Chapter 540: Green Core (5)

Weekend, Afternoon.

Although most of the cadets at Stella Academy would spend their weekends studying, Eisel had been quite busy lately.

Her task was none other than uncovering the truth by meeting with the nobles of Adolevit or those associated with them.

Today, Eisel had gone out of her way to visit Karban, a satellite city of Arcanium, and now found herself in a rarely frequented park, her face and hair concealed. Standing before her was a nervous woman.

"Are you Lady Hayril?"

"Yes, that’s correct..."

Crossing her legs, Eisel activated her brilliant mind and quickly analyzed the woman before her.

’She was the deputy head of the Adolevit Magic Development Department and was discarded by the minister once she outlived her usefulness, wasn’t she...?’

When Hayril was ousted, the head of the Magic Development Department was named Kairent, a nobleman who had a very close connection to the death of her father, Isaac Morph.

"I heard from my daughter, who attends Stella... that you’re uncovering the truth and ensuring proper punishment for all involved..."

That was true.

Eisel’s first targets had been the cadets from Adolevit attending Stella Academy. She approached them and, using a mix of persuasion and veiled threats, managed to draw their parents into her net.

No one else but Eisel Morph could have pulled this off. One day, she would secretly call them out and say.

"Your parents are involved in serious crimes. However, I’m sure there’s more to the story, and if you tell them I said this, they’ll understand."

What could they do but comply? All ten of them would, without exception, relay her message to their parents. Of these, about three would come to meet Eisel, as this woman had done today.

"Of course, everyone will be punished."

"But..."

"If you’re worried about confidentiality, you don’t need to be. I’ve already spoken to quite a few nobles, and I’ve been collecting evidence anonymously."

"Ah, evidence. I have evidence as well. Here, take this."

Lady Hayril pulled out something resembling an old cloth from her coat.

Eisel recognized it instantly.

She had never seen it before, but through her studies, she had learned that it was a magical artifact used to secretly record events from the past.

"Is this a Memory Shutter?"

"You know about it."

"It’s an item used exclusively by certain Adolevit nobles."

Impressed by Eisel’s deep knowledge, Lady Hayril began to trust her even more.

"Show me."

Taking the Memory Shutter, Eisel frowned.

’How do I use this?’

She hesitated for a moment, not wanting to reveal her lack of knowledge, but there was no need to feign understanding, Hayril quickly explained.

"Oh, right. I forgot to give you the password."

Hayril then provided a spell written in runes, which Eisel repeated aloud.

Immediately, the memories began flowing into Eisel’s mind.

The Memory Shutter magic allowed someone to observe past events through the eyes of the one who recorded them. Although this was Eisel’s first time using it, she skillfully processed the incoming memories.

Within the recorded memory, three middle-aged men sat in a dark room, quietly conversing. It was a record from Lady Hayril’s perspective.

’Her Majesty does not intend to reveal the princess’s failure to the public.’

The princess’s failure.

Since this memory was from 10 years ago, it couldn’t be about Hong Bi-Yeon, it must have been about Hong Si-Hwa Adolevit.

’... What should we do? While it’s possible to control public opinion without extreme measures, over time, the truth will inevitably come out.’

’Covering it up poorly would be worse than doing nothing at all. Her Majesty would never instruct us to act so foolishly.’

’Then what should we do?’

’Isaac Morph. Use him."’

Count Kairent’s words in the memory made the other men widen their eyes in surprise. Even Lady Hayril seemed greatly disturbed, as the perspective of the memory trembled.

’But didn’t he sacrifice his life to protect Princess Hong Si-Hwa and ultimately stop that monstrous being?’

’Is that how the world knows it?’

’Not... exactly. The world believes that Princess Hong Si-Hwa defeated it herself.’

’That’s precisely the point we should exploit. Isaac Morph is already dead. The dead can’t speak. Who in this world would blame us if we paint him as a criminal?’

The men lowered their heads in silent agreement.

From Lady Hayril’s perspective, the memory shifted downward, showing her own lap as she stared at it. Her hands were clutching and tearing at the fabric of her dress, unable to bear the conversation.

’But the Morph family still has a successor.’

’What can a seven-year-old child do? The kid wouldn’t even understand why his father died or why he was branded a traitor.’

’That child bears the Blessing of Ice. Are you sure it’s alright to proceed like this?’

’Ha. The Blessing of Ice? So what? If that’s worth anything, then we in Adolevit have a princess with the Blessing of Fire."’

It was an obvious jab at the then-seven-year-old Hong Bi-Yeon. At that time, her position within the kingdom was far from secure.

’So, move exactly as I instruct from now on. Hayril, do you understand? If you disobey orders again, you’ll have to resign from your position immediately. Oh, and didn’t you mention you have a daughter? She’s seven this year, isn’t she? Do you think you’ll be able to afford her upbringing without a job?’

The thinly veiled threat made Hayril nod with trembling eyes, and the memory ended there.

Eisel opened her eyes calmly and looked at Lady Hayril.

"I... I didn’t do anything. In the end, I couldn’t follow their orders..."

"I know. That’s why you came to me. The fact that you’ve shared the truth with me is already more than enough. Is there anything else you’d like to add?"

Lady Hayril shook her head.

"There’s a restriction spell on me..."

"As I thought."

Adolevit feared that secrets might leak and placed restrictions on anyone who knew even a fragment of the truth, despite the fact that Lady Hayril knew very little herself.

"In any case, thank you. This kind of evidence will be valuable in the future."

"Then... I’ll take my leave now..."

Just as Lady Hayril was about to retreat quietly, Eisel sensed a faint movement in the bushes behind them. She immediately stood up and swung her staff.

Crack! Crash!

