I Became the Narrow-Eyed Villain in a Dropped Novel

Chapter 139:

A private room located in the deepest part of the event hall.

Without a single window, lit only by gas lamps, it was dim despite being midday.

“Did you understand everything I’ve said so far?”

“It wasn’t a difficult conversation, I understood everything.”

I answered, my voice slightly deflated.

For someone who had pointed me out in public on the podium, the stories were quite unsubstantial.

The proposal to establish a research institute within the Imperial Capital was at least worth listening to, but the rest was just yawn-inducing talk of financial support and bragging about recently developed technology.

I understood, though.

With the Vestol Ambassador stuck to Professor Zain’s side, he couldn’t carelessly bring up matters related to the Eight Council.

As if my guess was correct, the professor frowned and looked at the ambassador.

“This should be enough, Ambassador.”

“Pardon?”

“Isn’t what we just discussed enough for the report you’ll send up? You may leave.”

“This is regulation, Professor. I cannot just….”

“Must I really spell out what is scarier than regulations?”

The ambassador flinched at the professor’s hoarse voice.

It didn't take much effort to make the life of a single bureaucrat tiresome.

A single letter would be enough to make his life miserable right away.

The ambassador, who suffered from a brief internal conflict, left the private room with a dry cough.

His departing figure looked quite pitiful.

“Honestly, those with empty heads don’t know a favor even when you do one for them.”

“Was that a favor?”

“The Assembly is unnecessarily interested in the movements of this old professor. He should be grateful to me for letting him write something down instead of kicking him out right from the start.”

The professor shook his head as if he were sick of it.

I decided to keep the question of whether they were "unnecessarily interested" or just watching him because he causes trouble if left unchecked to myself.

“Does that mean you’re finally ready to reveal your true intentions.”

“Indeed. Of course, it wouldn’t hurt if you accepted the offer about the research institute I mentioned earlier.”

“To be honest, that will be difficult. No one in the Empire would be pleased to hear that a madman from Vestol is setting up a research institute.”

“A pity. It is truly a shame to be in a position where you must be swayed by the opinions of the ignorant.”

I was slightly dumbfounded watching the professor mutter to himself in disappointment.

Did he really think that proposal had a chance?

While I was mulling over this white-haired elder’s disastrous political sense, the professor took out a note from his pocket.

In fact, it was a scrap from a notebook, almost embarrassing to call a note.

“I have a favor to ask.”

“Hoh. For Professor Zain to use the word ‘favor’. I’m looking forward to it.”

In the novel, he was the type of person who would start by saying he had something for me to do or a job to be done.

It was the same when I experienced it in person.

What could it be to make such a person use the word ‘favor’?

I unfolded the note and slightly twisted the corner of my mouth.

The content wasn't shocking, but this was.

“I can’t read this.”

“I wasn’t sure how to read the Empire’s place names, so I wrote them down.”

“No, I mean, I can’t make it out. What on earth did you scribble here? Is this even writing to begin with?”

“My creations that were temporarily stored there have been confiscated.”

Neatly ignoring my words, the professor began to lay out his own.

Ha. I guess I’ll have to ask Raphel to read it later.

“The materials and ingredients don’t matter. They can be bought again. What’s important are my creations.”

“Who confiscated them?”

“The First Duke’s dogs. Do you see now why I called you.”

“I roughly understand what happened. It seems they were confiscated along with the smuggling route when it was busted.”

“I even made an official request for their return, but they wouldn't listen. Bureaucrats everywhere are incapable of understanding words.”

Of course, they wouldn't just return items that belonged to a criminal organization.

No, before that, I was flustered by the fact that he had protested officially in the first place.

“So… you mean you confessed to using a smuggler.”

“Isn’t it better to pay a little more and use Cesare than to let scientific progress be delayed by troublesome customs procedures?”

“I don’t know. I don’t think the Three Blades would think so.”

“I know not to expect logic from those who know nothing but how to throw their weight around under a nobleman, Count. It is a sad state of affairs.”

That wasn't what I meant, but since he seemed to have interpreted my words in a good way for himself, I didn’t bother to correct him.

In any case, if a Vestol celebrity went so far as to make an official protest, the Three Blades would also take a significant interest in the confiscated items. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ novᴇlfire.net

“We should help each other out. I’ll look into it.”

“It’s not a matter of looking into it, I want you to step in immediately.”

“Just as you are busy with your work, I am busy with mine.”

If we were to be particular, I was busier.

Especially since the First Duke was neurotically poking at places associated with the Eight Council.

“Did I not say time is of the essence.”

“Yes, and that’s why I’m saying I can’t handle it right away. Don’t worry. I will make sure to instruct them to handle it as quickly as possible.”

“No, the one for whom time is of the essence is not me, but you, Count. The creation you requested is also confiscated there.”

The item I requested?

I frowned unknowingly.

I naturally remembered what I had requested.

I had asked if he could create something that could weaken or counter a curse.

As magic was a matter of course in this world, the professor, as a technician, also had considerable knowledge in that area.

What was strange was that at that time, this eccentric old man had clearly refused, saying it was impossible.

He had said that unlike magic, the cause and effect of curses had not yet been clearly identified.

