*Drip. Drip.*
From the end of the stop, black blood dripped down.
*Huff…*
Tweaking a human’s internal circuits comes with considerable rejection.
Most people can die just from a slight alteration.
But these fanatics are monsters who survived a complete overhaul of their internal circuits with an Explosion Spell.
So, a little tweak to the Explosion Spell won’t kill them.
“Count Deputy, it’s okay to lift the barrier. I’ll escort this scum.”
“Is it… still alive?”
The lady’s gaze fell on the blood-soaked field.
In the pool of blood lay a grotesque chunk of flesh, all limbs severed and eyes rolled back, yet somehow still alive.
I stuffed a Recovery Potion in it before shock could set in from blood loss.
Thanks to that, I had to spend four shop coins.
Damn it.
[Quest Complete]
[You are awarded Ability Enhancement Rights as a reward.]
By the way, Ability Enhancement Rights… what on earth could that be?
For now, I decided to deal with the situation and check later.
“What was that just now? That magic that suddenly moved me back? How did you do that?”
*Silence…*
As I was about to leave with the chunk of flesh, a frantic voice called from behind.
Turning around, I saw Julia trying to crawl towards me on her knees.
It was difficult to answer that question here.
Only a few professors at the Imperial University were privy to the secrets of the Teleportation Technique.
*I can’t say anything…*
Besides, to explain that, I’d have to admit I secretly cut her while she was sleeping to implant a spell inside.
I’m doing this to save Julia, but the moment I reveal that, I’d be stamped as garbage.
*Wait a minute. But how did I cast it?*
Suddenly, a question arose.
According to the Imperial University’s experimental results, the Teleportation Spell wouldn’t activate if the subject was a higher life form.
Even an untrained person would show a basic resistance, which would hinder the spell’s activation.
So they claimed it could only work on lower creatures like pigeons or rats. How on earth did it activate on Julia?
“Your Excellency?”
“Answering would take too long. Let’s handle the situation first. Count Deputy, Erica is still in the cave. She is drenched and at risk of hypothermia, so you should go check on her quickly.”
“Oh my! Butler! Quick! Get the boat—”
Avoiding the answer, I decided to leave quickly.
The reason the Teleportation Spell activated on Julia had to be simple.
At that moment, Julia didn’t show even the most basic level of resistance to the change in her internal circuits.
For that to happen, there was only one possibility.
Julia had to trust me instinctively.
*…*
My neck prickled, so I turned back again.
As expected, Julia was still staring at me with a hollow gaze.
Julia trusted me.
Not just to a deep level, but to the point where she would die without hesitation if I asked her to…
She had surpassed the level of trust typically afforded to family.
What was there for Julia to trust me for?
I hadn’t done anything at all.
All I did was come by occasionally and try to find remnants of the past on Julia’s face.
“Your Excellency! Are you alright?”
“The situation has already ended. I plan to personally escort this to the special prison. You all check for spells left behind by the enemy inside.”
“I’ll do that.”
Once outside, I found a swarm of police at the main gate.
Given that a terror attack happened at the headquarters of the Three Great Magical Families, this level of response was only natural.
I decided to let the police handle the site while accompanying this chunk of meat to prison.
If left entirely to the police, the Asylum would surely raid again halfway through.
*Swipe…*
“Hm?”
At that moment, someone brushed past me and slipped a piece of paper into my pocket.
Wondering what it was, I covertly unfolded it to take a look.
It was a coded message.
A code used by Emilia.
Quickly deciphering it, the content was as follows:
– Spell identical to the Teleportation Spell, found in Asylum. Information from Professor Relic.
*Just as I thought.*
This guy also used the Teleportation Spell to enter inside the barrier.
Could it be called a coincidence that a spell historically associated with the Papal Palace was discovered in Asylum?
There had to have been some form of exchange between the two of them.
Even if an agent from Asylum leaked it, the Papal Palace couldn’t escape blame for not maintaining rigorous security.
The attempt to assassinate the Saintess could be dismissed as them purging insiders among themselves, but this issue wouldn’t be brushed aside easily.
This limbless chunk of flesh is crucial in uncovering the connection between Asylum and the Papal Palace.
It’s the one who directly used the Teleportation Spell.
I’m not expecting it to cooperate, but there are countless ways to make someone talk in this world.
I might not know much, but the experts will handle it well.
I decided to place my hopes in the Empire’s interrogation techniques, boasting thousands of years of history.
*But this is really dangerous…*
The infiltration rate of Asylum exceeded my imagination.
I never thought they’d infiltrate the Papal Palace right after the University.
The Imperial Palace wouldn’t be an exception either.
If they go insane and suddenly assassinate Aria…
*Tch.*
I don’t even want to imagine that.
