Wizard of the Abyss - Chapter 84

WETRIED TRANSLATIONS

Wizard of the Abyss

[Translator – Aren]

Chapter 84 - Lineage (3)

Of course, just because I wanted to meet Sharmia didn’t mean that I was in any position to just go and see her.

I had helped her, sure, but that was only business.

In my current position, I couldn’t meet a princess, or even a royal scribe, through normal means.

"Will you be alright?”

"It’s not like I don’t know a way. And…”

I gently stroked the still-sleeping Linmel’s head.

She’d been asleep for nearly an entire week. Azrael said that borrowed time always demanded some repayment, but I couldn’t help worrying.

"I’d appreciate it if you’d keep an eye on this kid so that she doesn't get into any trouble.”

"...Very well.”

Dercia stood at the mansion’s door, watching me.

There was a hint of hesitation and concern in her gaze. One could take that as a sign of distrust. Responding to that, I spoke with a light smile.

"I know it’s hard to believe it, but I really do know her. She’s someone you can actually hold a conversation with, and I’m only going to collect the reward I was already promised.”

"I’m not doubting your words, Jern. I have heard your full explanation.”

On our return to the capital, I had told her everything about how I met the princess.

Dercia was worried about something else.

"What you told me—strays from what I consider common sense.”

"What common sense?”

"Do you know anything about imperial politics?”

"Not really.”

Naturally, an Empire like this didn’t have online news or something.

If one wanted to know what was happening in the world, they’d need to read the newspaper. But the media outlets that publish those newspapers didn’t just give them away for free.

Even if a journalist somehow learned of a noble’s secrets, printing it would be tantamount to suicide.

I had heard some rumors that some newspapers actually tried that before, but none of them existed anymore. You didn’t need much imagination to guess what had happened to them.

In conclusion, every newspaper incessantly praises the Empire to the high heavens, and the public’s political understanding could be summed up with two phrases.

They know what they’re doing. Let me mind my own business.

I wasn’t that much different. A prophet was burning her own life just to keep the Empire running. Sounds rough. Anyway, she got it handled.

Dercia let out a long sigh at my light answer and tightened her grip on the door handle.

"When I first came to the Empire as a member of the Dark Magic Tower, they insisted I get involved in politics saying it was something I had to do as a member.”

"...Ah!”

Right.

She did have the surname Aspandil.

She had received a noble title. Of course she would have been dragged into politics.

I was genuinely curious about what kind of chaos Dercia had caused, but she quickly shook her head in disgust.

"I did nothing. I came here to study magic and record knowledge, not to become some sort of politician."

"Then…”

"I simply attended the occasional event as a noble after being threatened to be called a traitor if I skipped them. I never directly participated in any of them.”

Dercia paused, furrowing her brows.

"..Naturally, I saw the princess a few times as well.”

"I see. What was your first impression of her?”

"A tyrant."

The answer came instantly after I finished my questions.

I blinked, bewildered.

"A…tyrant?”

"Yes. Literally. I mean the kind of tyrant you can find in history books. A ruler who stands atop the weak, brandishing her power, repeating pillage and oppression.”

"...??"

I was honestly quite taken aback.

Of course, I knew she’d been hiding things during our last meeting, but she hadn’t given off that kind of vibe.

Dercia blinked slowly, seeming as if she was recalling something.

"The first time I saw her, she was 11—around that age. But her words were so sharp and heavy. I still remember how she told a desperate count begging her to show mercy to his people that she couldn’t do that.”

"Why couldn’t she?”

"Because by the time the count ran to the capital to beg, every single citizen of his territory had already been executed.”

"..."

"She carried out sentences without the slightest bit of mercy. She offered poisoned chalices. She levied taxes without blinking. For some reason, the Emperor delegated nearly all authority to her. By the age of 11, she wielded absolute power.”

"But—the nobles seem to really like Princess Sharmia.”

"For three reasons. First, she is actually quite competent. Second, every noble who disliked her was purged years ago. Third, even nobles aren’t stupid enough to slander someone who can cut their throat any time she wishes.”

"..."

Just hearing all that, she sounded like the worst despot imaginable.

And Dercia wasn’t finished yet.

"Of course, such matters are unrelated to me. I couldn’t care less about her personality. What interested me was her magical realm.”

"What do you mean?”

"...I happened to witness something once. At a banquet, the princess picked up a wine glass then accidently dropped it."

Slowly.

"She looked slightly startled as she saw it fall. If it had shattered, the entire event would’ve become a disaster.”

"Did you catch it for her?”

"She caught it herself.”

Dercia looked unsettled even as she spoke, as if she still couldn’t accept what she had seen.

"In a blink."

"Pardon?"

"Before she blinked, she was a 1-star mage. After she blinked, there were three stars shining inside her eyes.”

"...?"

"In the time it took her to blink, she ascended from 1-star to 3-star, learned Telekinesis, and lifted the wine glass.”

I—felt my jaw literally dropping.

Even with my limited understanding of magic, I knew just how absurd that was.

"No way."

"Indeed. I wouldn’t have believed it myself if I hadn’t witnessed it.”

