On the road out of the vineyard, Julie helped the imperial knights and agents sprawled here and there back to their feet. The knights, including Isaac and Gawain, assisted her.
“……Julie.”
Then Isaac called her name. Julie looked back at her former superior and nodded.
“Yes.”
“Have you…… been well, all this time?”
It was a question unlike Isaac, who had always been stiff, firm, and unshakable.
Julie looked rather surprised.
“There are no cracks in a knight’s life. Why do you ask?”
“…….”
Isaac gave a bitter smile.
Right now, he was steeped in no small amount of remorse. No, not only him—all the knights must have been the same.
In this vineyard, they had seen their past and met their memories.
It was the recollection brought about by Rohakan’s world line.
“……I should have protected you back then.”
The Imperial Knights. Julie, who had joined with grand ambitions in her heart, and Isaac, her immediate superior.
But Isaac had been a lesser noble in need of political support, and so he had failed to stop Deculein’s interference. He had failed to push away the man who obsessed over Julie and intimidated the other knights.
In the end, he had allowed Julie to leave the Imperial Knights of her own accord.
He had lived while rationalizing it to himself, saying there had been nothing he could do then, but the memories rewound in this place tormented him.
“No.”
Julie shook her head. Keeping a proper distance, she looked at Deculein’s back as he walked ahead.
“The Professor no longer obsesses over me.”
“……I heard about the annulment.”
Julie walked without a word. Then, when she suddenly shifted her gaze to the right and looked into the darkness between the trees—
—She was an unnecessary child.
The winter castle, Freyden.
The voice a child, unable to sleep and carrying her blanket into the hallway, had heard outside her father’s door.
—To me……
Words recited like a drenched lament. The child tightly clutched the blanket wrapped around her.
—……there is no one more important than you.
Snap—!
The clear sound of fingers snapping rang out. Julie flinched and looked that way.
Deculein.
He was looking at her.
“Do not wallow in sentiment.”
At those words, Julie came back to herself. The illusion vanished, and so did the emotion gnawing at her heart.
“Focus on this moment.”
Mental strength pushed to its extreme spread outward. Through his words, his voice, or perhaps his very existence. It was not confined to the self, but influenced the world.
The knights felt that wondrous phenomenon.
The dark, damp path through the vineyard had suddenly become clear the moment he spoke.
“For there is no act more ugly and pathetic than wandering through one’s own memories.”
Deculein moved forward again. The knights followed him slowly.
But in Julie’s ears, words from another memory, from some day long ago, surfaced.
—Take this, Julie.
Before beginning the escort mission to Marik.
The bracelet her father had given her.
—Keep it with you like a talisman.
The happiest moment in a life that could be called long, or short. The first gift her father had ever given her.
Though it had now been lost and disappeared at Marik, a faint smile rose to Julie’s lips.
Because Father, at least at that time, had done it for me……
* * *
I arrived in the capital. However, I did not take a conspicuous route. I sent the knights through the main gate first, and while attention was gathered on them, I returned to the Yukline mansion.
“You did a fine job, us.”
Together with Primienne.
But that remark grated on me a little.
“What did you do?”
“I was blocking entry from the outside.”
“…….”
What a shameless bastard. I held the wooden box in my arms and looked at my wristwatch.
“They say the Imperial Palace is summoning you, Professor.”
“I know.”
“Will it be all right if you do not go immediately?”
“There is something I need to find.”
I went straight up to my office.
Right now, memories that had not been in my head were vivid.
The traces of the original Deculein. Among them, inside the magic safe in the office.
“…….”
Among all sorts of jewels and ornaments lay a bracelet that had been completely ruined and corroded. Looking at it with 「Vision」, I saw that the function of 「Location Tracking」 still faintly remained.
“……Freyden.”
The Marik incident, where Julie had suffered grave injuries.
The one who attacked Deculein at that time was—the former lord of Freyden, and her father.
‘Igris von Kryle Freyden.’
Whether he had tried to kill Deculein together with Julie, or whether Julie had been caught up in it by coincidence, or whether she had had nothing to do with it at all.
……However.
What was even more incomprehensible than that was this.
