Chapter Sixty-Five
Around the time Julius and Zenoah were crossing swords, a new visitor arrived at the Knights’ headquarters.
No, rather than a visitor, it would be more accurate to say that someone had returned.
“—I can’t believe you’re back at a time like this. Couldn’t you have come back a little sooner? Honestly—”
He addressed her casually, as one would a close friend, calling her by name. He wasn’t a stranger to Ryuuzas, who had once held the position of Vice-Commander, but rather an acquaintance of ten years.
“Knight Commander… Bernadette?”
A woman with hair the color of shimmering gold thread, tied back in a chignon. Her deep blue eyes, reminiscent of a vast ocean, showed a hint of fatigue.
Combined with her sharp, intimidating aura that kept people at a distance, anyone who wasn’t an acquaintance would avoid speaking to her at all costs. Even I felt that way.
“…Ryuuzas.”
“I know you have a lot to say, but we’ll save it for later. Lend me a hand, Bernadette. It’s time to settle things from five years ago.”
“I know. I didn’t know you were involved in this too, but I heard everything from ‘Hundred Faces.’”
“…‘Hundred Faces,’ you say… Meldra?”
“That’s why I was away from the royal capital. I was busy dealing with ‘Hundred Faces.’”
Meldra of the ‘Hundred Faces.’
Known as ‘Hundred Faces’ due to her magic that allowed her to change her appearance, she was a first-class criminal. Therefore, when a sighting of her was reported, Bernadette, the Knight Commander, was specifically called away to deal with it.
That was a few weeks ago.
“I almost had her cornered, but I came back after hearing about the incident in the royal capital. Incidentally, Meldra is also involved in this.”
“Seriously…!!?”
“The mastermind behind this ‘Magician Hunter’ incident is Alstead. A criminal who was sentenced to death six years ago for killing a noble.”
“…A dead man is the mastermind?”
“It’s Meldra. Meldra used ‘Hundred Faces’ to put forward a substitute. In other words, Alstead and Meldra have been connected for six years.”
Six years ago.
A noble family was brutally murdered.
They must have been deeply resented.
The method of killing was so gruesome that everyone thought so.
Since the noble wasn’t particularly well-liked, there was little sympathy from the surrounding people.
And then came the replacement. The incident caused quite a stir for about a month, since only the noble family was killed, but it soon faded from people’s memories.
“…So, luring you away from the royal capital was also—”
“Probably part of their plan. Currently, I’m the only one who can properly fight ‘Hundred Faces.’”
If ‘Hundred Faces’ appeared, Bernadette would almost certainly be occupied with that matter.
Especially since some nobles were eager to capture Meldra, perhaps because they had a score to settle with her.
“And perhaps to fuel my anxiety, ‘Hundred Faces’ blabbed quite a bit.”
Thanks to that, she had decided which to prioritize. Although she had almost cornered Meldra, she judged that it would take at least a week to capture ‘Hundred Faces,’ who was intent on escaping. That’s why she rushed back, Bernadette said with a wry smile.
“Their goal is the great purge of the nobles.”
“…If they do that, the country will fall apart.”
“That’s probably their goal. To them, nobles are a symbol of hatred. If the country falls apart because of it, they’d probably be fine with that.”
“…”
Ryuuzas himself had left the Knights Order because he was disillusioned with the country’s nobles, so he could only stammer, unable to say aloud that it was wrong.
“And their other objective is the elimination of magicians affiliated with the nobles.”
“…I see. So that’s what it is. That’s why you helped Oliver…!”
That was why the ‘Magician Hunter’ existed. To kill and strengthen a magician with an overpowered ability like ‘Collector,’ and eliminate even powerful magicians affiliated with the country.
If so, it also made sense why ‘Hundred Faces’ would help the man called Alstead.
Before Bernadette, who could be considered Meldra’s nemesis, the enemy of her enemy was her friend.
Furthermore, this time, Alstead was trying to destroy even the Knights Order.
He must have concluded that there was no reason not to cooperate, considering the future.
If so, it made sense that he would deliberately draw Bernadette’s attention by revealing his presence to the world and putting her in danger.
“You may already know, but Alstead’s ability is mental manipulation. It’s a powerful one that can even steal someone’s sense of self.”
“…Any countermeasures?”
“I don’t know the details. But it’s a mental manipulation ability. So as long as we don’t put mentally weak people on the front lines, we should be fine.”
Although mental manipulation magic seemed invincible at first glance, it actually had many weaknesses. Above all, it wouldn’t work unless the target’s mind was weak.
It was an ability to exploit the opponent’s weaknesses and control them by stealing their sense of self. Therefore, it was generally known as an ability not suited for combat.
…However, that was just the normal way of using it.
“But it seems Alstead rarely uses his magic that way.”
“…Despite it being mental manipulation magic?”
“He says he manipulates himself. By using mental manipulation magic on himself, he forcefully removes his limiters and enhances his combat abilities. That’s how he uses it.”
His combat abilities were on par with, or even greater than, combat magicians. Furthermore, he could also use mental manipulation magic, and he had a ‘Collector’ magician by his side.
It was a situation so dire that even Bernadette couldn’t handle it alone, which explained why she returned to the royal capital.
“By the way, where’s Zenoah?”
Bernadette asked Ryuuzas if he knew anything.
“She’s in training. Well, whether you call that training is up to interpretation.”
“Zenoah is?”
“It’s more accurate to say I forced her into it. She’s probably drilling ‘Shroud’ into a promising young magician right now, literally.”
“…I see. Trying to stop a reckless person, is she?”
After a moment of thought, she answered, considering Zenoah’s personality and Ryuuzas’s suggestive tone.
Her conclusion was spot on.
However.
“Nah, it’s not just recklessness. At least, I think he can fight better than me. But he’s a brat. A brat who looks like he wants to die. Zenoah probably couldn’t forgive that.”
“…The reason Zenoah joined the Knights was because of a child, right?”
“That’s right.”
Wanting to protect children.
Recalling the face of her subordinate, who had joined for that reason, she glanced once in the direction of the training grounds, gazing for a few seconds before turning back to Ryuuzas.
“But we probably don’t have much time. Them knowing I’d come back is also part of their plan.”
Even though she understood that, she had no choice but to return. She had to play into their hands, much to her chagrin.
“We should assume they’re almost fully prepared.”
They had risked exposing themselves to temporarily remove Bernadette, a major fighting force, from the royal capital. They must have made thorough preparations.
“So, even though it’s probably too late, I’ll tell you this just in case.”
As if addressing the other Knights around them, excluding Ryuuzas,
“If you find a man with… gray hair, report to me immediately. His ability is mental manipulation. So don’t try to deal with him alone, whatever you do.”
Avoid contact as much as possible, she said, considering the possibility that he might target anyone who wasn’t a confident, self-assured individual.
“According to ‘Hundred Faces,’ my eyes told me it was true. So I’ll tell you this. The criminal Alstead, who was supposedly executed six years ago, is currently in the royal capital under a different name and appearance.”
And then, the ‘truth’ was revealed.
“—His name is Amses. Report to me as soon as you find him. Understood?”
[Translator – Vine]
[Proofreader – Lust]
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