Chapter 47
Chapter 47
“Such an intriguing item. May I take a moment to examine it?”
Perhaps because he was a mage after all, Arasen could not hide his interest the moment he discovered the Blessing of Invisibility.
The distant attitude he had shown until just a moment ago was nowhere to be seen; the way he looked at me with sparkling eyes was amusing, so when I readily nodded, he slowly raised his hand and picked up the Blessing of Invisibility.
Wooooong—
Mana soon welled up from his hand, and multicolored light began to gather.
Arasen scanned the Blessing of Invisibility thoroughly, as if inspecting it, and let out a low hum.
Then, saying he would excuse himself for a moment, he returned to his desk and brought back several old tomes as thick as his forearm.
Shrrrk—!
The sight of several ancient books floating in midair, their pages turning on their own, was spectacular.
Arasen examined the Blessing of Invisibility with an utterly serious expression, then shook his head and let out a sigh.
“With my knowledge, I cannot even begin to guess how this was made or what effects it possesses.”
“That doesn’t matter. What matters is that this artifact has already been used once. I am looking for a way to recharge its expended power.”
The Blessing of Invisibility was a myth-grade artifact.
To go further, it was an element inserted as an homage.
Naturally, it would be far more astonishing if Arasen, a character within this novel, were able to recognize it.
“Hm…….”
He wore a troubled expression for a moment.
Then, after glancing through the old tomes and searching here and there, he seemed to reach a conclusion and opened his mouth.
“Ordinarily, artifacts of this sort are powered by mana. And at this level, something special is required.”
He gave examples such as mana stones and various gemstones and materials.
It was a fairly reasonable argument.
Fortunately, if it was gems of that sort, I had mountains of them piled up in my warehouse.
And if those were not enough, I could always look elsewhere.
Money was rotting away unused.
“But this seems to be a little different.”
“Different?”
“Yes, please take a look at this.”
A strand of mana bloomed in Arasen’s hand.
He brought it toward the Blessing of Invisibility, but it abruptly popped and lost its form.
“This artifact rejects mana. That is likely a property inherent to the original material that composes it. There are only two things that reject mana: divine power or demonic energy. It does not seem to be demonic energy, so perhaps if you try imbuing it with power of the divine attribute, you might find an answer.”
“…Divine power.”
I heard an answer I had never even considered.
I had thought it would be a success just to take away a small hint.
When I looked at him with a slightly impressed gaze, Arasen smiled with a proud expression.
“I am an old man whose only merit is the years I have lived. Should I not at least offer advice like this?”
“Even so, it was a great help. Is there any reward you desire?”
“A reward, you say.”
When I broached the subject, intending to grant him something within my means, he stroked his chin and let out a low hum.
“Would it be acceptable if I put it on hold? Given my age, there is not much that I desire.”
“For someone like that, the view outside is rather splendid, isn’t it?”
When I referred to the glittering scenery of the mage tower, he gave a bitter smile, as if he could not help it.
“Then let us speak of it later. I will think on it seriously.”
The next day, the time for my audience with the Emperor approached.
As I went forward wearing the ceremonial robes Parsi had prepared, I saw a familiar face waiting outside the audience chamber.
“Leios.”
Carius, with a stiff expression, greeted me.
I often saw Darius, who was one year my senior, within the Academy, but since Carius was older, I rarely had the chance to see him.
So I felt a bit glad to see him—but the moment I saw his face, those feelings vanished completely.
Darius stared at me with blazing eyes.
Unable to ignore me as he once had, he at least acknowledged me, which was a ridiculous sight.
“What on earth happened? And what is this talk about demons…….”
“I will explain the details before His Majesty.”
It was bothersome to say it twice, so I cut him off.
Carius frowned slightly, but what could he do if I did not want to speak? He merely let out a small sigh and turned his head away.
“His Majesty has granted the audience.”
As soon as the Royal Knight spoke, the doors to the audience chamber opened.
Ordinarily, countless nobles would have been lined up on both sides, but given the nature of today’s agenda, only a small number of key figures were present.
‘…The Sword Saint?’
This was another unexpected face.
Come to think of it, the Sword Saint held the title of Grand Duke.
It was not particularly strange for him to be involved in matters of such importance.
Sword Saint Yohanel seemed to notice my gaze and gave a small wink.
Just as I was about to let out a dry laugh at the age-inappropriate gesture, the Emperor spoke to us.
“It has been a while.”
“We pay our respects to Your Majesty.”
Following imperial protocol, we offered a deep bow to the Emperor.
He then waved his hand as if it were a bother and spoke.
“That is enough with the tedious formalities. Everyone present here is among my confidants. No one will complain that a father did not stand on ceremony when meeting his sons.”
At the word “confidants,” the nobles around us squared their shoulders, and at the mention of “sons,” Carius and Darius looked slightly moved.
“……?”
But I alone nearly let out a dry laugh as every hair on my body stood on end.
It felt as though the Emperor’s personality had changed.
Why was he acting so affable?
The conversation began with inquiries about our recent circumstances.
Starting with Carius, then moving to Darius, it finally reached my turn.
“I hear you took first place among the new students? Well done.”
“…Thank you.”
I was not happy at all, yet I had to put on a pleased expression, and it felt as though my face might twitch.
After the brief praise, the Emperor looked at me and spoke.
“Then, explain the course of events. Everything you saw and felt.”
