Life's Final Destination

I erased my presence and slipped into Zack’s room.

"—?! It’s you... I didn't feel you at all..."

Zack’s eyes went wide with shock the moment he noticed me.

Heh heh heh. What a classic reaction. I really love how Zack-kun delivers exactly what’s expected. He’s the perfect trope.

"Here, this is your share."

He handed me a plate piled high with a respectable amount of food.

"Thanks. I'll use the table."

"Do whatever you want."

And with that, it was time for the main event: the tasting.

The menu featured bread, cream stew, steak, and a side of vegetables. It was simple, but the portions were massive.

The bread was airy and white on the inside with a lovely aroma. The cream stew was packed with colorful vegetables and chunks of chicken—honestly, it was delicious. Then there was the steak. It was huge, probably close to 500 grams. It was a lean cut, but the meat was tender and juicy. Exactly the kind of texture I like.

It wasn't exactly world-class cuisine, but everything was genuinely tasty and satisfying. Having so much of it was the best part.

"I didn't think I'd be getting this level of food in a detention center."

"Well, even if it’s gone to the dogs, this is still the Land of the Arts. The baseline for food is pretty high."

"I see."

I found myself thinking that once I’m finished with my life’s work, retiring to this country might not be a bad idea.

See, I have one major goal in life: to become The Eminence in Shadow.

But what will I seek once I’ve achieved that goal and finally satisfied my soul? There was a moment during my endless days of training when that thought suddenly crossed my mind.

I considered various paths—becoming a public powerhouse, becoming a Demon Lord who destroys the world, or maybe taking on the role of the master who guides the Hero. I thought about a lot of things, but the answer I eventually reached was a simple one.

Eating my fill of delicious food every day and sleeping soundly without worrying about the time. That alone is enough to make me happy.

Having spent my life sacrificing peace and quiet for my goals, I found myself longing for that very tranquility. I see, that makes perfect sense, I remember thinking, feeling strangely convinced.

"Aren't you worried it might be poisoned?"

"Who do you think I am? I can tell just by the scent."

That was a lie.

In reality, I can just use my magic power to decompose any toxins, so it’s a non-issue.

"Handy nose. I wish I had one. Back when I was a bandit, my own subordinates tried to poison me. I barely survived, only to get caught and end up in this mess."

Zack gave a self-deprecating laugh.

"I had a decent amount of confidence in my strength, but Spellswords have zero status in this country. Being a bandit was way better than being run ragged by those noble idiots. I never thought I’d get caught... but whatever. Watching the Royalist Faction, who spent years looking down on Spellswords, get kicked out by the Doem Faction and their army of Spellswords? It was a real breath of fresh air."

Huh.

"I want to hear about this girl, Clara."

Now that I’d finished my meal, I brought up the girl who had caught my interest.

"Why bother asking me? You probably know more about that woman than I do."

"Prior intelligence and field observations don't always align. To blindly trust information and neglect verification is to invite death..."

I narrowed my eyes, flashing him a meaningful, cryptic smile.

"Tch, always so cautious. I don't know the fine details."

"That's fine."

"...Hmph."

Zack snorted and began his tale.

"You can probably guess from the name, but Clara Oriana is the younger sister of that notorious Rose Oriana. She was the first one who tried to rebel against the Doem Faction, but she got caught and tossed in here. Still, she’s royalty, so they can't just execute her. It seemed like Lord Doem was struggling with how to handle her, but apparently, that’s not the case anymore."

"Oh...?"

"Clara Oriana is the kind of person who could become a figurehead for the Anti-Doem Faction. Naturally, people from that faction are starting to gather around her. Even inside this detention center..."

Zack’s lip curled into a smirk.

"The rumor is that Lord Doem is letting Clara Oriana run free so he can round up the entire Anti-Doem Faction in one fell swoop. Well, that’s the extent of what I know. Surely you’ve got more than that?"

"Who knows..."

I covered my mouth with my hand and put strength into my gaze, peering deep into Zack's eyes.

"Do you really want to know...?"

Since I obviously didn't know anything, I released a tiny pulse of magic power for just a second to ramp up the "pressure."

"—! I-I told you, I have no intention of getting deeper into this!"

"—A wise decision."

I maintained my heavy, overbearing smile. I made it look like something truly terrifying was waiting for him if he pushed further...

Act like you know everything. Project the ultimate Eminence in Shadow aura. It’s not just about the words; it’s about the gaze, the posture, the subtle movement of the fingertips. This right here? This is peak performance.

"Give me a break, man. My heart can't take much more of you..."

Zack wiped the cold sweat from his brow and stood up.

"I’ve got business, so I’m heading out. The Boss called for me."

"The Boss...?"

"Yeah... the Boss of the Doem Faction."

Zack looked like he’d rather be anywhere else as he muttered the answer and left the room.

"Heh..."

Naturally, I decided to tail him.