In an act of violence that was barely distinguishable from a tantrum, the barbarian shaman offered almost no resistance.
“Huff…”
After thoroughly beating the barbarian shaman to a pulp, Lobelia who was now cleared of distractions and regaining her composure asked calmly,
“You never intended to resist, did you?”
“I… did not come here to fight.”
“Oh, so you came to surrender? Then you should’ve taken off that grotesque necklace made of human fingers around your neck before showing up.”
Whack!
As if angered even further by the sight of the beast daring to speak to her, Lobelia threw another punch.
Now teetering on the edge of death, the shaman muttered,
“O cruel imperial, know the weight of the sins carried by your blood.”
“A typical curse, I see.”
Thud!
Lobelia struck the barbarian again, sensing he was up to some kind of trick. But there was something she couldn’t have known—
That a high-ranking barbarian, especially one called a shaman, couldn’t be easily understood or predicted.
“Ugh!”
Feeling pain shoot through her ankle, Lobelia took a step back.
The pain, like that of a snakebite, made her immediately check the condition of her ankle.
“What did you do?”
“Hehehehe… Even if we are defeated, you are not worthy.”
“Seriously, you people are exhausting. As persistent as cockroaches.”
With a displeased look, Lobelia raised her fist again at the grinning barbarian.
“Wait! You shouldn’t kill him!”
“…Why not?”
“We don’t know what he did. He’s a shaman. What if whatever he did can’t be undone by death…. or worse, is triggered by it? We barely know anything about sorcery.”
“You have a point. I must’ve gotten ahead of myself. My blood was boiling.”
“That’s right.”
“……”
Lobelia gave Johan a glare, as if silently agreeing with his criticism, then grabbed the barbarian shaman by the hair.
“Let’s head back for now. Who knows if these guys will even talk, but if there’s anything we can get out of them, we should try.”
With a deep sigh, Lobelia—
“Ugh!”
Suddenly collapsed, clutching her chest in pain as though her heart were being crushed.
***
This is ridiculous.
Lobelia, who had just been happily pummeling the barbarian shaman, suddenly collapsed.
The turn of events was so abrupt that my brain couldn’t keep up.
“No way.”
So she let her guard down right at the end after everything went perfectly?
Is this supposed to be the protagonist?
No…no, I shouldn’t look at it that negatively.
This just means the opponent did a good job.
“Haah…”
Honestly, I probably would’ve fallen for it too.
Because really, I have no idea what the guy did. He’s a top-ranking officer of the Speartip of Snow Blossoms.
And he’s a shaman. One of the mid-bosses that show up.
The fact that Lobelia had completely overwhelmed someone like that means she is strong enough.
But the problem is this:
“What the hell did he actually do?”
I get that he used some kind of shamanic technique that only the barbarians know.
But what exactly did he do with it?
Did he stop her heart or something?
I reached out and checked Lobelia’s pulse.
“I can’t tell.”
Her arm is really firm. Well, I guess that’s expected from someone who fights with her fists.
But as a non-expert, I couldn’t really tell much from that.
“Should I try listening to your heartbeat?”
If Lobelia really died, then I’d have to go on the run. That broker I mentioned to her earlier….I’d be the one needing his services now.
We came out here alone, the enemy is unconscious, and Lobelia’s dead?
Then obviously, I’m the prime suspect.
Even if that’s not the truth, there’s no way I’d escape suspicion.
Of all times, why am I the only one who’s fine…?
“I’d like to check something real quick.”
“Don’t do that.”
“…Understood.”
Just as I was about to press my ear to Lobelia’s chest with grim determination, she stopped me.
So she wasn’t unconscious after all.
“Glad to see you’re alive.”
“…You must also be relieved you won’t have to start your fugitive life.”
“Ugh, did I say that out loud?”
“You must’ve been really nervous.”
Lobelia’s glare was terrifying.
I quietly turned my head away and spoke as humbly as possible.
“Your Highness, are you all right?”
“Physically, yes. But emotionally? I feel like my heart’s been ripped to shreds… After all, I realized you’d be the kind of person to run the moment I died.
“Such cowardly behavior that it could kill even a thousand-year love…”
“……”
“…I’m truly sorry.”
At this rate, I wouldn’t be surprised if she had me executed for treason.
“Anyway, help me up.”
“What should we do with him?”
“Drag him along.”
“Who’s going to do that?”
“Well, you, of course… don’t tell me you can’t?”
“Uh, well…”
Just a glance told you the guy was well over two meters tall.
A body hardened by surviving the brutal northern lands. He was a mountain of muscle.
And I’m supposed to carry that?
While also supporting Lobelia on the side?
“I’m, uh… more of an intellectual type. You could say I’m closer to a mage, really.”
“……”
“Yes, I’m weak. That’s right. I’m just that frail.”
“What are you saving your right arm for, then?”
“It’s strong, sure, but not exactly something I can use openly.”
Babel Gear is out of the question.
After absorbing a bunch of gears in the Veldani Mountains, I’m not even sure what state it’s in right now.
Every time I use it, I morph into something horrifying….if I activate it here without knowing what it’ll do, what if it goes berserk?
Even if it works fine, it’s not exactly a look I want others to see.
I’d seen it firsthand. How each time the gears were absorbed, things became more horrific. So I was sure of one thing.
This is not something that should be shown to others lightly.
“Let’s just leave him here. Can’t we just cut off his arms and legs or something?”
“As I’ve told you again and again…”
“Please don’t execute me.”
“Right.”
I knew it too. What I was suggesting wasn’t all that different from something a villain would come up with.