I had already confessed everything in detail to the investigator, but repeating it here would lend greater credibility to my testimony.
That was likely why the Emperor had composed this gathering solely of his confidants, to prevent careless words from slipping out.
“At first, I thought it was just an ordinary dungeon.”
Feeling the gazes pouring down on me, I slowly explained the course of events.
Three parties sent to clear ‘The Resting Place of the Dead’ as an Academy exam assignment.
The Death Knight in the boss room was defeated without much difficulty, but after that, the situation reversed.
August, seated upon a throne fashioned into an altar.
Demonic energy suddenly burst forth from his entire body, and he attacked us.
“We somehow managed to defeat him, but the problem came afterward.”
Judging by the nobles’ expressions, it seemed they wanted to ask questions at various points, but since the Emperor kept his mouth shut, none dared to interrupt.
“August, who should have been dead beyond doubt, began to move again, and he called himself Aloken, Hell Duke, Supreme Combat Commander of the Demon King’s Army.”
“Hmm…….”
At that, someone finally let out a low hum.
Records of the Demon King and his legions would surely be preserved in detail within the Empire as well.
Even in this era, rumors of the Demon King’s army invading the Middle Realm were not difficult to hear—though they were buried beneath the chaotic state of affairs.
“Just a moment, if you please.”
At that point, someone interrupted and addressed me.
With his light eyebrows, he was probably the Chancellor.
He looked at me with dubious eyes as he spoke.
“If a figure claiming to be the Supreme Combat Commander of the Demon King’s Army truly descended into the body of Prince August, I find it difficult to understand how Academy students could have withstood him.”
‘Tch.’
I clicked my tongue inwardly at his question.
On the surface, he spoke of the Academy students’ strength, but in truth, his words were aimed at me, the central figure of the story.
If your tale is true, how did a hooligan like you defeat a demon? That was what the noble was asking.
“As I told the investigator before, there was an intervention by an unidentified individual. And Chancellor, your words sound as though you are questioning my martial strength?”
There was no need to play along with his roundabout speech.
I was of a higher rank than he was.
When I looked at him with narrowed eyes, the Chancellor responded with a light laugh and opened his mouth.
But before he could speak, the old man on the opposite side opened his mouth first.
“Such scribblers. With no eye for things, tsk tsk.”
As if he had been waiting for the chance, the Sword Saint crossed his arms and spat out a reproach.
The Chancellor twitched his eyebrows and replied with a smiling face.
“What do you mean by that, Grand Duke?”
He placed particular emphasis on the word “Grand Duke,” as though displeased.
In response, the Sword Saint pointed at me with a light smile.
“To judge the successor of this Sword Saint as weak—does that not mean you are saying I am weak as well?”
“…Pardon?”
The Chancellor, who had maintained his composure until now, looked genuinely flustered.
But I was just as bewildered.
‘What nonsense is this all of a sudden.’
When I looked at the Sword Saint with incredulous eyes, he winked one eye at me again and lifted the corner of his mouth as if asking whether he had done well.
I felt my head begin to spin.
“To think the Sword Saint has chosen a successor… This is the first I am hearing of it. It seems I received the news late.”
The Chancellor glanced around at the other nobles.
But they all shook their heads; it seemed to be the first time they had heard of it as well.
Of course it was.
Even I, the person in question, had no idea.
“There was something you said to me before. The Grand Duke’s words are true.”
With the Emperor’s sudden support following that, the nobles seemed to accept it as an established fact.
The Sword Saint, as if driving the nail in, spoke with a bright expression like a child looking at a toy.
“It seems a youngest-ever Sword Master may emerge. Would that not be fitting as this body’s successor?”
“……!”
That statement was like a bomb.
The atmosphere in the hall, now clearly different from before, focused on me.
I looked at the Sword Saint and frowned slightly.
‘I had not planned to reveal my strength yet.’
But it seemed the Sword Saint thought differently.
As if he intended to firmly imprint me upon everyone this time, he met my gaze with eyes full of trust.
“…Haha, Sword Saint, your joke goes too far.”
Perhaps sensing the excessive attention focused on me and growing wary, Carius let out a laugh and stepped forward.
But the Sword Saint smiled broadly, showing no intention of yielding.
“A joke? Not at all. I am quite serious, First Prince. I imagine it would be difficult for even both princes to attack him at once and still win.”
“Grand Duke!”
At those words, Darius, who had remained silent until now, called out to the Sword Saint with a deeply furrowed brow, as if he felt insulted.
“Hoo.”
I let out a light sigh.
I was currently wearing the Curse of the Veil I had forgotten to remove when I went to see Arasen, as I did not want to attract unnecessary attention during the audience with the Emperor.
To them, my presence must have seemed unimpressive.
Tap.
I removed the Curse of the Veil from my finger.
‘There will be no need to wear it anymore.’
I had planned to reveal my strength after ascending to Sword Master, but due to the Sword Saint’s maneuver, it seemed I would be exposed to the entire world now.
Well, considering the outcome, it was a gain—this gave me leverage to squeeze more out of him.
Whoooosh—!
I released the pressure I had been holding back.
An intangible heat haze bloomed around me, and Carius and Darius, who had been beside me, stepped back in shock.
The other nobles were the same.
Only the Emperor looked at me with an amused expression.
Why does everyone look as though they are seeing a strength-concealing hooligan for the first time?