Wizard of the Deep Sea

TL/ED – Miso

“Your Highness. Shall we call for the royal physician?”

“If you wish, we can also summon the royal wizard.”

The guards watched the prince’s madness with voices full of concern.

The prince’s lower eyelid trembled, then he muttered in a creeping voice.

“…I-It’s fine. I must’ve imagined it…”

“Are you certain? Lately you’ve been having trouble sleeping. At least allow us to check, for the sake of your well-being…”

“I-I’m serious. There’s no need to check.”

In the end, the guards couldn’t do anything about the prince shaking his head furiously.

If he didn’t want it and they forced him, that would be treason. Reluctantly, the guards left and headed down the hall instead of continuing to guard the door. [Did you see how he couldn’t even make eye contact with us?]

[Yeah. Honestly, he’s so timid like this…]

[He’s still young… Ahem. Let’s just report it for now.]

Even the guards seemed worried, suggesting the prince’s condition was truly the worst.

As soon as he confirmed the sound of their retreating footsteps, the prince, who had slumped over his desk, let out a deep sigh.

“Sigh… What is it this time…”

This time.

It was about time to step in. I took off my mask and stepped out onto the terrace.

The prince’s terrace was designed to be narrow in case of an assassin infiltration, making it hard for even one person to stand comfortably.

Just enough space for a single boy to stand. I shook my leg to check my current physical strength and gathered a bit of Wind Thunder.

Much less compressed, and I didn’t detonate it all in one spot either.

I looked down at the dizzying drop and steeled myself. I wouldn’t die from falling anyway.

–Tap! Leap. I jumped high.

Of course, it wasn’t enough. There were still several meters to go to reach the terrace, so I began a gradual descent…

I detonated Wind Thunder beneath my feet.

With a soft firecracker-like pop, I flew a bit farther.

I couldn’t land coolly, at all. The output had been stronger than I expected, so I barely managed to grab the terrace railing and climbed up clumsily.

“Huh?”

The prince heard the sound and turned toward the terrace.

More precisely, he saw me through the glass window.

“…?”

He must have received education befitting a prince. In this situation, he should be calling the guards and reporting an intruder.

“T-This time it’s a bit different…”

But it seemed curiosity was stronger. Whatever that sound had been, he didn’t understand it.

I grabbed the terrace handle. It was locked, but picking a lock was no problem at all.

Click, the door opened, and only then did the prince tense up.

“A-An assassin??”

I looked similar, but I was still an intruder. Someone sneaking into the prince’s room rarely had good intentions.

The prince quickly stepped back and bluffed.

“T-Take one more step and I’ll call someone…!”

Even his voice lacked strength.

His uncertain tone, eyes that couldn’t meet mine, narrow shoulders.

Familiar. I’d met this type a few times at the Orphanage too.

Kids who came in a bit older and had a clear awareness of being abandoned by their parents.

Their self-esteem often pierced through the floor with no end in sight. I didn’t know why someone like him, a prince, ended up this way, but…

Anyway, dealing with kids like this was simple.

“This is our first time meeting, little brother.”

“…?”

“Come here, let me give you a hug.”

“Huh?”

They’re weak to familial affection.

Of course, the prince didn’t believe me.

“N-No, what… I don’t have a brother!”

“Our father met another maid in his younger years and that’s how I was born. It’s natural you wouldn’t believe it.”

I casually brushed my hair like the ocean current.

“But then, what about this? Even to your eyes, don’t we look alike?”

“Ugh…”

He frowned a little, and the resemblance was honestly surprising.

Staring blankly at me with his mouth slightly open, the flustered prince soon shook his head again.

“Looking alike could just be a coincidence!”

“Could be. Then how about this?”

I scanned the prince’s body using current sense.

This kind of precise current sense from such close distance could distinguish even small skin troubles perfectly.

Feigning recollection, I let out a hum and asked a question that only the prince himself would likely know.

“Hmm… I remember the time when we used to bathe together. You had two moles on your thigh. Are they still there?”

“…!”

As I spoke the fact, the prince’s eyes widened in surprise.

“There was… a time we bathed together…?”

“Yes. You were so young then, it’s understandable that you wouldn’t remember.”

Still confused, he shook his head side to side.

“No, no way. Father wouldn’t hide something like that from me… Then, then show me some magic!”

“Magic, you say?”

“Y-Yeah!”

The prince blinked rapidly. A single star emerged, and flames rose from the prince’s hand.

I furrowed my brow. That could turn out badly.

But perhaps because of low Enlightenment, even the deep sea creatures didn’t react.

That aside, the prince’s flames had a remarkably high output. Even though it was only 1-Star elemental magic, it was powerful enough to scorch the ceiling.

