The Unfilial Heir Who Tries to Kill Me Tempts Me - Chapter 70

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 70.

Why are you asking me that?
Don’t say such things.
It frightens me.
“I found it suspicious from the start. The Young Lady of the Schmitt Earldom arrives in Saldbich with merely five escorts, and not only does she orchestrate the escape of dozens of slaves, but she arrests everyone involved and reduces the auction house to rubble. It seemed rather extraordinary.”
“That’s possible enough.”
In the original story, Leoni did arrest people and cast the Black Magic Crystals into the sea.
Though admittedly, she didn’t demolish any buildings or arrest every merchant.
In any case.
“Quite right. It could have happened that way. But according to eyewitness accounts, Leoni Schmitt was in the commercial district when the slaves made their escape.”
Just how far does this bastard’s network reach?
I’d known the Magic Tower had planted operatives across the continent, but not to this extent.
Surely they hadn’t embedded anyone in Lusiphenia as well.
As I stared at Elion with a measure of reasonable suspicion, he spoke.
“So I wondered—what was the truth? But then I realized there was another Young Lady of the Schmitt Earldom in Saldbich that day.”
“So you’re saying I’m the culprit?”
“Aren’t you?”
To Elion’s question, I lifted my chin with aristocratic poise and answered without shame.
“No, I’m not.”
“Ah, I see. That’s the concept, then.”
When someone speaks, at least pretend to believe them.
“Well, setting that aside. There’s a problem with the method Charlotte suggested.”
“What is it?”
“Whether you report to the Papal Church, inform someone trustworthy, or have the Magic Tower move—all of it requires solid evidence.”
“That’s why I asked you to collect evidence, isn’t it?”
“There’s a Magic Control Device installed at the entrance to the underground detention cells.”
“…A control device?”
“Given the circumstances, they have no choice but to guard against intruders. For what it’s worth, it blocks both White Magic and Black Magic. I really can’t tell whether the Temple is being thorough or just sloppy.”
For once, I found myself agreeing with Elion.
They really don’t want this discovered. If that’s the case, they should have kept their people’s mouths shut from the beginning.
If word of the mutants got out, the Alaha Temple would face punishment by any measure. In the worst scenario, the entire diocese could be branded as heresy and excommunicated.
“That’s why I need Charlotte’s help.”
“I regret to disappoint you, but if both White Magic and Black Magic are blocked, there’s little I can do.”
Elion let out a thin laugh.
“I don’t think so.”
Of course you don’t.
“You have another power, after all.”
“…Pardon?”
“Did you really think I wouldn’t know?”
What is this bastard.
How far does his knowledge extend?
“Truly, Charlotte, you’re too much. When will you finally acknowledge the profound interest I take in you?”
After dropping that bombshell, Elion had the audacity to feign wiping away tears dramatically.
I was speechless.
No, we only met that one day in the Research Laboratory. How could he possibly know?
As I puzzled over this seriously, something flashed through my mind like lightning.
The mutant antidote formula.
I’d tucked only the completed calculation into a drawer, leaving the other papers scattered across my desk.
This insane bastard.
Could he have seen it then?
The notes were written so hastily that unless you looked carefully, you couldn’t make out what they said.
My jaw dropped.
“Wow, I knew you were secretive, but you’re far more devious than I imagined.”
“Oh, you mustn’t flatter me so…”
That’s not a compliment, you madman.
I stared at Elion, who was blushing, with utter disgust. Kaius added his own jab, muttering that I should have let him cut the bastard down when he’d tried to earlier. Frankly, I didn’t want to defend Elion this time either, so I simply nodded in agreement.
“Of course, if Charlotte would rather not help, I won’t force you. If you wish to return to Lusiphenia, I’ll escort you safely through the checkpoint.”
“What about those people?”
“The priests of Alaha Temple will banish them to the Border Region soon enough. There’s no other way.”
Right. And Crow Beak will collect them afterward.
I sank into deep contemplation.
To be honest, I didn’t need to involve myself in this at all.
Clearing out Crow Beak was meant to be Leoni’s task, and even if she learned of this late, Elion was already watching this place, so it would be resolved one way or another without me.
In that process, the people trapped in the temple basement would be captured by Crow Beak or killed, but there was nothing I could do about that.
In the original story, they were nothing but extras without even names—mere tools to convey the gravity of the dangers lurking in this world.
But….
“I really hate this.”
Pretending not to know when I knew the solution felt too cowardly.
Besides, after actually meeting Crow Beak, I’d lost any willingness to let them have an easy time of it, even if it killed me.
I exhaled a sigh and pushed the empty stew bowl forward.
“…Actually, I’ll have another bowl of this.”
Even a ghost who’d eaten well looked radiant in death.

***

We left the inn and returned to the temple that evening, after the sun had fully set.
Kaius had looked displeased at the sudden change of plans, but the moment Elion mentioned that a Black Mage might be involved in this affair, he switched his attitude entirely and took the lead.
This man really does lose his mind the moment anything concerns a Black Mage.
Still, I decided it would be better to tell him about Crow Beak after everything was done, once we returned to the territory.
Elion, who knew the temple’s layout, guided us inside, while Kaius and I would enter the basement.
Truth be told, Elion had made some halfhearted protests about wanting just the two of us to go, but I’d declined. We needed a Mage waiting outside in case something went wrong.
“I’ll be standing by, so if there’s any trouble, get out quickly. I’m fine even if you come alone.”
I wasn’t sure why he said that last part while looking at Kaius.
Leaving Elion’s repeated warnings behind, we descended into the basement. The temple above was all gleaming white marble, but the deeper we went, the more that gave way to damp stones and moisture. At some point, the sacred atmosphere yielded to something dank and unsettling.
“Do provincial dioceses really have places like this? I’d believe it if you called it a dungeon.”
“Still, a person of your stature shouldn’t speak as though you’ve never set foot in a temple before.”
“That’s because I haven’t.”
“People will think terrible things if they hear you say that.”
“I don’t believe in God, so there’s nothing to be done about it.”
He always knew exactly how to leave me speechless.
Asking Kaius to believe in God after he’d lost his entire family and faith in a single day would have been far too cruel.
So I said nothing and pressed ahead.
As we crossed through the darkened corridor, a suspiciously sealed door came into view. It bore locks layered two and three times over, and at the end of each lock, just as Elion had warned, was a Magic Control Device that blocked both White Magic and Black Magic.
“They must have been terrified of getting robbed.”
“Can you open it?”
“What do you take me for?”
I channeled Black Magic Power and deployed Space Distortion Magic. Thanks to that, we passed through the sealed door and slipped inside with remarkable ease.
Kaius observed the Black Magic Power dissolving like dust behind me, then spoke.
“…That will need explanation as well.”
I knew he’d say that.
Fine, there’s no point hiding anything now. Just please don’t kill me.
I answered with a mechanical smile, then looked down the steep, narrow staircase.
The temple’s detention cells lay somewhere below.

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