Chapter 81: The Foolish Ally

'They say a foolish ally is scarier than an enemy.'

The 2nd Prince took a puff of his cigar, recalling a saying he once heard.

Looking at the current situation, those words couldn't be truer. A foolish ally was worse than no ally at all.

An enemy deserving of immediate elimination.

But, unfortunately, that wasn't an option.

Because, regrettably, that foolish ally was...

"Are you deaf?! When someone speaks, you should listen!"

...his own flesh and blood.

Everyone had already left the strategy room.

A place secured with soundproofing spells, anti-eavesdropping, and anti-recording magic.

No eyes were watching, but the sight of his sibling shouting like that at her brother was downright pathetic.

To think that someone like her shared his blood.

It was hard to believe, but...

Unfortunately, that's just how the world worked.

For every outstanding person, there was always someone lacking.

Just as there were brilliant strategists, there were also idiots who, despite lacking ability, had an abundance of confidence and were capable of ruining a nation.

"Ha, so you're just going to ignore me completely now, huh?"

The girl standing before him.

The 3rd Princess, frowning, was the very definition of such an idiot.

"So childish, truly childish. Is that really how you want to play it?"

His sister asked.

Surely.

Ignoring someone was a rather low tactic, and he was well aware of that.

But he had his reasons.

If she had even once made a logical argument, he, being the merciful person he was, wouldn't have let personal feelings get in the way and would've listened. ȑαƝỌΒĚŝ

But all she ever spouted were absurd, nonsensical things.

- In the witness reports, the pointy ears were mentioned a few times. There's also a mention of some kind of dark magic.

There's no rule saying elves can't make deals with demons, right? There are always heretics in any race.

Maybe we should contact the elf chieftain?

It's common knowledge that they drop like flies if they stray too far from the World Tree.

She came up with this highly unfortunate theory, suspecting an elf to be one of the Black Fangs' leaders, despite everyone knowing elves couldn't survive far from their homeland.

- I'm telling you, that potion merchant is suspicious. Just give me a little manpower. The way they're so desperate to hide their identity... I can feel it! There's definitely something there!

She'd even started to demand resources based solely on her 'gut feeling' without a shred of logic.

In this situation, what kind of mad commander would take her seriously?

"I get it. This is revenge, isn't it? Over that incident last time."

The girl said, causing the 2nd Prince's expression to falter slightly.

"Are you still bitter about nearly losing your command to me?"

"It's not about losing command. The problem is that if an idiot like you takes the helm, this ship will sink."

He replied with a scowl.

It had already been quite some time since their father entrusted him with handling the Black Fangs situation.

Though eliminating the Black Fangs wasn't something that could be achieved overnight, it was true that progress had been sluggish.

In that gap, this ungrateful wench had started scheming.

She'd been whispering things to their father, trying to take his command away from him.

If she had succeeded...

The empire's future would've grown even darker.

There was nothing more terrifying than an incompetent person holding power.

Thankfully, it hadn't come to that.

"Indeed, it was nothing short of divine intervention."

The goddess of victory must be smiling upon the Empire. There was no other way to explain the miracle that had come to the 2nd Prince.

That bastard Caron had suddenly handed over the hero's corpse to their side and then died.

Thanks to retrieving it, the 2nd Prince managed to keep his command.

The girl in front of him glared.

She had spent a long time flaunting her insolence and disrespect, but still, she wasn't done. She opened her mouth once more.

"Fine. If that's what you want to think, go ahead. But that's not the issue right now."

Bang!

The 3rd Princess slammed her hands down on the table with a thud.

"We need to investigate the Holy Church! They're the most suspicious ones right now."

Despite the dramatic gesture, her words were, as always, nonsense.

His younger sister continued, explaining how the Holy Church's reaction to the video released by Black Fangs was suspiciously lukewarm.

Rather than denying the contents of the video, they had announced their intent to reflect on their past wrongdoings and make changes. That, she claimed, was far too strange.

"The leader of Black Fangs is clearly controlling the higher-ups in the Holy Church!"

The girl boldly shouted, standing firm in her conviction.

It was almost laughable how ridiculous she looked.

'She actually believes that's a theory.'

There had to be limits to how far logic could leap.

How, exactly, would the Black Fangs leader have managed to take control of the Holy Church?

Mind control?

If there were a mage powerful enough to cast mind control on dozens of archbishops or higher, Black Fangs wouldn't even need to struggle. They could just brainwash the entire empire and be done with it.

And besides...

'The truth behind this incident is a little different than what's been told.'

He had already met with Cardinal Dominic and learned the real story.

The truth was that this incident had been caused not by Black Fangs, but by Cardinal Caron's own mistake. During an experiment, a holy relic had gone berserk, resulting in the gruesome deaths.

Black Fangs had simply been clever enough to use it to their advantage, making it look like they had passed judgment.

'Admittedly, it sounded a little suspicious when I first heard it.'

But he had confirmed it through cross-examination.

