Elric, Isabelle, and others descended from the mountain.
Having spent over a month camping out, all of them were in a filthy state, so they had to find a nearby inn.
"Ah! Feels refreshing."
Elric was in a good mood after taking a bath in warm water for the first time in a long time. He was letting out an exclamation like an old man without realizing it.
『Human beings are truly an incredibly troublesome bunch.』
"Why is that?"
『You are probably the only ones who don't realize how unproductive and inefficient it is to wash one's hands several times a day.』
Suddenly, Elric shuddered at Mephistopheles' words.
A deep furrow formed on Mephisto's forehead.
『What's wrong?』
"Do demons not bathe either?"
『Why bother when you can do it with magic?』
"Ugh! Don't come here, go away!"
『What's wrong with this guy?』
"I told you not to come here. You smell!"
『Even though I am currently in a spiritual form, what smell could I possibly emit?』
"Ah, just go away!"
Once again, the two of them started their morning with bickering.
***
The next day, when Elric saw Isabelle emerge clean, his first impression was simply 'beautiful'.
A particularly impressive beauty with white skin without a single freckle and eyes that sparkle like obsidian.
‘But why does she seem familiar...? Where have I seen her before?’
However, he refrained from saying anything, fearing it might lead to unnecessary complications.
‘Probably saw her at some social gathering.’
Still, he was a duke of the empire in name, and he had attended several social parties hosted by the imperial family. She could have been one of the noble ladies he briefly glimpsed.
『Humans are so easily deceived by appearances. How many times have they been misled by mere appearances!』
Mephisto glanced at Elric with a disdainful expression.
Elric turned his gaze towards him.
『What? Why? Are you really going to respond to everything I say? Or are you going to cast some silent spell or ask me to act cute like before? Sorry, but due to the Mana vow, you won't be able to manipulate me in any way for the next ten months. Haha!』
Mephisto was unusually talkative and quick-witted, his attitude seemingly unaffected.
[Still sulking?]
『Hmph! I am the lord of the thousand demons! It is beneath me to experience such petty emotions...!』
[Just a moment, Mephi.]
『What now?』
"Don't talk so much. Your breath stinks even from here."
『That little...!』
Ignoring Mephisto's tantrum, Elric turned back to Isabelle.
Chen and Ed were already outside, waiting for her. However, Chen's complexion wasn't good; his wounds from the fight with Blue Wolf Squad hadn't fully healed.
"Good morning, Ric."
"Yes. It seems like a good day to depart with a clear sky. How's your condition?"
"Thanks to your care, I'm doing fine."
Isabelle started to move forward with a faint smile.
"Shall we go then?"
Elric nodded and took the lead.
***
The journey was much quieter than Elric had anticipated.
‘I thought the pursuit team would be right on our tails. But they're nowhere to be seen.’
Even after activating Mana Search repeatedly, there was no sign of anyone nearby. If there were, it was usually just wild boars or gazelles coming down from the mountains.
Moreover, Chen's health wasn't good, so they had purchased a separate carriage, minimizing the need for long walks.
Thanks to this, Elric was able to concentrate on his journey at a leisurely pace, while also quickly becoming closer to Isabelle and the others.
“Are you the daughter of the Weyl family?"
"Yes. Unfortunately."
As Isabelle nodded calmly, Elric couldn't help but be slightly surprised inwardly.
‘That’s why she seems so familiar.’
The only daughter of a blue lion. Her so-called 'scentless flower' nickname is known not only in central social circles, but also in the provinces.
Of course, it wasn't a flattering nickname.
As the nickname suggested, her beauty was exquisite. At one point, the crown prince was so impressed by her beauty that he proposed to her.
Moreover, with her background in the Blue Lion family, there were many people who had their eyes on her.
But the flower had no scent, so they all left.
It meant she lacked talent.
‘If a lion's offspring cannot have sharp fangs, its value decreases accordingly.’
The title of "lion" was usually inherited based on lineage, but it wasn't absolute.
The bestowment of titles was overseen by the Golden Lion.
So, Isabelle, lacking talent, could never become a Blue Lioness, and the knights following the Blue Lion did not support her either.
