Chapter 79 – The Reason

Although she disliked the Immortal Heart, hidden in the deepest part of the imperial family, rising to the surface or falling into someone else’s hands, she was willing to permit it if one condition was attached.

“Very well. Instead, there is one condition.”

“A condition? What kind of condition is it?”

“Kaiser must die, without fail.”

Kaiser’s death would be the thing her superior, Inquisitor Rashid, least desired.

No matter what kind of scheme the two had pulled off together, the princess thought that anything was fine as long as she could achieve the goal of killing Kaiser.

“If so, I will bestow the Immortal Heart as a token of commendation. I am also willing to help with that level of staging. Because we cannot have the Holy Order in trouble due to us.”

The condition was set that Kaiser must die.

His dying was not a big deal from her perspective, but it was obvious that he would strongly oppose it.

As Aria, who became deep in thought in many ways, spared her words, the princess showed a relaxed smile.

“No matter what, or in what situation, my long-held belief is that the essence itself does not change. No matter with what thoughts you approached me. As long as Kaiser dies, I will accommodate anything. Conveniently, you will also obtain a pretext to capture the Dharma Officer.”

The target was the treasure of the imperial family.

She had expected that they would not give it easily or that even access would be difficult, but this level was enough to tolerate to some extent.

Only, his death was the problem.

“From my perspective, there is nothing to lose. The representative of the Golden Age Party is someone unrelated to me, and if I capture the Dharma Officer on the pretext of the Immortal Heart, my status in the Holy Order will rise further. Conveniently, the relationship with the Magic Tower is also uncomfortable, so the timing is appropriate.”

“That is good. Since our thoughts align well.”

The harmonious atmosphere was temporary.

The air around Aria changed.

Her gaze sank coldly, and a sign of a solemn warning was clearly revealed.

“However, there is one thing Your Highness must know. I am the younger sister of Vane Sanctum and currently the head of the Sanctum family. Although my brother passed away due to an unfortunate event, I have inherited the influence my brother exerted on the Holy Order in its entirety.”

A formal smile followed the subsequent words.

“Even if I did not step forward, they came to find me on their own. Therefore, if you perform an act of ignoring or deceiving me, the head of the Sanctum family. You had better be prepared then.”

That is, it was a solemn warning that a future trouble would occur if she did not help with the staging of handing over the Immortal Heart.

The princess was extremely displeased with a mere Inquisitor’s warning, but she decided to tolerate it to some extent, considering the influence she exerted on her family and the Holy Order.

“You do not need to worry about that part. I promise in the name of the imperial family. That there will be no mistake in the play of handing over the Immortal Heart.”

“Then that is a relief.”

Aria showed a smile of politeness.

That the smile was not merely a smile.

The princess also was not ignorant of it.

The princess showed a similar smile as hers.

“In this period when the foundation of the Empire is shaking, the nobles must at least join forces with us.”

“I agree.”

* * *

Unlike usual.

Rashid was not leaving Kaiser’s vicinity and was continuing to stay.

Since lodging could be solved at his hideout and commuting was a matter he would handle on his own.

Not leaving Kaiser’s vicinity like this was because everything would end if he died, but.

Because there was also something implicitly to extort from him, he was more enthusiastic.

Rashid recalled the conversation he had with Kaiser previously.

“Ah, if you happen to enter the imperial palace. Hand over the Immortal Heart and the Blood Sword of the Founding to me. Because those aren’t yours.”

Kaiser frowned hard.

“I will become a pig at this rate. You indeed have the mind to take everything.”

“Instead, I am on standby next to you 24 hours a day. I think that is a reasonable wage, don’t you?”

“For a wage, it is a bit…… anyway, I understand. Both are precious, but they aren’t very necessary to me. If I temporarily take over the imperial palace, I will yield the two treasures to you.”

“Just think of it as a bonus concept. Since this side has a lot to do.”

“Having a lot to do is the same for me too, though?”

Rashid asked, recalling what he had said previously.

“And you said such a thing back then, right? Your romance story.”

“Ah…… you mean the matter of keeping Yennifer alive?”

“I am asking just in case. You wouldn’t actually do that, right?”

Here, Kaiser showed a gesture of contemplating slightly.

“With my current strength, I think I can sufficiently win over the masses. But she will probably be difficult. First, I also have something in mind. Speechcraft is not that great of a stat, but if raised to the limit, the power of authority will surely follow.”

Kaiser pulled up one corner of his mouth.

“If that happens, I will become the same as her. Of course, looking at your state, it seems to have no influence on a player.”

Although his thoughts were vaguely seen, Rashid tried to advise him in a good way.

