The Path of the King (2)
The Princess of Blood and Shadow spoke in her usual theatrical tone. "Come now, offer your blood to This Body at once."
"Don't rush me. I'll give it to you."
Comet returned to her room and organized the information on the Blockers and Mediums into a report. She added the statistics she had gathered by using Blood Magic several times on her way back, and the document turned out quite impressive.
She printed the report and visited the Committee. The place was still bustling with frantic activity. A quick glance through the translucent wall of the chairman's office revealed him sitting with a hand pressed to his forehead, lost in thought. It was understandable. The government's future had grown impossible to predict.
Comet knocked on the door, entered after receiving permission, and offered a polite greeting.
"Comet? What brings you here?" The chairman gave her a puzzled look. "Need something?"
"If you start with that, it makes me sound like I only ever visit when I want something from you."
The chairman let out a small snort of laughter. "And I'm wrong?"
Comet scratched her cheek. "No, you're not wrong. But that's not why I'm here today. Would you take a look at this?"
"What is it?" The chairman accepted the report with a casual air and began skimming it. The moment the contents registered, however, his smile vanished and his expression hardened.
"Consider it a gift. I figured I owed you one."
The chairman scanned the report rapidly, his eyes boring into the statistical data.
"...Source?"
"An alien."
"Hmm? Is This Body the one you're referring to?"
Comet pulled out the Soul Bead housing the princess and handed it to the chairman.
"After the recent rift incident, I went around collecting souls and obtained one belonging to a sentient being that wasn't human."
The chairman accepted the Soul Bead and examined it closely. As he was not a Necromancer, he could neither hear the princess's voice nor sense her presence, yet he seemed to be pondering the report's implications.
"What is the meaning of this insolent stare?" the princess demanded in a bewildered tone.
"I thought it plausible for a being from another universe in the multiverse, but she began teaching me magic from a school I've never encountered before."
The chairman reread the report.
"She didn't stop at teaching magic. She spoke with concrete situations in mind, so I organized everything into a report and brought it along."
The chairman nodded, then retrieved the Soul Compression Machine that Comet had previously borrowed and returned.
"Wait! You wouldn't dare—"
The Soul Bead was placed at the center of the device.
"Are you selling This Body out?!"
"People don't usually call handing an invader over to the government 'selling out.'"
"You appear to have grown rather close to this alien?"
"Yes. I've grown a bit fond of her. She's cute in her own way. Since you won't be able to hear her anyway, shall I take over?"
"...If you would."
Comet gripped the handle of the Soul Compression Machine. Turning it increased the device's pressure, physically compressing the soul inside.
"Wait, wait, wait!"
The princess had already endured this once.
"Tell me everything you know and it will end without pain."
"Have you no heart at all?!"
"That's one thing. This is another."
The handle turned.
"Kyaaaak! Why are you doing this without even asking—!"
"Oh. I forgot. I don't have much experience with this kind of national-level interrogation, so please bear with me a moment."
"Kyaaaaak! You rotten bastard!"
Sparks flew from the Soul Bead as the princess resisted. Comet pondered what exactly she should ask, then glanced sideways at the chairman.
"What exactly should I be asking?"
"Ugh!"
"...It might be best to release the pressure first."
The handle returned to its original position. The princess panted heavily.
"...This Body shall not forget this humiliation!"
"That's fortunate. It means the sight of the compressor alone revives your memories. You won't have to suffer the same way twice."
"This damned, insane—!"
The chairman cleared his throat, cutting the exchange short. He then addressed the Soul Bead directly.
"First, I would like to request a self-introduction."
"Huu. What vulgar commoners lacking in basic etiquette. This Body is the Princess of Blood and Shadow! You will worship and revere me!"
"She says she's the Princess of Blood and Shadow."
"May I ask for your specific name?"
"None of your concern! You insignificant commoner!"
"She says it's none of your concern."
The chairman tapped his desk in thought, then gestured to Comet. She grasped the handle of the Soul Compression Machine and turned it.
