“You seem pleased.” Lexa blew a stream of narcotic smoke from her lips as she asked.
Disheveled hair, gaunt dark circles under her eyes—she looked exactly like what anyone would expect a drug dealer to look like.
“...I’m satisfied with the information, but that smoke is rather unpleasant.”
“Hm? Oh, don’t worry about this. It doesn’t really affect bystanders.” Lexa scratched her head dismissively, muttering as if it were nothing.
That wasn’t really the point, though.
“Did you make it yourself?” I asked.
“Yes, well... I mean, since it’s for me, Lapias Root and Marten Powder are just too much, you know? And if the addiction’s that strong... it messes with your head.”
...Someone who knows that still makes the stuff?
I shot Lexa a look of pure disbelief.
Lapias Root and Marten Powder were the drugs she dealt in—incredibly addictive substances at that.
“For all you say, you seem to be in worse shape than before.”
“Well, that’s because somebody has been giving me a lot more work lately.”
Mm, fair point.
I nodded and leaned back in my chair.
Honestly, everything Lexa said was true. I had been piling work on her, and it was a fact that the others had more to do because of it.
Still, I’d be a little annoyed if she was going to complain about it.
After all...
“You must have raked in quite a fortune thanks to me, no?”
The list I’d given her would have earned her dozens of times her usual profits.
“...Well, I’ll give you that.” Lexa nodded and exhaled smoke.
Before I’d parted ways with Lexa previously, I had handed her a slip of paper containing nothing but names—the names of people who either had connections to the House of Artezia or were spies.
Naturally, you’d need to be at least a First-Class Scribe to know their true identities, and Lexa had supplied drugs to them without knowing who they really were.
Well, they all have plenty of money, so buying wouldn’t be a problem for them.
The goods those scum purchased would be worth several times what ordinary people bought.
I allowed myself a small smirk, thinking of the fools who would be addicted to drugs by now.
Meanwhile, Lexa’s expression shifted as if she’d just remembered something.
“…Oh, that reminds me.” She quickly rummaged through her desk drawer, then pulled out a freshly prepared document and handed it to me.
“This intel came in recently—apparently His Imperial Majesty has titled you the Hero of the North. They say it’s because of what you accomplished in the Barony of Harris. Do you know anything about that?”
...The Emperor called me what?
I felt a sudden surge of unease as I began reading the document Lexa had handed me.
The document detailed what I had done in Baron Harris’s territory and the imperial decree the Emperor had conveyed to the Grand Duke.
[ Thus, it would not be an exaggeration to name Louis Berg the new Hero of the North. Furthermore… ]
I set down the document and sighed.
...So he intends to use me.
Newly emerged heroes had always been excellent tools for pacifying public sentiment. Apparently, I was to be the current hero.
The problem was that in the future I knew, there had been no need to create a hero.
The future is changing more and more.
Suddenly, the stake inscribed with the mark of the Demonkin flashed through my mind—the stake that had been embedded in the Kobold Lord’s heart.
Come to think of it, things had seemed to start going slightly askew from around that time.
I lifted my gaze from the document and looked at Lexa. “Do you have any information about Lord-class entities?”
“...Of course not? We’re only gathering information related to the North right now.”
“Then look into it before I come next time. Things like Lord-class entities increasing in number, or the existence of beings creating Lord-class entities.”
Hearing my casual order, Lexa snorted with an expression of complete exasperation, muttering, “What the hell...”
But she couldn’t really say anything else to me. She signed and nodded, replying, “Tch, fine. What else can I do? But you should realize we have limits when it comes to getting that kind of information.”
“Mm. You’ve all got this. I have faith.”
“Son of a—! I swear to God…” Lexa raked a hand through her hair, muttering curses under her breath.
The more I looked at her, the more she reminded me of a female Lancelot.
I pictured Lancelot waiting outside and let out a quiet laugh.
I should introduce them sometime.
Of course, I’d have to extract Lexa from Artezia first.
Scrape.
Getting up from my seat, I said, “If you’ve got important information, send it by messenger bird. Doing it once or twice won’t raise any suspicion."
She waved me off with a sullen flick of her hand, uttering, “Just get out of here already.”
“Such overwhelming loyalty to your superior.”
“Superior, my ass.” Lexa clicked her tongue and gathered the files to hand them to me. “At least take these. Why aren’t you taking the information you asked for?”
“Hm? I read it earlier, so I don’t need it.”
“Ha, what are you, some kind of genius? Stop being so prideful and just take them.”
Lexa clicked her tongue and pushed the files toward me.
However...
“The Third Elder currently has hemorrhoids. I witnessed the healers confirming it, so it’s reliable information. The Eighth Elder’s child, Lima Popochia, is currently living as a sailor in the Trade Kingdom. Nothing confirmed, 21.754% probability of being true. Additionally—”
“W-wait!” Lexa jumped in surprise and cut me off.