It was for this very reason that the crown prince finally declared an end to the engagement.
In the ruthless world of politics, without Blue Lion as a background, one's value diminishes, and so does their worth.
From what Elric heard, she was an outcast even in her family.
Elric knew her story well for these reasons.
Just mere gossip from the social circle never interested Elric much, and even if he did hear it, he quickly forgot about it.
But for some reason, the story of the scentless flower struck a chord with him.
‘Wait a minute. Didn't I hear that the Blue Lion was afflicted with Reflux disease...?’
Sean's passing comment came to mind.
They bragged so much about being lions, didn't they?
And there was something else he added.
-I heard from a skilled magician that the symptoms are quite similar to your blockage disease. Depending on the situation, he might even be a good specimen, so I'm keeping an eye on him for now.
Back then, he didn't pay much attention to it because he wondered how similar he was to a big man like a blue lion.
‘If that's true, could I possibly incur a debt to the Blue Lion?’
Having attempted to cure blockage disease, Elric had a deep understanding of the illness and might even be able to treat the Blue Lion.
As someone who would eventually raise his family, it would be beneficial to have friendly relations with as many families as possible.
Of course, the relationship between the Magic Tower and the Lion Duke was at stake.
'Even if they know, what are they going to say?'
There was no need to concern himself. The relationship between Melvinger and the Magic Tower’s Hexagram wasn't exactly warm.
‘But if they find out I knew and kept it a secret, they might only suspect me more. What to do?’
Most importantly, he might not know when he would get caught up in the Weyl family's internal issues.
Getting involved could be more trouble than it's worth.
Perhaps it was best to observe the situation cautiously and only intervene if absolutely necessary.
‘Well, if it gets too risky, I can always step back.’
Meanwhile,
Isabelle and Chen were becoming increasingly surprised by Elric as time passed.
‘Is he really my age?’
‘This guy... we may not know his true identity, but one thing's for sure. He's a genius!’
‘And meticulous in everything he does. What school of thought is he from?’
When Isabelle first exchanged pleasantries with Elric and later learned his true age, she felt her heart sink.
Though she had hoped otherwise, realizing Elric was in his twenties made her feel infinitely smaller.
She didn't feel jealous.
Because the gap between them was too wide for that.
While Elric was born with talents shining like the sun, she couldn't even be compared to a firefly in the night.
Still, a part of her couldn't help but imagine.
If only she had been blessed with such brilliant talent...!
Of course, it was just a futile speculation, so she had to force a wry smile.
Nevertheless, Isabelle found Elric's existence to be quite intriguing.
It was clear that someone as talented as Elric would definitely come from a wealthy family or school, but the attitude of accepting the request because of 'money' was strange.
'Maybe the money was an excuse to help us... .'
Isabelle started a small misunderstanding(?).
Chen and Ed did their best to find out who Elric was.
Because they thought that there was no way that a being comparable to the three new stars would not be known to the world.
They wondered if he was from the hermit school of one-man legends.
Looking at Elric's vocabulary and attitude, it was clear that he was from a noble family, and judging from his outspoken behavior, he was definitely not a young master who had no idea about the world.
No matter how much they tried to contrast him with potential candidates in their minds, none seemed to fit.
To them, Elric felt like he had dropped from the sky.
Putting aside these various thoughts,
A few days later, Elric and the others arrived at a small town called "Lacente," which was fairly close to the imperial capital.
It was more accurately described as a small town rather than a city.
It was the safest and most well-equipped central location in the vicinity.
"I thought since it's directly governed by the lord, we wouldn't openly encounter any trouble, but... this is an unexpected situation."
Ed, who had been disguised as a regular coachman, murmured softly as he looked at the city gate.
The expressions of Isabelle and Chen, who were also observing the same scene from inside the carriage, couldn't help but stiffen.
At the city entrance stood what appeared to be checkpoint guards.
Clad in armor prominently displaying the insignia of the Weyl family, they stood silently beside the checkpoint soldiers.
They were probably trying to weed out Isabelle and her group by closely observing the movements of those entering the city.
"Shall I turn the carriage around, Young miss?"
