Chapter 185: Confusion (2) |
— The necromancers of Rodents Island, the barbarians of the Raphus mountain range, and the beasts of the labyrinth—all of them are threats to the Empire. However, if I had to say who kept a sword pointed at my neck for the longest time… in the end, it would be the noble bureaucrats of the Empire.
— I wield them as if they were a sword, but at any moment they could also drive the blade into my neck, so please, Roselin, never let your guard down.
Princess Roselin gazed at the corpse of Emperor Gatrell, slumped in the chair as if asleep.
He could not be called an affectionate father, but whenever he saw Roselin’s face, he was someone who never failed to express his concern for her.
Death arrives without warning.
So does farewell.
She had believed that, after clashing and being worn down in the political struggles of the imperial palace, her feelings had been almost completely eroded, but as she stood before that body covered only in wrinkles, something in her chest trembled despite herself.
Do not be shaken.
Become a cold and distant person, analyze the current situation rationally, without losing composure.
Princess Roselin remained silent, biting her lower lip.
She did not show the reactions normally expected of a child upon the death of a parent.
She did not cry out loudly or raise her voice; she showed no exaggerated emotional reaction.
It was because she was accustomed to suppressing her feelings.
However, the expression on her face, hidden behind her fallen bangs, could not be seen.
She simply left the place, walking with firm steps, without saying a single word, and kept walking.
In her gaze flowed a frigid, murderous aura.
“This is news that will shake the entire Empire. It is not something that can be hidden, so sooner or later we will have to make it public.”
Just one floor below the room where Emperor Gatrell’s body was being prepared.
In a dark room, seated around a conference table, were three people.
The person with ultimate responsibility for the Academy Ravenclaw and who bore the final accountability for the place, Baron Dereck Lydorf Ravenclaw.
The legitimate daughter of Emperor Gatrell, heir to the throne and possessor of innate immunity to all forms of magic, Princess Roselin.
And the Empire’s chief magical adviser, a 6-star transformation mage and the true authority of the inspection entourage, Kohella.
In practice, they were the key figures of this inspection and the ones who had seen the emperor’s death most closely.
They were also the ones who now had to deal with the situation going forward.
“Father…”
Princess Roselin’s voice, after hearing the entire report, grew even colder.
Emperor Gatrell, who had always steadfastly supported her as heir to the throne, surely loved her deeply.
In the eyes of Roselin, who had lost that father, flames filled with warmth burned.
“Without a doubt, it was the work of a confusion mage.”
“…Given the circumstances, it seems so. There are divided opinions on whether a 6-star confusion mage truly exists, but at the very least, it is certain that this was done by someone of 5 stars or higher.”
“This barrier spell that covers the entire academy—was it deployed directly by Adviser Kohella?”
“Yes. As long as my mana holds, not a single rat will be able to leave this construction site.”
Completely sealing such an enormous area with more than a dozen buildings, all by herself, was without question astonishing.
However, human mana is not infinite.
No matter how much of a 6-star mage she was, she could not maintain a barrier of that scale for days on end.
“I can maintain it for about three days… beyond that, it is uncertain.”
“I see. Then within three days, we must find the bastard who killed my father inside this barrier.”
Princess Roselin exhaled softly and brought her breathing back under control.
The fire burning in her eyes grew even more intense.
This was the moment when curses, resentful lamentations, or emotion-laden words could have burst forth.
But Roselin composed herself, restrained the tremor in her voice as much as possible, and spoke.
“First, why was my father killed? If it had been the work of his political enemies, I could at least understand it, but the fact that someone with no direct connection to the Palace of Gremport assassinated the emperor means there was an instigator, or that there was another objective.”
She strove to organize the situation while maintaining reason.
Her emotions burned with resentment and anger, but her actions were not swept away by them.
It was an indispensable skill for surviving as heir to the throne in the Palace of Gremport.
Dereck, arms crossed, glanced sideways at Princess Roselin.
