Chapter 190 : Chapter 190
Chapter 190 - Dichotomous Thinking
[General Manager of Intelligence.]
“Yes. Family Head.”
The ceiling of the conference hall was the floor here.
Summoned to the secret room where only the Family Head could be, the General Manager of Intelligence knelt before him.
However, instead of the reason for the summons, the Family Head looked at the General Manager of Intelligence for a while. The head of the shadows endured the gaze without a word.
Both the Family Head and the General Manager knew the reason for the silence.
That was why the Family Head cut to the chase, skipping all preliminaries.
[It doesn't seem like a gift, to have prepared it for the youngest. What are you thinking?]
“I thought it was a plan that could bring the most if it succeeded, even though the probability is low.”
[The problem if it fails is.]
“It will be the same as the problem that would arise if we did nothing and just watched.”
Wisdom would gain the Imperial Family as an ally and strike Millesdusk.
Millesdusk would have to fight while worrying about the Imperial Family in the middle, so all bold moves would be blocked.
In the end, they would have to face Wisdom and the Imperial Family in their Eastern stronghold, but they couldn't block all of the East.
They would have to give up some land, and Wisdom would set up camp on that land and begin their conquest.
Several futures were easily drawn, and the Imperial Family was indeed a variable that had to be eliminated.
The Family Head also knew that, but the General Manager was still reckless.
[The envoy is not the only way. We can just discard the option of making the Imperial Family a temporary ally.]
“Yes. Since we know about the contract between Wisdom and the Imperial Family, we could intercept the Elixir in the middle or sow discord.”
[Then why. Did you announce a plan with only one suitable candidate in front of everyone, without even a simple report to me?]
“The Fifth Son is someone who has repeatedly accomplished things that everyone said were hopeless.”
[Heh.]
The Family Head let out a low laugh. The chilling sneer that spread in the darkness soon led to clear fury.
[So, with just your flimsy belief, you placed the fate of the war on the youngest's shoulders?]
Teudeudeudeuk─
Marrows crawling out of the darkness bound the body of the General Manager of Intelligence.
They, which came out so silently that even a high-ranking sorcerer would be spooked, coiled around his entire body like snakes.
The General Manager of Intelligence spoke seriously in his characteristic monotone.
“The reason is not just a simple belief.”
[Shall I guess? The reason hidden deep in your heart.]
Udeudeudeuk─
A sound that shouldn't come from bones was heard for a moment. Nevertheless, to the General Manager whose eyebrows didn't even twitch, the Family Head muttered.
[Your beloved subordinate who was dispatched to the youngest's camp.]
“……”
[That subordinate came to regard the youngest's side as home rather than the intelligence department, and in the end, even volunteered for memory erasure and cut ties with you.]
“…The first thing they learn in the intelligence department is how to deal with personal ties. I have no personal feelings.”
[Why do they learn that first? Because it's the hardest, they teach it from the beginning.]
The Family Head snorted. No personal feelings?
[When you reported to me, you started mentioning a certain agent's name at some point. Mirea Rara.]
The General Manager of Intelligence mentioned her name so often that even he remembered it.
It was because he hoped that the Family Head would remember and that a new path for Mirea's success might open up.
[I know you personally picked and taught Mirea Rara when she was young, and raised her. But that doesn't make you her father.]
“…I know.”
[If you knew, you shouldn't have aimed the arrow of your emotions at the youngest. If she regarded you as a father, you should have at least supported her choice.]
The Family Head clicked his tongue.
[Being half-hearted will get you nowhere.]
A hand in a black glove was seen for a moment in the darkness. The hand then swatted the air as if chasing away a bug.
Kwadeuk─
The ring finger of the General Manager of Intelligence's left hand fell off just like that.
Torn off as if bitten by something, it rolled on the floor. At the same time, the bound body was released, and the marrows disappeared.
“…Thank you for your mercy, Family Head.”
[It is not a mercy that will be shown more than once, so there is no need to be grateful.
Therefore, you too should not mix emotions into your duties more than once.]
The General Manager of Intelligence silently bowed his head deep.
