Magician in Type-Moon

Page 670

If I remember correctly, he belonged to the Curse Department, and should not have had such a direct subordinate relationship with Inola of the Creation Department.

“Although I do maintain some necessary contact with the ‘outside world,’ it would be very difficult for me to be directly regarded as the murderer or an accomplice.”

Mick shrugged, his tone as casual as if he were discussing the weather. "I've never done anything... exaggerated enough to cause such a stir."

"Isn't this just playing dumb?"

Princess Silver's voice remained calm, yet carried an icy chill that seemed to see through everything.

"These magicians who are attacking Izeruma right now, they must be you—or rather, you 'found' them, right?"

That's not the correct way to put it.

Inola raised the corners of her mouth, adding with a chilling composure. The old woman's smile was as cheerful as ever, even "hearty," but precisely because of this, it revealed an indescribable, unfathomable darkness.

"Regarding the actions of the Gariasta family, they simply noticed that I attended the Golden Princess's debut banquet and was temporarily staying here, so they just stopped by to 'pay their respects'—"

Although they did express their 'desire' for the Baruyeleta family not to get involved, and I did receive quite 'hospitable' hospitality, however…

She paused deliberately to emphasize what she was about to say.

“I personally did not actively promote or instruct anything. Mick, who was standing over there, was at most just a matchmaker between me and the Gariasta family, playing the role of a dutiful ‘middleman’.”

"Didn't you foresee from the beginning that if you had personally attended that social gathering, the Gariasta family would have inevitably taken this action?"

Princess Silver astutely pointed out, her words directly addressing the core intention.

"Hey, hey,"

Inole exclaimed dramatically, as if he had heard something out of the wildest fantasy.

"How powerful do you think I am? Like someone who can secretly manipulate all the evils in the world? That kind of overly vivid imagination is better left to the world of conspiracy theories. Ah, but then again,"

She seemed to suddenly remember something and laughed self-deprecatingly.

"The secret societies of magicians are perhaps the biggest breeding ground for conspiracy theories, aren't they? I apologize for my rudeness."

As Inole spoke, he shrugged his shoulders in agreement and let out a low, ambiguous laugh.

The edges of her shawl swayed in the wind and rain, which the umbrella couldn't completely shield her from, and the old woman's delicate collarbone was faintly visible as her clothes swayed, adding a touch of eerie elegance.

“…In the end,” she tilted her head slightly as if she found it amusing, but her gaze was sharp as a knife.

"Suppose—and I'm just saying suppose—that I really am the murderer, what do you, Princess Silver, intend to do then?"

She continued in that tone, a mixture of languor and cruelty:

"Go to the Clock Tower for a 'trial'? I really don't think such a naive idea would work. Although I've never felt that the judicial system of the ordinary world is effective against us, the world of magicians... is only worse, more naked. Besides,"

Her smile deepened, revealing her gleaming white teeth.

"Assuming the information brought by Matou Ike is true, your sister—the Golden Princess—even secretly planned to 'escape.' This act of betraying her family and the project alone is enough for me, as the head of the Creation Department, to 'legally' deal with her."

So no matter how hard you try to collect so-called 'evidence,' in the end... it's just adding some insignificant scraps to the endless struggle between factions.

She waved her hand lightly, as if brushing away a speck of dust, attempting to downplay a murder as an insignificant political maneuver.

"So,"

Princess Silver's voice remained unwavering; she spoke the next sentence quietly, even serenely.

The words, however, were like the most resolute blade, slicing through the rain:

"Then please kill me here, using the same 'legitimate' reason."

Mick, who was listening nearby, couldn't help but widen his eyes, clearly shocked by this resolute proposal.

The maid Regina remained silent, only lowering her head further, her knuckles turning white from gripping her fists so tightly.

"........."

Inolai stretched out her wrinkled fingers and gently massaged her temples, pondering for a moment.

When she spoke again, the playfulness in her tone had faded, replaced by a calm reassessment of the situation.

"...I see. This is your 'trump card'?"

She spoke slowly, her gaze scrutinizing the Silver Princess like a scalpel.

“That’s right.” Princess Silver admitted frankly, her voice clear and firm.

"Killing me here would be a piece of cake for you. However, the outcome would leave you with no way to 'exonerate' yourself."

If, after already incurring the wrath of the Gariasta family, you then successively 'dispose' of the Golden Princess and Silver Princess of the Izeluma family, whom you personally nurtured...

Then, Lord Baleyeta's reputation and prestige will be utterly ruined. Even if no one can bring you to a real trial, your position within the family and even the Clock Tower will be in grave danger.

After Princess Silver finished speaking, she slowly turned around, her gaze passing over the vast rain curtain, looking back at a hill some distance away whose outline was blurred in the darkness.

Through the extraordinary senses "enhanced" by magic over a long period of time, both she and Enolae clearly perceived—

On that hill, two figures stood quietly, like silent witnesses, gazing at everything that was happening on this grassland.

"I think you've already realized that Maio and Islo... are witnessing all of this from afar."

Princess Baiyin's voice was calm and even, yet every word carried immense weight.

"Although they have deep ties with Izeruma, they ultimately belong to the neutral faction under the control of Meastia. If I may be so bold, even you, Lord Baruyereta, probably cannot 'secretly eliminate' these two important witnesses from the neutral faction without causing a huge uproar."

