The false report of Lord Ureki’s death, Feiyu Blaskas’s survival, the sequence of events leading to the nobility’s arrests…Fidel had given that report two weeks prior.
Which was why Zervis had intended to change tactics and reveal the full account of the abduction incident at the council meeting scheduled for a week later, in an attempt to root out the Ducal house behind it all.
Only for that very information to be used to stab him in the back instead.
“Well played. I never imagined I would be sabotaged to such a critical degree.”
“Please wait…!!” Following your orders, I investigated the circumstances around Lord Ureki’s disappearance and the Elf’s survival, and obtained information from informants near Sylvayu before returning to the Imperial capital today!!”
“Hoh…that’s quite a strange tale.”
“Someone impersonated me and interacted with the Grand Duke! I would never forget the favor you did me in helping me inherit the headship of House Jades–“
“In other words…the impersonator who posed as you was aware that House Jades, despite outwardly being just one of the factions, has been handling duties the Duchy could not, even substituting for them at times. In either case, it seems the fact that this information was grasped constitutes a failure on your part.”
That is information only certain individuals would be privy to.
However…if someone did impersonate Fidel and make contact, then the infiltrator knew Fidel was a key figure deeply involved in the Ornament plan.
Only Zervis and Fidel himself could possess that knowledge, a fact that should have been absolutely impossible to leak externally.
But–that assumed Fidel himself had not betrayed them.
“You have labored hard until now…Fidel Jades.”
Part of the wall covered Fidel’s face, and a muffled voice echoed from within.
The writhing wall enveloped the body it had restrained.
“For the crime of obstructing my Ornament’s ambition–you shall atone with your life.”
Without another sound, Fidel was swallowed into the wall.
Eventually, as the study wall reverted to its original form…the agonized screams previously echoing in the room fell silent.
Having witnessed the traitor’s fate, Zervis quietly rose.
“Still, I cannot allow Ornament’s ambition to end here.”
Changing into inconspicuous clothes, he lightly waved towards the bookshelf.
With a noise, the bookshelf transformed, forming an entrance.
Beyond appeared a spiral staircase leading underground.
Zervis quietly descended into the engulfing darkness.
“No one else yet knows the location of the [Philosopher’s Stone].”
Only the head of the Ornament Duchy knows its resting place.
The vein where the [Philosopher’s Stone] slumbers can only be reached from the Ornament Duchy manor.
Deep underground far beneath the capital…stretching from there towards Felmund is an immense underground passage.
This was only possible because the Ornaments are grandmasters of alchemy.
As the supreme alchemic household able to freely manipulate and reconstitute all inorganic matter as they wished, none could match their prowess in defensive fortification and entrenchment.
While other houses scorned the “inferior” magic and turned to mechanics – developing various machines and devices to differentiate themselves – the Ornaments stood unrivaled at the apex.
“The Ornaments are the ones deserving to stand at the pinnacle of Duchies…!!”
Burning with that conviction, Zervis descended on the rising/falling platform to the lowest level.
There waited a magitek vehicle prepared for him.
Unlike wearying horses or magical beasts, it would run endlessly as long as magic fueled it.
And–
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT LOCALIZERMEERKAT.PAGES.DEV
“With the [Philosopher’s Stone], I can reestablish my plans however many times needed.”
From his pocket he produced an ornamental gun, inserting and twisting it into the keyhole.
With a rumbling noise, the engine started moving.
“And then–I shall rend to pieces those who have brought down Ornament!”
His eyes bloodshot, Zervis forcefully stepped on the accelerator.
By carriage, it would take three days to reach Felmund.
But via the underground passage directly connected there, a magitek vehicle could make it in less than a day.
He need only recover as much of the [Philosopher’s Stone] as possible and transport it back to the Duchy estate.
While losing access to the Felmundian vein would be a blow, there were still several days until the Emperor’s signed decree arrived in Sylvayu.
In that time, he could recover and load as much [Philosopher’s Stone] as he could onto transport magitek vehicles bound for the estate.
So there should be no issue–
“–!?”
It was at that moment of contemplation that Zervis saw the object before him and slammed the brakes.
“–Why?”
Gazing at the illuminated scene, Zervis muttered with a dazed expression.
The sight of the collapsed road obstructing his path.
“Why…why, how could…!!”
Repeating those words like a deranged mantra, Zervis drew his ornamental gun.
“Why…why why why why why whyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!”
With hollow eyes, Zervis used alchemical transmutation to reshape the wall before him.
Desperately clinging to the last shred of hope, reconstructing the collapsed road.
Yet his field of vision remained unchanged.
Only a road buried in rubble stretched out endlessly.
It should have been impossible for the road to collapse.
Deep underground, none could tamper with these passages reinforced by alchemy to be as durable as conceivable – able to withstand even external bombardment without caving in.
But it was undeniable that this had been the work of a third party.
An unseen force obstructing his path.
“Who dares to block my path aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!?”
With bloodshot eyes, he continued transmuting the piles of rubble back into a passage–
“–You arrived just as expected.”
As that familiar stretch of road materialized in his vision, that voice reached his ears.
A high, androgynous youthful tone.
The small stature revealed it to be a child.
“I am lucky since my provisions hasn’t ran out yet. It would have been arduous returning to Felmund as a child.”
Standing there was a young boy.
Clad in noble attire, the black-haired, black-eyed lad
seemed thoroughly unremarkable – nothing to draw the eye or leave a lasting impression.
Why was such a boy in this place?
“From here on, you have no future. Ornament’s ambition shall be thoroughly crushed.”
His words were no fantasy or hallucination.
And then–
“–This is your graveyard, Zervis Ornament.”
The boy spouted that outrageous line.
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