(2 months and 21 days after Klada Disaster)
[Lynn's POV]
"(Excuse me Helman for not being a great dancer, haha!)"
"(That isn't a problem, Lynn. If anything, it is an honor for me to personally dance with the Magic God herself.)"
"(Calling me a God is a bit much... It is just a title afterall.)"
"(Ah, but you are too humble. With your skills and powers, you could act more bashful you know?)"
"(No. Well, I am not a person that like to put myself above others. If anything, I think that Helman-dono should be praised more for being so accepting to an outsider like me.)"
"(Hahaha, you flatter me, Lynn-dono. In any case, it is nice to meet you and learn about your history. If I haven't talked to you, I wouldn't have knew that you were even called The Sorceress of the Highlands in the past.)"
"(That applies to you as well, Helman-dono. Thank you for teaching me about the Bostnia people's culture, and also the proper way to dance. I'll take my leave then, see you around the castle!)"
"(Naturally. If you are interested, I may be able to offer you a night's company as well....)"
"(Maybe? Hahaha, I'm just joking with you.)"
"(Heh... I get your point. Farewell then.)"
I turned down his attempt to invite me to bed and took my leave. Well, he just isn't my taste and he looks ugly... he's a ogre devil afterall. With red skin and two protruding horns up the head. If I want to sleep with someone I'd rather choose someone that looks human like...
I went to the food counter and got myself a glass of wine. Then, I walked and sat down on one of the table.
"Sip...."
The wine here tastes pretty similar to the ones back on central continent... I guess there isn't really much difference for alcohol across cultures.
While I was dancing on the dance floor, I was surprised to see Kyrie dancing with someone else there... I think her partner is a kobold or someone like that.
Kyrie actually adapted quite well to this environment. If you give her a few months time she would even be able to stay here in this castle without feeling out of place.
"(...Lynn-dono.)"
An undead tapped me on the shoulder as he called me. It's actually Mesto, the court magician.
"(What's the matter Mesto? Gonna invite me to a dance or take me to bed as well?)"
"(Lynn-dono, this is a serious matter.)"
"(Ah I see.... What's the situation?)"
"(There are assassins at the party disguised as guest...)"
"(Is there?)"
"(Yes... We received report from one of our spies among the guests. Intel says that they want to find a chance to assassinate the King. )"
"(...How did they enter the party anyway?)"
"(Forged invitation tickets.)"
"(I see... and I suppose that you want me to find out who is the impostors because it'd be hard to do that as a Royal member?)"
"(Yes... Would you be willing to cooperate with us?)"
"(I am a guest to this castle and I'm planning to stay for 23 more days.... I can't have the King dying on me right now.)"
"(Then you can help find the imposters. There is 3 of them at this party, talk to all of the guests and get information to deduce who's the imposter. We only have vague clues about their identity.)"
"(Go on.)"
"(The first is a succubus woman wearing a red patterned dress. The second is a kobold male in a black suit, they have a child. The third is a werewolf, and they are a male. Talk to anyone that fits the description, and deduce who's the imposter among us.)"
(Author's Note : Sus Sus Amogus reference)
"(And once I find out who's the imposter?)"
"(...Report to anyone of the Royal guards via telepathy with this ear piece. Stay under cover, we don't want to ruin this party.)"
"(Will do.)"
"(Do you have a plan?)"
"(Nah.... I'll just see what I can do for now. Don't put high expectations on me though, it might turn into an all out brawl in the party for all I know.)"
"(I see... any help is appreciated. Remember, we need to stay under cover to avoid public panic. We will stay near the King to safeguard him for now....)"
I casually stood up from my seat, with my wine glass still in hand and walked away from him, pretending that we were just having a chit chat.
First and foremost... I should look for clues. The only way that I can find clues about who's acting suspiciously is by watching everyone's movement, but I don't have that much time to observe hundreds of guests....
I walked up to a random demon. The first imposter is a succubus dressed in a red dress, but this succubus here is actually dressed in a white dress. I'm talking to her to get clues to my search, about who might be the imposter.
"(Hello there, lady.)"
"(Hello to you as well.)"
"(Enjoying yourself at the party?)"
"(Yeah. You have business with me?)"
"(Not really, I am just trying to talk to more people, and get to enjoy this party more. After all, it's not common to be able to attend a noble's party since I'm a commoner.)"
"(Yes indeed.... You should enjoy yourself more then. If you want to talk though, I can comply.)"
