Chapter 184: Confusion (1)
BBqThe figure who exerted the greatest influence over the magical power of the nobles and who, even now, continues to be mentioned as a legend.tsOhE8
ReDHw6The individual who first established the concept of magical stars, who measured the domain of the gods, and who stands at the very origin of this magic-centered noble supremacism.fFub
Dehpt0nThe great mage who explored the world beneath the Great Bear, Adelbert, is nothing more than a fictional character created by a 6-star mage of the confusion system.eQuWmH
zKLyoTRoselin’s words were, in practice, a claim powerful enough to turn the entire noble magical world built thus far upside down.oRG2TI
itou“That absurd individual never existed in the first place, and no matter how much you scour any corner of the distant past, you will not find a single trace of him.”WlSZy
XEU“And yet, from a certain day onward, countless mages began to recognize the existence of that legendary figure and to believe in him.”tm8
6phQ1i“Do you truly feel that this magic-centered nobility possesses such a long history? The perception that magic is noble existed before, but not at this level.”0q7r
AKvvO“Magic is not so different from learning a technique. The achievement of the great mage Adelbert, of granting magic itself a mystique that borders on the divine, is nothing more than a façade created by a mage of the confusion system and spread throughout the world.”TN5f
j4nuuAs he strode down the corridor with long steps, Dereck wore a grave expression.maPzVo
z9i61xQThe more he mulled over the conversation he had had with Princess Roselin, the clearer it became to him why she had never made that absurd truth public and had kept it buried in silence.O7qb
MDZNo one would believe a story like that.HMD
j7u4zVJIt was an era in which magic constituted the very foundation of noble power.hd0x
iXdIn such a context, denying the fundamental purity of magic, as Roselin did, was nothing more than turning the entire world against oneself.SWD
X9FNbHMagic had already become the axis of imperial nobility a very long time ago.6QrY
MJ1pLNot ten or twenty years, but easily several centuries.xQU
oTcrXXgOver that long period, countless noble houses had staked their lives on magical refinement precisely because of the inherent nobility attributed to magic.Cad1R
W28HudWas magic not, as the exclusive monopoly of the nobility, the most important means of representing their authority?AAM2
4BnOkwAnd yet, all of that was nothing more than a perception fabricated by someone.37Brn
APmj3As“It’s not just Adelbert. Long before that, a mage with immense power, impossible for us to perceive, was gradually saturating the Empire with magic. Creating Adelbert, a fictitious existence and the ideal of all noble mages, was merely one part of that grand movement.”YUiVxSU
0XYaNiThroughout the long history of the Empire, someone had been constantly injecting into this world the idea that magic is something noble.OjKY2I
6tPso38Sometimes by creating memories of people who never existed, sometimes by giving rise to stories that never happened.hjYs9
ghfThat was how Gremport became a holy land of magic.7IZnUzz
1LDZThese were not movements spanning ten or twenty years.a4hkZ
hdFXMpIt was a work built over an immensely long period of time, and we do not even know who was responsible.rSznl
JBbThe distortion Roselin had discovered was nothing more than a small fragment of something vast and invisible.bfJxTf
GlGI“To think this…?”9aRql
ehEPURAlthough he felt that Roselin’s assertions had a fantastical air, Dereck had decided to believe her, at least for now.iAdk64
BlXAHowever, her theory turned out to be even more radical than he had imagined.k7ycsK
RrgKObQEven Roselin herself spoke with an expression that seemed to say, “If you don’t believe it, there’s nothing to be done.”M8tZ8Ww
PqheShe was aware of how absurd her own claim sounded.uNiK
TfRtSMbMagic is not noble at all, nor is it an exclusive privilege of the nobility.HdiAWit
nTkThe reason the children of noble families often display greater magical aptitude is nothing more than having inherited good genes, having trained in better environments, and monopolizing magical knowledge and training methods.cYwZ9tI
di5fThat is why, from time to time, even among commoners, individuals appear who reach high levels in magic.fPu
HqCDrest was one of them.Ely2NGf
zexqKalimford was another.odxHWr
tZUTKaHAnd now, in the same way, so was Dereck.YBO
DfzEh“It seems I need to organize my thoughts better.”2Kh
uZkAfter all, the evening banquet had been postponed because Emperor Gatrell was still not ready.vwcUnF
yMYGHe intended to use that time to walk through the academy gardens and continue reflecting.wFFDa0
gVZZHowever, someone stopped Dereck’s hurried steps.nDR
MlrLqo“Baron Ravenclaw, an urgent matter has arisen.”xuKBSG
nc6“…?”5nLg7BU
Ev0OYbAs Dereck, accompanied by his attendants, was about to leave through the main entrance of the hall, he tilted his head in confusion.EzdRH
