Ch.158EP.39 – Two Men Go All the Way (1)

“You’ve really caused quite an incident.”

Splash.

A delicate hand that could be described as slender and fair roughly dropped the newspaper, spreading it across the desk.

[Sultan Salah in Critical Condition.]

[Western Assassins Found Near the Carriage?]

[Sultan Mahba’s Flag Discovered, War Clouds Gathering in the West Again….]

The attack on the Sultan last night.

What was publicly known was that the perpetrators appeared to be the Asassin, an assassin group from the west. They had ambushed the Sultan and inflicted damage, but failed in their mission and apparently committed suicide.

However, those who knew more deeply—that is, the few who grasped the truth—were getting headaches.

“If you draw a sword, you should be prepared to get stabbed yourself.”

“Hah…, your words flow like a mountain stream.”

“I just…”

“That wasn’t a compliment, you reckless fool.”

Smack!

She finally raised her fan and hit his head, but unfortunately, the knight’s head had become even harder than before.

“Mmm!”

“Are you okay? Why did you hit me? You’re only hurting your wrist, Sister.”

“Hey, you annoying…”

She, Isis Elaine de Pendragon, clutched her wrist.

Her wrist stung, causing her to rarely furrow her brow.

“…It seems even harder than before.”

“I’ve been training a bit!”

“Haah…!”

Such shamelessness….

His face showed absolutely no sign of thinking he’d done anything wrong.

Well, Isis, who had called him, didn’t really think he had done anything wrong either.

However.

“It would have been nice if you had told me before starting this.”

“…I’m sorry about that.”

“Sincerely?”

“…When you ask like that, not really…?”

“…I should prepare an even harder metal fan next time.”

He’s truly annoying.

Isis found her adoptive brother really irritating.

* * *

…Originally, Ihan had planned to kidnap the Sultan.

He intended to extract the truth from the man, whether through kidnapping or whatever means necessary.

However, unfortunately.

– Sir, what use is truth obtained through threats?

Is it said that truth is more powerful than propaganda and fabrication?

Even if he became angry and tortured the Sultan to forcibly extract the truth, the Sultan could simply play the victim.

Like a drunk driver, he could claim he didn’t remember, or say it was an impulsive incident that occurred in a state of diminished capacity. For Ihan, it was infuriating, but that’s how the world worked.

So Ihan gave up on kidnapping him.

Although it was a decision he didn’t like,

…still.

– Then I just need to avoid kidnapping and torture, right?

– Pardon?

– And if that guy truly becomes pitiful, I’ll feel somewhat satisfied.

– W-what do you mean by that…?

– Just that I’m going to solve this my way, my way.

– ??

And so Ihan attacked him instead.

He left no evidence.

Galahad and Tristan were certainly capable.

They didn’t leave any trace of their presence, and they confined all the crimes and circumstances of the incident to internal affairs of the Sultanate.

“I hate to say it myself, but it’s almost unfair to compare them to the White Cats.”

“…Do you realize you’re spitting in my face?”

“I stopped it at the scene, didn’t I? So I should be excluded.”

“……”

Ihan was confident.

He had done his part.

Rather.

“Besides, what were you doing, Sister? Someone who usually seems to have clairvoyance was completely…”

He reproached her, and Isis’s eyes curved into a smile for the first time.

As if finding it refreshing to be scolded herself.

“Somehow you seem more unruly than usual, so you were upset with me.”

“Not upset, angry. The kids almost got hurt.”

“…Hmm, on that point, your anger is certainly justified.”

“?”

The person who said it shouldn’t feel this way, but I never expected this sister to admit her mistake so readily.

She might act arrogantly, but she’s not the type to readily admit her mistakes like this.

Perhaps…

“Sister, are you sick?”

“……”

“Summer cold? I guess summer colds can be severe. Go rest, I’ll leave.”

“…Who are you treating like a sick person?”

“You’re not sick?”

“…I think I might get sick because of you.”

“??”

Why is she like this even when I’m worried about her?

“Anyway, it’s not that I had no concerns and abandoned the Academy. I thought you would handle it well since you were there.”

“…Isn’t that dereliction of duty?”

“There’s a good saying about the right person for the right job.”

“……”

“I trusted you. That’s why I left it alone, so don’t feel hurt.”

“…Why is this sister suddenly saying such ominous nice things?”

Rather than feeling touched by her sudden compliments, he felt uneasy.

Others might feel honored beyond joy to receive praise from her, but Ihan just got goosebumps.

Wondering what she would ask him to do next.

“Hmph, you annoying thing. Now I know how you usually think of your sister.”

“A person who can reflect on their actions can become an excellent person.”

“That might be true, but it doesn’t seem to apply to me.”

“……”

…She truly has a thick skin.

But as if the small talk was now over.

“You asked what I was doing that I made no response. That’s right. I was already certain the Sultan had come here with some purpose.”

“Purpose?”

“It took some time to figure it out.”

Thud.

Ihan caught the notebook she threw.

