WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Natty
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ Copy Skills with Affinity! ◈
Chapter 5: The Second
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Stella had spent the entire day dealing with the work Aiden Kellermain had brought down on her.
It was mostly a byproduct of the esteemed Lady Noel worrying about him all day, but either way, it was hardly a welcome situation for Stella.
“Mr. Aiden.”
In that regard, he really had not needed to leave her with even more work this intense.
“What in the world is this?”
Stella spoke in utter disbelief.
Right in front of her, Prince Daniel was reduced to a bloody mess, doing nothing but wheezing.
He was conscious, but clearly in no state to speak. Meanwhile, the person responsible for leaving the prince like that merely shrugged.
“Would you believe me if I said I had a reason?”
“It had better be a reason sufficient to seriously injure royalty.”
Stella replied in a voice gone stiff.
Even if he had effectively been exiled, he was still royalty. This was more than enough to cause a dispute between nations.
“And we will have to prove that he was at fault. Royal power carries that much...”
“Do we really need to prove it?”
“...Pardon?”
Stella asked blankly, and Aiden continued in an even tone.
“Even royalty gets cast out of the family if they commit a serious enough crime, right?”
“That is true, but why bring that up now?”
“You know about the kidnapping of Viscount Cromwell’s daughter in the Imperial Capital a while ago?”
“...”
“It caused quite a stir. That young, beautiful viscount’s daughter was kidnapped and vanished.”
Stella’s expression stiffened far more than before.
For one thing, the conversation made no sense.
More than that, Prince Daniel’s reaction was far too strange.
Despite his grave injuries and inability to speak properly, he visibly flinched as if struck by lightning.
As though someone had suddenly exposed a crime he had never imagined would be discovered.
“It would be interesting if the culprit happened to be here, wouldn’t it?”
“...”
Surely not.
It seemed impossible.
A royal exiled to another country had targeted one of that country’s nobles.
If it were true, it was a crime serious enough for him to be stripped of his royal status.
“Do you have evidence?”
“No, but the means to determine the truth is right here.”
“...What?”
“If we can tell whether he’s lying, that’s evidence enough, isn’t it?”
Stella narrowed her eyes.
Such a thing did exist.
But it was equally certain that the man before her should not know of its existence so casually.
“Private First Class.”
Still eyeing Aiden through narrowed eyes, Stella calmly addressed a nearby soldier.
“Bring something from the magical device laboratory on the first floor. Ask for the Detector, and they’ll understand.”
“Yes, ma’am!”
The soldier’s reply was oddly drawn out, probably because they had instinctively realized it too.
Something was going very, very wrong.
That was not an inaccurate impression.
It did not take long for Prince Daniel’s babbling insistence that he had never done such a thing to be thoroughly caught by the lie detector the Imperial military was developing in secret.
“...This is enough to drive someone mad.”
Stella could only let out that groan.
For two reasons.
The rapid succession of events was a massive incident serious enough to reach the Imperial Palace.
And it meant she was guaranteed to work overtime all night.
▣
The investigation proceeded without a hitch after that.
A thorough search of Prince Daniel’s quarters and locations tied to his movements turned up clothing and personal belongings belonging to Viscount Cromwell’s daughter.
There was evidence that he had tried to conceal his crimes, along with traces of various other assorted crimes.
“That is all.”
With Stella’s report concluded, Noel pressed at her temples.
“What did the Holy Empire say?”
“They expressed their gratitude.”
“...What?”
“They said that, due to the Holy Empire’s laws, they had no choice but to keep that Baridegi in the royal family, so they were grateful someone had so cleanly gotten rid of him. They added that if Mr. Aiden ever came to the Holy Empire, they would entertain him lavishly.”
“...”
The Pontiff, ruler of the Holy Empire, was known as the most eccentric Pontiff in history.
That response certainly lived up to the reputation.
“Actually, someone is more concerning than the Pontiff.”
“Who?”
“[Deathwish] has taken an interest in Mr. Aiden.”
“...”
“She sent word in a friendly manner, suggesting they have a meal together sometime. It’s the sort of decisive action one would expect from an ambitious person who recruits anyone she likes, regardless of cost.”
Noel swept a hand through her hair, looking tired.
“Deathwish?”
“Yes.”
“You mean the Holy Empire’s second princess? That power-mad lunatic waiting for a chance to seize the Pontiff’s seat, even if she has to kill her older brother?”
“Yes.”
“The woman said to surpass even the current Pontiff in her command of divinity.”
“...Yes.”
Information arriving less than a few hours after the event was probably a glimpse of what was to come.
Word traveled fast. What had happened today would already be spreading among every ambitious person gathering information.
“I don’t understand why she’s so interested in Mr. Aiden. He’s just an ordinary con artist.”
Ordinary...?
As Stella’s brow arched, Noel continued flatly.
