The Demonic Abyss Probes Itself
So, these idiots are claiming right now that they're not the ones who attacked Roman and are just denying everything?
"Precisely."
The chief of the security patrol, listening to our exchange with Fiona, was glaring with such intensity that he looked ready to strangle the four rookie recruits on the spot.
But what if he had fallen for their lies?
And then pursued the Grand Duchess in connection with this matter or branded her a criminal?
By now, the chief probably wasn't wearing that uniform of his anymore.
To his eyes, those four would simply look like assassins who had tried to drag him into the Abyss.
"Your Highness the Grand Duchess. Please trust me. I will take full responsibility for this incident. I will conduct a thorough investigation, uncover every last criminal, and ensure they receive punishments fitting their crimes."
"Can I really believe you?"
"Yes! Chief of the 17th Security Patrol, Burdon! I'm staking my life on this matter!"
That was Fiona for you.
Her performance was flawless.
While Fiona straightened out the chief's discipline, I sent a mocking smile toward the four recruits who had grown even paler than the chief himself.
It seemed like his connections with the chief had been my own hidden card.
Originally, strong connections were neutralized by even stronger ones.
That was simply how the world worked.
'I should treat this as a good experience in life.'
The demons had been complaining that they couldn't handle those guys themselves, but for me, this was far better.
I wasn't some psychopath who enjoyed killing people.
More importantly, it was clean.
Fiona quickly wrapped up the situation and left a message for the chief to keep watch before turning toward me.
"Roman, you really showed me a pathetic side."
"Not at all. They were simply making one-sided claims."
Almost slipping over the edge, though.
Thankfully, it hadn't happened in the end.
At my words, Fiona relaxed a bit and smiled brightly.
"We shouldn't do this here. Shall we move to a more appropriate place?"
"That… just a moment. Is it alright with you, Mea?"
I turned to the Mea who had been quietly observing the situation behind us.
Since she was still on training, I had to confirm the guide's opinion first.
Fiona, only now realizing Mea was there, finally introduced herself.
"Ah, sorry. I should have greeted you first. My mind is a mess. I'm Fiona McManus. I'm a reserve explorer from Res Limen, currently on training. I'm a classmate of Roman's at the training center. How about you, senior?"
"Mea. No special name. My affiliation is the Thelema School."
"Thelema School…?"
Fiona narrowed her eyes slightly, as if trying to recall.
It didn't seem to come to her easily.
Her eyes grew narrower.
Then, suddenly remembering, Fiona's eyes widened.
"I remember now. Thelema School… yes. There was such a place… No. Not that. It's just that I haven't heard it in so long…."
Fiona waved her hands hurriedly while trying to explain.
But Mea didn't seem to care in the slightest.
"It's fine. It's a poor school anyway."
"Ugh… sorry."
"Let's move to the seat first."
Even toward the Grand Duchess, Mea spoke casually.
Fiona didn't react to that at all.
She was completely unfazed even in the presence of the Grand Duchess's majesty.
She was truly an elf.
Anyway, the three of us followed Fiona's lead and headed to the reception room.
As soon as we sat down in the reception room, Fiona asked.
"Then, Roman, did you join the Thelema School?"
"That's not true. I only applied for training."
"Hmm…."
A strange reaction.
It still stung that she had refused the suggestion to try the security patrol that night.
Maybe because it was the training that had turned her into a target for the rookie recruits of the security patrol.
Mea was probably thinking the same thing.
I quickly changed the subject.
"By the way, Your Highness the Grand Duchess, I thought you were heading on an expedition."
"Originally, yes, but we decided to circle around Res Limen instead. If Roman had been there, it would have been just the expedition."
Yes.
Fiona was the Grand Duchess, the one who might become the next Grand Duke and rule the city.
Although she ranked third in the succession order, the future was unpredictable.
She probably needed to build support while touring Res Limen's districts.
But the fact that she mentioned me at all suggested my guess had been roughly correct.
"Haha…."
"Hehe. You don't have to worry too much. It's just a joke. I was a bit sorry at first, but now I think Roman's choice was correct."
"That's very kind of you."
Fiona looked at me with eyes reminiscent of a mother who had sent her son off to grow up alone, feeling both relieved and regretful.
Or rather, the gaze of a teacher sending off a disciple to blaze their own path.
Fiona… was younger than me.
"Speaking of which, Your Highness the Grand Duchess, have you heard any news about undiscovered ruins?"
"Undiscovered ruins?"
It wasn't a question of doubt, but rather how on earth did you know about that?
"That's why I sent Teresia to investigate."
"Teresia?"
The 11th classmate.
The Grand Duchess's close friend.
A promising student from the large school Blostoma.
I listed Teresia's titles in my mind.
Before being the Grand Duchess's friend, Teresia had been Blostoma's rising star.
So the training was supposed to be held back at Blostoma's own school.
"Mea, isn't it already too late?"
"Umm."
If a large school like Blostoma had stepped in, it was basically over.
We would just end up with leftovers after they took the good stuff and left only scraps.
"But there's something suspicious about it."
