“A Rusalka?”
At Xenon’s repeated question, his master, Secian, clicked his tongue loudly.
“Yes, you fool! That’s why I told you to study properly when you had the chance!”
As Secian scolded him, Xenon immediately drooped his eyebrows with an aggrieved expression.
“There are more than one or two Monsters; how am I supposed to memorize them all?”
“If I can do it, why can’t you, a young man?”
Under Secian’s rebuke, Xenon made a face that suggested he had much to say. But instead of arguing further, he changed the subject in a suppressed voice.
“Anyway, I suspect that is the culprit.”
“If it’s a Rusalka, you should know about it.”
“I’ve only read a little about fallen fairies; I don’t know about Rusalkas.”
“Fallen fairy is another name for a Rusalka, you fool! Did you only read half the book?”
Xenon likely wanted to let it slide quietly, but Secian began criticizing his academic state again.
I, who had been watching Xenon with some pity, subtly interjected and spoke to Secian.
“I thought the Temple was the authority on knowledge of Monsters, but it seems the Magic Tower also conducts deep research.”
Mentioning the Temple caused Secian’s expression to twist sharply. He revealed his feelings without restraint on his face and spoke to me in a strong tone.
“It’s just that the Magic Tower focuses on research with dignity, so people don’t know, but it’s no exaggeration to say all the world’s knowledge resides in the Magic Tower! Those damned Temple folks are always just spouting plausible words first! Those wretches would keep flapping their mouths even if the world collapsed.”
At his words full of hostility, I glanced at Samuel’s complexion.
I thought this fanatical and exceedingly devout priest might start a fight with Secian right away, but fortunately, he stood there impassively, holding his position.
Or perhaps he was letting all of Secian’s words go in one ear and out the other.
Rather than tediously picking apart every word and phrase, it was better this way, I thought.
Having judged that Samuel wouldn’t cause a disturbance for now, I cautiously agreed with Secian’s words.
“I see. So that’s why you know so well about the Monster called Rusalka.”
When I readily agreed with him, Secian nodded with a softened expression.
“Ahem, of course. We know far more about rare Monsters than the Temple does.”
“As expected of the Tower Master, your learning is profound.”
“Huh, hmm, well. I am somewhat like that, I suppose!”
A faint smile fleetingly passed over Secian’s stern face.
Xenon, watching this from the side, covered his face and muttered in a sighing voice.
“……Master. As your disciple, I’m a bit embarrassed.”
“You, shut your mouth!”
I, who had been watching Secian with narrowed eyes, internally summarized my impression of him.
‘He’s similar to Xenon.’
Hmm, I roughly gauged what kind of person he was and how to deal with him.
The Magic Tower was a closed-off group with almost no external interaction, so it wouldn’t be bad to flatter him within reasonable limits.
‘Moreover, he seems to have no immunity to this sort of thing, which is even better.’
It wasn’t difficult at all to soften and adorn my voice. If such a manner of speech could make a difficult path easier, all the more reason to do it.
“My knowledge is shallow, so I would be glad if I could seek learning.”
“Ahem……. The Magic Tower does not treat those who seek learning poorly.”
At Secian’s words, Xenon opened his mouth with a horrified expression.
“Since when?”
“It’s always been that way, always!”
Nessi and Gamon, finding the sight of the two endearing, greatly welcomed this noisy conversation.
Through the wolves’ reactions, I could infer what their life at the Magic Tower was like without even having to ask.
And of course, Secian, who naturally couldn’t know what conversation these wolves were having while looking at them, was engrossed in scolding Xenon until another wizard subtly reminded him of my presence, at which point he came to his senses.
I smiled faintly at Secian, who was awkwardly avoiding my gaze.
“If you could provide accurate information on what a Rusalka is, it would be a great help in resolving this matter.”
Secian cleared his throat and clasped his hands behind his back. He seemed to ponder for a moment, but it wasn’t for long.
“For my disciple’s sake, I’ll tell you just this once.”
He was trying to maintain a composed expression, but his slightly flushed neck suggested he felt inwardly proud.
Secian opened his mouth.
“The reason it’s classified as a rare Monster isn’t simply because of its small numbers. It’s because it’s an intelligent Monster.”
“Intelligent?”
“Yes. It can even mimic human speech and form. So ignorant humans mistake it for a fairy. Then, after suffering greatly, they go around saying they fell victim to the tricks of a fallen fairy.”
A Monster that can mimic humans. Somehow, it gave me chills, and I unconsciously rubbed my arm.
“It is inherently very timid and wary, so when it encounters humans, it disguises itself to appear larger and more imposing to threaten them.”
「A large, black figure came rushing.」
That’s what Heinri had said. So he immediately swung his sword, but it was as if he slashed through empty air, he said.
