179: Ed Subjugation (2)
"I need to go out today because there's something I have to take care of in the commercial district. So, don't bother looking for me until tomorrow morning.
To learn just how precious freedom is, you have to lose it. Clevius was well aware of that fact.
Was the problem that he didn't want to go back to his hometown, so he stayed in school?
Over the break, Clevius was constantly dragged around by Elvira, forced to attend social gatherings among the students and partake in basic etiquette training. He had gone through quite a rough time.
Since Clevius was gloomy by nature, just how many people would look at him favorably if he went out? Despite that, Elvira still grabbed ahold of his neck, saying that it was important to accumulate experience little by little.
Regardless of that, Clevius couldn't fight back against Elvira and ended up spending almost all of the break with her. However, as the new semester approached, Elvira started to have less time to pay attention to Clevius—perhaps because she was busy with her own issues.
"Is this… freedom…?"
The hellish tasks Elvira forced him to go through had stopped. Sitting alone in his private room in Ophelis Hall, the familiar darkness of that lone corner greeted Clevius.
Clevius lay absent-mindedly on the bed, looking up at the ceiling. A wave of emotions came over him. The tip of his nose itched as he even sniffled.
How long had it been since he was able to lay around and do nothing? Not having to see Elvira run over to him right away, he felt relief in one side of his heart.
"..."
Like that, Clevius lay on his bed for a while.
In the darkness, at midnight.
Clevius had always been a night owl. Deciding to enjoy the quiet night atmosphere, he buried himself in that familiar darkness.
It was as if time had stopped.
Elvira, who was always causing a racket, was no longer there to barge into his quiet room like she usually did…
And yet, the only thing that remained was a feeling of emptiness, rather than rest.
"I must also be going fucking crazy."
There was no need to become close with others. Engaging in extroverted activities that didn't suit you… All that would create was a wound.
For Clevius, most human relationships ended with wounds. Thus, he thought his relationship with Elvira would be no different. Though, it hadn't blown up yet.
For most of those who became close with Clevius, their end was never pretty, and they quickly came to despise him.
Clevius was well aware of the fact that he wasn't someone that people could get along with.
That was why, for Clevius… It was normal to sit in the corner of his room and stare blankly at the ceiling.
He didn't bother with things like going outside to create more relationships with others. To him, that wasn't a way to live his life.
"..."
Because of that, he hardened his own shell as he let out a sigh in a gloomy voice.
Even though it was so peaceful without Elvira? It was indeed ironic.
Come to think of it, why did Elvira, who was always dragging him around, suddenly leave?
Actually, he didn't feel all that relieved.
Wasn't Elvira someone who always scolded Clevius over everything and always told him what she was doing?
Whether it be what she ate for a snack that day, what new store opened in the commercial district, or any other story that Clevius wasn't interested in hearing, Elvira was always telling him about it.
So, because she suddenly stayed quiet as she disappeared to go do something, Clevius had a bad feeling about it.
Why would she go to the commercial district in the middle of the night? Going there so late, all of the facilities there would have already been closed.
Not only that, but Elvira packed tons of alchemy reagents and magic engineering equipment right before disappearing… It clearly seemed as if she was preparing to fight.
"…What useless thing did she get caught up in now…?"
While muttering, Clevius opened the window. Looking towards the direction of Mexes Bridge from the upper floor of Ophelis Hall, he could see the commercial district, albeit only a small part of it.
"Whatever. Why should I care?"
Though no one was listening, Clevius muttered as he reclined back on the bed.
Now was the time to enjoy the freedom that he hadn't been able to get his hands on for a long time.
Clevius laid on his side as he focused on being as comfortable as possible.
However, the emptiness of the room still tickled the back of his neck.
A summer night breeze blew in through the open window. After making the curtain flutter, it crashed into the back of Clevius' head as it scattered.
And like that, Clevius laid still, staring at the wall for a long time.
"..."
* * *
"Tell me without beating around the bush, Lortel. While in charge of the store, did you do anything that they could tear you down for? You have to tell me everything without hiding anything."
"To be honest… There are so many things I've done, I don't know where to start."
I pressed on my temples as I frowned. Still, I didn't slow down.
As we quickly climbed the stairs up to the fourth floor, I saw a hole in the ceiling through which Ziggs must have come through.
Should I consider him tough or just carefree? Moonlight fell through the hole in the ceiling.
I saw the rope that Ziggs had prepared as well. It was quite long, so I was worried about whether Lortel would be okay climbing all the way up.
Looking towards her, Lortel nodded without saying anything.
"I'll give it a try."
"Grab my hand and climb up."
My body wasn't in its regular condition either, due to the recoil of the ring.
Although I had recovered a lot, I still had a slight fever and chronic fatigue. There were also many restrictions in regard to my physical abilities, such as my physical strength and magic power resonance.
Still, I thought it would be possible to at least climb the rope. So, I quickly put my feet on the wall as I pulled on the rope.
Lortel tied her reddish-brown hair back before she rolled up her sleeves and grabbed the rope.
I stretched out one arm and Lortel grabbed it, sharing the weight with me. That allowed her to climb the wall a little bit easier.
We struggled for a bit climbing up the wall in the hallway. Climbing up to the roof, there would likely be a ladder prepared by the outer wall that was normally used for maintenance. We could then take the ladder down to the first floor and escape to the camp.
"H-Heub!"
Was it because she didn't have much strength? Lortel's slender wrists trembled. As I helped pull Lortel up as much as I could, I reached out towards the roof.
Lortel's frail wrist was still grabbing onto me, but I was still able to reach out and grab the roof.
I didn't have much strength, but it was still enough to climb onto the roof relatively easily.
As I reached the top of the roof, I immediately stretched my arm out to help Lortel up.
"Is your hobby exercising at night?"
"You came."
"I came with Ziggs. Though, I had no idea there would be such a fuss taking place here…"
Laying on the roof next to Lortel, we both looked at her.
Trayciana Bloomriver, the top student in the magic department among the fourth years, famous for being from a house of witches.
Her short, curled hair that reached her shoulders was the same as I had seen before. That bluish hair of hers reflected the moonlight as her eyes slightly shone.
"Trayciana?"
It must have been completely unexpected for Lortel.
Trayciana, the top student in the magic department among the fourth years, was a strong student who was capable of using all sorts of advanced magic from a young age.
Not only that, but she also had quite a bit of combat and practical experience as well. So, she was considered a veteran among the other students.
"Why are you here?"
"I ran right over when I heard my underclassman was in danger… is what I should have said, but I guess that answer is too pretentious."
She was a bit disinterested, but she wasn't particularly rude, either.
Trayciana spoke as she cleaned her wand, which was the size of her upper body.
"I owe Ed Rothstaylor a favor because of Patrin. I'm here to pay it back."
"…Ed? You're close with Trayciana?"
"We're somewhat acquainted, as I bumped into her a while ago. There is also the fact that House Rothstaylor and House Bloomriver have joined hands."