“I will assist the Fifth Son and ensure the success of the plan.”
[Remember that the youngest's command on site is the entirety of the plan.]
“Of course.”
[Withdraw. Your finger too.]
The General Manager of Intelligence retrieved his fallen ring finger and was returned to his place by Ransis again.
He stopped the bleeding with magic and stored the severed finger in a cloth.
The cleanly severed finger and the original were intact, so a skilled Beast Sorcerer could reattach it.
It was another mercy from the Family Head.
Messenger Ransis appeared before everyone again and declared.
“The Family Head has approved the General Manager of Intelligence's envoy plan.
Furthermore, the envoy in the plan has been appointed to the Fifth Son, who volunteered.”
And that was not the only thing that was decided.
“The war will not end with just Wisdom. The East-West war will be centered around the blood relatives, and other institutions and sorcerers will strictly play a supporting role.”
A few sorcerers on the lowest floor let out sighs of relief.
They had thought they would die like dogs if a war broke out, but it was a relief that the higher-ups were stepping up.
But they couldn't let the family's forces just play around.
“The other sorcerers of the Pantheon will begin a large-scale strengthening of their forces.
This will be carried out with the 1st process Dark Elixir and the teachings of the elders.”
The teachings of the elders. This was good news, but at the same time, it was also worrying news.
The old veterans on the upper floors were in the highest positions a non-blood-relative sorcerer could reach in Millesdusk.
They were truly geniuses, and because they were geniuses, they couldn't understand those who were not.
Still, the teachings of a master were worth listening to, so they would become nutrients and raise the seedlings.
It was just that the process was expected to be very difficult.
The sighs of relief from the lowest floor turned into sighs of worry, and the messenger continued with his hands behind his back.
“The Family Head has spoken. The enemies have grown by exactly 80 years in the 80 years since the East-West war, but we are 300 years ahead.”
Those 300 years were the future that the 1st Dark Elixir had created and the 2nd Dark Elixir would create.
“Time is on our side. Death couldn't even catch us, so who will put us to sleep?”
Not only the elders' floor, but also the heads of the family's institutions and the sorcerers laughed.
“This concludes the 1st conference. Thank you all for your hard work, you are now dismissed.”
Ransis skillfully handled the Millesdusk dignitaries and blood relatives and concluded the meeting.
Just as the direct blood relatives were about to get up first, Ransis opened his mouth.
“The blood relatives will please remain for a moment. Just as the sorcerers will receive the teachings of the elders, the blood relatives will receive the teachings of the Family Head.”
“……”
“……”
Though not visible, hidden in the darkness, their hardened expressions were all predictable.
The reason for such expressions was the same as that of the sorcerers on the lowest floor.
“Ah~. Should I just get sick like the youngest~.”
The Fourth Son leaned back lazily, and the Third Daughter Melaine clung to her older sister like a teddy bear.
Because the future that lay ahead was so worrying. It was no exaggeration to say that this was scarier than the war.
While the other siblings were doing that, the First Son only stared in the direction of Eclipse.
He was grounded for now because of the standby order, but he thought about visiting him.
It would be fine to visit after the not-so-pleasant time with his father was over.
‘What does the youngest like?’
He would like it even more if he brought a gift.
***
Kairos toured the Dark Moon Grand Castle with Josephine's guidance.
“Thanks to you, I had a good tour. I should repay you, but instead, I received more.”
“R-repay? It's really fine.”
“If you are learning fire attribute magic, I will help you a little.”
“Ah, ah. Then just once later….”
“Any number of times is fine.”
Josephine was confused whether this was a dream or reality. For a dragon to step up and teach magic. And directly, several times at that.
“It seems the Head Butler is returning.”
“Yes?”
Kairos's hand pointed to a purple ball of fire coming this way.
The Head Butler, who had been on a business trip to the conference hall, returned home again. In fact, it was his first business trip, but it had ended well.
“Kairos! I hardly recognize you?”
“It's thanks to Josephine.”
The two, who had felt a sense of kinship since he was the Magic Dragon, shook hands in their human forms.
Kairos was a young man and Amon a boy, so the height at which they extended their arms was different, but it was harmonious.
