「Please wait here. I will go call Lady Pri immediately.」
Elena had been guided to what appeared to be a living room. She sat on a nearby sofa and let out a small sigh.
「Kyu?」
Iero, perched on her left shoulder, tilted its head and let out a cry, seemingly sensing her unease.
「Heh, don't worry. I was just wondering what kind of person the head of the last of the houses governing Exil might be. ...I would have preferred to participate in the material stripping with Rei, though.」
When the invitation from House Marstchel had arrived, she had honestly been quite torn. However, the Head of House Marstchel was said to almost never appear in public. The desire to see what kind of person she was, given this rare opportunity, had won out. Thus, she had come to the estate as just the two of them—one woman and her beast.
(Shaffner remains at large. Of course, House Rebisole won't simply collapse; a successor has already taken over. But given how things have unfolded, they will likely become little more than a puppet for House Silwa. ...The only saving grace is that, despite his flaws, Bosk doesn't seem to intend to use them purely for his own selfish gain.)
She had met Bosk several times and understood his character, at least to some degree. She felt that while he was certainly a problematic individual—the circumstances of their first meeting being a prime example—his dedication to the city of Exil was genuine.
That was undoubtedly why he was so desperate to unravel the mystery of the Anomaly Species, even going so far as to use House Silwa's private wealth to collect Anomaly Species corpses for research.
Of course, it was likely because he judged that doing so would benefit House Silwa... and, by extension, the Labyrinth City Exil.
「Kyu, kyukyu!」
While Elena was lost in thought, Iero hopped from her shoulder to the table. It reached for a cookie on a plate and began nibbling on it with its small mouth.
Feeling heartened by the sight, she reached for a teacup that had been placed on the table as well.
「Fufu. Eat neatly, now.」
「Kyu!」
Iero let out a cry and wagged its tail in response to her murmur, even as it continued to munch on the cookie.
For several minutes, they enjoyed a quiet, relaxing time that made it hard to believe they were currently in the mansion of someone essentially viewed as an enemy. Then, the sound of a knock at the door drew her gaze.
「I apologize for the wait, Lady Elena Kerebel. I am Pri Marstchel, the Head of House Marstchel. Thank you for accepting my invitation today.」
A middle-aged woman in her forties appeared as she spoke. She was adorned from head to toe with rings, bracelets, necklaces, anklets, earrings, and hair ornaments. The sheer amount of jewelry was almost painful to look at.
However, Elena had been raised as the daughter of Duke Kerebel's House. She gave a small nod, keeping her internal reaction from reaching her face.
「I, too, have been wanting to meet a member of House Marstchel. In that sense, your timing was quite fortuitous.」
「Oh my, I'm glad to hear that. It makes the invitation feel all the more worthwhile.」
Pri offered a beaming smile, but Elena could sense it was not a genuine expression of joy.
(Though, she is one of the rulers of this Labyrinth City. It's only natural she would have her own hidden agenda.)
「I have heard that you rarely appear in public. Is there a specific reason for your seclusion?」
「There is no particular reason, really. I simply don't care much for being in front of people. I've always felt that spending my time on magic research was far more meaningful.」
Elena offered an impressed smile at the mention of research and nodded.
「...Oh? Come to think of it, among the party that discovered the dungeon in this land, House Marstchel's ancestor was a mage. If you don't mind, could you tell me what sort of research you've been conducting?」
As she asked, the Anomaly Species incident was naturally at the forefront of her mind.
When the scandal surrounding House Rebisole broke and House Silwa's men raided the laboratory, all the research staff present had already been murdered. This point alone made it clear that House Rebisole hadn't been acting alone. In Elena's mind, the prime suspect for the true mastermind was Pri Marstchel, the woman standing before her.
「I don't really wish to make it public... but I suppose I can tell a member of Duke Kerebel's House. Actually, I have been researching the sealing of magic into gemstones.」
「Magic into gemstones?」
「Yes. For example, Lady Elena, you are famous as a user of Wind Magic. If someone like you were to seal a spell like Wind Arrow into a gemstone, the user could activate the effect instantly. If my research bears fruit, I believe it will be a tremendous boon to adventurers, given how few mages there are.」
Pri spoke as if she were driven by pure altruism, but Elena tilted her head.
「But don't magic items already possess similar functions? Items that produce magical effects when magic power is channeled through them?」
Elena thought of the Dagger of Flowing Water and the Thorn Spear that Rei carried.
Rei only used the Dagger of Flowing Water for drinking water due to his unique magic power, but for a compatible user, it was a powerful magic item capable of creating a Water Whip or a sword of water.
The Thorn Spear was even more specialized—and perhaps more cruel—sprouting thorns from within an enemy's body to entangle them once they were struck.
And those weren't the only examples. The Sleipnir's Shoes Elena wore allowed her to walk through the air, and her whip-sword could be manipulated freely with her magic power.
She wondered if the effects Pri described for gemstones were really any different. Pri shook her head at the question.
「No, no. Indeed, as you say, those items possess magical properties. However, they are fundamentally quite expensive. While a high-rank adventurer might manage to acquire one, the reality is that they are far out of reach for a low-rank adventurer. The significance of my research lies in making such power accessible and easy to use even for those of lower rank.」
「I see. If that's true, it is indeed a wonderful pursuit.」
Elena nodded, but her gaze suddenly sharpened as she looked intently at Pri.