In an instant, a sheet of ice spread out from beneath Eisel’s feet, forming five or six sharp icicles that struck the area where the movement had come from.

"Ugh!"

A man wearing a suit and a bowler hat jumped out of the bushes, retreating quickly. A faintly glowing magic circle surrounded his body. He had activated a shield just in time to block the icicles.

"You’re quite perceptive, young lady."

The man adjusted his bowler hat and wiped the sweat from his brow.

’She’s far more skilled than I expected.’

She had cast a Class 4 spell in the blink of an eye. It was far beyond what could be expected of an eighteen-year-old.

But more than that—

What if the presence she sensed had been a civilian or an animal?

Her bold and precise judgment, combined with her seemingly impossible casting ability, left the man slightly nervous.

"Who are you?"

Eisel aimed her staff at him and asked in a calm but firm tone. The man, in turn, pulled a staff from his coat.

"Think of me as someone from a confidentiality agency. Isn’t my reason for being here obvious?"

The man smirked as he spoke, and Eisel nodded knowingly, as if she had expected such an answer.

"It doesn’t really matter whether you answer or not. You’re going to die here."

"How ruthless."

"Did the Queen send you? If you’re honest with me, I’ll make sure your death is less painful."

"And if I’m not honest?"

At that, Eisel slowly raised her hand, removing the mask that had been covering her face. She then pulled back her hood, revealing her hair.

In the cold autumn breeze, her blue hair fluttered, exuding an icy, menacing aura.

By now, the sun had fully set, leaving the two of them illuminated only by the soft glow of a streetlamp, a time when they could only rely on its light to see each other.

Under the faint streetlight, Eisel gave a chilling smile.

"If I feel like your answer isn’t honest... you’ll experience what true cold is. Don’t you wonder how much cold a person can endure?"

"...That sounds unpleasant."

The man muttered as he silently began chanting a spell.

’I should escape.’

Fighting here would bring no advantage.

The man held a moderately influential position within Adolevit, and being caught by the press in such a situation could turn public opinion against him.

’Damn it. If Princess Hong Si-Hwa hadn’t made that slip at the party...’

If not for her mistake, he could have legally arrested Hayril and Eisel here for leaking state secrets.

"Ha, this isn’t the Queen’s orders. It seems she no longer intends to hide what happened that day."

"...Is that so?"

"Yes. It looks like she’s ready to be dethroned. I’d have preferred if she clung to her position a bit longer, but it seems she’s grown tired of being Queen."

Eisel tilted her head slightly, studying the man’s expression carefully.

Having heard similar stories from other men like him, Eisel roughly guessed that it was likely the truth.

Of course, even if the Queen no longer intended to hide what had happened, it wouldn’t mean forgiveness.

The fact that she hadn’t already confessed on her own was damning enough; simply deciding not to hide it any longer would not absolve her from judgment.

"I see. That’s enough of an answer. Now, die."

"That won’t happen!"

The man stomped on the ground with force.

Earth-element magic, Sandstorm.

A swirling brown magic circle erupted, sending dust and debris into the air, covering the entire area.

’I’ll escape while I can!’

However, as the man attempted to flee, the ground beneath him suddenly became slippery, and he lost his balance.

"W-what is this?!"

Whoosh...!!!

At that moment, a freezing wind blew through, lifting the dust and sand high into the sky before scattering it into fragments.

"What...?"

Even a Class 5 spell meant to obscure visibility had been undone so effortlessly.

And then—

"What is this...?"

The entire area had turned into an icy field. A treacherous death trap of slick ice, where one misstep could lead to being skewered by the sharp icicles protruding from the ground.

If the man had fallen earlier when he lost his balance, he would have been impaled and killed instantly.

As he stood there in a cold sweat, staring blankly at the ice, Eisel slowly approached him from behind.

"It would have been easier for you if you’d just left. What a shame."

"...Ugh!"

Eisel’s expression had already turned ice-cold. Realizing that he was connected to the events of that day, she had no intention of showing mercy.

"You rotten little brat!"

Realizing that being ignored any longer was not an option, the man swung his staff. However, every spell he cast was either intercepted or shattered by Eisel’s icicles.

What wounded his pride even more was that Eisel had not moved a single step.

Her effortlessly cast ice magic, chanted without a word, completely nullified every spell he threw with all his might.

It was overwhelming.

Escape was impossible.

Upon realizing this, what awaited the man wasn’t despair or fear, it was resignation.

"In your next life, try living a little more honestly."

With those words, Eisel swung her staff lightly.

Crack!

Dozens of icicles surged upward, blooming into crimson flowers, flowers stained with blood.

Lowering her staff, Eisel rifled through the man’s belongings, collecting his identification card and anything else that could serve as evidence.

Then, she noticed something peculiar.

The blood flowing from the man’s body was tinged with a faint black hue.

’This is...?’

It wasn’t fully blackened yet, but there was no mistaking it. It was the blood of a dark mage.

Eisel let out a bitter laugh.

She had already known about the dark mages infiltrating Stella. She was aware that they had embedded themselves into various parts of society.

But to think that even the nobles of Adolevit were now succumbing to corruption.

’What a mess this country has become.’

If Hong Bi-Yeon ascended to the throne, there would be a mountain of issues to resolve.

With that thought, Eisel snapped her fingers.

Astonishingly, the man’s corpse, along with the bloodstains, evaporated completely, disappearing without a trace.

Aside from the overturned flowerbed and the damaged bench, there were no signs of the battle that had taken place. Everything was left impeccably clean.

She had lived her life solely for revenge.

But now, to discover that the dark mages were involved? It left her with an unsettling feeling, her mind tangled in complicated thoughts.

Eisel stared blankly at the spot where the man’s body had been, then slowly turned away.

’...Let’s go back.’

Today had been a tiring day.