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Chapter 7
Department Chief Yuz’s eyebrows twitched. He looked genuinely surprised.
“…Why? Just a moment ago, all of you were acting as though you’d rather die than go.”
“At the time… we were afraid of the plague. Most of the mages in the Imperial Public Safety Administration are lower-ranked mages who either know only a limited number of spells or were born with little mana.”
No matter how valuable mages had become, the world remained cruelly indifferent toward those born weak.
For once, a gloomy expression crossed Chief Yuz’s face.
“…We all know that’s true. So then, why the sudden change of heart?”
“It’s nothing special. The more dangerous the assignment, the larger the performance bonus the Empire pays.”
“…Is that your answer?”
“Yes. But in return, I’d like you to take responsibility and request that the Ministry of Finance triple the performance bonus just this once. It would also be nice if they gave us proper support before we’re dispatched.”
At Kiara’s blunt reply, Chief Yuz blinked.
“Who was it?”
“…Pardon?”
“Kiara, who wrote the script that allowed you to speak so smoothly just now? The Kiara I know has never been the type to gather people together and take the lead.”
Kiara wavered for a brief moment at Yuz’s words, but quickly regained her composure.
“No one. I gathered everyone here myself.”
“…And why?”
Kiara awkwardly scratched her cheek.
“For money. What other reason could there be?”
“…”
“I need it to buy a birthday present for my daughter. Thomas needs it to pay off the gambling debt his father accumulated. Perry wants to give his parents a special wedding anniversary gift. Beatrice wants to hire a chef who can cook delicious meals. We all suddenly found ourselves needing a large sum of money for our own reasons.”
“Hmm…”
Chief Yuz looked over each of the volunteers one by one before finally nodding.
“Very well. I’ll submit the list to headquarters exactly as it is. You may all return to your duties.”
“Understood.”
It worked.
Standing at the very back, I quietly let out a sigh of relief.
An excuse like that should be convincing enough. There’s no need to draw unnecessary attention to myself just because I’m solving the problem…
I had considered using savings or an emergency fund as an excuse, but decided against it.
That would only give Evelyn more reason to become suspicious.
This puts me one step farther away from being dismissed.
Now it was time for the next step.
Using the information from the original novel to brew a medicine capable of curing the plague.
And once it was complete…
Making sure someone else received the credit instead of me.
To accomplish those two goals, I had spent my lunch break carefully observing only those coworkers who desperately needed money.
Then I selected Kiara—the one most willing to step forward—and put her at the front.
“Senior Kiara, if I could create a cure capable of eradicating the plague… would you volunteer to accompany me on the Morphe Village mission?”
So that I could remain nothing more than a small tree hidden deep within the forest.
Chief Yuz’s observation had been entirely correct.
The moment we stepped out of the office, Kiara’s shoulders drooped like a balloon that had lost all its air.
“Uwaaaaa… I thought I was going to die.”
Thomas and Perry looked just as drained, collapsing into their seats.
“We didn’t exactly lie…”
“But somehow…”
“I still feel guilty.”
Standing beside the nervous trio, I also exaggerated my own fear.
“Me too. Chief Yuz is still intimidating.”
Thomas and Perry immediately agreed.
“Right?”
“Same here.”
Only Kiara stared at me with wide eyes, as if she couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
But after I discreetly signaled her with my eyes, she quickly looked away.
She continued acting the part of the confident leader remarkably well.
“Ahem. See? All you had to do was follow my lead, and we got him to promise us triple the performance bonus.”
“You’re right. He also said he’d secure plenty of support funding from the Ministry of Finance…”
“It’s all thanks to you, Kiara. To think you developed magic that can seal any disease because you once wanted to become a healing mage. That’s incredible!”
Of course, no such magic existed.
It was simply a lie we had invented so our coworkers heading to Morphe wouldn’t panic and would continue helping the infected patients.
Still, Agorta did possess a similar type of sorcery.
If an emergency arose, Kiara would merely pretend to cast it while I secretly used the real thing behind the scenes.
Thank goodness sorcery doesn’t consume mana.
Otherwise, I never could have attempted something like this.
“Thanks to you, Senior Kiara, I’ll get to enjoy this winter’s Holy Night Festival with meals prepared by a luxurious chef.”
