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Chapter 244

The island’s guild room, a shack with a slanted roof, a creaky floor, and little protection from the sand. However, it was one of the best among the remaining real dwellings on the island.

“…Congratulations. The Professor seems to like you.”

Zukaken spoke sarcastically while looking in the mirror. Arlos grimaced.

“Don’t mess with me, you fucking bastard.”

“No matter what you say~ It’s true that the best puppeteer in the world, Arlos, revealed her body, and Deculein has put his eye on her~ You are more beautiful than the most beautiful artworks in the world~?”

While chuckling, Zukaken shaved his beard and tidied his clothes. He was probably trying to impress Deculein in his way. Arlos shook her head.

“Whatever it is, Deculein is the same. I still get chills.”

Since she was called Cynthia, she had been obsessed with appearances. She received all kinds of flirtations from both sexes. The reason she hid her body from the moment the specialized magic of Puppetry bloomed wasn’t a big deal; it was just because it was annoying. And because it was dangerous.

That was a big reason why she had to team up with Gerek and Zukaken. Gerek didn’t care about humans, and Zukaken didn’t care about women.

“…We can finally get off this crazy island~.”

“Go and do your work.”

Zukaken and Gerek’s mission was to work on the tunnel and draw the frame of the magic circle on the outskirts of the island. It was difficult to persuade Gerek, but in the end, he agreed when they said that he could get proper revenge only if they left.

“Yes, yes. I can do just about anything to get out.”

Zukaken combed his hair. He neatly parted it sideways, revealing his old self.

“Right. Where’s Deculein? Your job is to escort him.”

“He’s in town.”

“Town? Oh, you’re remotely escorting him with that crappy doll now?”

Now Arlos was controlling a scarecrow. She was on Hikikomori Syndrome levels of a shut-in, so she avoided outside activities. More importantly, she could avoid Sylvia’s magical surveillance in this place.

“Crappy? It’s a puppet that can at least kill you. Also, I don’t want to be with the Professor for no reason. The way he was looking at me-”

“He wasn’t mean.”

“…”

As he said, it wasn’t lust or evil. Rather, it was pure. He truly marveled at her as if he were looking at a work of art. It was a shower of praise that made her uncomfortable.

“It’s not bad. If I use this face for profit… there would be nobody like the Professor.”

Arlos shook her head with a slightly sour face.

* * *

The Voice’s Island, at a long and special house at the center.

I visited Sylvia’s residence. In case of danger, Arlos’s scarecrow was placed nearby.

Knock, knock-

As soon as I knocked, the door opened. The person who met me there was Sylvia. She pulled me in by the sleeve angrily.

Slam-!

She closed the door harshly.

“Why did you come? To kill Sierra?”

“No way I would. There is no need to provoke you in haste.”

“Then why-.”

“I heard from Idnik that you are studying.”

“…”

Then a faint wrinkle crept over Sylvia’s forehead. She blinked.

“However.”

“Didn’t you think of hiring a private tutor?”

“…What-“

As if confused, her voice faded. Swallowing hard, she tried again.

“What.”

“There are limits to studying alone.”

Sylvia’s dumbfounded expression was pretty cute.

“So hire me.”

“…No.”

She shook her head. I asked casually.

“Why?”

“How can I trust you? You may have come to kill Sierra.”

It was a silly reason. At the same time, it was somewhat of an insult.

“Sylvia. I am Deculein; I have no deception or lies.”

“You’re only a fake.”

“No. I’m still Deculein. I swear I am not going to kill Sierra.”

“…”

An oath not to kill. Sylvia’s eyes swelled with surprise. Aiming for that chance, I moved to climb the stairs leading to her room. Sylvia chased after me belatedly.

“N-No. Stop. Stop.”

She tried to hold onto my back, screaming as if embarrassed.

“Stop. Stop. I didn’t allow you-“

I opened the door to her room.

“…”

“…”

And, it was silent.

“…”

“…”

First of all, the room was full of dolls. Bear, rabbit, puppy, tiger, panda… a dozen dolls decorated the bed in rows of five, and the portrait that lay stuck to the wall was me. Deculein’s whole body. It was painted by Sylvia herself.

Sylvia ran quickly and tore it apart.

“…Get out.”

Her ears were red. However, I lightly ignored it. I turned to the bookshelf that occupied one side of the room and read the title of one book at random.

“Escentrutak Parielin.”

A very fluent pronunciation of an alien language.

“?”

Sylvia pricked her ears and lifted her head.

“It’s a fairy’s book. I’ve seen you reading that fairy pornography before.”

“…I read it not knowing that.”