She was someone capable of separating emotion from reason.
He even thought that, had she been a mercenary, she would have done quite well.
It was not an appropriate impression for an imperial princess, but in the end, judging others by one’s own standards was only natural.
“…The Light of the Empire has disappeared.”
“…What?”
Why kill Emperor Gatrell?
The answer seemed to be something Kohella already knew.
The 6-star magical weapon Light of the Empire, capable of extending its visual range and the effects of its mana to any point within the imperial borders, had vanished.
It was a legendary artifact permitted solely to the emperor.
“The Light of the Empire is a magical object that belongs exclusively to His Majesty Emperor Gatrell. It is not something that can be used simply by stealing it. I, Kohella, spent days and nights tempering its mana so that only the emperor could access its power.”
“Then are you saying he killed him in order to use that staff?”
“For now, that is the most likely possibility. He could not break the mana bindings I myself forged, so he killed its owner and released the restrictions imposed on the staff.”
A 6-star magical weapon capable of projecting its effects anywhere in the Empire.
The fact that a 6-star confusion mage had stolen it was profoundly unsettling.
“He surely had some purpose. But a magical weapon of that level cannot be used easily. Even I, as an expert in transformation magic, take close to ten days to engrave mana into a 6-star weapon and bind it to an owner.”
No matter how great a master of magic one is, it is not a weapon that can be used overnight.
That was why, if they managed to identify the culprit right here, they could still recover the staff.
That was the reason Kohella had sealed the entire construction site with a barrier.
If the culprit escaped, no one knew what atrocities could be committed with that staff.
At this moment, in this place, they had to resolve the situation.
The staff of Emperor Gatrell, the Light of the Empire, was not merely a magical weapon of great power.
It was a symbol of true power at the apex of the Empire, almost equivalent to imperial authority itself.
It was not something that could be stolen in this manner.
They had to recover it at all costs.
That was the core of what Kohella wished to convey.
“Everyone will already be alarmed by the deployment of the barrier. We can no longer conceal what has happened here. We should gather all the guests in the main hall and explain how the situation is unfolding. Since Dereck is the de facto administrator of the Academy Ravenclaw, it would be best if you lead the announcement.”
“Understood. There are many influential nobles from the southwest of the continent present, so I will be careful not to increase the confusion.”
“The confusion will probably be inevitable. The question is whether we can catch the culprit.”
Princess Roselin crossed her arms and bit her lower lip once more.
Even amid the storm of emotions, she absorbed the situation briefly and concisely.
“The enemy manipulates memories with complete impunity and, being skilled in confusion magic, can likely disguise themselves freely. Even if you discover them, what happens if you forget that memory? And what if they erase even their own existence and disappear into the crowd?”
“It will not be easy, certainly. But even a 6-star mage must have weaknesses and limitations.”
Even 6-star mages grow tired.
After summoning a meteor, Kalimford would be exhausted and gasping, and Kohella likewise could not maintain a barrier of such magnitude forever.
If the culprit had freely erased the memories of hundreds, even thousands of people, they had undoubtedly consumed an enormous amount of mana.
That was why many doubted Princess Roselin’s claim that a 6-star confusion mage had altered the world itself.
To accomplish something like that would require a volume of mana that no longer belonged to the human realm.
A mage without mana can do nothing.
“And above all, if something changes or something suspicious arises—even if others do not notice it—would you not be able to perceive it, Princess Roselin?”
“That… is true.”
“Then it would be best for you to keep your mind firmly grounded.”
Dereck ran a hand over his dry face once more and gave himself a couple of light slaps on the cheeks.
The situation was chaotic, and he had to keep a cool head.
He even had to distrust his own memory and perception.
The suspects were all the mages present on this construction site.
Nearly all the great noble families were in attendance, so they had to suspect everyone.
Time was not infinite, either.
They could not even estimate the true identity of the enemy.
From the beginning, the culprit could already be in disguise, mingled among acquaintances.
