Ch.354EP.75 – The Cogwheel Declares (2)

Levi’s intuition was extraordinary, to say the least.

…Though being extraordinary wasn’t particularly something to be proud of.

After all, her life had been so harsh that she naturally had to develop survival skills, and by constantly reading others, this ability had developed on its own.

‘Even if my intuition is sensitive, it’s nothing compared to Master’s.’

Nevertheless, if she dared to arrogantly claim there was something exceptional about her intuition compared to her respected and beloved master’s, it would be:

‘My ability to detect people’s malice.’

While her master had animal-like intuition for spotting suspicious or unusual individuals, Levi’s intuition was specialized in detecting [malice].

Today was a perfect example.

She hadn’t planned to attend, but with her friends’ encouragement and since it was the final day of the banquet, her adoptive mother Jeminia Rivalin de Tristan had also visited the palace. It was a flow she couldn’t escape, and Levi was forced to attend the banquet. But as soon as Jeminia left her seat, wolf-like individuals swarmed around her, and the girl immediately detected the malice they emitted.

‘I guess my performance yesterday became a thorn in the nobles’ sides.’

During the terrorist attack in the central street, Levi had shown quite remarkable achievements, gaining unwanted attention, and to make matters worse—

[Only trained for a year?! The emergence of a new genius with a promising future.]

[Tristan’s choice was right! Is this the birth of a female knight to succeed Swordsmaster Felishia?]

…Such articles were published, which was utterly embarrassing from Levi’s perspective.

All the achievements were her master’s, yet they were busy exaggerating her role.

It was almost like…

‘A scheme to diminish Master’s achievements, even slightly… How utterly contemptible and vulgar.’

It was nothing but malice aimed at somehow reducing her master’s accomplishments.

Levi was not only intuitive but also intelligent, and she systematically organized the current situation to approach the truth.

From the nobles’ perspective, they seemed to want to ‘deny’ the fact that her master had single-handedly stopped the terrorist attack. Whether they didn’t want to welcome the birth of a hero, or they simply disliked her master…

And to stop her master’s dominance.

‘They used me.’

Crunch…!

Disgustingly so.

Levi couldn’t help but be angry.

Her hatred for nobles was about to rise to the next level, but more than developing a phobia, she was concerned about the thick, ominous malice surrounding the palace.

‘What on earth is it?’

However, while she could sense the unknown malice, she couldn’t grasp its essence.

After all, she could only feel the malice. Without any physical evidence or hints, even the most intelligent person couldn’t figure everything out.

‘If only that Simon person Master mentioned were here, he could have helped.’

The talent Master acknowledged as number one in mental acuity.

Perhaps he could have discerned more than her with limited information?

“There’s no use longing for someone who isn’t here, sigh…”

“Bear girl, are you looking for someone? Tell Kunta. Will find.”

“…Thank you, Sir Kunta. Just your words are a great comfort.”

“Kunta, not just talking?”

“I know. But you suddenly leaving your post would be a bigger problem than my concerns. You’re here as an exchange student, so you’re especially under supervision.”

“Ku, Kunta, don’t understand complicated things.”

Kunta, who had been busy devouring the banquet food, had somehow approached Levi’s side.

He seemed to have come out of concern, seeing her in low spirits, and besides that—

“Levi, cheer up.”

“That’s right. There are strange people everywhere.”

“Let’s report this to the instructor later.”

“Hey! No matter how much you hate them, that’s going too far! It’s inhumane!”

“R-really?”

“Imagine if the instructor visited your family because they did something wrong? How would that feel?”

“…Just imagining it makes me feel like I’m suffocating.”

“Exactly.”

Her friends had approached.

They were now bound by ties closer to martial siblings studying under the same master, beyond just being classmates in the swordsmanship department.

They seemed to misunderstand that her mood was low because of the noble lady from earlier, but she was still grateful.

They were getting angry on her behalf.

So.

“Thank you.”

Though nothing had been resolved, Levi simply nodded with a gentle smile.

“…Something’s not right.”

“My lord?”

“……”

Despite Jack’s question, Roen Dmitri de Lionel frowned seriously without giving a clear answer.

They hadn’t attended voluntarily either.

As the rumored successor of Lionel, not attending the banquet even once could become an issue, so he came on the last day.

He spotted familiar faces over there, including a comrade from his first life, which he considered an unintended stroke of luck, but as soon as he confirmed his comrade’s expression, Roen’s face hardened.

‘Jeanne’s analytical skills were exceptional. Especially her ability to read crises surpassed even Shinbi.’

The background of Jeanne d’Arc, the Saint of the Battlefield, becoming the Mercenary King included her high combat ability, mercenary skills, and holy magic, but her analytical skills, no less impressive than the aforementioned abilities, were considered a fact in her rise to leadership.

At the time, she dismissed her analytical skills saying, ‘It’s just intuition, that’s all,’ which was nonsense—this was analytical ability.

More precisely, it was the ability to instinctively read surrounding flows and analyze them with an intelligent mind.