Through Asmodeus, he had verified that the leader of Black Fangs hadn't stepped out of his quarters in the last ten days.

He had also received confirmation that none of the Black Fangs' leaders had been near the cathedral.

So, the most plausible explanation was that one of Black Fangs' lower-tier informants had stumbled upon the scene and filmed the footage.

It was impossible for Black Fangs' leader or any of their high-ranking members to have been involved in the massacre.

It was far more natural to conclude that it had been a tragic accident during an experiment rather than someone's deliberate crime.

"That guy Dominic is suspicious too. Didn't you see his eyes? They're just like the fanatics you see following Black Fangs in the streets."

His foolish sister tried to slander Cardinal Dominic.

But the 2nd Prince wasn't the kind to be swayed by such baseless accusations.

From his direct conversation with Dominic, he had found the cardinal to be surprisingly reasonable.

Dominic understood that the balance of power had shifted and that the Holy Church was no longer in an equal relationship with the Empire.

He had acknowledged that they wouldn't dare challenge the Empire.

All they wanted was to serve as useful subordinates.

He was clearly someone who understood his position.

'It's unfortunate that we can't manufacture the Holy Grail due to external scrutiny...'

But the fact that they could now use the Holy Church as their subordinate wasn't a bad outcome.

In a future battle with Black Fangd, the Holy Knights would willingly side with the Empire and play a crucial role.

"You're deliberately trying to ruin the Empire, aren't you?"

The girl in front of him pounded her chest as if she were about to explode from frustration.

Thinking about it, her ignorance was unsurprising.

After all, none of this information had been shared with her.

Why would he share such knowledge with a traitor who had tried to stab him in the back?

"If I were in command, we would've wiped out Black Fangs in a single day!"

His sister shouted, her voice so loud that spit flew from her mouth.

The urge to tell her that if she couldn't think, she should at least stay silent rose to the tip of the 2nd Prince's tongue.

"If you can't think, at least shut up. Are you trying to flaunt your incompetence?"

So he simply said it out loud.

The 3rd Princess trembled, clenching her fists tightly.

However, she said nothing more.

Well, if she had the intelligence of anything above a monkey, she would've realized it by now. No matter what she said, there was no chance he'd ever consider her opinion.

The girl stomped out her frustration and made her way to leave the strategy room.

...Or at least, she tried to leave.

But then the 2nd Prince's sharp intuition—an almost divine instinct—warned him.

"What are you planning to do now?"

That foolish girl was about to cause another problem, he knew it.

At his question, the 3rd Princess halted her steps and scowled.

"I've found that potion merchant. I used my own people to track them down, and I'll use my own people to deal with them. This isn't your concern, so keep out of it."

As expected.

She was about to waste the royal guard—elite forces meant to face Black Fangs—on some ridiculous investigation.

In this situation, the 2nd Prince knew exactly what he needed to do.

"Wait. I've got something for you to do."

"What? You just said you couldn't trust me with anything..."

The 3rd Princess's face twisted in frustration.

She had figured it out.

She knew his plan was to give her a meaningless task to keep her occupied.

But whether she noticed or not, it didn't change anything.

"Father entrusted me with command. Surely, you wouldn't prioritize your private investigation over Father's orders."

With an amused smile, the 2nd Prince subtly reminded her that he'd report her actions if she overstepped her bounds.

His sister ground her teeth in fury.

She screamed in frustration, slammed the door, and stormed out.

Her behavior was utterly pathetic.

'What a disgrace.'

She was so desperate to meddle that one could almost mistake her for a spy for Black Fangs.

With foolish allies like her running rampant, the future of the Empire looked bleak indeed.

Chapter 82: The Winged Union (1)

The day after returning to the mansion.

I sat on my bed, pondering.

What kind of person did others see me as, anyway?

I knew it was a pointless worry. But given the circumstances, I couldn't help it.

"Why is no one surprised?"

Wings sprouted, for heaven's sake.

Wings suddenly appeared on someone's back!

I expected utter chaos. Yet, reality differed from my expectations.

– Yes, I knew it would happen!

The kids cheered, calling me their leader as usual.

Eyes brimming with admiration.

They looked at me with such dazzling eyes that it was almost burdensome.

Not a single one of them freaked out about the wings.

Instead, they started making sense of it in their own way, talking nonsense about how "it all makes sense now."

– Wow!

At least Lien seemed a bit startled.

But it was a purely innocent exclamation.

Almost like reacting to a new outfit that suited me well.

When I asked if she wasn't surprised by such an abrupt event, Lien responded awkwardly with a compliment about me.

It seemed she interpreted my words as wanting praise.

– So, who did you bring in this time?

As the cherry on top, Siel showed more interest in Lucy, the new recruit, than my wings.

In an unexpected turn of events, we were temporarily sheltering a large group of "Black Fangs" who hoped to join.

Everyone seemed invested in their training, so much so that even Siel and Lien, along with the kids, were there.

Siel requested that I send Lucy over whenever I had time so she could meet her in person.

It seemed she wanted to confirm something.

