Suddenly, I found myself standing where I was.
The professor and his assistant are in front of me. Time hasn’t passed that long.
“Huh?”
“19 seconds to escape! Write it on your report! 19 seconds!”
“I already wrote it down.”
Did you say 19 seconds? With the same magical tool that sealed the Demon King, only nineteen seconds? Isn’t that way too inferior a copy?
While moving my body lightly, I did not feel any discomfort.
Did I escape on my own? Patrick is coming to rescue me, isn’t he?
The enemy’s secret weapon had also failed to work, so I had to pretend I had lost.
When I remembered my objective, an epiphany came to me.
I can use this situation…
Yumiela could disable the sealing magical tool immediately but used too much power to escape, weakening her and forcing her to withdraw…
It made perfect sense. The reason for my withdrawal is obvious, and the defeat is just right.
Linus is so supportive of the first prince’s faction in the first place because the second prince’s faction disrespects the researcher. If they developed a magical tool to weaken Yumiela, the pair of researchers in front of them would get recognition.
I’m still in great shape, but let’s act weak, shall we? No one will trust you if you say, “Wow, I’ve run out of energy and have to run away.” The other side should notice the weakening.
I stagger a little exaggeratedly, as if dizzy.
How’s that? I sneak a look at the researchers.
“‘It’s much earlier than I expected. Are long term seals impossible to recreate in this realm?”
“My inventions are equal to the dungeon’s wisdom. The reason was that I couldn’t get a light-attribute mage.”
They didn’t look at me at all. Um, Yumiela is escaping from the seal, right? Aren’t you guys afraid of retribution?
The temporary assistant’s eyes turned toward me. His eyes showed no fear, but his gaze was rather cold, as if he were looking at an experimental animal. His pen was running at high speed on the paper in his hand.
“Count Dolkness, could you tell us what it felt like to be sealed away for nineteen seconds?”
“…It felt like a blink of an eye. Not even a second had passed in my body.”
Are you going to ask for feedback?
Oh, but I could work on this angle. I continue.
“The sealing magical tool was no big deal either. After the seal was lifted, there was no physical discomfort.”
They would suspect me if I honestly and foolishly told them that I was not feeling well. This is why I forced myself into pretending that I was okay. I went out of my way to mention that after the release, which I was not even asked about.
How’s that? Assistant, please notice that I’m weakening… No, I’m doing great.
“No, I haven’t heard anything about it since it was lifted. Human subjectivity is unreliable.”
“It hurts that I can’t bring in a measuring device! If only we had a device to observe people’s magical powers!”
“Those things are big, you know. The device is a rare item, so it would be difficult to get permission to take it out.”
The two researchers carried on their conversation without me. Neither of them even pretended to notice my weakening. No, I’m doing great.
These people are only interested in magical tools. Maybe it is better to be so obvious.
“Is that what you mean by magic power drained? But it’s only a little. It is within the range where there is no problem in battle.”
What do you think? Didn’t I give off the vibe that I’m trying to be as strong as possible? Yumiela Dolknes is weakening. But I’m still in great shape.
Then the assistant makes a small, mocking face and says.
“That’s your subjective opinion, isn’t it? Have you got any objective data to back that up?”
I hate this person.
There is certainly a possibility that my subjectivity alone is a misunderstanding. That’s a lie. My magical power has not decreased, nor do I feel like it has.
He proves with his body that this attitude, which pushes people away, is true as a researcher.
“Unless it is at the laboratory, I can’t conduct meaningful experiments.”
“Mm, I’m going home!”
“The luggage is ready to go. The spare coordinate designator—”
“Leave it!”
The professor lightly carried a large, bulging backpack and ran briskly. His assistant was light on his feet but struggling to keep up with him, gasping for breath.
Not only me, but the Remrest soldiers could only stare at them with stunned expressions as they withdrew swiftly.
Their shadows grew smaller. Ah, they are gone.
Oh well. There wasn’t any way I could make them sense my weakening.
Someone needs to look at me, who escaped the seal quickly, and make a self-serving wishful thinking that “maybe she used up all her strength in her escape”.
Then, from the tent I mentioned, a voice echoed.
“…Hm? Why am I unconscious? Ah, it was Yumiela! Don’t tell me that Yumiela got you…”
No, it wasn’t me. It was the professor’s loud voice that knocked him out.
This time, it must be the actual prince. He stepped out of the tent unguarded.
“Hey, while I was unconscious, what’s… wow! It’s Yumiela!”
Since the previous ones had been full of weirdos, I expected the next one to be another weirdo. However, while the reaction was loud, it was extremely normal. “Wow, it’s Yumiela!” is a common, annoying reaction.
The prince-like figure is a person of medium height and thirty-something with a reasonably good-looking face. Hmmm, normal. His military uniform, which he was not accustomed to wearing, also added to the normality of his appearance.
Let me ask something.
“Excuse me, are you the First Prince of Remrest Kingdom?”
“Royal guards! I’m in danger! The First Prince is in danger! Come quickly!”
