Chapter 241 - Branching Point (1)

A total of twelve knights had been dispatched as my bodyguards. Eight stood guard outside the house, while three came inside to prepare for any unforeseen trouble. The remaining knight provided close protection, following me wherever I went, even indoors.

“You said your name was Raymond Kepler?”

“Yes, sir.”

The knight answered politely no matter what I said. It felt unfamiliar, but it wasn't hard to understand. Since I would soon receive a noble title, he was probably treating me accordingly ahead of time.

'The Royal Knight Order must have quite a few titled knights. Sending only men like him... I suppose that really is a considerate gesture.'

For now, Stag Horns struck me as a thoughtful person. Well, I'd have to investigate further to know for sure.

“You said earlier that these were orders from above. Who exactly gave them?”

Kepler answered my question.

“That... I'm afraid I don't know myself.”

I studied his expression as he answered. He didn't seem to be making up an excuse. After a little more questioning, it appeared his immediate superior had simply told him the orders came from above and dispatched him.

'Right. Anyone with any sense would try to conceal their identity.'

It was a little disappointing. If I'd had more connections to the royal family, I might have been able to trace this back to Stag Horns's identity...

'... No, wait.'

A possibility suddenly flashed through my mind.

[“They're busy building him up as a hero, aren't they? How amusing it would be if he dropped dead right after receiving his noble title. The royal family's prestige would go straight down the sewer!”]

He had sounded so bitter that, at the time, I'd assumed he'd simply blurted it out in a fit of emotion.

[“Unable to control even your own emotions, and kindly warning your enemy into the bargain. You really are a baby.”]

Stag Horns had, in fact, interpreted the Clown's behavior that way too. But...

'Don't tell me that bastard was aiming for this from the start?'

Perhaps the Clown had wanted to dig up information on Stag Horns all along. Of course, since the gem had glowed green, the “assassin” certainly existed...

'He must have decided it would still be worthwhile if he could use that as bait to uncover clues about Stag Horns.'

Yes, that made more sense. The Clown had been everyone's punching bag at the Round Table, but wasn't he still one of this world's major players? Even his “mistakes” were likely deliberate.

'And Stag Horns must have considered that possibility to some extent, which is why he sent the men as discreetly as possible.'

Ha. Not a single one of these bastards was a pushover. It made me sigh, but it also gave me an incentive to stay on my toes. Just look at today. If I'd slept in because I was tired, Stag Horns might have sensed something was off when he received the report.

“Sir Knight, come over and have something to drink, nyah.”

“I cannot accept personal hospitality from a civilian—”

“Oh, how is this hospitality, nyah? You'll be working hard to protect Bjorn.”

Misha served the knights tea like the lady of the house. Did she think close protection was one of the services that came with receiving a title? Hmm, I supposed she might. She wouldn't know about the assassin.

“You said your name was Sir Raymond Kepler, right? I don't know how long you'll be with us, but make yourself comfortable while you're here, nyah.”

Misha finally got Kepler to sit at the table and drink some tea.

“... Then I shall address you as Lady Karlstein.”

“Huh? Just Misha is fine, but, well... if that's what you want to call me, I suppose I can't stop you, nyah...”

Before long, Misha had naturally elicited an honorific from Kepler by borrowing the prestige of my impending title. Of course, I didn't think she'd done it deliberately.

'It probably just worked out that way.'

Anyway, she gave Kepler a brief introduction to Erwin and even Aynar, who wasn't here today.

“May I address you as Lady Tersia?”

“Uh, um... That's...”

Erwin trailed off, apparently uncomfortable being addressed so respectfully by a knight. Misha noticed her discomfort and stepped in.

“What's this Lady Tersia business? Can't you see you're making her uncomfortable, nyah? Just call her Erwin.”

“Y-yes! I think that would be best...”

“Then I shall instruct my subordinates to address her that way as well.”

That settled the matter of forms of address in short order. Just then...

KNOCK, KNOCK.

Another knock came at the front door, despite the early hour.

“A companion of yours has arrived, Lord Bjorn Jandel.”

The knight announced the visitor as if he were a servant. Was this why everyone was so obsessed with power?

“Which companion?”

“A mage named Allua Raven.”

Kepler sought my wishes with a glance, and I nodded. That was all it took.

CREEEAK.

Kepler went to greet her and opened the door. Still seated on the sofa, I raised one arm in an elegant greeting.

“Ah, you've arrived.”

