Chapter 53: Head-Eater (3) Tick—tock—tick—tock—
Time ticked away. Two weeks of detention had passed.
Unbeknownst to me, Pexy had managed to smuggle out a letter from prison. I only found out because Jun threw a total fit over the phone. He unleashed every ounce of aristocratic sarcasm he could muster, and I simply listened in silence.
It meant someone within the Knight Order had helped her, but there was nothing I could do about such misplaced sympathy. I couldn't exactly stay stationed at the headquarters twenty-four hours a day.
Tick—tock—tick—tock—
While waiting for the deadline, I sold off some of my Kanilan stocks. At the same time, I steadily accumulated funds, avoiding any unnecessary spending.
Dieter established a new legal entity in Kanilan to facilitate smooth investments. There was still quite a bit of time before the bubble would burst, but it was necessary to prepare in advance.
"Sir. A man claiming to be the family physician from the Kandel House has arrived."
At the clerk's words, I looked up from my documents.
"Tell him to come in."
"Yes, sir."
Soon, a middle-aged man entered the office. I didn't recognize his face, but he handed over documents stating he was the Kandel family physician and a graduate of the 'Imperial Medical Academy.' Forging a status that included the word 'Imperial' was an act of treason. Therefore, he was undoubtedly the real physician.
"What is your business?"
"Yes. Regarding the chronic illness of the mage Pexy von Arjen, I have brought the medical records from the hospital she usually attends. Please review them and grant permission for treatment."
He set a medical bag down at his feet.
"According to the records, Mage Pexy suffers from a rare disease where her mana circuits are congenitally unstable. She suffers seizures if she does not receive regular doses of mana stabilizers."
The medical bag.
"In her current state of detention, it could be very dangerous."
The medical bag.
I stared intently at that square, neat bag before shaking my head.
"I refuse."
The doctor's expression hardened.
"…Must you really go this far? A life is at stake. If something happens to Mage Pexy, the Magic Tower will not be pleased at all."
I stared blankly at the doctor. More than anything else, his medical bag bothered me. It was because of what Ezel had said.
'There's a poison that coagulates blood and mana simultaneously. The side effects of the 「Chimera Brain」 occur when the mana in the body surges out of control, but if you use this poison, the mana itself stagnates and…'
Was this doctor truly sent by Jun Kandel?
Or.
"I'd like to ask you the same thing. Must you really go this far, Doctor?"
"…Pardon? What on earth are you talking about?"
The doctor furrowed his brow. I pulled the longsword I had leaned against my chair and slammed it onto the desk.
Thud!
The hunk of mana-tempered iron landed with a heavy, ominous weight. This old longsword of unknown origin from the Ebenholtz family looked quite destructive just by its appearance.
"...."
The doctor remained silent, feigning composure. I looked into his eyes and spoke.
"I'll ask. What is inside that bag?"
The doctor's face twitched. I could feel his heavy heartbeat even from where I sat.
This man was indeed a doctor. A real doctor who had never done anything else.
A person who isn't skilled in psychological warfare can't help but show signs like this.
"It's probably no ordinary poison. It's likely the kind where each component is harmless, but they become a lethal toxic herb when blended."
If she died with her blood and mana coagulated, no evidence would remain of the 「Chimera Brain」.
The Kandels—specifically the younger sister's side—had already finished their investigation into the 「Chimera Brain」 and were attempting to destroy the evidence themselves. Of course, from their perspective, they couldn't be certain if Pexy was a Head-Eater, but if she died, it would be a gain for the Kandels and a loss for me.
"However, there's no way Jun Kandel would try to kill that woman himself, so…"
The doctor's pupils shook.
Sonette Kandel. She claimed to be a 'Man of Letters' rather than a knight or a mage, but in reality, she was the true core of the Kandel family.
"It must be the order of Lord Matheus."
Matheus was Jun's father.
I deliberately hid my thoughts about Sonette. There was no need to provoke unnecessary wariness by acting like I knew her right now.
"...."
The doctor glared at me. I gave him a reassuring smile. He really could relax.
"There's no need for this. Do you really think I would consider the great Kandel family an enemy over just one woman?"
The stiff atmosphere relaxed for a moment.
"I have detained Pexy von Arjen for the sake of what I believe is right. So, please convey my intentions."
I picked up the longsword again and leaned it gently against the side of the desk.
"Even if Pexy's true identity is revealed, I will show Sir Jun the utmost consideration."
I didn't care about Jun. Whether he dropped dead while walking or went bald from a lightning strike was none of my business.
However, Sonette was important. I would make her indebted to me. She was a person who kept a clear tally of favors and grudges. She returned what she received and repaid what was done to her.
That was her talent and her constraint.
"This is a promise made in the name of Ebenholtz."
*
At the Kandel estate, Dominic, the family physician, bowed his head.
"I am sorry."
"It's alright."
Sonette waved her hand.
Dominic wasn't a knight, nor was he a trained spy. He was simply the real Kandel physician used to gain entry to the Knight Order.
