Chapter 42
I know. The way Bibi intentionally adopts a childish lisp is a high-level pressure tactic.
Why else would a regressor living her second life speak like a two-year-old? It’s to apply pressure: ‘Look at me, look how small I am. You’re a bad person if you betray the expectations of a child this young’!
Anyway, Bibi told me she had sneaked back into the underground garden with a guard. I scolded her for doing something so dangerous, but she was quite defiant, pointing out that she’d gone in fully equipped with a complete set of magic stones and a guard capable of crushing demon beasts.
And to state the conclusion first: the central entrance leading to the underground did not open.
Of course, since Raymon had smashed things up here and there when he came to rescue us, one might think the mechanism was affected by that. Even if it was currently under temporary repair.
However, no matter how much people avoid the area because it’s considered dangerous, the history of the Empire is very long.
If a problem was occurring specifically now, it had to be because a certain set of special conditions had aligned.
Me + Bibi = Maze Garden center opens.
Bibi = Maze Garden center does not open.
If so, the factor causing the issue was me.
At the time, even though I was on the outskirts of the Maze Garden, the entrance at the very center had opened.
I suspected the cause was one of two things: either my status as a ‘direct bloodline of the Imperial Family,’ or the Emoticon Sword that referred to me as its ‘contractor.’
That was why I simply watched as Brian ran out toward the Maze Garden.
“Aa—Aa—Aaaaaaaagh!”
And the moment I stepped within the effective range at the right timing, I saw the entrance open and Brian plummet into the depths, confirming it was the latter.
No matter the circumstances, there was no way a direct bloodline of the Imperial Family had never visited the center of the Maze Garden until now. For this to happen specifically now, in this generation…
“…I really do need to launder the image of this sword.”
It seems it’s because of me, probably…?
What exactly is this ‘contractor’ business that makes the Imperial Palace act like this? If I’d been holding the sword, I would have asked it directly.
“Everything is reportedly ready.”
I gave a shallow nod to the man greeting me. He was a man the House of Castline had assigned to me as a temporary guard.
I needed the help of the House of Castline for this task. I ended up using one of the favors I’d just barely managed to secure.
But I had no intention of hesitating further. You have to use your debts; if you hoard them, they go to waste. So, I borrowed the <Insignia of Gloriana> for a moment and asked them to join me in this endeavor.
Now, from this point on, the staging was crucial.
Brian would be fleeing through the underground maze, chased by the golden demon beast. It would be crawling with other demon beasts driven into a corner.
The magic stone held by the temporary guard flickered.
It was the signal.
I took a deep breath and ran forward. I threw myself into the hole that had opened in the center of the maze. This was officially the second time I had fallen here of my own volition.
I felt the <Insignia of Gloriana> hanging from my shoulder flutter and grow faintly warm.
“He—He—Help me! Aaaaagh!”
I heard Prince Brian’s screams. He was a piece of human trash that I didn’t even want to call ‘brother’ or ‘oppa,’ even as a mere formality.
I did briefly consider whether it would be better to just let him die here.
His combination of incompetence and greed was a carbon copy of the current Emperor. He was the source of Imperial Consort Cleo’s confidence.
He wasn’t particularly bright, and while he caused various incidents in the original story, they mostly stood out in the latter half; I don’t recall him being very prominent in the early stages.
Ah, that’s right. He had made a hideously ugly pass at Bibi, completely ignoring their age difference, only to be humiliated. Even though he already had a fiancée at the time.
“Do—Don’t do this…. Haaa…. Mother…. Kni—Knights…. Is no one there? Is there no one there…?”
However, the Emperor still doted on this fellow excessively. This whole situation was something I’d orchestrated by prodding the House of Castline and the Empress, and considering the aftermath of all the things that would happen if he died…
It was better to just scare him appropriately, shatter his image, and leave it at that. As Brian fled toward a wall, terrified to the point of pissing himself, a demon beast approached him with a growl.
Now was the time.
I grasped the Emoticon Sword, which I had asked Raymon to secretly move and place right here. Hum, hum-hum, hum-hum! The violently vibrating blade responded to me.
-Contractor!!!! ＼༼㊜ɷ㊜༽/ !!!!!!! Contractor! I missed you, Contractor!!!! Other men and women dared to touch me, dared to covet me…. …O-Oh? Contractor! I’ve confirmed a connection with the <Insignia of Gloriana>! Due to the establishment of temporary ownership, 2.5-grade functions are now available! Would you like to proceed with formal ownership~?