He didn’t answer my question, but it sounded like he was the First Prince.
The guard moved immediately. This is the knight in front of the tent with the fleeing knight. Despite his stern face, he stood as if protecting the prince and drew his sword.
“Your Highness, please run away.”
“Are you alone? Where is Emmanuel?”
“…He has escaped. Your Highness, please run.”
The prince was stunned to learn about the guard knight who had fled, leaving the royal family behind.
However, upon regaining his composure, he immediately fired off instructions.
“Magic tool engineer! This is Yumiela Dolknes! Prepare the magic tool!”
Your Highness, the sealing magic tool has already been used. She immediately escaped.”
“Maybe Count Dorcnez is really mad…? Wouldn’t we be in danger if we didn’t leave?”
“Your Highness, as I have told you many times, please run away.”
As I watched how normal he reacted, my eyes met the prince’s. His knees went slack, and he fell on his buttocks.
“I’m screwed… I’m going to die here…”
“Your Highness, she doesn’t chase people who escape. I think she can outrun them.”
“Can I escape…? Can I escape… without dying?
“Yes, sir. Run fast.”
Make a run for it. The knight is getting a little frustrated.
While still sitting on the ground in an awkward position, the prince huffs and mutters.
“Why…?”
“Your Highness, quickly.”
“Why did Yumiela Dolknes let the enemy escape?”
“Run for your life.”
The knight is at his limit. His irritation at the target of his protection in the background is growing louder than his fear of Yumiela in the front.
The prince, blissfully unaware that his only ally is about to abandon him, opens his eyes and says.
“Could it be that Yumiela Dolknes is weakened by the sealing?”
What a convenient man. I like this prince.
He’s more of a mysteriously positive politician than a realist researcher because they are easier to manipulate from behind the scenes.
Thank goodness the researcher duo is gone. If they had been present, they would have immediately denied any possible weakening.
Ah, but they might know more about the level measuring magical tools.
The crystals only display levels to the last two digits, making my exact level unknown. They may know more about magical tools capable of measuring levels in three, four, or even more digits. It’s a shame I couldn’t ask them.
…Oh, yes. Level measurement.
I had forgotten to take level measurements as part of my daily routine. It completely slipped my mind since I was travelling with Gilbert-san from early in the morning.
Although I could only see the last two digits, it was fun seeing the numbers increase by one. The level would be the same as yesterday and the day before since I hadn’t defeated any demons. But I will do it. It’s my daily routine.
Then I take out the crystal. The prince starts to make a fuss, but I ignore him.
“Whoa! Something’s coming out! I’m going to die!”
I crouched down and set the crystal on the ground. Putting my hand on top, I peeked at the numbers displayed on the other side.
The prince and the knights before me could see my level without a second thought. Especially the prince, who was still sitting down, must have gotten a good look at the numbers.
The level remained the same: 13. It was only the last two digits; it could be a hundred and thirteen or a thousand and thirteen.
“Thirteen…?”
The prince suddenly stood up. The face warped with fear was now full of confidence and hope.
“Thirteen! That Yumiela Dolknes is level 13! We can win, we will win!”
No, no, no, I have surpassed the maximum level… yeah, people usually think I’m just level 13. It seems that I am weakened to the point of no more.
It never occurred to me that this crystal would be helpful. Patrick and Gilbert-san said it was crazy to carry it around, but they didn’t have the foresight to see it.
Now is the time to convince them! I say with deliberate flair.
“Oh, dear. The seal has lowered my level! There’s nothing I can do but retreat and retrain myself.”
It was a blessing that the researcher duo wasn’t there. This crisis could be explained logically because sealing doesn’t lower your level. Or do levels ever go down? If it is, I’d like to root out the cause.
Well, the mission is as good as done now. If I tuck my tail between my legs and run away, Remrest will have the battlefield advantage, having weakened and repelled Yumiela. They won’t force their way into Ashbaton.
If I run off too quickly, it might not be seen that I am weakened. My movement should be a bit slower.
Thinking about how to retreat, the prince approached me and spoke rapidly.
“Do you know how wary we were of you? Do you know how much trouble I went through every time a Balshine diplomat mentioned your existence to me?”
Well, I’ll let you speak about your grievances.
I’m sorry about the diplomats. I would never go to another country with the royal family’s wishes in mind, but you never know with people. I’ll have to remind them later not to use it as a bargaining chip.
When I returned with silence, he continued.
“Yumiela is level 13! How does it feel to lose the only advantage you have?”
I know perfectly well that I am not level 13.
This low-level agitation doesn’t make me lose my cool.
“How pathetic! To have fallen below a third-rate level!”
Patience. Keep your temper in check.
I’m strong, and I won’t take this weak-looking guy seriously. The stronger language he uses, the more his weakness is being exposed.
I am strong. I am strong. I am strong. Watatatatagraahhrah—
“You’re weak! Even I can win! You’re too weak! You small fry!”
“Ggggggggggggggggggggghhhh!”
Previous | Table of Contents | Next
Dude really play with fire here…
Having a death wish <_<