“Anyway, I don’t care. Interpretation and translation of fairy language. Do you want to learn that language?”

“…”

Sylvia had other hobbies besides painting.

“Literature and language. Collecting books, learning languages. Don’t you like it more than painting?”

“…!”

Then Sylvia’s eyes widened unusually. Her little shoulders shook. I was a little puzzled by the reaction being larger than I expected.

“…How?”

Sylvia responded shortly. I realized it thanks to that; Sylvia’s hobbies were currently secret. Only herself, and perhaps Sierra, knew. So, of course, she would be suspicious.

“How did you know about me?”

Sylvia asked bluntly. I thought for a moment but then nodded.

“Sylvia.”

Deculein didn’t lie. Of course, that didn’t mean he couldn’t lie. It wasn’t personality programming; it was just a kind of dignity that arose from his aristocratic consciousness.

“…What?”

However, he often hid the truth. I couldn’t say, ‘Because I’m the game designer who knows your setup.’

“I still have it. I remember.”

“What do you mean? Don’t change th-“

“The Stars and Moons of Zeppelon.”

That moment, Sylvia’s eyes widened.

“It’s the title of a book you gave me a long time ago.”

* * *

Two hours later.

I went back to the guild room. Zukaken was covered in dirt, and Arlos was wearing a mask.

“…What did you do there?”

Masked Arlos asked the question. I stretched my hand toward her face, but Arlos shook her head.

“Don’t do that. Stop. Do not take it off.”

“…”

I nodded. This time, Zukaken asked.

“What did you do with Sylvia?”

“You don’t need to know.”

“What? That crazy bitch is all our enemy. We need to-”

“Take it.”

Clink-!

I dropped a bunch of brass coins.

“Oooh?!”

“What?!”

The two of them rushed to the coins with their eyes shining, and I took advantage of that chance to take off Arlos’s mask.

“No! What the hell!”

She covered her face with one hand, but she still picked up the coins with the other. She shoved her competitor, Zukaken, aside with her shoulder. Contrary to the ridiculous behavior, what I could see was beautiful. Even that shameful appearance of picking up brass coins greedily was enough to feel like performance art.

“Is this brass coin still valid?”

“Of course! This is real. This is a complete currency.”

“Complete currency?”

“I’ll explain what it is later, but we hit the jackpot! Where did you get this?”

“I got it from Sylvia.”

Hiring pay. That was a wage.

“Hey, stupid bitch. Stop pushing. You’re still fucking pushing me.”

“Shut up. It’s mine.”

Zukaken and Arlos didn’t seem to be interested, but if I had to explain… Sylvia handed me those in exchange for learning fairy grammar.

“Oh, my. How much is all this? I can eat something nice. Okay! I’ll go out for a minute!”

Zukaken, taking the coins, went outside, and Arlos put her coins into the bag with trembling hands. Anyway, only us two were left. Arlos, glancing at me, cleared her throat and held out her hand without saying a word.

“Do you need more?”

“No. My mask.”

I shook my head.

“It’s art too precious to be hidden.”

“…Just give it to me. Art wears out when someone looks at it a lot.”

“Only I am looking at it.”

“…”

Arlos lowered her hand. I wiped the dirt off the chair and sat down, gazing at her face. As if my gaze made her uncomfortable, she twisted her body around and eventually covered her face with both of her arms.

“Arlos.”

“…What.”

“Now, there is one thing I want to ask you.”

“…What do you want to ask?”

“What do you want from the Altar?”

“… ”

Arlos was a mysterious villain. She cooperated with the Altar, but it wasn’t revealed why she cooperated with them in the script. She kept her shield up as she responded.

“What does that have to do with you?”

“Everything. The Altar is the continent’s enemy.”

“…I have no reason to tell you my purpose.”

Arlos stared at me and took out a coin from the bag. After fiddling with it – she blew on it. Then, the coin turned into a potato.

“…This is the meaning of complete currency. This coin turns into anything real. I don’t know the principle, but as you can see, the value for money is the worst.”

Arlos took a bite of the potato. I watched closely as she ate. After a moment, she held it out with a frown.

“…If you want to eat it, take it.”

“Even you eating is an art form.”

“What?”

I put my foot on the leg of her chair. I pulled her closer and made her look at me. Surprised, Arlos leaned back, but I leaned closer.

“The more I look at you, the more I don’t feel tired. I can see a concept from you. I can see art. I can see an existence. You inspire and make me contemplate. As it is, magic appears in front of my eyes, and an evil image settles in my mind.”

“Gosh, stop with the compliments….”

