Wizard of the Deep Sea

TL/ED – Miso

I was wrong. It wasn’t because the arrest of the nobles delayed the terror attack.

It was because Elysia came to the cabin during that process.

“…”

“Jern? What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing.”

I held back my words.

Connected to Crimson Circle, of course. Was something implanted during the process of being kidnapped and seeing dreams through Wihwa?

Then why wasn’t it done to Alletus? That would’ve been quicker.

…I don’t know. I met Sharmia’s gaze, who was looking at me with a puzzled expression. It was to avoid suspicion.

All my future possibilities had arrived at this fact.

The reason they hid it from the Princess was.

“Shar. It’s not certain yet, but what will you do if we find the cause?”

“Well, we’ll have to take care of it, won’t we?”

“It won’t be that simple.”

I carefully observed her expression as I asked.

“The nobles I investigated are all from well-known families that had some influence in the Capital. If the heads of those families are aiding Crimson Circle, even the Princess wouldn’t be able to handle it easily.”

“Ah, so that’s what you were worried about.”

Sharmia took a sip of black tea and smiled softly.

“Yes. It’s definitely not an easy matter, but… it’s possible.”

“How?”

“If we quickly cut off the head of the family that’s the cause, and shift the blame onto Crimson Circle, it can be done.”

“…Is that really possible?”

“Yes.”

A short answer.

But I saw the conviction in it.

“Do you really have to kill them? I mean, since it seems like it wasn’t intentional, wouldn’t isolating them be enough?”

“That would be best, if it could be resolved that way…”

With her chin resting on her hand, she had already finished saying something ominous.

“The future doesn’t tolerate uncertain interference.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s something that happens because we don’t see the result. Let’s say there’s a future where I die by assassination, and I saw myself drinking wine laced with poison during that process. What should I do then?”

“Wouldn’t it be fine to just not drink the wine?”

“Sometimes that solves it, and sometimes it doesn’t. Irrationally, sometimes it’s precisely because I didn’t drink the wine that the assassination occurs.”

Sharmia fell into thought, as if she were speaking from experience.

“Eliminating such possibilities… ultimately requires a definite end.”

“That means.”

“Eliminating the cause. Finding the one preparing for the worst with poisoned wine and a dagger in hand.”

She said so and then gave a bitter smile.

“When the Capital of the Empire is on the line, there’s even less room for leniency. We can’t choose uncertain measures like isolation.”

I see.

I also smiled slightly and brought the black tea to my lips.

This is why I didn’t say anything. The moment I told the Princess that Elysia was the cause, it was obvious what would happen.

Of course, I have no intention of sacrificing the Capital for just Elysia either. Even if she’s my retirement fund, there’s a line I won’t cross.

However.

She should at least be given a chance to struggle.

If I don’t even give her that, I can’t uphold the way of life I’ve chosen to live.

I stood up and placed a coin next to the teacup.

“Would you care to share your guess?”

“I’m sorry. I think I need a bit more information. Once I’m more certain, I’ll tell you.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yes. Really.”

“Well, I suppose it can’t be helped then.”

With an exchange of smiles, and I exited the teahouse first.

“Excuse me.”

As soon as I reached the alleyway, I clenched my teeth and ran.

Sharmia said she’d spoken with me for a long time.

That meant she would’ve noticed I was trying to hide something during our conversation just now.

Once the investigation starting from that point reached Elysia, it would take at most a day or two.

That was all the time I had left.

*

Sharmia kept smiling until Jern’s back disappeared from the teahouse.

Even after he had completely vanished, and five minutes had passed.

Until the employee brought out a new pot of tea, she remained staring outside with a fixed expression.

“Phew.”

Only then did she sigh and relax her tension. Then, looking up at the employee, she asked,

“Was I trembling just now?”

“No, not even for a moment did your breathing falter.”

“That’s a relief.”

Click. The face of the employee collecting the cup in front of Sharmia was, too beautiful to be just a simple tea house worker.