I tilted my head curiously. “Is something wrong?”
“Really? You memorized all of that?” Lexa asked in disbelief. It almost felt as if she hoped I’d tell her it was a lie.
Unfortunately, all of this was true.
I shrugged, and she let out another hollow laugh, that same look of exasperation on her face.
“Huh... So this is what they mean when they say First-Class Scribes are monsters?”
“Well, most of us can only manage this much.”
“...Damn, I’m never going to make First-Class.”
Oh dear. Getting discouraged won’t get her anywhere.
I walked over to Lexa and patted her shoulder in consolation.
“If you don’t have the talent, I’ll find you another job. So don’t worry.”
“...Just get lost.”
“How cruel.” I chuckled quietly and turned my back on Lexa.
It was still too risky to ask about Artezia, and I already had enough on the Elder Council.
This time, I’d commissioned information about the Demonic Realm and Lord-class entities. There was nothing more to gain here.
In other words, I’d gathered all I could, so it was time to head back.
I thought of the squad waiting on the second floor as I grasped the door handle of the private room. Then, suddenly, a golden-haired woman came to mind.
Lea Praha. The woman who would become my wife.
I’d planned to use her for revenge, but for some reason, my heart raced whenever I thought of her.
I tried to suppress my emotions and shook my head.
The time wasn’t right. There was too much to be done before I could love someone.
Even so, I sighed while thinking of her.
...I wonder if she’s doing well.
* * *
“Is that really true?” Lea Praha’s eyes sparkled as she listened to the news her maid brought.
“Yes, it’s true! His Majesty declared it publicly!”
“Ha... thank goodness.” Lea sighed in relief and slumped back in her chair.
The news was about Louis Berg—the man who would become her husband.
She’d been using information guilds to track Louis’s whereabouts, but for some reason, his destination remained unknown. She’d only wasted money and lost sleep worrying.
Then the news came from the Barony of Harris. A Monster Wave had occurred there, and Louis Berg had stepped in to handle it.
She couldn’t believe it at first. How could she?
The man who promised to return with achievements worthy of the Elder Council’s recognition was supposedly in some remote village she’d never heard of.
Of course, she dismissed it as mere rumor. But the reports kept coming, and eventually, she had no choice but to accept it.
Louis Berg had indeed slain a Kobold Lord in Baron Harris’s territory.
I hope he wasn’t hurt.
Lea sighed, thinking of Louis.
It wasn’t the fact he’d slain two Lord-class entities or stopped a Monster Wave that mattered most. Sure, it was impressive, but what truly mattered was that he came back in one piece.
“Still, it’s a relief. At least he’s alive,” she remarked.
“That’s right! And for His Majesty to personally call him a hero… Hasn’t that title only been given to His Grace the Grand Duke until now?”
“Don’t exaggerate. It’s probably just to justify sending Father to the Demonic Realm.”
Lea’s maid immediately fell silent at the mention of the Grand Duke.
“Well, you see…”
Seeing the maid hesitate, Lea smiled faintly and shook her head, saying, “You don’t need to apologize. You did nothing wrong. Besides, Father isn’t someone who would die easily just because it’s the Demonic Realm.”
“…”
“Thank you for bringing me today’s news, Lin.”
“...It was nothing.”
“Now go rest. Here’s a reward for your trouble. Buy something nice for your little brother.”
Lea took a small pouch from her drawer and handed it to the maid.
The maid accepted it and bowed deeply, as if unsure she should take it.
Lea nodded with a faint smile. “You can take it.”
“...Thank you, my lady.”
With that, the maid left the room.
Alone, Lea gazed at the moon rising outside her window and sighed.
Soon, chaos would erupt within the family. The Elder Council would scramble to seize control, and her sisters would grow even colder trying to stop it.
Both sides would ignore the lives of the northern people.
...Am I chasing too many dreams?
Lea sighed deeply again and shook her head.
Then, a vase of flowers came into view, two blossoms swaying in the breeze. A yellow Linda flower and a modest wildflower. She reached out and gently stroked the petals.
Tonight, more than usual, she missed Louis Berg—that taciturn man.
* * *
“We’ve arrived,” Hans announced quietly, stopping the carriage.
Finally… I had finally reached Praha Manor!
Elder Council be damned. At least for today, I’d rest before making my next move.
Even revenge needed proper breaks, didn’t it?
If I’m going to push through again tomorrow, I need to rest today.
Just as I resolved to stay in my room, a man appeared at the manor entrance.
Ah... please. Don’t come.
Despite my silent plea, the man walked straight toward me and bowed deeply. “His Grace requests your presence, Sir Louis.”
I stared up at the sky, thinking what a damn nuisance this was.