「On a different note... monsters known as Anomaly Species have been discovered in the dungeon lately. Are you aware of this?」
Elena asked with an air that refused to tolerate any deception. Pri let out a regretful sigh and nodded.
「Yes, of course. I am the Head of House Marstchel, after all. I receive regular reports from the guild. ...I honestly find it difficult to fathom why Shaffner would do such a thing.」
「Speaking of Shaffner, he is still missing. Do you have any idea where he might be hiding?」
「Unfortunately, no. As a ruler of Exil, I want nothing more than for him to be caught quickly so he can atone for his crimes.」
「...I see. If you don't know, then there's nothing for it.」
Elena nodded, but inwardly, she felt a flare of loathing.
Judging strictly by the conversation, there was nothing overtly suspicious about the woman. However, Elena's intuition told her with absolute certainty that Pri was involved in the current turmoil in Exil.
Yet, without proof, she couldn't take direct action. All she could do for now was probe and warn her with words.
「Yes, it is truly a shame. Shaffner had been the Head of House Rebisole since before I took my own title. He was a man I respected.」
Pri wore a mask of genuine regret while gently reaching out to touch the gemstone hanging from her necklace.
In her heart, she mocked the pitiful old man who had become a sacrifice for her desires as she fondled the jewel.
「That gemstone...?」
Elena's eyes fixed on the jewel.
She could feel the magic power radiating from it; it was clearly a magic item, and a potent one at that.
「Oh? As expected of Lady Elena, you have a discerning eye. I only recently acquired this gemstone. Isn't it beautiful? Such a deep green... it's almost hypnotic.」
「Is that gemstone a result of the research you mentioned?」
Elena asked, noticing that Iero had stopped eating its cookie and was staring intently at Pri's jewel.
「Yes. Though, as it's still in the research phase, I can only imbue magic into gemstones that possess high-purity magical elements.」
「Could that gemstone be...」
She cut herself off.
The size and shape of the gemstone were familiar, but the color was decisively different. The jewel Elena knew—the one embedded in the back of the Jewel Sniper—had been red, not green.
(Was I mistaken? ...No, I wouldn't misjudge a jewel of that size... Or is it just a coincidence?)
As she pondered, Pri stroked the jewel lovingly, a smile spreading across her lips.
This wasn't the perfunctory smile from before. This was a smile that came from the depths of her soul.
「It truly is a magnificent jewel. If you don't mind, could you let me see it for a moment?」
Elena had spoken on a whim.
She thought that if Pri loved the jewel so much, she might let something slip while showing it off.
...However.
「What did you say?! You intend to steal my jewel?!」
The reaction was explosive.
The smile vanished instantly, replaced by a gaze filled with such murderous intent that it felt as if she were staring at a mortal enemy.
Magic power surged into the ring-type magic items on her fingers. Pri was ready to activate them at a moment's notice; Elena was certain that if she took even a single step closer, a battle would begin right then and there.
「Calm down. I have no intention of stealing it. I only asked for a closer look.」
「Kyu-kyu! Kyuu!」
Elena spoke firmly to calm Pri, whose eyes were beginning to turn bloodshot. Beside her, Iero let out a cry as if to back her master up.
The two women stared each other down in silence for nearly a minute. Finally, apparently satisfied that Elena wasn't going to snatch the jewel, the tension began to drain from Pri's face.
She lowered her head slightly, as if realizing her own behavior.
「I apologize, Lady Elena. I simply lose myself whenever it concerns my jewels.」
「...Can you truly function as the Head of House Marstchel in such a state?」
「Yes, somehow. ...It's embarrassing, but I have almost no relatives left. There are only a few children of distant cousins, and one of them will likely succeed me one day. Until then, I am the only one who can carry the burden.」
A look of genuine sorrow crossed her face.
To a normal observer, her sadness would have been moving. But to Elena, it felt as hollow and superficial as her earlier smile.
(In that sense, the rage she showed when I asked to see the jewel was likely her only honest expression... I suppose.)
Elena kept her thoughts to herself and nodded.
「I see. That is unfortunate. ...Was it an illness?」
「No. An accident.」
Pri replied without a moment's hesitation. To Elena, who already doubted her every word, even the mention of an accident felt suspicious.
(But she doesn't seem to be driven by a hunger for power. If she were, she would be much more active in public life. That means there's some other motive. ...That seems more likely.)
They talked for another thirty minutes, with Elena making various subtle attempts to shake her, but Pri didn't take the bait.
Finally...
「Oh, Lady Elena. I'm afraid that's all the time I have. Let's conclude our meeting for today. I still have duties to attend to as the Head of House Marstchel.」
「I see. Then I won't overstay my welcome. ...Iero, it's time to go.」
「Kyu!」
Iero gave a short cry and hopped back onto her shoulder.
After a few brief parting words, a maid escorted Elena from the room.
Pri watched her leave with a smile, but her expression shifted the moment the door clicked shut.
It was still a smile, but now it was a deep, twisted one that revealed her true heart.
「She's sharp, isn't she? ...Well, what do you think? As the Head of House Rebisole, you've supported Exil for a long time, after all.」
She murmured, stroking the gemstone of her necklace with obsessive affection.
「Yes, you might be right. But having met her in person, I'm certain now. That girl will be a supreme material. The kind that appears only once in centuries, or even millennia.」
A fanatical light danced in her eyes as she stroked the jewel.