“He shattered a member of the Holy Empire’s royal family, who could wield highly refined divinity, with a single bare-handed blow. He immediately uncovered the crimes that person had hidden. And a man who has never even set foot in the military casually suggested using a classified item that no one outside personnel at Capital Command Headquarters even knew about...”
“...Yes.”
“And then evidence really did turn up, just as he said.”
“...”
“It’s nothing much. Why is everyone making such a fuss? Don’t you think?”
“...”
Stella quietly closed her mouth at Noel’s half-resigned words.
Even from the position of delivering the report, it was a chain of incomprehensible events that left one breathless.
If this was what a man who called himself an ordinary con artist had done in less than a day...
Well.
“Lady Noel, if I may.”
“Yes?”
“Where did you find someone like this?”
“...Honestly, I don’t know either. Was he always like this?”
At this point, his actions were far too detached from the background he claimed to have.
So detached that even Stella’s question of why Noel had brought him along had vanished within a day.
The problem was that even Noel, who had brought him here, was deeply flustered by the situation.
How?
Naturally, if someone of royal status set their mind to concealing a crime, catching them was like trying to force an animal through the eye of a needle.
Especially a crime so filthy and vile that the person would have desperately tried not to leave any opening.
The strange fact that Aiden had known about the device the military was testing was even more baffling.
At this point, it was like trying to force an elephant through the eye of a needle.
Noel knew better than anyone how notoriously strict the military’s security procedures were. The fact that no classified information had ever been leaked to outsiders proved how paranoid they were.
And yet.
Aiden had known both things.
How?
No other question came to mind.
What did he know? How far did his knowledge go?
The more Noel thought about it, the more confused she became.
Who in the world was this man?
Where had he come from...?
“Lady Noel.”
As Noel’s thoughts deepened, Stella suddenly spoke. There was an uncharacteristic hesitation in her voice.
The hesitation continued until Noel looked at her strangely, then finally took shape as words.
“There is one more thing I find puzzling.”
“Puzzling?”
“How did those two get into a fight in the first place? Do you know?”
“More or less. Didn’t the prince provoke him first?”
According to Sir Lester, who had been at the scene, Prince Daniel disliked Lionheart’s groom and picked a fight, so Aiden struck back.
The person involved had likely explained things as plainly as possible, but summarized, it could sound like this.
“I heard that Mr. Aiden was enraged after being insulted as unfit to be Lady Noel’s groom, and that was why he did it.”
“...”
“I think a little better of him now. He has a manly side, doesn’t he?”
Words could always sound different depending on how they were phrased.
The moment Noel heard the report, the corner of her mouth twisted faintly.
“Did he like me that much?”
“There’s no one on this planet who dislikes Lady Noel, but it is still puzzling. Isn’t that very different from the attitude he showed at first?”
“It is strange. We weren’t even acquainted before...”
Noel immediately stopped speaking.
A sentence she had heard only a short while ago passed through her mind.
“It seems you don’t remember the past. Perhaps from when you were young?”
“No, it’s nothing. I didn’t think you had truly forgotten.”
A man had said those things.
“Lady Noel? Are you all right?”
At Stella’s puzzled question, Noel came back to her senses.
Then her eyes slowly closed.
“No.”
Bitterness touched her lips as she continued.
“We may have... known each other.”
“Pardon?”
“It’s nothing.”
After a brief silence, Noel raised her eyes and spoke.
“Stella.”
“Yes.”
“Contact the Central Intelligence Bureau.”
Stella’s eyes widened.
The Central Intelligence Bureau was the most notorious of all Imperial intelligence agencies.
Though it would never actually do so, it was widely believed that it could uncover even the Emperor’s most secret affairs if it chose to.
Contacting it was something even Lionheart would hesitate to do without a matter of exceptional importance.
“...Would you like me to request a detailed background investigation of Mr. Aiden?”
Regardless of her surprise, Stella understood Noel’s intent perfectly, as expected from someone who had worked with her for so long.
“Don’t leave out even the smallest detail. Find everything. Report every last thing you learn to me, without omitting a single word. Use my name as much as you need to.”
“I understand.”
Stella saluted and left. Noel raised her teacup again.
The bitter taste swirled strongly in her mouth.
The military’s intelligence-gathering ability was excellent, but the Central Intelligence Bureau operated on an entirely different level.
This request would surely reveal some kind of lead.
At the very least, it would provide a clue to follow in uncovering this man’s identity.
“Aiden.”
Noel murmured the name slowly.
“Aiden Kellermain.”
As if savoring it.
“Let’s find out, then.”
I’ll learn who you are.
What you want.
Without fail.
▣
“I want to go home.”
Aiden muttered in a dazed voice.
- System Message
▶ You have made contact with “Deathwish,” Katia Heinkel Craven.
▶ This target is of utmost importance to the story. The fate of the world will be determined by how you influence this target!
▶ Your influence on the main story has increased.
▶ Your Bond Level with the target rises to Level 1!
▶ This is linked to the skill “Weaver of Fate”!
