Chapter 86
Fun.
Simon thought about many things in a short span of time.
Is toying with people really that fun? Or is it just to shake me?
"Why did you call me all the way out here, Serne Eindark?"
At those words, the girl sitting atop the tree gently descended. Her movement, even as she fell, was slow—as if she was less affected by gravity.
Platinum-blonde hair, perfectly arranged features, and an aura that overwhelmed people just like Loraine’s. The bearing of a lord.
She hadn’t changed. Just like when they met at the teleportation magic circle, she was still a person who felt burdensome to even deal with.
"Because I wanted to talk with you."
A gentle, soft voice. Simon thought he had never heard such a beautiful tone in his entire life.
But while his ears were delighted, his brain was flashing warnings like crazy. Goosebumps prickled his skin.
"Get to the point."
Simon said with a sharp voice.
"This is our third meeting now~ They say if you meet three times, it's fate."
"......."
"You don’t look like you agree? Well, that’s fine."
The mood was different from the first time they met.
Back then, she seemed like a well-mannered, elegant daughter of a rich family. Now, she felt like a sly little devil. Simon thought this version was closer to her true self.
With her hands behind her back, she spun around lightly.
"Simon Follentia, or should I call you this?"
A chilling smile crept onto her lips.
"Seventh Legion Commander."
"......!!"
Thump. Thump. Thump.
His heart began pounding wildly.
"Is Feer doing well? Looks like Erzebet didn’t come with you. Or maybe she's disguised as someone else on this island?"
"......."
Simon’s critical secrets, ones that absolutely must not be revealed, were now being laid bare from her lips.
"You…!"
"Ah—don’t worry. We’re in a barrier I created, so there's no chance of observers spying or eavesdropping."
"How do you know all this?"
With someone who already knows too much, denial wouldn’t work.
She gave a soft smile with her eyes, as if telling him not to rush.
"I’ll tell you since you're quick to acknowledge it. Do you remember where we met the second time?"
"Before the mission, on the teleportation magic circle."
"That time, the only first-years heading to the Kingdom of Carlos were you and me."
She clapped her palms together lightly.
"Didn’t you think something was odd?"
Simon bit his lip.
"You’ve been monitoring me since then."
"Yes, actually, even earlier."
She closed her eyes and tapped the air with her finger.
"A first-degree secret of Keyzen. The Ivory Tower was keeping a close watch on the ruins sealed by Neftis. I installed an alarm spell that would trigger when the ruins opened, and days later, it went off. When I rushed there, guess what I saw?"
She smiled.
"You had become a legion commander."
"......."
So it started back then.
Simon’s mind was racing.
"Then, how did you find out about Erzebet?"
"Isn’t that obvious too? When we teleported together, I also dropped by the Arnish Fiefdom to observe you. I read the memories of the fief lord, the captain of the guards, soldiers, members of the thieves’ guild, even the dancers. And then…"
She curled her lips.
"Even Ellen Zile, whom you released. You know that’s quite a serious crime, right? Letting a priest live on purpose."
The pressure crept in slowly, like something strangling his neck. Simon forced a smile.
"......At the time, Ellen was a private individual with no affiliation. And we're currently in a ceasefire. Rather than causing trouble by killing a decent resident of the Holy Federation, I made a magnanimous decision to release her based on the prisoner treaty. I don’t think it’s such a serious crime."
"Hmm~ You're very eloquent. Well, I suppose there's no need to bring up such petty matters with someone like you."
She smiled.
"After all, you’re a criminal who committed first-degree treason."
"......."
"The moment you made a pact with Feer's legion, who rebelled against the Dark Alliance, you also took on the sin of treason. It’s a serious matter that could stop the exams immediately and send Keyzen’s Crows—spread all over the continent—flying to this island at once."
Simon slowly rubbed his forehead.
"......Unbelievable."
"Do you have more excuses?"
"If you knew all this, you could’ve reported it to Keyzen and had me brought to trial. Why bother telling the person involved directly?"
"Now the mood is right to bring up the main point."
She smiled brightly with her eyes.
"Join the Ivory Tower, Simon."
"......."
Recruitment into the Ivory Tower, all of a sudden?
Simon felt the situation was taking a strange turn.
Just a little more.
Let’s draw her out just a bit more.
"If you want to recruit me, then wait until after I graduate and formally enter the recruitment war. With the Ivory Tower’s wealth and influence, I doubt you’d lose in any recruitment match."
"I don’t want someone who comes out of Keyzen."
"......What do you mean by that?"
She gave a soft smile.
"Aren’t you curious? Keyzen is just a school, and yet… why does a mere school organization rule over half the continent?"
"......."
Of course, he had wondered about that before.
"Let’s take the nearby Dresden Kingdom as an example."
She raised her fingers.
"Four out of the five Generals of Dresden are from Keyzen. Seventeen of the twenty Royal Knights are from Keyzen. The Minister of General Affairs, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Defense. Even…"
She folded her fingers one by one and clasped her hands behind her back.
"Even the second-in-command, the Prime Minister, is a Keyzen graduate."
"......."