Why had Deculein stored this in the safe?
Knock, knock—
A servant’s knock. I placed the bracelet into the inner pocket of my coat and opened the door. With 「Psychokinesis」, of course.
“Master. This is the confidential letter from the Round Table that arrived previously.”
It was the secretary, Ren. He walked over and held out a magically sealed letter, while Primienne quietly watched him.
“Then, I will take my leave.”
When Ren left, Primienne’s attention shifted to the official document.
“Is it confidential? I can wait outside, if necessary.”
“…….”
I read its contents in silence.
—[ Book of the Round Table ]—
……Now that the long, long southward march has ended.
The Round Table, praying that it may aid in the stability of the continent, secretly conveys one fact to the elders of the Round Table, or to those in whom the possibility of becoming elders can be glimpsed.
It is most astonishing news, but as preparations are still insufficient, a leak of information may prove troublesome. Thus, please remain silent for the time being.
Returning to the point, Betan of Beorad has learned and trained ‘Blood Magic’ to a level comparable to the Eight Schools, and has at last invented a spell that can identify the demon-blooded from a single drop of blood!
We shall cooperate not only with the Empire but also the kingdoms to distinguish the lineage of demons, punish the filthy clan that has concealed its identity and deceived us until now, and prove it belongs to the Round Table……
───────
Betan’s invention of blood magic. One of the great incidents that would lead into a turning point in the main quest of this world.
“This is my first time seeing a confidential seal from the Round Table.”
To Primienne, who muttered indifferently, I let the secret slip as if it were nothing.
“They say Betan has invented blood magic.”
At that moment, Primienne’s shoulders trembled faintly.
“……Betan, you say. That would certainly qualify as confidential.”
She soon muttered calmly, but signs showed throughout her body. They were visible to 「Vision」. Of course, her face alone was no different from usual, but her blood vessels tightened tautly, and the movement of her mana was noisy.
“To be able to identify the demon-blooded with a single drop of blood…… How convenient.”
“Mm. Indeed.”
Primienne crossed her arms. I held the document out to her.
“Read it.”
“……May I? The Round Table clearly stated it was confidential—”
“Am I supposed to obey the words of the old fogeys of the Round Table?”
Primienne seemed to hesitate for a moment before accepting the letter.
“Yes.”
Leaving her behind as she read its contents, I walked out of the office.
“Ren.”
“Yes.”
I called Ren, who had been waiting.
“Purchase the highest-grade mana stones and crystals.”
“How much shall I acquire?”
“Enough to make a cave.”
The quality of Grade Three mana. In terms of the game system, it would simply show up as ding—! and be raised, but in reality, it would be very different. It would be difficult to adapt to, and difficult to handle.
To make an analogy, it would feel like suddenly growing twenty centimeters taller. I would have to change everything I had lived with and learned.
For that, an artificial and also optimal place was necessary.
“I will have it prepared. Also, the Imperial Palace says they are waiting for you, Professor.”
“I will change clothes and depart.”
“Yes.”
There was a separate suit for visiting the Imperial Palace. One more refined, and simpler.
I went up the stairs and entered my room……
“…….”
When I opened the door, I was at a loss for words for a moment.
On my bed, there was another person.
“…….”
All sorts of emotions surged, and my breath stopped for a moment. The calmness stacks of 「A Body Suited for Meditation」 that I had built up nearly burst.
“……What is that.”
Yeriel. I had no idea when she had come, but she was curled up on my bed like a shrimp, sleeping.
I placed a hand on my forehead. Sweat flowed for the first time in a while. If it had been some dark bastard, I probably would have killed him.
“…….”
I approached the bed and looked at Yeriel.
Soft breathing…… soft breathing……
Fortunately, her sleeping figure was docile. She was not drooling like Epherene, nor were her clothes dirty.
“…….”
I deliberated in silence. Should I lift her by the hair to wake her, or should I smash her forehead?
However, there was no time.
Her Majesty, Sophien, was waiting for me.
I pretended not to see her and turned around. Since it was Yeriel, surely I would not have to go so far as burning the bed. Sterilization and disinfection would be enough.
