They say birds of a feather flock together.
It stands to reason, then, that if you play the part of a villain, you’re bound to run into others of your kind. That was how I found myself face-to-face with Logen—a member of the Order nesting within the very heart of this kingdom.
<What will you do?> Zest’s voice resonated in my mind, helping me keep my thoughts focused.
For now, I should draw out as much information as I can while he still mistakenly believes I’m a comrade.
"It was a pity about Celestia’s Secret Rank Magic," I remarked.
Logen nodded fervently. This man... he gave off such a stern, imposing impression in public, but he was surprisingly expressive when he thought he was among his own.
"It was truly regrettable. However, this country still holds an unknown wealth of magic. We have no time for pessimism." A fanatical light flickered in Logen’s eyes as he began to speak with feverish intensity. "To complete the Artificial Mythos, we must first unravel the existing ones. The First Mythos: Boundary, the Second Mythos: Eternity, the Third Mythos: Magic, and the Fourth Mythos: Fate... Of these, [Magic] commands the greatest number of followers—so many that we were forced to temporarily count ourselves among them."
Wait, what? What on earth was he talking about?
"The Third Mythos has hidden its true nature within countless spells. To study its composition, we must collect every form of magic in the world."
Zest, translate for me. What has he been rambling about for the last minute?
<I’m not entirely sure... but it seems he has a use for specialized magic, specifically Royal, Forbidden, and Secret ranks.>
I see. So that’s why they’re targeting Celestia, a user of Secret Rank Magic, and Irene, who possesses Royal Rank Magic.
...Hey, Zest. This might be a simple question, but if we stop the Order’s movements right here and now, won't that prevent the Evil God from being resurrected? If so, we could save the world even without Reiji...
<...It may be worth considering.>
It seemed Zest thought I had a point. In that case, what I really needed to know was the current status of their ultimate weapon.
"What is the completion rate of the Artificial Mythos?" I asked, maintaining a composed, knowledgeable facade.
"About twenty percent, I would say. The outer shell has already been constructed. It is indestructible by any existing mythological system."
That confident boast was my answer. Did that mean normal means couldn’t even leave a scratch on it?
<Probably. Regardless, it would be difficult for us to dismantle the Order on our own right now.>
I guess Reiji really is the only one who can win this in the end. Still, should I at least cut Logen down now?
<I wouldn't recommend it. The Prime Minister himself is a traitor. There is no telling where else in this country the Order is lurking.>
True. If there are multiple people like Luxion hiding in the shadows, things would get ugly fast. For now, I’d better keep playing the role of a fellow believer.
As I reached that conclusion, Logen flashed a repulsive smile.
"It seems we both have much to discuss. What do you say, Comrade Claude? Shall the two of us spend the night speaking at length?"
Like hell I would. If I talked too much, I’d likely let something slip. It was time to make my exit. But before that—
"Unfortunately, I'm busy, so I’ll have to pass. However, I’ll accept that bodyguard job."
"Oh, is that so? Truly?! Then you will cooperate with me!"
It wasn't that I wanted to cooperate, but now that I knew the stakes, the safest place for Irene was by my side. I wouldn't trust any other guard the Prime Minister provided.
Still, this was a problem. My plans were officially derailed. Trying to make Irene hate me while acting as her bodyguard was going to be an uphill battle.
The next day, I met up with Irene just outside the gates of the Royal Castle.
"Hee~h? Hoo~h? Is that so?" Irene peered into my face with a mischievous, smirking grin. "So, you actually accepted the job to be my bodyguard?"
"...What of it?"
"Nothing, really. I just thought it was strange, since you seemed to hate me so much. I wondered why you'd change your mind."
This woman... she was a natural at provocation.
<To my eyes, she looks almost happy, though...>
There’s no way! She just likes teasing people.
<And yet, that smile is as bright as the sun.>
She’s just enjoying the sight of me being annoyed.
<Is that so...?>
"Well, let’s go. Follow me."
While I was arguing with the misguided sword in my head, Irene started walking.
"Why are you going out when you know the situation requires a guard?" I asked, catching up.
"That’s obvious, isn't it? Because there are things that only I can do."
Ignoring my sigh, Irene kept walking. I followed along without even knowing our destination, but I gradually began to feel a sense of unease.
"Hey, the Slums are just ahead."
"Oh, so even you're aware of the Slums' existence," Irene said, sounding genuinely surprised. "A strange disease has been spreading among the children here lately. I’m heading to the Church to provide anonymous support and to investigate the actual conditions."
"There must be others better suited for this. Why is a princess like you acting personally?"
