LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 83 — In which they have a nightmare (8)
Chapter 83 — In which they have a nightmare (8)
Saffra suddenly opened her eyes.
She got up and took out a small crystal from the pouch that she put beside her pillow.
The crystal, engraved with complicated symbols, was glowing softly, and she could feel a faint flow of mana.
Her bug, which she left in Monachra’s residence, activated.
It meant that there was something to listen to.
She manipulated her mana and started listening.
*-*-*
“Miss Monachra.”
The woman called Monachra snapped into focus.
She quickly completed the tea preparations and poured a cup for the guest.
“My apologies, I got distracted.”
“We hope that doesn’t happen when Miss Monachra works… It would be regretful.”
The guest only glanced at the tea cup and didn’t touch it.
Instead, they clasped their hands.
“Is there progress on the work here?”
She bit her lip.
“I almost had a few deals, but the contractors flipped out at the last minute.”
“… A sabotage?”
“I’m not sure. I don't specialize in the real estate trade. I just got a feeling that the foundation isn’t very welcomed here… I need to hide the fact I’m working for it just to get people to talk to me.”
“… We’ll verify.”
‘In other words, ‘we’ll see if you’re just lazying around and lying’?’
The woman, who had an experience working for terrible employers, noticed a hidden threat, but remained unfazed.
“Is there a deal you’re working on right now?”
“There is, but it’s in the very early stages… At first that couple was very willing, but the next day they said they would have to think about it more, and it has been stuck since then.”
“Abandon it then.”
She raised her eyebrows with a questioning look.
The guest was silent for a second, and then explained:
“The delivery of ‘goods’ from Purplus will be delayed. One of the transition points was destroyed.”
“… Is that so? By who?”
“… Unknown. But the higher ups suspect the attacks won’t stop there. To assure the success of following operations, some workers will be transferred to the front lines.”
“That means?”
“You will be sent to Topal within next week. Your… ‘special skills’ will be put to use.”
“The capital, huh? Am I going to be sent to Rubrun next?”
“… If you do your work properly and the mission in two weeks won’t turn into a flop… Perhaps you’ll be able to go on vacation. Like Miss Monachra always wanted.”
“How am I supposed to ensure that a mission in Rubrun isn’t a flop when I’m not even there?”
“By doing your work properly, of course.”
She took a sip of her tea to hide her crumpled expression.
“Of course.”
She nodded and was about to add something, but…
“Then-”
“Miss Monachra.”
Her guest suddenly looked around.
“You said there is no one here, correct?”
“… Yes.”
“… Then why do we have a strange feeling that we’re being listened to…”
The guest looked around and then frowned.
“Were we mistaken?”
*-*-*
Saffra looked down at the crushed crystal in her hand.
“That was close… To think someone proficient in the tree spirits’ techniques would show up here… And Miss ‘Monachra’ isn’t an ordinary person too, huh?”
Saffra smirked and then quietly went through what she heard.
‘Rubrun… in two weeks…’
She could guess what it was about.
‘Orche was also behaving weirdly about Lesser Lord Mage’s coming of age ceremony… Is he also connected to it?’
She crossed her arms and tapped with her fingers.
‘… No, it can’t be this simple… if he was working with them, he wouldn’t behave like this, right?’
Putting aside Orche’s strange behavior, there was another point that she couldn’t figure out.
What was exactly their target? And what that ‘special skill’ they needed?
‘Is it because Mimosa recently announced that she would be participating in the ceremony?… No, it can’t be just that. They also mentioned the ‘supply problem’.’
If Mimosa was going to participate, it would be difficult for Orche and his forces to move…
So assuming Orche worked with them, they would use another opening, but the ‘supply problem’ wrecked their plans, so they needed to play a different card?
After pondering for a while, Saffra looked at the lemonade Tangeri left beside her bed if she got thirsty at night.
The ice already melted, but the lemon slices were shining in the moonlight.
‘Seems like I’ll have to use a wild card here too…’
Then she suddenly raised her head and stared into the distance.
“Why is this little friend suddenly like this…?”
*-*-*
In Rubrun.
Crimo also raised his head and frowned, halting the work on the preparations for the ceremony.
“Sorry… I have to go somewhere for a moment.”
“Okay. I understand, don’t worry.”
Because Vern’s nose was buried in the architectural plans of the hall used for the ceremony, Crimo wasn’t able to see the strange expression on his little brother’s face.
After he hurriedly left, Vern fell into deep thoughts.
*-*-*
In Flavun, in the General’s Manor.
The current ruler of Flavun, Sulfious tried to get up from the bed, after weeks of laying down.
He stumbled as he frantically reached out for something to grab onto.
Someone caught him before he could fall.
“Father.”
“Orche.”
He couldn’t make out the expression on his oldest child’s face in that darkness, but it didn’t seem to be very good.
“Are you going ‘there’?”
There was only one place which Sulfious would insist on visiting in his state.
The old man nodded, as Orche led him to the mechanical contraption, a moving chair.
“Why?”
In the darkness, this quiet question echoed with a strange note.
Sulfious sighed deeply and then said:
“Son… When one day you face the throne… You will understand that this country…”
He looked at the gardens spreading outside of his window.
They looked so beautiful in the moonlight.
“Was never created to gather and bring people to live.”
But that beauty was a fleeting illusion.
“It was created for people to die.”
*-*-*
In Purplus.
“Your Excellency!”
As he expected.
When he left the Hall of Silence, the priests on duty were already waiting for him.
Amara glanced at their frightened faces and then simply said:
“Lead me to the throne.”
He could feel them calling him.
*~*~*