Trayciana Bloomriver was one of the strongest students.
She was someone who held the position as the top student in the magic department despite being among the fourth years, who had a high average level of magic.
She seemed to be angry quite often because of her troublesome sister. Regardless, as far as skills were concerned, she was definitely one of the best.
"I heard all of the details from Ziggs."
After fixing the hairpins that held up her bangs, Trayciana said that I could avoid giving her a detailed explanation.
"I will wait here. Ayla will probably come up here soon, so I'll take care of her. And when Taylee comes…"
Trayciana pondered for a moment on what to say. She then continued, as if it wasn't a big deal.
"…I will manage to do whatever I need to."
"Thank you for coming so late at night."
"Well, my mother did instruct me to cooperate with the Rothstaylors as much as possible. I'll just think of it as paying off a reasonable amount of debt."
Trayciana said that as she jumped into the hole we came through.
She landed in the hallway of the fourth floor, brushed off the hem of her robe, and looked back up at us.
"I'm stuck seeing my miserable classmates, who are always worried about the future, prepare for graduation. So, it feels quite refreshing to see my underclassmen like this. You better get going. There's not much time."
Saying that, she quickly put on her hood.
She lowered her head as she raised her wand. She wore a magician's robe that had a somewhat oversized sleeve and collar. Under the dazzling moonlight, she looked rather impressive.
Under the moonlight coming down from the hole, Trayciana stood quietly. I looked at her before grabbing Lortel's hand.
For now, the goal was to get Lortel as far away as possible. Whatever Dune had planned, we could stop it as long as Lortel didn't fall into his hands.
With that in mind, I ran towards the ladder attached to the exterior wall.
* * *
"Elvira, why are you…"
"I have my reason. Unfortunately, I can't let you go forward."
Taylee and Elvira were close classmates.
There had been many times when the two of them were caught up in various incidents together. They had shared quite a bit of time together, so they could be considered close acquaintances for a long time.
But now, Elvira had suddenly appeared and blocked Taylee's path. From Taylee's point of view, he couldn't do anything but open his eyes wide in shock.
"I'm sorry, but I'm completely on Ed Rothstaylor's side this time, Taylee."
"What?"
Taylee's pupils trembled.
The front garden of the store was full of unconscious employees. Fixing her hair, Elvira then opened up her alchemy bag.
Clang. Clang. Clang.
Turning it upside down, all kinds of reagent bottles and magic engineering supplies poured out.
Elvira had lost all of her magic-powered equipment after fighting against Lucy last break.
However, in just one semester, she managed to re-make an absurd amount of magic engineering equipment. Looking at how many reagents there were as well… You could easily tell how much she immersed herself in her personal research.
Elvira picked up the now-empty bag as she threw it aside.
She then pulled out a Shock-Enhanced Wave Ball, activating it quickly… A powerful shock wave was then emitted from around her.
Hwaaaaak!
Clang! Crash!
All of the fallen items around Elvira were blown away by the shockwave. The items that Elvira had made were spread across the front garden of the store. Various reagent bottles and magic engineering equipment were everywhere.
From Taylee's point of view, all of them were items that were beyond his knowledge.
It was impossible for him to know how they would affect the battle, or what would happen if he made one wrong move and accidentally broke a reagent bottle or activated the magic engineering equipment.
Only Elvira knew all the effects of the devices and reagents.
For the moment, the battlefield had completely become Elvira's realm.
"Do you even know what Ed Rothstaylor is planning?"
"He kidnapped Ayla to try and use her as a sacrifice to research Celestial Magic? Well, it's a bit violent, but it can't be helped. Research sometimes requires the use of a sacrifice."
"You…"
Taylee looked at Elvira in disbelief.
He thought that Elvira was at least a researcher who kept to the line. She wasn't a person who would have such absurd beliefs.
"I never imagined… you would say something like that."
"Let's keep the conversation short. I'm here to stop you and end things."
"Elvira!"
Taylee ground his teeth as he glared at Elvira. In an instant, his pupils widened as his eyes became violent.
Elvira swallowed her dry saliva.
Elvira had traveled beside Taylee more than Ed had. So, more than others, she knew that Taylee's swordsmanship skills were growing at an unbelievable rate.
Could she really directly fight against him and win? She couldn't say for sure.
Elvira wasn't the type that was good at fighting. The Alchemy Department in Silvenia didn't study for the purpose of combat. So she was only capable of combat to a certain extent.
Fwoosh!
With just one leap, Taylee had already arrived right in front of her. Elvira definitely felt it.
Taylee intended to subdue her even if it meant using violence. Of course, he didn't plan to kill her… But if she was careless, she could be seriously injured.
With a flick of her foot, Elvira activated the 'Typhoon Emitter', which was next to her.
Whoooooooooooooooooooooooooosh!
Suddenly, a strong wind blew, creating a dust storm around her and obscuring his view.
Taylee swung his greatsword widely once, blowing the dust away with the wind. However, Elvira was no longer there.
Elvira created distance between them as she took the 'Red Paper Glue Reagent' off the ground, then began to pour it out.
After seeing that the reagent was seeping into the ground, Elvira threw the empty bottle aside.
"Why? Are you so surprised that I'm on Ed Rothstaylor's side?"
"You… You're not that type of person, Elvira."
"I have my own reasons."
Elvira looked at Taylee with sad eyes.
"I have no reason to explain it to you."
From Taylee's point of view, she was too far gone. There was no reason to give her the benefit of the doubt any longer.
Taylee rushed forward holding his greatsword, trying to narrow the distance between him and Elvira. However, after a few steps, his foot stuck to the floor—no longer budging.
"Ugh?!"
Taylee, who lost his balance because of the weight of his greatsword, stumbled a bit.
At that moment, Elvira cast the beginner elemental magic, Water Ball.
Water that gathered under intense pressure then struck Taylee's body. The impact caused him to clench his teeth tightly.
"K-Keuk!"
Elvira's elemental magic wasn't that powerful. However, that didn't mean it wouldn't have some impact.
Taylee clenched his teeth, enduring the pain. He then stood up straight. However, his legs still didn't move from the ground. It seemed the effects of the reagent that she put on the ground were still active.
'Red Paper Glue Reagent'.
An alchemy reagent had the power to grab everything that touched the ground in a nearby area. It was a reagent mainly used for traps.
"Taylee, you were born with a tremendous fighting power and potential, but there is one thing you overlooked."
Elvira looked around her as she spoke. All around here were her inventions.
"You have little knowledge of alchemy. Right now, you can't predict where and what types of variables will take place."
All of the inventions nearby were only able to be properly utilized by Elvira.
"This has already become my territory."
Taylee gripped his sword as he clenched his teeth. Seeing Elvira pat her skirt, surrounded by all sorts of items, he gritted his teeth.
However, Elvira didn't care as she pulled out a small wand from the alchemist skirt she wore.