“...”
What was all this?
In less than a day, he had become entangled with another terrifying person.
This was why people should not lose their temper.
The prince kept crossing the line, so Aiden had put a little strength into crushing him. The aftermath was a little terrifying.
That slippery prince was a villain Aiden often encountered in the game, so even with his patchy knowledge of the original story, Aiden could quickly subdue him. The man was full of weaknesses.
He had committed so many crimes that uncovering just one would bring all the others to the surface like linked sausages.
I didn’t know that would be classified information too.
Aiden had only mentioned the Detector because it was one of the key items that could be used in the game.
He had never imagined that, at a time when the prototype was only just being completed, the military would still be treating it as confidential.
More importantly.
Aiden gloomily examined the window floating before his eyes.
Katia Heinkel Craven.
Also known as [Deathwish]. She was one of the leading figures in the main scenario and the Holy Empire faction’s most vital core member.
He had received a skill-copying opportunity, but it unsettled him that he did not know why she had taken an interest in him.
Still, that was that.
I should take what I can get, right?
▶ Activating the skill-copying ability of the skill, Weaver of Fate.
▶ Analyzing the skill list of the target, Katia Heinkel Craven.
▶ Displaying the highest-value skills first.
Along with the window, a long list of skills Katia clearly possessed scrolled down.
Most of them concerned divinity, like the ones Daniel had shown before.
Aiden roughly knew what skills this princess had. He also knew which one was the most incredible. It was similar to when he had copied Noel’s skill.
Thinking back on his knowledge of the original story, this princess, like Noel, possessed a unique supernatural ability that existed nowhere else in the world.
It was the most unusual ability among the people of the Holy Empire, the source of divinity.
- System Message
▶ Copying the unique ability, First Vow.
▶ This ability is possessed by only this individual in the entire world.
▶ Target “Katia” may gain a higher level of affection for you!
The fact that another unknown interest had turned toward him bothered him a little.
I’ll think about that later.
Too much had happened today.
Aiden dismissed the window and closed his eyes. After a day beset by one thing after another, it did not take long for his consciousness to fade.
That was probably why.
As soon as he fell into a deep sleep, he did not see the window rise before his eyes as though it had been waiting.
- System Message
▶ At this point, you are the only person possessing two or more “Unique Skills.”
▶ Target “Pantheon” has taken notice of you!
▶ This is a change with an enormously significant effect on the Main Story!
▶ A new ̶̤̈́ ̷͖̣̝̱̔́̓̈sp̸̤̅͊ec̸̠̈́ ̶̛̯͙͆̑iạ̷̰̩̀̇͋l̴̢̔̆ ab̴͍̼̠̙͐il̸̼̖̜̀it̶̲́y̷̦͖͂̈́ is̸̢̧̪̬͊̉ uṅ̴͎lô̶͚̤̹̺cked.
▶ A ne̴̢͓̠͉͊̋ẁ̴̹ ̵̳̪͠ev̵̼̦̻͕̐͝en̶̝͌̊t̸͇̟̒̏̌ ŏ̵̰̥̱̅͝cc̸̤̿̆̊́ur̷̢̤͚̥̄s̶̫̾̓͋̕ i̸̡̜̤̓͜͝ń̸͙̞̱̪́͑̑ t̵̨̠̩̃̀͆̐he̷̥̳̭̚ mă̷̟̩in̷̨̦̘͉̹͓̝̾͂͂̂͂̅͡͝ø̵̧̡̜̲̗̳̟̀̒̽̊͆̃͒̎̚͟͟ͅ Î̶̻̙͓͓͎̫͛́͌̀̆͊͒͆̚±̦͖̺̗͎͍̰͊̏͒̉̍̉̚͟͠×̵̢̯̥̟͖̞̔̈́̃̚͘͞·̶̛͈̪͚̹̺͖͉̪̇̎̃̏̃̎̚͡ͅ¡̴̹͉̤̭̥̒̇̎̅͘͝ͅ¹̖̯̰̰̦̝͐͆̿̌̃͂͟͠Ö̵̩̭͇̹̭̤͌͆̔̀̆̚
.
.
.
▶ The event is readjusted.
▶ Target “Pantheon” is wary of you.
▶ Target “Ç̷̨̳͈̟̯̻̦̘͉̹͓̝̾̿̔͆̃̋́͌̾͂͂̂͂̅͘̕͡͝ø×̵̢̯̥̟͖̞̔̈́̃̚͘͞·̶̛͈̪͚̹̺͖͉̪̇̎̃̏̃̎̚͡ͅ” has taken notice of you.
▶ You receive a new special ability!
▶ [ Unique Trait: Omnipotence ] is granted!
▶ [ Unique Trait: Origin ] is granted!
Footnotes:
Baridegi is a figure from Korean folklore, an abandoned princess. Here, it is used disparagingly for a royal child the Holy Empire was forced to keep.
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