"I was worried, but I'm glad you returned alive. But, you brought the bag back exactly as it was?"
Sonette pointed to the doctor's medical bag. Maximilian could have confiscated this bag as evidence, but he chose not to. He had sent the man back peacefully with a certain 'promise.'
"He said… it was a sign of respect for the Kandel family."
Sonette took a quiet breath.
Jun was an emotional and public-facing person. He was very active and loved socializing. Accordingly, he was handsome and dashing.
Because of that, Sonette had hidden behind her brother to acquire information, using it to form factions within the Imperial Guard, the Intelligence Agency, the Underground City, and various other districts.
However, it seemed her information regarding Maximilian was quite significantly wrong.
Had Maximilian deliberately shown only his weaknesses to Jun? Or had Jun refused to acknowledge Maximilian because of his own pride?
"Fine. Let's give up on Pexy now."
"But will Sir Jun stand by and watch…?"
"It's okay. Tell him you treated her in secret. He'll believe it. Instead."
Sonette continued.
"Ask Knight Maximilian for permission to observe a day in advance. He will likely allow it."
If the woman named Pexy truly was a criminal who used the 「Chimera Brain」.
"My brother is a stubborn man, but he's colder than you'd think. He's as sensitive as his aesthetic sense is refined. So…"
He would never be able to endure the sight of that hideous form, with skin melting and mutating across the entire body.
*
Tick—tock—tick—tock—
Three weeks of detention had passed.
I had removed all the clocks from the mansion. Lately, I had grown sick of things that made a ticking sound.
"It's been a while."
Lorenzo had come up again from Southern Hermes.
"Yes. Kitty is complete. I've slightly refined Armand's blueprints."
He handed over Armand's pickaxe invention. It looked somewhat like a mace, codenamed 'Kitty.' It was a new piece of mana stone mining equipment.
"First, I wrapped the protruding mana stones in protective chains to increase their lifespan, and I carved mana circuits into the handle to reduce the overall cost by more than half."
I picked up Kitty with one hand.
Certainly, Lorenzo wasn't a perfect person either. Scholars sometimes focused too much on the functionality of a product.
"It's good. But you'll need to make this handle part a bit more ergonomic. So that the miners can swing it more easily, with less force."
Ergonomics was a theme that had emerged after the New Cabinet took power.
They preached, almost like propaganda, that the easier the work, the better the environment, and the more rest provided, the more efficiency would soar—and in reality, it was true.
"Aha. You're right. I will revise that part."
"What is the production cost?"
"It's about 40,000 dollars per unit, which is ten times the cost of a conventional pickaxe, but it increases the purity of the extracted mana stones by an average of 20%. If you mine a 70% purity vein with a conventional pickaxe, losses occur, and you only get mana stones between 50% and 60% purity. But this 'Kitty' allows for complete extraction at over 70% purity."
It was an efficiency that more than offset the cost.
"Also, I've thought more about the 「Aura Sphere」. If we carve appropriate patterns—Carving—into high-purity mana stones, we might be able to amplify the effect."
"You mean Mana Carving?"
"Yes. We create a 'path' in the high-purity mana stone to amplify the 「Aura Sphere」 in advance. We'd be manufacturing mana stones specifically for the 「Aura Sphere」. By my calculations, a cube-shaped carving is the most stable and efficient."
I nodded.
"Good. What about the process?"
"First, we need to recruit a carver and build a dedicated workshop. The initial investment cost would be… well… about 5 million dollars…"
Lorenzo hesitated as he mentioned the massive cost. It seemed he was still haunted by his experience of being strapped for funds during his university days.
"The amount doesn't matter. Tell Dieter. He will provide everything."
"…Yes. Thank you."
Lorenzo's face brightened. As he turned away cheerfully, even the way he leaned on his cane seemed to have a bounce to it.
It was good to see the old scholar finally able to spread his wings to his heart's content.
Tick—tock—tick—tock—
Four weeks of detention had passed. I looked through the list of articles Alphonse from the Gemion Daily had written so far.
Steel Heart Heavy Industries: Explosion at a blast furnace due to inadequate safety equipment, evasion of responsibility. Blue Crystal Corporation: Victims of mana dust poisoning identified, compensation refused. Golden Grain: Mass illness among nearby residents due to wastewater discharge, denial of causality… There were so many.
As I underlined the names of the companies in red pen, a thought suddenly occurred to me.
"These scumbags possess technology that's actually quite decent."
In that case, it wouldn't be a bad idea for me to seize it myself.
The Imperial Guard extorted corporations for their own selfish greed, but I was different from them.
I had a grand cause.
"...."
After some thought, I picked up the terminal and called Dieter.
"Dieter."
—Yes, sir.
"I'm going to send you a list of companies soon. Ransack them all. If they look good, think about stripping their core patents and research personnel too."
—Understood.
Dieter, who was receiving 'special education' from Engie every day at the estate, was gradually becoming a complete package.
