Silence returned once again to the top of the bell tower.
Princess Iris’s confession had ended, but I couldn’t bring myself to speak for a while.
No, it might be more accurate to say that I couldn’t even muster the will to argue or point out flaws in her logic.
It was truly the thought of a madman. Every vision has its own school of thought, and therefore, the methods of using magical power and the direction in which martial skills were pursued varied.
Naturally, it was normal to receive instruction from the masters of each school for years.
As for me, I had experienced countless failures while learning “Diffraction.” Although I had surpassed that limit in the process, normally, one would have to train for several more years to be able to use that technique.
Yet, learning a vision haphazardly without careful guidance?
The end was predictable.
Destruction.
After hesitating for a while, I decided to firm up my resolve and express my honest feelings.
“Have you lost your mind, Your Highness? That’s just a fantastical theory with no worth whatsoever… A vision is not something you can learn haphazardly like that. To truly learn it, you need to invest years!”
“That’s right. Everyone thought that way… until one day, an exception appeared.”
As the woman stepped forward, a wave of rich emotion rippled in her eyes.
Her gaze, fixed on me, resembled that of a gourmet before delicious food. I shyly averted my eyes out of discomfort, but I couldn’t escape the warm breath brushing against my neck.
Princess Iris’s lips formed a deep curve.
“…Ian Fercurus, I’m talking about you.”
I groaned and shut my eyes tightly.
I felt that Princess Iris was particularly interested in me.
If it were just to bring Shi-en in as the apprentice of the Archmage, she wouldn’t have needed to invest so much effort in me. Simply put, the First Prince Bulteon, who was competing with Iris, hadn’t even shown me his face.
On the other hand, Princess Iris had encountered me twice.
And she even sent her twin, Alphenhausen, who was her confidant, to the Academy to create a connection with me.
It would have been impossible if she had no interest in me.
In truth, the attention of such a beautiful woman had its pleasant aspects. However, the fact that her interest stemmed from an absurd plan was painfully bittersweet.
I had to find a way to extricate myself.
As I fortified this resolve in my mind, Princess Iris continued with an excited voice like a child.
“I felt like I had found a treasure lost in the mud! The possibility I had secretly hoped for has become a reality!”
“Your Highness, no matter how you put it, this is too dangerous.”
I said this while trying to maintain my composure.
Princess Iris looked at me with sparkling eyes. It was a gaze filled with interest, but the nature of it was different.
It was not the gaze of someone looking at a human.
Rather, it resembled the gaze of a craftsman looking at a tool or piece of art.
Still, there was solace in the fact that she seemed willing to listen to my opinion.
“As you probably already know, I belong to a very special case. Of course, I learned many visions in a short period regardless of the school. However, this was merely due to luck, having faced countless brushes with d*ath. Most do not survive that process…”
“I don’t care about that.”
It was a cheerful response.
It was a tone so vibrant that it was hard to associate it with the previously cold demeanor. The implications of that brief answer were utterly terrifying.
“In any case, it’s possible, right?”
“Out of hundreds, there may not be a single survivor.”
“Then we can put in thousands.”
It was an extraordinarily calm tone.
For a moment, I thought my ears had deceived me.
To learn a vision requires a minimum level of talent. I myself was one of the academically gifted who had entered the Academy.
Were you truly suggesting to feed thousands of talented warriors into the grinder?
A primal instinctive rejection churned in my stomach. Following that black, writhing emotion, my mouth erupted with anger.
“Is a person’s life a joke? Thousands, you say… thousands! Not a single one among them might survive!”
“Ian Fercurus… that’s why I said you need the perspective of a ruler.”
A cold smirk appeared on the corner of Princess Iris’s lips, her composure having returned.
No, could that really be called composure?
I followed her back with a bewildered look. The princess approached the railing again, pointing to the scenery below.
“Look, those countless dots! Each one of those is a life… Do you think life is trivial? Absolutely not! To handle that many lives efficiently and choose the best numbers, you need a broad perspective! And to think, you can create one master by investing thousands?”
Grinding her teeth, Princess Iris leaned against the railing with an anxious expression.
As if there were many others who had expressed the same concerns as I did.
“One master’s worth cannot be compared to the lives of those thousands.”
“You’ve gone mad.”
I shook my head vigorously, unable to suppress my utterance.
I decided to turn my back on her. There was no need to hear more of this.
Who would cooperate with such a mad plan?
There was a good reason why His Majesty the Emperor showed no particular interest. The pinnacle of imperial power wouldn’t have the luxury to indulge in such absurdities.
Princess Iris surely knew better than anyone about the ‘Imperial Court’s Secret’.
Neither the Emperor nor the Swordmaster would have shown interest.
A plan where thousands would d*e, leaving even the last one to suffer immeasurable pain was unfathomable.
Anyone with a normal moral compass would not agree to it.
Just as I was about to ascend the ladder leading to the temple.
“…To create a master, a master’s vision is needed.”
My footsteps came to an abrupt halt.
I had already indulged enough in nonsense. I was somewhat inclined to hear what more she had to say.
Regardless, Princess Iris was gazing at me with cold eyes, fanning herself with a folding fan.
“There is an unfathomable gap between a master and any other warrior. To reach the level of a master, a specific realization is necessary. It is qualitatively different from the realizations of those who cannot reach it…”
“So you’re seeking the vision of the Archmage?”
