The elves should tell Fieren a certain lie. It goes something like this: Xenon’s real name and residence, appearance, and finally, the fact that measures have been taken ‘hostage’ to prevent him from writing any more. Since this lie doesn’t violate the agreement, and considering Fieren was willing to entrust them with tracking, which implied a reasonable level of trust, making it highly likely he will buy into these lies.
Of course, Fieren isn’t a fool, so he’ll probably demand evidence. To prepare for that, there’s the ‘fake pact.’ Although pacts require mutual agreement to be effective, being a kind of ‘contract,’ they are often subjected to fraud. Among the most significant fraudulent methods was, as mentioned before, the fake pact.
People frequently lie about having made a pact, showing seemingly acceptable terms even though no agreement was reached. Since there are various ways to confirm whether a pact was formed, it doesn’t work well with strangers. Hence, this method is only effective with someone who has built a certain level of trust. Kalas stated that Fieren indicated them for a reason, not necessarily implying full trust but enough to merit credibility, so it should be plausible.
However, meticulous manipulation was essential to ensure that the fake pact remains undiscovered. Cecily assured that this aspect was not a concern, so there shouldn’t be a significant issue. All the bait should be ready. All that’s left is to wait for the opportunity.
Amid various preparations, the sunrise was nearly upon us without us realizing it. I looked at the exhausted Kalas and his group and sought confirmation.
“Do you understand? If you don’t want your ears to turn pitch black, it’s best to do as I say.”
“…Understood.”
Now even Kalas, perhaps with his pride worn down, used polite language. After enduring hours of pressure in a strained state, it’s no wonder their spirits would be drained. Moreover, they were elves. They likely never experienced such a situation before.
“Isaac, I’ve written down the pact here.”
“Hmm…”
A little while later, I received a fake treaty from Cecily and confirmed its terms. I had asked her to write it from the perspective of an arrogant elf, and I’m curious about how she actually wrote it.
[From now on, Xenon’s Biography will be written with the supervision of the Council.]
Okay. Just looking at Clause 1 was enough. There was also a clause asking to exclude all the negative aspects of the elves and only write down the positives, but the first one was sufficient.
Even if it contained clauses that could easily please Fieren’s egoistic mind, filled with racial superiority, it wouldn’t matter if all those clauses were not included. If I had written Xenon’s Biography according to these terms, it would surely become mere propaganda.
The terms were written solely with the focus on the elves, uncomplicated and concise.
“Sign here… You too, sign.”
Kalas signed on the fake treaty and tucked it into his robe. With the fake treaty also prepared, I warned once again.
“Remember. Depending on how you come out of this, it might not be your ears, but your life that you lose. Got it?”
“…We will keep that in mind.”
“Then return to that old elf, Fieren. Make good use of what I’ve taught you.”
As I gestured and spoke, the elves hid their appearances without needing anyone to signal them. Seeing the waves of mana, it seemed like they had used teleportation.
It was slightly amusing to see them fleeing as soon as the opportunity presented itself, but there was still work to be done. As soon as the elf tracking party disappeared, I spoke to Cecily.
“Noona. Did you tell Siris?”
“By now, she’s probably gone after them.”
“Is there no issue using teleportation?”
“Yeah. If you understand the principles of teleportation, tracking isn’t difficult. In fact, the risk of teleportation being traced is high. Do you want me to explain the principles?”
“No, it’s fine.”
Attributing magic to a fantasy was beneficial. I have a lot of knowledge thanks to my past life memories, but I’m not necessarily well-versed.
“Do you really believe it will succeed, my son?”
My father asked me, his arms folded, seemingly sensing that the situation had reached a certain conclusion. His face held a sense of doubt. While I did provide a rough plan before the elves invaded the mansion, he still appeared skeptical.
I hadn’t directly stepped into politics, but having observed from afar, I’m concerned about the current situation. Like my father, I don’t believe there’s a 100% chance of success either. The world doesn’t always go as one desires, and people tend to exhibit unpredictable behavior when cornered.
But as the saying goes, with strategy, one can win a hundred battles. In reality, we hold a significant advantage in this fight. There are allies who can block any unexpected variables that arise, so the overall course of events won’t be disrupted.