“I do not know what you are thinking. You must not leave future trouble. Do you think she will stay quiet just because she fell to the bottom? Not me. I would absolutely not stay quiet. It will be the same for her.”

“Still, she is a woman too good to throw away. Putting aside her appearance, she will surely have utility value. Controlling blood is the unique power of the Emperor.”

“Look for romance in a game, this is reality, isn’t it? If it is reality, you must adapt to reality.”

“I will take it into consideration for now. I also have no intention of leaving future trouble. There is no reason to do such a foolish thing. Furthermore, if she is a woman who cannot even be controlled.”

Fearing it would become nagging if he spoke further.

Rashid decided not to mention it further in relation to that after these words.

“It will be your choice anyway, but do not make a mistake whose future is clearly visible.”

The recollection ended there.

Rashid lightly scanned the revolutionary army’s hideout.

The interior was a space completely disconnected from the outside, with all windows blocked.

‘This location will also be discovered soon. I don’t know when they will move, but if the Magic Tower forces have aligned, a full-fledged offensive will begin.’

There was only one way to break through this crisis.

For Kaiser to go find the military and ask for help.

Whether it was a revolution or a coup, the premise of success was the support of the military, which was globally common anyway.

“My, it seems the Inquisitor doesn’t even commute. He is attached only here all day long.”

It was Veronica of the Crimson Hair.

Rashid was not gentle.

“That is the same for you too, isn’t it? What on earth did Kaiser win you over with?”

Rashid still had an expression of not being able to understand.

“I don’t understand. Was there something about Kaiser to lure you?”

Smiling lightly, she made a proposal.

“Would you like to go outside? It’s stuffy here.”

Rashid shook his head.

“No, I cannot leave Kaiser. Didn’t you say Gehenna, of all witches, has aligned?”

In this progression, Gehenna was a witch who saw it through to the end.

The reason was one.

‘She must have fallen to the authority. I don’t know what she did upon meeting her, but. Otherwise, there would be no reason to see it through to the end while acting recklessly.’

Only Gehenna was the sole one.

While other witches had the feeling of hitting and pulling out roughly, Gehenna completely saw it through to the end.

“Although she is a bit persistent because she has no heart. Still, isn’t it fine because I am here?”

Normally, he would not leave his spot, but.

Since it was her, Rashid also had no choice but to agree.

Indeed, the one who could keep a witch in check was another witch.

Just when the hideout felt stuffy, he expressed his intention by lightly nodding his head.

She opened a portal, and the place they crossed over following that portal was a cafe of good atmosphere located in the capital.

Reaching a familiar place, Rashid showed a small bitter smile.

‘Well, it is a famous place.’

It was the Lavender Garden where he had also met Kaiser.

“You also know this place.”

“Because it is a famous place. It is also my favorite cafe in its own way.”

The two sat facing each other lightly.

Veronica chattered on.

“A witch and an Inquisitor. This is a combination really hard to see, isn’t it? Don’t you feel it? Gazes are piercing from all directions. In this state, won’t you be fired from the Inquisition Bureau starting tomorrow?”

Rashid replied casually.

“No one is looking at us. It is merely your delusion.”

She, who was trying to play a trick if his gaze turned even slightly, showed a completely cooled expression.

“Ha, you speak without even looking around. You must have eyes attached to your side or back of the head? Very mysterious.”

“I only came out because it was stuffy. I didn’t follow you because I like you. Don’t forget. This side is an Inquisitor who possesses the right to hunt you legally.”

His eyes were a carbon copy of those who used to hunt her.

Veronica’s smile became bitter like dark coffee.

“For such an Inquisitor, you are too gentle, though?”

“Because you are not particularly an enemy right now. At other times, I wouldn’t even exchange words with you.”

Although he did not say it explicitly.

Rashid had a relatively low level of hostility toward her.

His superior’s matter was regrettable, but even so, it was not his problem.

Furthermore, because a witch was unpredictable, sometimes becoming an ally and sometimes becoming an enemy, there were many such ambiguous positions.

Veronica was also one of those witches.

‘She might be of help someday.’

Of course, even so, there was no need to look favorable.

‘She will proudly stab in the back too, if the relationship is not deep.’

Witches were originally like that.

Thus, the casually behaving Rashid asked.

“Aside from that, what did Kaiser win you over with?”

Since it was not particularly a secret.

She responded with a smile.

“Because my fangirl tendency is a bit severe.”

“Fangirl tendency?”

“I have a hobby of collecting magic that others don’t use much. I don’t even deal with it unless it is a Flawless Formula, but he said he would give as many as three.”

Snap!

As she snapped her fingers, her Spell Archive ripped through the subspace and revealed itself.

It was an archive that stored the knowledge and power of mages comparable to a knight’s armory.