“According to rumors, those who learn the vision of the Archmage have nothing they cannot teach and nothing they cannot block. Isn’t it rather suitable as the first step to create a ‘made god’?”
“Nonsense.”
I intended to leave the bell tower with that one word, but somehow I paused, as my frustration was not yet alleviated.
“Then were you trying to use Shi-en as that tool? To become the apprentice of the Archmage and take part in your absurd plan?”
“Is that not acceptable?”
“Let’s avoid meeting in the future.”
As I spoke, I subtly withdrew my cloak to reveal the hand axe at my waist.
“…If you don’t want to be hit to d*ath.”
That warning, uttered in a gravelly voice, was my final word.
I swiftly began to descend the ladder, and Princess Iris’s voice echoed like an echo.
“If you need help, seek the ‘Crow’! In our hands, there already exists a number of visions far beyond what you can imagine…”
‘Crow’.
That was a term used to refer to the Intelligence Department of the Empire. However, if she deliberately spoke that way, it seemed Princess Iris had an organization she operated separate from that.
It was an apt name.
Like a crow that collects everything shiny and brings it back to its nest, it likely meant they sought visions from all corners of the continent.
Of course, it was meaningless to me.
Because the vision that Princess Iris so desired was already in my hands.
‘Binding and Solving.’
I could never hand it over to Princess Iris.
What awaited me after shaking off Princess Iris was yet another member of the royal family.
It was the Swordmaster dressed in the guise of a girl.
As soon as the girl heard my words, she immediately screamed.
“No, are you saying to postpone our duel?!”
“I found the vampire’s base. Obviously, official duties come first, don’t they?”
“Surely that old woman could handle it alone!”
It seemed the Swordmaster was rather looking forward to our duel, as she shouted that while pointing at the Archmage.
By chance, the Archmage was in conversation with Shi-en. Shi-en was putting in a lot of effort to curry favor with the Archmage, even utilizing the ‘Dragon’s Eye,’ but there was no way to read the psychology of a strong individual who had reached the level of a master.
In the end, Shi-en had to flatter the Archmage excessively, wearing an awkward smile.
Meanwhile, the Archmage maintained a tranquil expression. I couldn’t even fathom what intentions she had discussing with the princess.
I swallowed and asked, “What were the two of you talking about?”
“Now even avoiding the question… Hmm, I overheard something about ‘Dragon’s bl**d.’”
‘Dragon’s bl**d.’
That reminded me I had indeed heard that phrase somewhere before. Some corner of my mind tingled with recognition.
However, there was little time to dwell in contemplation.
Just as the Archmage finished her conversation with the princess, she subtly gestured toward me. I approached the Archmage without further ado.
“Did you have a good conversation with that child?”
“It was a conversation not worth listening to. I just worried unnecessarily.”
Despite my cold response, the Archmage merely smiled softly.
“Oh? The Imperial Family has been infamous for engaging in bizarre acts since ancient times… It seems that when the wealth and power overflow, there’s sometimes a desire to act foolishly.”
“Even so, to criticize the Imperial Family in front of imperial nobility…”
“Tsk, tsk, I was one to speak my mind even in front of the ancestors of past emperors. What do I have to fear now?”
At a loss for words, I could only scratch my head.
Well, the fact that even the princess trembled before the Archmage spoke volumes. I could partly understand Princess Iris’s feelings of regarding the ‘master’ as a dangerous entity.
As it seemed like the princess might burst into tears, I decided to rescue her.
“Shi-en, may I ask for your assistance with Ceria?”
“Yes, yes…?”
“Ceria has fainted. As you know, the atmosphere inside the Academy has been quite tense lately. I hoped for someone trustworthy to take care of her…”
It didn’t take long for color to return to the princess’s face.
Her gray eyes sparkled with life, and soon Shi-en nodded vigorously with gleaming eyes.
It seemed she was genuinely pleased to have been entrusted with something.
“Yes, yes! Leave it to me! I will faithfully follow Sir Ian’s instructions…!”
“No, it doesn’t have to be called instructions…”
“Then I’ll be off!”
As always, the princess concluded her statement and dashed off.
She probably had no idea that I had just been considerate towards her.
I let out a faint sigh and glanced at the final remaining figure.
“Elder Swordmaster, will you accompany me?”
“Hmph, I’m fine!”
It was a flat refusal.
Seeing that, the Archmage couldn’t suppress her laughter that escaped.
“Looks like you’re sulking.”
“I’m not sulking!”
“Ah, but you are indeed sulking~”
“I’m telling you, I’m not sulking!”
If left unchecked, the Swordmaster might actually get angry, so the Archmage and I hurriedly left the temple.
Even during this, the Archmage couldn’t contain her bubbling laughter.
“Pffft, heehee! To be this childish even at your age!”
“How dreadful.”
“That’s why I deliberately put on a girl’s body. If it has to look good, it might appear less grotesque, right?”
I couldn’t help but marvel at the Archmage’s words.
To think she could see the bigger picture in this way.
Indeed, the insight of a master who had lived for hundreds of years was on a different level.
But little did I know.
That I would regret my choice not to bring the Swordmaster until just a few hours later.
Because a ‘vampire’ was waiting for us.
