Volume 3 - CH 14

Imperial Princess Charlotte agreed to do joint magical research with me while she was studying here. However, the procedures for inviting an Imperial Princess from another country into the national research institutes would involve much time and effort. This was due to the fact that research institutes generally gathered confidential information that should not be leaked to other countries.

Since that was the case, I set my sights on Teacher Tristan’s laboratory. I discussed the matter with Teacher Tristan first, telling him that, since the laboratory researched treatments for Magical Overcharge Illness as a whole, it was perfect for our research. A few days later, after school hours, I visited the laboratory together with Imperial Princess Charlotte.

“Teacher Tristan, we are very grateful to you for agreeing to our request.”

Imperial Princess Charlotte did a curtsy. Technically, a curtsy was a greeting reserved for people of the same social standing or higher. The fact that she did a curtsy at that moment was most likely due to her respect for Teacher Tristan as a researcher.

Although she was one of the people who had forced Lady Sophia into a very troublesome position, seeing her act like this made me believe that she certainly wasn’t a bad person.

“I heard that this is where Magical Overcharge Illness was being researched, is that true?”

“Yes, that’s true, Your Highness.”

“I see… May I take a look around?”

“Of course. Feel free to explore, as long as it’s inside this laboratory.”

“Then, I shall take you up on that offer.”

Imperial Princess Charlotte ordered her maids to withdraw to a corner of the room and she walked around the laboratory alone. Giving her a sidelong glance, Teacher Tristan looked at me as if he wanted to say something.

“Cyril, did you not heed my warning?”

“I have nothing to say for myself.”

Even though I had been briefed about the story of ‘Eve of the Festival’ ahead of time, I was now completely entangled in the plot. Moreover, the roles of the girls and boys had changed and I ended up in a position similar to the player.

“No matter what, just don’t end up with the mitsudomoe bad ending, got it?”

“…I know that.”

Teacher Tristan was referring to the ending where the three villainous daughters drove the player to ruin. If the three villainous daughters were to fall into darkness, it would be a huge problem. And, if the three capture targets, who had now become the villainous daughters, were to fall into darkness as well, that would be a huge problem as well. Especially since this problem might become so huge that I might have to fight to avoid destruction.

“At least you are aware. If there’s anything I can help you with, you can count on me. I am indebted to you for saving Lady Fol.”

“It’s something I did for Lady Sophia. Allowing me to use the laboratory is more than enough compensation.”

“I see. If you’re satisfied with a compensation like that, feel free to use it as you like. It’s pretty inactive at the moment anyway, as I have no project to work on currently. If there’s anything you need, let Miss Lynette know. I’ve instructed her to cooperate with you.”

After Teacher Tristan finished, Lynette gave me a nod when she noticed me turning my gaze towards her. Her rank in court was higher than his, but she seemed to idolize Teacher Tristan quite a lot.

Apparently, this was absolutely obvious to my elder sister.

“I feel like I can’t really say anything, though,” she had told me.

Seducing people without realizing it was something that happened to my elder sister as well. In our previous world, my elder sister was a very lady-like student and she had toyed with the feelings of all sorts of people while unaware that she was doing so. Unexpectedly, she was a person who didn’t notice people’s feelings when regarding her own self.

“Cyril, can you come over here, please?”

“As you wish.”

I rushed towards Imperial Princess Charlotte upon being called. In her small hand, she was holding a device that Teacher Tristan must have been in the middle of researching.

“You’re using such old types of devices in this country?”

“That’s the newest model here.”

Devices were components that would become the core of a magical tool. It did make me wonder whether the term was fitting considering the concept of this world, but the name used for it was the same that we had used in my previous world.

Incidentally, although it was called a device, there was a magical array carved inside it. Magic would get poured into this magical array’s circuit which caused the spell to activate. This was a magical tool. It is also important to note that the efficiency of magical equipment was determined by the magical stone, the array and the device used. Therefore, if the performance of the device was low, no matter how outstanding the magic user was, they were limited in the equipment they could create.

“Well, that’s alright. I thought that this would be the case, so I’ve brought a few devices we use in the Empire. Are you able to examine the quality of this device?” 

Upon hearing Imperial Princess Charlotte’s words, the maid waiting in the corner walked over and held out a device to me. When I accepted it and took a look, an astonished sound unconsciously escaped my lips.

“…Is this a device that can activate several spells?”

Normally, there would be only one magical array carved into a device. Therefore, the troublesome thing about manufacturing a device was incorporating the necessary formulas into a single array. It wasn’t an issue when one didn’t care about the device’s size, but it would become impossible to carve an overly complicated array into a small device and it would also consume a lot of power.

However, the device Imperial Princess Charlotte had prepared was made using the latest technique—by engraving two magical arrays. This kind of device belonged to a category of pretty highly efficient devices, even in my previous world. This was precisely the device I was looking for.

“…This comes as a surprise. Who are you, really?”

“I am but a mere butler.” 