Elvira's fighting style was always like that. Taylee knew that well.
However, he never imagined the possibility of facing her as an enemy. That was only natural.
Because he thought that Elvira would always be his ally.
* * *
"There's no time to get the keys! Just break it down and go!"
Dune led the employees all the way down to the basement of the store. He quickly judged the situation.
Some employees were instructed to keep the entrance closed while others were ordered to search the upper floors.
He then quickly decided to bring the rest of them with him as he quickly headed down to the basement of the store.
The most probable solution at the moment was… To personally secure Ayla, who was locked up in the basement of the store.
Taylee McLaure's target was Ayla Triss. So, if Dune could get his hands on her, he would be able to negotiate with him easier.
No matter how much he thought about it, Ed Rothstaylor's actions were suspicious. Since he had disappeared alongside Lortel, Ed's actions were definitely unusual and hard to trust.
From Dune's point of view, he was having trouble understanding what it was.
Dune judged that Ed Rothstaylor was by no means an emotional person. At least, not to the extent that he would give up on a major profit because of personal emotions.
He was the type who always remained rational, clearly discerned reason and emotions, and appropriately calculated his interests.
Dune was certain to some extent that under those conditions, Ed would stick by his side.
However, Ed Rothstaylor's actions were completely different from Dune's expectations.
Did I judge him wrong?
Dune had been a merchant for more than just a day or two.
So, was it possible that Ed had a change of heart over that brief moment?
To him, Lortel Kehelland should have been nothing more than a simple business owner who helped him.
He never thought something like that would happen. That was because Dune had met Ed in person multiple times and continued to carefully judge his character and disposition.
He was like an eagle devouring corpses on the battlefield.
A stubborn person who was willing to devour any corpse if it meant he could fill his stomach to survive.
It was simple to see that he had lived such a life in a war, looking at his actions and values.
Crash!
Anyway, there was no point in regretting his mistaken past judgments now. He simply needed to do what must be done.
After violently smashing through all of the doors leading to the basement, Dune arrived at the underground cellar.
He ran down, bringing the employees with him to where Ayla was being locked up. He yelled out to bring some rope to tie her up with.
The workers responded with a loud voice as they followed.
As long as he secured Ayla Triss, all he would have to do was return her to Taylee if the situation couldn't be fixed.
That way, he could quickly fix the situation. Just having that option available gave him a pretty clear edge in the current situation.
Crash!
Dune, who finally reached the room Ayla was being held in… doubted what he was seeing.
Ayla, who should have been held captive and tied up… Wasn't there.
There was only the employee, who was supposed to be monitoring her, knocked unconscious.
"What…?"
Dune paused for a moment with a trembling voice.
Ayla was just a scholar with no combat skills at all. She knew how to use magic, but she shouldn't have enough power to easily subdue an employee.
Because Dune knew that fact, he only deployed the minimum amount of manpower in the area. As long as the reporting system was in place, there was no reason to invest too much manpower in surveillance.
However, the person who was supposed to be watching her had been beaten and sat there, unconscious… He was at a complete loss for words.
"This… how…?"
Dune then found a plate rolling down on the floor. Even though she was a hostage, they didn't want to starve her to death. So, they had given her a minimum amount of food to survive.
I really enjoyed the meal…
There was a memo written in neat handwriting, thanking him for the meal in Dune's hands. It was definitely Ayla's handwriting.
Since she was acting polite, he started to become even more worried.
Magical engineering supplies such as 'Magic Power Cutter', 'Shock-Enhanced Wave Ball', and 'Power Discharger' were lying around.
While Taylee was causing a scene, she had taken out the magic engineering devices she was hiding to subdue the employee and escape.
While doing all of that, she still had the time to leave behind a thank you note?
It was true… She really was a person who had a lot of experience when it came to being kidnapped. Even after doing all of that, she ate a full meal and drank some cold water before escaping. She had the calmness of a professional.
Thinking of Ayla letting out a small burp as she blushed in embarrassment, afraid that someone might have heard it, before leaving the prison… Dune ground his teeth.
Ayla had been tied up ever since she was captured by Ed. So, it shouldn't have been possible for her to have prepared magic engineering equipment to escape.
…In the first place, she had hidden all of it inside of her clothes since she had been caught.
Ayla Triss was working alongside Ed Rothstaylor. So, it was natural to think that Ed Rothstaylor had also provided that equipment to her.
Seeing everything that was happening as if planned in advance while Taylee created a chaotic situation… Thinking about it, it all made sense.
"Ed… Rothstaylor…!"
Dune raised his eyes as he gritted his teeth.
From the start, Ed Rothstaylor had no desire to join Dune's side. Everything was planned by him.
To ruin Dune's plans, help Lortel escape, and turn the Elte Store into Taylee's battlefield… It was something he had entirely drawn up.
"Go to the upper floors! Find Ayla Triss, Ed Rothstaylor, and the Deputy Director!"
He ground his teeth as he ordered the employees to action.
The situation wasn't over yet. As soon as dawn arrived, the imperial carriage would come. Until then, he needed to secure both Ed Rothstaylor and Lortel Kehelland.
* * *
"It's going to rain."
Lucy, who was sniffing, suddenly spoke.
"…It's going to rain? But isn't the sky clear?"
"It smells like rain."
Lucy Mayreel was able to determine when it would rain as if it were a supernatural gift. Of course, since Princess Penia wasn't aware of that, she thought that what she was saying was nonsense.
"…By the way, we are going to arrive at Acken Island soon. Where should we drop you off when we arrive?"
"Aren't we heading to the royal residence?"
"Before we arrive there, we can stop by wherever you want to drop you off."
Of course, it was considered common knowledge to follow wherever the princess went, but Princess Penia was being considerate of Lucy Mayreel.
Lucy didn't care about trying to read the intentions of her actions, so she answered bluntly.
Lucy looked up at the late dawn sky through the window… she let out a fleeting sigh, imagining the rain that would soon fall.
"Near the North Forest."
Penia was also expecting that answer to some extent.
"I want to go to the camp."
The royal carriage continued to move.
At the very end of their field of vision, they could barely make out Mexes Bridge, which led to Acken Island.
-x-X-x-
I used to agree with the saying that hardships make people strong.
However, a life of only hardships traps a person in darkness. Regardless of what it is, moderation is important.
The same was true for the life of Taylee McLaure.
While it was impressive, it was not a life that I would want to live. Not just me, but it seemed everyone had the same opinion.
The shining life of a hero who overcame various hardships in order to finally prove his life worthy...
At the very least, I didn't want to live a life like that.
Who in the world would gladly embrace hardships?
Even if victory was guaranteed, I would still want to live a peaceful life. It was natural to think like that.
Because that was just how unfortunate Taylee's life was.
* * *
Only the occasional cry of an owl could be heard in the forest.
I grabbed Lortel's wrist as I dragged her along through the woods.
