episode_0088

“Me?”

It wasn’t incomprehensible. If those two had been watching my current self—and if they’d witnessed that spectacularly foolish stunt I pulled in the first round—then it was only natural they’d consider me the ideal vessel for Fairchild to mimic.

To them, I must seem like some lunatic who anticipates and prepares for everything.

“Yeah.”

Sigh… “Don’t even think we can catch it within a few days. Our only option is to deal with it before it breaks free of the Church’s seal. If it’s roaming outside right now, we’d die before we could do anything.”

“Wh-what do you mean by that?”

“I mean—lower that arm first. I can’t stand seeing you tremble like that.”

I’d been standing in the room, silent for at least several dozen minutes, organizing my thoughts. They’d probably held their arms up for nearly an hour by now. For those two, accustomed to reinforcing their bodies with magic constantly, enduring physical strain bare-handed was hardly a familiar experience.

Part of me wanted to keep them like that for hours, but then they’d be too exhausted to listen. Best to stop here.

“N-no! I-I can still—keep going!”

“Just lower it. You’re seriously stubborn.”

Watching them rub their tingling arms, I continued my explanation.

“Why would Fairchild die the moment it steps outside? It’s obvious. Haven’t you noticed even the criminals are lying low like mice right now? The soldiers of each imperial successor must be scouring every corner, eyes blazing for any advantage.”

“Are you talking about Elia?”

“She’s the last one who’d need to take such risks. The throne will fall into her lap if she just stays put. No, she’s in the position of preventing incidents like this.”

“Ah…”

“Seems like you hadn’t even considered that. What happens if Fairchild gets loose? Even if it costs some sacrifices, whoever slays it would gain unimaginable glory. They’d secure leverage against the Church, and as the ones who stopped a monster that nearly plunged the empire into crisis, they’d catapult to the top of the succession race.”

“Then… our actions were all…”

“Exactly. You claimed you did it for me, but you nearly endangered Elia. Unlike me, losing the throne even once would cause massive disruptions to my prophecies. Most of them hinge on Elia ascending to the throne and laying the foundations we need to operate freely.”

Chris and Cecilia had planned things out, factoring in potential collateral damage to civilians and imperial soldiers. But compared to the risk of Elia failing to claim the throne, their considerations were meaningless.

“Elia can aim for the throne without any of this. Even if we ruin everything, she’d overcome it somehow. Worst case, she’d cut us loose if she had to.”

Chris spoke quietly.

“And what about you, oppa? Like Cecilia said, you’re weak, talentless, with nothing but that famous prophetic ability. And even that’s unstable—the moment we acted, it started faltering. So isn’t it natural we’d prioritize worrying about you first?”

“You? Worried about me? Why?”

I’m the least of their concerns. If anything, I’d outlive those two—there’s no scenario where I die before them.

Of course, if even one of them died or defected, my survival would lose meaning anyway, so I’d keep them alive by any means necessary.

“…Because we might lose the thing we’re supposed to protect.”

“What nonsense is this? We don’t have time for riddles.”

“I can’t explain it any better now. I thought you’d figure it out.”

“More cryptic garbage? Seriously. Still acting smug after being punished?”

“Takes after someone, I guess.”

“…Uh…”

With a sigh reminiscent of neighborhood gossips, I mulled over Chris’s words.

Something we must protect.

No—more than the act of protection itself, what mattered was the fear of losing it. It probably wasn’t about this world. Given how grave Chris sounded, the thing to protect had to be me. Narcissistic as it sounded, I understood my position perfectly. Right now, I was nothing but a slab of meat everyone drooled over.

Then what she truly worried about was—

“Ah.”

Well, of course she’d worry about that. Only Chris, who knew about my regression, could have asked this. If I answered plainly here, even Cecilia would realize I retained memories from before the regression.

Not that getting caught mattered much. Since Chris already assumes my trial’s condition is tied to regression being exposed, I can afford to relax. The moment they realize I remember everything, they’ll fall over themselves apologizing—and I’m not reckless enough to dive into that mess.

“It won’t happen.”

“Won’t?”

“Yeah. I’m certain. The worst-case scenario you’re imagining is impossible. I think I told you before.”

A second regression is impossible. I’d already told Chris, yet she must’ve been deeply uneasy. The regression artifact had appeared out of nowhere, and I barely understood it before being flung into this world. She wouldn’t assume lightning couldn’t strike twice.

There’s no way to prove regression is impossible for anyone but me. She’d stayed quiet till now, but my recent actions must’ve stoked her anxiety.

“Can you prove it?”

I scratched my head and gestured lightly.

“Follow me. Cecilia, stay there and reflect silently. If you even think about running, making excuses, or slyly convincing me otherwise, punishment will be the least of your worries.”

“…Okay. But where’s Eric going?”

“To reassure Chris she has nothing to fear.”

“Can I come too?”

“This concerns the Grave family’s top secret. Feel free to follow—if you dare.”

“…I’ll stay.”

“Good choice. Even you wouldn’t risk snooping deep into our estate. Servants notice more than you’d think.”

Learned that the hard way in past rounds. No matter how stealthily I slipped out, they always dragged me back.

Chris stood, still rubbing her arms, and I led the way out.

“So where’s this secret place? I know of none. Did you hide something, oppa?”

“If I had, Father and Mother would’ve told you. I just needed to shake Cecilia off.”

“No secret room?”

“Maybe if you search hard enough. But that’s irrelevant now.”

A short walk brought us to my room.

“Here?”

“Servants do have ears everywhere. This is the safest place to talk freely.”

“Here?”

“Yeah.”

All the surveillance spells and eavesdropping charms hidden around had long been swapped with fakes. Shoddy counterfeits that’d fail under scrutiny, but since no one cared enough to inspect closely, the ruse held.

Entering, I pulled the shattered pocket watch from the drawer.

“What’s this?”

“The regression artifact. As you can see, it’s useless.”

“Huh?”

“You think I didn’t consider your worries? I kept quiet because fewer know, the better. But whatever.”

“This… is the regression artifact?”

“Yeah. Had I known it was single-use, I wouldn’t have wasted resources hunting it post-regression.”

Not even the finest artificer could repair it. I’d suspected it was disposable, but confirming it pissed me off so much I’d shoved it into oblivion.

“Traces of magic might linger, but I’m not suicidal enough to test it. Well? Reassured now?”

“……”

“I won’t run. Like it or not, fate demands I drag you four to the Demon King. So consult me. Even if the others don’t, you at least should trust me. Right?”

After revealing even my regression, her lack of faith stung.

“Only a prophetic ability, you said? Then know this: I won’t die. No matter what.”