An Ode to Divorce - Chapter 83

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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#83

 

If it hadn’t been for Brother Gert’s sake, she would have stormed out the moment she heard she needed to apologize to Eurich.

 

In any case, Lairinne followed Orphea’s instructions exactly. From every word to how she directed her gaze.

 

Thanks to that, there had been no problems so far, but the most important thing was getting Eurich to accept this dagger. Seeing Eurich hesitate to say he would accept the dagger made Lairinne’s heart pound.

 

‘What if Eurich becomes suspicious…?’

 

Just as Lairinne was feeling anxious, Eurich opened his mouth.

 

“If you insist, I shall gratefully accept it. There are times when such a fine dagger comes in handy.”

 

‘…It worked!’

 

Eurich had agreed. Lairinne smiled brightly while suppressing her urge to shout with joy.

 

“I’m very pleased that you’ve accepted it, Brother. Then, may Hecate’s fortune accompany you on your path with this dagger.”

 

“May Hecate’s protection always be with you as well, Princess.”

 

Eurich and Lairinne exchanged farewells and parted ways. As Lairinne walked back while suppressing her expression and pretending to be calm, her pounding heartbeat echoed in her ears like drum beats. She worried that Eurich might hear her heartbeat.

 

‘…Just as Orphea said.’

 

“Whatever Eurich is thinking, he won’t be able to refuse what the Princess offers him in person and will accept it.”

 

Orphea had almost perfectly predicted Eurich’s reaction. When asked how she could be so certain, she had answered, ‘That despicable bastard’s responses are all predictable,’ but honestly, it was hard to understand.

 

At the time, Orphea had laughed confidently while fiddling with the dagger that was now in Eurich’s hands.

 

“Once Eurich personally accepts this dagger, it’s over.”

 

“What’s so special about this dagger? Did you put some kind of tracking magic on it?”

 

“For a magical weapon of that level, it would need to be a divine artifact, and there’s no way we could obtain something like that so quickly.”

 

“But you’re close with that princess from Okrolandi. As a priestess of Hecate, couldn’t she use such magic?”

 

“Creating such a sustained magical artifact wouldn’t be easy even for Tamar. But well… it’s true that I received Tamar’s help for that dagger.”

 

“Then it’s a divine artifact from Okrolandi…!”

 

“No, I told you it’s not a divine artifact.”

 

In any case, by now she had more than repaid her debt to Orphea—she had completely paid off even the interest.

 

Moreover, excluding the time when she had misunderstood Orphea and tried to drive her away, this was the first time Lairinne had personally stepped forward to do something for Brother Gert.

 

An inexplicable sense of pride filled her chest. Lairinne hummed a tune.

 

“You who have found your young, now that you have found peace, follow the path illuminated by moonlight…”

 

***

 

Eurich, who had secretly slipped out through the back gate of the Royal Palace, passed through complicated alleys. As Eurich walked through the maze-like slums with their winding paths, children from the slums clung to him.

 

“Sir, please give me just one coin.”

 

“Sir, I haven’t eaten for a week. Please show mercy.”

 

Eurich passed by without even glancing at the children. Faced with Eurich’s cold attitude as chilly wind blew around him, the children hesitated, unable to approach any closer.

 

Then.

 

“Huh? What’s this?”

 

“That guy must have dropped it? What’s inside?”

 

“A dagger?”

 

“Aw, what? It’s not money?”

 

“Still, the blade doesn’t have a single nick. If we offer even this, we’ll get beaten less by the boss today, hehe.”

 

“…Let’s take it and run!”

 

The children who had been whispering with their heads together glanced at Eurich, then quickly hid the dagger and ran off in the opposite direction from Eurich.

 

Eurich, who had been walking for a while, stopped in his tracks around the time the children disappeared. Then he glanced back briefly before continuing on his way.

 

‘Who would keep such a suspicious dagger for long?’

 

Eurich didn’t quite believe that someone who had been red-faced with anger and veins bulging in their neck just days ago would suddenly change their mind and treat him well.

 

After all, wasn’t the Princess also the daughter of that paranoid King and a woman who climbed into another woman’s husband’s bed for her ambitions?

