episode_0261

Yesterday, Nix’s infiltration was a complete success.

The target was the Duke Velasquez’s office, where the Duke himself resides. Security was extremely tight. Countless soldiers stood guard from the entrance of the mansion, and guards patrolled the inside incessantly.

However, they were all vulnerable to mental-type magic. This was because the mansion itself was protected by a special barrier that negated magic. No magic could be used within the mansion; mental-type magic was no exception.

Of course, Nix’s infiltration wasn’t magic. Moving her incorporeal body was like a normal person walking. Nix bypassed all security and barriers, literally walking right up to Duke Velasquez.

After that, it was easy. After about two hours of torture by nightmare, the Duke submitted. He spilled everything, from the upcoming meeting to the secrets hidden within the aristocratic society’s underworld.

‘It’s easy to say, but it was incredibly dangerous.’

Duke Velasquez wasn’t an ordinary person. He had some swordsmanship skills, and his magical abilities were quite considerable. In a society that prioritized bloodline and magical talent, finding an ordinary person among successful nobles was more difficult.

The immediate danger wasn’t the biggest threat. What if the mansion intrusion was discovered through magic or magical tools? Duke Velasquez himself, along with countless nobles, would retaliate. Father feared that scenario. It’s best not to give them any cause for complaint.

The rewards were plentiful.

First, the Duke Velasquez’s actions. It was already public knowledge that he was part of the First Prince’s faction, so Father and the Prime Minister had been constantly investigating the Duke’s family.

And now we have definitive proof. Clear evidence of dealings with the First Prince, manipulating tax laws and royal decrees, and secretly purging the opposition forces on the Prince’s behalf.

A dagger to counter the First Prince is now naturally in my hand. However, this dagger is a hidden weapon. It won’t be wielded directly against the Prince, but will slowly tighten around his neck or side.

‘Not extermination, but complete control… I like it.’

The basis for this plan, the First Prince’s attitude, is the second harvest.

Honestly, my only talent is smashing things. My intelligence plummets unless it involves Akastos. If I’m not interested, I don’t pay attention, and I lack motivation.

Political intrigue was even worse. At first, I only imagined killing and arresting everyone. Nix was the same. The original plan was simply to delve into Duke Velasquez’s mind to extract information.

But thanks to the First Prince, a new idea emerged. Do we really need to root out all the wicked nobles? I think not. They have a front, as well as a back. Publicly, they are nobles serving the kingdom.

Even cancerous tumors, if they get too large, are treated with medication rather than surgery. This is exactly that situation. We’ll inject the cancer cells with medicine. To prevent them from metastasizing and consuming the body.

The third harvest is precisely locating these cancer cells.

“Say it again, puppy.”

“Tomorrow… I plan to convene an emergency meeting. Word of Count Hansen has already reached most ears, so I believe everyone will attend without fail…”

“Heard that, my lord? Khihih-”

Nix handled Duke Velasquez even better than expected. He was completely in Nix’s hands. She thoroughly searched his mind, discovering his likes and dislikes, so controlling him was easy.

「Tomorrow? The exact time and place, no… is that even necessary?」

“Huh? Important people all gather for an emergency meeting, right? Seems like a good opportunity to wipe them out all at once.”

「That’s not what I meant. The Duke will be at the meeting, right? So…」

“Aha…! Khukhukh-”

There’s no need to go to the trouble of finding them. Nix will possess the Duke in her incorporeal state, and I’ll hide in the Duke’s shadow using [Shadow Domination]. That will take us right there.

“Got it? We’ll be at that meeting tomorrow, too. Secretly, of course.”

“Un…derstood. It would be best to arrive early and secure our seats.”

Everything is going smoothly.

Now, we just need to slowly inject the medicine into the cancer cells that I can control. The aristocratic underworld that gnaws at the kingdom. This time, it’s our turn to gnaw.

. . .

We successfully infiltrated the meeting.

The location itself wasn’t far—the basement of a building within Duke Velasquez’s territory. As the leader of the First Prince’s faction, numerous nobles gathered from across the kingdom.

However, the security was quite tight. Various identification magic and the same anti-magic barriers as the Duke’s mansion were layered.

‘Good thing we came early.’

But since the Duke was the one behind the security system, there was no problem with our infiltration. We each received a separate administrator’s tool unaffected by barrier magic. Thanks to that, I only had to wait hidden within the Duke’s shadow.