I called it Noblesse Bar bar ian Mode. Raven gave an incredulous huff at my exceedingly formal greeting.

“What do you mean, 'Ah, you've arrived'?”

“Would you care for some tea?”

“Black tea, please.”

Raven glanced at Kepler, who stood behind me like a bodyguard, then immediately sat on the opposite sofa.

“So what exactly is going on here?”

“Precisely what it looks like.”

“... Are you trying to make me angry?”

What was a little thing like her going to do if she got angry, anyway? I answered promptly.

“The royal family assigned knights to guard me so nothing happens before I receive my title.”

“Hmm, that makes sense. You have a surprising number of enemies, Mr. Jandel.”

Raven accepted it readily. Well, it was already common knowledge in the city that the Corpse Collector wouldn't leave me alone. The major clans seemed to resent me too. But...

“Raven, my enemies are your enemies too.”

“... Why do you keep saying things like that this early in the morning?”

Raven was in a sour mood, perhaps because morning wasn't her usual time to be up and about.

“Here, your black tea. You know where the sugar is, right?”

Once Misha made her a cup, Raven took a sip and turned her gaze toward Erwin.

“H-hello, Miss Raven...”

“Oh, yes... Hello...”

Their eyes met, and they exchanged awkward greetings. I tilted my head without thinking.

“Didn't you two used to call each other by name? I'm sure you did.”

“Just stay out of this, Mr. Jandel.”

“...”

Once I shut my mouth, Raven took the lead in the conversation, as the older of the two.

“How have you been lately?”

“... I'm fine. You don't have to worry about me.”

“If that's what you're more comfortable with, all right. So, are you planning to live here from now on?”

“Yes... Fortunately, Misha gave me permission...”

“Hmm, really? That's surprising.”

They exchanged a few more words before Erwin said she was a little tired and returned to her room, bringing the conversation to an end.

“... Um, Mr. Kepler, are you going to keep standing there?”

“I'm accustomed to this sort of assignment. Please don't mind me, and speak freely.”

“Well, if you say so...”

Despite her words, Raven's face was full of discomfort. She showed no sign of speaking first, so rather than let this awkwardness drag on, I decided to ask what I wanted to know.

“Anyway, what was that just now?”

“Could you please specify what you're talking about?”

“Erwin. You wouldn't suddenly be shy around her at this point.”

I'd clearly sensed it during their conversation. Raven was having a very hard time dealing with Erwin, and I didn't think it was simply because Erwin had recently lost a family member. What was the reason, then?

“Is there something I don't know?”

“Ugh, you're only perceptive about the strangest things.”

“So, what's the answer?”

Raven hesitated, then sighed and spoke.

“I just feel a little... Like it might be my fault.”

“Your fault?”

“That spell the mage named Dwalki used. The truth is, I can use it too.”

What Raven said next was simple enough to sum up. When the Scholar of Destruction appeared, she'd instinctively recognized the overwhelming gap in their ability as mages. Unless she used the Awakening spell, she wouldn't be able to overcome that crisis. But...

“There was nothing wrong with the formula or my mana, but I just couldn't get the incantation out.”

I understood. It was an easy enough spell for any mage to cast, but that didn't mean just anyone could bring themselves to use it.

“It happened in that moment while I was hesitating.”

The Scholar of Destruction unleashed his spell, and the stone walls Raven had erected with her mana shattered helplessly. And the result...

“Sometimes, when I'm alone in my empty laboratory, I wonder. If I'd used that spell right away, perhaps her sister would have survived...”

I smiled bitterly. I'd never dreamed she was thinking such things.

“The same goes for you and the rest of our teammates, Mr. Jandel. We could all have died. But even knowing that, I...”

What was she going on about? Before she could fall into that all-too-common spiral of self-loathing, I cut her off.

“Enough. Stop there. I feel bad for Erwin, but none of us died in the end, did we?”

It might have sounded a little cold.

“That's true.”

Raven nodded in acknowledgment. Whatever else might be said, she hadn't known Erwin and Daria long enough to put them before her teammates.

“But that only happened because you did what I couldn't, Mr. Jandel.”

“Haha, well, I am the leader, after all.”

I laughed lightly and spoke in a joking tone, but Raven merely let out another small sigh.

“Yes, that's exactly why...”

“Huh?”

“... I just meant that getting sentimental like this isn't like me.”

I nodded without thinking. True, she'd given a completely different impression when we first met. In any case, she apparently didn't want to dwell on the subject and changed the topic.