Skin so clear it felt unreal, golden hair flowing in abundance, eyes and eyelashes like those of a doll handcrafted by a master artisan.

When she stared in awe, Sharmia soon murmured softly.

“…Seeing it like this, you’re really pretty. I should thank your parents.”

“Indeed, that is true.”

The server who bowed in agreement quietly turned to look in the direction Jern had left.

“Shall I have him followed?”

“Don’t.”

“Yes.”

No objections.

To those in the know, Sharmia’s words were law, an oracle.

Literally, every subject of the Empire owed their life to her.

And yet, Sharmia, just like any other woman in her early twenties, laughed and fussed as if she didn’t have a care in the world.

“I couldn’t say it in front of him, but isn’t he super cute? For someone so young, he always looks sullen, hides what he’s thinking so well, and it feels like I’m talking to some weathered elder from the political world.”

Karos, Sharmia’s knight, swallowed dryly.

It was not easy to suppress the urge to ask why she found such things cute.

“I keep wanting to pinch him and pat his head. I really shouldn’t be like this… is this what it feels like to have a younger brother?” 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

“With all due respect.”

Even so, there was something she had to say.

“It still seems best to kill him.”

With murderous intent, she glared in the direction Jern had disappeared.

The trace lingered. If the command were given, it wouldn’t take even two minutes to catch up and sever his neck.

If the command were given.

“Hmm…”

Sharmia leaned back in her chair with a slightly troubled expression.

“Of course, that’s one of the options.”

“Then-”

“But no.”

Rejection. Karos once again swallowed her frustration and stepped back.

Watching her with a bitter gaze, Sharmia added as if apologizing.

“I’m sorry. But the fact that ‘something like that’ can even hold a conversation… to me, it’s just so fascinating. I really want to understand it. If possible, no matter what happens, I want to try to gain his cooperation.”

“Please proceed as you wish. I will follow whatever you decide.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

Sharmia, bowing her head in thanks, picked up the black tea that Jern had been drinking.

Steam was rising. Jern had brought the cup to his lips several times, but the level of tea hadn’t changed at all.

He had only brought it to his mouth and hadn’t swallowed any.

A correct decision. Yet Sharmia’s face turned slightly sulky.

“This was the 349th try. And he still won’t drink it.”

She had worked hard on it, too.

There was no poison in it…

With a bit of regret, Sharmia took a small sip.

–Sip.

“Hmm…”

After tasting it…

…She began to wonder if he might have suspected there was poison in it after all.

*

“Hey, what, what are you doing? You thief, give me back my horse!”

“I am a guard of the Princess’s direct escort unit.”

“There’s a saddle here too. Have a pleasant journey.”

I borrowed the fastest horse from a nearby stable and rushed to the cabin.

I had basically no skill in horsemanship, but by using current sense to read the horse’s muscles as it ran, I managed to arrive much faster than I would have otherwise.

Brimdal seemed to be out gathering firewood, and I kicked the door open and entered.

Inside the cabin, Elysia was lounging lazily on the bed reading a book, and brightened when she saw me.

“Oh, Jern?”

I forgot the situation for a moment and felt a pang of regret.

I’ve had a rough life too, but this girl, Elysia lost her mother when she was young, was bullied, kidnapped, nearly killed, then had something implanted in her, and ended up like this.

It goes beyond pity, maybe the entire world itself is her burden.

I sat the smiling Elysia down in a chair.

“Jern?”

Looking puzzled, Elysia watched as I asked with a slightly serious expression.

“Sorry for the suddenness, but I’d like to ask you a few questions. I hope you’ll answer.”

“Questions? Why all of a sudden?”

“Uh… just curious?”

It would be better to hide my own circumstances.

Thinking that, I spoke, and Elysia nodded.

“Alright!”

Once I got her agreement, I immediately asked the questions.

“Have you been feeling sick anywhere lately? Your body or anything like that.”

“Nope, not at all.”

