Ch.192192. Social Gathering (4)

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“Ah, it looks like you have a lot of questions, but first, listen to this story!”

He continued with a still frantic expression.

The fellow immediately pulled something out from his chest.

‘…A key?’

It’s an elegantly decorated key with jade embellishments.

Judging by the mark embedded in it, it’s an item used to open and close facilities within the imperial palace.

“With this, you’ll be able to access anywhere in the imperial palace! Since it’s managed by the Council of Elders, I’ll give you ownership of this item!”

“…”

“And, perhaps.”

Bogart Marquis winked and held out the key to me.

“The imperial palace is a place full of people, full of interesting items, and incredibly complex! I’m sure it wouldn’t matter if you took one or two items that catch your eye!”

“…”

“If you get caught, feel free to lie and say the Council of Elders sent you!”

Just hearing about it, this isn’t something to be casually tossed around like this.

And what follows is even more so.

“…Why would you do such a thing?”

“Because that’s how you’ll be able to pass the final trial of the hero selection!”

“…”

“Someone like you would clearly see through what is ‘sleeping’ inside the imperial palace, wouldn’t you?”

Bogart Marquis continued with a grinning smile.

“Surely, there will be items that will help you formulate your plan!”

“…”

Something.

Something is strange.

Setting aside the intention behind this sudden show of goodwill.

This guy seems to have a remarkably clear understanding of my ‘principles of action’ and ‘purpose.’

Before an incident occurs, collecting items to easily resolve it, planning in advance…

He seems to see through the fact that I already know about this world.

“…It seems there are items I should bring.”

“Yes!”

Bogart Marquis’s gaze flew to the amulet tied around my arm.

“…With the ‘Guardian,’ it will certainly be helpful!”

“…”

This guy.

He knows about Calivan too.

I stare at him silently with a hardened expression.

I have no idea where this guy suddenly appeared from or what his intentions are.

“…Why are you doing this, Bogart Marquis?”

I murmur to him in a low voice.

“You should know better than anyone that I could become your enemy. I’m close to the political opponents who are against you.”

What makes him push me to the point where I have to say such things?

This guy’s very existence is so mysterious that it makes me want to shake some answers out of him.

“…That doesn’t seem to be what you really want to ask, does it?”

Even more so.

He speaks as if he knows everything.

“If you ask that, I think I can give you some answers about why I’m doing this too?”

“…”

I clench my teeth slightly.

Though I don’t like feeling like I’m dancing in this guy’s palm.

Still, I reluctantly voice my biggest question.

“…Do you know my mother?”

If it’s about my father, Baron Armin Campbell, it wouldn’t be strange for him to know quite a lot of details.

Considering the insidious habits of imperial nobles, it’s better to assume that all my personal information from A to Z has been dug up since I started gaining attention.

However.

If it’s about my ‘other’ parent, that’s a different story.

“Of course I do.”

Bogart shrugged and answered my question.

He still maintained that relaxed demeanor as he asked the next question.

“Do you?”

A question that pierces deep into my core.

“…Judging by your reaction.”

Such a sentence followed.

“You don’t seem to know ‘everything’ either. Isn’t that right?”

I glare at him without answering.

“I thought so.”

Bogart Marquis continued with another grin.

“Armin isn’t the type to willingly tell you about that side. He’s been like that since he was young.”

“…”

“A bear-like fellow. Steady, diligent, and I’m sure that’s what attracted Astrid too.”

My fist clenches tightly.

Astrid.

Astrid Campbell.

My mother’s name.

The only information I know ‘for certain’ about her.

“And, I respect Armin’s decision.”

Bogart Marquis continued with a gentle expression.

“If he hasn’t told you, I don’t intend to talk about Astrid to you either.”

“…You seem to have already given away quite a bit, Marquis.”

I throw such a cold sentence.

Being deeply entangled with my father and mother in some form and then pretending not to know after giving away so much—what’s that about? It’s not even teasing.

But despite my attitude.

Bogart Marquis just shrugged as if it didn’t matter.

“…Then since I’ve given away that much, let me tell you one more thing as a favor.”

Then, the smile fell from his face.

Bogart Marquis continued with an expressionless face.

This is the first time I’ve seen such a heavy demeanor since meeting him.

“…I was asked a favor by Astrid, you see.”

Irritation surges within me.

“You keep beating around the bush—”

“You came to probe my intentions, right? The Emperor and the Chancellor must be thinking of keeping me in check.”

“…”

My eyes narrow.

The term “Your Majesty” is missing.

From the perspective of an imperial subject, this is honestly an outrage that could be punished for blasphemy right away.

In other words.

It’s as good as openly expressing ‘hostility.’

“…What are you thinking, Bogart Marquis?”

I don’t understand why he would suddenly say such things.

Of course, he must know that neither the Emperor nor the Chancellor looks upon him favorably.

I don’t understand why he would show such incriminating behavior to me, who is clearly aligned with them.

“The current trends of the imperial Council of Elders are ominous. In an empire divided between the Emperor, the Chancellor, and the Council of Elders, if one side ignites a major fire, an uncontrollable civil war will break out. Isn’t that right?”

“…”

I already know all this.

That’s the background for Chapter 5, after all.

“That’s correct.”

“…”

I look at the person in front of me, doubting my ears.

