Chapter 60
Chapter 60
Olla Desert (1)
“Do you regret it.”
“……No. Not at all.”
I teased Winter as she stayed slumped over all day. In her half-asleep state she had said she would participate! But after realizing the trip with me meant traveling to the desert, Winter had fallen into despair.
“It’s easier than a pilgrimage.”
“……But a lot of people die there.”
“Die?”
At the dangerous word “die,” Worden, who had been buried inside his padded coat, suddenly poked his head out. He stared at us with sharp eyes.
Winter, who had begun to gradually adapt to Worden’s strange reactions, continued speaking without even giving him any attention.
“Then why are you trying to go to the desert?”
“It was for personal reasons. But thinking about it, it’s related to the Order too.”
The reason I was going to the Olla Desert was purely personal.
Since I couldn’t exactly say it was to clear Episode 3, I tried to think of another reason.
“The Order?”
“Yeah. I’m thinking of trying to receive support from another great family besides the Imperial Family.”
Winter looked puzzled. The Imperial Family’s support wasn’t abundant, but it certainly wasn’t insufficient either.
Support was something that had to be repaid later. Winter believed the Anaye Order was developing slowly but steadily enough as it was.
“Is there really a need to increase support in the current situation? In the first place, it doesn’t seem like there would even be anyone willing to support us.”
Winter’s doubt was natural. The Order had only just been declared. And the Cult Leader of that Order was Davide. Wealthy nobles didn’t even bother looking our way.
Not only was there no guarantee that money given as support would ever be recovered, but if things went wrong they could even get on the bad side of the Duhein Family, a great house.
“Support isn’t always something you can see.”
“Hmm.”
Winter tilted her head and fell into thought. She was fairly smart, so there probably wouldn’t be any problem.
Still, since it felt like I had pushed the matter forward on my own, I asked for her opinion.
“If you don’t want to, you can sit this one out.”
At my words, Winter frowned and shook her head.
“No. If the Cult Leader is going, the priest can’t stay behind. If you thought it was dangerous for me, senior wouldn’t have included me in the first place.”
“That’s true.”
“You might need my help, so I’ll go too.”
A satisfied smile formed on my face. The kid was fragile in both body and mind, yet seeing her respond like this pleased me.
Seeing the fatherly smile that naturally appeared on my face, Winter made an awkward expression.
“Th-that’s the kind of expression the Vice-Commander would make.”
“It’s probably about the same.”
“……Now I feel strange.”
Thinking I was teasing her, Winter pouted her lips. I chuckled and stood up.
After thoroughly ruffling the hair of Winter, who had shown such admirable resolve, I left the chapel.
***
“A guest?”
Sheila, who had been diligently working in her office, greeted the aide who had hurriedly come to see her. The aide, with a bright smile on his face, informed her that someone had come to visit.
Originally, someone at the level of Vice-Commander was not a person you could meet easily just because you wanted to. If anything, making such a visit would be considered rather rude, especially if that person was the second-in-command of the Imperial Knight Order on Museion Island.
The aide knew that well too, so it was normal for such matters to be cut off at the aide’s level. However, for some reason, the aide had come to ask for Sheila’s opinion.
“Yes. If it were someone else it would be different, but Student Davide came personally.”
“Student Davide? Personally?”
If it was to this extent, it made sense for him to come directly. That Davide would personally come to see her. Sheila thought it was something she had never imagined.
“Should I be pleased, or should I be worried.”
“Judging by your expression, it doesn’t seem like it’s entirely a bad thing.”
The aide, who had taken a liking to Davide because of the incident at the sea temple, subtly sought permission. Finding that 모습 cute, Sheila readily nodded.
“I wonder what he came here for.”
Hopefully it wasn’t something too serious. Unfortunately, that was unlikely. Davide was someone who never spoke first even when the Vice-Commander herself came and went. That was the kind of person he was.
If someone like that had come personally to see her, it certainly wouldn’t be a simple matter. Even so, the Vice-Commander felt a slightly excited mood.
“You’re here.”
“Yes, Vice-Commander.”
Davide opened the door to the office, stepped in, and gave a polite bow. Sheila welcomed him with a bright smile.
“Would you like some tea?”
“Gladly.”
After seeing the aide off, Davide bowed slightly and sat down. Sheila wore a gentle smile as she brewed the tea.
“I’m sorry for coming while you’re busy.”
“It’s alright. If Student Davide came personally, I assume it must be something important.”
“Well. Something like that.”
Davide readily affirmed Sheila’s words. She liked the boldness with which he didn’t hide his intentions.
“So what brings you here?”
“I came because of a long-term mission.”
Sheila tilted her head. The words “long-term mission” sounded somewhat out of the blue. Neither the Imperial Knight Order nor the academy issued long-term missions.
“A long-term mission.”
A long-term mission referred to missions targeting areas outside Museion Island. Because access to and from the island was strictly controlled during the semester, such missions required tight inspection from the academy.
Sheila quickly understood Davide’s intention. A long-term mission was not something easily permitted. However, there was a simple way to make it happen.
“I see. You’re asking for a long-term mission to be assigned.”
“Yes.”
Davide wondered if it might be a somewhat rude request. Issuing a long-term mission was not an easy matter. Suddenly demanding one could be quite a burden for a Vice-Commander.
“You may or may not know this, but it’s not an easy thing, Student Davide.”
However, he had not come recklessly without preparation. Davide took out the bag he had brought with him. It was a long bag that reached about shoulder height.