"Those people are far too slow. No budget, not enough staff... nothing but excuses. That’s why I’m taking action." Irene chuckled to herself. "If something happens to me while I'm here, it'll be their responsibility. They'll be forced to scramble to deal with the situation then."
"...Are you insane?"
She was using herself as bait just to light a fire under the bureaucrats? What a reckless way of thinking—risking her own life as a bargaining chip to move the world.
"Your self-sacrifice goes too far."
<Hey! You're the last person on this earth who should be saying that!>
I’m different. I'm just a stepping stone.
"It's called Noblesse Oblige," she said with a shrug.
I followed silently as she walked on, looking quite pleased with herself. Noblesse Oblige... what a convenient phrase for the masses. I understood that self-sacrifice was unavoidable because there were things only I could do, but that didn't mean I approved of it.
What Irene was doing now was something that should have been handled by someone else. To risk her life for a task like this was madness. Wasn't this kind of constant carelessness exactly what gave the Order the opening to target her in the first place?
Hey... "Fate." I'm going to keep working my ass off until the end. So at the very least, let the people I care about walk an easy path through life.
<You... honestly, why aren't you the real Savior...?> I could hear the bitter regret in Zest’s voice.
At that moment, I heard footsteps approaching. Irene stopped just as we turned into a back alley after entering the Slums. She had noticed as well.
Several filthy men emerged from the shadows with vulgar grins, brandishing rusted knives and clubs.
"Heh, ain't she a prize?"
"Hand over everything you're wearin'. And that includes the clothes."
A well-dressed woman and a single young man—even if he was a guard. We must have looked like easy prey to them.
"You just stand right there," Irene said with a proud look before I could even draw a breath. "I don't actually need a bodyguard, you know."
She placed her hand on her hip.
"Because I—am stronger than you."
A clear, metallic ring echoed through the alley. A flash of silver streaked through the gaps between the thugs.
"Gah...!?" "Aguh!?"
The men collapsed one after another. The silver flash had been her rapier.
<She's fast.>
Yeah. In terms of pure speed, she might actually be faster than Reiji. She certainly looked stronger than the previous version of me, before I'd resolved to become a stepping stone.
The tip of her rapier accurately struck the men's wrists, the backs of their knees, and their shoulder tendons. She didn't kill them; it was a subduing style of swordsmanship designed purely to neutralize an opponent’s ability to fight. She dodged attacks with footwork that looked more like a dance and struck vital points on the counter.
In a matter of seconds, the men were all rolling on the ground, groaning in pain.
"How was that? You couldn't even follow it with your eyes, could you? This is the strength of the Academy Top Student." Irene brushed aside her disheveled bangs and sheathed her rapier with a composed expression.
I could follow it perfectly fine, but I decided to keep that to myself. Still... she was the top student? I knew Celestia had been second, but I hadn't realized Irene was the one who beat her.
"Tia probably didn't tell you that I was number one, did she?"
"No... this is the first I've heard of it."
"It's no wonder. In the past, I used to take things from her all the time." Irene gazed idly up at the small patch of sky visible between the buildings. "We're childhood friends and we spent all our time together, so we both tended to like the same things. We fought a lot, and in the end, I usually took what I wanted by force."
With eyes that looked unexpectedly lonely, Irene stared at me.
"...I'm such an idiot. I'm not a child anymore, so I can hold back now."
I could hear a faint sense of melancholy bleeding into her voice. Well, taking people's things isn't a good habit... being able to hold back should be the bare minimum.
<Hey.>
I know. I noticed.
I gave a short snort and approached one of the men lying on the ground. Even an Academy Top Student can be sloppy with the finishing touches. One of the thugs was still vigilantly watching for a chance to strike back.
"How foolish."
"Gwah!?"
I stomped on the man's head, pinning him to the dirt. I kicked the knife he had been hiding into the corner of the alley.
"Wait, Claude! That's too much! The fight was already over!"
Too much? I was just cleaning up her mess.
<She likely didn't see the knife. Her eyes were elsewhere.>
Right. Well, that worked in my favor.
"It's because a mere gutter rat dared to look me in the eye," I spat, putting on my best villainous sneer. "Grinding a loser under my heel is quite the rush. Care to join me?"
Hearing those words, Irene’s expression crumpled into one of deep sorrow.
...This was rough. I needed her to lose all affection for me, and fast. Having her look at me with such disappointment hurt more than I ever expected.
<If you were a villain to your core, you wouldn't have to suffer so much.>
Was that supposed to be comforting? Don't worry about it, Zest. I'll see this through to the end, no matter what it costs me.