Chapter 75: Revelation (2)
The ladies had now entered the tent. Was it merely my imagination, or was the tension in the air unusually suffocating, particularly radiating from Arlene and Nea? I glanced toward my loyal Gnome Golem, and the little creature seemed to share my exact sentiment, even if its rigid features remained physically unchanged.
Something was undoubtedly amiss.
"Well, Phantom," Arlene began, her voice tight. "It seems you have already taken care of this place."
"Indeed, would you mind bringing those two communication wizards over here? We should begin."
The strategy was actually quite straightforward. Even if the CEF headquarters and the Prime Minister decided to take drastic action at this moment, we could use this setup to contact the imperial palace directly and apprise them of Arlene’s true condition. We could reach out to the Emperor, the Crown Prince, and several other influential figures simultaneously.
The North was already well aware that their borders were secure and that Serenia remained uncompromised. However, back in the capital, where the Prime Minister had assumed absolute control of affairs in his capacity as the leader of the CEF, only the Emperor possessed the authority to overrule his decisions. Exposing the truth would result in yet another humiliating setback for the coalition.
That had long been the prevailing dynamic within the empire.
All those who had grown weary of the CEF’s constant abuses of authority knew that the Emperor secretly favored their cause and continuously sought to keep the military organization on a tight leash. The political landscape of this kingdom was truly wretched.
"Butler," Miss Witch whispered softly into my ear. "What on earth is the meaning of that thing?"
"You mean the grimoire? It has been acting out that little scenario for some time now."
She shuddered. Could the ancient, esteemed lineage of witches truly have produced repositories of great wisdom that behaved like this particular item? It was undoubtedly best to simply ignore its antics.
Nea and Arlene hauled the deaf communication wizards to their feet and forcefully shoved them toward the wooden table.
"You certainly seem remarkably cheerful despite the ongoing battle," Nea remarked, her tone sharp. "I suppose deceit and trickery come naturally to a common thief."
Well, that was rather biting. Was I the only one sensing the sudden drop in temperature within the tent? No, the golem was clearly feeling the pressure as well, and I could practically see imaginary sweat trickling down its clay spine. Indeed.
The other women also registered the sharp barbs in Nea’s voice but chose to ignore them. For that matter, what could I even say in my defense? We were in the middle of a conflict, and under normal circumstances, she would never have crossed paths with me. Had things been different, I would have adopted a proper disguise and broken the truth to her in a far more appropriate manner.
"It is time to begin," I said.
With a sharp blade pressed against their throats and an exceptionally irritated young woman breathing down their necks, the terrified wizards had no alternative but to channel their mana and cast the spell.
The magical link successfully established.
On the receiving end, the signal finally broke through to reveal a dimly lit chamber where a solitary figure sat.
Arlene stepped forward, ensuring she was the only one visible within the projection.
"I offer my humblest greetings to the Crown Prince, the radiant Sun of our Empire."
This was the Crown Prince, the most powerful and influential authority in the entire realm second only to his father. He was Valerius Aethelgard von Xenophon Vane-Cristos, the sole heir to the vast Aethelgard dynasty.
The sound of a glass clinking echoed from the orb.
Then came a low, mocking laugh.
[Pfft. Oh, goodness me! Is that truly you, Lady Arlene Desmond? How can such a miracle be possible?]
Something felt incredibly wrong.
My finely honed instincts as a thief were screaming in alarm.
Something was profoundly and terribly amiss.
"Your Highness, the CEF has acted on false pretenses. I am present here, completely untainted and entirely free of any corruption. You must immediately halt the..."
[Oh, I am absolutely delighted! I knew it all along, as I simply refused to believe that the noble heirs of Reinvelt could ever remain in that city if they were tainted. I knew you would never harbor such dark corruption.]
Arlene’s tense expression softened slightly upon hearing his words.
"Your Highness, please, we must command the CEF to cease their assault on the city. This entire siege is a massive misunderstanding. Surely you are aware of this, as is the Emperor..."
[Ah... and why exactly would we do such a thing?]
The realization finally struck them as well, dawning upon both Arlene and Nea.
The Crown Prince was behaving far too calmly, projecting an unsettlingly relaxed demeanor.
[It is wonderful that you have escaped that place. That city is, unfortunately, crawling with the corrupted and teeming with demons now. It represents a severe failure on the part of the Northern Wall itself, having proved unable to halt the demonic advance. But no matter, that is quite alright.]
"Your... Your Highness...?"
[It is splendid that you are safe. That provides all the confirmation I require. Tell me, is Lord Adam present there as well?]
"Yes, he is here. But the Emperor! Please, you must at least apprise the Emperor of the situation."
[Ahahaha! He is present? Is he physically inside the city limits?]
"Yes..."
[Oh, then I am afraid it is far too late for him. As for you, I advise you to remain safely outside with the rest of the CEF forces, as it is highly perilous near the walls. Unfortunately... my, oh my, the entire city of Serenia is about to be reduced to absolute dust.]
"What... what does that mean?"
[Lady Arlene, let me share a little secret with you! Our Empire has successfully developed a weapon unlike anything the world has ever seen. Utilizing advanced Space Magic, we have discovered a method to forcibly split open individual particles of mana. Surely you are aware that mana is the most potent and concentrated energy source in existence.]
"I... I am afraid I do not comprehend what you are saying."
The atmosphere within the tent shifted dramatically, turning freezing cold.
The Crown Prince leaned in closer to the projection, his crazed, deep crimson eyes reflecting clearly across the entire surface of the communication orb.
He raised a single hand directly in front of her view, mimicking the violent expansion of an explosion with his fingers.
[Boom.]
[It will all turn to dust.]
Arlene stood utterly frozen, completely unable to formulate a response.
[Everything will vanish in a matter of seconds, and there is absolutely no way to halt the process. I had originally intended to demonstrate its power tomorrow, but you have brought me such wonderful news today. Now that your personal safety is assured, we can proceed with the vital task of purging the demons. As for your brother... oh, my, may the holy saint above guide us all to a peaceful resting place.]
The Crown Prince rose to his feet, and while the transmission was still active, we caught the faint sound of his final instructions directed at someone else in his chamber.
[Summon the Prime Minister... Zzzppp]
The connection abruptly severed.
For several tense seconds, we simply stared at one another in stunned silence.
Finally, Weiss broke the silence.
"To forcibly split mana... it would trigger an explosion of greater magnitude than the colossal flares that erupt upon the surface of the sun."
We all spun around to face her. For the very first time in the past two years, I witnessed a completely different side of her; Weiss’ face was entirely drained of color.
"We have to return," Arlene said, her voice trembling. "We must go back right this instant."
Without wasting another precious second, Nea drew her blade and slashed a massive opening directly through the fabric of the tent. A blast of cold air rushed into the space as the distant walls of the city and the raging conflict outside were laid bare before us.
It could happen at any moment.
The entire city of Serenia could be completely razed to the ground in a single, devastating blast.
The countdown had officially begun.
It was time to run.
"We must go back and get everyone out of there."
