Chapter 175: Mask Part 2

She came to see her family.

That offhand tone of hers left me dazed for a moment.

And when I finally realized the meaning of Emily’s words, I couldn’t find the right response for a while.

It wouldn’t be easy to dodge this. The fact that she came all the way here must mean she was already convinced.

“How did you know…?”

After all that hesitation, the words I managed to squeeze out sounded incoherent even to my own ears.

But Emily just tilted her head curiously and asked,

“Because I saw and heard everything?”

“How?”

“With this.”

She opened her palm to reveal the device she usually used when stalking me.

“Ah.”

So she’d been listening to everything I said with Cattleya too?

That would mean she’d basically known from the very beginning.

Only now did I realize this obvious fact. Since being stalked by her had become so routine, I hadn’t felt anything strange about it.

Well, I guess that happens.

It’s not my fault.

“I’ve been busy lately, so I only managed to come today.”

“Then what do you think about what Cattleya said?”

“What did she say?”

“…She said she didn’t have the face to meet you.”

“That’s why I’m not talking to her and just watching from here.”

“I see.”

She’d really gotten the wrong idea.

This must be Emily’s version of consideration.

Of course, the fact that they already knew they were family made it meaningless.

Emily seemed to think that as long as she didn’t openly acknowledge it, that was enough. But for Cattleya, just having her show up in front of her would be enough to make her struggle to breathe.

Sure enough, Cattleya was standing behind the counter, sneaking glances this way while nervously biting her nails.

“Then wait here a moment.”

“Okay.”

I left Emily for a bit and walked over to Cattleya.

I had to tell her about this wretched situation.

“Emily already knows you’re her sister.”

“Did you tell her?”

“…No?”

I might’ve played a small part, but it wasn’t my fault.

Probably.

“Then was it that bastard Stan? That filthy Robinhood family brat.”

“That’s possible.”

I had enough conscience not to outright frame Stan, but he was certainly among the possible culprits.

“So what will you do now? She already knows and came here looking for you.”

“…You know it too. How could I face that child? It’s better to pretend she doesn’t have family if that family has become a criminal.”

“If you knew it was that shameful, why did you choose to become a criminal in the first place?”

“Because I thought all I had left was revenge. If I’d known my little sister was still alive, maybe I would’ve thought differently.”

Cattleya spoke with bitter self-mockery.

Well, she had been driven to the edge of her life.

She probably couldn’t imagine living unless she clung to revenge.

Of course, that didn’t erase the fact that she’d been funding terrorist organizations. Even if she hadn’t taken part directly, it was still aiding them.

And chances were, she’d personally carried out a few terrorist acts too.

All for the sake of bringing down the Empire.

“So you’re saying you’ll just let her confirm your face and then send her away?”

“……”

“Well, that’s one way. Emily seems to be giving you space out of consideration, so if you both stay silent, this could end without much fuss.”

That would only leave behind an unpleasant aftertaste.

But deep down, I didn’t believe that was what either of them truly wanted.

I couldn’t say for sure about Emily, but Cattleya….yes.

At the very least, she had survived. And there was a reason for that.

She should’ve exited the stage alongside Loki, but she’d stubbornly clung to life, unwilling to let it go.

“So, for the insecure Cattleya, I’ll share a truly valuable piece of information. This one’s expensive, so make sure you pay me back later.”

“……”

I understood Cattleya’s problem all too well.

She said she couldn’t face her because she’d become a criminal.

Such a simple reason.

Then let’s hand her a sort of treat.

“Emily! Come here a moment.”

I called out to Emily, who had been blankly browsing the shop’s displays.

At my call, she wandered over without much thought.

“Emily? I’ll apologize in advance.”

“Okay.”

“Cattleya, this is Emily. She belongs to Ex Machina.”

“Hello.”

“…Huh?”

Too ashamed to meet her because she’s a criminal?

Then all I need to do is show that her sister is a criminal too.

In fact, Emily’s on a whole different level.