When I, a bit flustered, asked if the wings didn't bother her, Siel responded nonchalantly as always.

– No matter how you change, you're still you. That's all I need.

In other words, her attitude toward me wouldn't change regardless of how I looked.

Warm as it was, it wasn't exactly what I expected to hear in this situation, and with that, Siel ended the video call.

In the end, the only person who was shocked by my transformation was Miss Rubia.

Considering she tends to make a fuss over everything, it wasn't a surprise.

Most of them barely seemed to notice the sudden change.

So, if I weren't surprised, that would be even stranger.

People who wouldn't bat an eye even if wings suddenly appeared on my back—what kind of image was that supposed to be?

Just how had they been seeing me?

I couldn't begin to understand...

"...Ah."

Memories flashed through my mind.

The doubts melted away.

Even I had a bit of conscience left.

I'd done too many things to complain that this treatment was odd.

Truthfully, even I belonged to the "wouldn't be strange to sprout wings" category.

"...And actually, this might be easier for me."

Miss Rubia, who had cried and apologized profusely for not recognizing me when I first awakened, even went as far as to pray to me.

I guess it was normal for her to react that way, seeing me appear with wings.

If everyone else had reacted like that, it would have been a pain to explain.

It took enough convincing just to persuade Miss Rubia to treat me normally again.

Thinking about it, maybe this was for the best.

With that, I concluded and began to inspect my body again.

Two pairs of wings.

They emitted a soft glow, asserting their presence.

And, for some reason, an unfamiliar mark was engraved on my left arm.

A holy symbol.

A symbol that had appeared in the previous series.

But this wasn't just any holy symbol.

This was the kind only obtainable at the very end of the game.

It had healing powers capable of reviving anyone who hadn't yet passed on, with no restriction on self-use.

In essence, a cheat-level item had landed in my hands.

It was an immeasurable gain.

A gain, but...

"Why did it appear, though?"

There was no context.

I hadn't cleared a hidden dungeon or fought in a life-or-death battle and found enlightenment.

It just appeared.

Since the wings appeared out of nowhere, I'd checked my body for other abnormalities, only to find the symbol.

"It doesn't even feel like a stroke of luck."

Usually, such a stroke of luck involves some effort.

Typically, obtaining a potion requires overcoming challenges, and even after that, one has to endure the process of fully absorbing it.

But there was no process in this sudden fortune of mine.

"Could it have something to do with the Emperor's trait changing? Or maybe it's connected to the God of Light?"

I mulled over various hypotheses.

But, in the end, nothing changed.

Of course.

What's the point of coming up with all these plausible theories if there's no way to verify them?

"Status window," I muttered, but all I saw was a useless display.

The broken characters had become almost familiar by now.

Normally, when I grow stronger or gain a new power, the standard procedure is to open the status window and organize everything.

But there was no display kindly listing out my stats or abilities.

A status window that couldn't even tell me my status. The irony was almost laughable.

Ultimately, uncovering the cause of this sudden transformation seemed out of reach. A sigh slipped out naturally.

It was true that I had gained something beneficial. Maybe I was just whining after all.

Still, I couldn't shake this uneasy feeling.

So, after a long time spent mulling it over... I stood up.

Even if finding the cause was impossible, I couldn't just sit here doing nothing.

Better to try doing something, anything.

In other words,

It was time to test this power.

*****

The training grounds next to Miss Rubia's mansion.

A place set up for the kids' training.

I swung open the doors to the training area.

"It feels larger than the last time I saw it."

Maybe it was because I was used to seeing it packed with kids. Now, with no one around, the empty training grounds looked surprisingly spacious.

That might work to my advantage.

If I was going to test something, it was probably better not to have anyone nearby who could get caught in it.

"...Am I overthinking this?"

I wasn't exactly Lien.

Just because I planned to test my strength didn't mean others were at risk of getting involved.

I had laid a foundation with the elixirs, but my strength was still somewhere in that murky middle ground—neither incredibly strong nor weak.

When separated from my allies, I wasn't quite a powerhouse, but I wasn't exactly weak either. Just somewhere in between.

That was, objectively speaking, my current level of skill.

"I did experience a bit of a change this time, though."

But it was hard to say for sure if that would translate into an increase in combat power.

Holy power, by its nature, is suited for healing and exorcism.

The reason the Holy Knights are so strong is that they can wield both holy power and magic.

At the same level, someone with regenerative abilities is naturally stronger.

"Better not to expect too much."

Expectations lead to disappointment. If you don't expect anything in the first place, there's no risk of being let down.

With that reminder firmly set in my mind, I pulled out a wooden dummy from the storage.

A training tool enchanted for practical use.

If I kept digging around in the storage, I might have found something more powerful.

But it seemed a bit excessive to use something like a security golem for a simple test. I didn't even plan on using a sword this time, so a wooden dummy would be more than enough. ʀ𝘢ƝòʙЕș

I placed the dummy in front of the wall.

With a series of clunks, the wooden dummy locked into position.

