We returned to the dormitory that was only occupied by Class S students, and moved to the top floor where the upperclassmen’s rooms were located.
I instructed Dia and Tarte to return to their rooms.
This case is just too shady.
This was out of consideration for them so they wouldn’t know the content of the request in case this turned out to be something I was better off refusing.
It was the kind that Romalung wanted to deliver directly to me. If I refused, the girls could be eliminated just for knowing.
I stepped into Nevan’s room.
The room itself was built the same as mine.
But the interior design reflected her preference and tastes.
[This room is very typical of you.] (Lugh)
[Do you mean it as a compliment?] (Nevan)
[I do. It has the elegance of a noble lady’s room.] (Lugh)
Nevan’s room was aligned with magnificent pieces of furniture, and their colors were bright and gorgeous.
Yet there was no vulgarity in them.
They were a combination of refined beauty and femininity.
In terms of taste alone, Dia and Maha were also a cut above, but Dia prioritized magic-related items, while Maha emphasized functionality over femininity.
I had rarely ever entered such a graceful room.
[I am honored by your praise. Fallon, bring us some tea and snacks.] (Nevan)
[As you wish, Lady Nevan.] (Fallon)
A tall woman, who was the servant Nevan had brought to the academy with her, served us.
The tea she brewed smelled wonderful.
[What a nice aroma. I’ve never had tea like this before.] (Lugh)
Since Orna put lots of effort into tea leaves, I was quite confident in my knowledge on them, yet I had never smelled such an aroma before.
[I acquired those tea leaves from across the sea. Know that Orna isn’t the only one trading with businesses from overseas. He who controls the sea controls the trade. We have been thinking and preparing for this for a hundred years, you know? We’ve built a ship that is impervious to monster attacks and raging waves, and we’ve found a safe sea route at great expense.] (Nevan)
The Romalungs were a household that created the greatest human beings.
So it was no surprise that their own technology was so advanced.
And their foresight in seeing that trade with foreign countries would be the main field of business in the future was worthy of praise.
[Nothing less from Romalung.] (Lugh)
[However, there is one thing I find preposterous.] (Nevan)
[And what is it?] (Lugh)
[The ship of the Orna Trading Company. …Romalung’s ship is a creation that we spent decades building and believed to be the best in the world. A dream ship made of metal instead of wood, resistant to sea monsters, powered by mana, and independent of the wind for speed. And yet, some mere merchant named Illig Balor not only used the same concept for Orna’s ship, but even gave it a better design, and it barely took him any time at all. And somehow, he has even found several of the safe and profitable routes that we could only find the hard way after countless failed and painful attempts.] (Nevan)
[I didn’t know Orna owned such an amazing ship.] (Lugh)
I acted like I didn’t know a thing about it since I, as Lugh Tuatha Dé, was supposed to have no connection to Orna.
[But that’s not all. Every single one of their navigational tools is advanced. …For example, their compass. For some reason, the one Orna uses on its ship remains horizontal, even when it’s on board, so the direction is always accurate. Other examples include the discovery of what they call the concept of longitudes, and the invention of something they call a sextant to measure those longitudes. With that, you can accurately determine your own position at sea. It’s an invention that could change the course of nautical history.] (Nevan)
[What a fascinating invention.] (Lugh)
[Talking about it like it’s none of your business, I see.] (Nevan)
[One of my fiancées may work for Orna, but I’m not acquainted with her superior, you know? Although, your exposition did pique my interest. I’ll ask Maha to introduce me to Illig Balor the next time I see her.] (Lugh)
[So you’re going to keep playing dumb to the bitter end, then.] (Nevan)
Nevan smiled at me meaningfully, and I smiled back.
…But still, I’m shocked.
Everything Nevan mentioned, the new model of magic ship, the new type of dry compass, and the sextant to measure longitudes.
All this information was top secret and highly guarded.
For Orna, trade dominance was one of its lifelines.
At present, there were numerous ships that carried their cargo along the continent, but very few trading companies that traded between continents like Orna did.
Because it was suicide, both in terms of nautical performance, and the crew’s navigational skills.
