Chapter 30 of the Academy's Weapon Replicator

Chapter 9: Menosorpo (4)

The next day.

I sat in my room, deeply pondering.

"Menosorpo, where should I test it?"

Last time, I tested it in the courtyard of the mansion. I thought it was just a simple magic circle.

But now that I know it's an ancient magic circle, things are different. Regardless of whether it's dangerous or not, I don't know what might happen.

"Fortunately, it didn't activate."

This time, I knew how to properly activate it. I had to say "Menosorpo."

But the problem is, I don't know the effect of the magic circle.

If it's just a noisy and flashy magic circle, testing it in the mansion courtyard would make it impossible to keep it a secret.

And doing it in Constel is out of the question.

I have a personal training room, but it's just as unsettling.

"If there's an explosion or something, no, that probably won't happen, right?"

After deep thought, I realized something.

I realized that I can't decide this on my own.

"...Sigh, I really don't want to do this."

I straightened my posture.

From now on, I have to go through a very difficult process.

It's as painful as cutting bone and flesh, but it will help me take a step forward.

I took a deep breath.

And then,

"──Is anyone out there?"

I shouted towards the door.

It feels like my hair is standing on end.

After a moment, calm but quick footsteps were heard.

Creak—

The door smoothly opened, and an elderly man bowed to me.

"Vaikar, the butler. I'm here."

...Wow, I just now realized.

I called someone older than my father in the original world by his first name?

It feels like I've committed a sin. I was just going to call a passing maid.

"U-Uh, yeah. Vaikar... sir."

"...Lord Frondier?"

No.

The honorific won't come out of my mouth.

'No, wait.'

The butler is a significant figure in the mansion. Even a noble's child would use honorifics to show respect to the butler.

The problem is, I don't know what Frondier was like originally.

'But now that it's come to this!'

I decided to just go for it.

"Vaikar sir. I've been feeling quite troubled lately due to various matters."

I swallowed as I spoke.

I was worried that my politeness might sound strange to Vaikar.

"...Yes, I see."

Vaikar reacted calmly to my words.

But he was so calm that I couldn't tell if he found my words strange or not.

Indeed, the prestigious Loah family. Even the butler is high-class...!

"I want to rest without being disturbed by anyone. Is there a suitable place?"

To use Menosorpo, I need a place where no one is around. Even if a massive explosion occurs, it should only affect passing animals.

A secluded place where no one will look for me.

...Is there such a place?

"Hmm, how about the old cabin you used to visit often?"

"Cabin?"

"Yes. It's a secondary residence of our family. When you were young, you often played there. With Lady Elodie de Richae... Ah, my apologies. Now it's Lady Elodie de Inies Richae."

Frondier and Elodie? They were really close.

...But that's a problem.

I don't know the way.

"If you plan to go, I'll have the car ready. The driver knows the address."

Nice Vaikar! Nice driver!

Indeed, high-class!

"Sounds good. Let's go now."

"...Now, sir?"

"Yes."

But something seemed to occur to Vaikar as he heard my words. He stroked his beard for a moment.

Then he said,

"Lord Frondier, you've changed a lot."

Thump.

"...Have I?"

I asked, trying to sound calm, but my heart was pounding.

Did my tone sound strange? Or was my immediate response to go now unusual?

"Usually, you would have taken a nap in your room when something like this happened. The distance to the cabin is quite far... Honestly, I thought you'd find it troublesome."

Ah, that's what he meant.

So that's why my "now" sounded strange.

"Now, even sleeping is a bother."

"Hehe, that's like you, Lord Frondier. I'll inform the driver first, then."

"Go ahead."

Then Vaikar bowed politely and left the room with the same smooth movements he used to enter.

I finally let out a sigh of relief.

"...A cabin."

It was the place I chose to test Menosorpo, but it was also a place where the young Frondier and Elodie used to be.

I became a little curious.

* * *

As Frondier headed to the cabin in the car,

a little later.

"It's not here?"

In front of the Loah mansion, Cybel stood with a blank expression.

"Yes, he left a little while ago."

The gatekeeper at the front of the mansion replied.

Cybel slumped her tired shoulders.

'Of all times, why now...'

Cybel felt her anxiety growing inside her.

Yesterday, she heard a foreboding statement from Serf.

-Our next 'target' is Frondier de Loah.

She didn't think they would attack Frondier right after saying that.

But she thought she should inform Frondier in advance.

At first, she took out her phone, but then changed her mind. Texts and calls were too risky.

'Serf deliberately told me that Frondier was a target. Why?'

There was only one reason she could think of.

Serf wanted it to be known. He wanted to announce to Constel and the entire surroundings that Frondier was a target of 'Indus.'

Frondier's reputation has improved recently, but that's a meaningless comparison.

Adding a few points to the worst reputation in Constel doesn't make it any better.

Fake Misteltain, dungeons, golems.

The incidents Frondier was involved in were either unknown or didn't resonate with the general public.

Instead, his actions were seen as eccentric, further damaging his reputation.

'So is he a target? Is 'Indus' targeting the 'incompetent noble' Frondier?'

But behind Frondier is the massive Loah family.

Can Indus afford to provoke the Loah family? Or do they have a guarantee that they can do so without consequences?

'...An organization trying to strengthen the power of commoners.'

Indus wants to increase the influence of commoners. To do that, they need to sway public opinion in their favor.

They wouldn't just attack Frondier out of the blue. That would make them just another criminal group.

If 'targeting' means more than just attacking, Cybel can't just reveal what she heard to others.

If a call or text to Frondier were leaked to Constel,

Indus would embellish the leak and blow it out of proportion.

Indus operates under the guise of helping commoners, so they have a very good reputation among the general public.

If Frondier becomes a 'target,' meaning Indus starts proclaiming that Frondier is a problematic noble,

the citizens would perceive Frondier as a 'villain' worthy of being a target of Indus.

That's why she came to the mansion in person.

"So, where did he go?"

"I cannot tell you."

"I'm Frondier's friend. Can't you tell me?"

"Lord Frondier said he wanted to rest without being disturbed by anyone."

The gatekeeper's words were polite and kind, but he clearly wasn't going to tell her.

Cybel bit her finger.

...She only realized she had this habit when she was anxious.

Cybel can't rely on luck in such situations.

Her fate manipulation is extremely personal and selfish. It only improves her own situation, with no regard for others.

Until now, that was fine. Just like fate didn't care about others, neither did Cybel.

But now,

Biting her finger and with a sharp look in her eyes, Cybel was different from her past self.

'Think.'

She hadn't known Frondier for long, so she didn't have much information.

It was impossible to know where Frondier had gone. There were many places where he could rest undisturbed.

...That's right.

Cybel didn't know.

Then, she should ask someone who might—

'...Elodie.'

She didn't know if Elodie and Frondier were close.

But she knew about the rivalry between the Loah and Richae families. They met regularly to maintain their relationship, even if it was just for show.

So, Frondier and Elodie, as heirs of their respective families, must have had some interaction.

'But there's no guarantee that Elodie knows where Frondier went.'

The probability was low.

She had never played such a poor gamble before.

"...Alright."

Cybel made up her mind and turned around.

She headed to the Richae mansion. For a low-probability gamble.

──But, is she truly a child favored by fate?

That choice was indeed the right one.

* * *

The car stopped.

The sun was setting, and night was approaching.

"We've arrived."

At the driver's words, I got out without a word.

To the left of the car, a long path stretched out. If I follow this path, will I reach the cabin?

...Let's hope so.

Thud, thud.

The small path through