Ryuu Kusari no Ori -Kokoro no Uchi no 'Kokoro'-

Chapter 8.13

In a council meeting in deciding the future direction of Arcazam, neither the chairman, Haibao Foka, nor the council members raised their voices in a loud manner, and they proceeded with their agenda in a very calm and composed manner.

The council chambers in Arcazam are arranged in a circular configuration, with the chairman seated at the far end of the center, the secretary and other administrative staff below the chairman, and the council members' seats facing the center of the chamber.

In addition, the seats for the audience were arranged to surround the seats of the council members, and in one of the audience seats, there was Victor.

Now Victor is not even an advisor but in the position of an audience member.

Originally, Victor himself did not have the authority to give his opinion to this assembly, nor did he have the privilege of voicing his opinion.

Only the council members who participate in the council could decide where Arcazam will go.

However, Victor's presence was still significant, and even as the agenda proceeded smoothly, some council members still glanced at Victor.

"Then, the distribution of accommodation in each country is the same as in previous years. Next up is ......."

The current agenda is still a matter related to the opening festival. However, since the opening festival itself has already been held nearly ten times, the agenda is almost the same as in past years.

Of course, there are other matters on the agenda as well, but almost none of them are particularly urgent.

The main reason for this council was that the intelligence agents hiding in Arcazam had been captured by the "Starlight" team led by Jihad.

The agenda proceeded as usual. However, the calm was broken by a sudden intrusion into the meeting hall.

"Excuse my intrusion."

The person who suddenly barged in was a large man, nearly two meters tall, dressed in a black attire reminiscent of a military uniform.

The wrinkles on his face indicated that he was in his mid-forties.

The council members all looked surprised when they saw him.

Egrod Fabran. He is one of the most prestigious nobles in the country of Forsina.

His physique, which had reached the age of maturity, was even larger than Jihad's, and his piercing eyes reminded him of those of a soldier.

"May I join you in this discussion?"

"Egrod-dono, so you've arrived.'

"Yes, just in time. So, Mr. Chairman, may I sit here and listen?"

"Yes, of course."

"Thank you."

Egrod politely bowed to the Chairman and sat down at a seat reserved for the audience in one corner of the chamber.

His sudden visit caused a slight commotion in the meeting hall.

Some of the council members looked at Egrod, who was sitting at the end of the hall, with a dubious expression on their faces, but Egrod himself kept his eyes fixed on one point.

"............"

"............"

At the end of Egrod's gaze was Victor, his country's great nobleman and political opponent.

They were both silent, and only their crossed glances were creating silent sparks.

On the other hand, the chairman of the meeting, Haibao, did not pay any heed to the quiet clash between the two noblemen, and proceeded with the agenda in a casual manner.

"I will now begin the rest of the agenda. Item 32, progress report on the Abyss Grief and parasitic organism Investigation."

The next item on the agenda was an exception to the regular agenda.

Abyss Grief.

An unidentified demon beast that was discovered in this city about a few months ago.

There were several sightings of this being ten years ago, and it was believed that it may have had something to do with that great invasion.

At that time, the Abyss Grief that was discovered had already been defeated, and its corpse was recovered and investigated by the Gloaurum Institute, a research institute in Arcazam.

However, about two months ago, the Abyss Greif, which was supposed to have died, suddenly resurrected during the experiment. It destroyed a whole laboratory, wounded a military police officer who was on guard, and attempted to escape.

The incident was quickly resolved after Jihad Raundel, who was leading the guard, defeated the resurrected Abyss Grief, but the Abyssal Grief later resurfaced as a parasite in the body of the injured military police officer.

It was eventually assimilated into a student of Solminati Academy, Ken Notice, but was defeated again and annihilated.

Although this incident was treated as an assault by a student, it had various effects on various places afterwards.

At one point, the issue of the restructuring of Arcazam came to the surface, but the situation has been calmed by the disclosure of all the information regarding Abyss Grief, the capture of the spies, and Victor's intervention.

However, opinions on this matter were divided between the elimination group and the sealing group regarding the recovered specimens, and opinions are still being exchanged among the council members.

"This matter will be explained directly by the person in charge. Mr. Torgrein, please."

"Yes, I understand."

In response to the chairperson's voice, a gentleman wearing glasses stepped forward. Torgrein is a teacher at Soluminati Academy and an excellent alchemist who also conducts research at Gloaurum Institution.

"Regarding the information about Abyss Grief that is currently known through the investigation, we have already found out that the elements possessed by Abyss Grief have already affected the bodies of the two subjects. However, there is a clear difference between the two."