The only light we had came from a small bit of light magic that Lortel had cast. However, I had already completely memorized the path and engraved it into my mind. That was why I could run through the forest even in the dark.
Continuing to run without stopping, Lortel lowered her head to avoid getting hit by a tree branch as she followed along.
"Back at the camp, Bell should be waiting for us."
"This late?"
"I told her beforehand."
"When the hell does that head maid go to sleep?"
I heard that she slept only three hours at night and about four hours throughout the day, whenever she had free time.
Regardless, Bell was definitely abnormal, to the point I could only think of her in awe. I wondered if that was what it took to become the head maid at her age.
"Bell is the only one who has the keys to your villa in the camp. So, I asked her to open the door for us in advance."
"Then I guess I just need to wait at my villa for now. I'm not sure exactly what is happening, but…"
"I'm certain that the Elte Store's building is in a state of chaos by now. For now, there's something I have to check when we reach the camp."
After saying that, I jumped over the root of a large tree and pulled Lortel's wrist upwards.
She must have been physically exhausted by that point, but Lortel jumped up when I pulled her without saying a word.
"Is Bell Maya someone you can trust?"
Suddenly, Lortel asked a question.
As it was a completely unexpected question, I stood for a moment while looking towards her.
"Bell Maya?"
"I was just wondering if there is any chance that she is on Dune's side…"
"I guess you're suspicious of Bell, as well."
"Ed. I am a person who doubts everyone aside from you."
In the dark, the leaves rustled and swayed from the night wind. Standing next to each other in the middle of the northern forest at night, it was as if the two of us were alone, floating in space.
"I can't help… but be like this."
"..."
"I just can't trust Bell Maya completely. I know she's a good person, but that was when I was her employer."
I could see Lortel's expression underneath her hood… She didn't look all that bright.
Maybe it was because of the urgency of the situation, but her usual sly and snarky appearance didn't show itself.
Lortel Kehelland was someone who always smiled calmly, no matter how desperate the situation was.
However, when she was alone with me… did she take that mask off?
"People's hearts change easily. Through a contract with better terms, your own business partners who have been with you for decades would easily leave you. I've seen too many people like that."
"Even if that's the case, I'm not like that."
"That's true. However… I have become tired of doubt."
We needed to quickly run, but Lortel stood there grabbing onto my sleeve tightly.
Looking at her, Lortel spoke quietly under the glimmer of that magic light.
"I've been a merchant since I was young. I've seen a lot of wealthy merchants rule over people with their great power and authority. Do you know the characteristics of the people who survived so long on top of that tower made of gold coins?"
"I don't know."
"It's holding onto their own disgustingly tight. Once they are convinced a person is theirs, they will hold onto them tightly until the day they die and enter their graves."
Lortel's childhood started in Oldek, a cruel city of commerce.
When she was playing in the slums, when she went to an orphanage, when she lived as a junior employee at the company, when she lived as the heir of a wealthy merchant, when she became a wealthy merchant and controlled a massive amount of gold coins.
From the start to the end, the countless people she saw while climbing that mountain with her teeth clenched…
Since she lived the life of a merchant, most of the people she saw while climbing were those who had fallen into obsession over calculations.
Lortel would have always tried to make careful judgments with her bright eyes wide open.
"After rising to the position of deputy director, I realized it much too late. For me… there is no 'person' I have…"
Whether they were the president of a large corporation, a famous politician, or commander of a military unit.
The people who reached the top always found their own people, regardless of the generation.
The existence of their own who would stand by their side. Someone who they never had to calculate things with and never left them alone. To the people at the top, that type of person was more precious than gold.
The words I told Lortel as we walked around Silvenia in the middle of night that day started to feel even more prevalent.
Didn't I tell her that the bustling education district in the middle of the day didn't feel particularly different from the quiet scenery at night?
She must have always felt the same as when she sat in her office in the Elte Store.
The reason the two of us felt lonely even in a crowd was because there was no one we could be close to.
Looking at Lortel's expression…
Lortel Kehelland, the deputy director of the Elte Company, who always wore layers of sly and scheming foxlike masks. The girl who had become cold-blooded as she led the store… her bare face was finally showing.
Was it because she thought it was just the two of us in a dark forest, with no one else around?
Seeing the lonely look in her lowered eyes, she finally started to look like a girl of her age.
Lortel Kehelland tugged at the sleeves of my robe. She then grabbed the collar around my neck as she came up close to my face.
Lortel's dazzling eyes were now in front of my nose. I was taken aback by the weak appearance of her face, but Lortel spoke without caring.
"Please be mine."
As if she was finally certain that there was no one else around watching.
"I will be that person for you, too."
Like that… She had finally shown me the bottom of her heart.
"Because nothing is free in this world. This is an interdependent contract between us."
"You're saying something ridiculous, Lortel."
As if my reaction bothered her, Lortel's lips started to go down. It was a sight that was hard to believe. At that moment, Lortel Kehelland looked like she was going to cry.
Lortel Kehelland, of all people.
Since I didn't like that expression one bit, I answered her right away.
"…I've been yours for a long time already."
The importance of finding and caring for one's own… There was no way I wouldn't know about it.
So, I felt the same.
Once I was convinced that a person was mine, I held onto them tightly until the end—even if it didn't benefit me.
A relationship that couldn't be replaced with money. Most people only came to realize it through experience.
I was someone who had already refused Dune's proposal.
"Hearing you say that, were you not mine all this time?"
I asked Lortel back.
Even though we spoke about feeling loneliness in a crowd, Lortel and I had known each other for over two years already.
At that point, didn't we already know everything we needed to know about each other?
"..."
In some cases, one day a sudden change could occur. But most of the time, a person's values and their environment changed slowly and gradually.
It was a given that, when you suddenly opened your eyes after not paying attention to yourself, you would come to realize that you had changed.
That was why you would always be one step behind in realizing that you had changed.
From the poor ghettos to the top of the Elte Company.
A young child who used to walk in shabby clothes to suddenly become a wealthy merchant, wearing an expensive robe that was embroidered with golden thread.
Even if it seemed like a natural progression, if she took a look back at her footsteps, she would realize that she had climbed to a much higher place then she had thought.
The same was true for my own worries and loneliness.
Searching for a long time for a person I could make my own, by the time I realized it, such a person was right in front of me.
Lortel Kehelland sniffled.
"..."
"…Hey, all of a sudden… Is this something to cry about…?"
"You're so noisy. This is the first time I've sniffled in front of another."
Her damp voice was surprising, even for me.
Was there really anything so special about her finally showing her bare face under those masks?
Even though she lived life as a sly merchant with a smirk on her face, in the end, Lortel Kehelland was no different from everyone else.
She then fell into my arms as I held onto her silently, standing there for a while.
* * *
The fight between Elvira and Taylee was heading towards becoming a prolonged battle.
Although the battlefield itself was in Elvira's hands, there was no way for her to directly damage Taylee.
