WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Natty
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ Copy Skills with Affinity! ◈
Chapter 82: Remnants (3)
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“Grand Duke. I’ve known my son for quite a long time. It seems I’ve known him continuously since the day he was born, at least.”
“Even in private, please observe proper decorum, Your Majesty.”
“Shut up. What the hell is this?”
At the Emperor’s casual stream of abuse, Grand Duke Aslan sighed and responded.
“I propose that martial law be declared. The Prince’s movements are highly suspicious.”
“I know Arden’s been running around doing foolish things lately. But martial law? What kind of madness is that?”
Under normal circumstances, the Emperor’s reaction would have been perfectly reasonable.
Martial law was an order declared only in a national emergency. It was an excessively drastic measure to propose out of nowhere.
However.
“Considering His Highness the Prince’s character, it may indeed be a slight overreaction. He is not someone who would disregard civilian deaths and act as he pleases.”
“...”
The Emperor’s expression darkened visibly the moment those words were spoken.
Unless he was an idiot, there was no way he could misunderstand what they meant.
“Are you saying he’s plotting treason?”
“Yes.”
“Your informant?”
“The same person who requested that martial law be declared.”
“...”
Without a word, the Emperor flipped through the documents the Grand Duke had handed him.
All sorts of little tricks had been used to conceal the person’s identity from the official record, but anyone familiar with the situation could immediately infer who it was.
“...Looks like Noel caught herself a good husband. He can sniff out even something like this?”
“I agree.”
Grand Duke Aslan continued smoothly.
“I will now explain why that man reached such a conclusion, Your Majesty.”
Even so.
Anyone would find it difficult to readily accept being told that their own son was plotting treason against them.
“I approve it.”
Apparently, not this man.
The Emperor immediately slammed down his seal of approval, and the Grand Duke blinked blankly.
“You must’ve reviewed this dozens of times before bringing it to me. What would I gain by sitting here and denying reality? It’d only waste time.”
“We are discussing your family seeking your position. Do you accept that so easily?”
“I’m saying it because he’s family, and I know him well. If people are saying things like this about Arden, then he really is capable of it. More importantly.”
The Emperor flipped through the documents and pointed to part of their contents.
“And you. Are you planning to make that guy your heir?”
The declaration of martial law would mobilize members of the Aslan Ducal House, with the deployment and command of those forces all entrusted to Aiden Kellermain.
...The authority was so extensive that anyone seeing it would believe Aiden was acting in Grand Duke Aslan’s place.
“That would violate the law, Your Majesty. He is not a direct blood relative.”
“...”
...To the Emperor, it sounded as though the Grand Duke would have done it long ago if not for that law.
“He was someone I intended to raise and take for myself later. Why is everyone trying to claim him first?”
“It sounds as though there are others besides me?”
Instead of answering, the Emperor took a document from his drawer and tossed it at Grand Duke Aslan.
The Grand Duke caught the sheet, privately impressed by the remarkable skill required to make a single piece of paper fly straight without fluttering.
What was written on it was somewhat unpleasant, though.
“...The Holy Empire’s ‘Perfected One,’ and the Great Plains’ ‘God’s Right Hand’? Is this true?”
“Would I give you a fake? The latter is such a strange bastard that I can understand it, but the former is the real problem. Under the Pontiff’s direction, they are pursuing contact most actively.”
Grand Duke Aslan’s expression twisted at that.
The value carried by the name Perfected One surpassed even the meaning Lionheart held within the Empire.
In some ways, the Perfected One was more troublesome than the Pontiff. The Pontiff stood as the strongest among all users of divinity, while the Perfected One was ranked among the strongest of all ability users.
A monster who would not seem out of place above the Pontiff in sheer combat strength.
They even say he is a talent ill-suited to the modern era, where ability manipulation techniques lag several levels behind those of the ancient era.
“I’ve heard that information has begun reaching even the people operating in the shadows. No one knows what other bastards might show up from now on.”
...And one of them had apparently already approached Aiden directly.
Remembering the information on the assassination organization Dark Moon, the Emperor frowned alongside the Grand Duke.
“...It feels like the honey pot only I knew about has been smashed.”
“There are few men as useful as him.”
Their laments drifted through the room.
▣
...There had rarely been a moment when Aiden felt so useless.
“...”
“...”
Even two wooden dolls seated together would surely create a livelier atmosphere than this.
Watching Noel, pale as a sheet, barely touch her food as she kept glancing at him nervously naturally made him feel that way.
And that very state was why Aiden felt so helpless.
‘...I have no idea what she’s thinking.’
No, seriously. He did not understand why she was acting like this.
He had made a living, in his own way, by digging into other people’s minds. If the person sitting across from him was this terrified for a reason he could not identify, it was only natural for him to think that way...
Looking Noel over, he could at least tell that she was not in her right mind. Her irrational fear was obvious.
He had only invited her out for a meal. Aiden himself had no idea how things had become this awkward.
“...Lady Noel, please calm down.”