According to Jihad's report, the parasitized military police officer had his physical strength enhanced to an unbelievable degree, but his ego had completely destroyed and his instincts had been laid bare like a beast.

On the other hand, Ken Notice had undergone an extraordinary transformation, not that his body had been enhanced, but that he had developed a barrier to absorb his opponents at the soul level and regenerated himself even after his upper body had been cut in two.

Furthermore, in Ken's case, it had been reported that he had temporarily regained his ego during the fight. Compared to the previous subject, his transformation was clearly different.

"We have compared the physical strength of the two transformed individuals, and Ken Notice is far stronger than the former. The question is, how did such a difference arise when they were both parasitized by the same organism?"

"And what is your take on this, Mr. Torgrein?"

"Both subjects are young men, with no congenital diseases. And considering that Abyss Grief has a characteristic similar to that of a spirit, we surmise that it is probably not only physical factors that determine the difference."

"So what does that mean?"

"The quality of the parasitized person's soul, or more precisely, the mental state of the subject, is thought to greatly affect the parasite itself."

In investigating the effects of Abyss Grief parasitism, Torgrein has, of course, also conducted a personal investigation of the two parasitized individuals.

And from the investigation so far, it has been found that Abyss Grief has a nature similar to that of a spirit.

"Spirits are strongly affected by the mind, the magic, and the elements. Abyss Grief chose him as its host because Ken Notice's state of mind, which had been cornered by his situation, made it convenient for the parasite to take over his body."

"As a result, he had his mind exploited by the demon beast and was mutated into a monster..."

Torgrein nodded his head in agreement with Haibao's words.

Cornered by Nozomu Bountis, which he himself had framed, and having his mental gap exposed, Ken's soul and even his body were assimilated with Abyss Grief, and as a result, he ceased to be a human being.

A non-human. There may be no better word to describe Ken's current state.

"But Abyss Grief is a physical being. Even if it is a parasite and causes mutation, it is hard to believe that the mental state of the subject is the only factor......"

"We made a possible discovery regarding this matter. We examined Ken Notice's body and found traces of an "inscription" so small that it could not be seen."

"An inscription?"

"Yes. The details are still under investigation, but it is believed that a very different inscription from existing techniques has been carved into various parts of Ken Notice's body, in such fine detail and so intricately that it cannot be seen with the naked eye. It can be inferred that this inscription probably reaches within the body as well. On the other hand, the corpse of the military police officer who had been reduced to ashes was completely destroyed, and the inscription could not be confirmed. According to our hypothesis, the body itself could not withstand this "cursed engraving" ... "

"If that's the case, does it mean that only those strong enough to withstand the cursed engravings can awaken as the Abyss Grief?..."

That would explain why very little Abyss Grief was found at the time of the Great Invasion.

Because only those above a certain level of strength could withstand the changes, otherwise, they would perish.

"What about the countermeasures?"

"There are a few things I can think of. The first one is to remove the inscription itself with a powerful spell. The second is to cut off the affected part of the body before it becomes fully transformed."

The problem lies in the fact that it is unclear how much magic power is needed to remove the inscription.

Furthermore, when Ken Notice was transformed, the parasite took the form of something that was able to burrow directly into the body.

According to Torgrein's explanation, the troublesome point was that it would be difficult to either eliminate or remove the Abyss Grief itself, which was the one who engraved the inscription, if the Abyss Grief itself were to burrow into the victim's body.

Nevertheless, if the cause could be identified, there would be a way to deal with it and avoid unnecessary disturbances.

For Jihad, it would be a blessing just to know the cause of the problem.

"Okay. So, what is the current condition of Ken Notice?"

"Currently, we are isolating and physically sealing Ken Notice in the lowest level of the Gloaurum Institute to prevent it from being affected by magic power. There has been no noticeable change so far."

"I see. Then, I would like to hear the council members' opinion on whether or not to proceed with the investigation of this matter."

Haibao urged the council members to vote on the matter.

The first to raise his voice was a member of the rejectionist faction. He slammed the table hard with a loud *bang!*. He slammed the table hard and shouted loudly as he sat up from his chair

"I am against it. There is no guarantee that it will not be resurrected again. We must get rid of it as soon as possible!"

As if in agreement with his strong opinion, the other members of the rejectionist faction voiced their agreement.

"He is absolutely right. The previous incident could still be settled peacefully, but if the same thing were to happen again and the people were to suffer greatly, this time it would be irreversible."