The prince declared proudly.

“If you’re my older brother, you should be stronger than me! Otherwise, you didn’t inherit Father’s blood.”

“Hm.”

Is he proud of being royalty?

Without a word, I snapped my fingers.

–Pop…

“…Huh, eh? What’s going on?”

The flame that had risen from the prince’s hand vanished in an instant.

Flustered, he looked at his palm, then met my gaze.

Two stars.

It took him ten seconds to realize that I wasn’t much older than him, yet I had two stars, and to understand what that meant.

Even Lumia of the imperial family had only reached 2-Star slightly older than me and was praised as a peerless genius.

The prince’s reaction was already predetermined.

“Hyung…?”

There wasn’t a trace of doubt left in the look of admiration in his eyes.

*

“Why… why would Father hide your existence from me?”

“Respect his decision. I was the child of a maid, and my very existence called for bloodshed. It was inevitable that he kept it hidden.”

“I-I see…”

Sitting at the nearby desk, the prince looked up at me with sparkling eyes, to the point it was overwhelming.

He must’ve found the idea of a suddenly discovered mature 2-Star wizard older brother fascinating.

He’s a doll, and yet there’s nothing different from a real human.

While I was impressed by Crimson Circle’s craftsmanship, I also felt a sense of fear.

Could it be that they created a Fallen from the Abyss like me? Did he just awaken?

Then, was this vast kingdom basically just one giant breeding ground to raise this prince?

I didn’t know. For now, I reached out my hand to my adorably gullible doll who seemed ready to believe anything I said.

“My name is Horn.”

“Ah, Rahan! My name is Rahan.”

Is this my real name?

After the handshake, I explained with a serious expression.

“Little brother, there’s a lot I want to talk to you about, but now’s not the time.”

“Huh? Why not?”

“This kingdom is in danger right now.”

Rahan blinked, not understanding, then suddenly opened his mouth wide.

“Why…!”

“Shh.”

I quieted him as I noticed the guards had returned outside and resumed their watch.

“In this situation, we can’t trust anyone. That’s also why I haven’t gone to Father. As horrible as it is, even he might’ve fallen into the enemy’s clutches.”

“That’s…that’s impossible!”

“I think so too. But just in case, I came to you first.”

“W-What in the world is going on?”

“Have you heard of Crimson Circle?”

“No…”

Rahan shook his head, looking genuinely clueless.

Through this, I was sure. These dolls aren’t under Crimson Circle’s control in their daily lives.

Of course. If they had to be managed every minute, every second, they would’ve needed a fixed personnel presence in the kingdom for seven years straight.

They really were, quite literally, people who lived and moved on their own.

Then how do you tell them apart?

There’s practically no difference between these dolls and people.

Should I ask Dersia about this once night falls?

“Horn hyung?”

My thoughts had dragged on. I reassured Rahan, who looked uneasy as he asked again, and explained the situation.

“Those people have infiltrated the royal palace, wearing other people’s skins and pretending to be human. If we don’t identify them, we’ll be slowly consumed. In the end, this kingdom will fall.”

“Is that really true…?”

“Yes. I came to stop them.”

I had to figure out a way to distinguish them, no matter what.

As I focused on Rahan.

“…No way.”

Suddenly, Rahan’s eyes widened as he fell deep into thought.

“H-hyung. Maybe, it’s not certain, but I think those guys might’ve done something strange to me.”

“Something strange?”

“Yeah. It’s still happening.”

“What is it?”

“T-this time it’s kind of weird. Like fish floating in the air. And… it’s a bit dark. That’s how the world looks to me.”

“…Really? Then they might’ve done something to you.”

You’ve Fallen.

I hid the thought, and Rahan continued, now looking even more serious.

“But this kind of thing happened before too.”

“What?”

“Sometimes… all of a sudden, for no reason, everyone in the world looks like me.”

“…?”

“So when I first saw you, I thought it was something like that again, but this time I felt it was a little different…”

The kid mumbled and started saying things I couldn’t make any sense of.

“I’ve tried explaining it to Father and other people many times, but they didn’t understand at all. Could it be that this is part of the process of those people trying to consume me?”

“Can you tell me more about this phenomenon?”

“Well, um…”

Rahan stared into space as if recalling something, then muttered.

“Everyone looks like me, and I don’t know which one is actually me. It’s so confusing, but then the person I thought was me talks to me. So I realize the me I thought wasn’t me is actually me, and I barely manage to respond…”

In summary, he sometimes becomes unable to distinguish between the individual and the group.

That was it.

Obviously, it’s not a Burden of the Abyss. I don’t even know such a Burden, and I’ve never seen one.