vfCrOThe one who had called out to him in an urgent voice was an imperial magical adviser wrapped in a reddish-brown robe.pX0
EB5From the emblem of a feather drawn along the left side of the hood, he appeared to be a direct subordinate of Kohella.v0N
9rhpbi“I am Aren, a member of the committee of direct imperial magical advisers of the Palace of Gremport.”Y3WJZ2
mco“What is the matter?”gZdj7r9
oXXdWLZ“We need you to proceed immediately to the Bellos Pavilion. It appears necessary to completely suspend all events planned for today and tomorrow and declare a state of emergency.”VPhf9C
tXgL8“…?”tCg73
YwgWTCJust as Dereck was about to ask what all this meant—LJ14R
CjByLWRumble! Boom! Rumble!S0A9F3E
KawmyuWhooom!jKbVV
yAToIcAcross the vast grounds of the newly built Academy Ravenclaw, colossal in size yet still nearly empty inside, an enormous magic circle began to rise along the perimeter.tkxvuvJ
HIWjIn an instant, it took the form of a barrier and enveloped the entire area.UeR
K87EVvo“W-what is this? A-an earthquake?”tYb08Vs
Fx0“Ahh! Hold on tight so you don’t fall!”lv6
FXnE2iRumble! Boom!l0r83o
fy4Whummm!FCI
TJUWhen Dereck frowned and raised his gaze to the sky, he could clearly see the formation of a barrier being completed with flawless precision.CMRXuT4
wPJ8EAn absolute spatial isolation spell, allowing neither entry nor exit.yU1e
gDMoOzoFive-star transformation magic, large-scale spatial separation.NNd
gsEIHDEIn the entire world, only a handful of individuals were capable of manifesting transformation magic of such magnitude instantaneously and without prior preparation.T5Fr
EFsAnd given the circumstances, it was obvious who had erected such a colossal barrier.In9n
AiaiiaThe magical adviser standing before him did not show the slightest hint of surprise at the sudden change in the surroundings.pNLYkzF
oPWAs if she had known it would happen, she merely explained the situation calmly.lZjZYFH
htPOMc“At this moment, Lady Kohella is raising the barrier to prevent anyone from entering or leaving.”Ydp5NI
zukji“…Why?”HlC1ql
lMC“To prevent the suspect from escaping.”vW4HV
wy8ApcThe word “suspect” sent a chill of foreboding through Dereck.BimCE
V9GAnd what Aren said next was a revelation so absurd that it instantly wiped away everything he had just heard from Roselin.6X6A7R
g3EXQ“Emperor Gattrel has been assassinated.”ewMZ
0fZRSIt heralded an upheaval on a national scale.zjzOa7
bWEwgEl***Hsm3uH
On36GGWhen they arrived at the Bellos Pavilion, which had been provided as the emperor’s residence, the faces of the imperial guards and the servants were already completely pale, without a single drop of blood left in them.zXI
5SsZHThe news had not yet spread to the Amaryllis dormitories, but at least among the people staying in the Bellos Pavilion, it seemed that the information had already circulated completely.r9a9
gdUt0The content of what had been conveyed made one doubt one’s own ears even when hearing it again.5QBksP
1XPzvM7Emperor Gattrel had been assassinated.xTabS
OtlThe aged emperor who had shared nearly a hundred years of history with this empire had ended his life precisely in this place.LUPg6
N5McAccompanied by the chief butler and the head maid, Dereck strode briskly through the inner corridors of the Bellos Pavilion.gEsBce
o2oEvery person he passed wore an expression of absolute shock.C7hI
juMuGuided by the magical adviser Aren, Dereck headed toward the rooms reserved for the distinguished guests who had arrived from the imperial capital.KkgyDs
pJneBBtAlong the way, he crossed paths with several magical advisers whom Kohella had personally brought and returned their greetings with a slight nod of his head.MN19H
eEwmIHe also encountered the imperial chief butler and head maid, whom he questioned about the situation.3MS
ZMFlnTNo one looked well.dfDxY
Rb0Mc4wIf the information Aren had conveyed was true, then at least some of the people who had been present that night would bear inescapable responsibility.jLz2uK
bAeAnd responsibility was like an unpredictable fish—you never knew from where or when it might leap out and suddenly strangle you.5v059V
jwe8There were several hundred guards assigned exclusively to protect a single building, and yet the emperor had been assassinated.ZcJI
EouHow could something like this have happened?hxNb
FxXxMaintaining his composure as much as he could, Dereck finally arrived at the very door of the imperial bedroom.m35JY
5qS‘The security is even stricter than I imagined.’Bwh
XI1NTwo members of the imperial guard stood watch at each window, and four more guarded the door.5QacxjW
t8ACjAccording to what he had heard, there were also guards stationed along the outer wall, personnel monitoring the roof in case someone attempted to descend from above, and, in addition, a double line of escort around the perimeter.LoUn
UzwHMore than an iron fortress, it was an environment where not even a rat could slip in.YcIVH
IeutfROCreaak.n6yI
HY0lJDereck opened the door and entered.4ENNM
8ghBefore him appeared an enormous table lavishly prepared for the emperor.fBR
1QHTTncAnd there, reclined as if asleep, lay Emperor Gattrel.tpPf4
