The northern part of the city faces the main highway and is an active merchant area.
In this area crowded with travelers, inns of all sizes set up store.
Among them, a man whose name I had never heard before was staying in a luxurious and unique inn, and in a suite room of the inn.
The name on the guest list was a false name.
His real name is Baron Val Agos.
Baronetcy in the kingdom is given to individuals who are not wealthy enough to afford the luxury of an inn.
Queen Giselotte was right to be suspicious.
"You've taken a very inappropriate room..."
She said as soon as she entered the parlor. She took off her deep hood, revealing only a few crude collars.
"This is a small price to pay for the rudeness of summoning the queen.
A man who hangs his head deeply with a condescending tone. Baron Val Agos.
He has a fearless face, a trimmed beard, and the appearance of a clean-cut gentleman. He is lean and muscular, with a low, sweet voice. It is no wonder that he has been the subject of numerous offers of marriage since he was just shy of 30 years old.
But there are many mysteries about him.
Three years ago, he received a baronetcy for his role in the suppression of conflict in the southern region, but his previous history is puzzling.
His magic level is [34]/[38]. In the time of the demon king, he would have been a member of the defeat team.
Nevertheless, he suddenly joined the army about five years ago, almost unknown to the public, and rose to prominence rapidly. His pedigree seems to be traced back to a fallen nobleman, but he is not a very trustworthy person.
Gieselotte sits down on the sofa in her robe.
A lady-in-waiting quickly comes over and pours a glass of wine.
She is a strange woman, thinks Ghiselotte.
She has brown skin and shoulder-length white hair. Her eyes are as red as red jade. She does not look like one of the kingdom.
She is about seventeen or eighteen. Her body was poor, and she was beautiful, but she did not look like a person with whom one would enjoy a night out.
The maid of honor moved away and went to a corner of the room and stood upright like a doll.
"And now? What is your business in summoning me, the queen?"
Without touching his glass, he thrust a sharp gaze at Agos.
"I don't mean to be pedantic, but which shall come first, the good news or the bad?"
"I can guess what the bad news will be. Because Lias is still alive (・・・・・・・)."
It was none other than Gieselotte who proposed the murder of Lias.
She had initially intended to make Lias the next king, and to essentially take over the kingdom behind his back. However, after she joined forces with the Lucifira cult, she became a hindrance.
Giselotte was planning to become queen herself.
"This is harsh. It was my fault for leaving it to the students. I don't intend to make excuses. It's just that ...... you're part of the good news."
Agos tells Gieselotte, who looks at him doubtfully, without expression.
"The assassination of the prince was originally intended to throw the palace into chaos and weaken the royalists by blaming them for the crime. As a result, it is only to set up a basis for the queen's faction and our aristocratic faction (・・・・・) to unite."
But," Agos continues, "the people are not the only ones who are interested in the project.
"It is only a means to an end, not our original goal. We will not let this level of discrepancy derail our plans."
You're very confident. So what's the good news?
Yes. Everything is ready for the revolution.
A creepy, creepy feeling. Giselotte shudders with a sensation of pleasure coursing through her core.
"The foolish king has been put to death, and the next king will be chosen (・・・・・) after consultation with the queen. Of course, Prince Lias, Princess Marianne, and any other aristocratic figures who might object will be forced to leave in the chaos of the revolution.
"Hmm, hmmm... ....... The Queen's faction won by a landslide if we only look at the results. I bet the aristocrats didn't expect to be betrayed by their own people.
"A novice like me is at best a lackey. Even if the nobles' faction had led the king to assassinate him, they would have gained only a small amount of territory and would not have been able to rise in the ranks. They are more concerned with their family backgrounds than with their achievements. They have no loyalty to the aristocrats. ......"
Agos smiles a self-deprecating smile and shakes his head from side to side.
"I know. In return, I can guarantee you a position in the Order. Yes, you are only a candidate now, but I will make you my close associate.
Gieselotte financially supports and has a voice in the new religious group .
Agos was also a member of the cult.
The revolution is a collaboration between the queen's faction and the aristocracy's faction. But at the center of it all is the Order of Lucifira.
"It is with great pleasure that I offer you my compliments. I offer my allegiance to the Order and to the queen.
Satisfied with Agos' reverent hanging of his head with his hand on his chest, Gieselotte finally reached for her glass.
"So, what's the bad news?"
"Yes, but it's not just bad. ...... We have completed the analysis of the collar and the magic that was done to you."
Gulping down her wine, Gieselotte pierced her gaze.
"You won't tell me it didn't work, will you?
"The analysis itself was a success. The results were surprising.
"Don't be so puffed up!"
After bowing to Gieselotte, who let out an exasperated sigh, Agos stood by the window.
"I'm not trying to mislead you, but the magic that was done to you is--warding magic.
"What, what, ......?"
Yes, it is natural for you to be suspicious. However, warding magic is not the kind of magic we know that has only auxiliary effects, but a very high level of perfected magic that is related to ancient magic.
Agos put his hand on the window.
"The main function is to connect spaces. For example, let's say this window and that door over there are connected by the same function. Whoever opens the door and goes in, however, will go out (・・・・) the window, not into the room."
Gieselotte nearly dropped her glass and placed it on the low table, trembling.
"Isn't that transfer magic, ......?"
"I won't go into details, but they are very different. Unlike transfer magic, which consumes an enormous amount of magic power to activate at the moment of transfer, your magic is always connected (・・・・・・・・・)."
Gieselotte's confusion is compounded.
Not only is she skilled in practical magic techniques, but she is also at the level of a leading researcher in magical theory. But she was limited to the field of modern magic needed in actual practice.
"But wait. So you're saying that the man is still consuming magic power at the level of transfer magic?
"No. Ancient magic does not require magic power to maintain its magical effects. Or a very small amount of magic is sufficient. In any case, the magic that deviates from the norm can only be explained by ancient magic.
"That man is a user of ancient magic ......"
"Probably."
Is there such a person in this day and age? I couldn't believe it. No, it was more than that.
"I've been ......
You don't find users of ancient magic by looking for them. No one but the Black Warrior.
Well, this is certainly a bad report.
Hopelessness is on my shoulders. A sense of emptiness fills my heart. But...
"It's not yet time to be pessimistic, my queen."
Before I knew it, Agos was approaching. He folded his knees and came close to my face.
"We are not without hope."
"To the wielder of ancient magic?
Agos nods.
"But I cannot guarantee that it is certain. It is extremely dangerous, but there is another--"
"Mmm, mmm!"
In mid-sentence, a maid standing in the corner of the room clears her throat. I beg your pardon," she says expressionlessly, clutching her throat.
"I'm sorry. I did not mean to arouse your anxiety.
I grew suspicious of the strange exchange, but I had more important things to do than anything else right now.
"Okay. Who is it?"
"One is a professor specializing in ancient magic at the Grunfeld Institute for Advanced Studies in Magic. She's been called the greatest genius in the field of magical research since the beginning of the academy. Her name is Tiaalietta Leseyernel.
Gieselotte has heard that name before. However, being a researcher in a field in which she has little interest, all she knew was the name.
"So, are there others?"
Agos tells him quietly.
--Weiss Ohl. He is a genius researcher of unknown origin.