The moment it registered my attack, that thing would start attacking me as well.

"For now... it's probably best to start as usual."

The purpose of this test was to figure out the extent of what I could do with my wings and how they could be used in combat.

Though holy power is specialized for healing, wings are a different matter.

Increased speed naturally enhances the force of attacks.

This might end up being more helpful than I anticipated.

First, I'd face the dummy without using my wings, then fight with my wings fully engaged and compare the difference.

With that plan in mind, I took my stance.

Someone, maybe one of the kids, had drawn a cute cat face on the wooden dummy.

I launched my opening attack at it.

Lien's one-on-one training must have paid off, as my punch landed solidly.

My fist struck the dummy squarely in the chest. A gaping hole began forming in real time.

...Yet something felt off.

I could feel the dummy crumbling like a brittle cookie.

But there was no sign of the momentum letting up.

Then there was a loud crack.

The air was pierced by the sharp sound echoing fiercely.

At that moment, a bad feeling came over me.

I knew what this place was.

The training grounds.

A place created explicitly for honing martial skills.

Naturally, it was built sturdier than any other structure; as far as I remembered, over thirty defensive enchantments had been applied here.

Yet the ominous feeling wouldn't go away. And... my premonitions were never wrong.

The moment my fist hit the wall, cracks started to form.

They spread in an instant, and before I could react, the collapse began.

– KA-THOOM!

A deafening roar rang out, enough to hurt my ears.

...The entire training grounds were crumbling around me.

Chapter 83: The Winged Union (2)

A building crumbles down in a heap.

The debris crashes toward me with relentless force.

Yet, I remain unscathed.

Before I even have time to think, my wings move instinctively. Emitting a faint glow, they wrap around my head, shielding me.

Of course, they don't block all of the debris.

But that didn't matter either.

With a stigma that could cure even incurable diseases, there was no way it wouldn't heal a mere scratch.

The wounds close before blood can even flow.

Thanks to my resilient physique, no pain registers unless it's a significant injury.

In reality, I'm left both physically and mentally unscathed.

I push aside the debris that covered me, dusting off my hands as I step out of the collapsed building.

'...What the hell is this?'

I stared blankly at what used to be the training hall.

All I wanted was to test it. Just once. I only wanted to try my strength.

But what the hell is this disaster?

Why did that just collapse out of nowhere?

It wasn't supposed to crumble that easily.

The sudden turn of events left my head spinning. Just as I was pressing my forehead to relieve my headache—

I heard footsteps approaching.

There were only three of us in the mansion, including me.

"Huff... haah..."

And only one person would be so out of breath, struggling to make it here.

Sure enough.

Soon, I saw the familiar figure of my red-haired Noona.

Her white pajamas, damp and almost translucent from sweat, clung to her. Her red hair was disheveled.

It looked like Miss Rubia had bolted out here after hearing the loud noise in her sleep.

Her expression quickly twisted into one of shock.

A spatula, hardly fitting as a weapon, slipped limply from her grip and dropped to the floor.

Miss Rubia looked at the half-destroyed training hall... and rubbed her eyes, as if unable to believe what she was seeing.

When that wasn't enough, she pinched her cheek hard... so hard she let out a little yelp.

Finally, Miss Rubia looked at me.

That look in her eyes.

How could I even describe it...?

It was the kind of look you'd give to a lunatic who had just demolished a building with their bare fists.

...Which was exactly the case, of course.

She already saw me as something beyond human. It was obvious what kind of misunderstandings this would reinforce.

I quickly opened my mouth, ready to explain myself to her.

To say that I was just a normal person.

To reassure her there was no need to be afraid.

But... the words wouldn't come out.

It would be even stranger if they did.

'I just demolished a building with my bare hands, but I'm a normal person, really. Oh, and I have wings, but I'm definitely a regular guy, so don't worry,' yeah, right.

There's a limit to nonsense.

Even the typical reincarnated novel protagonist saying, 'I just want to live quietly and not get involved with the original plot,' sounds more believable than that.

So, I could only say the most suitable, necessary, and above all, classic response for this situation.

"...I'm sorry."

Of course, just saying that didn't magically solve everything.

I had to desperately calm down the frazzled Miss Rubia.

I suppose I should consider myself lucky, in a way.

This wasn't the first time something like this had happened.

Somehow, I managed to explain the situation and reassure Miss Rubia.

I guess I've become quite adept at calming down Noona when she reverts to a childlike state.

...Though, whether or not that's something to be proud of is up for debate.

*****

It was a accident out of nowhere.

The training hall collapsed under ridiculous circumstances.

But fortunately, it didn't escalate into a bigger problem.

There was no one around to get caught up in it, and everything stored in the warehouse remained intact.

And thanks to the generous funding my friend Asher had provided, repairing the training hall was a simple fix.

So, the real issue I needed to focus on now... was the change happening to my body.

'This is definitely not some kind of blessing.'

The sudden appearance of the stigma.

At first, I'd hypothesized that maybe the God of Light had blessed me or something.