If such an event happened without a legal heir, the Empire would be thrown into chaos in an instant.
To prevent that, it might be best to produce an heir as soon as possible.
*But that’s not it.*
I was thinking foolish thoughts.
I needed to come up with a more fundamental solution.
*Should I call Pelaine?*
The Holy Knights are set to become the Emperor’s bodyguards in the future.
What if we draw that future closer to the present?
The Holy Knights are famous for filtering out all of Asylum’s believers until their numbers swell into the thousands. So I could trust them.
Since the semester at the Imperial University was starting again soon, they could fill the gap while I’m gone.
I’ve made my decision.
I’ll summon the Holy Knights as an institution.
*
*Wow… this is an institution? The cities I’ve seen so far are nothing compared to this…*
“Shh. Don’t act like a country bumpkin, just hurry and walk, you lot.”
The armored men entered the institution.
Under the gazes of citizens, they looked around with marvel but walked proudly without losing their composure, completely filling the road.
Pelaine boarded the carriage and watched the scene, a satisfied smile creeping onto her face.
Everyone looked a bit foolish, but they were veteran soldiers who had rolled through the remnants of the southern rebel army.
*But they still don’t seem ready to protect His Majesty…*
While feeling excited about entering the institution, Pelaine couldn’t shake off her worries.
The Holy Knights had undoubtedly experienced explosive growth.
After successfully leading the suppression army to victory during the civil war, their size had bloomed exponentially, now boasting up to 500 knights.
In the south, they had earned more trust than even the Imperial Army or the Duke’s direct troops.
But if asked whether the Holy Knights were stronger than the royal guard, it would become a complicated matter.
*Seems you’re nervous.*
“No, I’m not nervous.”
“Then that’s even stranger. You’re going to meet His Majesty, yet you’re not nervous?”
“Ah! I-I am nervous.”
*Just kidding. You can relax. You’re qualified to guard His Majesty.*
“Yes…”
Schlus, sitting next to her, casually reached out and began to pat her head.
Feeling the gentle touch after a long while, Pelaine’s ears trembled, but she kept glancing around, fearing that someone might see this through the carriage window.
But once she confirmed no gaps in the curtain, she closed her eyes and indulged in the patting.
At first, Pelaine seemed to accept it reluctantly, but soon she leaned closer to Schlus, tipping her head.
*Something’s changed…*
After a long time, Pelaine felt that Schlus was different somehow.
First of all, he felt much softer as a person.
Since that incident in the bathhouse, she knew he was a warm person inside, but now he was softer outside too.
Even his tone no longer sounded that rigid.
If asked whether she disliked this change, it became ambiguous.
Though she enjoyed hearing Schlus’s voice in a gentle tone, thinking that everyone could hear it made things a bit complicated.
It was a secret that he appeared cold and stiff but was warm inside, known only to her…
To share this fact with everyone felt a bit disappointing.
*Hek… hek…*
“Pelaine.”
*Huh?*
The bewildered tone from Schlus made Pelaine realize the hand that was patting her head had stopped.
The moment she regained her senses, she noticed the droplet of saliva rolling down her chin had landed on Schlus’s shoulder.
*Ah! Oh no! I’m sorry! Really, I’m so sorry!*
“No need. Just wipe your mouth.”
“I’m sorryyy…”
Schlus casually wiped his shoulder with his hand and handed her a handkerchief.
It was a white handkerchief adorned with a pretty ribbon.
Pelaine received it with both hands and slowly wiped the drool from her mouth.
*Schlus’s handkerchief…*
Sneaking a glance at Schlus, she cunningly covered her nose with the handkerchief.
As she inhaled, a fragrant smell wafted in.
The problem was that it wasn’t Schlus’s scent.
*Another woman?!*
Pelaine’s eyes widened with a fierce glare directed straight at Schlus.
Of course, she knew she shouldn’t dare look down on Schlus, the captain of the knights.
But she had secretly scented her own scent onto Schlus to keep away other women, only to find out he was dealing with someone bold enough to ignore that scent completely.
If it was a strong woman like that, Schlus would only be doomed.
“Schlus! I have a question—do you have a romantic interest at the moment?”
*Ahaha… Is it that obvious? Well, this is actually a secret—*
Of course, she had to keep her lord’s secret.
Pelaine perked up, keen on following the movements of Schlus’s lips.
This wasn’t an attempt to sabotage other women to look down on Schlus.
She was merely trying to give a tiny bit of advice for Schlus’s happy marriage.
“I have two fiancées.”
*…*
Schlus grinned and casually dropped that bomb.
Pelaine froze in shock.
“We’ve arrived. Let’s go greet His Majesty.”
*…*
Pelaine couldn’t move an inch until the carriage stopped.