The Baluyeletta family belongs to the democratic faction within the Clock Tower.

That is, the faction that advocates for the gradual reform of the clock tower's outdated system.

This means that no matter how powerful a person is, it is by no means easy to exert a decisive influence across factional boundaries... Of course, with the absolute power of one of the three great noble families, it is not entirely impossible, but it will inevitably require bearing the corresponding, unpredictable political risks and costs.

Princess Silver's move was precisely to exploit the intricate power struggles between factions, forcing Inola to hesitate before acting.

"Gambling with their lives... These princesses lately are getting more and more difficult to deal with."

Inola clicked her tongue as if she was annoyed, and even closed one eye in a daze, but her face didn't show much real annoyance. Instead, it revealed a hint of... appreciation?

“If you don’t want things to escalate to that point,” the Silver Princess pressed, her voice clearly audible through the rain, “could you… step in and stop the Gariastar attackers who are attacking the Twin Towers?”

“Hey, hey,” Inola sighed almost helplessly and shook her head.

"Didn't you hear what I just said? I only received 'advice' from that group and decided to 'not get involved.' Besides,"

She spread her hands, making a gesture of helplessness, but her eyes remained as sharp as ever.

“The Gariastan people are nouveau riche who squeezed into the Clock Tower from a remote place by virtue of their wealth and power. I don’t think they will easily submit to the title of Lord or have any respect for the traditional power of the three noble families.”

Chapter 695 Trading

Princess Silver's shoulders trembled slightly, unable to contain herself.

Even in her, this outpouring of anger and despair possesses a breathtaking, almost cruel beauty.

If she is the ultimate goal of the "most beautiful person" that the Izeruma family has pursued for generations, then her emotions and temperament must have been carefully shaped and adjusted to maximize the audience's sense of emotion and resonance with the essence of "beauty".

"Since that's the case...I..."

Just as she gritted her teeth, as if about to utter some final, irreversible decision—

"...Wait...wait a minute!"

A slightly hurried but exceptionally clear shout abruptly broke the tense standoff.

A man parted the continuous rain and appeared from a direction different from where the Silver Princess had come from, quickly approaching. Rain dripped from his slightly disheveled hair, but his eyes were unusually clear.

"If possible, I hope both of you can wait for a while."

His appearance was like pouring a bucket of cold water next to a powder keg that was about to explode.

"Lord Matou...?"

The maid, Regina, instinctively whispered, revealing the newcomer's identity. Her voice held a barely perceptible hint of surprise, and perhaps even a touch of...

Then, Matou Ike turned her gaze to the figure preparing to board the carriage, her tone calm yet carrying an undeniable penetrating power:

"So you're planning to... withdraw and leave now, Lord Balyeleta?"

"Hey, that's really harsh, young man."

The old woman, Inola, turned around at the sound. Instead of being embarrassed by being exposed, she revealed an excessively neat row of teeth and grinned. Her smile was particularly striking and meaningful in the rainy night.

“Izeruma is indeed a branch of the Balyereta family, but that doesn’t mean it needs to be protected unconditionally and without any bottom line. The Gariasta family, which is now attacking with such a large force, must have some degree of ‘legitimate authority’ in their hands.”

Given this situation, wouldn't it be more 'useful' for everyone to simply observe and wait for things to settle down before clarifying responsibilities and questioning the results?

She cleverly packaged her withdrawal as a calm, even far-sighted, strategic observation.

“That’s right, just as you said.” Matou Ike nodded, his expression unchanged, as if he had expected this statement. “You will indeed think that way.”

Then, his gaze shifted to Princess Izeruma, who stood in the rain, his eyes calm and clear.

"Similarly, Princess Silver, your attempt to prevent him from leaving was also based on entirely realistic considerations."

Matou Ike analyzed the situation calmly.

"Because if Lord Balyeleta is allowed to leave at this time, and the last potential constraint from the main family is lost, Izeruma will have no effective way to stop the atrocities of Gariastan's group. Am I right?"

"........."

Princess Silver remained silent, but that silence itself was a form of acquiescence.

Matou Ike didn't stop there. He pressed the silent princess further, his tone still calm, but getting straight to the point:

"Moreover, you just explicitly accused Lady Balereta of being the real murderer of the Golden Princess and are questioning her about it, right? That is the real reason you are stopping her, not just to seek protection."

"...Did you hear that?"

Princess Silver finally spoke, her voice still cold, but her slightly raised eyelashes revealed a subtle, almost imperceptible fluctuation.

"No. I'm sorry, I didn't hear your previous conversation."

Matou Ike calmly denied it, his gaze like a lighthouse piercing through the fog, "I just... thought of the most likely 'essence' of this case."

He paused briefly, letting the sound of rain fill the momentary silence, before clearly articulating his reasoning:

"The purpose of this case from the very beginning was never simply to 'find the murderer.' It was more like a distorted mirror reflecting the factional struggles within the Clock Tower onto the land of Izeluma, nothing more."

Based on the composition he had already clearly discerned, he turned to the Silver Princess, his words getting straight to the point:

"Rather than saying that you are conclusive evidence that Lord Balyereta is the murderer, it would be more advantageous for you, the Silver Princess, to make the accusation that 'Lord Balyereta is the murderer' true. This would be the most powerful bargaining chip for you to restrain your family and force Lord Inolei to intervene or compromise."

His analysis was cold and precise, dissecting the surface like a scalpel.