Everything seemed shrouded in a thick, oppressive fog.
Within it, they had to distinguish ally from enemy.
A sensation like wandering through the deepest part of a labyrinth.
It was a familiar feeling for Dereck, though no easier to endure for that reason.
Pushing the table back, Dereck stood up and spoke.
“For now, I will gather all those who can use magic, even a little, in the main hall and inform them of the situation. It will probably get somewhat noisy.”
“Before that, there is something I must tell you.”
It was just as Dereck was standing up to begin what needed to be done.
Kohella called out to him in a low voice and formed a smile laden with meaning.
One never grew accustomed to the crafty smile of that old mage.
When Dereck turned his gaze, Kohella met his eyes and released mana from the tips of her fingers, conjuring something bright in the air.
It took the shape of a book.
It was an object that had not been visible at all until moments ago, likely concealed by transformation magic.
“…What is this?”
“It is a magical artifact called the Book of Longing. A 5-star magical artifact.”
Princess Roselin seemed to have seen that object before, as she watched it with evident unease.
A 5-star magical artifact could easily be worth more than several mansions combined.
They could only be found in white-zone labyrinths or created by master-level transformation mages who had surpassed their own limits.
Dereck looked at Kohella in silence, as if asking why she was showing him such a thing.
“I believe in the existence of a 6-star confusion mage.”
Kohella, as if she had read Dereck’s intention, continued speaking with her usual smile.
“That is why I have been preparing for a long time. Because if one day I were to confront that unknown existence, I would absolutely need a means to oppose it.”
“This book… is that means?”
“Yes. That’s right. The ability of this book is very simple. If you read its contents, understand them, and recite them…”
Kohella also pushed her chair back with a faint creak and stood up, continuing in a deeper voice.
“It grants… a wish…”
“…”
Dereck understood it instantly.
There were far too many things omitted in Kohella’s explanation.
A power as simple and direct as granting wishes, something straight out of fairy tales.
If it truly were an artifact capable of such a thing, it would not be 5-star, but of an even higher rank.
If Kohella was not lying, then that power was certainly not free.
Or else, the “wish” it granted must have very clear limitations.
“As you can already imagine, that power is not free. Immense power always comes with an equivalent price. There is also no guarantee that using this will allow us to capture a 6-star confusion mage. As you might expect, that power is not infinite either. But it will undoubtedly be a key move in capturing the subject.”
“…”
“If I were to lose my memories about this Book of Longing, could you not remember it on my behalf, Dereck?”
Those words were heavy with meaning.
Even if a 6-star confusion mage existed, it would not be easy for them to manipulate the memories of Kohella, who herself was also a 6-star mage.
Even within confusion magic, resistance varied greatly depending on the opponent.
So if Kohella were affected by that magic and began to lose her memories, the chances that Dereck would emerge unscathed would also be extremely low.
Even so, Kohella seemed to have some kind of plan, which was why she was making that request.
“Would it not be more appropriate to make that request of Princess Roselin rather than me?”
“Of course, I have already told the princess.”
“Is that so?”
When Dereck looked at Princess Roselin, she nodded silently.
It seemed she had already received a more detailed explanation about the book.
Dereck closed his eyes for a moment, ran a hand over his dry face once more, and let out a long sigh.
“Alright.”
The opponent was an existence whose very presence was difficult to perceive, capable of changing appearance at will, erasing existing memories, and creating memories that never existed.
An absurd being.
The suspects were everyone inside this academy.
“Then, let’s do it.”
With his eyes wide open and shining with determination, Dereck left the room, walking forward with firm steps.
***
“W-what does that mean?”
“Are you saying that His Majesty Emperor Gatrell… has passed away…?”
“N-no… h-how could something like that happen…?”
The main hall of the central building of the Academy Ravenclaw.
There, with everyone who possessed even a little mana gathered together, Dereck stood upright on the podium and informed them of the situation.
As expected, chaos immediately spread among those present.