"Wait, wait! Grrk!"
Time passed. The princess screamed and writhed in agony, yet whenever a direct question was posed she rejected every single one. By the time the clock's hour hand had moved once, the chairman let out a hollow laugh. The handle returned to its starting position.
"You inferior species of humanity! Do you not realize that torture is an inferior method that decreases the accuracy of information and eliminates any possibility of persuasion?!"
"So this device allows a soul to endure such treatment? It doesn't appear to be malfunctioning... Well, then."
The chairman inspected the Soul Compression Machine.
"She's simply a princess with absurdly strong mental fortitude. From a Necromancer's perspective, a soul capable of withstanding this level of pressure can continue to resist indefinitely."
"Hmph!"
The princess snorted, her voice considerably steadier now.
The chairman nodded and put the Soul Compression Machine away once more. He returned the princess's Soul Bead to Comet.
"A pity we gained so little additional information. Take good care of this alien. Inform me if anything noteworthy arises."
"I will."
The chairman skimmed the report again and gave a small chuckle.
"Comet!"
"Yes?"
She was suddenly pulled into a fierce embrace.
"I knew you'd accomplish something substantial!"
"You think so?"
Comet hugged him back without hesitation.
"Exactly! My judgment was correct after all!"
The chairman subtly praised himself while continuing to spin in place with Comet still in his arms.
"Those who kept criticizing you will finally have to shut their mouths. Hahaha!"
It seemed there had been clashes of opinion among high-ranking government officials regarding the special treatment afforded to Comet. The chairman was in such high spirits that he ignored her subtle attempts to be put down and kept spinning.
It was difficult to imagine the emotions of someone responsible for protecting a collapsing government upon finally discovering a breakthrough, so Comet simply remained still and let him have his moment.
Once the chairman had calmed somewhat, he set her down and gathered the report.
"I'll need to consult with the military, but we won't be able to launch an operation to destroy the Mediums and Blockers immediately. We'll require time to reorganize our existing plans."
"I understand."
Comet stayed quiet, sensing what the chairman would say next. He looked at her with a meaningful smile, pulled her into another hug, and patted her back.
"You did exceptionally well! I'll be quite busy from now on, so I'll leave things here."
The chairman grasped the doorknob, then paused and turned back.
"Ah, that's right. Since you're already here, why don't you stop by and see Officer Dan? I believe she had something to discuss with you."
With that, the chairman hurried away.
Comet blinked, then scratched her cheek. She had expected to be asked to participate in the operation, but apparently not. She gave the now-empty chairman's office one last unnecessary sweep with her eyes before leaving.
Following the chairman's suggestion, she found Dan Gayeon at her desk, looking extremely busy with paperwork.
Comet hesitated briefly, then tapped Dan Gayeon's shoulder with a finger.
"Are you busy?"
"Hm? Ah, Comet-nim. I mean, Comet. What is it?"
"I heard you had something to tell me."
"Huh?" Dan Gayeon blinked in confusion. "I don't have anything like that...?"
"Really?"
"Who told you that?"
In the middle of her heavy workload, the apparent prank or mistake seemed to irritate her; one of Dan Gayeon's eyebrows twitched downward.
"The chairman."
The eyebrow returned smoothly to its normal position. "Th-the chairman? One moment. Did I miss something? There shouldn't be anything..."
Dan Gayeon rummaged through documents absentmindedly as she thought, then set down the paper she had just picked up and froze.
"Wait. Could it be about that matter?"
Dan Gayeon glanced at Comet. She seemed to have guessed what the chairman had meant but was hesitating over whether she should speak of it.
"If it's nothing, I'll just ask the chairman later."
"No, no. I think I just remembered."
Dan Gayeon spoke quickly.
"So... um..."
She hesitated awkwardly before continuing slowly.
"You remember how we tracked a Necromancer because of that convenience store murder case last time, right?"
"I do. Your handling of the situation back then was rather cute, Officer Dan."
