[Translator - Pot]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
Chapter 62: I Can't Deceive Everyone.
Ulbhild was being pestered by a late-night visitor.
“Ulbhild, what on earth are you thinking?”
“…….”
Isabella Grunewald, the first wife, and Ulbhild's biological mother
“You draw a line with your brother, Karl, but you’re so kind to that boy.”
“Mother.”
Where should she start explaining this?
Why was she, of all people, in a position to explain herself to her mother like a criminal?
……Hadn’t young Allenvert understood her feelings so well?
Then why couldn’t she be understood by her mother? Why did her mother always favor Karl…?
‘Let it be.’
Ulbhild suppressed the tempest of emotions rising beneath her dry expression.
“Mother, haven’t I always told you?”
“What?”
“I think it’s more important to prevent Brother, Verdzig, from becoming the heir than to help my brother, Karl to beco the heir.”
“Those two an the sa thing.”
“No, they don’t.”
Isabella’s sharp and beautiful eyes, which seed to defy her age, coldly scrutinized her daughter.
“So you’re saying you want your half-brother to sit on the throne?”
“What power do I have to do that?”
Ulbhild replied.
“I want to stay out of the succession struggle. That’s what I’ve been doing.”
“Then why…”
“Didn’t you want to draw Allen to your side too, Mother?”
Isabella didn’t deny the words she had said to outmaneuver her daughter.
“I did.”
“Then I think it’s better to let him go his own way as a potential ally rather than trying to bring him under Karl’s wing at this point.”
“Why?”
“You’ve seen him. He’s a deep-thinking child. And yet, he’s so free-spirited that he can be unpredictable.”
“…….”
“I don’t think there’s any need to suppress him.”
“So that ans…”
Isabella leaned in close.
“You an that boy knows your intentions too?”
“Yes, I confird it today.”
“…….”
It wasn’t entirely satisfying, but now that she had a definite answer, it was an acceptable story for the ti being. Besides, she already knew that Ulbhild wouldn’t blindly follow her wishes.
Isabella sighed as she looked at her daughter’s unwavering attitude.
“……That’s how children are, they don’t always follow their parents’ hearts.”
Ulbhild nodded, suppressing the urge to say that the sa could be said in reverse.
“It’s late. Why don’t you go to sleep?”
“I was going to leave anyway.”
Isabella stood up. The mother she had once looked up to was now a head shorter than her.
……Children grow up so quickly. Thinking that, Isabella left Ulbhild’s private quarters.
‘Nothing is easy.’
Ulbhild leaned back against the backrest and sighed.
‘But I won’t doubt my choice.’
She thought of Allenvert and Verdzig.
‘It was dazzling.’
Just as one might fear going blind from staring at the sun, she felt a mix of admiration and envy for Allenvert’s abilities.
‘It’s shaful to be jealous of a younger sibling, Ulbhild.’
She wished she were a sculptor, her eyes shining as she imagined shaping this beautiful raw stone into a masterpiece.
‘Even in admitting defeat, Allen was admirable.’
It was a virtue greater than ambition. Perhaps this boy would not be devoured by the evil dragon of desire.
In this way, Allenvert had earned Ulbhild’s favor with his character. It was no easy feat.
‘I wish I could continue watching his brilliance grow, even tomorrow and the day after.’
Ulbhild sighed and looked at the docunts on her desk. Unfortunately, there was an urgent operation that had to be carried out tomorrow. It had been decided at the morning eting.
‘I’ll be eting her again after a long ti.’
The commander of the external unit.
The hostage was sent by Angantyr.
And the daughter of Allenvert’s enemy.
‘…I should probably bring up Allen tomorrow.’
Ulbhild realized then that the two had not been inford of their eting.
‘Should I tell her?’
She had a tendency to be absentminded in subtle ways.
***
I reached out and infused the mask with mana.