 

Since there was no telling what tricks might have been played on the dagger, he couldn’t risk being greedy for the dagger and taking on unnecessary danger.

 

Thus, Eurich headed to his hideout with the same weight and same appearance as when he had first entered the Royal Palace.

 

But there was one difference from that time.

 

Multiple pairs of eyes watching Eurich from a distance.

 

Rats and birds were observing Eurich.

 

***

 

Squeak squeak.

 

Several rats emerged through the bushes. Since Berta would be horrified if I met with rats or birds in the room, I had no choice but to use this corner of the garden.

 

I lifted one of them onto my hand. The rat twitched its whiskers and squeaked.

 

Before my regression, during the month I was trapped in the Tower, as I pondered various ways to escape this situation, I became able to request tasks from animals by infusing my will into my performance.

 

Asking them to deliver letters, or to bring me something.

 

But that was as far as it went.

 

Ordinary people cannot understand what rats are saying. Even with my sensitive hearing, it was the same for me.

 

As a result, it was impossible to receive direct reports about what the animals had seen or to obtain information from them.

 

But I have a friend who is a god-blessed mage capable of making universal potions—Tamar!

 

As soon as Tamar heard my story, didn’t she quickly whip up a potion that would let me understand animal speech?

 

Of course, this also wasn’t without limitations.

 

‘It’s difficult to understand the words of animals that think too complexly.’

 

If that weren’t the case, I could have secured testimony from the Golden-Horned Doe’s fawn.

 

Still, I thought this was pretty good.

 

‘I can even monitor Gert’s movements, so following Eurich’s trail isn’t that difficult.’

 

So after the Golden-Horned Doe incident, as soon as I heard from Lairinne that Eurich was the culprit, I had confidently stepped forward.

 

But what was this?

 

‘…Why are there no traces?’

 

Whatever method Eurich had used, despite deploying all the rats in the Capital City, Eurich’s figure couldn’t be seen anywhere.

 

Being able to avoid the eyes of rats and birds was impossible.

 

Eurich must have used some kind of magical method. When I conveyed this speculation to Tamar, she proposed a plausible hypothesis.

 

“Didn’t he use Artume’s concealment potion?”

 

The followers of Artume, who worship the god of hunting, possess potions to hide their presence from beasts and avoid their gaze. If he had used Artume’s concealment potion, it was natural that he wouldn’t be caught by the rats and birds’ sight.

 

“How did he obtain Artume’s concealment potion? It’s not given to just anyone.”

 

“It’s not really that difficult to obtain either. You can get it by making some donations to the Artume Temple.”

 

While she said the potion wasn’t difficult to obtain, it also wasn’t a common item that would be used without good reason.

 

How did Eurich know about my ability and use the concealment potion?

 

“Eurich shouldn’t know that I use birds and rats for surveillance…”

 

“Even when you were in the expedition, you did borrow the power of nearby animals. Like asking squirrels to tell you about hidden places nearby…”

 

“What? That’s a completely different ability though?”

 

I jumped in surprise at Tamar’s speculation.

 

“Back then, I had to keep playing music the entire time I was making requests to the squirrels. Influencing animals while performing is completely different from having animals carry out my requests long after the performance ends!”

 

The degree of will that a musician needed to infuse into their performance was completely different. This was such an amazing ability. To receive an evaluation that it was similar to my expedition days—somehow I felt wronged…

 

But Tamar’s speculation made sense and was definitely worth verifying.

 

“Alright. Let’s say Eurich is using concealment potions. Do you have a solution?”

 

“Of course.”

 

Tamar snorted. And not long after, she handed me a potion that neutralized concealment potions.

 

“If Eurich just touches this potion slightly, the concealment potion’s effect will be erased.”

 

Indeed, Tamar was truly a genius mage and my savior…

 

“But how do I get Eurich to touch this potion when I don’t even know where he is?”

 

“That’s something you’ll have to figure out now.”

 

“Ah.”

 

While I was pondering this, Lairinne showed a more cooperative attitude than expected. Thinking this was an opportunity, I immediately asked Lairinne for help, and Lairinne perfectly fulfilled my request by giving Eurich the dagger I had prepared.

 

‘I already expected that Eurich would abandon the dagger.’

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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