"(Are you a frequent to this monthly party?)
"(Yes. I come here almost every month. I like to talk and meet with people in this party afterall.)"
"(I see.... Then, since I want to meet more people similar to me, can you tell me which of the people here seems like they are new to this party?)"
The imposters likely isn't people that frequents the party. That's because they only got their ticket from forgery, if they were a frequent here then they wouldn't have the need to forge one in the first place.
"(Hmm... I have met very few people new to this party tonight.... Ah, all nine people sitting on that table there is actually new visitors just like you.)"
She pointed to a dining table, where I could see 9 individuals sitting and chatting. One of the woman succubus there fits the description, two black suited kobolds and then only one of them is a werewolf.
They all fits the description.... the problem is whether or not they are actually the imposters... I might confuse someone innocent for one of the imposters, and that'd leave a bad taste in my mouth.
"(I see.... I guess I'll go talk to them later. So, what do you like about this party?-)"
I forced a conversation with her for a while so that I don't seem suspicious myself.
"(-Alright. It was an honor talking to you, Jeanne-dono.)
"(Right, it was a pleasure to talk to you as well Lynn-dono. Farewell.)"
I walked off towards the table where Jeanne pointed to, but I could only see 6 individuals now...
It'd be troublesome if the assassins are already off somewhere else... But it seems that the people who fits the description is still sitting here, lucky me.
Since the other non suspicious people has already left, this makes my job of trying to talk to them easier.
But still, the two of the black suit kobold is still here. I need to deduce who is the imposter by looking at their actions to find suspicious movements or behavior.
I tapped the ear piece that I was wearing to activate the telepathy spell, and then silently whispered.
"(Table no 16, there's 4 suspects. Don't do anything until I give the order.)"
"(Understood.)"
I approached the table and greet the people there.
"(Greetings everyone. Enjoying yourselves at the dinner?)"
"(Yeah.)"
"(That makes the seven of us then. You see, I am new to this party as well.)"
"(Oh? Really? I am just like you all then! Since I am new to these royal party, it was actually a really fun experience!)"
"(Indeed.)" (5x)
"(The king himself personally invited me to this party. He says that he wants to use my reputation for his own benefit, haha! So, how did each of you get invited?)"
I didn't beat around the bush and immediately asked the important question....
"(Well, I was-)
I didn't paid much attention to anyone that didn't seem suspicious, as they usually receive the invitation from their head of family. However, two of them stood out as I expected.
"(I got mine from my father as well....)" The werewolf is saying that, but as he was saying that, he is twirling his thumb around each other as if he is very nervous.
"(Hmm.... are you nervous?)"
"(Ah no... actually yes. It's just that talking to the Magic God personally makes me a bit anxious. Particularly when I know that you are the person that destroyed the barrier with a single spell, haha!)"
"(I see....)"
After him, I can't find anything suspicious about the kobolds, so it's the succubus's turn now.
"(I got my invitation from the general.)"
"(The general?)"
"(Yes. One of the seventy two arch demons, and they are the general of the military of this castle. I think that they may be the one who attacked you last week.)"
She explains too much like people usually do when they are nervous, and she knows a lot about my last few day's actions too. No one ever doubted that the King was the one who shot me, but only her thought of that.... though all of them is wrong though since Mesto, the Court Magician is the actual person who shot me.
"(Why do you think that he is the one who attacked me?)"
"(It's just that the King isn't as strong as people made him out to be... No offense. He isn't one of the seventy two arch demons and he is also not that knowledgeable about magic at all. It is only natural to deduce that his general is the one who fired at you.)"
"(I see... That make sense. )
This would be the reason why assassins can even be strong enough to kill the king.... He just isn't as strong as rumours seems to suggest, unlike the demon kings of the Great War era, most of which is extremely powerful in a fight.
That's the first two suspect... It's probably safe to assume that this woman here is the imposter, and then that werewolf is suspicious as well. That just leaves the two kobold....
"(Dad, I just danced with the human, Kyrielle!)"
"(Oh? Did you have fun with her?)"
"(Yeah! She was really nice despite not speaking our tongue well enough to hold a conversation for long.)"
The kobold male suspect had a child. That means this guy here should be the target, just as the Royal guard captain described.
"(Hmm. Eenn-dono, what do you think about what Klein-dono just said? About the King not being as strong as he like to suggest?)"
I'm trying to make him slip up by making him talk about the King.