“Mr. Jandel, what are you going to do about Erwin? Our team's full. There's no room for her.”

“I'm thinking about it.”

“What about the Labyrinth, then? Are we going in?”

“I'll wait and see for now. If things stay the way they are, it'll be difficult to go in.”

“... That's true.”

“So is that all you came here for today?”

“No, I came for something else. There's something I need to tell you, Mr. Jandel.”

As a firm believer that no news was good news, those words were enough to set off my alarm bells.

“I've arranged to take lessons from Master Pevrosk.”

“What? You're not going to say you need to leave the team for a while to take lessons, are you?”

“Huh? Of course not. Why would you think that?”

Because things like that had happened a few times before.

“But what are you going to learn? You belong to a school already, don't you?”

“I can't learn royal magic at the Altemion School.”

Oh, right. She'd received permission to learn royal magic as her reward.

“I wanted someone to at least help me build a foundation, and fortunately, Master Pevrosk agreed.”

Raven then told me she'd be staying in lodgings near the palace rather than at the Magic Tower for a while, and that I should go there if I needed to contact her.

“That's all I came to say. I'll be off now. See you then.”

As though she'd really only come to tell me that, she left as soon as she'd finished the tea Misha had served her.

* * *

May 18.

Team Apple Naraq, minus Raven, visited the royal palace again. There were still two days until my conferment ceremony, but apparently we were supposed to come decide on our rewards in advance.

'Well, I suppose presenting them in front of everyone will look much better.'

Since there wasn't a banquet, we didn't have to dress as formally as last time. Still, equipment was prohibited as before, so we'd worn neat everyday clothes.

“Oh, Jandel! You're here today too?”

When I entered the palace, explorers I knew greeted me first. Like me, they'd been scheduled to receive their rewards today.

'They said they've been calling people in batches for the past few days.'

The monetary compensation had already been paid out to everyone, but those given the chance to choose Essences or equipment had to take a number and wait their turn.

“Bjorn! We'll go on ahead, nyah!”

After arriving at the palace, I split up with my teammates. Their rewards were different from mine, after all.

“I-it's just the two of us now...”

Only my knight escort, a royal guide, and Erwin remained with me in the waiting room.

“Mister... Is it really all right for me to accept something like this?”

“If you don't deserve it, who does? Have some confidence. They're not so generous that they'd reward someone who hadn't earned it.”

“But...”

Honestly, we'd come all this way, and she was still like this.

“We have to get stronger. Both you and me. That's how we keep from losing anything.”

“... Yes, you're right.”

Erwin nodded as though steeling her resolve.

As we chatted about trivial things, another guide arrived and took Erwin to the Silver Soul Vault, which held rank-four Essences and items of equivalent value.

'If they'd opened the Golden Soul Vault to her too, I could have given her an endgame Essence right away...'

It was a little disappointing, even thinking about it again. It wasn't as if there were no core Essences for an elven archer among rank-four Essences, but if she'd been allowed just one rank higher, I could have had her absorb that Essence.

'Even if it's not this time, she'll get it eventually. It's about time we headed up to the sixth floor anyway.'

I made an effort to shake off my disappointment.

Once we received these rewards, our fighting strength would increase dramatically. There would be no need to keep grinding on the fifth floor to build ourselves up. The problem was those Noark bastards. Still, judging by how the royal bastards were acting, they seemed to have some sort of countermeasure too.

“Lord Bjorn Jandel, please come this way.”

As I sat quietly gathering my thoughts, my designated guide arrived and led me to the Golden Soul Vault.

It was underground, without a single window. Bright lights filled every corner, however, so it didn't feel dark at all. No, it was so lavish that it hardly felt underground.

'Judging by how far we've come down, we must be at least five floors below ground... Construction technology in this world is strangely advanced too.'

When we reached our destination, a knight with a formidable presence greeted me. There was also a mage beside him, who gave me a brief explanation. I had a time limit of three hours. I could choose one Essence or item, and I was warned that attempting to steal anything or damaging any items could result in severe punishment. That was the gist of it.

'Well, that's rather harsh.'

Once the explanation was over, the enormous iron doors swung open as smoothly as though they were moving in zero gravity. And...

“Oh, wow...”

Thousands of Essences greeted me, held in test tubes and displayed in glass cases. Every single one was on par with an Ogre Essence. Although I could take only one with me, my mouth stretched into a grin of its own accord.

'This feels like I've used a cheat code.'

All right. Time to get stronger.