But it was time to abandon that theory.

The idea that the God of Light gave me wings and strengthened my body to this degree—

If he had the power to do that, yet stood by idly while the Holy Church committed atrocities, it just didn't add up.

So, what was causing this change?

In the end, only one possibility came to mind.

Rank of ■■

The qualification to stand above anyone in this world.

This.

The trait that blatantly screamed, "I'm suspicious."

The change in the rank of Emperor was likely the root cause of all this.

'...Should I consider this a good thing?'

How should I put it?

It's hard to say.

Looking at the situation as it stands, it certainly seems like a positive development for me.

I'd chosen this trait because I sensed there might be something hidden within it—and sure enough, there was.

With it, I was able to supplement the strength I had been lacking.

I'd never struggled too much with my lack of power since my companions were already incredibly overpowered.

But having my own strength up to par certainly couldn't hurt.

However... I don't know. Something about it still bothered me.

It seemed that even though this trait hadn't fully revealed its hidden elements, my body had already changed.

Call it intuition, but—

It didn't feel like this transformation was complete.

If that's the case, then where does it end?

What exactly am I becoming?

As I pondered this, my head began to ache, and I let out a heavy sigh.

—knock, knock

A sudden sound broke the silence.

When I opened the door, it was Miss Rubia standing there.

I was planning to go see her soon anyway, but it looked like she'd come to find me first.

"Um... I have something I'd like to discuss. But, if you're busy, we can talk later!"

I assured her I had plenty of time and invited her in, pulling over two chairs and setting up a space for us to sit.

Just the two of us, alone in the room, sitting across from each other.

A slightly awkward silence filled the air for a moment.

After a brief hesitation, I decided to speak first.

"I really am sorry for what happened the other day."

There wasn't much else I could say.

After all, I had just destroyed the building she'd gone to the trouble of constructing. She must've been completely taken aback.

"Oh, no, no, it's fine! We can just build it again. Besides, thanks to your recipes lately, our finances are more than enough to cover it."

Rubia waved her hands dismissively as she spoke.

All I could do was keep apologizing and thanking her for everything.

"Besides, I get that you had your reasons. Maybe you just weren't able to control the strength you've regained after so long."

She said it as if she understood.

'Strength regained after so long'? What exactly was she imagining about me in that head of hers?

Part of me wanted to clear up her misconceptions.

But at this point, even if I said I was just an ordinary person, I doubted she'd believe it.

So I resigned myself and brought the conversation back to the original topic.

"So, the matter you wanted to discuss...?"

"There's someone who keeps interfering with our business. But they're a big shot... so we can't just deal with them as we please."

With that, Miss Rubia handed me a file.

Sian Ludbeth.

A familiar name and face came into view.

Certainly.

This wasn't an opponent to be taken lightly.

Noble lineage, wealth, power—

He had it all. On top of that, he was an 8th-circle mage with formidable personal strength.

He was originally supposed to be killed by the protagonist, but somehow, due to a twisted storyline, he was still alive.

By now, he might have grown even stronger.

But...

A smirk crept onto my lips.

'Sure, he'd be tough to handle in a direct confrontation.'

But if a direct fight wasn't necessary, then wouldn't that solve the problem?

Let's make use of a bit of story knowledge from the original series. There's no need to waste effort on a difficult fight.

I'll just let someone else do the fighting.

'This guy could be neutralized with just a few words.'

I knew a secret.

The Swordmaster of the Empire.

Sian had accidentally killed the Swordmaster's son and then framed someone else for it.

So the solution to this problem was simple.

I'd just need to declare that if he kept interfering with our business, I'd whisper that story into the Swordmaster's ear. That would be the end of it.

With confidence, I declared, "If that's the case, you don't need to worry. This will be resolved in no time."

Miss Rubia's face was clouded with confusion.

I began explaining my plan to the bewildered Miss Rubia.

...Or rather,

I was about to explain.

A strange sound echoed in the room.

The familiar signal of a communication spell.

The message wasn't for me, so it was definitely something for Miss Rubia.

Sure enough, the face of Miss Rubia's trusted informant appeared on the screen.

And the informant spoke.

—"S-Sian Ludbeth is dead! There was a mark beside his split body... with the name The Winged Union."

Sian, that bastard.

Of all times, he had to die now.

Chapter 83: The Winged Union (2)

A building crumbles down in a heap.

The debris crashes toward me with relentless force.

Yet, I remain unscathed.

Before I even have time to think, my wings move instinctively. Emitting a faint glow, they wrap around my head, shielding me.

Of course, they don't block all of the debris.

But that didn't matter either.

With a stigma that could cure even incurable diseases, there was no way it wouldn't heal a mere scratch.

The wounds close before blood can even flow.

Thanks to my resilient physique, no pain registers unless it's a significant injury.

In reality, I'm left both physically and mentally unscathed.

I push aside the debris that covered me, dusting off my hands as I step out of the collapsed building.

'...What the hell is this?'

I stared blankly at what used to be the training hall.