"No. That would only arouse suspicion. Let’s first line up and come up with a plan.”
Isabelle turned her head to answer Ed's question.
Since they had already been spotted, they had to appear as natural as possible.
Right at that moment.
"【Display】."
With Elric's uttered words, a chilling light flickered inside the carriage before quickly dissipating.
Isabelle's gaze instinctively turned towards him.
It was a question of what he had done.
"We should be able to pass through now."
Elric only responded with a grin.
And then.
"Hmm. Looks like it's a commercial trip. next!"
The soldier conducting the inspection glanced briefly through the window of the carriage and casually let them pass.
Although the group was taken aback, they refrained from showing any signs of surprise until they were well inside the city. Then, they turned to Elric urgently.
"What kind of magic did you just use?"
"It was a simple illusion spell."
"I-Illusion...?"
“If you use that magic, will we be able to safely avoid their pursuit?”
Chen's face was filled with anxiety, but Elric merely nodded lightly.
"I simply implanted the impression of 'just being ordinary' into the subconscious of the person conducting the inspection. It's easily shattered by other shocks, so what you mentioned about group hypnosis is an entirely different realm."
"Ah...!"
As Chen's hopes shattered, he couldn't help but sigh.
Meanwhile, Mephisto, watching from the side, couldn't help but chuckle.
『Ha! If you can deceive perception to that extent, why not just cast an illusion spell on the group?』
[I have little knowledge in that area.]
『But surely, you have some talent in that area?』
[Illusion spells are difficult to control, aren't they? It would be too exhausting to go to such lengths.]
『I suppose it's just too bothersome.』
Elric chose not to respond to those remarks.
[We just need to go for about another four days from here to reach the imperial capital. Even if it's a bit uncomfortable, please wait until then.]
『What? Wasn't it supposed to be two or three days?』
[I'm planning to stay here for about a day.]
『What for?』
[I have something to look into.]
『Hmm?』
One corner of Elric's lips twitched.
[I need to find out in advance just how dire our dean's situation has become, so I can figure out how to deal a bigger blow.]
Elric, Isabelle, and others descended from the mountain.
Having spent over a month camping out, all of them were in a filthy state, so they had to find a nearby inn.
"Ah! Feels refreshing."
Elric was in a good mood after taking a bath in warm water for the first time in a long time. He was letting out an exclamation like an old man without realizing it.
『Human beings are truly an incredibly troublesome bunch.』
"Why is that?"
『You are probably the only ones who don't realize how unproductive and inefficient it is to wash one's hands several times a day.』
Suddenly, Elric shuddered at Mephistopheles' words.
A deep furrow formed on Mephisto's forehead.
『What's wrong?』
"Do demons not bathe either?"
『Why bother when you can do it with magic?』
"Ugh! Don't come here, go away!"
『What's wrong with this guy?』
"I told you not to come here. You smell!"
『Even though I am currently in a spiritual form, what smell could I possibly emit?』
"Ah, just go away!"
Once again, the two of them started their morning with bickering.
***
The next day, when Elric saw Isabelle emerge clean, his first impression was simply 'beautiful'.
A particularly impressive beauty with white skin without a single freckle and eyes that sparkle like obsidian.
‘But why does she seem familiar...? Where have I seen her before?’
However, he refrained from saying anything, fearing it might lead to unnecessary complications.
‘Probably saw her at some social gathering.’
Still, he was a duke of the empire in name, and he had attended several social parties hosted by the imperial family. She could have been one of the noble ladies he briefly glimpsed.
『Humans are so easily deceived by appearances. How many times have they been misled by mere appearances!』
Mephisto glanced at Elric with a disdainful expression.
Elric turned his gaze towards him.
『What? Why? Are you really going to respond to everything I say? Or are you going to cast some silent spell or ask me to act cute like before? Sorry, but due to the Mana vow, you won't be able to manipulate me in any way for the next ten months. Haha!』
Mephisto was unusually talkative and quick-witted, his attitude seemingly unaffected.
[Still sulking?]
『Hmph! I am the lord of the thousand demons! It is beneath me to experience such petty emotions...!』
[Just a moment, Mephi.]
