NOVPUB“Owner, what exactly is your plan?”
Violetta, who had been silently listening, couldn’t hold back her curiosity anymore.
Instead of answering her directly, Ludger called out to Hans.
“Hans.”
“Yes, brother.”
“Can we get a detailed look at the underground vault’s layout through that artifact? I’m not talking about what’s on the blueprint.”
“You mean things that aren’t on the plans?”
“Exactly. Like where the items are placed, the finer structural details. Is that possible?”
“It’s possible.”
Hans pointed at the floor plan of Kunst Auction.
“The only way in and out of the vault is that elevator, but that’s just for people.”
He indicated a small passage connecting the surface and underground on the diagram.
It was so tiny, there was no way a human could fit through it.
Seridan recognized it immediately.
“A ventilation shaft.”
“Exactly. Since the vault holds valuable items, they have to maintain temperature, humidity, and cleanliness. Magic can only go so far. So the air needs to circulate, and there are several ventilation shafts running through the place.”
“But how are you planning to use that? You’re not seriously thinking of going through there yourself, are you?”
“I’m not going in there. What do you think I am, crazy? You think I’m going to squeeze my body through that tiny hole?”
“...You’re not?”
“Of course not. I’ve got a little friend who’s going in for me.”
“Friend?”
Seridan looked around quickly.
No way any of them could crawl into that shaft.
Hans sighed at her cluelessness and let out a sharp whistle.
Chirp.
A tiny squeak came from one corner of the room.
Everyone turned to see a small mouse scurry over to Hans and stop in front of him.
Hans crouched down, held out his hand, and the mouse climbed up to perch on his shoulder.
“This little guy will check things out for us.”
“...A mouse? Did you just call a mouse your friend? Hans, I’m sorry. I’ve been too hard on you lately, haven’t I?”
“S-sorry, Hans. I didn’t realize you were under that much stress...”
“Why are you looking at me like that?!”
Hans frowned at Seridan and Bellaruna’s reactions.
“Don’t worry, it’s not like that. You all know my body’s got some... unusual traits, right?”
“Unusual’s putting it lightly.”
“...Anyway! I borrow traits from beasts for strength, but honestly, this is how I usually use my ability—by communicating with animals.”
“Communicating? With animals?”
Hans seemed to think it was easier to show them.
He gently set the mouse on the table and pointed at it.
“Turn.”
The mouse spun in place.
“Stop.”
It froze.
“Bang.”
Hans mimed a finger gun and pretended to shoot, and the mouse flopped onto its side, playing dead.
“Impressive.”
Phantos, who’d been quietly observing, murmured in awe.
As a beastkin, the idea of a human who could actually communicate with animals felt almost surreal.
“Wait. Phantos, can’t you talk to animals too? I mean, you’re beastkin.”
“Not all beastkin can. Only the shamans of tribes who commune with nature’s spirits can do that—and even then, only basic communication.”
What Hans had done, ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) giving detailed commands and having them perfectly followed, was something Phantos had never seen.
Hans scratched his head awkwardly.
“Really? I just kind of... did it.”
Truthfully, Hans’ greatest asset in gathering information wasn’t sneaking around himself—it was sending animals like this to bring him intel.
People assumed animals were dumb, but really, they were just uncommunicative. They could be sharp—sometimes even more so than humans.
“Ahem. Anyway, with a few more like this little guy, we can map out the vault’s layout in detail. But brother, what are you planning to do with that?”
“I’m opening up some possibilities.”
Ludger stroked his chin and looked at Seridan.
“Seridan.”
“Yeah?”
“When you saw that artifact transmitting real-time footage, what did you think?”
“Hm. That it’s a really interesting device? While regular crystals transmit sound via mana waves, this shows live images. The person who made it was pretty clever. Why?”
“If you had the right resources, could you make something like it?”
“Something like it?”
“Like, could you replicate the environment it shows—project the same surroundings onto another display?”
“Display?”
Ah.
Ludger realized they didn’t have that word in this world yet, and clarified.
“That thin, wide screen. I just thought ‘display’ suited it, since it shows an image from somewhere else.”
“Huh. Display... has a nice ring to it. Anyway, you’re asking if I can make something that sends video to that display instead?”
“Yes.”
“It’s possible. There’s already something called a projector. I could make something similar. But I can’t guarantee the quality—it might not last long if we’re short on time.”
“That’s fine. We won’t need it for long.”
“But why make this? The design shows that the recording crystal and the display are part of a single artifact. Do we need to make a display too?”
“No need.”
“Huh? Why?”
Seridan tilted her head, confused, but Ludger just answered flatly.
“Because we already have one.”
“Already have—ah.”
Seridan, and the rest who’d been listening, all realized what Ludger meant.
Now they understood why he needed every detail of the vault’s layout.
And why he wanted to build a device to transmit an image to that display.
“Alex.”
“Yeah, leader?”
“You’re going to have to act a bit.”
“Act? What kind of role?”
“A noble from a southern kingdom. Someone ignorant of the world, but filthy rich and ready to waste money left and right. We’ll need to get you an outfit to match. Violetta.”
“Yes, Owner.”
“Can you make Alex something that looks like high-end southern noblewear? Something fancy, something that screams money.”