All I wanted was to test it. Just once. I only wanted to try my strength.

But what the hell is this disaster?

Why did that just collapse out of nowhere?

It wasn't supposed to crumble that easily.

The sudden turn of events left my head spinning. Just as I was pressing my forehead to relieve my headache—

I heard footsteps approaching.

There were only three of us in the mansion, including me.

"Huff... haah..."

And only one person would be so out of breath, struggling to make it here.

Sure enough.

Soon, I saw the familiar figure of my red-haired Noona.

Her white pajamas, damp and almost translucent from sweat, clung to her. Her red hair was disheveled.

It looked like Miss Rubia had bolted out here after hearing the loud noise in her sleep.

Her expression quickly twisted into one of shock.

A spatula, hardly fitting as a weapon, slipped limply from her grip and dropped to the floor.

Miss Rubia looked at the half-destroyed training hall... and rubbed her eyes, as if unable to believe what she was seeing.

When that wasn't enough, she pinched her cheek hard... so hard she let out a little yelp.

Finally, Miss Rubia looked at me.

That look in her eyes.

How could I even describe it...?

It was the kind of look you'd give to a lunatic who had just demolished a building with their bare fists.

...Which was exactly the case, of course.

She already saw me as something beyond human. It was obvious what kind of misunderstandings this would reinforce.

I quickly opened my mouth, ready to explain myself to her.

To say that I was just a normal person.

To reassure her there was no need to be afraid.

But... the words wouldn't come out.

It would be even stranger if they did.

'I just demolished a building with my bare hands, but I'm a normal person, really. Oh, and I have wings, but I'm definitely a regular guy, so don't worry,' yeah, right. 𝘳₳𝐍ọʙÈṡ

There's a limit to nonsense.

Even the typical reincarnated novel protagonist saying, 'I just want to live quietly and not get involved with the original plot,' sounds more believable than that.

So, I could only say the most suitable, necessary, and above all, classic response for this situation.

"...I'm sorry."

Of course, just saying that didn't magically solve everything.

I had to desperately calm down the frazzled Miss Rubia.

I suppose I should consider myself lucky, in a way.

This wasn't the first time something like this had happened.

Somehow, I managed to explain the situation and reassure Miss Rubia.

I guess I've become quite adept at calming down Noona when she reverts to a childlike state.

...Though, whether or not that's something to be proud of is up for debate.

*****

It was a accident out of nowhere.

The training hall collapsed under ridiculous circumstances.

But fortunately, it didn't escalate into a bigger problem.

There was no one around to get caught up in it, and everything stored in the warehouse remained intact.

And thanks to the generous funding my friend Asher had provided, repairing the training hall was a simple fix.

So, the real issue I needed to focus on now... was the change happening to my body.

'This is definitely not some kind of blessing.'

The sudden appearance of the stigma.

At first, I'd hypothesized that maybe the God of Light had blessed me or something.

But it was time to abandon that theory.

The idea that the God of Light gave me wings and strengthened my body to this degree—

If he had the power to do that, yet stood by idly while the Holy Church committed atrocities, it just didn't add up.

So, what was causing this change?

In the end, only one possibility came to mind.

Rank of ■■

The qualification to stand above anyone in this world.

This.

The trait that blatantly screamed, "I'm suspicious."

The change in the rank of Emperor was likely the root cause of all this.

'...Should I consider this a good thing?'

How should I put it?

It's hard to say.

Looking at the situation as it stands, it certainly seems like a positive development for me.

I'd chosen this trait because I sensed there might be something hidden within it—and sure enough, there was.

With it, I was able to supplement the strength I had been lacking.

I'd never struggled too much with my lack of power since my companions were already incredibly overpowered.

But having my own strength up to par certainly couldn't hurt.

However... I don't know. Something about it still bothered me.

It seemed that even though this trait hadn't fully revealed its hidden elements, my body had already changed.

Call it intuition, but—

It didn't feel like this transformation was complete.

If that's the case, then where does it end?

What exactly am I becoming?

As I pondered this, my head began to ache, and I let out a heavy sigh.

—knock, knock

A sudden sound broke the silence.

When I opened the door, it was Miss Rubia standing there.

I was planning to go see her soon anyway, but it looked like she'd come to find me first.

"Um... I have something I'd like to discuss. But, if you're busy, we can talk later!"

I assured her I had plenty of time and invited her in, pulling over two chairs and setting up a space for us to sit.

Just the two of us, alone in the room, sitting across from each other.

A slightly awkward silence filled the air for a moment.

After a brief hesitation, I decided to speak first.

"I really am sorry for what happened the other day."

There wasn't much else I could say.

After all, I had just destroyed the building she'd gone to the trouble of constructing. She must've been completely taken aback.

"Oh, no, no, it's fine! We can just build it again. Besides, thanks to your recipes lately, our finances are more than enough to cover it."

Rubia waved her hands dismissively as she spoke.

All I could do was keep apologizing and thanking her for everything.