The reason she mistook it for intuition was probably because she never properly learned analysis.

That’s what made it impressive. She had internalized an ability she never properly learned, using it as naturally as breathing.

It wasn’t strange that even she misunderstood it as intuition.

…That’s why Roen’s expression hardened.

Because he trusted his former comrade’s abilities more than anyone.

He wondered if something was about to happen in this palace.

“Never a quiet day…”

“Isn’t that how royal courts are? From plays and books I’ve read, they’re always busy fighting among themselves instead of taking care of the country.”

“Where did you learn that, Jack?”

“Haha, I had nothing to do on my day off, so I went with my classmates.”

“Just men?”

“Who else would I go with?”

“…Never mind. It’s nothing.”

Roen made a mental note to someday arrange a meeting with a decent woman for his subordinate.

Just then.

“My, who do we have here.”

Flinch!

“Hoho, isn’t it Young Master Roen. Have you been well?”

“…Judia.”

“Hmm, aren’t you being too familiar? I’d appreciate it if you called me Lady Lohengrin rather than Judia, hoho.”

“…!”

He almost cursed.

What an impudent woman!!

‘If I hadn’t heard about this from the instructor beforehand, I would have drawn my sword, you wicked creature!’

Gazes gathered around.

They were all directed at Judia, who was flaunting her seductive beauty.

A woman who had suddenly risen in status and was now in the spotlight as the next head of the Lohengrin family. With beauty rivaling Princess Isis and Irene Windler, she was attracting even more attention.

However, Roen didn’t notice her appearance at all. He could only shudder thinking about the trouble this wicked woman had caused him in his first life!

“…You seem to dislike me strangely. I haven’t done anything wrong to you.”

“Shut up. Just tell me why you approached me.”

His fierce gaze suggested he wouldn’t let her off if she was trying to show off their acquaintance, and Judia shrugged her shoulders.

She didn’t want to incur the hatred of Lionel’s likely successor, so she didn’t pick a fight here.

Instead.

“It’s nothing much. I don’t know if you’re aware, but I’ve discovered several issues in the process of taking control of Lohengrin.”

“It would be faster to find something without problems.”

“Don’t be so hostile. Anyway, what I want to say is that I’d like to request your help, Young Master Roen.”

“…What?”

“To be more explicit, Lohengrin is willing to come under Young Master Roen’s command. Though there’s much to cut out, there are still some valuable assets. So please think carefully and make a decision, hoho.”

“……”

“To add, the Young Master Roen I’ve seen seems to have some purpose, and wouldn’t it be good to have a major noble family under your command for that purpose? If possible, we could establish more solid cooperation through an engagement between us…”

“I absolutely decline that.”

“…You’re really putting up an impressively solid wall.”

Whether she frowned or not didn’t concern Roen, but he couldn’t deny it was a tempting proposal.

‘…Taking in Lohengrin, that’s tempting.’

Having a major noble family as his subordinates would be quite profitable.

Although they were said to be declining, the strength of a major noble family didn’t just lie in wealth or military power.

It came from the vast knowledge, mysteries, and influence they had accumulated.

In that sense, accepting Lohengrin was a decent option.

…However, what puzzled him was:

“But why do you want to come under me? You could ask the instructor for help.”

“The knight is poor, isn’t he? You’re rich.”

“…I’m not talking about wealth. I’m wondering why you came to me specifically when you could expect help from the instructor’s connections.”

“Hmm, first of all, Pierre, or rather the current head, avoids the knight. He says being with him makes him feel too insignificant… In other words, he’s doing something foolish mixed with personal feelings.”

“…Is he an idiot?”

“He always was. Anyway, since that idiot firmly stated so, I had no choice but to ask Young Master Roen. Although you’re close to the knight, Young Master Roen is walking a different path from him.”

“……”

“Well, there are such reasons, but personally, I also agree with not cooperating with the knight.”

“Are you afraid of him?”

“I-I won’t deny it, but that’s not all. Actually, I happened to see someone else’s dream…”

Swish.

“I heard you lost all your succubus powers, was that a lie?”

“Ah, don’t be like that! I-it really happened by chance! If you’ve heard, you should know! I didn’t lose them completely. Thanks to that, I happened to have a dream, really-!”

“…Go on then.”

Though he was skeptical about believing that villainess, he decided to listen. Perhaps through her story, he could understand why Jeanne’s analytical skills had activated.

Sure enough.

“It seems like the dream I entered belonged to a quite ‘high-ranking person’.”

She, as if:

“And that high-ranking person seems to really ‘dislike’ the knight…”

Made a playful expression like someone reporting a sinking ship.

The next moment…

“-To the master of the great Pendragon royal family! May the blessing of the dragon be upon you!!!”

[[May blessings be upon you!!]]

Clunk-.

…With the king’s appearance, Roen felt as if he heard something that didn’t quite fit together.

He thought it might be his imagination, but as if to amplify Roen’s unease.

Thud, thud!

─ The ‘knight’ was walking straight toward the king.