“As much as you want.”
“Good. Bellaruna.”
“Y-yes! What do you want me to do?”
Ludger tossed her a vial filled with red liquid.
“Wha—ahh!”
Bellaruna barely caught it, panicked.
“W-what is this?”
“A drug made by some black mages. Analyze it.”
“Yes, sir!”
“And while you’re at it... can you make a harmless, but skin-irritating explosive? Something we can spread over a wide area.”
“I-I think I can.”
“Good. Add that to your list.”
Ludger turned to Arfa.
The boy looked like he was already excited, wondering what mission he’d get.
“Arfa.”
“Yes!”
“You’ll wait for now.”
“Eh? I don’t get to do anything?”
“Not yet. I’ll deploy you when the time comes. Until then, stay put.”
“Tch.”
“Phantos. Same goes for you.”
“Understood.”
Unlike Arfa, Phantos nodded without question.
“One week left. Do your best until then.”
* * *
Dazed~
Rine stopped mid-bite, her eyes staring blankly into space.
Erendir, sitting beside her, watching her in silence, called out.
“Rine?”
“......”
“Rine!”
“Wha-?! Y-yes?!”
Startled back to reality, Rine blinked rapidly, finally snapping out of it. Erendir, who had been sharing a mat and having lunch with her, gave her a worried look.
“Something going on with you lately? Are you sick or something?”
“N-no, not at all...”
“Didn’t you get caught up in that terrorist attack while working a part-time job? Did you get hurt or anything?”
“No, nothing like that. I didn’t get hurt at all. Ludger-sensei... he...”
“Ludger-sensei?”
At that name, Erendir raised an eyebrow, puzzled.
But Rine, having brought him up, drifted back into her own little world again.
Erendir sighed and gently shook her by the shoulder.
“Hey. Hey!”
“Ah! I-I’m sorry! I spaced out again, didn’t I?”
“What happened with Ludger-sensei?”
“W-with me?”
“You just mentioned Ludger-sensei. Don’t tell me... did he do something to you?”
As Erendir’s expression turned colder, Rine frantically waved her hands.
“No! It’s nothing like that!”
“Then what?”
“He just... he saved me back then when I was in danger...”
“Ah. That’s all? I thought it was something serious. Then why were you spacing out like that?”
“Well, I suddenly remembered something strange.”
“Strange, how?”
“I started thinking, maybe I’ve met Ludger-sensei before...”
At that, Erendir’s face fell flat.
“Isn’t it just because he saved you in a scary moment? That can make it feel like you’ve known someone longer.”
“Y-you think so?”
“Sure. He saved you when you were in danger, right? I read about it in a paper recently. It’s called the suspension bridge effect, or something? Rine, you’re not falling for him, are you?”
“Whaaat?!”
Rine’s face turned bright red.
“N-no! It’s not like that! Please don’t tease me, senpai!”
“Good. I’m glad it’s not like that. If it was...”
“...If it was?”
“I’d have stopped you, no matter what.”
“Huh?”
Rine blinked, surprised Erendir would say something like that.
“Do you... not like Ludger-sensei?”
“It’s not that I dislike him... It’s complicated. Sure, I was annoyed at first when the new instructor just went ahead and changed the class structure however he wanted. But he proved himself, so that’s not the issue anymore.”
“Then what?”
“I just know. Ludger Cherish-sensei... something about him feels dangerous.”
“Dangerous...?”
What the hell kind of dangerous?
“How do I explain this... You know I’m a princess, right?”
“Y-yes... you are.”
“Were?”
“N-no! You are! Definitely!”
Rine quickly corrected herself under Erendir’s narrow-eyed stare.
She’d honestly forgotten for a moment. Erendir had been acting so unlike royalty lately, her usual grace all but gone.
“Ahem. Anyway, because of my position, I’ve had to meet all kinds of people. So I’ve gotten pretty good at sensing people. I can tell when someone’s dangerous.”
“Oh... I see.”
“But the real reason? It’s probably because of my sister.”
“Your sister?”
Only one person came to mind when Rine thought of Erendir’s older sister.
Erendir had an older brother and sister above her, and a younger sister and brother below.
Normally, royalty fought tooth and nail over succession.
But not in the Exilion Empire.
Because there was one undisputed heir.
And shockingly, it wasn’t the 2nd Prince, but the 1st Princess.
The 2nd Prince was capable and respected, sure—but even he couldn’t compare to the 1st Princess.
She was just... different. On a whole other level.
People joked she wasn’t even human anymore.
Even someone as uninformed as Rine had heard whispers of her. That’s how famous she was.
“But what about the 1st Princess?”
“She’s the reason I can tell when people are dangerous. Because she is that kind of person.”
“She’s your family, though?”
Rine, being an orphan, couldn’t relate to sibling dynamics. But from Erendir’s expression, it was obvious she didn’t think fondly of her sister.
No, it was more than that—there was something like fear in her eyes.
“Anyway, I realized something about Ludger-sensei.”
“Realized what?”
“That sensei...”
Erendir von Exilion.
The 3rd Princess of the Empire remembered clearly the moment Ludger Cherish first walked into the lecture hall.
The dangerous, cold presence that he exuded.
“...He’s the same kind of person as my sister.”
