episode_0249

Clever individuals, paradoxically, are easier to deceive than foolish ones. Or rather, they’re easier to manipulate.

Foolish individuals are like rugby balls. When they bounce off the ground, you can’t predict which direction they’ll go. Lacking knowledge and wisdom, they have no consistent principles of action. Even if you try to manipulate them, it’s not easy.

On the other hand, clever individuals are like basketballs. They bounce in a predictable and consistent manner. Throw it vertically, it bounces vertically; throw it at an angle, it bounces at an angle; put spin on it, and it bounces in that direction.

In short, they’re easy to control. They use knowledge and wisdom to reach conclusions. That is, if you provide them with new knowledge, they will proceed in that direction.

Of course, this new knowledge shouldn’t differ greatly from their existing knowledge. To ensure they accept it without resistance requires even more knowledge and superior wisdom.

In that respect, was just like a basketball. By blatantly displaying the first characteristic of the ghoul, he recognized me as a ghoul. He was smart enough to fall for it. The only problem was that my manipulation was a bit clumsy.

My plan is to appear before Moriarty as an unknown enemy and disrupt him. Since Kan is convinced that is my true identity, this should be easily resolved.

For instance, even when confronted with the Seeker, Kan wouldn’t be intimidated. He genuinely believes he’s right. This will cause confusion during the process of revealing my identity, allowing me to effectively neutralize Moriarty without involving the kingdom.

‘Even so, the current situation remains unchanged.’

*Taaat-*

Deflecting Kan’s relentless punches was easier than I expected. His specialty is destructive power. He was slow enough that I could easily evade him by using the darkness as a springboard.

*Clang-* *Whoosh-* *Boom-*!! *Spot-*

However, I can’t get careless. The slightest mistake, the slightest graze from his fist, and my body would be pulverized. The Shadow Armor has lower defense than I thought. I could block the weakened effects of ‘s incantation, but compared to the Muyoung Armor I wield like my own limbs, it’s nothing but paper.

*Thwack-*

Kan retracted his fist and created distance.

“Why aren’t you attacking?”

“Jumping in recklessly… looks like a surefire way to get countered and die.”

“You noticed.”

Swinging his massive body is definitely not fast. His second specialty was his reaction speed. Since his body is slow, his mind quickly judges and issues attack commands.

His instincts are too sharp. I wonder how many beasts he’s devoured. His whole body is brimming with the instinct to fight. Probably, he can see the threats from all directions. He attacks from safe positions and focuses on defense and counterattacks in dangerous ones.

He’s a brute force monster. The result of constantly repeating slaughter and devouring, as befits a ghoul. And the scariest part is, this isn’t the end. Like me, he’ll continue to grow stronger. I need to kill him as soon as possible. Now’s my chance.

‘…No. I can use him further.’

Kan needs to return to the Seeker and give a confident testimony about my identity. So I’ll beat him half to death and leave for now. Too much time has passed, and I’m quite tired.

‘It’s almost breakfast time…’

It’s better not to delay any further. Conveniently, I was in a good place to fight.

*Thump-* *Crash-*!!

I deflected all of Kan’s heavy blows and led him towards the deeper part of the forest. The place where we’d been fighting just now had no shade, since had blown away all the trees with its incantation.

This is different now.

“Hey, don’t you feel something strange?”

“…What?”

“It’s… rather dark here.”

“…!!”

Kan widened his eyes. But it was too late. I grasped the shadows surrounding us. The darkness surged at my will, engulfing Kan.

[Shadow World].

After severing his limbs in the dark forest I created, I returned to the original location.

. . .

“Why… why didn’t you devour me?”

“You should know better than anyone.”

I dispelled the Shadow Armor in front of Kan, who was left with only his torso. He can’t move anymore. He’ll soon die, but this isn’t the end. If it were Duke Darius, he would revive all three of them and use them until their minds collapsed.

I turned away, covering my eyes with a blindfold.

“When you first devoured your own kind, what did you feel?”

“…”

“Regret. Simply boundless regret. These guys… they could have grown much tastier.”

Kan’s half-closed eyes widened again. As if realizing something, he let out a quiet chuckle.

“You’re still a pup. Until you become worthy of being my prey, until you fatten up… I will wait.”

“Raise you to eat you later… heh heh, you’re more of a ghoul than I am. But, don’t get careless…”

A calm groan echoed from behind me.

“Next time we meet… there’s no guarantee I’ll lose-”

“Just focus on getting fat.”

I plunged a Shadow blade into Kan’s neck and left.

. . .

I ran through the forest.

Immediately using the [Transfer] magic to return to the mansion is not an option. There are definitely eyes watching this area. I want to avoid getting caught at the last moment.