Tick—tock—tick—tock—
30 days of detention had passed.
I had assigned clerks to monitor Pexy throughout this entire week. It was in case she revealed her true form, or in case the knights, deceived by her acting, opened the door for her.
Pexy's condition worsened day by day, but she endured stubbornly.
...To be honest.
To be honest, I was anxious.
I, too, am but a mere human. While I was certain she was a Head-Eater, what if she actually managed to endure the detention period?
—It's okay.
In the backyard of the Knight Order. Ezel answered my call with confidence.
"Your reasoning?"
—The margin of error I calculated was based on a situation with no external variables. In her current state, detained to her absolute limit, she'll be much more sensitive to mana. The moment she's exposed to even a small amount of high-concentration mana waves…
Ezel's explanation was as follows:
The 「Chimera Brain」 is magic that steals a body by consuming another person's brain energy. However, the prey's brain energy does not completely disappear; it remains within the predator's brain. Because that mana attacks the predator's mind, they must constantly consume brain energy. But if external mana strikes while they are in such a weakened state?
—…You can guess what will happen, right? So, strike two highest-purity mana stones together hard. At least 98% purity, the kind that costs over 500,000 dollars each. That level of mana vibration should be enough. I heard you made some money from the mana stone mine.
"I guess the rumors are starting to spread?"
—Think about your spending habits.
Highest-purity mana stones—those with over 98% purity—emit a very clear mana wave just by clashing against each other.
"Anyway, I understand."
—Yeah. Were you anxious?
"…I can't help but be. If this goes well, I become a star knight."
—Don't worry~ If by some miracle it fails, we can just go down to the countryside and live together, the two of us.
I smiled. It was a fairly charming ending, but unfortunately, if I left, we wouldn't even be allowed the countryside.
"Thanks. I'm hanging up."
Tick—tock—tick—tock—
34 days of detention had passed.
With only a few hours left of the '35 days' that were a knight's authority, Jun Kandel requested to observe.
I readily accepted, and he came to the Knight Order in person. One reporter with a camera. One of his own guards. And Dominic, the family physician.
"Good to see you, Sir Jun."
With a quite fatigued complexion, he didn't even take my hand.
"Is it today?"
"There are still eight hours left—"
"—The day you are finished."
I laughed out loud despite myself. Jun Kandel had a surprisingly cute side.
"This way, please."
I guided him to the dungeon. The physician, guard, and reporter he brought followed in a line.
"Sir Jun. Have you studied the chaos magic known as the 「Chimera Brain」?"
I asked as we descended the stairs.
"…Are you still on about that bullshit?"
His answer was tinged with a faint simmer of rage.
Step—step—
Our footsteps echoed through the cold corridor.
"Why would I talk bullshit to you, Sir Jun? Ms. Pexy can only maintain her physical body by consuming the brain energy of others. In the first place, the Pexy you know is already dead."
Jun kept his mouth shut tight. It was clear he wasn't listening to a word I said.
Step—step—
Each harboring different thoughts, we reached the very bottom of the dungeon.
"There she is."
I gestured with my chin toward a dark corner. Beyond those iron bars, Pexy lay collapsed.
"Pax!"
Jun called out her nickname and ran. A full sprint that abandoned all aristocratic dignity. He practically clung to the bars as he looked at Pexy.
"Wake up, Pax!"
Look at this great romantic.
Pexy slowly opened her eyes.
"…Professor Kandel?"
"Yes, yes! It's me! Please, wake up! Let's go home, let's go back home!"
"Professor…"
The detained Pexy was extremely haggard, but even that appearance exuded a frail beauty. Sunken cheeks, and white skin that seemed to glow even more because of it. An appearance like a living work of art, perfectly sniping Jun's tastes.
Jun turned to me and roared.
"Open this door right now!"
"There is still a little time left."
I pulled the highest-purity mana stones from my coat. Blue stones that looked like jewels.
"Sir Jun."
"I said open the door! A person is dying—!"
"I'll say it again. What is tormenting her right now is not my detention."
Jun's desperate face was quite a comedy. I stared straight into his eyes and gripped the mana stones.
"…It is the mana of the countless victims still living inside her brain."
Clang—!
I struck the two mana stones together with force. Mana spread out in ring-like ripples.
"It is killing that sub-species wearing Pexy's mask."
"Stop talking nonsense and just open the—"
—Krr-ggh-ggh-ack!
At that moment, a bizarre sound, hard to believe was human, erupted from within the bars.
"...."
All of Jun's movements stopped. Sensing some ominous omen, he swallowed hard without moving an inch. Cold sweat beaded on his suddenly pale face.
Gurgle—aaaaack—
The cry of a beast, or a monster. The reporter who had come down with Jun instinctively raised his camera, and horror dawned on Physician Dominic's face.
Finally, Jun Kandel also managed to move his stiff neck to look at 'the thing that had been Pexy.'
I asked him.
"Does that monster still look like your Pexy?"
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