When he tried calming her down first, Noel trembled but nodded.
“Why are you so nervous?”
“...”
At those words, Noel squeezed her eyes shut.
She took a deep breath like a warrior preparing to enter a battlefield.
“I am ready for either possibility, Aiden.”
“...Pardon?”
“I have studied a great deal. I have also finished preparing myself mentally.”
“...Pardon?”
At this point, rather than trying to interpret what she meant, it would be better to simply say what he had prepared.
Aiden cleared his throat and spoke to the tense-faced Noel.
“Lady Noel. I only invited you because I wanted us to talk about personal things.”
“...”
Noel slowly blinked at his words.
She looked as though she had heard something she never expected.
“Personal things...?”
“Yes. We have never really talked about such things before, have we?”
He was merely following Teresa’s advice to try sharing personal stories.
Living together had given them a rough sense of what the other was like, but they had hardly ever honestly and seriously opened up to each other.
And the response he received as soon as he brought it up was:
“...There would be nothing interesting about learning things about me.”
“...”
“...Would that have any meaning?”
...This woman.
How low was her self-esteem for an answer like that to come out so casually?
“We are engaged. I want us to become closer.”
The moment he gave that answer, Noel’s face stiffened.
All the tension she had been carrying seemed to vanish at once, replaced by something clearly troubling her.
As though she felt so stifled that she could barely breathe.
“...Is it because I am your fiancée?”
A bitter smile appeared on Noel’s face.
She closed and opened her eyes, then patted both cheeks with her hands.
As though reassuring herself not to misunderstand things.
‘...Of course not.’
After all, she and this man were bound by a contract marriage.
Their relationship had never advanced beyond that, nor had there been any sign it would.
The relationship she had drawn in her mind from beginning to end, without asking what the other person wanted, was hers alone.
‘How foolish.’
Misunderstanding on her own, hoping on her own, getting nervous on her own. What was she even doing?
Realizing anew how foolish she was, Noel pressed her lips tightly together.
Still, she did not let it show on her face.
She was spending time with Aiden. There was no need to ruin the mood further.
This person was someone she liked.
“Very well. Is there anything you are curious about?”
“Yes. To begin with, I would like to ask about your favorite foods.”
“...My food preferences? I eat anything well...”
She had experienced war. It would be stranger if she were picky about food.
“No. I mean what you like most.”
Aiden spoke calmly.
“I can cook fairly well, you know. I’d like to treat someone I like to a meal at least once...”
-System Message
▶ The target “Noel’s” “Extreme Love” stage has risen to Stage 2.
▶ The skill “Weaver of Fate” activates. You can copy an additional skill!
▶ Your influence over the target “Noel” greatly increases.
▶ A major change caused by you occurs in the target “Noel’s” state of mind. The possibility of altering the future has arisen.
▶ Another “Individual Quest” for the target will soon become available.
▶ The Unique Trait “Origin” is unlocked.
▶ The Unique Trait “Divine Descent” is added.
“...”
What was this?
As Aiden stared at the window in genuine confusion, Noel’s face before him was bright red. Even a tomato would look pale by comparison.
“...Lady Noel? Are you all right?”
“...I, um...”
When he asked in case something was wrong, Noel moved stiffly like a wooden doll and barely managed to speak.
“Since we met, I think that was the first time I have directly heard you say that you like me...”
“...”
...Had it been?
Thinking about it, that did seem right. He had hardly ever said something like that aloud so directly.
While Aiden considered that.
‘Ah, damn it.’
Noel unconsciously cursed inside as she covered her face.
‘...Just moments ago.’
Just moments ago, she had almost given up.
She had been about to decide that she would stop hoping for things on her own.
Why, then?
Why was this man doing it again?
‘...This only makes me keep hoping...!’
When she looked at Aiden resentfully, he panicked as well and hurriedly added an explanation.
“I’m not lying.”
“...”
“Where could you find someone capable of disliking a person like you? I truly mean it...”
“...Aiden, stop.”
“Pardon?”
“Stop. Please stop...”
Noel barely gathered her voice through a throat that seemed to be letting out nothing but empty air.
She was still covering her face with both hands.
From Aiden’s perspective, it felt as though he could almost see something burst from her face with a pop.
“A-A-Aiden, you see, I, I am...”
Before she could even finish that sentence.
Pop!
A flare suddenly rose into the sky.
“...”
“...”
What perfect timing.
Aiden turned toward where it had risen.
A black flare. Its trail gave off an ominous feeling even beneath the blazing midday sun.
It was sudden enough that everyone else eating nearby turned to look, but a cold chill raced down Aiden’s spine as he watched it.
‘...That.’
He had seen this before.
Definitely.
...It was one of the signs announcing the beginning of Act Three, Imperial Capital Rift.
Something that had appeared far earlier than he expected.
Something.
Was happening.
-System Message
▶ A change occurs in the “main story.”
▶ The event begins at an earlier time!
...And it was something enormous.
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