Chapter 69

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By the time summer vacation was about to end—

Carlaile welcomed Filbus at his private residence in the capital.

Carlaile Heathcote.

Carlaile is a descendant of the noble Duke of Heathcote. It is a grand building befitting his lineage.

In a room that was unusually spacious and had high ceilings, Carlaile and Filbus faced each other, sitting on sofas and playing a card game.

Carlaile drew a card from the deck on the coffee table.

"Well, summer is almost over. Once September comes, the Kingdom Festival will be just around the corner. I'm getting excited!"

The Kingdom Festival—this is the annual festival held in the capital during autumn.

It is the largest event in the kingdom, lasting a week, and the capital is enveloped in a lively atmosphere.

With a carefree tone, Carlaile spoke, and Filbus, with a piercing tone, replied.

"You sure have it easy, Mr. High-Ranking Civil Servant!"

"What do you mean? Ordinary civil servant Filbus-kun?"

Carlaile chuckled and responded.

Filbus looked at Carlaile with a disapproving gaze.

"You... you know very well!"

Of course, he knew.

The Royal Magic Academy also assists with the Kingdom Festival. As a teacher at the academy, Filbus has a lot of work to do.

He is simply busy.

Carlaile laughed heartily.

"You know my bad character too!"

"Oh, oh, that's what you are...!"

Filbus responded with a weary tone and placed the card he had chosen on the table.

He glanced at Carlaile.

Is this card going to pass? His eyes seemed to ask.

"It's fine. I want to stop it, but I have no cards. Well, that's a shame."

Carlaile waved his hand.

Filbus let go of the card with a relieved look.

Then—

"...So, are you really going to do it?"

He asked with a displeased expression.

"Hmm, what are you talking about?"

"The public display of the Mark of Darkness."

Carlaile answered with a broad smile.

"Of course! ♪"

The Mark of Darkness—one of the treasures desired by 'Darkness.'

It is usually sealed away in the deepest part of the magic academy, but for this Kingdom Festival, it will be publicly displayed as an 'ancient and prestigious relic.'

This has been officially announced.

Therefore—

"‘Darkness’ will definitely come."

To Darkness, it is something they desperately want.

Carlaile chuckled and placed a card on the table.

"I need them to come. It's the bait, after all."

I will invite the members of Darkness to the capital!

It's the best hospitality, die quickly!

I would be happy if I could catch a big fish!

This was the core of Carlaile's strategy.

"The bait should be luxurious. Even if the other side realizes it's a trap, they can't resist—so it has to be flashy."

Carlaile continued in high spirits.

"Maybe even the leader—the Child of Darkness—might be caught?"

"…Will it really work…?"

Filbus drew a card from the deck with an anxious tone.

"Besides, it's a bit awkward that the person in charge, you, will be absent."

"Sorry, hahaha!"

Carlaile apologized with a tone that showed no remorse at all.

Carlaile will leave the capital a little before the Kingdom Festival. The logic is to go on a business trip while there is less work due to the festive mood, and this has already been publicly announced.

"Ah, to miss the Kingdom Festival I've participated in since childhood! How sad! How lonely!"

"At least put some heart into it."

Carlaile's lips curved in response to Filbus's sarcasm.

"…We need to make the bait look more delicious. The absence of a troublesome person like me might make Darkness move, don't you think?"

Carlaile placed a card on the table with a tap.

Filbus looked at his hand with a grim expression.

"What are we going to do without you? If Darkness moves—"

"Try your best, frontline commander Filbus-kun!"

"I'll die!"

Filbus shouted loudly.

"I'll die! Seriously, I'll die!"

"Come on, come on. Look, Albert is there. He'll handle it. Probably."

"Albert… he's really strong…"

"Really strong, and—Darkness doesn't know about him yet."

Carlaile chuckled.

Albert, who achieved overwhelming results in the battle at the Grizia marshes. The details of that battle—

Carlaile thoroughly concealed them.

He tampered with the report and strictly kept the unusual firepower he displayed when defeating the emblem mage a secret. Only Filbus and Laura, besides the members of the Rihilt team, were there. It wasn't that difficult.

Albert Luminas's name is still unknown to the world.

As is his overwhelming power.

"Being unknown is the highest value."

"…That's not true…"

After a long thought, Filbus placed a card on the table.

"That's true."

Carlaile casually responded and pulled a card from his hand, placing it on top of Filbus's card.

The Joker.

"Here. I win."

"Wha, wha, what the hell!"

Filbus slammed his hand of cards on the table.

"J-Just now, it passed! Why?"

"…Because, at that time, the effect was weak on the board… I just played it normally, right? And you thought Filbus-kun didn't have a Joker, didn't you?"

Carlaile placed his hand of cards.

"The opponent doesn't know. They don't realize—don't you think it's the highest value?"

"…Ah, I get it! I really get it!"

Filbus curved his mouth into a frown and sighed deeply.

"You're expecting Albert to act as a Joker—someone no one knows about?"

"Hehehehehe"

"…That's why you hid Albert's achievements?"

"I did a bad thing to him. He should have been praised more. It feels a bit wrong to take advantage of his indifference and lack of interest in such matters."

Then, Carlaile continued.

"But there were parts I couldn't hide. That's also a concern."

"Parts you couldn't hide?"

"The nobles. It's a problem that Albert was revealed to be the heir of the Duke of Luminas in front of the king and many nobles."

"A problem?"

"A problem. Thanks to that, Albert will inevitably be approached by the nobles. There are many noble children at the academy, you know."

Carlaile sighed.

"I want to avoid causing waves in the quiet world of Albert and Laura…"

Albert, who excels in Magic Arrows, is useless in the social circles of the nobility. What is needed there is probing, maintaining a delicate balance of distance, flattery, and a thin veneer of a smile.

Carlaile thought.

After being out of the public eye for ten years, Albert can't handle these things with a carefree attitude. Moreover, contact with the noble society will highlight the distance between him and Laura, who is a commoner.

Honestly, Carlaile didn't think it would have a good influence on Albert.

"The lost Magic Arrow…"

After a serious sigh, Carlaile turned to Filbus and continued in a bright tone.

"So, passionate teacher Filbus-kun, please take care of your students?"

"Wha, what! You're just dumping it on me!?"

"Hehehehehe"

"Hehehehehe is not the answer!"

To the excited Filbus, Carlaile said with a serious expression.

"I'm making a serious request. Filbus, please."

"…Tch"

Filbus averted his gaze from Carlaile and spoke.

"I don't want to interfere in my students' private lives… don't expect too much."

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