OXAHis expression was strangely serene, as though he were enjoying a deep sleep.Cxhwr
xg8That aged emperor, who so often furrowed his brow, now simply looked like a man exhausted who had succumbed to fatigue.p2LcR
bIsTzJHowever, beneath his neck had pooled a large amount of blood that had already dried.7Xr
M7eAnd upon observing the open hole in his left chest, it was evident that there was no heart left inside.J9AuW16
qwHh“…”PqYw4
7cFgoDereck ran a hand over his face.dZVgpV
X0mpNjRight here, on the grounds where the Academy Ravenclaw was being constructed, just before the inspection event prior to the opening ceremony.r4hO
1bCtThe emperor had died in this place.yKYo
wNbA sense of pressure, similar to what he had felt when facing a colossal beast during a deadly raid, ran down his spine.7smdi
qCDTdEUCatastrophes could not be avoided, and trials arrived without warning.S6U9m
CNLqDereck did not panic, but neither could he afford to relax.GH77xb
NbpEY“You have arrived, Sir Dereck.”dwx8
Pyj00xTFrom beside the corpse, Kohella, who was breathing heavily, straightened up.zgo7
WHevXThe empire’s chief magical adviser, the old fox regarded as the most powerful among the mages of Gremport Palace.wXe
CAbUncharacteristically for her, she was drenched in cold sweat and breathing with difficulty.t2IcX
ZZLbEven for a transformation mage of her level, deploying a barrier formation capable of completely engulfing the academy grounds must have been an extreme effort.2nlXx
gM3gcsoAnd on top of that, she had had to do it quickly in order to block all escape routes before identifying the suspect.uXf
qzee3Q“This old body should no longer be pushed this far… the last time I deployed a formation of this magnitude must have been during the Dawn War.”l4eR4
c6JkEt“May I request a detailed explanation of the situation?”H4HU
JGgm“If we speak only of the result, what you see before your eyes is everything. But if we go into the details, we would never finish.”O0jZzvA
hZNKohella collapsed wearily into a luxurious chair in a corner of the room.UGX
OvAThat she did not show panic at the sight of the emperor’s corpse was fitting for someone who had been through all kinds of situations in her life.2cpCO
gm3PEven so, she did not seem completely unshaken by such a shocking event.rgTd7R
h6GWiping away the cold sweat, she spoke in a trembling voice.cHb
DYwo“Between the moment we arrived at the Bellos Pavilion and the completion of the banquet preparations… someone managed to breach the security of this building and assassinate His Majesty.”isT6kp
xIX“……”t5W
R4AIt was a literal description of what had occurred.8uOYAIH
8EalokVYet no matter how many times one heard it, it was difficult to accept it at face value.YAKhQE
88XCtpyThe supreme ruler of this era, who for nearly a hundred years had looked down upon all from the pinnacle of the empire, had died in such an absurd manner.2Xp5pZ
uO4G6And then, Kohella’s next words complicated the situation even further.dc4vn
SGwpuK“Within this small building alone, there were more than five hundred guards stationed.”hPjfwC
CBvRF“…”pfCaW
9Q3zO“However, at the exact moment His Majesty was assassinated… no one remembers where they were or what they were doing.”UWXYIL
oO0z92The preliminary investigation had already been conducted.qgvCT
ES8The moment the incident occurred, Kohella had immediately gathered the imperial guard to hear their testimonies.FEJ9O
FU8mzBut no one remembered what they had been doing during the estimated time of the crime.j1I32
I9BaThey all described a vague sensation, as if they had lost time without realizing it.N0LYj2
LlvtpwThat perhaps they had fallen asleep.HBD2
61CThat maybe they had lost their concentration.SO6ty
UIKmS9tIt was not a simple matter of poor memory or failing to notice something suspicious.SzDmR1M
JJ3MSThe memories did not exist.HunCP
zh8O3vThe memory itself had been erased.RhZ
5gE96aWhat did that mean?qE8
ZjUDa“Is this someone capable of directly manipulating memory?”G00zVpE
9rzGpn“…”ylJMVNi
dJTsSKohella’s silence was the answer.4dHCBXF
Yvy1GQThe method of the crime was absurdly simple.ol8z
xk74oKLEnter calmly, kill the emperor, erase all memories, and leave.q6Z2
BUswPSo simple that it was almost insulting.hqX0PO
112euhDBut erasing the memories of hundreds of imperial guards all at once far exceeded the level of a mere expert in confusion magic.IlUnz
HtZIt was something far beyond that.AMpkZdX
HRe“…”eyQdqlM
1amW0WbDereck once again ran a hand across his forehead and sharpened his gaze even further.ONowISK
9boRh1Panicking would solve nothing.HJUTevp
P6oA being that trampled even memory, that manipulated the five senses…NPWsC
9SxHow was one supposed to capture someone like that?jRm
a9pnIt was a task that demanded making the impossible possible.3goilka
MUaWEAnd yet, there were moments in life when one had no choice but to accept that challenge.ZSaxICe
HHigaWdFor Dereck, it was nothing new.hSEz5
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Ahmad Dzaky
MortalShits is cooking, and i’m enjoying every bites of ts