"If that were to happen, our dismissal would be inevitable. All of us here will be sent back to our home countries and we will be held accountable. And above all, it will be questionable whether this Arcazam could even survive."

While the members of the rejectionist faction raised their voices, the members of the approving faction also put their own opinions against the rejectionist faction.

"But it is also true that thanks to this specimen, the research regarding Abyss Grief is progressing. I think it wouldn't be a good idea to get rid of it too soon..."

"The existence of Ken Notice, who lives in perfect symbiosis with the Abyss Grief, is especially valuable. Hopefully, we can find a way to control this beast.

"In the first place, it is a being that can be resurrected from the ashes, isn't it? What do you intend to do when you say dispose of it?"

"Guh~ ... But you never know what will happen. If the beast were to resurrect again, what makes you certain that we would be able to finish it off again?"

"T-, that's ..."

The approving faction began to be suppressed by the rejectionist faction.

"Torgrein-dono, what about that particular matter? Is there any chance that the Abyss Grief could be revived through Ken Notice's body?"

"I can't say for sure. However, the fact that Abyss Glyph was revived in the previous experiment probably has something to do with this inscription. I think it is unlikely that it would be able to be revived by the corpse of the military police officer, whose inscription seems to have been completely destroyed. As for Ken Notice, now that his magic power has been completely drained and he is physically sealed, it is highly unlikely that it will be able to resurrect through him as well. The cause of the previous resurrection was the direct injection of magic power into the corpse, which still had the inscription on it, which caused the remaining inscription on the corpse to react. As a result, the survival instinct of the Abyss Grief was stimulated."

"Fumu……"

"I believe that countermeasures against this existence are necessary, but the danger must be kept to a minimum. Then, we have no choice but to continue our research with the highest level of containment as before, keeping contact with the subject to a very minimum, don't you think?"

Although a number of opinions were voiced in the following discussion, none were deemed useful.

In the end, a decision was made to maintain the status quo and see how things go.

"So, regarding agenda item 32, we will maintain the status quo. Thank you very much, Mr. Torgrein. Now, on to the next matter......."

Once one matter was settled, it was time to move on to the next one.

Arcazam had many problems to deal with.

The Chairman, Haibao, proceeded with the agenda in a matter-of-fact manner.

===========================

"Wait, "opportunist"."

The meeting was coming to a close and Victor was walking down the hallway of the chamber when he stopped at the sound of a hoarse voice.

When he turned around, he saw the person who had interrupted the meeting before.

"What can I do for you, Mr. "thick-armed man"? I have a busy day ahead of me."

'What, you have time for a little chit-chat with your "classmates" from the same school, don't you? Or are you busy because you're behind on your "debt payments"?"

Viktor and Egrod began voicing their sarcasm right from the start.

The atmosphere on both sides was bad.

It was like a scene at a dinner party where they smiling on the surface but kicking each other under the table.

"Debts? Unfortunately, my household is large enough to handle some minor debts, and I am on track to pay my own personal debts, no?"

"You have not paid a single coin in three hundred years and you said that you're still on track? How could some chickens be so lazy?"

Three hundred years. Hearing these words, Victor's eyebrows twitched.

Although it was covered with sarcastic words so that a third party could not easily understand it if they heard it, it clearly meant the secret agreement with the Household of Waziart.

Victor, on the other hand, frowned slightly but did not lose his nonchalant tone, and quietly launched a counterattack.

"You have done a very foolish thing to come to Arcazam with your own knights, haven't you? It seems that your thoughtless behavior of spreading the seeds of unnecessary disturbances has not changed since you were a student."

"You mean the Iron Corpse Knight Order? They're merely my bodyguards. But then again, this city assembly isn't very meaningful either. They are too far behind in practically everything, even regarding that demon beast thing."

The Iron Corpse Knight Order is an order of knights in the service of the Fabran household, and although not large in size, it is a fairly elite order of knights and an impressive military force.

Of course, it alone is not a force that can start a war against Arcazam or other countries and win, but in Arcazam, where the forces of each country are in rivalry with each other, it could be a factor in stimulating many other forces.

"You're still the same vicious little brat that keeps adding fuel to the fire. No wonder Firana never looked at you."

"What are you saying? You're just a Pied Piper who deceives people with sweet talk and drives them to their deaths. Do you know how many people suffered ten years ago because of you?"

Ten years ago, a great invasion took place. At that time, Victor was among the first to send reinforcements, but naturally, there was opposition from both inside and outside the country.

When the troops of a country crossed another country's border. Whether in times of peace or in times of emergency, such an action would surely be taken as a declaration of war.