Taylee was not only born with excellent physical strength, but he has also trained even strong through hardships.
It was absurd to think of defeating him through strength alone. However, Elvira wasn't proficient enough in combat magic to injure him through magic, either.
In the end, the only way she could fight was to wear down his stamina by using her knowledge of alchemy and magic engineered equipment.
Clang! Hwaak!
Taylee tried attacking Elvira by swinging his greatsword laterally, but he was pushed away by the magic engineering item 'Shock-Enhanced Wave Ball.'
Elvira then blocked his vision through a smoke screen reagent as she tried to distance herself from Taylee once more. However, Taylee, who managed to clench his teeth and withstand the shock, jumped forward and closed the distance once more.
"With those petty tricks… You can't stop me…!"
"I think you are right!"
Elvira then surpassed Taylee's expectations as she jumped towards him.
By closing the distance with him like she was, she would certainly be defeated quickly.
Taylee was momentarily flustered, but that didn't mean he was going to let the chance pass him by.
When he turned the sword's trajectory towards Elvira, she took out a reagent bottle from her pocket, not caring that her shoulder was right up against his sword.
'Red Flame Flower Reagent'.
As Elvira cast a small spell, a huge flame erupted.
Of course Taylee, but even Elvira, was caught up in it.
"Keuk!"
The moment Taylee clenched his teeth to endure the heat, she poured the reagent onto his left hand, which was holding the greatsword.
"Keuk!"
It wasn't a large flame, but if he held onto it any longer, he would definitely be burned. Taylee let go of the sword in surprise as Elvira kicked the sword away.
Taylee had lost his sword in that instant. However, that wasn't enough for him to lose in a close combat duel with Elvira. In the first place, Taylee was someone who fought with his bare fists before picking up the sword.
Then, the moment Taylee clenched his fist—
Elvira brushed away the flames that were on the top of her head, extinguishing them as she then grabbed her left shoulder, which was bleeding.
The flowing blood painted Elvira's left arm red. It wasn't a deep wound, but there was some bleeding.
Upon seeing it, even Taylee lost his breath for a moment.
He wounded Elvira with his own hands. He realized that fact right away as blood started to flow in his head.
"Elvira."
Instead of clenching his fist, Taylee opened his mouth.
"There is no reason to go any further. Just… Get out of the way…"
But Elvira responded while taking out two bluish reagents.
"You're so noisy. Bring it on, Taylee."
"Just what… Did Ed Rothstaylor tell you… For you to do all of this…?!"
Taylee spoke with his head lowered.
"I don't want to fight with you. I just… want to save Ayla."
"You talk too much, Taylee."
Elvira dropped two reagent bottles on the floor, breaking them. The magic power that rose from the reagents made the area around Elvira's body a bluish color.
Elvira pulled out the two rabbit-shaped hairpins that were attached to the back of her head.
Elvira's loose hair fluttered in the night wind.
"Are you going to fight with your mouth? Take me seriously."
"..."
Taylee was sitting in the dirt, watching Elvira quietly.
He had no will to fight. However, if Elvira rushed in at him, he would have no choice but to deal with her.
Even if Elvira was his precious classmate, she couldn't be considered more precious than Ayla.
Then… Taylee began to draw magic power into his body.
Fwoooooooosh!
Elvira's hairpin grew, two gigantic bunnies appearing.
They looked like rabbits, but their horrific and sharp molars and their creepy bright red eyes were definitely not normal.
Familiars that were created by mixing the qualities of a wolf and a rabbit.
Then, as Elvira was gathering more magic power to cast elemental magic—
Paaak!
Kwakakakak!
After that, it all happened in a flash.
Taylee McLaure was a boy who lived every moment of his life to the utmost. The same was true for his training.
His Swordmaster's Skills had grown a lot, and he was now considered a strong student within the school.
Even Elvira knew that fact. She was waiting for him to take her seriously.
She didn't know how strong Taylee was at his most serious, but she knew well that—at the very least—he wasn't someone who would lose to someone like her, who didn't specialize in combat.
Elvira's role was… to make Taylee start taking things seriously.
And to make him take things seriously to some extent, that meant his opponent had to do the same.
However, when he was serious, Taylee's sword attack… wasn't possible for Elvira's eyes to follow.
In the moment that felt like a flash…
Was it even enough time to blink?
The two rabbits… were completely cut in half.
It was strange. There was no sword in Taylee's hand.
Taylee's greatsword, which was lying on the floor, was clearly still in sight. However, the rabbit familiars were neatly cut into two pieces, as if they had been cut by a sword.
Then, the third sword attack.
Only then did Elvira realize—
A mythical swordsmanship that was created by the first swordmaster Luden, which was only passed down to those born with the blood of a McLaure. Swordsmanship.
A Swordmaster's Skill.
Among those ancient techniques, which held countless types of swordsmanship, being able to use swordsmanship without a sword… 'Empty Swordsmanship'.
It was a magic power swordsmanship that cut down an opponent by gathering magic power.
There was no point in noticing that fact belatedly.
Taylee's third sword attack that came in the dark… It was already flying towards Elvira's body.
Taylee's resolution was obvious from Taylee's expression as he clenched his teeth.
If someone threatened Ayla's life, even if it was Elvira, he would cut them down. That determination of his was even a bit cruel.
Clang!
However, that sword attack didn't reach Elvira.
That attack didn't reach her… It disappeared, only leaving a small cut on her.
It was because the sword of another man had intervened, deflecting it.
Hwaaaaaaaak!
The smell of blood.
In the darkness of the night. There, a monster with bright red-eyes resided. Elvira, who had closed her eyes tightly, looked forward again.
As she was lying on the floor, she could only see their back.
Looking at the blade of the sword that was dripping in blood… A swordsman with a gloomy impression could be seen.
"What… Do you think you're doing, Taylee?"
The man, bleeding from the back of his shoulder, was staring straight at Taylee, his eyes cutting through the night air.
At that moment, Elvira quickly swallowed her breath as she raised her voice, saying,
"Clevius, this is…!"
"You're too loud. Be quiet, Elvira."
He was a person who had been dragged around and suffered at Elvira's hands. However, with those few words, he was able to completely silence her.
The energy flowing in his body was completely different. It was obvious that Clevius was unlike his usual self.
Taylee slowly picked up his greatsword and… looked straight at Clevius. With his upper body hanging down like a zombie… Clevius absorbed magic power from the blood flowing along the sword he held in his hand.
It was a rumor that Taylee McLaure had heard before. It was quite a famous one.
Within House Nortondale, there lived a blade demon.
Fewer people than you would think were able to confirm that horrific rumor with their own two eyes.
* * *
"I've unlocked the villa door for you."
When we got back to camp, Bell had prepared the campfire and cleaned up the entire villa.
As Lortel and I arrived, she was there warming up by the campfire.
It was as if she was camping… She sat blankly by the fire, holding her hands out to the flames, all alone.
"…There is something about this camp that has the power to make people relax."