Faced with news so unbelievable that it made one doubt one’s own ears, not only the nobles of great houses but even the soldiers guarding the main hall began to tremble.
It was not only guests from the Duplain, Belmierd, Beltus, and Renuel families—there was practically at least one or two members from every renowned noble house.
The main hall filled with chaotic murmurs.
The explanations that followed were, one after another, just as shocking.
Until the culprit was identified, no one would be allowed to leave.
There was the possibility that the culprit was a mage capable of manipulating human perception at will.
Most likely, a 6-star confusion mage.
When that information was conveyed, the agitation erupted once more among the attendees.
“D-does that make any sense at all? T-then… any one of us could be the culprit?!”
“M-my god… when they said to gather everyone who could handle mana… it was because they were gathering all the suspects here…!”
“A 6-star confusion mage…? Are there still people who believe in such outrageous stories?”
“Damn it! Do you expect us to share the same space with a murderer like that? That’s absurd! Let me out!”
“I thought the Academy Ravenclaw was a trustworthy and safe institution… and something like this happens…? What the hell is this?!”
Amid all kinds of uproar, Dereck remained firm on the podium.
Fewer than a hundred guests were gathered there.
He intended to memorize every single one of those faces.
The opponent was, without a doubt, a mage.
Someone capable of handling mana in one way or another.
Bang!
At that moment, someone slammed one of the banquet tables with great force.
With that loud crash, a sudden silence spread through the main hall.
When everyone turned to look, they clearly saw a young woman with loose red hair.
“Everyone, be silent. The Academy Ravenclaw is an institution that our Belmierd family officially supports and endorses, and in which we place full trust. From my position, I also cannot overlook hostility directed toward these facilities.”
Ellen raised her voice, her gaze sharp, addressing everyone present.
“Given the situation, the proper course is to follow the control of Baron Dereck, the final administrator of this academy. If His Majesty the emperor has been assassinated, it is not something that can be taken lightly. Moreover, Princess Roselin and the chief magical adviser, Lady Kohella, are also overseeing the situation, so for now the wisest course is to calm down and observe how events unfold.”
“From the position of our Beltus family, we also offer our full support. It is reasonable that control of the situation rests with those most familiar with these facilities.”
“I think the same. If you oppose Dereck’s will, I will consider it opposition to the will of our Duplain family. And the Duplain family never accepts again those who have once fallen into disgrace.”
With the added words from Denise and Diella, the influential nobles present had no choice but to moderate their voices.
Duplain, Belmierd, and Beltus.
There was not a single place in the southwest of the continent where the influence of those three families did not reach.
Although everyone was agitated, an atmosphere of trusting Dereck—at least for the moment—began to form.
‘…S-shouldn’t I also say something to show support…? Mmm… d-did I miss the moment…? Now…? Should I speak…? No…? Is it already too late…?’
Trisha, however, was still unable to contribute anything, busy reading the atmosphere on her own. In a sense, she was an incredibly consistent girl.
At the very least, Dereck had fully secured the connections with the families that held the real power in the southwest of the continent.
In this place, there were not many who could openly oppose him.
At minimum, he could prevent the situation from spiraling even further out of control.
After allowing those present to gradually calm down, space was created to listen, one by one, to each person’s circumstances.
Just as Dereck was about to raise his voice again from the podium—
“Baron Ravenclaw.”
The chief butler Delbriton suddenly approached his side and whispered new information to him.
“Another corpse… has appeared.”
Dereck frowned deeply. Far from becoming clearer, the situation was growing more and more complex.
***
Gremport Palace, senior magical adviser of the council of magical advisers directly affiliated with the imperial family, Aren.
The woman, with loose blond hair, was conspicuously hung from the main door of the Amaryllis Pavilion, the dormitory building of the Academy Ravenclaw, with both arms outstretched.
Beneath her, blood dripped endlessly.
The wound that pierced the area of her heart was identical to that of Emperor Gatrell.
