Chapter 121
Erasure
For now, I had no choice but to continue the conversation with Cecilia while stuck in a state of confusion.
"First off, every mber of the Featherwing family, direct or collateral, is dead. We've even determined their causes of death during the investigation. There's no one from the Featherwing family in Carlson Labor Correctional Facility."
I took a sip of the wine in my glass and fell into thought.
'She's not just fishing for information.'
Cecilia had no reason to do that. But then, what could it possibly an that my na wasn't found among either the direct or collateral lines?
"Oh dear, was my na not in the Featherwing family registry? What a sha."
Cecilia replied to my words.
"Right? I was kind of hoping, just in case."
According to the Rose Garden’s investigation, my na wasn’t in the family registry either.
'Soone erased it. But who?'
It wasn’t just the registry that was wiped. My records had been thoroughly and completely erased. Thanks to that, I had beco soone who had never been a Featherwing at all.
That erasure was so thorough that—
"We really put in our best effort to investigate. I was expecting to find at least sothing related to the Featherwings, but there was just nothing."
It was so ticulous that even the Rose Garden couldn’t recover a single trace. Only a handful of people could manage sothing like that.
The only person who ca to mind was the Emperor.
'It wouldn’t have been difficult.'
Before I went to the correctional facility, I had spent several years abroad as a child. Unlike the other direct descendants of the Featherwings, who interacted with various nobles here and there, I had almost no contact with other noble families.
And the few Featherwings who might have rembered were all dead now. Just erasing the records alone would’ve wiped out the majority of information about .
"I don’t think I’m soone important enough for the Rose Garden to take an interest in."
I collected my thoughts and spoke with care.
"One's price tag is always set by others. Just like this conversation we're having now."
Only after hearing that did I finally co to my senses.
‘I always suspected that the lack of interest in wasn't just so coincidence.’
To think that the information about had been so tightly controlled that even the Rose Garden couldn’t uncover anything.
Just knowing that was enough for now. From here on out, the chances of anyone discovering that I was a direct descendant of the Featherwings were virtually nonexistent. Though the reason why the Emperor went to such lengths to erase my existence was still a mystery...
For now, I needed to focus on the present. Cecilia wasn’t soone I could afford to face while distracted.
"What kind of answer would earn the Representative’s favor?"
"Wouldn’t it be boring if I told you?"
Cecilia finished speaking and picked up a canapé topped with olives and ham, popping it into her mouth.
"What do you think of Bennett City?"
The mont I heard that question, I beca certain that this was an interview—just one accompanied by drinks.
"Ah, but don’t get the wrong idea. You won’t suffer anything terrible just because of how you answer. You’re too... well, I suppose the word is valuable now. Sothing like that."
In other words, it was a genuine question. No matter how disappointing my answer might be, I wasn’t going to get my head chopped off over it—my worth had grown too much for that.
"It’s a city where the Canal Operations Committee stands in for the governnt, due to its unique geopolitical position."
It was a simple response, and not an incorrect one. But before Cecilia could offer her evaluation, I quickly added another comnt.
"If I may, I’d like to ask the Representative a question. Does the Canal Operations Committee belong to either the Empire or the Republic—or is it capable enough to uncover their secrets?"
Cecilia had looked like she was about to say sothing, but after hearing my question, she held back and instead answered.
"Well, if soone really tried hard to hide sothing, it would take us a while to notice."
The mont I heard her response, I followed up.
"In that case, Bennett City is in a rather precarious position."
Depending on Cecilia’s answer, what I said next would have changed.
If she had said “yes” to my earlier question—
‘Then Bennett City would be dood.’
I would’ve imdiately said so flattering words about the Canal Operations Committee, all while planning to get out of this city as soon as possible.
Because the truth was, Cecilia’s answer had been the correct one.
The city’s organizations were impressive, but they didn’t hold power great enough to control either the Empire or the Republic.
‘The Emperor erased all records of , and even the Rose Garden failed to uncover anything.’
The Treasury Chief case that would eventually lead to the Pontus conflict and the Emperor’s secrets—those were on entirely different levels.
That was the reasoning behind my judgnt. When the Emperor truly decided to conceal sothing, not even Bennett City could reveal my identity.
"This city is subject to the movents of both nations. It’s extrely unstable and could collapse due to unforeseen variables."
Cecilia laughed at my words.
"The city won’t collapse. What collapses are the mbers of the Operations Committee, myself included."
"Yes. That’s exactly right."
The city would survive whether it was absorbed by the Empire or the Republic. Only its master would change.
"I liked your answer. When I prepare a table with fine drinks, it ans I want an honest conversation."
No one sets a table with drinks and snacks just to fish for the answer they want to hear.
"That was a valuable opinion. You said the city is unstable, but I suppose what you ant is that our position is what’s unstable. So, what would be the solution?"
"You press down on the head for the Empire, and soothe and coax the tail for the Republic."
The Empire was ruled by the Emperor’s authority and a handful of educated nobles. It was a beast with a large head.
If you succeeded in putting a leash on that small group, it was as good as leashing the entire Empire.
The Republic, on the other hand, was steered by public opinion. You could say it was a beast with a very long tail.
If you succeeded in appeasing the masses, the entire Republic would fall into your hands.