Using my heightened senses, refined enough to detect a spider descending on a silk thread, I probed the abundant mana embedded in the mask.
‘Hmm. As expected.’
I could feel the presence of invisible magic engraved on the entire mask.
‘Truly overwhelming defensive magic.’
Intricate yet sturdy formulas and magic circles were engraved on the inside of the mask like invisible reliefs.
‘Incredible.’
I could sense both the craftsmanship of an artisan and the skill of a high-ranking mage. As expected of an item handled by a Clan of the caliber of the Grunewald.
‘How much money would you make smuggling sothing like this?’
Not that I’m saying I would do it. Anyway.
‘This extraordinary magic is probably a polymorph spell that alters the wearer’s appearance.’
But that’s not what I’m looking for. I focused my mind and examined the formulas. And then...
‘Found it.’
I identified the foreign mana formula that was subtly hiding in a corner.
“Hahahahahaha.”
I knew it. So this is a tracking spell.
‘Soone else inscribed this magic.’
It’s not common for ordinary people to inscribe new magic on an existing artifact. This must have been done by a ‘con artist’ who makes a living doing this.
‘It’s clear. Verdzig has his hands in the underworld too.’
A mage with the skill to pull off a stunt like this? He must have a reputation in the underworld.
‘But it’s too obvious.’
Even though Verdzig is clever...
‘He’s still young.’
Compared to seasoned veterans, he lacks a bit of subtlety in hiding his sinister side. He should have considered all possibilities. For example.
‘…The possibility that I could destroy that trap with my own hands.’
I thought back to when I destroyed the Dark King’s jewel box.
"Penetration, and then the Spiral."
It was a refined technique that could shatter even the protective magic that could withstand an 8th-tier powerhouse’s attack. But I couldn't use it now. I'd forgotten it.
"And this 'Spiral' thing is surprisingly difficult."
The idea of creating a twist to enhance power was brilliant, but it's a far cry from simply pinching and twisting flesh.
"It's like trying to create a giant whirlpool in a peaceful pond by striking down on the surface."
It was a miracle possible only because I was staring death in the face at the ti, and because I was at the peak of my abilities. In other words, it's a skill that's beyond my current level.
But compared to that, 'Penetration' is a bit easier. Of course, I an that relatively.
"It's a completely different technique from simply pouring in mana or freezing sothing by injecting cold."
It's a thod of destroying the inside without damaging the outside at all. How difficult can it be? It would take years to teach soone like Barclava.
"I probably won't be able to produce a powerful effect yet."
Even if I use the subtlety of Penetration, or in other words, the 'Penetration technique' properly, it will probably only cause a slight internal disturbance.
But that's okay. All magic has formulas, and there's a kind of small nucleus that gathers those formulas. All I have to do is find that nucleus and break it.
“Hoo...”
I took a deep breath and controlled the slight tremor in my hand. Thankfully, there were no explosive magic traps.
It's not easy to be as sinister as the Dark King, after all. Verdzig is a powerful and ticulous man, but I know a stronger enemy.
"Okay, I found it."
I placed my palm on the mask, finding the tiny nucleus with my pasta-like mana threads.
I felt a little unsteady. What if it explodes like this? Or what if I ss up the power control and ruin the polymorph magic as well?
"Stop whining."
It's ti to act.
"Hyaah!"
I shouted and poured out the Penetration technique.
Crack!
I could feel the magic formula nucleus hidden inside the mask being shattered in a futile manner.
"...Done."
A thrilling sensation ran up my spine. I succeeded.
"Hahahaha."
I couldn't help but laugh like a madman.
"Hey, thanks. My brother. For nothing more than making do his dirty work."
I imdiately put on the mask and transford into Peter.
"Wow, it's perfect."
I danced a silly dance with Peter's face.
"Hmm, there's no sense of incongruity at all."
I then transford into Olivier, then Barclava, and finally into Karzan.
"..."