“…I apologize for my lateness.”

The last attendee arrived, and the meeting officially began. Nix and I exchanged glances, comparing our list with the attendees.

‘More than half are definitely here. The rest must be from other factions.’

My fists are already itching. The nobles present were quite composed. On the surface, they seemed like ordinary nobles with convictions, gathered for a common purpose.

But that wasn’t the case judging by the list recording their identities. One was involved in human trafficking, another in drug smuggling. They were truly rotten to the core.

“Is it… only I who think this isn’t an immature act?”

Amidst the discussion about Marquis Hansen’s transfer and the imminent predicament I would be in for orchestrating it, Duke Velasquez abruptly changed the subject.

I orchestrated that.

If the plan were to simply smash them all, being underestimated is advantageous. They’ll be complacent, making it easier to attack and arrest them.

But I will put all these cancer cells in a pot and slowly turn up the heat. At first, so gradually that they won’t even feel the change.

“While everyone seems to have vague memories, as it wasn’t directly attributable to the First Prince’s forces, this isn’t the first time the Fifth Princess has acted like this.”

This is just the beginning. I’ll continuously raise doubts about me, gradually changing the atmosphere. Very slowly and carefully, so no one notices. Then, they’ll get used to the change.

But the heat steadily increases. The cancer cells in the pot will be cooked through without realizing it. When they do realize, it will be too late.

“There is no need to be so timid. She’s just a young girl, after all. Even if the opponent is a princess, if you are so frightened before even engaging, our name will lose its prestige.”

An old man’s words grated on my nerves. It was Marquis Berga. He was next to Duke Velasquez in terms of influence within the First Prince’s faction. His high position and years of experience commanded the room.

This led to a firm confrontation with Duke Velasquez, ending the discussion. Even if we could say I’m subtly influencing them with gaslighting, revealing myself too soon might cause them to retreat. That stubborn response was quite welcome.

‘If this second-in-command, who’s so confident here, suddenly falls, it will shock them.’

The next target was chosen. Marquis Berga, involved in various acts of human trafficking. I’ll cut off his limbs, leaving him barely alive. A symbolic act, of course. There’s no benefit to toying with an old man’s body.

But Marquis Berga’s sudden downfall might alert them to the escalating heat. The hardliners would find themselves with no place to stand. Then Duke Velasquez can step in to turn public opinion, which is why I wanted to weaken his opposition first.

The meeting soon ended. Everyone left their seats, dispersing to their respective destinations. I moved from Duke Velasquez’s shadow under the table and slipped into Marquis Berga’s shadow as he left.

. . .

On the way back to the Marquis’s territory.

“Hmph, young people are so troublesome.”

“Are you referring to Count Hansen?”

“Yes, that useless fellow. I invested so much into that brothel, and he couldn’t even properly manage those ledgers to get caught… tsk tsk.”

Marquis Berga walked down the long corridor with two servants. Based on his agreement with the Marquis, one seemed to be his steward, managing affairs. The other was silent but carried himself with exceptional bearing, likely a bodyguard.

“You can easily recover, sir. We have plenty of slaves, and all we need are the supply routes and some ‘items.’”

“I know, I know very well. But being troublesome is the issue. I must initiate procedures to eliminate Count Hansen once he’s released.”

“Do not worry, sir. I will take care of everything.”

I heard rather interesting things. Apparently, this side was backing Count Hansen’s brothel. Both the steward’s efficient manner and his familiarity with such schemes are telling.

I clenched my fists.

Soon, we exited the long corridor. We were in a small town near Marquis Berga’s territory. Given the many pedestrians, it would be difficult to find the secret passage here. It was also enchanted with concealment magic.

And in a mere instant.

“…!!”

The silent bodyguard glanced toward my direction—that is, the Duke’s shadow where I was hidden using [Shadow Domination]. I sensed something strange from the moment I first saw him, but I hadn’t expected him to sense ‘me’ in that moment, however fleeting.

“What is it?”

“No, nothing. Sir’s shadow seemed to flicker for a moment.”

“With so many people, how could the shadow remain steady? You must have been mistaken.”

“…It must have been.”

Thankfully, I avoided detection before entering the mansion. I continued to act as a normal shadow.