Translator: AkazaTL
Pr/Ed: Sol IX
***
Chapter 88 : To the Empire (3)
“Didn't I tell you a mont ago, Your Highness. The important thing is Your Highness's intentions.”
At Zephyros’s flattering remark, Suleiman burst into a smirk.
“It is truly a pity. They probably dragged along guards and servants in a long line like candy, thinking they could preserve their pathetic lives. But what use is all of that? Their bodies probably don't belong to them anymore.”
Was he visualizing the image of people collapsing helplessly, unable to use Blade Aura or mana?
Suleiman spoke while giggling continuously.
“Besides, that drug was made by the most genius mage on this continent displaying his vicious skills to the fullest, wasn't it? Don't you think so? Zephyros.”
“Your Highness, the title of best in the continent, is too undeserved for .”
“Hahaha! It seems you also admit that you are vicious. Indeed, you should be.”
In fact, the word vicious might suit Suleiman more than Zephyros.
Because Suleiman was talking casually about sinking an entire airship just to damage the 1st Prince's prestige.
Suleiman, who had been clutching his belly and laughing for a long while, suddenly made a sound with his mouth as if an airship was flying and waved his arm in the air.
“Wheeeew-”
Suleiman, who was flailing his arm like that, suddenly slamd that arm toward the floor.
“Bang!”
The dagger that had been held in Suleiman's hand shattered into pieces and rolled on the cold floor.
***
“What to do, what to do! He looked this way!”
“You are a little late this ti! I wonder what kept you?”
On the evening of the second day since I, Hein Reichart, boarded the airship.
The high-pitched voices of the young ladies with as the subject were gradually increasing in volu, but I only ate my al with an expressionless face as usual.
“Who composed the nu for yesterday and today?”
“I understand that the kitchen manager prepared it with ingredients that do not overlap, considering nutrition.”
“Is it the sa for the alcohol and beverages?”
However, for so reason, today I was showing considerable interest in the composition of the nu.
“That is correct. I understand that the kitchen manager requested wine that pairs well with the dishes to be prepared in advance. Your Excellency, perhaps there is sothing among the food we prepared that does not suit your taste?”
“It's not that. I was just curious about sothing. That wine, is it Espiro?”
I pointed to the wine left behind by the people at the next table and asked.
“That is correct. Your Excellency. To figure out the origin just by the scent from the next seat, your knowledge of wine must be very deep.”
The servant who confird the origin of the wine burst into admiration with a surprised expression, but I ruminated on the food I had eaten after boarding the airship without saying a word.
‘Smoked truffle, grilled marinated beef intestines, sea bream steak seasoned with goat milk cheese, and on top of this, Espiro wine.’
Espiro wine was a type of blended wine, famous for its unique scent and taste becoming very strong during the aging process.
Slurp.
I brought the coffee prepared as dessert to my lips.
Seeing how the acidity surged up as soon as the cup touched my lips, it seed they used very strong beans.
A nu composed only of dishes with strong inherent scents or using a particularly large amount of spices.
Wine and coffee with exceptionally strong tastes and scents.
And,
‘It's like trash.’
This uncomfortable taste lingering in my mouth after finishing the al.
I raised my hand and called the servant who was waiting.
“Did you call, Your Excellency.”
“I want to get so fresh air for a mont, can I look around the deck?”
“Since it can be dangerous if the wind blows hard…… I will tell you after asking the opinion of the security manager.”
“Understood.”
And then I suddenly requested to go up to the deck of the airship.
“I found out that since we are passing through an area with mild airflow for the ti being, there will be no big problems.”
I finished my al right there and imdiately stood up from my seat and headed to the deck.
And the first thing I checked after ascending to the deck was.
‘Terzian-style drive system based on dual wheels, the number of paddle wheels is 4 at the stern and 8 at the tail. Judging by the oxidation level of the magic stones, the automation of the internal combustion engine is perfectly done.’
It was the style of paddle wheels providing the airship's propulsion and the internal combustion engine oxidizing the magic stones.