I changed into neat attire, took Rohakan’s wooden box into my arms again, and was about to head outside when I suddenly looked back at Yeriel.
Her figure, asleep like a child. My bed, holding her in its embrace.
“……Unbelievable.”
Perhaps these days she was at the age where she was starting to get insolent. Or perhaps the shock and changes in her state of mind had been great.
Well, she must have had a hard time because of her own identity, too.
“If you drool, I’ll kill you.”
Leaving those words behind, I went outside.
* * *
I arrived at the Imperial Palace with the wooden box. Countless people were already waiting for me there. A banquet had been prepared.
The many mages of the Imperial Palace, the many eunuchs, the many retainers. All of them spoke to me in one way or another and showed endless interest in the wooden box, but I did not want these filthy things to dishonor Rohakan.
Perhaps without realizing it, I had come to respect Rohakan a little.
At the very least, he had been a better person than all the countless vermin in this Imperial Palace put together. He had truly been a noble worthy of being called one of the elect.
“To Patriarch Deculein, who slew that damned Black Beast——”
The one muttering the toast was Romelock, a noble from the central region. I stared at him quietly, then turned away.
“I believed in you! Professor Deculein!”
After I passed him, this time Delric spoke to me.
Delric had recently become quite a significant figure in the Imperial Palace Knights.
He was also quite a useful man to exploit politically, so it would not be bad to continue supporting him like this.
“Yes. You too—continue doing well from now on.”
As I said that and offered a handshake, Delric’s face swelled large. Both his cheeks became like steamed buns, and his eyes became round like SpongeBob’s.
“Yes!”
Delric revealed his squirrel-like front teeth and shyly shook my hand, bowing at the waist. At that moment—
“Professor Deculein.”
A palace attendant approached me. It was a face I had not seen before.
When I looked at her without a word, Delric beside me added softly.
—She is a court lady Her Majesty recently took in. She seems to be a court lady who has won Her Majesty’s favor, so take note of her.
The court lady lowered her head deeply and spoke.
“Please go see Her Majesty. Today, she may permit your visit, Professor.”
A meaningful message that she might permit my visit. In other words, Sophien, who had said she was busy with heavy duties, was finally opening her door again.
I was about to answer reflexively, but then suddenly stopped and searched my memory.
I thought ahead about what Sophien would ask me.
—You will remain by Sophie’s side even if she kills you in the future.
Rohakan’s voice lingered by my ear.
The words he had spoken to me.
—It is fortunate that you are here. Let us meet again next time, my disciple.
His wish that I protect his lie for Sophien’s sake.
—I killed the Empress.
But today, Sophien would certainly ask about the truth of the matter, and if so.
It might be better not to meet her.
At least if the purpose of the meeting was definitely ‘Rohakan’, avoiding it was the right choice.
Because I could not tell her a lie.
“Professor Deculein?”
The court lady called my name. I stopped my thoughts and looked down at her again.
The court lady smiled faintly and continued speaking.
“If not today, you may not have another chance. So please hurry, to Her Majesty—”
“Take it.”
I placed Rohakan’s wooden box in the court lady’s arms. Holding it awkwardly against her chest, she blinked with a face that seemed to have no idea what was going on.
“Th-this is…… Please deliver it to Her Majesty personally, Professor. Truly, if it is not today, you may not have another chance……”
The flustered court lady’s voice trembled weakly. Even so, I shook my head.
“Today is not Wednesday.”
“Pardon?”
“The day of lessons is every Wednesday.”
I straightened my sleeves. I set my collar right. I pointed with my gaze to Rohakan’s wooden box.
“Today, I merely carried out the imperial command bestowed by Her Majesty. Therefore, there is no need for me to personally visit her.”
The court lady’s mouth fell open.
“I will be leaving now, so you deliver Rohakan to Her Majesty.”
“Ah, um. W-wait—!”
I turned away coldly.
Passing through the banquet where classical melodies flowed, the nobles waltzing with one another, the laughter of the retainers and the Imperial Palace’s dazzling jewels, I left the Imperial Palace.
To the mansion—no.
I returned to the Mage Tower, where my work awaited me.