‘Are you seriously lacking situational awareness right now? No!’
-Yes, skipping! (̵̵́╹ᴥ╹)̵̵̀!
I gripped the real sword with trembling hands and asked internally.
‘Can you adjust your weight?’
-Ah, with the current grade, it should be impossible… or so I thought, but it works?! (๏_๏) Reducing weight to one-tenth for the Contractor only! There are other additional functions available as well!
‘Call out the 2.5-grade additional functions, hurry!’
-Yes, the Holy Light function has been added! Duration 30 seconds, cooldown 10 minutes, effective area 5m radius! It emits a holy light that can drive away all kinds of nocturnal animals, flying insects, and demon beasts from the area! ✧٩(ˊωˋ*)و✧ The shortcut word is ‘Shine’!
That was perfect. I was originally going to use magic stones for special effects. If there was something useful, I should use it.
While I was organizing my thoughts, the demon beast opened its maw wide and lunged at Brian.
As if he had given up entirely, Brian closed his eyes in terror and curled into a ball on the ground.
Ah, I’m running out of time. When I gripped the sword and gave the signal, the people waiting on standby activated magic with the magic stones. The suppressed demon beast howled, unable to touch Brian.
Someone hurriedly waved a piece of paper in the air for me to see, with words pressed down hard in pencil.
[His Majesty the Emperor approaching, 2 meters away! Imperial Consort Cleo moving with him!]
Good, now!
The cue has been given!
“Haaaah!”
I charged forward with the sword. The demon beast writhed in agony as the pressure from the magic stones intensified.
Naturally, since it was a temporary anti-demon beast suppression barrier sponsored by the Castline family!
He might have realized something was strange if he had even opened his eyes, but for some reason, Brian remained quiet.
Did he close his eyes and faint…?
Well, that’s more convenient and better.
The sound of a commotion grew closer.
“Brian, Brian! My baby, are you safe?!”
“What are the Royal Guards doing?! Get in there this instant! My son, my son is in there!”
Perfect!
I threw myself toward the demon beast.
“Shine!”
Flash!
Flash!
Glow!
“Uwaaaaaaah!”
The golden wolf-like demon beast let out a pained groan, closing its eyes and flinching. Good, if I just finish it off like this after making a good show of it…!
It was then. I heard a strange voice.
[Existence of Contractor ‘Titania’ confirmed]
Strength naturally flooded into my hand holding the sword.
[Insignia of Gloriana—Direct contact confirmed, Horus’s power can be unleashed]
I didn’t know what it was, but if I had it, I should use it.
“Unleash!”
[Approved]
The moment I shouted, a tremendous light poured out, swallowing the horde of demon beasts that had filled the underground.
“Kyaaa!”
“Aaaaagh!”
“Wh-What is this?!”
The surroundings became noisy, as if all the expected spectators had arrived. I was forced to close my eyes for a moment due to the blinding light.
Ssssssss….
A wind blew.
When I opened my eyes, the demon beasts were crumbling away into ash from their extremities, as if burned to death by sunlight.
And there was the Emperor, staring at the scene with a dazed expression, and Imperial Consort Cleo, looking pale as she watched Brian.
Following them were the Royal Guards, knights, soldiers, and even the High Priest, all looking ghostly pale.
My helpers—provided by the House of Castline—were dressed as Imperial knights or soldiers who had entered to catch the demon beasts, so they didn’t stand out even as they mingled with the crowd.
I saw Raymon waiting quietly behind the Emperor’s party.
Suddenly, our eyes met.
I flinched for a moment, forgetting the current situation.
I had always thought of him as possessing golden eyes as cold as ice.
But the eyes quietly watching me now were a color that seemed to melt and flow with a heat that felt infinitely like worry.
Why? Why are you looking at me with such agitation? Because I used a mysterious power?
I pulled my gaze away from Raymon and snapped back to my senses.
Even after all the other demon beasts had turned to ash and vanished, the golden wolf demon beast was very slowly crumbling away.
Even after everyone’s vision returned, it disintegrated like grains of sand right in front of the sword I held.
The Emperor, watching the scene, spoke in a trembling voice.
“Ti—Titania, had you not yet woken up? This situation…. What is this?”
“Father!”
I held the sword aloft with a solemn expression and spoke.
“This sword… it called to me while I was asleep!”
It was the beginning of a grand, righteous campaign of agitation and fabrication.