Should I say it is showing the very essence of the Empire's cutting-edge technology?
The airship was perfectly modernized.
However,
‘If I add up all the personnel hiding in the engine room, crew quarters, and warehouse, it's 80 people at the very least.’
My eyes, which had cast ‘Hide and seek’ to examine the interior of the airship, emitted a red light.
‘To operate an airship with automation completed to this extent, the number of surplus crew mbers waiting in various places exceeds a whopping eighty…….’
Having finished everything I needed to check on the deck, I headed to my room.
“Bring a cup of coffee to my room.”
Of course, without forgetting a cup of coffee that would reveal the identity of this uneasiness before that.
***
Drip-
Inside the quiet room, only the sound of liquid dropping drop by drop passing through the filter rang out calmly.
“…….”
I observed the coffee that had perated the 1st filter falling onto the 2nd filter with careful eyes.
Fsssh-
Eventually, with a slight sound, the 2nd filter which was white turned red.
I put down the coffee cup I was tilting.
Beeep-
And I pressed the call bell summoning the servants for a long ti.
***
“What on earth is happening that he's summoning everyone at this ti?”
“I don't know the details either. But they say Grand Duke Reichart is making a scene because an important item that was in his room disappeared.”
“What? Then aren't we in big trouble? If the Minister of the Interior in the ho country finds out such an accident occurred, he won't leave us alone.”
“So we have to wrap it up well so that doesn't happen. Common sensically, it makes no sense! What crazy guy dares to touch an item in the guest room?”
About 50 crew mbers working on the airship lined up in the hallway in front of my room with faces full of worry.
Eventually, the Crew Chief, who confird that everyone had gathered, carefully knocked on my door.
“Your Excellency, everyone has gathered.”
“Co in.”
Following my order, the servants entered my room one by one.
Since the room was so spacious, all the crew mbers could enter inside without difficulty.
‘Huh?’
However, the Crew Chief who saw my expression tilted his head.
Considering I had called all the crew mbers to one place, my expression looked unexpectedly peaceful.
‘……Three.’
I, having scanned all the crew mbers gathered in my room once, stood up from my seat and approached a lanky male crew mber standing in the middle of the formation.
“I don't think I've ever seen you near my room?”
Perhaps relieved by the fact that he was out of suspicion, the crew mber answered with a loud voice and nodded his head.
“Yes. Your Excellency! Since the section I am in charge of is different, I have never approached your Excellency's quarters- Ugh!”
“Kyaa!”
Before anyone knew it, the blade of a dagger emitting a deep blue light was deeply embedded in the man's abdon.
A female crew mber who stood right next to the male crew mber and witnessed this terrible sight let out a scream.
“Kyaaah!”
The female crew mber did not forget to quickly bring her hand to her bosom even while screaming endlessly with a surprised expression, but,
Slash-
Rather than the woman taking her hand out again, the dagger that had been stuck in the male crew mber's abdon slashing her throat as it was, was faster.
Splash!
Blue blood, no, body fluid burst out between the female crew mber's throat which was half cut off.
“Gurgle…….”
A scream half mixed with a shriek and retching.
The crew mber collapsed like a marionette whose strings were cut.
Clatter.
In that hand which had lost its strength, a dagger as sharp as the one that pierced her throat was held.
“Euyaa!”
At that mont, one skinny crew mber let out a strange scream and broke away from the formation, pouncing on .
The crew mber's hands were empty, but his fingernails that had suddenly grown out looked sharper than daggers.
Whoosh-
However, his two hands cut through the empty air in vain.
I, having dodged the crew mber's attack by slightly leaning my upper body back, wrapped my arms around the attacker's neck from behind, and,
Snap-
Soon, with a heavy sound, the attacker's neck was bent drawing a semicircle.
Thwack thwack thwack!
Before anyone knew it, the knife held in my hand danced cheerfully and made a total of three air holes: two in the attacker's abdon and one in the solar plexus.