I feel like I’ve been hit hard.

Of course, in the current situation, the only one who could cause the ‘great turmoil’ of Chapter 5 is this guy, but calmly admitting it to this extent is another matter.

‘…Why?’

In the end, after going around in circles, that’s the question.

What benefit could there be in bringing this up at this timing?

“Darwood Campbell.”

While I was thinking about that, those words dropped.

“You asked what favor Astrid asked of me.”

“…What?”

“Since it’s a promise with him, I can’t tell you clearly… but I can give you a clue.”

Bogart Marquis said as he sipped the wine in the glass he was holding.

“Astrid entrusted ‘you’ to me. The greatest masterpiece she created.”

“What does that—”

“Simply put, I intend to make you ‘great.'”

“…”

It’s all incomprehensible words.

Since my possession into the Sera world, this guy is the first ‘variable’ that’s as unpredictable as the Luminary.

I look at him with a deeply furrowed expression.

Then.

Without giving me a chance to respond, the next sentence followed.

“You can relay this directly to the Emperor and the Chancellor. Listen carefully.”

Certainly.

This time too, it was absolutely not a sentence within my ‘expected range.’

“I’m going to burn the Empire. All of it.”

“…”

Actually, his demeanor was so calm that for a while, I couldn’t understand what he meant.

“Not something as trivial as a civil war. Because my goal isn’t the throne.”

Lightly, as if stating an obvious fact.

“I will kill every imperial citizen over the age of ten. Men, women, children, adults. All without discrimination. Fairly. Hundreds. Thousands. Tens of thousands. Hundreds of thousands. Millions. All of them. Without exception.”

As if telling me he’s going for a walk tomorrow morning.

“I will return this entire country to nothingness.”

“…”

So.

By the time I understood what he meant, my breath was caught violently.

“…You.”

If it had been a madman’s declaration, or the resolve of a villain plotting a grand conspiracy.

I could have understood.

But now, this guy.

In his right mind.

A crazy plan that makes no sense.

Dryly.

As if it’s a task assigned to him that must be accomplished.

“And I’d like you to stop me.”

Really.

“Please.”

It was a calmly uttered request.

●

“…Haaa…”

After parting with Bogart Marquis.

Walking out of the terrace and down the corridor.

A deep sigh that I’ve never let out since coming to this side escapes from my mouth.

In my hand was the key I had received from Bogart Marquis at the social gathering.

‘…What kind of person is he?’

I really don’t know anything.

This feeling of being at a loss is almost the first I’ve felt since meeting the Luminary.

Especially, the fact that he knows information about my mother that even I don’t know is chilling.

[…Come to think of it, you also said recently that it’s better not to know about your mother’s side.]

Such a voice flew from within the Soul Linker.

[But you said that because you know something about that side, right?]

“I don’t know.”

[What?]

To Calivan, who responds with disbelief, I continue in a strained voice.

“I’ve never seen her face. There’s only one thing I know.”

When I was young.

When I was very young.

This is a story from before I possessed “Darwood Campbell.”

When the original owner of this body was so terribly ill that he couldn’t even move properly.

[Ah, right. You were miraculously healed when you were seven, weren’t you?]

“No. I wasn’t healed.”

I respond with a sigh.

“Strictly speaking, I died once back then.”

I’ve looked it up in my father’s archives.

At six years old, Darwood Campbell completely died from his chronic illness.

There were even records of calling a funeral director to hold the ceremony.

It’s absolutely no exaggeration to say he came back to life ‘miraculously.’

“…And it was my mother who performed that miracle.”

[…What are you saying?]

“She resurrected someone who had died.”

Of course, while I’ve performed the feat of coming back from death several times, the fact that I’ve never been ‘completely’ dead makes it different.

Astrid Campbell.

She brought her completely dead son back to life.

[…What?]

Calivan asked in a voice drained of spirit.

[Even the high priests of the Holy Empire, who are said to perform all kinds of miracles, can’t do such a thing. Not even the Pope himself can do that. What kind of fictional nonsense…!]

“But she did it, and that’s why I’m here now.”

[…How?]

So.

That’s what I don’t know either.

“…”

Yes.

It’s a fantastical event even in a fantasy world.

Resurrection of the dead—this is a type of miracle not found even among the powers of demons.

The most likely guess is that I wasn’t actually dead but mistakenly thought to be in a state of suspended animation. But logically, my father wouldn’t have failed to distinguish something like that.

‘…I don’t know anything. About my mother. Nothing at all.’

What kind of method did she use to revive a dead body?

What happened to my mother afterward? Where is she now?

How did she meet my father in the first place, where did they get married, what kind of life did they lead?

I don’t know anything.

Because that’s all the information my father ever told me about my mother.

As Bogart just said, my father was terribly sparing with mentions of my mother.

“…Whatever the case.”

I say with a sigh.

“If I don’t know, I’ll have to find out, won’t I?”

That’s the only way.

To confirm what kind of person he is, and how he knows about my mother.

I have to confront it directly.

“I’ll ask for understanding from His Majesty and the Chancellor. Shall we escape this social gathering right away, Calivan?”

[…Where are you going?]

“There’s a place I need to visit.”

I turn the key I received from Bogart Marquis once in my palm.

“It’s a place related to you too, Calivan.”

More precisely.

It’s a place I can’t go without you.

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