“Any interest in arson, or impulses to burn the whole world down?”

“I never thought that!”

“Have monsters started to feel familiar to you, making you want to invite them into the Capital?”

“…J, Jern??”

With growing anxiety on her face, Elysia asked,

“Did I do something wrong?”

“No. Nothing like that…”

Elysia really had no awareness whatsoever.

And no matter how I looked at her, she didn’t seem like a Fallen.

If she were a Fallen, there’s no way I wouldn’t have noticed after living together all this time. As I stared into her confused eyes, a sudden realization struck me.

What Elysia endured after being kidnapped was.

“…Dreams.”

“Huh?”

“Have you had any strange dreams recently?”

“Hmm… I don’t think so?”

Elysia thought for a moment, then said that.

If not even dreams, then what? As I was reviewing other possibilities, she added something as if she’d just remembered it.

“Come to think of it, I really haven’t been dreaming.”

“You haven’t?”

“Yeah. Lately, even when I sleep, it just feels like I wake up right away. When I told Dad, he said it was because I’m growing.”

Not dreaming at all.

That confirmed it. I sat down silently next to Elysia.

She jumped a little in surprise, her eyes widening.

“?? What’s wrong?”

“Well, actually today is my day off.”

It was a lie, but whatever. I could explain later.

“I’m sorry I said I’d visit every day last time but couldn’t.”

“H, huh? I forgot all about that…”

“But I have some free time today, so how about we go out for a bit? Ah, unless you have something you need to do-”

Before I even finished, Elysia nodded.

“Nope! Let’s go out!”

That was fast.

Keeping up with a child’s energy was brutal.

but I somehow managed to hold out until nightfall.

“Yawn…”

Since we couldn’t go into the Capital, we climbed up and down the mountain about five times, and by the time we returned to the cabin, we were both completely exhausted.

After washing up, Elysia yawned and looked tired, so I guided her to her room.

“Sorry, I must’ve kept you out too long.”

“It’s okay, I’m not tired, really…”

“No. Look at the time.”

I glanced out the window. It was pitch black outside.

“We can talk about the rest tomorrow. Sleep well.”

“Mm…”

Elysia rubbed her eyes, lay down on the bed, and I stepped out of the room.

Of course, I didn’t leave. I leaned against the nearby wall and used current sense to feel Elysia’s heartbeat.

Until her breathing stabilized and she fell into a complete sleep.

Then, carefully, I opened the door and entered the room.

“Elysia.”

I called her name without intending to wake her.

Naturally, there was no response, so I spoke in a colder tone.

“What, do you only answer if I call you Wihwa?”

“…”

“Right. Wihwa is dead. Then I suppose I should call you Lump.”

The moment those words left my mouth.

Elysia shot up and grabbed a nearby flower vase, throwing it at me.

I tilted my head slightly to dodge. With a single leap, she closed the distance and aimed a shard of glass at my neck.

All of it within expectations. In a young girl’s body, there were limits, and I easily avoided it.

“Kuh-!”

That was the last burst of resistance.

I bound her tightly with water pressure, then forced her into a chair and tied her with rope this time. So she couldn’t move even a fingertip.

Once the restraints were done, Elysia looked up at me with a disgruntled expression and muttered,

“Tch, things got messy.”

Elysia’s voice, but spoken by someone else.

It was a disgusting matter. I raised my hand to slap, but realizing it was still Elysia’s body, I simply gave a look of contempt instead.

“So you were real, you fucking son of a bitch. Get the hell out of there right now.”

“I’ll go if you answer my question. How did you know? I mean, about my ability…”

“You mean Wihwa? I made sure to kill him. But now there’s someone using the exact same ability, and if my memory serves me right, you lot had one bastard who could transform into someone else.”

I looked down at the bound Elysia and gave a cold warning.

“Lump. It’s more of a label than a name, but I couldn’t forget it.”

“…You sure you wanna act like that? You do know whose body I’m in right now, right?!”