If it had disguised itself to appear large from the start, it was only natural that nothing was struck.
“It is a psychic Monster that steals the dreams of its prey.”
“Does stealing dreams mean the victim never wakes from sleep?”
When I cautiously asked, Secian rubbed his chin and pondered for a moment.
“Actually, based on known information, losing consciousness lasts at most three days.”
“It’s been more than three days.”
“……Hmm, there might be something unusual.”
I couldn’t tell Secian honestly, but I could roughly guess what that ‘unusual’ thing was.
Authority. The power that Mori likely informed that Monster about must have been the problem. It probably strengthened the Monster’s power or caused some change.
“Is there no way to forcibly wake them?”
“The most certain method is to kill the Rusalka that stole the dream.”
In the end, no matter how you looked at it, it meant we had to encounter that Monster to resolve this.
I blinked slowly, trying to drive away the fatigue, and smiled.
“Thank you. That was a great help.”
I had tried to maintain a friendly attitude for my part, and it seemed to work well, as Secian’s demeanor had improved considerably compared to the beginning.
Of course, sternness still lingered on his face, but how should I put it?
He kept clearing his throat and putting force into his voice, but the sharp wariness from before was absent.
“Ahem. The Resurrected One is quite polite, unlike the rumors.”
Seeing that the conversation seemed to be ending, Xenon quickly interjected and gave his master a meaningful look.
“Master.”
“You, let’s have a little talk.”
Without even waiting for Xenon’s answer, Secian grabbed him and moved away from me. At his blatant attempt to change locations, Xenon looked at me, seemingly flustered.
I nodded to him, indicating he should go without worry, then glanced up.
A crow that had been circling in the sky let out a long cry and flew off somewhere.
It was toward the Crown Prince’s palace.
* * *
Thud! Crash!
“It’s all wrong!”
Maxel picked up a book lying nearby and threw it. The statue struck by the book broke with a loud noise.
At the sound of fragments scattering in all directions, the shoulders of the maids standing in the corner of the drawing room stiffened. They were even afraid to breathe properly, lest they provoke their master’s temper.
Maxel shouted.
“A guarantee from the Magic Tower? The point was to not let that happen in the first place!”
“Your Highness.”
It was Lilia who had said that if it became certain this incident was the work of a Monster, it would reveal that Anelli hadn’t fulfilled her duty.
It was also Lilia who had said that if the Temple and the Magic Tower gathered in one place, they would surely cause discord and clash with the Emperor as well.
As Lilia said, the Temple and the Magic Tower clashed with the Emperor. Only, the result wasn’t what they had hoped for.
“The Magic Tower guarantees the Resurrected One’s divinity? We brought them in to make them do such an absurd thing?”
Lilia, who had been glaring at the panting Maxel, gestured with her eyes for the maids standing with their heads deeply bowed to leave.
Confirming that the maids, sensing the mood, hurried out, she soothed Maxel in a gentle voice.
“The Magic Tower wasn’t on our side anyway. Neither was the Temple. Above all, they won’t be able to exert influence on the struggle for the throne. His Majesty won’t just stand by and watch that.”
“What’s the use of all that? We gained nothing from this incident.”
“That’s not true. Her Majesty the Empress is still unconscious, and the 1st Prince has lost his support. Even if my elder sister is the goddess’s Resurrected One, the goddess doesn’t choose the owner of the imperial crown.”
Maxel, who had been glaring out the window with a fearsome face, turned to look at Lilia. Maxel’s heavily distorted face was more sinister than ever.
Lilia paused briefly at his unfamiliar expression but soon smiled as if it were nothing.
“Your Highness, my elder sister believes she will become the minor Duchess of Roam, but that’s impossible.”
“She has increased her own value through this incident.”
“But Roam has Duke Roam and the Duchess of Roam. They won’t want an heir they cannot control. Moreover, Your Highness the Crown Prince. My precognitive ability has returned to me, hasn’t it?”
Lilia stepped on the broken pieces and approached Maxel’s side.
She covered Maxel’s clenched fist with her own hand and whispered softly.
“My elder sister will not become the minor Duchess. That position will be taken by Sayri.”
“……Roam’s third daughter?”
“Yes. In the end, Roam will stand behind you and support you. That’s the future I saw for us.”
Maxel had also noticed that the relationship between Duke Roam and Heinri was suspicious. Perhaps because of that, he didn’t seem to readily believe it.
Lilia didn’t try to forcibly convince him. Instead, she continued in a soft tone.
“But Roam’s support alone is insufficient. The 1st Prince won’t give up easily.”
“He’s been lying low for years, so of course he won’t step back easily.”
“Yes, so, Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
Lilia clung a little closer to Maxel and lowered her voice.
“We need military forces.”