“Didn’t you say at that time that you could not accept a proposal that went against technology and blasphemed science.”

“That’s right.”

I waited for his next words, but the professor just looked at me with a face that said he was done talking.

What in the world went on inside that brain of his?

In the end, I had to ask another question.

“You said you couldn’t work on anything related to curses.”

“That was the case until the Count contacted me. The situation changed later.”

“How so?”

“Kaseph of the Karmaflame paid me a visit. It was a unique experience.”

So, he meant it became possible because Kaseph gave him information related to curses.

I didn't know how Kaseph knew to visit the professor, but I decided to let it slide for now.

“Am I to understand that you created the item I requested to block curses with Kaseph’s help.”

“Magic is a very sophisticated discipline, but curses still have not escaped the realm of shamanism. No matter how Kaseph of the Karmaflame explains it, that fact does not change. However, there are similarities with magic in its basic operating principles, and that….”

“You don’t have to give me an academic presentation. Just tell me if it’s possible or not.”

“…To summarize, it is still incomplete. It was on its way back from finishing experiments in the Northern Federation for improvements when it met with this misfortune.”

I understood why he said I was the one in a hurry.

He was telling me to get his invention back into his hands as soon as possible so he could finish it quickly.

“Understood. I will handle it personally.”

“The experiment reports were not confiscated and are with my assistants, so you just need to retrieve the creations.”

“Creations, plural. Is there more?”

“There are quite a few things. Some are bulky, so move them carefully.”

The professor earnestly gave me precautions as if I had already accepted.

Well, since it was related to my own life, I was planning to accept anyway.

“But why didn’t you handle it yourself? You have many people in Vestol who could act on your behalf, don’t you?”

“After the official protest was rejected, I also looked for other means. But they either didn’t accept or the chances of success were low.”

It was strange, considering the professor's connections should have included quite a few skilled contractors.

As if sensing my question, the professor added nonchalantly.

“After I officially protested, the short blade unit of the Three Blades showed up at the place where the confiscated creations are.”

Honestly, what a useless old man.

***

The Three Blades consisted of 3 organizations.

The Dagger unit, in charge of intelligence; the Silver dagger unit, in charge of administration and being the public face; and the Short blade unit, in charge of military force.

Among these, the short blade unit had the smallest numbers.

This was due to the fact that even the First Duke couldn’t greatly expand a military organization after the Duke’s private soldiers and knight orders were banned.

Because of these various restrictions, the Dagger unit (Bisu) of the Three Blades had no choice but to be a small elite force.

In some respects, being a small elite force was better for being the First Duke’s limbs.

“It looks like they brought the entire Short blade unit?”

Ede, who had returned from scouting, reported with wide eyes.

“How many are there?”

“For now, there are over 20 people that I can recognize. Considering the entire short blade unit is around 30 members, it’s highly likely the rest are also nearby.”

I had expected this, since it was as if Professor Zain had announced that it was very important.

But I didn't think they would all come.

This was going to be a tougher operation than I thought.

“Have you identified where the confiscated creations are being stored?”

“I found out where the smuggled goods are, but I think the professor’s items are stored in a different location. I didn’t see anything that looked like the items the professor described.”

Of course, the Short blade unit would have swarmed there for that reason, so it must have been placed under special management.

If only that socially inept old man had just kept quiet, things would have been much easier….

“What should we do, Count? Frowning won’t solve the problem.”

“That’s very helpful advice, Mr. Ede.”

“Don’t mention it.”

Seeing his bright smiling face, I lost the energy to say anything more.

He wasn’t wrong either.

If it was Valheit, he should smile more in a situation like this.

“If we fight, do you think we have a chance of winning?”

“If our Count steps forward, there’s nothing to be afraid of!”

“And if I don’t?”

“We’d never win. We’d be doing well to last 30 minutes, I guess.”

Ede answered cheerfully.

I thought so too.

If I went all out, I thought I could win against the Short blade unit (Taito).

But that would mean going beyond my covert fight with Johann Geller and could become a head-on clash between the Emperor and the Duke.

After all, Count Valheit was an advisor to the Imperial Family, and if I personally stepped forward and attacked openly, there was too much room for it to be interpreted as an attack on a Duke that Blaiher disliked.

A misstep could reignite the embers of the civil war that I had painstakingly avoided.

It was not an option I could choose now, with the fire of death right before my nose.

“If we can’t clash head-on, we have no choice but to go around.”

“As I thought, are we going with stealing it? But the Short blade unit aren’t fools, they wouldn’t fall for it so easily ....”

“That’s right. Just trying to steal it would be no different from a frontal assault. We’ll have to use our heads a bit.”

Although their individual martial prowess was outstanding, the short blade unit numbered only 30.

It was a number far too small to defend key points.

Naturally, they would have to concentrate their defense, and a flexible response would be difficult.

“Tell Cesare to send some useless or disposable subordinates.”

“Ah, are you thinking of using them as bait?”

“Something like that.”

Simply putting up bait is easy for defenders to deal with.

They can just quickly subdue it and return.

The way for an attacker to counter such a defensive strategy is actually simple.

You just have to spread an obscene number of decoys in every direction so they can't respond easily.

Thankfully, the Eight Council had plenty of such arrow fodder.