"Besides, I get that you had your reasons. Maybe you just weren't able to control the strength you've regained after so long."

She said it as if she understood.

'Strength regained after so long'? What exactly was she imagining about me in that head of hers?

Part of me wanted to clear up her misconceptions.

But at this point, even if I said I was just an ordinary person, I doubted she'd believe it.

So I resigned myself and brought the conversation back to the original topic.

"So, the matter you wanted to discuss...?"

"There's someone who keeps interfering with our business. But they're a big shot... so we can't just deal with them as we please."

With that, Miss Rubia handed me a file.

Sian Ludbeth.

A familiar name and face came into view.

Certainly.

This wasn't an opponent to be taken lightly.

Noble lineage, wealth, power—

He had it all. On top of that, he was an 8th-circle mage with formidable personal strength.

He was originally supposed to be killed by the protagonist, but somehow, due to a twisted storyline, he was still alive.

By now, he might have grown even stronger.

But...

A smirk crept onto my lips.

'Sure, he'd be tough to handle in a direct confrontation.'

But if a direct fight wasn't necessary, then wouldn't that solve the problem?

Let's make use of a bit of story knowledge from the original series. There's no need to waste effort on a difficult fight.

I'll just let someone else do the fighting.

'This guy could be neutralized with just a few words.'

I knew a secret.

The Swordmaster of the Empire.

Sian had accidentally killed the Swordmaster's son and then framed someone else for it.

So the solution to this problem was simple.

I'd just need to declare that if he kept interfering with our business, I'd whisper that story into the Swordmaster's ear. That would be the end of it.

With confidence, I declared, "If that's the case, you don't need to worry. This will be resolved in no time."

Miss Rubia's face was clouded with confusion.

I began explaining my plan to the bewildered Miss Rubia.

...Or rather,

I was about to explain.

A strange sound echoed in the room.

The familiar signal of a communication spell.

The message wasn't for me, so it was definitely something for Miss Rubia.

Sure enough, the face of Miss Rubia's trusted informant appeared on the screen.

And the informant spoke.

"S-Sian Ludbeth is dead! There was a mark beside his split body... with the name The Winged Union."

Sian, that bastard.

Of all times, he had to die now.

Chapter 84: The Winged Union (3)

It was a luxurious mansion.

The interior of a building armed with dozens of security systems and protective spells.

In an office lavishly decorated with jewels and gold.

Sian frowned as he reviewed the report submitted by his subordinate.

"Just as I thought, something's definitely up."

A few months ago, he had noticed some unusual activity.

At first, Sian dismissed it as insignificant.

The potion market, while not small, wasn't exactly large enough to warrant serious attention.

Even if someone was working behind the scenes to monopolize that market, it wasn't something that demanded his focus.

As both a businessman and a mage, time was his most valuable resource.

And especially now, as he approached the possibility of reaching the 9th Circle, he couldn't afford to waste time on trivial matters.

But now...

"The situation has changed."

The investigation he had ordered, just in case, had uncovered more and more suspicious details about the potion merchant the deeper they dug.

There were strange efforts to conceal their identity.

For some reason, even the princess was looking into this merchant.

And, most suspicious of all... the price of the potions.

It was ridiculously low, not even a fifth of the usual price.

Such a price wouldn't even cover the cost of materials. Yet, they were selling potions across the country at that absurdly low price.

It was baffling.

"Even if they found a recipe that could reduce costs, this approach is beyond unusual."

Even if the merchant had the support of an alchemy genius, allowing them to produce potions at a much cheaper rate...

Why sell them at such a low price?

Even at market price, they could make a fortune as if money were falling into their lap.

Yet this lunatic of a businessman had disregarded profitability in favor of spreading their potions to those in need, as if they were donating them.

"This doesn't add up."

A businessman should prioritize profit in every decision.

Sian certainly did.

Take his own facilities, for instance.

Hundreds of mining sites where workers extracted mana stones without even basic protective gear—proof of his focus on profit above all else.

"They are clearly not lacking in ability."

Though they ignored profitability, their expertise was evident in their work.

And their skill at hiding their tracks was impeccable.

It had taken Sian a full month, with all his resources, to finally uncover the person's name.

"Rubia, just who are you?"

There's something here.

Something hidden, he was certain of it.

Sian's instincts told him as much.

After much contemplation, Sian finally entertained a chilling possibility.

"Maybe... this is just a hypothetical, but..."

Such skill.

A person who, despite such ability, disregarded success to help others.

Someone who valued secrecy above all else.

What kind of person could that be?

What sort of organization would such a person belong to?

Naturally, one word floated through Sian's mind.

"Black Fangs."

It might be an overreach, he thought, trying to reassure himself—but he couldn't shake it.

The more he thought about it, the more everything seemed to fit.

All the odd behaviors, the focus on helping people over making money...

It made sense if Black Fangs was involved. They were an organization strangely devoted to helping others.

If they were backing the potion business, of course, they'd value lives over profit.

And the desperate secrecy would make perfect sense as well.