Comet smiled sweetly. Dan Gayeon looked stunned.
"Th-that's not important! Anyway, with police cooperation we waited at the rear entrance of the looters' base. We ran into one of their Rankers and let him go, but he broke through the police encirclement and escaped. After the rift incident, however, that Ranker was captured."
Comet carefully searched her memory. Now that she thought about it, there had been a Ranker who introduced himself as the guild master of one of the many guilds that had come to kill her during the empire's extermination order. He must have been the boss of those fleeing looters.
"How did he end up getting caught?"
"The suspect we were pursuing—that is, the Necromancer—was the reason."
Dan Gayeon faltered slightly on the word "suspect." It clearly felt awkward to use the term in front of the actual perpetrator.
"The Necromancer had been the Ranker's subordinate, but during the rift incident he betrayed them and massacred the entire looter faction he belonged to. The Ranker was injured in the process, lost consciousness, and was arrested by the police who arrived to clean up the scene."
"Oh..."
It was a very Necromancer thing to do. With an abundance of souls from the rift incident, it made perfect sense that he would seize the chance to eliminate troublesome surroundings and claim his freedom.
"That's quite interesting. And then?"
"...That's all."
Comet blinked.
"It was interesting, at least."
"Right? But I doubt this is what the chairman had in mind."
"Shall we go meet that captured Ranker anyway?"
"You want to? I'll take you. Just give me a moment to organize these."
"Are you sure it's all right to guide me when you're this busy?"
"It's not all right. But I can't exactly ignore the chairman's intentions..."
Dan Gayeon muttered under her breath, criticizing the chairman. Comet pretended not to hear and busied herself with something else.
Following Dan Gayeon's guidance, they reached a location where she could speak with the restrained Ranker. The muscular man, bound in specialized restraints, looked across at Comet.
"We meet again, Comet."
His demeanor was remarkably calm. The government's treatment must not have been particularly harsh.
"It seems we do."
"What is this about?"
"Good question."
Comet scratched her cheek. The conversation stalled. She had visited without any particular purpose, and the Ranker had suddenly received an unexpected guest, so the awkward silence was inevitable.
The Ranker was the first to break it.
"Did you hear how I was captured?"
"Yes. It was a very Necromancer-like result."
The Ranker's face twisted. The sound of grinding teeth filled the air.
"Yes. That bastard betrayed us."
"Necromancers aren't meant to be kept as subordinates in the first place. Even the chairman avoids including them in the Committee. You were rather brave."
The Ranker ground his teeth harder and flexed his muscles. The restraints twisted and strained. They must have received alchemical treatment, because they held firm. Comet quietly observed the restraints.
"Did you come here to mock me?"
"No. Not at all. I simply stopped by. Do you have anything you'd like to say?"
The Ranker swallowed his rage, hesitated, then spoke.
"Do you have any intention of killing the Necromancer who used to be my subordinate?"
Comet twirled a strand of her side hair.
"I do. What Necromancer would dislike that?"
Studying necromancy came with a useful maxim: the fastest path to high achievement was through killing. To elaborate, it referred to killing fellow Necromancers. Many misinterpreted the saying, but in principle it was correct. It was obvious. Killing them allowed one to effortlessly claim the achievements another had built.
"Good."
The Ranker leaned forward and spoke in a low voice.
"I know that bastard's hideout. It's a place the government still doesn't know about."
Comet wondered whether the chairman had anticipated this, but regardless, it seemed a new task had presented itself.
"That's tempting. Would you happen to know which school the Necromancer specialized in?"
If it was a close-combat build, she would still obtain the soul, but it would leave her somewhat disappointed.
"I'm not certain, but he commanded powerful souls in his attacks. The souls were visible to the naked eye."
So he had created an astral chimera, or something similar. The exact details might differ, but one thing was clear. It was an elite few build.
"Excellent. I'll avenge you. Tell me the location."
Comet's mood improved considerably, and she began to hum.