It seemed that after finishing all her work, she had sat by the campfire in a daze.
Perhaps because she was embarrassed at being caught relaxing, which was quite rare for Bell, she said that with an awkward expression on her face.
"You two can stay inside the villa and I will report when someone comes to visit or if something else happens."
"Thanks, Bell."
After saying that, I held Lortel's hand as I brought her inside the villa.
With Bell standing guard outside the villa, we would wait for a change in the situation. In the meantime, I needed to exchange information with Lortel to figure out what Dune had been scheming.
Dune had to be in a complete panic, trying to take care of the chaos Taylee was causing back at the store. So, we had some time to figure things out.
Anyway, it was safe to say that Taylee would never be able to reach the top. The opponents I prepared for him were too cruel for him to deal with by himself.
Even though he was considered a protagonist who was able to overcome any hardship, there was still a limit to it.
Thinking that… I had brought Lortel all the way back to the villa.
Somehow, we needed to regain control of the Elte Company once again.
That was the number one goal.
-x-X-x-
"Don't meddle."
Those were the words Elvira's older sister said as she slapped her across the cheek.
That was the most vivid memory engraved in the mind of Elvira, the devil child of the Aniston family.
Before she had even matured, she had already opened her eyes to the science of combining different reagents and the development of magic engineering.
Her childhood, which consisted of her being a troublemaker who locked herself in the laboratory of the Aniston Mansion and caused explosions three or four times a day… it wasn't all that distant a past for her.
The Aniston family was not all that wealthy. However, being a famous alchemist house, her sisters were also well versed in different fields of alchemy.
However, compared to Elvira—who had already invented her own system and was fascinated in her own world—they were only considered regular talents.
And for Elvira… She could never stand still if she saw an ineffective reagent combination, a new means to improving magical engineering, or a product made with subpar materials.
There was no one in her family that had more talent and passion than her. So, in the end, she took notice of everything.
She would occasionally look over the research results of her sisters, complaining while pointing out areas that were incomplete.
She had incredible achievements in terms of her research and an attitude towards life as a full-fledged alchemist. Her values and passion for research… Seeing her live her own life so fruitfully, the people around her couldn't help but feel a rising sense of inferiority.
God gave her natural talent and passion, but he did not give her the right behavior and attitude.
Though, truthfully, it was too much to expect a young girl like her to act like an adult.
However, one day, when her older sister Diella Aniston failed her Silvenia entrance exam, that building sense of inferiority exploded.
As Diella watched Elvira tilt her head as she disassembled the magic engineering item that she had brought for her entrance exam… Having felt inferior to Elvira's talents for a while, she could no longer bear her rising emotions as she slapped Elvira across the cheek.
Elvira didn't do anything wrong.
However, it was also true that she did not consider Diella's heartbroken feelings.
"You're always thinking that you're the main character in this world, aren't you?"
Diella Aniston smashed all of the reagent bottles on the workbench, ripped the research scrolls, and ground her teeth.
"It must be nice… Not having to try and understand ordinary people like me."
"Sister…"
"Fine, show off your abilities to your heart's content. Like a human born with mediocre talents… I'm going to live the rest of my life in mediocrity."
After that, Diella completely gave up on alchemy and went to the empire's capital, Kroelon, to study accounting and management.
It became extremely rare to see her back at home. It was difficult to even see her once a year.
Now, to her… Alchemy was nothing more than a trigger that reminded her of her failures.
That was why she never wanted to return to her home, which was full of all sorts of alchemy tools.
Although it all happened when she was a child, Elvira knew it.
She didn't do anything wrong.
The reason Diella screamed and got angry at Elvira, even giving up on alchemy… was completely due to her own inferiority complex.
Elvira's meddling comments were always correct. The efficiency of the magic power flow, the cost-effectiveness of the materials used, the efficiency of the reagents, etc… Elvira always gave the correct answer.
It was impossible for her to help fix Diella's heartbroken eyes, which looked on her in jealousy.
Rather it was the opposite. She only made it worse.
Not long after, Elvira entered Silvenia Academy and became the top student of the alchemy department…
She constantly complained to the other students who didn't do their part, and was even ridiculed for meddling too much in others' business… But Elvira never stopped.
Even though it seemed stubborn, it was her own attempt to prove that her choice was right.
Suddenly, she had a thought, wondering if Clevius would agree with that opinion.
* * *
Ominous magic power rose from his dripping blood.
Clevius, who bent forward while taking a deep breath, looked up at Taylee eerily.
Taylee had no plans to back down either. If Clevius wasn't going to try and resolve things through words, he would also raise his sword.
"Wait! Stop! This isn't like the two of you…"
Elvira quickly pushed up from the floor, trying to raise her upper body as she shouted. However, the energy of the Blood Swordsmanship was already covering Clevius' body.
There was no middle ground in Clevius Nortondale's Blood Swordsmanship.
Once his Blood Swordsmanship activated, it would continue to eat away at Clevius' mind, little by little.
The madness that engulfed his mind only increased with the passage of time.
There had never been an opponent who hadn't shed blood in front of him. That swordsmanship, which was like madness itself… Even Lucy Mayreel suffered a scratch from it.
"Shut your mouth and stay there."
Clevius' energy was completely different from usual.
After shutting Elvira up with a single sentence, he kicked off from the floor as he rushed towards Taylee.
His sword surpassed just being fast. It wasn't even visible.
Taylee managed to block Clevius' first attack through what was nearly pure instinct. Even though his attack was invisible, he could still feel it through his battle senses.
He didn't block it after seeing it, nor did he block it by predicting it. It was closer to a sense of foresight.
Even after blocking Clevius' sword attack, Taylee clenched his teeth in shock.
The light in Clevius' eyes in front of him as their swords clashed…
It wasn't that of a human's, but that of a beast's.
He still had a bit of his sense of reason left, but his mask was slowly coming off as his real emotions started to show.
"Clevius…! You don't even know what's going on…!"
"I might not know what's going on, but…"
The swords that clashed into each other trembled. The two were on even terms as they pushed against each other, but when it came to speed, Clevius was far ahead of him.
Clevius bent down and spun as he roundhouse kicked Taylee in the stomach.
It was a large movement, but it came at such a great speed that Taylee couldn't react.
"Keuk!"
Taylee flew into the iron bars that served as the outer wall for the Elte Store.
Losing his breath for a moment, he felt a giant pain rise up his back… However, there wasn't any time to worry about the pain.
When he looked up, Clevius had already jumped forward and was right in front of him.
Right before the attack struck, without seeing the flow of Clevius' attack, he twisted his waist and bent down.
It was like a strike of lightning. By the time he realized it, he had been struck.
Taylee managed to avoid a direct hit by bending down with his incredible reflexes, but he couldn't dodge the blade that scraped against his shoulder blade, causing him to bleed.
Clenching his shoulders tightly in pain, Taylee repositioned himself.
