Ch.150150. Invitation (3)

Faynol expressionlessly downed the wine served as an aperitif.

She couldn’t remember how many glasses she’d had, but judging by the waiter’s bewildered expression as he diligently served her, it must have been quite a lot.

This wasn’t like her at all.

She wasn’t one to enjoy alcohol, and drinking this much aperitif was teetering precariously between rudeness and eccentricity. Her usual self would never have done such a thing.

‘…How strange.’

But right now, she couldn’t care less about such matters.

Faynol smiled inwardly at the faint grape scent that tickled her nose.

Her sense of taste must be returning slightly too. All thanks to that man, surely.

“Feeling uncomfortable, are you?”

Those words drifted from the seat beside her.

Turning her head, she saw the Tristan Duchess looking at her with that expressionless face she always wore.

Indeed, her current behavior must seem strange. That’s why she was making such remarks.

“…The clothes are a bit uncomfortable.”

When Faynol smiled and said this, Elnore tilted her head and replied.

“The chest area does look quite constrictive. Why would someone with such an ample bosom as yours wear such tight-fitting clothes?”

“…”

“It’s certainly true that having a large chest can cause many inconveniences. Let me share some useful knowledge with you.”

“…I’ll just accept your kind intentions, Duchess Tristan.”

You’re the one with the bigger size, what are you talking about?

Faynol chuckled and continued.

“It was just a metaphorical expression about not being in a familiar place.”

Rather than confessing that she had lost her senses for a long time and was only now beginning to feel a thread of them returning, she thought it better to go along with a suitable excuse.

The statement itself was undeniably true.

“I was a commoner, after all. I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to attend such an extravagant gathering.”

Of course, it was merely a dinner, but the host was a power equal to the Emperor.

A veritable brigade of people was bustling around in preparation for it.

“As an apprentice of the Demonic Spire, you must have had quite a few opportunities to step into social circles.”

Faynol looked at Elnore with wide eyes.

How did this woman know about her past?

“The student council is tasked with managing the personal information of all students.”

Elnore continued in her blunt voice.

“I heard you have connections with Dean Percy of the Magic Department. Is that not so?”

“…”

Faynol smiled bitterly as she set down her glass.

It was a painful past. One she didn’t particularly want to recall.

The name Percy Syston Levantin remained the largest scar inside her heart.

“…He is someone I’m acquainted with.”

For now, she would just let it slide like that.

Elnore didn’t probe further after hearing those words. She must have noticed the complex emotions embedded in Faynol’s voice.

“You said you were a commoner. Where are you from?”

“A small village in the north. You probably wouldn’t know it even if I told you.”

“Is that so?”

“…It was a beautiful place.”

Having said that, Faynol gazed at the wine swirling in her glass with sunken eyes.

Red as blood.

“Until… a certain accident occurred.”

Like the night she went berserk and burned the entire village.

Elnore stared at Faynol after hearing those words, but she avoided that gaze and downed another glass of wine.

The alcohol must be affecting her. Judging by how she was voluntarily speaking such useless words.

‘…What are you doing, Faynol?’

She chided herself inwardly.

Was she suddenly longing to return to the days when she lived an ordinary life?

A monster like her, who destroyed her hometown with her own hands, who hurt the benefactor who had taken her in when she had nowhere to go?

The Red Night Incident, recorded as one of the Empire’s worst disasters, was caused by her. By the Red Demon sleeping inside her.

“…Do you know anything about the Chancellor?”

She forcibly changed the topic.

It wasn’t too far off from the current conversation.

After all, the reason she was attending this gathering, and why the Tristan Duchess was here, was all because of him.

Elnore remained silent for a moment before answering, seemingly having vaguely sensed her mood.

“…I met him a few times when I was young.”

Being close in age, she remembered him better.

“What was he like?”

“My impression was that he was an insufferably talented individual.”

Faynol chuckled.

Indeed.

He must be someone who even pushed her to second place—she who was praised as having generational talent in a prestigious swordsmanship family, one of the continent’s most powerful noble houses.

A legendary figure who rose from the lowest of Empire nobility to the highest position.

“…It’s absurd.”

A young woman who hasn’t even lived half her life becoming the Empire’s highest authority. Even a few years ago, such a story couldn’t be found even in fiction.

That was until Sullivan first rose to prominence.

Now, no one can laugh at that fact.

Because all who did are dead.

“…”

Faynol smiled grimly.

Yes. Everything Elnore said was correct.

Except for one thing.

“It’s not absurd at all.”

“Hmm?”

The Red Demon sleeping inside her heart is among the most violent of all demons. Though they don’t converse often.

Even without speaking, there are things one naturally comes to know when harboring a demon.

For example.

“A person who could have risen to the Chancellor’s position given enough time, and who also knows the future—imagine what they could accomplish.”

Chancellor Sullivan is.

Undoubtedly of the same ‘kind’ as her.

“…What did you say?”

Elnore tilted her head and questioned, but Faynol sighed instead of giving a more detailed answer.

There didn’t seem to be time for further explanation anyway.

“The Chancellor is entering. Everyone, please rise!”

With those words, the servants who had been bustling around scattered to the periphery in perfect unison.

Tension was evident on all their faces.

‘…Well, of course.’

They were facing the Iron Lady, against whom not a single opponent had survived. It’s only natural they’d worry about falling out of favor.

So.

When the Iron Lady walked into the hall, gently holding a man’s arm as if they were lovers, displaying such an image for all to see.

Everyone’s faces couldn’t hide their shock.