“I know.”
Sheila tilted her head and accepted the bag. Seeing the look on her face asking what it was, Davide simply told her to open it.
“My.”
Sheila opened the bag with a slightly excited expression and raised her mana. In an instant, an orb appeared and completely froze the door and the windows.
Even at the far more violent reaction than expected, Davide calmly waited for Sheila. Sheila stared intently into the bag with a shocked expression.
What was inside the bag was by no means an ordinary object.
“Student Davide.”
“Yes, Vice-Commander.”
“If what I’m seeing right now is correct, then you are in quite a dangerous situation, Student Davide.”
Sheila was worried about Davide. That was how shocking the object inside the bag was.
“Thank you, Vice-Commander.”
Davide expressed his gratitude for Sheila’s concern, but he refrained from saying anything further.
Sheila let out a deep sigh and took out the object inside the bag.
“Ha.”
Inside the bag was a bluish arm. A left arm shaped like a human’s. However, the skin was blue. It was a strange object, showing no signs of life yet also no signs of decay.
Sheila immediately identified the true nature of the arm. That was why she had warned Davide.
“This is something the Imperial Princess has been searching for quite a long time.”
“I see.”
There were countless controversies this arm could cause. Sheila suddenly felt a sharp headache. It was a far more troublesome matter than she had expected.
“So you already knew.”
“Knew what?”
“My superior.”
“Hmm. I roughly guessed.”
Just what part had allowed him to realize that? There should have been no way for information to leak. Only she knew it, and Sheila knew very well how thorough she was.
An intelligence organization beyond that? The power of the Duhein Family? Numerous speculations branched out in her mind like spreading vines.
“First of all, it seems we need to talk. That’s alright with you, correct?”
“Gladly.”
“First. How did you know?”
“You mean the fact that the Vice-Commander’s superior is the Imperial Princess?”
“……Yes.”
A hollow laugh escaped her. It was a fact she had kept tightly hidden, something an ordinary person could never possibly know. Yet a mere student knew it.
Of course, she had intended to tell him eventually, but she had never expected to lose the initiative like this. Then when her superior had summoned him recently and he refused?
“You have far more nerve than I expected.”
Was he saying he had refused even though it was the Imperial Princess’s command? Of course, when the Imperial Princess heard that, she had let out a baffled laugh.
“I happen to know quite a lot of things.”
“Yes. It certainly seems that way. Just how did you find out? I thought I managed things quite carefully.”
He was far from an ordinary fellow. Sheila once again felt the inexplicable sense of anticipation she had felt before. Now she found herself wondering just how much further he could go.
“That is a trade secret. Unfortunately, I cannot tell you more than that. What I can tell you is perhaps just how much I know.”
Should she threaten him? Sheila seriously considered it. Even if he had shown an unexpected side, he was still only a student.
The troublesome Duhein Family had now become useless as well. However, Sheila was bothered by Davide’s confident attitude.
“Shall I hear it? Just how much you know.”
“The Imperial Princess’s master. And the fact that that arm is precisely the master’s arm.”
“…….”
At that moment, Sheila decided she would kill Davide right here. During the Imperial Princess’s childhood, two people had supported her.
One was Sheila herself, and the other was the Imperial Princess’s master. Information regarding the Imperial Princess’s master, who was currently missing, was classified as a national secret.
Its importance could not even be compared with the fact that the Imperial Princess was her superior. Yet Davide knew it. Then how had he learned such a thing?
“No way.”
Considering a possibility, Sheila arrived at a single assumption.
“Did you meet Master?”
That was the only method she could think of. Davide maintained a calm face without showing any reaction at all. Sheila let out a small sigh.
“This can’t be helped. You’ve crossed my line.”
“That is a gift for the Imperial Princess.”
“Yes. She will certainly be very pleased.”
All the operations she had been planning were withdrawn. She had not given a definite answer. However, Sheila simply could not kill Davide.
But perhaps they might obtain a trace of the master whom the Imperial Princess had been searching for so desperately. This was a serious matter that required hearing the Imperial Princess’s opinion.
“Is it urgent?”
“Pardon?”
Sheila pressed her eyelids firmly. Normally, she would have either interrogated Davide or frozen him as he was and taken him to the Imperial Princess.
“The long-term mission.”
“Yes.”
For some reason, neither of those two methods felt like they would work at all. Sheila glanced at Davide. When their eyes met, Davide gave a fierce smile.
“It seems I know quite important information.”
Now he asked with a sly tone. Sheila laughed in disbelief. She had thought he wouldn’t be easy to deal with, but to think he was this kind of person.
“The Duhein Family. Honestly speaking, I don’t understand why they expelled Student Davide.”
The power of the information Davide possessed. It was a weapon capable of strongly pressuring the Imperial Princess, who would become the next emperor. Davide merely shrugged his shoulders.
“Isn’t that simply how nobles are?”
“That’s true. Would it be alright if I brought you in by force?”
“I don’t mind. Of course, I would bite my tongue.”
“Hoho. This is truly exhausting.”
Now Sheila began chuckling. He was a far more troublesome fellow than she had expected.
“I hope it will be worth the value at the meeting we arrange later.”
“Of course.”
Suddenly Sheila’s expression turned cold. If she had entertained him this much, then he had better bring something worthy in return. Sensing the clear intention, Davide nodded heavily.
“I’ll process the long-term mission right away.”
“Thank you.”