“…”

Resting my chin on my hand, I sank into deep thought.

Occasionally, I come across strange Burdens like this. Someone who became a Fallen of the Abyss just because I came near them. Was he being swapped out for another Fallen…

…No.

“Rahan. Let me borrow this for a moment.”

“U-uh, sure.”

I tore the curtain from the room and made a rope out of it.

Tying it to the terrace, I jumped down. After about three minutes, I climbed back up.

“Did anything change?”

“Y-yeah!”

Rahan nodded enthusiastically.

“When you were nearby, the fish were floating around, but after you left, they disappeared!”

“…”

I stared hard at the prince.

Not just distinguishing between dolls and people.

I might be able to reverse it.

Placing my hand on Rahan’s shoulder, I spoke proudly.

“Rahan.”

“Y-yeah?”

“I think you might be able to save this country.”

“M-me?”

Looking at the doll with my same face, who didn’t believe in himself and stood there bewildered, I smiled deeply in my heart.

Rahan, this guy, whatever the mechanism was.

He had the ability to see the world of the Fallen around him.

*

The palace kitchen was always busy.

But today was especially hectic, due to the sudden visit of the princess’s royal envoy.

With luxurious ingredients being used generously, ones not typically touched, the maids had to help out in the kitchen along with the chefs.

In such a chaotic situation, the worst happened.

–Crash! A pot filled with boiling water spilled and splashed onto the foot of a middle-aged woman.

The head chef ran over in shock.

“Head Maid ssi! Are you all right??”

“Hmm? I’m fine.”

“B-but that was boiling water…”

“…”

Only then did the Head Maid look down at her foot, and she frowned as if in pain.

“…I see. I think I’ll need a bit of rest.”

“I-I’m so sorry! It was my mistake…”

“It can happen in such a busy time. Excuse me.”

The Head Maid dragged her foot at regular intervals as she made her way to a private room where she could rest.

The head chef, dumbfounded by the absurd sight, stared blankly before rushing back to the battlefield at the sound of someone calling him.

“Tsk.”

As soon as she entered the room, the Head Maid’s demeanor changed.

She opened the diary hidden in her bosom.

[Checking. Stand by.]

As soon as she saw the order, she began scribbling furiously with a pen.

[Stand by, my ass? If a royal envoy showed up, that means we’re already exposed. Let’s just kill everyone and take the treasured items that bitch made and get out of here.]

[Only do that in the worst-case scenario.]

[Isn’t this the worst-case already?]

[According to the report, that knight came with utterly baseless suspicions. It’s almost a coincidence that he’s searching all the nearby cities. There’s no reason to run.]

[Can’t we just kill him? That damn knight looks pretty strong, and if I don’t take care of the other knights in advance, I might be in danger.]

[…]

Nothing appeared on the paper for a moment.

But soon, new text appeared.

[Maintain the current order. However, I will call Decay just in case.]

[That bastard doesn’t like me, you know? What if he doesn’t come to save me?]

No further response followed.

Lump let out a sigh and tucked the diary back into his bosom.

Stand by, stand by, and stand by again.

‘Tch, all this over a bit of chaos I stirred up, now they’ve got me on lockdown.’

Being still like this kept making the Burden worse.

Now it was hard to distinguish whether it was himself who was injured, or the head chef.

He had to kill, inflict wounds, and be convinced that only what survived was himself.

Also, that he was the most terrible thing.

Also, that the most grotesque, unmatched monster, was himself. He had to remind himself of that over and over.

For someone like him, standby duty was unbearably boring.

“Maybe I’ll sneak off and enjoy myself a little…”

He was getting restless.

Lump’s hand twisted grotesquely. Maybe he’d sneak over to a nearby village, not the royal palace, and kill a few people just for fun.

While licking his lips with such thoughts-

–Thud! Thud! Thud!

“Head Maid! You’re being summoned!”

“…”

He reluctantly restored his hand and opened the door.

“What is it?”

The maid responded with a confused expression.

“The royal envoy from the Imperial Family…”

“The envoy?”

Lump lowered his voice.

He would decide based on this maid’s words.

If it really seemed they had caught on.

If it’s the worst-case scenario- first kill this person, take what needs to be taken, then.

Just as he was shaping his hand behind his back again, the words that entered his ears were something he hadn’t imagined in the slightest.

“He caused an uproar, saying, ‘How dare you host only such a small banquet to receive me’…”

“?”

“H-He s-said that if we don’t throw a banquet a hundred times grander right away, they’ll consider it an insult to the Empire and Imperial Family!”

Hmm.

Lump carefully loosened his hands.