“She’s an executive of Ex Machina.”

“……”

“One of the gears, known as Helical Gear.”

“Uh…?”

Yes, an executive of a terrorist organization.

Compared to funneling money into such groups, this was on another scale entirely.

“Emily, this is the head of the Andvaranaut Merchant Guild. Do you know what Andvaranaut does?”

“They’re the ones who support us, aren’t they?”

“That’s right.”

“……”

In the end, Cattleya was left completely speechless.

Seeing her just blinking blankly, I decided to give her a quick rundown of the situation.

“Before the two of you catch up, let’s first take a moment of silence for Marquis Tales, who completely failed at raising his children.”

How can all of them turn out criminals?

***

In the end, faced with the truth that even her younger sister was a criminal, Cattleya had no choice but to accept this dreadful reality.

She must have thought her sister was pure and innocent, so finding out she was someone featured on the first page of the Empire’s most-wanted posters must have been devastating.

Cattleya shifted nervously, while Emily, still expressionless, began to speak.

I stepped in between them, deciding to mediate.

At first, things were a little awkward, but as the conversation went on, some of the tension began to ease.

Eventually, they reached a topic that was bound to be a little sensitive.

“So, how did you know I was your sister?”

“I heard you talking with Johan.”

“……”

Cattleya stared straight at me.

Not my fault. I didn’t know either. I’m a victim here too.

“…How did you hear that?”

“With this. I planted this on Johan.”

“So Johan knew as well?”

“Yes.”

“……”

No matter how hard she glared…

“I told her not to do it.”

“But if it’s to protect someone important, there’s no other choice, is there?”

“…That’s what she says.”

I’d already given up long ago.

What privacy did I ever really have?

My every move was being monitored, so I’d abandoned the idea of freedom ages ago.

Even now, Yuna was following me. Call her name and she’d show up.

“So if it’s someone important, that means Johan isn’t the only one you planted it on?”

“Yes. I planted one on Johan, on Father, on Mother… and today I came to plant one on big sister too.”

“…Ah.”

It seemed Cattleya was finally starting to grasp Emily’s madness.

Watching her sigh with such a hopeless expression, I could only feel sorry for her.

“Emily.”

“Yes, big sister.”

“This is a little late to ask, but… do you actually like this bastard?”

“This bastard? Really, Cattleya?”

“Shut up, Johan Damus. This is a family conversation.”

“……”

…So, am I allowed to leave?

“Emily, this bastard isn’t a good person. Just look….he already has two women around him.”

“Does that matter?”

“Of course it matters.”

“But Father’s the same, isn’t he? Every weekend he goes out to meet his mistress. He always says, ‘Don’t worry, you’re precious to me too’.”

That was something I did not want to hear.

The dirty secrets of the Robinhood family were the last thing I wanted to know.

Still, I should tell Stan about this later. It’s his family’s problem, after all….he should know.

The fallout isn’t my concern.

“Crazy bastards.”

Cattleya shut her eyes tightly, as if sinking once more into despair.

And honestly, I could see why.

It really was a hopeless situation. Her sister’s circumstances were so bleak, they couldn’t even be summed up in a single word.

“…For now, I’ll take my leave. You two should talk.”

In the end, I decided to slip away as if running from the scene.

Forget payment, forget everything….there was no surviving in this atmosphere.

I’d just give it up. Even if it meant abandoning the request halfway, just let me go home.

***

The Imperial Palace.

Olga Hermod, Master of the Magic Tower and Headmistress of the Cradle, had come at the summons of Emperor Abraham.

“I hear your daughter is engaged?”

“……”

“To the Damus County… I can’t tell if that’s a coincidence or fate.”

“It’s not a coincidence. From the beginning, the only reason she wanted to be my daughter was because she needed noble status. The girl had talent, and since our interests aligned, it turned out that way.”

“I see.”

Olga Hermod chose to explain the situation plainly rather than tell pointless lies.

Of course, there were things she could not say.