Considering that she usually prepared documents when delivering information, the fact that she gave him such raw material suggested she had only recently completed her investigation.

She must have been busy in her own way.

Rustle.

Ihan slowly looked through the information Isis had handed him.

After just under three minutes.

“Greg Bin, was it? The illegal magician you’re chasing.”

“…Please use your turn signal. You’re startling my heart.”

“Ohoho!”

She had discovered his purpose, which he had never told anyone about, and Ihan shook his head, thinking he really couldn’t handle her.

Anyway.

‘Scary, so scary.’

* * *

Greg Bin was an illegal magician who was reportedly dead for several years.

He had belonged to the Imperial Magic Tower, but attempted to conduct illegal experiments on the subject of “Mystical Theft,” which led to him being labeled an illegal magician and expelled from the Tower. But is stealing once difficult? Twice is no harder.

He continued his illegal experiments for mystical theft, and in the process, was reportedly captured and executed by another country’s guard.

…But that was only the publicly known fact.

“So in reality, he was gathering mystical races in some facility and conducting experiments.”

“That’s my prediction.”

Ihan’s prediction based on the testimony of Judia Pierre, who appeared to be a survivor of the laboratory.

Of course, it wasn’t just a prediction.

“You probably already know from investigating me, but I got some information through the guild, and it seems the person who led that experiment was definitely that spellcaster Greg. Above all, they say he’s a master at changing faces.”

“Investigation? What an odd way to put it.”

“It is investigation… Anyway, looking at what you gave me, it seems my prediction wasn’t wrong.”

The notebook Isis gave him contained information about the people the Sultan had contacted in the west, and conversations he had with his ministers.

He had no idea how she obtained this, but that wasn’t important right now.

What was important was.

[-Acquire mystical power from Pendragon.]

The fact that these people were up to no good.

It was a brief summary, but shocking nonetheless.

The content revealed that the Sultan was targeting Pendragon’s mystical power.

“Ridiculous, a Sultan joining hands with a spellcaster.”

“It’s about obtaining power by any means. It’s not incomprehensible, but it lacks dignity.”

“…Dignity?”

“If it were me, I wouldn’t have resorted to such secret kidnappings. I would have made it a secret transaction between nations. But why did he commit such a barbaric act?”

“……”

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“…No, I just thought you’re a frightening person.”

The fact that she understood the motivation for killing someone to steal their mystical power rather than condemning it, and instead sought alternatives, confirmed that those in power were truly different.

However.

“It’s only natural. Right now, Pendragon has power, so we can afford to show tolerance and mercy. But what if Pendragon had no power? If we always had to worry about invasion, and the risk of war was high, what then?”

“……”

“Remember this well: for an individual to lack power is unfortunate, but for a nation to lack power is a sin. Therefore, those who lead nations must always wear masks of hypocrisy and evil. However, Sultan Salah committed a base act that lowered his national dignity, being neither hypocritical nor evil. Despite having no power, he refused to bow his head and held it high—how undignified and base! Even if I might be called a harlot in the future, bowing one’s head to gain power is the duty of royalty and those who lead a country. So the Sultan fails. He rose to the position of Sultan through bloodline and somewhat decent ability, but he is arrogant and doesn’t know his place. And such a person should not be left alone.”

“…Hmm.”

……Ihan reflected.

On simply thinking she was scary.

He had learned about the sorrow of powerless nations through history, but the fact that he hadn’t properly recognized this showed that he was still quite lacking.

“Sorry…”

“Hoho, just the fact that you know how to apologize makes you a commendable adoptive brother. The ability to reflect—I highly value that.”

“……”

It feels like she’s mocking him, but he should endure it for now….

He wore a bitter smile.

* * *

“-Bring the magician.”

“Huh?”

“If you bring that lowlife Greg Bin alive, I’ll resolve everything.”

“…You have a plan, I see?”

“I always have a plan.”

“Hmm.”

Ihan guessed that Isis was plotting something sinister.

He didn’t know what she was preparing, but he could probably trust her.

However…

“Sigh, bringing a spellcaster back alive isn’t my specialty.”

“Try your best. If you succeed, I’ll give you a great reward. If you wish, I could even give you a kiss?”

“No, I seriously don’t need that.”

“…Insolent fellow.”

It might be a reward for others, but for Ihan, it was truly unnecessary.

He’d rather receive something material.

Ihan snorted.

And then.

“Anyway, I understand. You just want me to bring him back ‘alive,’ right? …Well, I’ll try.”

“Not try, but definitely.”

“…That’s quite pressuring.”

“In return, I won’t hold you responsible no matter what happens.”

“…Really?”

“Of course.”

“Hooh…”

“…That doesn’t mean you should go completely wild, though.”

Isis suddenly wondered if she had misspoken.

Unlike other knights who had a sense of moderation, her adoptive brother…

‘He’s someone who has no sense of moderation…’

It felt like entrusting fish to a cat, and Isis felt a slight uneasiness.

And sure enough…

[Magic Tower’s Grand Disciple Missing!]

“…Haah.”

Isis felt a headache coming on.