『What now?』
"Don't talk so much. Your breath stinks even from here."
『That little...!』
Ignoring Mephisto's tantrum, Elric turned back to Isabelle.
Chen and Ed were already outside, waiting for her. However, Chen's complexion wasn't good; his wounds from the fight with Blue Wolf Squad hadn't fully healed.
"Good morning, Ric."
"Yes. It seems like a good day to depart with a clear sky. How's your condition?"
"Thanks to your care, I'm doing fine."
Isabelle started to move forward with a faint smile.
"Shall we go then?"
Elric nodded and took the lead.
***
The journey was much quieter than Elric had anticipated.
‘I thought the pursuit team would be right on our tails. But they're nowhere to be seen.’
Even after activating Mana Search repeatedly, there was no sign of anyone nearby. If there were, it was usually just wild boars or gazelles coming down from the mountains.
Moreover, Chen's health wasn't good, so they had purchased a separate carriage, minimizing the need for long walks.
Thanks to this, Elric was able to concentrate on his journey at a leisurely pace, while also quickly becoming closer to Isabelle and the others.
“Are you the daughter of the Weyl family?"
"Yes. Unfortunately."
As Isabelle nodded calmly, Elric couldn't help but be slightly surprised inwardly.
‘That’s why she seems so familiar.’
The only daughter of a blue lion. Her so-called 'scentless flower' nickname is known not only in central social circles, but also in the provinces.
Of course, it wasn't a flattering nickname.
As the nickname suggested, her beauty was exquisite. At one point, the crown prince was so impressed by her beauty that he proposed to her.
Moreover, with her background in the Blue Lion family, there were many people who had their eyes on her.
But the flower had no scent, so they all left.
It meant she lacked talent.
‘If a lion's offspring cannot have sharp fangs, its value decreases accordingly.’
The title of "lion" was usually inherited based on lineage, but it wasn't absolute.
The bestowment of titles was overseen by the Golden Lion.
So, Isabelle, lacking talent, could never become a Blue Lioness, and the knights following the Blue Lion did not support her either.
It was for this very reason that the crown prince finally declared an end to the engagement.
In the ruthless world of politics, without Blue Lion as a background, one's value diminishes, and so does their worth.
From what Elric heard, she was an outcast even in her family.
Elric knew her story well for these reasons.
Just mere gossip from the social circle never interested Elric much, and even if he did hear it, he quickly forgot about it.
But for some reason, the story of the scentless flower struck a chord with him.
‘Wait a minute. Didn't I hear that the Blue Lion was afflicted with Reflux disease...?’
Sean's passing comment came to mind.
They bragged so much about being lions, didn't they?
And there was something else he added.
-I heard from a skilled magician that the symptoms are quite similar to your blockage disease. Depending on the situation, he might even be a good specimen, so I'm keeping an eye on him for now.
Back then, he didn't pay much attention to it because he wondered how similar he was to a big man like a blue lion.
‘If that's true, could I possibly incur a debt to the Blue Lion?’
Having attempted to cure blockage disease, Elric had a deep understanding of the illness and might even be able to treat the Blue Lion.
As someone who would eventually raise his family, it would be beneficial to have friendly relations with as many families as possible.
Of course, the relationship between the Magic Tower and the Lion Duke was at stake.
'Even if they know, what are they going to say?'
There was no need to concern himself. The relationship between Melvinger and the Magic Tower’s Hexagram wasn't exactly warm.
‘But if they find out I knew and kept it a secret, they might only suspect me more. What to do?’
Most importantly, he might not know when he would get caught up in the Weyl family's internal issues.
Getting involved could be more trouble than it's worth.
Perhaps it was best to observe the situation cautiously and only intervene if absolutely necessary.
‘Well, if it gets too risky, I can always step back.’
Meanwhile,
Isabelle and Chen were becoming increasingly surprised by Elric as time passed.
‘Is he really my age?’
‘This guy... we may not know his true identity, but one thing's for sure. He's a genius!’
‘And meticulous in everything he does. What school of thought is he from?’
When Isabelle first exchanged pleasantries with Elric and later learned his true age, she felt her heart sink.
