Chapter 99. Qualifications of the Mind (4)

I deliberately changed the subject more rigidly so as not to expose my impure thoughts.

“Well, now we’ll have to make another plan. I’m still in the life-threatening stage.”

Lagian was still alive. Although, to be exact, I kept him alive.

As a result of competing in person, I would have suffered in the end if it were me in the past.

Even now, I wasn’t confident in overcoming him perfectly.

“So.”

I tried to ignore the bouquets like “I support Miss Annabelle’s love” piled up in front of the front door, and I spoke in a businesslike tone.

“For now, Crown Prince Carlon must be in a hurry. I’m sure he’s looking for the origin of the third black magic.”

The Third Origins of Black Magic.

It was the last foreign object that could be known only by signing a contract with a demon that no one in this world knew about and giving great power.

Originally, it did not cause any problems in this generation, but 30 years later, it caused disasters, but now the story had changed.

“We must create a situation where we can all reveal it in front of everyone at that time.”

In the original work, Carlon’s atrocities were not known until they were revealed in detail in public.

It seemed that there was no way to bring the Crown Prince down at once unless he was exposed in front of everyone.

It was too disadvantageous to me.

“According to the information I received from the person who will come to us, it is said that the lack of divine power can be transferred to and from others. Then thoughts and feelings are shared.”

“Then the person will be killed after transferring those powers.”

Ian said sharply.

“Isn’t that the most reasonable?”

“That’s right, so we can use it in reverse. Before they get killed, we locate and rescue them.”

I explained the plan I had discussed with Cessianne before the banquet.

So our plan was to use Cessianne’s power for bait and find out the third origin of the black magic.

This was because we would be able to know who they were now that we could share their thoughts and feelings.

Of course, it was natural to rescue Cessianne unconditionally before she was killed there.

Cessianne also agreed to be bait.

“I trust Annabelle and Aaron. Don’t worry about me.”

“Cessianne, are you sure it’s alright?”

“I am originally a saint with a sense of duty.”

“Well, I’m fully aware of that. Then let’s do it.”

Cessianne was someone of great self-understanding and did not have to be persuaded.

Robert frowned and pointed out.

“Well, but they can’t keep an eye on all priests and saints, can they? How do you know who they’re going to take away?”

“Unless they’re a fool, they won’t mobilize anyone for such a big crime.”

Ian replied cautiously to the remark.

He seemed to have guessed the candidate as soon as I spoke about it earlier.

“First, they can’t measure the power of the body objectively. Therefore, they must be guaranteed to have a lot of strength.”

I nodded.

Cessianne had proved in public a great deal of her strength by examining the biological test in the square.

“Second, they have to be physically weak.”

I added quickly, as if I agreed with Ian.

“Ian is right. That way, it will be easier not only to subdue them, but also to obtain consent from them.”

I was sure Carlon wouldn’t be mobilizing people in large numbers.

Therefore, it was impossible to choose a difficult person to deal with.

Moreover, anyone who has seen Cessianne at least once would naturally be able to guess that she was physically weak.

This was because she was small and had a very delicate image.

“Third, the person should be less socially influential so there would be no consequences.”

Listening to Ian’s last condition, I concluded that everyone thought the same.

His reasoning ability was quite sharp.

“Yes, that’s right. It must be done in secret, but if you mess with someone too great, there might be consequences.”

I went on with a serious nod.

“In the end, those who meet these three conditions are…”

“Who is it?”

When asked by Robert, who was nervous, Ian and I said at the same time,

“Apprentice Saintess Cessianne.”

“The former High Priest.”

There was a moment of silence at the table.

Ian and I, who had been talking to each other so far as if we agreed with each other, exchanged absurd eyes.

But when I thought about it, Ian’s reasoning was also correct.

Guaranteed high divine power, weak physical conditions. A retired old man living a leisurely life on the quiet outskirts of the country, quite far away…

“Which of the two? The former High Priest isn’t even in the capital. Didn’t he go to the coast of Barnafarim for fishing?”

The coast of Banafarim was not as far away as the south because it was the outskirts of the capital.

Robert folded his arms in bewilderment.

“We’ll have to wait and see, both of them. There is a limit to the number of secret people they can mobilize…”

And made a very reasonable decision.

“I’d like each of you to take care of it.”

So Ian and I should split up and act independently.

Instead of preventing kidnapping, we had to rescue them at the right time from being kidnapped.

Naturally, it was right to leave it to us, who are difficult to deal with and had excellent skills.

“One will remain in the capital, and the other will go to the coast of Banafarim to guard the former High Priest.”

To be honest, I thought Cessianne was the more likely choice. That was just how I felt.

However, Ian’s reasoning could not be ignored without much evidence.

Of course, it was a superior strategy to separate the two because they had to be fully prepared.

And if the two have to split up, of course the combination was…

“You’re in charge of the former High Priest. I’ll take charge of Cessianne here.”

There was no room for objection to what I said. Robert also immediately helped.

“Well, Ian has done a lot of escorts for the former High Priest, hasn’t he? I think he’ll feel more comfortable with it.”

I nodded and agreed violently, and Robert continued earnestly.

“I’ll call on the Treasury to audit you, and you’ll probably be on the move very quickly. So Ian, it’s better to start right now.”

That was the case. In this case, the sooner the better.

“What if they don’t move?”

I asked back just in case, and Robert shrugged as if it were nothing.

“Then why don’t we use one more card? We have prisoners under us.”

He meant Lanella and Rayburn.

They were moving from the south to the capital.

When they get to the capital, of course, Carlon would be in great trouble.

“I’m afraid we’ll have to make it even more urgent. Don’t worry about it.”

Robert smiled at Ian.

“It’s just around the corner. We can’t put the favorite on the coast of Banafarim and then have to abstain.”

Of course Ian was the “favorite” he called. It was considerate of him not to say “winner” in front of me.

“I see.”

Ian nodded slowly.

“I really want to do my best for this competition, so I’ll come back before that no matter what happens.”

He stared at me.

I didn’t know about anything else, but it was the final swordsmanship competition of our lives.

“Come to think of it, the swordsmanship contest is just around the corner.”

As the topic shifted to the swordsmanship contest, I suddenly remembered something.

There was a brief flash of content in the original to express Robert’s ability.

It was Robert who caught the illegal drugs that were rampant just before the swordsmanship contest.

‘People who really want to win don’t eat because they’re afraid of the side effects or getting caught in drug tests… Oh, wait a minute.’

I thought I could naturally set another trap if they stayed still. I smiled at Robert.

“You must be busy, Prince. There are many things that you care about, even if it’s not this.”

“That’s true.”

Robert sighed deeply and said,

“I’ve been chasing most of the illegal things that are happening in the capital.”

One of the things Robert was chasing, illegal drugs, seemed to be another trap. Even if you didn’t make any plans, it was very natural in the current situation.

Having guessed, I nodded leisurely.

Robert clapped his hands as if the conversation was over and cleared up the situation.

“Then Ian, let’s go to the Imperial Palace together. I’ll give you a magic item that can send signals from a long distance like that, so you’d better share it with me and start right away.”

Ian looked at me with a penetrating gaze.

“Yes. But before I leave, I’d like to speak to Annabelle for a moment.”

He told Robert as his eyes were fixed on me.

“Just the two of us.”