Dercia sighed and shook her head.

"Anything you can’t understand is dangerous. We call it stupidity to make contact with something like that.”

"So she’s not just a mere prophet then.”

"If it’s you, I imagine you’ve grasped at least that much. So, I would recommend staying as far away from her as possible, but…”

Dercia looked at me and mumbled,

"Perhaps that is just greed on my part.”

"It is."

While we were talking, Ciel suddenly appeared behind her and pinched the back of Dercia’s neck like she was picking up a cat. Dercia didn’t even flinch, merely glancing back at Ciel in protest.

“Ciel, we’re talking.”

“Lord Jern. Would it be alright if I gave you a little advice from now on?”

Ciel completely ignored Dercia, showing me a beaming smile.

"Advice? About what?"

"I simply believe that you bear some responsibility for what happened, Lord Jern.”

"?"

Both Dercia and I showed similarly baffled expressions.

"Did I do something wrong?”

"No. The problem is that the two of you get along too well. More precisely, Lord Jern, you are like a very dangerous drug to elves.”

"What are you talking about?”

"You know that elves are extremely obsessed with efficiency, right? For a race with such ideals, your presence is like high-grade lubrication. Lady Dercia is already self-aware enough to restrain her own impulses, but you keep wagging your tail at her, so she ends up getting tempted. It’s not entirely her fault.”

"Hmm… Then what should I do?”

"If your conversations start heating up too much—to give an example, if you were to propose to make a wheel and suddenly end up jumping to ‘Why don’t we just build a wheelless flying carriage and launch ourselves into the sky?’— I’ll step in and pull you back to the ground. How about that?”

So, in other words, since I had the tendency to accidentally stimulate Dercia’s elven instincts, Ciel would act as a moderator and intervene before the two of us spiraled into oblivion.

"Don't worry too much. I’m only going to intervene when Dercia tries to propose something strange. If I warn you and you both still insist, then I won’t say anything further.”

"That’s not a bad idea.”

A brake system sounded strangely reassuring. I nodded, as Dercia let out a long sigh.

"Don't take her seriously. Ciel just finds amusement in meddling like this.”

"There’s nothing wrong with getting the opinion of a third party, don’t you think? Then, I’ll be off.”

"Don’t forget what I said. And be extremely careful. Ah, and when you return—we should finally speak about that.”

"...Yes."

Dercia fell silent.

However, I already knew what she was talking about.

[...]

As if it had overheard us, a deep-sea creature drifted past, scanning its surroundings, and swam away.

"Understood.”

This matter really was urgent after all.

* * *

Meeting the princess was simple.

[Who is this?]

"…Did you, by any chance, hand out these communication orbs to other people as well?”

Because, fortunately, my means to contact her still worked.

When I used the communication crystal orb I had received before, Carose answered.

[...]

She looked at me with a slightly sour expression before she started speaking.

[So it’s that Fallen boy. What is it this time? Was driving a stake into Her Highness’ heart not enough for you?]

"What kind of slander is that?”

[Do you have any idea how devastated Her Highness was after you rejected her? She nearly took her own life.]

"Please say something that makes sense."

As if she would try to kill herself over some random orphan.

Thinking that she was greatly exaggerating, I heard Carose sigh before continuing.

[Right. So what do you want?]

"There’s something I didn’t receive the last time we met, so I’d like to talk to her for a bit.”

[With Her Highness?]

"Yes."

What followed was a long moment of silence.

[Right now…isn’t a good time. Her Highness is currently busy with her work.]

"I can wait."

[Perhaps I should be more direct?]

"No need. I get that this is a refusal. I just wanted to push again.”

[...]

It was painfully obvious that this Knight named Carose didn’t like me very much for some reason.

So I intentionally manipulated the conversation in a way that would force her to directly reject me.

Someone as loyal as her would immediately report to the princess if she were to refuse me directly.

It might sound like unfounded confidence, but I was absolutely certain.

If Sharmia learned I had asked to see her, she would summon me.

No doubt about it.

[Tsk.]

A small tongue click. I smiled faintly at the irritation it carried.

People tended to feel irritation when they were forced to do something they didn’t want to.

[Give your name to the guards.]

"Yes, thank you."

There was no further reply. She probably already cut the connection.

I really couldn’t understand why someone would hate a cute, harmless little boy like me. With these thoughts in mind, I headed to the Imperial Palace.

"Hello, I’m Jern Aspandil.”

"Ah, this way…”

The guards hurried to escort me somewhere the moment they saw me.

It was the back gate of the palace. Along the way, a few guards brought out a blindfold.

"My apologies, Sir Aspandil, but this is a secret passage.”

"Yes. I understand.”

I felt like apologizing to the guards since a mere blindfold meant nothing to me.

Using Tide Sense, I traced every wall and corridor, memorizing the layout of the secret passage.

I wasn’t able to memorize everything, but I certainly learned which paths were safe and which had traps.

Hopefully, I would never have to make use of this knowledge.

"We’ve arrived."

The guard who brought me to the massive door was not the same one who guided me earlier.

The guards had been swapped out several times. Every section in the endlessly twisting and turning paths required a handoff.