Elysia no, Lump grinned slyly and made a move to bite its own tongue.

It didn’t really intend to do it. It was just a performance to seize control of the conversation.

I didn’t allow it.

“I do.”

“…!”

The teeth stopped before touching the tongue.

Lump, clearly flustered, tried to close its jaw, but as if pinned in place, it could only tremble.

After a short while, I released the hold. No more restrictions.

This too was just a performance to regain control of the conversation.

“Try it again.”

I didn’t expect to use the refined precision of current sense in a situation like this.

But I was many times faster than any of the movements involved in biting down or chewing the tongue.

After several failed attempts, Lump glared at me in disbelief.

“What kind of world is this? Even this close, I can’t see anything.”

“A place far beyond your reach, even if you had a thousand years to try.”

“…Fine, you’re good, huh? Then make your big choice. Kill the girl you care about, or let her go.”

Lump smugly pushed for an ultimatum.

My answer was to raise my middle finger.

“No, there’s no need for that. If I just wait, you’ll disappear on your own. Why should I bother?”

“Listen to you, clinging to wishful thinking. Why would I ever leave this body?”

“You will. Using that ability means you’re experiencing burden too, doesn’t it?”

“…”

“That guy’s burden was pretty damn horrific. I wonder how long you can endure it. If you really want to risk your life on a mere contest of wills, go ahead.”

I sat in the chair across from Lump and stared silently.

“I’ll wait until you come out. And once you do, this time, I’ll be the one to come find you.”

“…Hahaha! You’ll come find me?”

Lump, wearing Elysia’s face, twisted its lips into a mocking grin.

“And then what? What can you possibly do against us?”

“Not us. You.”

I raised my finger to Lump’s forehead.

“This whole thing, wasn’t it your own doing? A solo decision and plan without help from your fellow members.”

“What are you talking about? How would you know that?”

“Because your boss came to recruit me.”

Crimson Circle had said they weren’t planning to act just yet.

They said that since their objective had already been achieved, they had no intention of causing unnecessary conflict.

I didn’t take that at face value. But it was true that they were sincere about trying to scout me. The pearl medicine I received has been genuinely helpful.

Above all, what Decay explained made sense, both logically and practically.

This situation did not.

“You guys have nothing to gain from doing this bullshit. You already achieved your goal, so why would you stir up trouble in the Capital again just to expose your tail? You should be pouring everything into growing your forces right now.”

“…”

“It’s way too stupid to be the organization’s decision. Sure, some groups are idiots, but not on your level. This is way more likely to be one idiot acting alone. Well, it’s a gathering place for Fallen, so proper hierarchy was never going to hold… and you seem like one of the more extreme hedonists among them. Am I wrong?”

“…Heh.”

As I spoke with certainty, Lump grinned grotesquely.

Seeing Elysia’s face make that expression enraged me even more.

“If you’ve figured out that much, then yeah, excuses are pointless. You’re right. I acted alone. When I saw that this brat still had fragments of dreams Wihwa left behind, I just couldn’t resist. Want to know the other reason? I could tell you if you’re curious.”

“No need. It’ll be some moronic reason like ‘I got an order to stay put and that’s boring,’ right?”

“…Ha, hahaha! You! I like you. Are you really sure you don’t want to join Crimson Circle?”

Lump grinned from ear to ear, but I kept a blank expression.

“I told you. I’ll be coming to find you.”

“And what exactly will you do if you find me?”

“Trash like you is hard to predict.”

Acting on impulse, moving however the mood takes you. A single simple pattern, but because of that, you’ll keep doing things like this forever.

Unlike Crimson Circle, which has a clear objective, you’re the one who’ll carry out unpredictable acts of terror.

This time you happened to have Elysia within reach and used her, but if she hadn’t been here, I can’t even imagine what you would’ve grabbed instead.

An unpredictable variable is,

….a threat to my survival.

“Get your neck ready and wait. Whether Crimson Circle cares or not, you need to die.”