The iron bars that were struck by Clevius' attack instead of Taylee… They made a loud noise as they came crashing down.
"…But I do know what you were trying to do."
Clevius definitely felt it.
For a moment, Taylee tried to cut down Elvira.
Of course, there was no sense of bloodlust. However, it was still a massive attack that could have caused a fatal wound.
At that moment, there was no point in trying to understand the circumstances.
Clevius took out a dagger from his waist as he stabbed his own shoulder.
Blood started to gush out of Clevius' shoulder as it dripped onto the floor. The more blood that flowed, the more magic power formed in his body.
Clevius twisted his body grotesquely as he bent forward… his body twitched and trembled.
"If you ever face House Nortondale's Blade Demon, you have to finish things in one attack."
That was what Mike, a senior professor of the combat department, had said before combat practice.
As long as he was still alive, he would keep getting stronger. And the closer he got to death, the stronger he would become.
Someone who used his own flowing blood to slowly build up more magic power… The closer he got to death, the more of a crazed monster he became.
Thus, if you tried to win against him by making consistent shallow slashes, in the end you would be the one who was cut down.
So, before that monster started to crave even more blood, you had to quench its thirst and end the fight before it became any more of a monster.
Clevius Nortondale's Blood Swordsmanship was a maddening technique that became stronger the more prevalent the smell of death became.
When he was on the verge of death, the speed of his final attack before he would lose his life… It was impossible for even a genius magician or veteran swordsman who had overcome all sorts of ordeals to keep up with.
"E-Eukkk. Phew…"
Leaning against the iron bars, barely managing to pull himself up… Taylee looked into the eyes of Clevius, who was in front of him.
The Elte Store's garden, underneath the shining moonlight.
There, a blood-eating monster stood.
The option of ending the fight quickly had long passed. He was now a swordsman covered in blood, craving even more, as he glared at Taylee with eerie eyes…
He then ran straight towards Taylee with a dagger still shoved into his shoulder.
It all happened in the blink of an eye.
* * *
"We have to take Princess Penia's side."
It was the first time I had entered Lortel's villa.
Compared to my cabin, it wasn't particularly extravagant. However, it was still rather spacious, and the furniture that filled the interior was much more luxurious.
It was also well-insulated, with various magic engineering items installed to help circulate the air.
That was enough to feel as if you were living in a regular family's house, rather than a camp. It was definitely true that there was no such thing as inconvenience when you had money.
"This issue is involved with the power struggle within the imperial family. However, with House Rothstaylor getting tangled up in things, they could become even bigger."
After entering the villa, I first lit the campfire and put a small amount of magic power into the magic engineering items that were scattered around the room, lighting the place.
With the lights lit, the place felt cozier than I originally thought.
Lortel and I sat side-by-side on the expensive wooden chairs that were in the middle of the villa.
Lortel was already exhausted from being locked up, but she had also run quite a distance throughout the night to get to the camp.
She quickly gulped down the water I poured for her as she nodded in thanks. She then took off her hood as she raised her arms on the table.
"Princess Penia?"
"Yeah. Fortunately, she is someone who can stand on our side in this conflict."
"I'm not sure. This isn't about House Rothstaylor, after all… It's about the Elte Company…?"
"If you look at the bigger picture, House Rothstaylor is involved as well."
"Still…"
It was obvious what Lortel wanted to say.
"Right now, Princess Penia doesn't think particularly highly of me."
"Just how bad is your relationship with her?"
"It's because Princess Penia thinks that I recently took Princess Selah's side."
As I stared at her, puzzled, Lortel immediately added an ambiguous explanation.
"When you were unconscious at the Rothstaylor Mansion, I might have done some scheming to get your body into the hands of the Elte Company.
"What?"
"I didn't want to entrust your safety to someone else."
She quickly revealed the truth without beating around the bush.
"But that sounds like…"
"It's not a secret. Princess Penia and I… are like water and oil."
It was the same as in the storyline of
"I don't really like Princess Penia that much either. I don't want to bow my head to someone like her. I'd rather try to come up with another way…"
"Still… With the situation being like this, it's not the time to fret over small things like that. You have to think about the state of things."
In the end, l was the only one who could convince Lortel.
I pushed the chair closer to her, sitting up straight and staring intently at Lortel.
"If there was more time, then we might have been able to try and find another way. However, right now, the person supporting Dune and Slogg is Princess Persica. The only person who can stand up to her authority is Princess Penia."
In
In the end, there wasn't even a single area where they could work together and form one massive power.
"Just look at me and take Princess Penia's hand."
"Look at you…?"
The sweat that was across Lortel's face had dried. She slowly looked into my eyes.
I could see my serious expression reflected in Lortel's bright eyes.
Princess Penia was something like a lifelong rival to Lortel Kehelland.
Looking at the two of them would make you start to believe that fate was real. Worse than cats and dogs, there wasn't a single thing that was the same between them.
Their backgrounds, values, the way they led a group, the way they achieved what they wanted, and the way they carried out their goals.
If you tried to have two people that were complete opposites come together… Ultimately, the only way was to appeal to their emotions.
That's why they say that if you're the first one to fall in love, you lose.
Lortel rubbed her face as she bit her lip.
"I guess if it's a contractual relationship out of necessity, then it's unavoidable. Though, it is unusual in the world of merchants to hold hands with a rival."
"Alright. Thanks for thinking positively about it. Either way, what we have to do now is catch Dune."
Dune Grex, who wore a turquoise beret and merchant attire, always had a frivolous smile on his face.
To be honest, I was well aware that his frivolous appearance was only an act, but I didn't think he would be so meticulous.
"He didn't stab just anyone in the back. He betrayed you. So, this isn't a plan that he's only been preparing for a day or two."
"But… I've always received reports regarding the entire logistics flow of the Elte Company. I even constantly reviewed the work that has been done throughout the day."
Lortel was someone who was absolutely certain when handling her work.
So, if it were just a simple scheme, Lortel would have easily noticed something.
However, regardless of the fact that Lortel was busy and had her hands full, he still managed to scheme something outside of her knowledge…
"In terms of the logistics and funds of the store, I'm confident that he wouldn't have been able to get away with something without me knowing."
"Then… from outside the store…?"
"Even if it was from outside the store, it would still have to be on Acken Island. That's because 80% of the funds of the store come from the commercial district on Acken Island. And that district is like my territory, so…"
After saying that, Lortel didn't finish her sentence.
Her eyes trembled as if she had suddenly remembered something.
"Aside from the commercial district and the school, there is one other place were the store's funds were used."
"…Where?"
"Here."
It was so small that she didn't even pay attention to it.
It was only a small villa that was large enough for a single person to live in. It was a ridiculously miniscule thing for the Elte Company to pay any attention to.
In fact, since it was part of Lortel's private business, she had just left it to one of her employees.
She then remembered. An employee of the store who surveyed the site, arranged the materials, and helped make the design drawings to build Lortel's villa… It was Dune Grex. He even left behind some bottles of liquor as a gift.