‘I think I can use a Magi version of the [Transfer] magic using shadows…’

But I still have something to do. To be precise, it’s a verification process.

The Seeker probably suspected me, Narita Princess, as soon as the White Ghost appeared. He already knows much about me. That I attend the academy under the name Narias Philbrogue, and that I encountered Persona and killed her.

So, he must have been trying to find my alibi. I felt it last time too, Moriarty isn’t only in the Empire. There is definitely a spy hidden in the Kingdom. Even Count Carsen, who committed countless crimes, was the Seeker’s puppet.

He probably also has eyes on the academy. Not at night, but it’s time for Narias Philbrogue to go to the academy now. If my absence from the academy is revealed, he might realize the connection with the White Ghost.

‘I left it to Yuri, so I don’t worry.’

However, I need to confirm that my alibi is secured. It’s just a matter of setting a trap and checking if any fish took the bait.

Near the Kingdom’s border, I found one of Moriarty’s soldiers. I immediately captured him and kindly interrogated him.

「Obey.」

Incantations are useful in many ways. The Pope’s incantation has a brainwashing effect, but it relies on faith. The incantation I newly acquired lacks such conditions but is limited to strengthening effects.

On the other hand, incantations are a type of magic using Magi, so the brainwashing effect is certain. The greater the gap between the subject and the caster, the smaller the recoil. There’s no better way to interrogate a single soldier.

“My… my comrade was watching Narias Philbrogue and her associates-”

“Oh, thank you.”

That concludes the matter. I didn’t need a soldier who blindly obeys me. I cut off his head and returned to the mansion.

* * *

About an hour ago, the situation where three Nameds confronted the White Ghost.

Duke Darius watched the scene, his palms sweating. Moriarty’s influence extends throughout the continent. If he sends ‘eyes,’ he could monitor anything happening in real-time.

A soldier approached and reported.

“41 members of the assassination team and , a total of 42 people, have disappeared without a trace…”

“That’s enough, I don’t even want to hear it. What matters is Princess Narita… Find her immediately-!!”

Even though his own son died, Duke Darius didn’t even flinch. Usually, Ryudu wasn’t something he concerned himself with. Now, he was simply an obstacle hindering his concentration. His attention was elsewhere.

Narias Philbrogue’s alibi.

Now that he’s confirmed the White Ghost’s movements, the fact that she’s not at the academy is proof that she’s the White Ghost. If he can just prove Narita Princess is the White Ghost, it becomes a cause of conflict between nations.

‘A reason for war… I’ll raze Naifrantz to the ground and use its blood as a sacrifice to fully resurrect the Demon God!’

The Demon God will become the new ruler of this world, on the brink of destruction. Holding this unshakeable belief, Duke Darius was increasingly anxious.

“…Found them!”

As soon as the report came, the Duke jumped up from his seat. It was a vague way of saying ‘result,’ so his expression was also half-twisted.

“What… what have you found?”

“Narias Philbrogue and Yurias Philbrogue! They’re both seen going to school together—”

*Rip-*

As soon as he received this unwanted answer, Duke Darius tore the soldier’s body apart. Immediately, a new soldier came in and continued the report.

“It seems Narias Philbrogue noticed the surveillance… Retreating-”

“No… It’s a clone. Didn’t we fall for that last time!! Attack immediately and confirm it’s a clone… If it’s a clone only maintaining its form, it’ll surely be incredibly weak-!!”

“Which… which one is the clone…?”

“Narias Philbrogue!!”

The surveillance’s view appeared on Duke Darius’s left. There were Narias and Yurias, exactly as he knew them. The two were walking arm in arm, intimately.

The surveillance agent revealed himself with his comrades. The two women surrounded by thugs looked quite surprised. But only for a moment. Narias stepped forward, hiding Yurias behind her.

“Now-!! Just confirm it’s a clone-!!”

The thugs charged. Yurias was irrelevant. They focused their attacks solely on Narias Philbrogue.

The screen spun.

The next moment, the view was on the ground. In the slowly fading screen, Narias Philbrogue stood with a pure white magic sword.

*Crack-*

‘The real one…?!’

Duke Darius turned his head sideways. On the screen to the right, three Nameds were fighting the White Ghost.

The White Ghost seemed to fall into crisis, but instead, fell first. Then was slaughtered, and was swallowed by the White Ghost’s shadow.

The left screen showed Narias Philbrogue. The right screen showed the White Ghost. Duke Darius’s assumptions, the beliefs he’d held as certain truths, shattered. The two existed simultaneously.

*Thud-*

Duke Darius sank back into his chair.