand and shouted:
"Do you know what kind of tsunami this would cause in the outside world if it were exposed?"
"That impressive?"
Yalur’s words piqued the assistant’s interest. She immediately pressed against him, rubbing her curves against his arm.
"Stop keeping me in suspense. Tell me, Mr. Yalur."
"Fine, fine. Since you’re my assistant, I’ll tell you..."
Yalur looked satisfied and answered:
"Once, I was expelled from the Royal Research Institute because of this research. But I didn't give up; I continued my work in secret."
"However, back then, my research failed repeatedly. I discovered that the human body instinctively rejects things that don't belong to it."
Yalur pointed to himself and continued:
"To solve this problem, I thought of countless ways. I even considered seeking help from an Evil God. But the Evil God’s price was too high, and I wanted to live a few more years. I didn't want to sell my soul..."
"Just when I was about to give up... that little girl appeared."
"That’s right, it’s the beast blood in her body!"
Yalur suddenly jumped onto the table, shouting in excitement: "The powerful effect of beast blood can perfectly neutralize this rejection! I can even stitch different creatures together, let alone small human internal organs..."
"And from that, my ultimate research result was born—a taboo that might even push open the doors of immortality, doors that no one has ever opened..."
"That’s right. Based on soul transfer..."
"The Brain... Transplant Technique!"
*
"Good evening, Your Highness."
The robin bowed respectfully, hand over its chest. "As that fool just said, from now on, there are no more obstacles in your path."
"Yes, it truly is a wonderful night."
Albert adjusted his slightly messy collar and smiled.
"However, at a time like this, calling me 'Your Highness' seems a bit distant, doesn't it, Robin?"
"True."
The robin smiled as well and bowed once more.
"Good evening, respected Lord Speaker."