As speculation turned to certainty,

Sian's face filled with horror. Anything else would have been strange.

Black Fangs.

The mysterious organization that even the Empire struggled to contend with, an entity powerful enough to manipulate nations from the shadows.

If that merchant Rubia truly belonged to Black Fang, Sian had meddled with someone he absolutely should not have touched.

Sian had repeatedly interfered with Rubia's potion business.

All because he coveted the recipe.

Everything pointed to the fact that they had a formula that drastically reduced production costs.

Until now, he hadn't even considered that Rubia might be part of Black Fangs. He couldn't be blamed for his actions... at least, that's what he told himself. Ꞧä𐌽∅𐌱ÈS̈

"This... could be far more dangerous than I thought."

He had made an enemy of someone who looked to be associated with Black Fangs.

Worse yet, he had attacked them first.

In this situation, would Black Fangs just leave him alone?

The infamous Black Fangs, known for their boundless kindness toward civilians and the weak yet unmatched cruelty toward their enemies?

On top of that, he ran hundreds of mana stone mines—operations that Black Fang was sure to despise.

"Of course not."

At any moment, they would bare their fangs at him.

What would happen to him was all too clear.

The fate that befell every enemy of Black Fangs... would come for him, too.

Sian's life would end here.

All the wealth and fame he had struggled to build would vanish in an instant, reduced to nothing.

"...I need to prepare."

He needed a way to fend off Black Fangs.

His own strength wasn't enough.

Even as an 8th Circle mage, he was far from reaching the level of an archmage.

Meanwhile, it was rumored that Black Fangs' leader could even overpower archmages.

Facing someone of that caliber with his current resources would be impossible.

It felt as if every path was blocked.

But... Sian gritted his teeth.

There was still a way.

There was one person he could think of who might help him survive this.

Using communication magic, he reached out to that person. Fortunately, he wasn't doomed to die just yet.

The person agreed to hear him out and set a meeting with him.

"Black Fangs..."

'No matter how powerful you are,

I won't just sit here and accept my fate.'

Determined to do whatever it took to survive, Sian set off for the meeting place.

*****

Before Sian's eyes, an unexpected sight unfolded.

He had asked for a moment of that person's time, saying he had something important to discuss.

They weren't close by any means, so he'd been grateful the person even agreed to meet.

But it wasn't just that person waiting there.

It seemed to be some kind of gathering.

Several other notable figures were present as well.

Seeing who was gathered here was a bit overwhelming, but...

Sian was not one to be intimidated so easily.

"This could actually be an opportunity."

When he thought about it, the more allies he had, the better. This might just be a rare stroke of luck.

He knew exactly what he had to do.

"Please, lend me your strength to stand against the Black Fangs' leader!"

Sian shouted with all his might.

To these most powerful of allies...

In other words...

To the great figures of the Holy Church.

"...What did you just say?"

The man before him—

Cardinal Dominic—asked, with a piercing gaze.

Cardinal Dominic was smiling, but the murderous intent emanating from his body was chillingly intense.

Yet, a smile appeared on Sian's lips.

This was actually a fortunate turn of events.

He had anticipated that the Holy Church would despise Black Fangs for exposing their secrets, but he hadn't expected it to be this intense.

Thanks to this, Sian's plan to secure the Holy Church's support was one step closer to success.

"That monstrous demon! We'll erase the Black Fangs' leader from this world with our own hands!"

Sian, now exhilarated, responded to Cardinal Dominic's question with enthusiasm.

Just moments ago, he had resigned himself to dying at Black Fangs' hands. But now, he had found a way to survive.

Eight cardinals, and the rest were all archbishops.

A force powerful enough to be used in wars between nations.

With their cooperation, exterminating Black Fangs might not just be a dream.

Of course, this was only if the alliance materialized... but judging from the current atmosphere, he didn't think he had anything to worry about.

The overwhelming killing intent was enough to make him shiver.

How desperately they must have wanted the Black Fangs leader dead—it was hard to fathom the depth of their hatred.

Sure enough.

"I accept your proposal."

Cardinal Dominic smiled kindly as he made this declaration.

It was perfect success.

Sian had secured the Holy Church's cooperation.

"To hear such profane words from that demon... I can no longer stand it. Just the fact that such an abomination exists in this world is nauseating."

The Cardinal's voice was filled with a manic fervor.

He seemed almost too eager, but that was a risk Sian was willing to take.

"How fortunate," Sian thought sincerely.

Things were going so well.

Surely, he was the luckiest person alive.

Or so he thought...

"With all my strength, I will execute the demon as you wish."

"That's wonderful! Then, let's head to the mansion right awa... Huh? Cardinal? Why are you suddenly—wait, the mace?!"

Bang!

That thought disappeared as Dominic, completely consumed by rage, crushed Sian's head with his mace.

He had made what seemed like a rational choice, yet the result was a gruesome end, sliced in half after relentless torture.

To Sian, it was nothing short of unfair.

...But what could he do?

In the end, he had brought it all upon himself.