Though she had hoped otherwise, realizing Elric was in his twenties made her feel infinitely smaller.
She didn't feel jealous.
Because the gap between them was too wide for that.
While Elric was born with talents shining like the sun, she couldn't even be compared to a firefly in the night.
Still, a part of her couldn't help but imagine.
If only she had been blessed with such brilliant talent...!
Of course, it was just a futile speculation, so she had to force a wry smile.
Nevertheless, Isabelle found Elric's existence to be quite intriguing.
It was clear that someone as talented as Elric would definitely come from a wealthy family or school, but the attitude of accepting the request because of 'money' was strange.
'Maybe the money was an excuse to help us... .'
Isabelle started a small misunderstanding(?).
Chen and Ed did their best to find out who Elric was.
Because they thought that there was no way that a being comparable to the three new stars would not be known to the world.
They wondered if he was from the hermit school of one-man legends.
Looking at Elric's vocabulary and attitude, it was clear that he was from a noble family, and judging from his outspoken behavior, he was definitely not a young master who had no idea about the world.
No matter how much they tried to contrast him with potential candidates in their minds, none seemed to fit.
To them, Elric felt like he had dropped from the sky.
Putting aside these various thoughts,
A few days later, Elric and the others arrived at a small town called "Lacente," which was fairly close to the imperial capital.
It was more accurately described as a small town rather than a city.
It was the safest and most well-equipped central location in the vicinity.
"I thought since it's directly governed by the lord, we wouldn't openly encounter any trouble, but... this is an unexpected situation."
Ed, who had been disguised as a regular coachman, murmured softly as he looked at the city gate.
The expressions of Isabelle and Chen, who were also observing the same scene from inside the carriage, couldn't help but stiffen.
At the city entrance stood what appeared to be checkpoint guards.
Clad in armor prominently displaying the insignia of the Weyl family, they stood silently beside the checkpoint soldiers.
They were probably trying to weed out Isabelle and her group by closely observing the movements of those entering the city.
"Shall I turn the carriage around, Young miss?"
"No. That would only arouse suspicion. Let’s first line up and come up with a plan.”
Isabelle turned her head to answer Ed's question.
Since they had already been spotted, they had to appear as natural as possible.
Right at that moment.
"【Display】."
With Elric's uttered words, a chilling light flickered inside the carriage before quickly dissipating.
Isabelle's gaze instinctively turned towards him.
It was a question of what he had done.
"We should be able to pass through now."
Elric only responded with a grin.
And then.
"Hmm. Looks like it's a commercial trip. next!"
The soldier conducting the inspection glanced briefly through the window of the carriage and casually let them pass.
Although the group was taken aback, they refrained from showing any signs of surprise until they were well inside the city. Then, they turned to Elric urgently.
"What kind of magic did you just use?"
"It was a simple illusion spell."
"I-Illusion...?"
“If you use that magic, will we be able to safely avoid their pursuit?”
Chen's face was filled with anxiety, but Elric merely nodded lightly.
"I simply implanted the impression of 'just being ordinary' into the subconscious of the person conducting the inspection. It's easily shattered by other shocks, so what you mentioned about group hypnosis is an entirely different realm."
"Ah...!"
As Chen's hopes shattered, he couldn't help but sigh.
Meanwhile, Mephisto, watching from the side, couldn't help but chuckle.
『Ha! If you can deceive perception to that extent, why not just cast an illusion spell on the group?』
[I have little knowledge in that area.]
『But surely, you have some talent in that area?』
[Illusion spells are difficult to control, aren't they? It would be too exhausting to go to such lengths.]
『I suppose it's just too bothersome.』
Elric chose not to respond to those remarks.
[We just need to go for about another four days from here to reach the imperial capital. Even if it's a bit uncomfortable, please wait until then.]
『What? Wasn't it supposed to be two or three days?』
[I'm planning to stay here for about a day.]
『What for?』
[I have something to look into.]
『Hmm?』
One corner of Elric's lips twitched.
[I need to find out in advance just how dire our dean's situation has become, so I can figure out how to deal a bigger blow.]