"Still, it was something the Elte Company was taking care of. So, shouldn't you have been informed of the funds and the current status of the construction here?"
"That's right. There were no other problems with the construction itself… But while I was away in Oldek over break…. Dune Grex had been left completely in charge of the construction of the villa."
Lortel pushed her chair back as she quickly stood up.
She grabbed the hem of her robe as she headed towards the small door next to the bed. When she opened the expensive wooden door, there was a staircase leading to the basement.
"…That's?"
"It's an underground space that was made to be used as a wine cellar."
Saying that, Lortel quickly went down the stairs.
As I followed behind her, Lortel grabbed the handle and tried to open the basement door. However, she didn't have the key yet.
"I was thinking of asking Bell to bring over some wine and put it in the cellar. Euk, ughk… However, despite the new semester approaching and the construction of the villa being finished, Dune didn't give me the key to this cellar."
"Alright. I got it. Stand back."
I grabbed Lortel's arm and gently dragged her to the side. After making some space, I ran into the door with my shoulder.
However, the sturdy basement door didn't budge. When I turned my gaze to Lortel, she drew out her magic power as she smashed open the entire basement door.
Booooom!
The underground area that was supposed to be a wine cellar could be seen through the dust.
"..."
"..."
Lortel and I could only stand there for a while, dumbfounded.
What filled the wine cellar was… a mountain of gold coins.
Not just a few coins. It was a huge mountain of gold coins.
Not only that, but various valuables that were managed by the Elte Company, including expensive magic engineering supplies and a particularly… large number of high-end liquors were piled up all over the place.
Dune Grex had said that he had a habit of manipulating the store's books and embezzling small things whenever he had the chance.
Working alongside shrewd merchants, it was easy to run into people like him. However, if they were good at their jobs, it was fine to turn a blind eye to them stealing just a few coins for themselves.
However, that was just a part of his act.
I started to think of Dune wearing his beret, quietly organizing documents. Those sharp eyes of his were like those of a greedy eagle, hunting for its prey.
Acting like a minor embezzler who only took a small amount of money for his own interests and greed occasionally… That was simply a character he had created.
And pretending to be a snob collecting rare foreign liquors, that was all just a part of his act. It was all for the bigger picture.
He tried to be recognized by Lortel as an expendable employee. One that she would always think of as a 'competent employee, but minor embezzler who only takes a little behind her back'.
In doing so… He was trying to make her fall into the illusion that she had complete control over him.
It might sound completely hypothetical, but the evidence was spread out right in front of us.
Even Lortel, who always remained calm and collected, was at a loss for words. She couldn't help but stand still, her eyes wide.
The funds and goods that Dune has been embezzling the whole time… they were all located in the basement.
Dune… He didn't spend even a single coin. Instead, he gathered it all together.
But why?
It was to put the entire blame onto Lortel.
It would be too obvious if he tried to embezzle a large amount of money at once. If he did that, then Lortel would have immediately taken action.
But leaving evidence of embezzlement over a long period of time like that… Waiting and waiting for the day it would pay him twofold.
Lortel Kehelland ordered the construction of her villa only because she wanted to live a simple camp life.
Dune Grex had seized that opportunity and made her villa look like a secret vault, where her stolen funds were hidden. He had probably finished changing the books to match his story, as well.
That was more than enough justification to take her down from the position of deputy director.
How many years had he been sharpening his sword in the dark?
Even though countless opportunities had passed, how long had he been secretly waiting to try and get an even bigger certainty?
His opponent was the wealthy merchant Lortel Kehelland.
If he didn't do at least that much, he wouldn't be able to take her down. Dune was well aware of that fact.
A mountain of gold coins piled up inside Lortel's villa.
If the imperial army suddenly burst in, then looking at the circumstances… It wouldn't be strange if they arrested her right away. The evidence was solid.
* * *
The Elte Company's Silvenia branch at night.
In the garden, the two swordsmen—Taylee and Clevius—were fighting each other. The noise from their battle echoed all the way up to the top of the building. However, there were only a few people who could properly hear it.
Clang! Clang!
Ziggs Eiffelstein sat on a wooden chair at the entrance to the second floor as he sharpened his sword.
He looked relaxed, but his expression was serious.
There were various weapons all around him. From the rapier he was carrying, a large longsword, a tiny dual-wield dagger, a bow, a gauntlet, a mace, and even a spear…
The image of Ziggs polishing his weapons one by one was like that of a wild beast, standing alone in the wild, sharpening its teeth.
Claaaang! Bang!
Yennekar Palerover was sitting alone in the VIP waiting room on the third floor, drinking a cup of tea.
The atmosphere around her was abnormal.
The spirits around her crouched down as they watched her. They couldn't really see her face well.
In front of the huge window in the VIP waiting room, there she sat with her back to the front entrance as she looked up at the moon.
Buried in her shadow, there was an unknown sense of fear rising.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
At the end of the hallway on the fourth floor, Trayciana Bloomriver stood wearing a robe with a wand in her hand.
A battle magician who was able to wield advanced magic and had extensive experience in dueling against close combat warriors.
She was the top student of the magic department among the fourth years, which was the highest grade. She was a battle magician that could even beat a warrior in close combat, even though they normally had an edge over magicians.
And on the roof, there were the traces of Ed Rothstaylor's escape and the path he took to run away through the back of the store. One would have to chase after his footsteps into the North Forest for a long time… until they could finally catch Ed Rothstaylor.
To reach Ed Rothstaylor, Taylee would have to defeat every single one of them, all of whom boasted an unbelievable strength.
Trials that were like a massive wall.
Unless it was a massive wall that couldn't be jumped over, you couldn't call it a trial.
Taylee's life had always been a series of trials and tribulations. So, no matter what ordeal it was, whether it was possible or not… he endured the pain and survived to the end, clenching his teeth.
Taylee McLaure screamed in pain as he fell down.
After being pushed back by Clevius's sword, falling onto the floor… He could barely gather strength in his body as he looked at that monster in the night.
That blood-crazed Blade Demon who glowed under the soft moonlight.
Taylee closed his eyes.
A life lived with the belief that there was no ordeal that couldn't be overcome.
Weren't trials that didn't kill him only there to make him stronger? However, that didn't change the fact that they would still be painful.
Still, the reason he was able to stand with his feet planted firmly on the ground was because of Ayla. That was why Taylee McLaure never collapsed.
He barely managed to stand up, leaning against his sword. His body was already a mess.
There were still many trials left in front of him. Still, Taylee never gave up.
He opened his eyes, looking straight at the fearsome Blade Demon.
Life started to return to his eyes. The magic power of the Swordmaster's Skill that flowed through his body… began to resonate through Taylee's body once again.
The ordeals of the Swordsman Taylee McLaure.
With a body covered in blood and injuries, slowly running out of energy… He stood up again.
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