“This is the latest type of device and only a few people in the Empire know about it, you know? You were able to figure out the device’s function in but a single glance, and yet you want to keep insisting that you’re a mere butler?”

“I saw it in that book, just like the technique to release powers, that’s all.”

“So, basically, you still won’t tell me anything.”

I expected her not to believe this truth. From my remarks, she had realized that this device was something I was familiar with. Therefore, she probably wasn’t also aware that my goal was precisely this device. 

“What kind of magical tool should we create using this device?” I asked her, putting on an innocent face.

“I haven’t decided what the tool will be used for yet, but I have decided what kind of tool it will be. I want to create a never-seen-before magical equipment that doesn’t require magic stones.”

“Equipment that… doesn’t require magic stones?”

Magical equipment were tools primarily made for people who cannot use magic so that they would be able to use spells. Therefore, to make magical stones unnecessary went against the original concept of magical equipment completely. But I had an idea about a kind of magical tool that wouldn’t require magic stones. Therefore, I understood why Imperial Princess Charlotte had shown interest in my spell as well.

“You mean a tool that would use the released powers of a magic user as its source of power?”

“Yes, exactly. Do you think it’s possible?”

“If I had to say whether it can or cannot be done – it’s possible.”

I picked up a magic stone that was of no use anymore and released some magic, pouring it into the stone. Imperial Princess Charlotte leapt towards me when she saw the magical stone getting dyed by the powers I put into it.

“Did you just put your magical powers into the stone?!”

“Yes. There’s a little bit of know-how involved, but it’s possible to charge it.”

“Whoa… so it’s really possible to pour powers into it. Then, that means…”

“It’s possible to activate magical tools by using people’s magic. Thus, it also means that it’s possible to activate magical equipment without using magic stones. However, when doing so, it’s a little troublesome to keep the output of powers constant. And more importantly…”

“What is it?”

The beautiful, tan-skinned, lightly dressed young girl tilted her head to the side, appearing quite puzzled. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that she was clinging to me… but she didn’t seem to be aware of it herself, being preoccupied with the spell.

“You are quite bold, aren’t you, Your Highness?”

“…Huh? Ah, my apologies. I seemed to have gotten a little bit too excited.” 

She hurriedly separated our bodies, her cheeks faintly dyed red. Although she had the image of an exotic young girl, she apparently also had some unexpected emotional sides to her.1

“B-by the way, would you teach me the spell you just used?”

“Then, what would you do if I said that I want Your Highness to stop interfering with matters regarding Lady Sophia and I, in exchange for this spell?” I asked, expecting to be rejected, but Imperial Princess Charlotte fell silent. What’s more, I myself was surprised by this.

Lady Sophia’s wish wasn’t only to escape a political marriage. She wanted to settle the situation amicably. Additionally, the whole thing couldn’t be settled in a way that would harm national interests. Leaking this spell as one of the bargaining chips in order to prevent her engagement was an act that would harm national interests.

Moreover, in the ‘Eve of the Festival’ of ‘Espressivo of Light and Darkness’, there wasn’t a route that would lead to Lady Sophia’s ruin. The reason for it was that it was determined that she would fall into ruin in the main story, ‘Espressivo of Light and Darkness’, and thus, she couldn’t fall in ‘Eve of the Festival’.

However, the routes had already greatly derailed from the game’s original plot. In this reality, there surely had to be a route in which Lady Sophia fell into ruin after she made even the gods into her enemies. Even if that wasn’t the case, I didn’t want to increase the number of her enemies for the sake of her peaceful future.

Therefore, I couldn’t comply with such a deal.

“…Just for the record, that was a joke.”

When I spoke up, Imperial Princess Charlotte came back to her senses.

“Of course I knew that. I myself wouldn’t step back just for something like that.”

She tried to play it off but she seemed immensely interested in this spell. While the entirety of their goals was unclear, Imperial Princess Charlotte’s goals were, without a doubt, spells. Since that was the case, then it appeared that I could use this spell as a bait to divert her attention.

“Regarding the spell used to release powers, if you don’t mind waiting, there are ongoing preparations to make it available to the public. Although, Your Highness would have to negotiate with Master Grave at that time…”

“How soon… would that be?”

‘Does she realize that I’m stalling for time?’ I thought, filled with tension, but then Imperial Princess Charlotte asked me, “Around one month from now?”

…She couldn’t be warning me about my stalling, could she? Rather, was time what was important to her? Why was she attaching importance to something like that in this situation? Many questions came to my mind, until I eventually landed upon one possibility.

“How about scheduling the negotiations to about a month from now, after His Highness Prince Lancelot’s birthday party?”

“…Alright. Once His Highness’ party ends, let’s negotiate.”

She appeared relieved, knowing that she’d be able to actually achieve her goals. But she didn’t notice that, with this proposition, I was just buying time. Actually, she might not have cared, even if she had noticed.

Therefore, most likely, her goal had to be—  

I wonder what it’s gonna be… Thank you so much for reading and all the support!  We got to know a little more about magic in this one, it’s pretty interesting! Now, just what is Cyril after…?