Most likely, even the guards were meant to only know parts of the palace’s layout.

"Should I just knock?”

"I-I will remain here. I’ll stand guard over there.”

Startled, the guard practically sprinted away.

Hmm.

That made it quite clear that the person behind this door was Sharmia. Apparently, the word ‘tyrant’ hadn’t been an exaggeration after all.

-Knock, knock, knock.

Anyway, what had to be done had to be done, so I knocked on the door.

"Come in.”

Sharmia’s voice was slightly lower than usual.

"Excuse me."

I felt slightly startled when I opened the door and stepped inside.

The room was the size of a soccer field and utterly barren. In the center sat a single desk, and on top of it, a mountain of documents.

Buried inside the paper mountain, was the glasses wearing Sharmia, furiously writing, stamping and reviewing, her expression almost dead. And yet, even in that state, her beauty was so unreal it felt like it didn’t belong to this world.

Without even glancing my way, she muttered,

"Tea…or food…or whatever it is, just put it down and go.”

Her voice was calm. Approaching the desk, I noticed an untouched 12-dish royal meal set beside the pile of papers.

Out of curiosity, I pulled out one of the stacked up documents and skimmed it.

Surprisingly trivial administrative work. I frowned.

She did all of this herself? There was no reason for her to. A princess, a member of the royal family, shouldn’t be handling these things. Usually officials or lower-ranking nobles should take care of such things.

After checking a few more, I came to another horrifying realization.

These weren’t sorted at all.

She was simply grabbing papers at random from the pile, processing one, then grabbing something completely unrelated next.

It was undoubtedly amazing that she managed so much work, but also idiotic.

I sighed and gathered several documents.

"...?"

Only then did Sharmia notice something was off. She turned toward me—

Then blinked, rubbed her eyes, and whispered to herself.

"Am I dreaming…?”

"This is real.”

"Huh? Eh, what…??”

"I didn’t mean to interrupt you. This one’s a land dispute issue. It overlaps with your administrative files. If you check them together, it’ll go more smoothly.”

"...Huh? Ah, yes. That’s true.”

"Pretend I’m not here and continue with your work.”

I couldn’t offer much help with the content itself. I didn’t know the political structure of the Empire, nor what kind of web it functioned within.

However, I could at least categorize the documents so she could process them more efficiently.

While she worked, I sorted the papers by policy type, grouping related issues together.

Even so, Sharmia continued to work for hours. She glanced at me from time to time, but judging by how urgent some of these were, she seemed to have decided to think about this matter later after she finished all these.

"...H-huaaam…”

It wasn’t until evening, when the sun slowly dipped, that she finally finished.

Sharmia stretched, letting out a huge yawn, then stared at me as if entranced.

"B-But, this really isn’t a dream, right? If I did all that work in a dream, I think I’d just kill myself out of sheer resentment.”

"No, it’s real. I came because there’s something I wanted to talk about.

"...I-It’s really you? Why did you suddenly come??”

Watching that blank, dopey expression, I felt Dercia’s advice slowly slipping out of my mind again. A tyrant? This? All I could see was a harmless baby deer.

I forced myself to focus and cleared my throat.

"I apologize for coming without notice. Something came up not too long ago, and regarding what I mentioned last time…”

"—Ah!"

Sharmia lunged forward.

More precisely, she stretched her entire upper body across the desk and grabbed my hands with sparkling eyes.

I could even see a hint of madness in them, enough to frighten me.

"Have you changed your mind? Are you saying you’ll let me use you after all?”

"...No. It’s not that. I’m talking about my lineage.”

"...Ah."

Having calmed down a little, Sharmia awkwardly let go of my hand.

"Ah, ahaha… Sorry. Now that you mention it, I didn’t get a chance to tell you last time because of what happened."

"No need to apologize. I was hoping I could hear more about this matter, so I came.”

"Of course. And since it was I who proposed this reward, it’s definitely my mistake for forgetting. Ah, right."

She clapped her hands together, acting as if she had just remembered something important, and stood up.

"It’s rude to not offer proper hospitality to my guest. I shouldn’t have been making you work.”

"It’s my fault for arriving while you were in the middle of work. I only wanted to help a little. I hope I wasn’t a nuisance to you.”

"No, no, no! You were a huge help! I don’t even remember the last time I finished work while the sun was still up! Have you done this kind of thing before?”

"A bit.”

"I knew it! This might take a while, but let me make you some tea!”

"No, let me..."

"Nope, how could I make a guest brew their own tea? Do you want to make me appear like a shameless brute? Please sit. I’ll be right back!”

At this rate, no one would be able to tell who the royal between us was.

After her adorably stern little scolding, Sharmia left the room.

I felt stupid trying to stay serious when faced with someone who was so stubbornly upbeat.

"..."

Waiting for her return, my eyes fell on the stack of documents she had processed.

I had sorted them, but I never saw how she handled each one. Feeling curiosity well up inside of me all of a sudden, I picked up one file.

[Emergency Quarantine Order for Preventing Epidemic Spread]

As I flipped through the dozens of pages, I frowned.