"Suspicious?"
I asked, pulling out the information I had heard from the four recruits.
"According to rumors, the information source is called Shadow Valen."
"You knew that too?"
"I overheard it from those guys earlier."
"Even as rookies, you knew that well. No, of course you did. Anyway, what Roman said is correct. The problem is…."
Fiona's face frowned.
It was a mix of disgust and unease.
"He actually says he didn't do it himself."
"…False information?"
"It doesn't seem to be that simple. There are circumstantial evidences that make it unlikely."
Fiona said there had been recent incidents of mana storms and monsters who built their own ecosystems crossing into each other's territories.
"Roman, could you check it too? Honestly, I found out after sending Teresia, so I feel a bit uncomfortable about it. And if something happens to Teresia… No, saying that would be rude to you. Since we're all together."
Since we're all together.
She used such a loaded expression, but I didn't mind too much.
The look Mea was giving me from the side felt even heavier than before.
"If there's anything you need, just tell Res Limen. I'll take care of whatever I can."
"Ah, yes… thank you."
"It's nothing. Between us."
Yes… between us.
True, but it was more than just classmates…!
"Then we should go too. If possible, let's check in with Teresia as well."
§
The conversation with Roman didn't last long.
Fiona had things to do, and it wasn't right to keep Roman waiting too long.
But for a moment, a brief moment, it was nice to have the time to savor the aftertaste left behind.
Fiona picked up the teacup that Roman had left behind.
Even the handle still held a faint warmth.
Slowly sweeping her fingers along the rim of the teacup, Fiona thought back on her memory of Roman from almost a week ago.
'He found a place that suits him better than Res Limen.'
If it had been Res Limen, Fiona would have arranged for him to access all the information on demonologists that Res Limen had.
Among them was information on demonologists' secret names and seals.
Thelema School probably had some too, but they wouldn't show it to a simple outsider like a trainee.
One entered with the basics, built their position through hard work and time, and only after proving their qualifications in the traditional way of a long-standing school would they receive knowledge.
But Roman had chosen Thelema School over Res Limen.
'The school of demonologists. Deep history, but currently on the brink of disappearing.'
Roman had taken the difficult path of learning even deeper knowledge instead of the easy one.
'That's just like Roman.'
Roman was a hard worker.
Fiona had liked hard workers.
She had envied that word.
Because the name couldn't stick to her.
She had worked hard.
Honestly, harder than anyone in her family.
Every day she woke up at dawn to meditate and expand her mana vessel, practicing magic until she collapsed.
But the label attached to that achievement wasn't effort.
'The Grand Duchess of the McManus family!'
'What an astonishing talent!'
'Great bloodlines endure…'
They had seen not her, but the back of her.
Her talent and her family.
Fiona's efforts had been ignored.
Swallowed whole by the shadow of the magnificent McManus name.
And so, Fiona had made a vow.
She would be different.
Not by birth, not by talent, but by effort.
She would remember the sweat and tears they had secretly spilled.
And Fiona knew.
That Roman was still working in places no one could see.
Today and tomorrow, and forever.
"…I should extend the training time a bit more."
Too early for a breakthrough.
§
Right after leaving the security patrol, we immediately headed toward the main base.
If the ruins were real, we needed to join the excavation race as quickly as possible.
If they were traps set by false information, we had to help Teresia who had fallen into them.
We skimmed over the main base like we were just grazing the surface and continued walking.
Mea's gaze toward me never left my face.
As we entered a sparsely populated area, Mea finally broke the long silence.
"Roman. What on earth is your real identity?"
"What do you mean?"
"Between us."
"Hmph."
"I heard honey dripping from the Grand Duchess's voice?"
"Honey even."
"Is it… that?"
Mea asked with a voice unlike her usual tone.
I answered immediately.
"No. Don't say something that could cause trouble."
"Yeah. Right. It isn't that. You said between us."
Without a moment's hesitation, Mea accepted it.
That was a little heart-wrenching in its own way.
"Hey."
"Yes."
I wondered what new nonsense she was about to say, and Mea suddenly dropped something absurd.
"Can I teach you my contract demon summoning method?"
§
"Teresia! From now on, believe only in this senior!"
"Yes, yes."
"Your spirit is lacking! More energy!"
Ha.
Teresia let out a small sigh that no one else could hear.
Really, she had it tough as a senior.
Her tension was too high, that pink-haired…
Before Teresia could protest, the other companions stepped in to mediate.
"It's daytime, Senior Priscilla. Please give her a break."
"That's right. Senior knows Teresia's situation."
"Ah… I see. Uhm, got it. But! Once inside, do it properly! With full spirit! Understand?"
Why did it have to be this person leading?
Teresia answered with regret that she should have just gone to Res Limen.
"Yes."
It was draining her.
Teresia hadn't even entered the ruins yet and was already feeling dizzy.
'I have to finish this quickly and go back.'
With the leader's energetic encouragement, the official Blostoma exploration team of eight members entered the ruins.
And a day later.
The only survivors of Blostoma's school were two.