Those who performed such magical power like her kept magic books in reserve in the Spell Archive so that they could recall and utilize that power at any time.

Rashid felt a bit of doubt upon seeing her Spell Archive.

‘To think she would even show her Spell Archive.’

It was the same for a knight, but for a mage, a Spell Archive was no different from their own treasure house.

To think she would show such a thing without hesitation.

Only then were the surrounding people’s gazes gathered, but the two did not seem to care.

“Do you see the empty space over there? Three magic books will be plugged in a row over there, but I am a bit sensitive to smell. I was promised magic related to that. I don’t know how he knew my needs so perfectly.”

“What kind of magic is that?”

“Delayed Blooming, Emotional Germination, and Fragrance Fixation.”

They were magics he had never heard of.

What was certain was that they had nothing to do with combat.

“Did those magics…… have the value to move you?”

She smiled as if to show off.

“Because I am fanatically obsessed with flowers, scents, deodorization, anyway, anything related to smell. It will be good for you to know in advance too. It doesn’t seem like we will see each other only this time.”

Before he knew it, her toes were strangely sweeping Rashid’s leg.

Rashid, who was not shaken at all, spoke with a heavy expression.

“Do you think you can obtain it? Gehenna has aligned with that side, you know?”

Stopping the leg play, she seemed to think of it as really no big deal.

“Even if she is persistent, she is no match for me. How dare a heartless girl like her.”

Rashid shook his head in denial.

“No, you are no match. You aren’t going to rush in for dear life in this matter, are you?”

“What does that mean?”

“You also seem not to know well about that rumor.”

Well, since the princess hid her power, how could they know?

Even if they knew, a few vampires who were in the closest circle and the player who already knew that fact were all.

“A rumor?”

“The Emperor’s authority. Do you think the imperial family doesn’t have that?”

“That kid Emperor shouldn’t have authority, right? The rumor has already spread that he is an Emperor in name only.”

“What if another person has it? There is another person in the imperial family, isn’t there?”

“Ayy, there is no way. We wouldn’t be ignorant of such a fact, Inquisitor.”

“Probably. Since they have hidden that power until now, how could you know?”

“…….”

She, who was trying to fathom his intention, suddenly asked.

“What does that mean? Gehenna was done in?”

“Right. Even a witch cannot escape the power of authority. Therefore, you must prepare in advance, but if you don’t know, you must naturally be done in.”

“Is that certain?”

“Otherwise, go and check. Go find and see how Gehenna has changed.”

Her mouth opened, whether she realized it or not.

Rashid could be sure.

That woman is already calculating a way to run away.

‘I won’t be particularly disappointed that she has no loyalty. Since you are all that kind of people anyway.’

“Do you roughly get the picture now? Why you cannot possess those magic books.”

She, who was weighing this and that, suddenly made a proposal to Rashid.

Naturally, it was an idea typical of her.

“Shall we betray together? You must have something you want too. We can leave after taking what we want from each other.”

The reason was simple.

“Because I have no intention of fighting for dear life, you see.”

The subsequent self-talk was an excuse to pack herself, who had become pathetic.

“I would win if I just fought. If I don’t stake my life, that is.”

Rashid continued speaking casually with his arms crossed.

“Sorry, but this side is sincere. You might have aligned because you were enticed by mere garbage magic. But this side has a fairly firm purpose, you see.”

Come to think of it.

Extorting something was not limited to Kaiser.

This was rather an opportunity.

“That magic book. I will bring it to you instead. I mean that even if you run away in the middle, I will secure it for you.”

Her ears perked up.

“Really? I almost cried from gratitude.”

“Instead, a reliable spy is needed on the Magic Tower’s side.”

Since they were ones to whom the word betrayal was not unfamiliar.

This proposal could rather be a good deal.

“Will you play that role instead? This side must catch the Magic Tower professor, you see.”

At the word spy, her expression completely cooled down.

“Magic Tower professor? The morons carrying the professor title in the Magic Tower are not one or two.”

“Professor Kane. The highest authority in Origin Alchemy and a famous chair professor of the Magic Tower Academy.”

Because it was related to alchemy, the reason for the Holy Order to view him as an enemy was sufficient.

That is, the reason he targeted him could be appropriately packaged.

“He is a man who presumptuously blabbers that everything can be created with the Divine Primordial Matter. His ideology is very blasphemous, so I plan to deal with him in my own way. How about it, will you help?”

Even if they belonged to the same Magic Tower.

There was no loyalty for them.

The bright smile already was the evidence of that.

“Of course. That professor is none of my business anyway.”

She really, without hesitation.

Intended to swap him for the three magics she wanted.