"(He is a good King. Even if he isn't as strong as the rumours suggests, he is still responsible for governing this country and he does a really good job at it.)"
Many of the people I have talked to in this party usually have mixed opinions about him. This guy here does nothing but praises the King, which made it seemed like he's trying his best not to seem suspicious.
"(So, Lynn-dono and Klein-dono, are you interested in taking a break at the garden? I would like to learn more about you, but it's too crowded in here...)" The werewolf invited me to head to somewhere else to talk more privately.
"(Really? It'd be my pleasure.)"
I accepted the invitation to see what they had in plan for me.
"(Then if Lynn-dono is going, I would go as well.)" The red dress succubus accepted as well.
"(Well then, let's go.)"
We headed off and then walked along the hallway.... I tapped on my ear piece once again, and whispered silently.
"(Two suspects.... back of the castle to the garden. Wait for the signal to attack...)"
"(Roger.)"
We reached the back door of the first floor and headed out of the castle to the garden behind. Not a single person could be seen here.
"(....I'll cut to the chase then.)"
"(...what are you saying?)"
"(Lynn-dono. You knew it don't you?)"
"(Knew what?)"
"(That we are going to assassinate the king.)"
"(...Yeah.)"
"(What are you two saying?)"
The red dress woman seemed confused. Is she not the imposter then?
"(You should listen as well, Klein-dono. We knew that Lynn-dono is new to this country, and that the king had tried to kill you. You would hold some grudge for him right?)"
"(Not really. What little debt he own me has been repaid in full with the hospitality that the king offered to me and Kyrielle.)"
"(....The king is a corrupt man. His great deeds are all just facades for his corrupted attempt to reform our country into one that is independent from the rest of the eight country that forms the Eight Republic.)"
"(Is that so?)"
"(Yes. I'm sure you know more than well enough that if such thing were to happen, a war would likely break out. We are only trying to stop the war from happening-)"
"(Hold on. Why are you saying this to me? And to Klein-dono here as well?)"
"(We would like you to help us in our cause.)"
...This implies that this girl in the red dress is not actually one of them.... Shit I miscalculated!
"(...No. The king may not be the best person, but he isn't actually trying to be independent from the alliance!)"
The succubus argued with him....
"(You are telling lies just to make the Magic God here change side to join you for your own personal gain! If you are trying to overthrow the king then I should report you to the gua-)"
His claws immediately grew out and then slashed at her face. I immediately shoved my hand in front of her face....
'Clink!'
Mana Blast!
'Fwoush!'
I followed up my block by blasting powerful winds at him, sending him flying backwards.
I quickly tapped on my ear piece and yelled.
"(Ambush! Ambus-)"
'Chink.' A sound was made when something hit my exposed leg. Then, I saw that a knife was thrown at my leg, but it was knocked back by my Mana Shield.
"Yaaah!" A kobold immediately jumped out from the second floor with a dagger in his hand....
As he descends to me, he stabbed down at me.
'Clink!' A loud metallic sound was made when he stabbed me in the throat. In response, I grabbed his throat.
"(Give it up.)"
I immediately used gravity to boost my body's power and slammed him onto the ground.
'Boom'
"(Gah!...)"
"(If you aren't with us then you are against us!)" The werewolf yelled from behind with loud voice.
I used gravity magic to pick up the dagger that was dropped by the kobold and immediately fling it backwards, towards the charging werewolf, impaling his leg.
His leg was stabbed by the knife but he didn't stop moving and jumped at me with his claws out. I stepped to the side and dodged his lunge, he landed on the floor behind me.
'Thud!'
"Roar!!!"
As he prepared to jump at me again, about 5 guards immediately headed out of the entrance to the garden and then one of them stabbed him in the back with a spear.
'Stab!'
"(Argh!!)"
"(...Oh fire, may your way be guided by me and set alight my enemies with destructive force!-)"
When I was busy with the werewolf who lunged at me, the kobold started chanting for a Fireball. This guy is planning to suicide bomb himself just to stop us, he has resolve!
"(Crap he's gonna-)" One of the guards yelled that as the crest in front of the kobold's hand lights up.
"(Fireball!)" A fireball starts forming on his hand and then as he finish the chant. As soon as the fireball fully formed....
"Oh no you don't!"
Reversal!
I grabbed the fireball with my hand and then used my secret technique on it, fully taking over the control of it.
"(What?....No way!)"
Rock Sling!