Still, when it came to matters of marriage, there was no falsehood in her words, so she felt no guilt.

“First of all, my congratulations. I hope you understand I had no intent to pressure the Tower Master.”

“Yes.”

Olga Hermod held her tongue.

She knew that talking at length would do her no good against this opponent.

After all, the very fact that the Emperor had summoned her here meant he intended to pressure her one way or another.

Keeping her guard up, she waited for Abraham to speak.

“Tower Master, what do you think of the term ‘necessary evil’?”

It was a difficult question.

Neither affirmation nor denial came easily.

How far did the definition of necessary evil extend? Depending on her answer, even the Empire and the Emperor himself could be labeled as such.

“I see it this way: only when it can be eliminated at any time does a necessary evil have meaning.”

“……”

“It must be kept under control.”

“I understand.”

The terrorist groups rampant throughout the Empire could also be called necessary evils.

With outside enemies gone, the only way to preserve the Empire as it was now was to create foes that thrived inside.

Only by scattering and diluting hatred could the Empire eventually find stability.

That was why Abraham sent the Imperial Knights to suppress the terrorists, yet never completely eradicated them.

“Someone once said that evil devours evil. And it’s true. Sometimes, when facing enemies, it’s far easier to shatter one great organization than to chase down a swarm of small ones. In that sense, I can agree.”

“Those are the Judge’s words.”

A thought carried forward from the topic of necessary evil.

Olga Hermod could faintly grasp what Abraham was trying to convey.

“A necessary evil must always be under control. Its meaning only exists when it flounders within restraints it doesn’t even realize.”

“……”

Eliminate Lemegeton.

That was the implication behind his words.

“This is an order, Olga Hermod. The Judge has broken free of control. Deal with her.”

At the Emperor’s words, which drove the nail in, Olga Hermod could only let out a sigh.

Even during the brief clash with the Great Sage before, it had not been easy.

Of course, she had been unable to exert her full strength while protecting the students, but even without that handicap, she likely couldn’t have won.

“This mission must be carried out in secret. The Imperial Knights cannot provide support. You’ll have to resolve it with only the Tower’s strength.”

It was practically a death sentence.

And yet, Abraham had no reason to discard Olga Hermod right away.

“If that proves too difficult, then…”

As expected, Abraham left her another way out.

In truth, this was probably the real point.

It was his bad habit of forcing a choice that looked like a dilemma at first glance.

“Track down and eliminate Safe Clown, another necessary evil.”

“……”

Olga Hermod understood.

Abraham already knew Safe Clown’s identity.

Come to think of it, Yuna possessed traits the Emperor would find favorable.

In some ways, letting her eliminate corrupt nobles was more convenient than the Emperor doing it himself.

It was easier to say someone had been assassinated than to invent excuses.

Perhaps the Emperor had even borrowed Safe Clown’s name to deal with other political enemies.

“Then, I’ll take my leave.”

Yuna’s trail had been exposed.

But since when? When had Abraham first uncovered her true identity?

For all her outward optimism, Yuna was thorough to the core. Her nature allowed her to blend in naturally anywhere, which was why no one had ever been able to discern who she really was.

Even Olga Hermod had only pieced it together because of their past connection.

So that’s how it is.

Olga Hermod understood. Abraham had been the same.

He was the one who had forced Charybdis into a noble seat; of course he would have watched his end as well.

He had probably known about Yuna even earlier than Olga herself.

And when Charybdis died, he must have already guessed who the culprit was.

So why was he only now trying to eliminate Yuna?

Because of me.

A being who had reached the level of Archmage through illusion magic and the strongest assassin now bound together as family.

Even Abraham could not help but see that combination as a threat.

“……”

Leaving the Imperial Palace behind, Olga Hermod began to walk.

The sky was blue, the breeze cool.

Her heart was astonishingly calm, as if she had always known this day would come, and so she wavered not in the slightest.

“I suppose I’ve lived long enough.”

She touched something hidden in her robes.

It was a mask she had taken long ago from a certain girl.