And that’s exactly how Orna was able to make a killing in trading. Chocolate was a prime example of it. No one but Orna could even stock up on cacao.
[One day, I will find the evidence I need.] (Nevan)
[I have no idea what you’re talking about. That aside, you didn’t call me over just for some idle chatter, right? So let’s get down to business.] (Lugh)
[Ahh, yes. Let’s start from the beginning then.] (Nevan)
Nevan’s face switched from that of a friend to that of the duchess of Romalung.
I could feel the atmosphere becoming heavier.
[In the name of Romalung, one of the four major dukedoms, I command Tuatha Dé, the shadow blade of Alvan, to cut off the blight of the kingdom.] (Nevan)
[If it truly is harmful to the Kingdom of Alvan, then I shall.] (Lugh)
When formulating a formal request, Romalung always spoke like this.
My reply was also a conventional one for all Tuatha Dé members.
It could be written or spoken.
This was how things were done between Romalung and Tuatha Dé.
Starting now, she was gonna reveal the specifics about the target.
And yet, the girl Nevan called Fallon was remaining at her lady’s side.
If she were a mere servant, she wouldn’t be allowed to hear what would come next.
Her demeanor was impeccable, and she never relaxed her vigilance toward her surroundings. And considering her exceptional mana, I could guess that she was part of Romalung’s bloodline, and Nevan’s right-hand woman.
[Your new target is the Pope of Alamism.] (Nevan)
[So that’s why you had to deliver this request to me directly. If only one word of it got leaked out, it would be a disaster. This matter doesn’t concern the Alvanian Kingdom alone. It could turn the whole world against me.] (Lugh)
[My! You’re not as surprised as I thought you would be.] (Nevan)
[Believe me, I am surprised. It’s just that I had already anticipated that possibility.] (Lugh)
[You’re a good listener.] (Nevan)
Alamism was the world’s largest religion, and considered to be the most predominant religion across the globe, including the Alvanian Kingdom.
They revered the shrine maiden Alam Karla, and provided oracles to the Heroes to aid them in their battles against the demons.
Unlike the numerous phonies, Alam Karla could actually hear the Voice of God.
The Goddess herself told me that she was using Alam Karla as a proxy to spread her voice and manage the world.
And all the data on Heroes and demons owned by Alamism was also authentic.
The Alamism religion was genuinely saving the world. That’s why the world was so devoted to and dependent on it.
[You are the only one in the whole world who can accomplish this assassination. Do you accept?] (Nevan)
[Will you tell me the reason why I must kill the Pope?] (Lugh)
I had my surveillance network deployed all over the country. I was already aware of the suspicious activities of Alamism thanks to the reports I got regularly.
But the information I got from them wasn’t enough to convince me to kill the Pope.
[A demon is impersonating the Pope, and threatening the life of Her Holiness Alam Karla. Is this not a good enough reason for Tuatha Dé to wield their blade? …Oh my! Now you look truthfully surprised.] (Nevan)
The Pope has been replaced by a demon…!?
If it’s true, then this doesn’t look good.
He could easily trap and kill Alam Karla and the Hero.
Even worse, he could exploit Alam Karla, the medium that connects the world to the Goddess, to commit his atrocities.
The words of the demon would be transmitted as the words of the Goddess.
It would be all too easy for him to wreak havoc on the world. And he could also socially obliterate me that way. He would only have to declare me as a fiend, and that would be it.
There was a high probability that the demon would go with that strategy. To get rid of me now that I had destroyed so many of his kin. If I were him, I would’ve done just that.
People depended on society to live. No matter how strong I was, if the whole world ever turned against me, nothing but destruction would await me.
At the very least, I wouldn’t be able to live as Lugh Tuatha Dé anymore.
[I accept.] (Lugh)
First, I needed to gather evidence.
That way, I would be able to kill that demon turned Pope more swiftly.
[Your collaboration is much appreciated.] (Nevan)
This would be the toughest assassination of my entire career, and that’s including my previous life.
Killing a human occupying the position of Pope would’ve already been hard enough, but if that Pope was a demon on top of that, then this mission would be inhumanly challenging.
But I would do it anyway. Because it was necessary for my happiness, and that of my loved ones.
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