"Now do you understand? The powers of the Alliance are all bound together by senior-junior ties. They take pride in being Keyzen alumni more than anything else, forming a kind of cartel. They are more loyal to Keyzen than to the nations or institutions that pay their salaries and grant them power."
This was not only true of Dresden, but of most countries in the Dark Alliance.
Except for royal insiders placed to check the ‘Keyzen Cartel’, nearly all important posts were taken by Keyzen alumni or their affiliates.
Keyzen held all the talent in its hand.
But it wasn’t as if they could just appoint anyone, they had truly overwhelming skill and capabilities. From a national perspective, holding on to Keyzen-trained personnel was essential to gain more clout in the Dark Alliance.
"Alright. So the reason you're bringing this up…"
Simon looked up at her.
"You need someone who can completely devote themselves to the Ivory Tower, free from Keyzen’s influence."
"As expected of someone smart. I like how fast the conversation goes."
A member of the Ivory Tower, not a Keyzen graduate, but a pure member of the Tower was what she wanted.
Simon could understand.
"You don’t think I have a choice?"
Serne smiled softly with her eyes.
"Will you be executed for treason, or will you join the Ivory Tower?"
"......."
"Still, this is the best workplace, you know? Your classmate Maelyn is here too, and whether it's money or power, you can have as much as you want…"
"Let me ask just one thing."
Simon spoke in a serious voice.
"Do you need my power alone, or do you need the power of the Legion?"
She smiled with a light chuckle.
"Let’s say both, for politeness’ sake."
"......What I’m concerned about is..."
Simon bit his lip.
"I still can’t trust you. How can I be sure that I won’t lose the Legion if I go to the Ivory Tower?"
She blinked.
"You really underestimate yourself. I think if you just show your ability, there's no reason to worry about that."
"......."
"Well, fine. If you join the Ivory Tower, as the successor, I promise to help you maintain your Legion. So, please give me your answer now, Simon Follentia."
Huuuuuu.
Simon let out a long breath.
He was being pulled into her pace too much.
He needed to regain control.
As he took a deep breath and activated Darkness, his trembling slowly stopped, and all distracting thoughts flew away.
Finally, with a cold and clear head, Simon stared at her with a chilling gaze.
‘The mood has changed.’
She sensed the change in Simon too. But just calming down didn’t solve the situation.
"Serne. You…"
Simon’s lips twisted.
"You’re not good at politics, are you?"
She furrowed her brow.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Openly laying all your cards on the table and threatening people like that. That’s not a good habit."
Serne was born a strong one.
She never needed to think complicatedly.
When it came to her demands, it was simply Yes or No.
Life or death.
No one could be free from her black-and-white choices. Hiding your cards was something the weak did.
That’s why—
"You can never report to Keyzen that I’m a Legion Commander."
This time, she had made a mistake.
"My, why do you think that?"
"Because you want to get out of Keyzen no matter what it takes."
"......."
For the first time, she didn’t reply.
"In fact, I’ve heard stories. That within the Ivory Tower, there’s a split between pro-Keyzen and anti-Keyzen factions."
"My, commenting on the internal affairs of the Tower? You have quite the information network. Maelyn’s not foolish enough to leak internal matters…"
Though in truth, it was just idle chatter Dick had made over a meal.
"You and the current master of the Ivory Tower are representative Anti-Keyzen. You are trying to gather Legion Commanders and build power..."
Simon placed a hand on his waist.
"Is because you want independence from Keyzen, right?"
"......."
"But let’s say you report to Keyzen that I’m a Legion Commander and have me executed? Then who gets the Legion I possess?"
Simon curled his lips upward.
"A stronger necromancer who absolutely pledges loyalty to Keyzen becomes the new Legion Commander. If that happens, your independence becomes even more distant. And you can’t just kidnap me and transplant the Legion into one of the Ivory Tower’s necromancers either."
Simon crossed his arms and continued.
"That would be a true declaration of war against Keyzen."
Kidnapping the special admission student number one—and then it turns out he was actually a Legion Commander—and killing him to steal the Legion?
If something like that happened, Neftis wouldn’t leave a single speck of dust remaining in the Ivory Tower.
Historically, she had been merciless when it came to such matters.
"You only know half the picture."
Serne smiled softly.
"In that case, what about this option? I eliminate you and bury you, so no one gets the Legion."
"Aha."
Simon grinned.
"Sorry, but that option is invalid."
Simon pulled an imaginary lever and tore open subspace.
[Kahahahahahahaha!]
Serne flinched and took a step back.
A tall skeleton cloaked in Darkness. The Ancient Undead, Feer, emerged from the subspace.
Following behind him were skeletons with dark blue flames in their eye sockets, and Erzebet’s Corpse Spiders, pouring out like demons from another dimension.
‘Why is Feer here?’
Serne bit her lip.
‘Keyzen definitely should’ve run a subspace inspection…’
"You just said observers can’t see inside your barrier, right?"
Simon grinned.
"That was also a mistake."
Snap!
Clack!
Chiiiiiiiiii!
The Legion surrounding Serne roared ferociously, burning with fighting spirit.
Superb.