“What about the Young Master? How is the Young Master's condition?”
“…Is Dante sick somewhere?”
“Hmm? You didn't know? After we parted, he came up and poured the Elixir that Wisdom gifted into the dokdan he just made!”
Wisdom. Gifted. Elixir. Poured?
The Head Butler's words hit Josephine's head in broken pieces.
Tudadadadak─!!
Josephine ran like crazy towards the Dark Moon Grand Castle.
“W-wait for me!”
“Something must have happened.”
The Head Butler, who had control over the Dark Moon Grand Castle, hurriedly opened the door, and Kairos followed.
As they ran frantically along the path the Head Butler created, the last outer wall opened.
My room was revealed, and I, sleeping as if dead, was revealed.
“D-Dante!”
She ran to the bed so fast that her head shook wildly.
“Dante is so pale…!”
“Wasn't the master always pale?”
Kairos spoke the truth, but Josephine couldn't hear him.
“He's burning up!”
“The Young Master can handle heat well!”
“He even helped with my regeneration. Of course.”
The Head Butler and Kairos were calm, but Josephine didn't know what to do. It was the same until the Head Maid opened the outer wall and came in.
“You're all gathered. What brings you here?”
She, who had brought warm water in a wide pot, soaked the towel in her hand.
As she took out some of the heat from his hot body, my expression also became a little more comfortable.
“H-Head Maid. What's wrong with Dante? Ah, no. I heard it's because of the Elixir, but is it serious?”
“He won't die, so you don't have to worry. It seems those two know, but didn't they tell you?”
“I did, but she wouldn't listen.”
The Head Maid stared at the unfamiliar face for a moment and then nodded.
“You must be Kairos. I will show you to your room shortly.”
“Take your time. I am not in a hurry.”
Dragons symbolized arrogance and pride, but also leisure and relaxation.
As long as the robe he received from Josephine didn't get torn, he wouldn't pay much attention to clothes.
Instead, the Head Butler, who was more excited than the owner of the room, jumped up and down.
“Head Maid! If you're busy now, I'll show him the way!”
“I would appreciate it if you could.”
“Yep! Follow me, Kairos!”
“Alright.”
Kairos looked worriedly at me lying on the bed and then followed him.
Only the two of them were left in the room, and Josephine took out a handkerchief and soaked it in water.
“You don't have to help.”
“No. I'm doing it because I want to.”
“Even if you do this, a marriage engagement is impossible.”
“Y-yes?”
Heat rose to Josephine's face, hotter than the water in the pot.
On the other hand, the Head Maid calmly wiped my arm and continued.
“Whenever you are in front of the Young Master, you become more excited and emotional than usual. Not to mention the blush on your face, you try to show only the prettiest parts of your personality.”
“Th-that's, that's because he's the one who gives me money….”
“I also received money from the Young Master, but I did not do that.”
Josephine could no longer make excuses and just bowed her head low.
“We are currently at war with your family, Miss Josephine.”
“…It's not my family. It never was, and it never will be.”
“But people think differently. Instead of an engagement with you, Miss Josephine, the Young Master should first think of a way to save you from the executioner's blade.”
“……”
“That's how much an overheated war clouds people's judgment. East or West. Millesdusk or Wisdom. They can only think in a dichotomous way.”
From that perspective, Josephine was clearly of the enemy's bloodline.
“Be on your guard. The Fifth Son will be away from Eclipse for a long time.”
Being in the Fifth Son's main headquarters was not safe.
Just as Millesdusk's intelligence department could penetrate even the Imperial Family if they put their minds to it, the other great families had enough power to do so.
Sending a few assassins here was not impossible, though it would be a waste of manpower.
“This is not the time to be worrying about others.”
“…I'll keep that in mind.”
“When the Fifth Son leaves Eclipse, leave Belir and move your residence inside the castle. Or you can ask the Young Master to let you follow the delegation.”
Josephine swallowed dryly.
It was right to kill a traitor who might be blabbing information in the enemy's camp.
She couldn't relax when walking, eating, or sleeping.
That was war.