Arlos raised the shield again. This time she squatted down with both her legs on the chair. At that moment-

Screech, screech, screech, screech, screech…

Arlos’s eyes widened. She whispered in a very low voice.

—It’s the ghost.

“Isn’t it the vigilante group?”

— Yeah. Follow me.

Arlos put the potato in her mouth and opened the door leading into the basement.

— Get inshide. Hurrie.

Arlos beckoned me inside. A thick web over the passage entrance dust-coated the walls, but that one existence changed the scenery. Even the filth around her was elegantly colored as if it were part of a masterpiece.

“…Okay.”

The usual Deculein wouldn’t even spare it a glance, but I went under with Arlos.

* * *

…Meanwhile, inside a secret room of the Imperial Palace. Discussions between the Anti-Deculein Alliance and the Intelligence Agency were in full swing. Together, they gathered evidence, organized a chronology, confirmed his crimes, prepared copies, and readied for a counterattack.

“That’s a lot.”

Lawaine said. He put down the thick document he held.

“He killed many people who were not Demon Bloods while accusing them of being one.”

The evil deeds that Deculein had committed so far were being revealed one by one.

“If we reveal all of this evidence, we have a chance. Deculein’s position will surely be shaken, and above all, Her Majesty will have a cause.”

Julie listened to Lawaine as she looked over the evidence.

“If Her Majesty makes up her mind to wield the sword, Deculein will be forced to retreat. After all, the excuse for all that Deculein did was that it was for the sake of Her Majesty…”

At that moment, Lawaine met Julie’s eyes.

“Knight Julie. Are you okay?”

“…Hmm? Oh, yes. I’m fine.”

Julie shook her head.

“It’s a bit private.”

She was now looking into the files of the Underground Passage case. Among them, the [#3333 List of Early Evidence].

“Perhaps, Agent Rocken. Is it possible to omit or take out evidence?”

There was definitely a bracelet in the early evidence list, which her father gave her as a gift. However, when she turned to the next page, the bracelet disappeared from the list.

“Yes, it is. The intelligence agency, however, records even that. What kind of evidence are you talking about?”

“…This bracelet.”

Julie pointed to the related paragraph in the document. The agent nodded, scanning over the ledger.

“Yes. It is the work of a police officer named Baylon, who was investigating at the time. In the past, he was also famous as a hunting dog under Decalane.”

Decalane. At that moment, a fire blazed in Julie’s eyes.

“Decalane?! Are you talking about Decalane of Yukline?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, then, show me those documents too….”

She ran.

…

In the Emperor’s bedroom. Here, Sophien was communicating with someone.

—That’s right. Do you know how many items I have chosen to present to Her Majesty? All the things I couldn’t send are piled up.

Deculein’s sister, Yeriel. They had gotten to know each other in college, and although she wasn’t a big deal, she conveyed pleasing information to Sophien.

“Why can’t you send them?”

—He told me not to give anything that’s not perfect. I found that ridiculous too.

“Hmm.”

Sophien crossed her arms and murmured to herself.

—Anyway, that person’s loyalty doesn’t make sense. How did such a pro-imperial person come from a wizard family? A knight’s heart below a wizard’s head. That’s the perfect way to describe him.

“…By the way.”

At that time, a question came to mind. It was a very embarrassing question, but it was something worth asking.

“If it’s that kind of loyalty, then maybe Deculein has feelings for Her Majesty…?”

-Feelings? What, something like love? Like romantic feelings?

“…”

I didn’t answer. No, I couldn’t.

-I do not know. Still, considering Deculein’s personality, Her Majesty is indeed his type.

“…”

Sophien didn’t answer. She still couldn’t. Even after living for hundreds of years, this was the first time she felt like her fingers and toes were cringing.

—…Wait. I’m also suddenly suspicious. Hasn’t he fallen in love with Her Majesty?

“…”

—No, the more I think about it, the more likely it seems, right? Interesting. Her Majesty must have a dignity that even Deculein would admire. I hadn’t even thought about it… oh. Enough spying for today. Now I have to go to work.

“…I’ll convey the things I heard. Give it some thought too.”

-Yeah. I’ll have to ask them directly.

Click-

Communication through the crystal ball was cut off, and Sophien moved her lips soundlessly. Again, she felt bored, so she started playing Go by herself, and she tried to study magic.

Sophien was also amending some laws and smoking a pipe…

“…Keiron, it is clear now.”

Then suddenly— she realized one thing while looking at Keiron’s Snow Globe.

“I’m getting weird.”

It had been a week since she met Deculein. Sophien herself had some ailment that she didn’t want to explain that was slowly eating away at her body.