“My, is something the matter?”

As the Chancellor casually uttered those words,

Faynol inwardly laughed at the sight of Darwood being dragged along with a dark expression.

Yes. Most of the troubles that man had been involved in were self-inflicted, but this time, he was clearly the victim.

At least, there was nothing he had ‘directly’ done to cause this.

‘…Oh dear.’

But for those who didn’t know that fact, none of it mattered.

Elnore’s expression rapidly crumpled at the sight of Darwood with his arm firmly linked with the Chancellor’s.

●

< System Message >

[Target ‘Elnore’s corruption value is rapidly increasing!]

“…”

I’m sorry, Elnore.

I couldn’t stop this.

Thinking that, I let myself be dragged by the Chancellor to the adjacent seat.

I tried to escape several times along the way, but each time the Chancellor glared at me with dead eyes, so I had no choice.

If I had continued, she really looked like she might do something.

[But, you don’t have a demon fragment, right? Then you can’t go berserk?]

‘Who in their right mind would antagonize the Chancellor?’

[That’s true.]

Calivan chuckled in agreement.

‘…And even setting that fact aside, it’s dangerous.’

Even though she doesn’t have a fragment, I’m almost certain this person can use a demon’s ‘power’.

The problem is I can’t even guess what kind of ability it might be.

I only know of six demon entities. I’ve never heard of any others.

‘…Could there be more?’

Even I, who delved deep into Savior Rising’s lore, have never heard of such a thing.

Nevertheless, this person is.

A demon.

At least, she definitely once harbored a fragment.

It’s a completely different feeling from me, who can only pose as a demon-like entity thanks to the Fallen Angel’s Seal.

Meanwhile, the servants who had finished setting up all the food bowed deeply and exited the hall. Sullivan must have instructed them to do so beforehand.

“…”

And seeing that sight.

My insides burn black.

Dismissing the servants means that from now on, ‘conversations not meant for others’ ears’ will be flying around.

“First of all. Thank you for accepting my invitation, Duchess Tristan. And…”

Sullivan’s head turned slightly, her gaze fixing on Faynol’s face.

“…There’s an unexpected face here.”

With her trademark gentle smile, she continued.

“Well, that’s fine. You should hear this too, anyway.”

“…What do you wish to discuss, Chancellor?”

Elnore replied expressionlessly, emitting an ominous red glow from her eyes.

Even for a duchess, her attitude toward the Chancellor was incredibly disrespectful, but Sullivan didn’t even blink.

As if she had dismissed the servants for this very purpose.

And then, immediately.

“I’d like this message to be conveyed to all other women near this man.”

The Chancellor dropped her bombshell.

“Don’t even think about approaching my husband.”

“…”

“…”

Elnore and Faynol blinked simultaneously.

The statement came so abruptly, without warning, that they were more dumbfounded than angry.

The Chancellor who had spoken those words was still wearing a gentle smile on her face, nonchalantly moving her utensils to serve food.

As if she hadn’t just made such a momentous declaration.

She was asserting what she considered her obvious right in the most natural way.

“…”

And I’m in the same boat.

My brain is experiencing quite the shutdown.

Husband?

What on earth…?

“…Are you saying you intend to marry him?”

Faynol asked in a slightly dazed voice.

Even someone devoid of emotions finds it extremely difficult to calmly accept this statement.

Given this person’s position, it’s a declaration that will surely cause waves across the entire continent.

But.

“Yes.”

The answer flows out so naturally.

As if wondering why someone would ask such an obvious question.

“…Chancellor.”

Elnore opened her mouth in a chilling voice.

To say her tone was chilling is an understatement; if words could have physical force, they would have sliced Sullivan to pieces with the murderous intent wafting up.

“That man is engaged to me. Are you aware—”

“I am aware, Duchess Tristan. That’s precisely why I’m emphasizing this to you.”

Even when facing Elnore, who seemed capable of killing with words alone, Sullivan’s gentle smile never left her face. It’s almost admirable.

“A woman without qualifications like you will never—”

“…What do you mean by ‘without qualifications’?”

At those words, the smile on Sullivan’s face deepened.

“Duchess Tristan.”

As if she had been waiting for just this question.

“Because of you, a war might break out soon.”

“…”

The moment I heard those words.

I felt my blood run cold.

This was a line that consistently appeared in the game.

A line that triggers a ‘specific event’.

‘Calivan.’

[Yes?]

‘Go to sleep for a bit.’

[What? No, what are you—]

Ignoring Calivan’s bewildered response, I removed the Soul Linker from my arm and tucked it away.

The story Sullivan is about to tell.

Is something this person must absolutely not hear.

“…War? What on earth do you mean?”

“Duchess Tristan.”

Then.

“Have you ever heard the term ‘Hero Selection’?”

With those words from Sullivan, a system window appeared before my eyes.

< System Message >

[Due to target ‘Sullivan’s status change, the main scenario has been altered.]

[The starting point of 《Chapter 4 – Red Night》 has been changed!]

“…”

Yes. I know this content.

This.

This is the line that signals the beginning of Chapter 4.

The chapter that creates one of the biggest turning points in the scenario.

“…”

I unconsciously stroke the Soul Linker tucked away.

The reason Chapter 4 is the scenario’s greatest turning point is simple.

It’s the chapter where Faynol, one of the Demonic Vessels, appears as the final boss.

‘…Elia.’

And because it’s the chapter where the ‘original protagonist’ of this world.

Gets most deeply entangled.

●