Furthermore, the cost of organizing, sending, maintaining, and rewarding the troops would be enormous.

Victor eliminated these oppositions by all possible means.

He was able to eliminate the opposition by persuading them with righteousness and reason, by misleading them with sweet words, by bribing them with promises, and sometimes by blackmailing them.

Opportunist and Pied Piper. These were derogatory names given to Victor by those who continued to oppose him as he tried to persuade the opposition.

"Even though you refused to move when it matters the most. 'Bronze Statue' sure can use its mouth."

"Ten years ago, I was unable to move because my foolish father was the head of the household. If it were now it would be different. I will not let your sweet words tilt the country ever again."

Ten years ago, the head of the Fabran household, Egrod's father, assisted in the formation of the expeditionary force proposed by the Francilt household, providing troops, supplies, and funds.

As the result of the Fabran household as well as other households eventually cooperating in the formation of this expeditionary force, the Kingdom of Forsina was among the first to rush to the battlefields invaded by demonic beasts, and its reputation grew, but at the same time it also incurred great debt and economic losses.

These losses were not small, and even now they remained a source of concern for the Forsina Kingdom.

"Master, the carriage is ready."

At that moment, Victor's maid, Mena, interrupted their conversation.

It was a rude act for a maid to interrupt the conversation of a high-ranking nobleman. However, Egrod, who saw Mena, did not seem to blame her.

"Mena, it's been a long time."

"It's been a long time. Fabran-sama."

There could only one reason why he did not blame her. Because these two, like Victor, were classmates at the aristocratic school and old acquaintances.

"Are you still serving this 'opportunist'? A knight of your caliber could be very successful in our Knight Order. It would not be impossible for you to be knighted again, would it?"

Although Egrod held feelings that went beyond dislike to hatred toward Victor, Egrod's feelings toward Mena were not bad at all.

Eglode was very fond of this maid called Mena, who was also a skilled knight and a very reasonable person. The only problem he had with her was that she was serving his sworn enemy.

"I am sorry, but with my old wounds, I don't think I can be of much help. Besides, I am now Victor-sama's maid, nothing more, nothing less..."

"... Tch~, those old bastards."

Although Egrod had been turned down by Mena without hesitation, he was not particularly displeased.

What he was angry about was not his old friend's rejection of his offer, but the nobles who had humiliated her.

However, the nobles he was angry about had long since fallen, and who knows what they have become now?

"Is the pupil to whom you gave the sword in good health? Rumor has it that she has grown considerably."

"If what you mean is Irisidna-ojousama, she is still studying with her schoolmates. It was no longer possible for me to reach her level."

"I see. That's wonderful. I heard that your pupil is obsessed with a guy. I believe his name is ...... Nozomu Bountis or something like that?"

Egrod turned his gaze from Mena back to Viktor.

Victor's expression did not twitch even under his penetrating, testing gaze.

Egrod continued to speak further while looking at Victor's expressionless face.

"A brilliant underdog under the guidance of Shino Mikagura... A very unusual man. Of course, that doesn't seem to be all..."

"What the-. You have so much free time on your hands that you can worry about one student now?"

"I heard he was there at the time of the magic tool accident that happened in your mansion."

"Hah~... you busybodies. My daughter and he are friends. It's nothing strange to be invited to the mansion, is it? I'm sorry, but unlike you, I'm busy. I'll take my leave."

Viktor let out a sigh of exasperation and turned on his heel to start walking.

Mena, by Victor's side, bowed to Egrod and followed him.

"Wait, 'opportunist'."

Egrod tried to stop Victor as he was about to leave.

Victor continued to walk away as if to say it was not worth listening to, but Egurodo continued to speak.

"You called me a bronze statue, but who are you to say so?"

His tone was as if he was questioning. There was a glimpse of a negative emotion that was even stronger than before.

"You sweet-talked and moved others to do the same, but in the end you let Firana die."

You let Firana die.

Hearing these words, Victor's feet stopped for a moment.

"If it had been me, I would not have let her die, even if it meant killing her baby."

"That may be so. But that's why she didn't choose you."

As he turned around, Viktor only struck a glance at him.

Victor and Egrod. The two were rivals in every sense of the word.

Whether as household members, political rivals, or in romance.

Oddly enough, the woman they were truly drawn to in their lifetime was the same person. However, the woman chose Victor.

Although connected by a deep-rooted fate, the two, who were as opposed to each other as water and oil, eventually turned their backs and began to walk away from each other.