It feels strange.
eting my familiar face in the mirror, I felt strangely agitated. I wanted to throw myself out the window and into the shadows of the night.
But I have to be patient at tis like this.
'One last step to go.'
For that last step, I needed the cooperation of Peter and Olivier.
***
The next day, Allenvert called for Peter and Olivier.
“I have sothing important to tell you.”
What could he be trying to say? His voice was devoid of its usual playfulness, and Peter knocked on the door nervously.
“Young Master, may I co in?”
“Peter, co in.”
This ti, it was a playful greeting again. Peter and Olivier shrugged at each other.
“Young Master. You said you had sothing urgent to tell us.”
“Yes.”
Allenvert's eyes were deeper than usual today.
“…Young Master, have you reached the 4th-tier?”
“You figured it out right away.”
Olivier bowed his head.
“Congratulations.”
“Thank you.”
“Your achievent is so rapid that it's almost incomprehensible.”
“Of course, I'm a genius, but a lot of it is also thanks to luck.”
Allenvert grinned and took out the Mask of Aminicrus.
“About this mask.”
“Yes.”
“There was a tracking spell inscribed on it.”
Peter and Olivier reacted differently.
“Really?”
“Ah, as expected.”
Olivier had anticipated that there would be a trap magic hidden in this mask, just like Allenvert.
“I removed it last night.”
“What?”
But even Olivier couldn't help but be surprised by this statent.
“How did you do that?”
“Thanks to my sister. I got a clue.”
“Huh. The realm of a genius is sothing I can't even begin to imagine.”
Olivier clicked his tongue.
‘That’s only natural,’
Allenvert thought.
‘Because it was the essence of Karzan’s lifelong study.’
“Now there's sothing I want to do with this mask.”
Olivier's face turned serious.
“It’s not like you're going to a masquerade ball.”
“That's right.”
Peter, with his big eyes, was rolling them back and forth, a step behind the two n’s heavier conversation.
“Olivier, I said I wanted to share sothing that's been weighing on my heart.”
“Yes.”
“No matter what I say, could you accept it?”
“That is...”
Olivier pondered.
“I'm sorry, but I can’t make any promises. If I judge my master intentions and decisions to be wrong, it is the virtue of a butler, as taught by my uncle, to try to change your mind in any way possible.”
“You an you can't give blind loyalty?”
“I’m sorry, but that’s correct.”
Allenvert grinned.
“In other words, I can take it as aning that if you think my intentions are right, you will give your full support?”
Olivier nodded.
“Of course.”
“Good. That’s why I called you two.”
Peter and Olivier straightened their backs.
“Please go on.”
“I’m listening.”
“You probably have a guess as to my goal.”
Becoming the next Duke of Grunewald.
They both thought of that weighty title.
“But as you know, I can’t count on the support of my maternal Clan, and due to my seven years of seclusion, I have no retainers to command except for the two of you.”
Allenvert began in a heavy tone.
“It’s impossible for to win the succession battle against my brothers on my own. They have the solid support of powerful in-laws, capable retainers, and their own accumulated achievents and reputations. Do you both agree up to this point?”
“Yes.”
“Of course.”
“So here’s the thing—”
Allenvert pointed to the harbor that stretched beyond the window.
“I’m going to go into the underworld.”
“…What?”
“No, Young Master. The underworld?”
The two reacted as Allenvert expected.
“That’s too dangerous, no matter how you look at it.”
“Young Master. Do you know how scary and sinister the underworld is?”
“Hahaha.”
Allenvert couldn’t help but laugh at this question.
‘Those dangerous guys were the ones who feared the most, you idiot.’
“Listen carefully. My story is just beginning.”
A nobleman by day and a godfather by night.
To obtain this dual identity, he first needed to secure the cooperation of his close aides.
‘I can’t deceive everyone.’
The path Allenvert would walk would be different from the one the Dark King had walked.
[Translator - Pot]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
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