“…”
Seeing the robe with the golden feather embroidery, Dereck remembered.
She was exactly the mage who had come to call him when the situation first erupted, a direct subordinate of Kohella.
Kohella had brought four magical advisers with her as assistants, and one of them was precisely this woman now hanging from the main entrance.
“Aren…!”
The other three magical advisers stared at the corpse, swallowing hard.
Judging by their reaction, it seemed they had worked together for a long time.
“Even an imperial magical adviser…?”
Kohella arrived at the scene almost at the same time as Dereck.
It seemed she had been in the middle of a more detailed investigation into the circumstances of the emperor’s assassination.
When she saw that her direct subordinate had been killed, her face tightened from the shock.
“I thought it was strange that she didn’t respond no matter how much I called her… She was a good magical adviser… How unfortunate… She worked under my command for almost seven years…”
Kohella bowed deeply, paying her respects to her fallen subordinate.
The other magical advisers lined up behind her hid their expressions beneath their robes, but all of them were clearly shaken.
It was inevitable.
At a glance, Aren appeared to be one of Kohella’s most important assistants.
“For now, the urgent matter is to remove the body and preserve it, and later hold a funeral with all due honors. Could you help us recover the body, Baron Ravenclaw?”
“Of course. However…”
Dereck was about to voice a doubt, but stopped himself.
There was no need to throw unnecessary questions at someone who had just lost a close subordinate.
“…This will only accelerate the chaos even further. I did not expect additional murders to occur.”
However, Kohella picked up the words that Dereck had swallowed.
“You’re wondering why Aren was killed, aren’t you?”
Kohella stepped a little closer to Dereck and spoke in a whisper, lowering her head in case anyone else might overhear.
“This is… a threat directed at me.”
“…”
Dereck had anticipated it as well.
The culprit seemed to be pressuring Kohella by murdering her subordinates.
Killing Kohella directly was nearly impossible.
A clash between 6-star mages usually brought about consequences so devastating that, in most cases, it ended with both sides defeated.
That was why the intent was clear kill her subordinates one by one to pressure her.
It was a direct message—if she did not immediately lift the barrier circle covering the construction area, they would kill everyone under her command.
Watching her most beloved subordinates die one after another was not something Kohella could easily accept.
Through that psychological pressure, they sought to force her to deactivate the barrier.
However, the corners of Kohella’s lips lifted even higher.
“Don’t worry, Dereck.”
It was a smile so cold that anyone unfamiliar with her would have felt a chill run down their spine.
“I will never lift the barrier.”
Dereck watched her in silence.
As always, Kohella appeared composed.
She had merely lowered her voice so the other magical advisers behind her would not hear.
“Are you sure you’ll be alright?”
“Of course I will be.”
Then, beneath her robe, that subtle smile appeared—mixed with coldness and a faint touch of madness, so characteristic of her.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to uncover a 6-star confusion mage.”
After saying that, Kohella bowed deeply once more, adopting a somber expression, and headed toward where her subordinates stood.
Her figure was that of a leader burdened with grief over having lost someone precious.
But those who had ever seen her true face knew it well.
She lived solely for magic, a true fanatic.
Here and now, capturing the confusion mage was her absolute priority.
For that objective, she was prepared to sacrifice whatever was necessary.
Tap, tap.
As Kohella walked away in silence, Dereck lifted his gaze toward the Amaryllis Pavilion, the dormitory building.
That beautiful marble structure, which after the inspection was meant to become an academic sanctuary for young ladies in the bloom of life, had been transformed into the scene of a murder, with a corpse hanging from its façade.
Suddenly, he remembered Aiselin, spending sleepless nights moving her pen just to properly raise that beautiful building.
She was so stubborn that she would sometimes even run out with a shovel or a pickaxe in hand.
The result of all that effort was being used so absurdly, as a tool for someone’s resentment.
“…”
With a cold expression and in silence, Dereck pulled up the hood of his robe and blended into the crowd.