"That's an interesting way to put it. Bigger blade than I thought."
As Cecilia said that, she was already calculating in her head. It wasn't the first ti in her life she had put a price tag on soone's mind.
Even with just a short conversation, there were always things you could uncover if you were determined enough.
‘A clear hostility toward the Empire. That’s a mark against his value.’
In truth, there was no need to press down on the Empire’s head. Just like with the Republic, one could choose to soothe and coax it.
But Kairus had insisted on pressing the head—as if there were no other option.
"There’s a place called the Salia Fish Market."
"Excuse ?"
Why was she suddenly bringing up a fish market?
"It’s quite a good place in its own way. Not really the kind of place that makes its money just selling fish."
Still, Kairus couldn’t understand what Cecilia was getting at.
"Once the periodic qualification review is over, go visit the Salia Fish Market rchants’ Association. Tell them that from now on, they should pay the transaction fee to you."
Put simply, she was offering him a wallet—a regular source of inco.
"...I’m worried whether I should be accepting sothing like that."
"That’s a challenge to my judgnt."
Kairus replied imdiately to her words.
"Thank you."
"Oh, I like that."
With a voice so utterly indifferent it was chilling, Cecilia said sothing that most people wouldn’t even dare to utter.
It hit harder precisely because she spoke so casually.
"It’s not a troubled district. The rchant association manages the area themselves."
All Kairus would need to do was stop by periodically to collect the money, and only intervene in problems too large for the association to handle.
"By the way, any interest in working under ?"
"...I’m sorry. But thank you for the offer. I also have sothing I absolutely must accomplish."
Kairus politely declined Cecilia’s offer.
"That’s a sha. But I can’t force you."
She clapped her hands once, then refilled both her and Kairus’s glasses.
"Let’s move on to the next topic. The location of the Cloud Seizing Art manual."
Kairus swallowed hard. It was the paynt he’d once been promised, but had given up in order to help Simid Kellogg.
Since it had already once been offered as compensation, it wasn’t surprising to hear the sa proposal again.
"What would you like to do?"
In response to my question, Cecilia swirled her glass and answered.
"I’ll just tell you."
She ant she’d tell for free. Of course, I didn’t take Cecilia’s words at face value.
‘She’s just giving the location, after all.’
She wasn’t handing over the item itself for free—only telling where it was.
If I wanted to obtain the Cloud Seizing Art manual, I’d naturally have to go to the place Cecilia ntioned. And in the process of acquiring it...
There was a good chance that Cecilia would also end up getting sothing she wanted.
Still, I had no reason to feel bad about it. One way or another, I’d be getting the manual.
"The Bishop of the Ascension Cult in Goldiba City, Gallia thos, has it."
Gallia thos. Realizing just how tangled things were becoming, I couldn’t help but let out a small sigh. Goldiba City was a southern port city in the Empire. Not exactly the center of logistics, but still an important place in its own right.
"What, did the Pope issue so kind of decree?"
Cecilia laughed at my remark.
"Of course not. I think it’s just a personal hobby of Bishop Gallia thos."
I made a lazy gesture of crossing myself and replied.
"A bishop showing interest in worldly goods... not sure how to feel about that. It's troubling."
"You’ll be even more troubled when you hear the rest."
While speaking, Cecilia began stacking canapés on her plate for no apparent reason.
"Turns out he might be involved in the illegal distribution of battle gear down in the Empire’s south."
Now it was my turn to be curious.
"I don’t see why that would interest you, Representative. From what I understand, this city is fairly lenient when it cos to illegality."
Cecilia nodded.
"If Bennett City is involved and profiting from it, then yes, we tolerate it. But if the city isn't involved or doesn’t earn from it, we co down hard."
The illegal battle gear network involving Bishop Gallia thos was indeed profitable—but the city’s organizations weren’t part of it.
And that seed to be sothing Cecilia took serious issue with.
"What’s the quality like?"
"Crude. It’s the kind of stuff that, if you’re not careful, could fry soone’s nerves in an instant. Distributed cheap, and dangerous."
It didn’t matter much. Most of the cheap battle gear floating through this city was like that anyway.
"Anyway, Bishop Gallia thos is a book collector."
"Well, that hobby alone probably isn’t an issue for the Ascension Cult."
Collecting books—and even brewing—were hobbies encouraged by the Ascension Cult. Many monasteries across the region relied heavily on inco from producing various liquors through formal religious procedures.
"It’s assud he acquired the Cloud Seizing Art manual during one of his collecting sprees. Of course, it was purchased for a price far beyond what a re bishop could afford."
It was almost certain that the funds used to buy the Cloud Seizing Art manual ca from illegal battle gear dealings. I gave a somber look.
"I believe you said you’d tell where the manual is for free."
"And I did. You just have to go get it yourself, that’s all."
As I voiced a small complaint, Cecilia responded in a tone ant to soothe.
"I’ve heard that Bishop Gallia thos’s role is to provide storage for faulty battle gear before it enters circulation."
In simpler terms, he was operating a warehouse. A job that seed oddly fitting for a bishop of the Ascension Cult.
"Could be a church in his diocese, or a monastery."
There were plenty of places to hide things, and the Imperial Security Corps couldn’t just barge in and conduct a search at will.
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