I shot a rock bullet at his head, strong enough to hit his head and give him a concussion.
"(Lynn! The fireball!)" One of the royal guard warned me about the fireball that I still held in my hand.
"(Oh, it's okay. I can make it disappear.)"
I forced my Mana control into the fireball and then make it dissipates into thin air.
"(Is she the third imposter?!)"
"(No I'm innocent!)"
"(She's innocent, this means there's still one of them, and did you all left the king alone?!)"
"(We had one of the guard stay and-)"
I immediately ran back inside the castle towards the dance floor. If they had enough resolve to blow themselves up just to buy time for their teammate, that means they are also ready to blow themselves up to kill the king!
I sprinted to the dance floor and what I saw was chaos.... Guests was panicking, and the guards was panicking as well. Something happened here almost right immediately after I left.
I shoved my way past the crowds of people like I am swimming in a pool of people.... Then I finally arrived at the center.
Lying on the ground is an ogre devil woman with her hand gone, bleeding profusely from the wound as if it's leaking water...
Behind me, Mesto finally caught up as well.
"(Damn it! The intel was wrong!)" He cursed out.
"(At least the king is still safe....)"
"(....Everyone, this party is now dismissed! Go home!)"
Mesto quickly defused the situation by making the crowds go away. As expected of the court magician, he is still calm despite how the plan has went out of control.
Those blood that came out of her severed arm leaked out to the floor, forming a big puddle. It seems that the ogre is knocked unconscious, and if she isn't healed soon she'll die of blood loss.
"Lynn!"
"Kyrielle! Did you do this?"
"Yea... I was chatting with the king but a woman came out of nowhere, almost attacking us with a Fireball."
"I see.... How did you beat her?"
"I outspeed her chanting with an Earth Spear.... I completely severed her arm that was casting the magic, it was gruesome... She started chanting for another spell using her other arm, but a guard immediately slammed the flat of their sword into the back of her head which resulted in this...."
"I guessed as much. With magic control like yours, you wouldn't have been able to hold back enough to leave her alive...."
"Hey, I can use Rock Sling to knock people out!"
Ignoring the angry Kyrie behind me, I examined the woman lying on the floor. She was lying in the blood puddle but she is no doubt wearing a red dress and it wasn't because of the blood.
"Lynn, can you heal her? Or else she'll really die..."
"I am the Magic God, not a priest. I can't cast any healing miracles at all."
"I see... For now I should just stop the bleeding."
She untied one of her twin tails and then used the ribbon to tightly bind the area above her wound. Then, she untied her other ribbon and did the same.
"(I'm a healer! I brought a healing potion!)"
"(Please save her..... Wait!)"
She quickly looked around the area, where she found and picked up the already severed arm.... She then put the severed arm on the open wound.
"Lynn, help me tell the healer to try pouring the potion on the wound and don't remove this severed arm."
I told the healer what to do, and they complied. The healer pulled out a piece of rope like thing and then attached it to the ogre woman's arms.... finally pouring the healing solution on the wound after they made sure her arm is in the correct position.
As soon as the solution was poured on her arm, her wounds started reattaching itself to the arm just like how someone with a Healing Factor would reattach limbs.
"Can you reattach limbs like this?" I asked Kyrie just to make sure.
"Yes. This requires a few hours to happen, but it can indeed be reattached if you pour healing potion on the wound."
"I see...."
"Phew... at least she'll survive. I won't feel as bad."
After breathing a sigh of relief, Kyrielle walked out of the crowd and then went to the restroom to clean her bloodied hand. I followed suit as well.
She opened the water tap on the sink and rubbed the blood stains off her hand. She looked in the mirror at the same time....
"Ah crap, I got blood on the dress... I'll have to clean it up nicely."
"Kyrielle?"
"Yea?"
"You good?"
"Yup. What's wrong?"
"Well, it's just that you are awfully calm after something like that...."
"Well... This isn't the first time I have seriously injured someone. The first time wasn't pleasant... The second time I actually killed 6 people at once during the Klada incident... And now I'm starting to feel less guilty about attacking someone when me or someone else is threatened."
"I see... You lead tough life."
"Is that.... so?"
Kyrielle is just such a weird girl that I really can't help but wonder if she is a normal child at all... No kids her age would handle injuring someone so well, who exactly is she?
I know for a fact that she just isn't normal based on her behavior and her maturity.... but if she won't talk then I won't push.
(Chapter 47, end)