Gurgle-
The attacker ended his life trembling his whole body while making a sound close to that of a beast.
Having disposed of all the assassins hiding under the mask of servants, I picked up the sword that was hanging on the wall.
“Ugh…… Uuh…….”
In the midst of that, the crew mber whose eyes t mine collapsed without realizing it.
Fssss-
Smoke rose along with an acrid sll from the bodies of the three assassins who lost their lives.
I kicked and flipped over the bodies of the assassins rolling on the floor.
“Kyaa!”
Screams burst out from the mouths of the crew mbers who saw the appearance of the assassins.
Reddish skin and bluish insect eyes stuck in the place of eyeballs.
And even teeth resembling tubes rising long out of their snouts.
‘Soldier ants of the Anta Clan.’
I, having completed identifying the identity of the assassins, held the doorknob and said.
“If you don't want to see sothing ugly, it would be better not to co out of the room.”
I confird the crew mbers nodding their heads, then opened the door as is and ca out to the hallway.
The hallway was quiet, enough that it was hard to believe a grueso scene had taken place in the space right next to it just a mont ago.
‘They must have thought to move in earnest after the night deepened. Judging by the components of the drug contained in the coffee, the timing they calculated is dawn.’
In the als and refreshnts the people on the airship ate over the past two days, a drug that seals mana and Blade Aura was contained.
That exceptionally strong-scented food and beverages that were prepared was also probably to hide the taste of the drug added to the food and beverages.
‘The trigger to detonate the components of the drug dormant in the body was the refreshnts scheduled to be provided to each room this evening. If the envoys and soldiers who ate those refreshnts lost their strength, they probably planned to clean them up neatly at dawn and take over the airship.’
The plan of the attackers who had prepared ticulously starting from nu managent could be said to be quite elaborate.
But they were unaware of this.
Inside this airship, there is one ‘superhuman outside the norm’ who is receiving protection from 7 Mana Rings.
The 7 Mana Rings also perford the function of purifying all drug components to so extent through that fierce circulation.
So I could be free from the drug.
Of course, even if the Mana Rings didn't work, there was no way I, who had felt suspicious from early on, would have fallen for their tricks, but.
Anyway, it was an unfortunate thing for the assassins in many ways.
Bang-!
At that mont, my sensitive ears detected a dull noise coming from far away.
‘It seems they noticed a problem and are rushing things.’
I moved my steps toward the source of the noise.
The light emitted by the smoke of the magic stone that finished combustion was coldly illuminating the blade of Axion held in my hand.
***
“What, this…….”
Mikhail could not understand the current situation at all.
Just 5 minutes ago, he was calculating the sales gained through this trade trip and the expenditure involved in that process.
But…….
Click!
Slurp slurp slurp-
Suddenly the door opened and an insect human, hideous beyond asure, abruptly ran into the room and thrust its hideous snout at him.
He dodged the guy's attack by exercising extre reflexes, but Mikhail's situation was not good.
Because the only ans to deal with that hideous guy was a single dagger he had kept at the head of the bed just in case.
Shhhhk-
The mont the brief standoff ended and the insect human rushed in flashing its eyes, Mikhail put strength into the hand holding the dagger.
Now he had no choice but to gamble.
He could only hope that this dagger, bought for quite a lot of money, could inflict a fatal wound on that monster's body.
“Yikes!”
Fortunately, Mikhail could dodge the insect human's second attack as well.
He stabbed the dagger with all his might into the guy's nape, which was clearly exposed while attacking.
Shatter-!
No, he tried to stab it.
But the dagger couldn't even pierce the guy's outer shell and broke off.
The mont the sword swung with desperate determination broke, Mikhail's last hope also broke away.
Kieee-!
Shaking the insect's eyes embedded on both ends of its forehead left and right, the insect human thrust the tube extending long out of its snout to the fullest.
And that mont the tube the guy extended soared stiffly……!
Squeeze.
Mikhail squeezed his eyes shut.