But honestly, if you want to eliminate any variables, you have to be thorough.
There’s nothing more horrifying than leaving behind a loose end. I’ve already learned that the hard way.
“Let’s not. These barbarians are the type to crawl with their teeth if they have to. Cutting off limbs is meaningless. Just knock him out and leave it at that.”
“Understood.”
So his fate rests in the hands of luck?
If he wakes up before the knights sent to retrieve him arrive, he might just crawl away and escape.
Of course, even if he does escape, his body won’t be in any shape to shake off imperial knights.
“By the way, how are you feeling? Did something go wrong with your body?”
“…Yes, there’s definitely a problem. Though in a way, I’m lucky. It’s not like I don’t know what happened to me.”
“Oh, that’s something at least. So, what is it?”
“I tried to incinerate you a few times, but my ability won’t activate.”
Splat.
“Gah!”
Startled by the horrifying statement, I dropped Lobelia.
“…Are you crazy?”
“Huh? You just said you were trying to attack me. Do you realize how bad that is for me? I’ve got mechanical parts all over my body. What if you break a gear and blow off my right arm or something?”
“And yet you’re fine dropping me like that?”
“…My hand slipped.”
“Too late for excuses. Haah… whatever. You’re that kind of person anyway, so I’ll let this one slide.”
“I am deeply grateful for your mercy.”
“Enough of that. So, do you have any idea what’s going on?”
Her ability not activating…
Honestly, it’s not all that rare.
It’s a common kind of debuff even in the game. It was caused by drugs, abilities, or even some types of magic.
However…
“I didn’t think there was anything that could block your ability, Your Highness.”
“…Neither did I.”
Lobelia’s ability: Crimson Thunder.
Just from the name, it sounds like an ability that uses crimson lightning, but its true power lies in the power embedded in the lightning.
More precisely, it’s the destructive power granted only to members of the imperial family.
“Isn’t being able to destroy all those petty tricks exactly what makes the imperial family the imperial family?”
“Exactly.”
In that case, things get more complicated. No…this isn’t just complicated.
If she, who possesses the power of destruction, can’t use her ability…
“Keep your mouth shut.”
“Yes.”
…it could lead to people questioning her legitimacy as an imperial.
The imperial succession had only just begun to stabilize.
With Loki, her strongest rival, now dead, her only remaining contender was Theseus.
Of course, Theseus had no real intention of becoming emperor in the first place.
Given time, it was only natural to assume she would ascend to the throne.
But if her legitimacy were to be called into question at this moment…
“For the time being, I’ll need you to stay by my side and help me.”
“I don’t wa—”
“Otherwise, I may have to silence you…permanently.”
“What would you like me to do?”
Ah, damn it…
I’ve gotten roped into something again.
***
Imperial Palace.
Abraham Vicious von Miltonia frowned as he spotted Lapis strolling through the garden.
“What weird thing have you picked up this time…”
Abraham muttered as he looked at the wolf nestled in Lapis’s arms.
As if she wasn’t dangerous enough already….now she’d gone and brought back something strange again. Of course it was going to be a headache.
“Don’t worry. This little one won’t cause any trouble. You remember the promise, right? As long as I get to live like a human, I won’t do anything.”
“Right. Which means you should be careful not to cross the line, either.”
“This much is fine, isn’t it, Father? Don’t be so petty.”
Abraham absently fiddled with the sword at his waist, lost in thought.
In any case, a sword like that wouldn’t be enough to deal with Lapis.
If he really wanted to eliminate her, even Abraham would have to make some sacrifices.
“You tried to use that recently, didn’t you? Are you sure you’ll be okay? If you use it carelessly, you’ll lose your only means of keeping me in check.”
“That’s not something you need to worry about.”
“Well, true. And honestly, it would be to my advantage anyway… Oh, but it’s not like I’m plotting treason or anything. I’d prefer to avoid unnecessary fights, too.”
“……”
“Besides, even without it, you’d still be able to kill me, wouldn’t you?”
“……”
“And your heir… is likely qualified as well, right?”
Abraham’s power of destruction.
Its power output was on a completely different level compared to other imperial members.
With that kind of strength, even Lapis couldn’t ignore it.
“I’m looking forward to it.”
Lapis recalled the two who had passed the Emperor’s trial:
Lobelia and Theseus.
So far, only those two could be said to have shown true potential.
Of course, Lobelia still wasn’t there yet. She wasn’t qualified.
But Theseus…
“Don’t forget.”
Abraham murmured quietly, gripping his sword.
“You are never to interfere in the line of succession again. Don’t even think about trying anything.”
There had already been one incident.
She had tried something once before.
“Trying something? Theseus left because of his own weakness. I just feel sorry about it, really. He was exceptionally capable.”
Theseus Vicious von Miltonia.
The reason he left the Imperial Palace—
“And I had no idea at the time. I mean, who would’ve thought a child that young could see right through me?”
That was because he had sensed the presence of a monster living within the palace.
“That was beyond anyone’s control.”
She blends in among people.
She lives as though she’s always belonged wherever she is.
That’s how she’s spent hundreds of years….fading into the crowd, living among others.
Very few can truly see through her.
“I have no intention of getting in your way. If anything, I’m rooting for you.”
A monster living hidden among people.
But no one can fully perceive her. No one recognizes her for what she is.
Simply by existing in a place, she distorts people’s perception.
That’s why she resides in the most dangerous place of all….where the Emperor lives.
“I’ve always wished I had a family who could see me just as I am.”
Because the only bloodline capable of seeing through her exists here within this place.
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