“R… right.”
I wasn’t thrilled with Kiara’s hesitant response, but I let it slide this time.
The cheerful rookie.
If I wanted to shake off the suspicion of Chief Yuz, Evelyn, and everyone else, I’d have to keep playing that role for quite a while.
“I hope we can solve the plague incident safely and come back without any problems.”
When I smiled brightly, Kiara once again forced an awkward smile, as though she had just bitten into an unripe persimmon.
Smile…
That way I can stay unnoticed and continue working here in peace.
“I’m counting on you, Senior.”
“…Likewise.”
Yuz Millen had worked in the Imperial Public Safety Administration long enough to earn the position of department chief.
Because Yuz looked unusually young, very few people realized how old he actually was.
Likewise, almost no one still remembered which noble house he had once served as a retainer in his youth.
Those who had barely survived those days had either secluded themselves in remote rural territories or fled overseas into exile.
Using teleportation magic, Yuz instantly traveled from his home to the designated meeting place.
A narrow alley swallowed by darkness.
There, a tall man wearing a black hood was already waiting for him.
“You’re late, Yuz Millen.”
“Your Imperial Highness, Crown Prince.”
Ignoring the filth covering the ground, Yuz knelt deeply in respect.
Claudio waved a dismissive hand.
“Ah, how many times have I told you to skip such cumbersome formalities?”
“I’ve already cut them down considerably.”
“Enough. No matter how many years pass, your stubbornness never changes.”
The two leaned against the alley wall and began talking.
Most of the conversation centered on the Empire’s current situation, based on everything Yuz had learned while working in the Administration.
“…Recently, torrential rains devastated the southern region’s harvest, causing grain prices to soar. Requests for disaster relief from southern residents have been flooding in.”
“That’s troubling. Isn’t the south firmly under the Empress’s control?”
“Indeed. Even the nobles governing those territories have been traveling by carriage themselves to request disaster relief funds. Other noble houses would like to help the victims, but since the Empress’s maternal family is the dominant power in the south… everyone seems reluctant to act.”
“My dear stepmother has always been far more interested in killing me than in the lives of the people…”
Claudio smiled bitterly before asking if there was any other news.
“Nothing but depressing reports today. Was there anything unusual? Even something small would do.”
At Claudio’s question, Yuz recalled what had happened earlier that afternoon.
“I believe an unusually interesting rookie has joined the Administration.”
“Oh? We have a new recruit? Really? I can’t believe someone brave enough actually volunteered for this backwater department! Surely they’re a descendant of heroes. What’s their name?”
“Beatrice.”
“…Hm?”
“Her former surname was Agorta.”
“What? That Agorta in Black?”
“Yes.”
Claudio’s expression instantly hardened like stone.
“You mean House Agorta… the one headed by Duke Bellache, who’s close to the Empress.”
“Yes. It appears Miss Beatrice had her family name stripped away and was expelled by Duke Agorta. The newly appointed heir, the adopted daughter Evelyn Agorta, personally ordered her subordinates to spread the news, so it seems trustworthy.”
The corner of Claudio’s mouth curled upward.
“If that’s true… then why didn’t House Agorta simply eliminate their discarded former heir?”
As the heir, she should have known every dark secret of the family.
Leaving someone like that alive outside their control would be incredibly inconvenient.
“Even if the Duke himself didn’t act, it’s even harder to believe that the new heir hasn’t made a move.”
Claudio harbored a particularly deep distrust and contempt for Agorta.
Knowing the deep-rooted hatred of his lord, Yuz chose his words carefully.
“…I have yet to determine the Duke of Agorta’s or the young lady’s true intentions. However, based on my observations, the new Lady Agorta appears to be closely watching Miss Beatrice.”
Beatrice…
Beatrice.
The mage who saved me from that assassination attempt not long ago had the same name.
She seemed highly skilled, so I wondered which noble house she belonged to… Who would have thought she was from Agorta in Black?
Because the heir of House Agorta had remained shut away at the Academy under the excuse of a chronic illness, I’d never even seen her face. I never expected that to come back around like this.
After laughing like a madman for quite some time, Claudio’s brilliant blue eyes gleamed as he looked at Yuz.
“Yuz… have you found any evidence that this Beatrice is a spy sent by Agorta?”