“I thought you were a friend with quite the grit when talking. You give up faster than I thought.”
A while later when he opened his eyes again, he saw the assassin's body, which had looked like an impregnable fortress, crumbling down.
The head was cut off and stuck in the corner.
The torso dying while causing trembling shudders.
And…….
“What do you do if you just close your eyes there?”
A black-haired man stroking the blade of his sword with an expression as if nothing happened.
“Aha…… I…… Because I am not strong like Your Excellency the Grand Duke.”
Mikhail really exhaled a rough breath and barely stood up from his seat.
Mikhail had also heard well the rumor that the Grand Duke's sword was as sharp as his character.
Judging by the corpses of the assassins that were cut off lightly like sheets of paper, that rumor seed to be true after all.
“First, I will offer my greetings. Thank you truly for saving my life.”
“Right. Of course, you should be thankful.”
“It is a bit awkward to ask this question after being saved, but, Your Excellency, perhaps did you co all the way here to save ?”
“To save you, and to save the wine, and so on.”
“Eh…… So on?”
“If you just die here, there's no one to give free wine, right?”
At my unexpected answer, Mikhail could not easily reply.
Could it be that the Grand Duke is joking with him in this situation right now?
“Let tell you, once you decide to feed a bribe to soone, you have to feed it continuously. If you give it and cut it off in the middle, it feels very regrettable from the recipient's perspective.”
“……I will keep it in mind, and keep it in mind again, Your Excellency. Ahaha.”
Mikhail, who realized the know-how of efficient bribery in an unexpected place, nodded his head without realizing it.
“Haha…… Ha……. Actually, although the wine I gave Your Excellency is a top-grade product strictly selected, I surely didn't know that would beco the price of my life.”
“If you think it's insufficient for the price of your life, send ten bottles each of the best red wine and white wine imdiately upon returning to the guild. Then the calculation will match, right?”
I, having confird that the breath of the assassin who attacked Mikhail had completely stopped, grabbed the doorknob to go out to the hallway again.
“I will offer one hundred bottles each of white wine and red wine of the highest grade. Because my pride is too hurt to call it a life worth only twenty bottles.”
“Then do so. Ah, and if possible, don't co out and hide in the room. Since I am sweeping from the outside, you will be safe as long as you stay inside the room.”
“Yes. I will do so. Your Excellency!”
At the scurrying sound heard from behind along with a quick answer, I turned back.
Then I saw the appearance of Mikhail hurriedly going under the bed while rolled up in the blanket.
“Ahaha…… It is absolutely not that I don't trust Your Excellency's skills. But I think this way my mind will be a little more stable.”
“……If that's comfortable for you.”
Ending with these words, I closed the door as is and went out to the hallway.
Soon, to Mikhail's ears hiding tightly under the bed,
“Kuaaah!”
The murky scream vomited by the assassins rang out.
***
Kieek!
Keek-!
After slicing off an assassin's head with Axion and boring a windpipe in the remaining guy's neck with a dagger, I moved my steps with a quick pace.
‘The culprit who plotted this must be among the figures inside the Empire.’
Among figures outside the Empire, figures bold enough to commit such a barbarity against the Empire were extrely rare.
If there is a person bold enough to do such a thing by any chance, it would be only one person.
‘It would only be the monarch of the Magic Kingdom, but ‘Skada’ is not despicable enough to commit this kind of act to shake the Empire.’
Then the most likely suspect to plot such a thing is probably…….
‘It must be one of the other princes excluding the 1st Prince and Gillian.’
The 1st Prince was the very person hosting this Sacred Festival, and at least Gillian at this ti was not of a character to commit this kind of filthy operation.
The faces of the likely suspects brushed past quickly inside my head.
‘Bastards.’
A cold smile ford on my lips.
‘Well, fine. If you guys want to play a vulgar ga, I should play along in that board.’
Waiting for the eting with the Empire's ‘prodigies’ that approached right before my nose, I moved my steps diligently.
Those steps were heading to the control room.
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