Antagonist Protection Service-Chapter 225 Downwards Spiral (2)
225: Downwards Spiral (2)
225: Downwards Spiral (2)
“―Indeed…
Now, it wouldn’t be unexpected for speculation to spread that you are the one who brought the Demons to the Imperial City.”
“Oh, of course.”
Because even if you think you’re in a bad spot, it can always get worse, right?
‘Crazy…’
Covering my face with a palm, I took a moment to process everything that was going on.
As I did, Lucretia continued.
“As for why we didn’t tell you…
Simply, I had made the judgement that things would proceed more smoothly if you were unaware prior to the attack.”
“…”
Looking at her almost expressionless face, I thought it looked a bit like she had realised her mistake.
It’s not like I couldn’t understand why she had done it if I thought about it from her shoes, and it was easy to call her decision foolish in hindsight when things didn’t work out, but still…
There were many things I wanted to say at that moment, but all I could do was sigh.
“Haa…”
“…”
“Don’t do it again.”
Seeing her reply with nothing but a subtle nod, I gave a small smile.
“Anyway, there’s a lot we could talk about regarding what happened the past couple of weeks, but honestly, I don’t think there’s much point.
We need to figure out what we’re going to do from here.”
Reaching for my cup of tea, I took a quick sip before continuing.
“I brought you because we needed to talk, so let’s talk.
Things were bad, they got worse, and now, I’ve made it all absolutely grim by kidnapping you.
My reputation isn’t getting any worse, but I’m sure we can use that to our advantage somehow.
Ideas?”
Meeting my gaze head-on, Lucretia nodded.
“Firstly, I think it is crucial to identify what exactly our goals are.”
Calmly saying that, she momentarily raised a finger.
“One is to eradicate the Demon threat.
I am aware that this is my goal more so than your own, but I would nevertheless ask for your assistance in this matter and hope you would be willing to lend me your strength.”
Staring into her eyes for a moment, even though she might have appeared indifferent to some, I was able to tell quite clearly how strong her feelings were in those words, and it was unquestionable as to why.
Whether or not she was conveying it intentionally, I accepted her earnestness.
“Of course I’ll help you.”
Speaking frankly, it was only correct for me to help her out because she was the Antagonist.
If I got rid of all the Demons for her, not only would she be in less immediate danger, but there would also be less risk to her and the empire in the future.
But that wasn’t the reason I said I’d help.
Rather, I would have wanted to do all I could to help regardless of my job and her status as Antagonist.
Drakon-Rasa was the place I had easily spent the most time in out of any Illusory World, and it wasn’t even close.
That fact may or may not change in the future, but regardless, it was by far the one world I could feel the closest connection to.
And, now that things have progressed the way they have on Earth, I honestly could see the argument that Drakon-Rasa was a more comfortable place at this point.
After all, even if I was a nationally wanted criminal here, wasn’t I being hunted just the same over there, too?
Lucretia was a friend more than she was ‘just an Antagonist’.
I had committed the murder of an Imperial Prince for her in the past―what was getting rid of a few Demons?
“…You have my gratitude.”
“You don’t need to thank me.
But, this is the second time I’ve come to save you, right?
Promise you’ll do the same for me in the future, eh?”
Saying that with a smirk, I didn’t actually mean it and knew it obviously wasn’t something that could realistically happen…
Still, she nodded firmly.
“I will.
You have my word.”
After that, she raised her finger back up, alongside a second.
“The second goal is what you returned for.
To snuff the life of Liam Tichá.”
That was something both of us wanted, and the thing I was least worried about.
“I was going to take care of him before, but he didn’t show up when I waited outside the academy gates.”
I already knew he went there because of what his sister told me in the past, so maybe it was just unlucky timing that he didn’t go to school the one day I decided to look for him.
‘Maybe he stopped attending…?
No, I think I would have heard about that…’
“No wonder.
He disappeared.”
“…What do you mean?”
Blinking with slightly raised brows, I asked, prompting Lucretia to repeat herself.
“As I said.
He disappeared.”
“??
When?”
“Shortly after your reappearance was made known.
I had already sent investigators and professional trackers to search for him, but they all returned with no conclusive results.
However, there was no evidence suggesting he left the Imperial City, leading me to believe he has been taken in by a group within the city itself capable of erasing such tracks.”
Listening to her explanation, there was only one group that immediately came to mind.
“Black Fang…”
My gaze lowering to the table before us, I felt my eyes narrow on their own.
“I was informed about your previous run-in.
That troublesome lot is not lacking in strength even compared to our Imperial Guard.”
Lucretia’s voice ringing out calmly from beside me, I felt only frustration recalling my own weakness.
Perhaps the Protagonist had offered them noble money or some other form of compensation in return for their services, but either way, it was troubling if that was truly the case.
It makes sense then why they showed up right as I was waiting for him, but didn’t they still want to hand me over to the Imperial Knights at that time?
‘…No, they could have done both.’
Handing me over to the knights, kidnapping me back until they got sick of it, then doing to me whatever the Protagonist wanted them to?
‘Bastards.’
All because the previous Protagonist turned out to be his sister.
Of course, it wasn’t confirmed that that was what would have happened, nor if the Protagonist was even working with the Black Fang in the first place.
But I could bet on it.
Assuming so, how would we even go about dealing with them?
If they really were as strong as the Imperial Family’s personal guard, even that army of Demons might not be enough.
With just me, unable to even reinforce my body with magic energy properly, what could I do…
‘…Oh.
Wait, I forgot I wanted to do that.’
Suddenly recalling something that I thought might actually have a chance of helping me, I turned to Lucretia.
“I meant to ask you when we met before, but there was no time.
Can you teach me how to control the Winter Mother’s Blessing?”
As the words left my lips, I watched her thin eyebrows slightly shuffle.
“Certainly, I can…
Rather, there are few I could name that would be able to teach such a thing unless they too were a Descendent of Winter.
Bearing in mind I have not much else to pass the time, trapped in this place as I am, I suppose it is alright…”
Nodding her head, she replied like so.
“Nice.
Thank you.
Can we start right now?”
Like I originally thought, Lucretia would probably be the best, or perhaps even the only person I could go to for help regarding that matter, and if I could help it, I wanted to get started and make some progress right away.
Similar to how it is with the magic energy problem, I needed someone to at least help me get started so I know how to train on my own, and the sooner we got started on that, the sooner I’d be able to unlock the special property on the Awakened Holy Sword.
“If that fits your desire.
Let us begin with the fundamentals.
Divine and magic energy are unique.
Although they may seem similar, do not think of them as close to the same.”
“Alright.”
Needless to say, I knew very little about magic energy, and even less about divine energy.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration at all to say that I knew absolutely nothing other than the fact that it seemed to be able to interrupt my telepathic connection to the Librarian.
I guess, in order to use it effectively, I should learn what it actually is first.
“Divine energy is also separate from divinity.
Divinity is simply the presence of the divine, whereas divine energy is a manifestable force containing that presence.
Do you understand?”
‘Not really, but I think I can make sense of it.
It’s basically just a property, isn’t it…?
Oh, wait, I guess it’s the same as the difference between magic energy and mana, right?
Ah, that’s easy, then.’
“Uh, sure.
Go on.”
Taking a sip of the tea on the table, which had already gotten a bit cold, the lesson continued.