“Well, I don’t think we’ll completely succeed. However, the flow should remain intact. The rest depends on how well the queen can use it.”
“Incitement… I heard her speech was apparently excellent, but I don’t quite understand ‘incitement’.”
Since my father had never personally heard Arwen’s speech, he scratched his chin and spoke with a slightly uncertain tone.
However, originally, a speech and incitement are merely a sheet of paper apart. Especially if a small amount of falsehood is mixed within a great truth, people have no choice but to believe it.
Moreover, this is a world where not only the internet but even information doesn’t spread properly. Someone from my past life left behind such a famous saying.
Incitement can be achieved with just a single sentence, but to counter it, dozens of documents and evidence are needed. And when one tries to refute it, people are already swayed by the incitement.
There was a rumor that the famous Nazi orator, Goebbels, said something like that, but there’s no evidence. However, the fact that such words can be attributed to Goebbels demonstrates his skill in incitement.
And the Arwen I saw possessed a powerful speech ability, not as great as Goebbels, but still remarkable. I merely provided the speech, and it was Arwen who successfully delivered it, so it’s fair to say her ability wasn’t lacking.
“It will surely go well. Father knows well how favorable the public opinion towards the Queen is, right? Even the blending of purebloods and half-bloods into one is Arwen’s doing.”
“That’s thanks to your speech. But now there’s probably nothing you can do to help…”
“So, it all depends on the Queen’s hands. She’s probably still preparing even now.”
From Arwen’s perspective, it’s a golden opportunity to completely overthrow the Council of Elders that was nothing but a thorn in her side. Since she was informed through Siris, she must be making preparations accordingly.
I’ll just wait leisurely and observe the situation. If a problem arises in the middle, then I’ll take action at that time.
“Hmm… I don’t know much about Alvenheim politics, so I’m just asking. But I’m curious if the influence of the Council of Elders and the Queen is roughly equal.”
“They’re somewhat similar. Because of the symbolic nature of the Council of Elders, they couldn’t easily make moves since there were many aristocrats who held grievances. The monarchy was established in the first place to keep in check the Council of Elders’s power.”
No matter how skilled Arwen is in diplomacy and politics, it’s mentally exhausting to be under constant restraint alone. Considering how many times the ruler of Alvenheim’s throne has changed hands, one can roughly understand how severe the restraint is.
However, seeing Arwen endure steadfastly, even prominent figures are looking at her with a sentiment of ‘Hmm, she’s quite resilient, isn’t she?’ Moreover, her support from the nobles has become even stronger since she captured the hearts of the people through her speech.
“Well, then it might not matter, but it seems inevitable that a storm is brewing in Alvenheim. Just the fact that your hand is injured is a significant matter, but if it’s revealed that the culprit is the Council of Elders…”
“Arwen is surely aware as well. But considering that she permitted it, it seems she has taken it into account and formulated a plan.”
The Council of Elders is undoubtedly a group that obstructs the progress of Alvenheim, but its symbolism cannot be undermined. If Arwen were to break that symbol, the shock among the people wouldn’t be insignificant.
The aftermath that follows will be something she has to endure entirely. I secretly hope that she can handle it wisely. With the weakening of Alvenheim, there’s a high possibility that surrounding nations will exploit the opportunity to exert pressure.
“So, what are you going to do now?”
“For now…”
I responded to Cecily’s question with a smile, then in a weary voice, I added,
“I’m going to sleep. I’ll write the letter later.”
*****
After the pact with Isaac, the Kalas gang fled from the mansion as if escaping, desperately squeezing out the remaining mana and moving to a safer location. Teleportation consumed mana exponentially more when the distance was greater, but given the circumstances, they had no choice.
And so, in their haste, they moved to an area far from the Michelle domain. The area they arrived in was not a city or a town, but a forest, which was nothing short of a sanctuary for these elves.
“Now, what do we do?”
Lena, an elf woman with brown hair, spoke with an anxious and restless voice. Her eyes trembled, and her hands were touching her ears.
Mael wasn’t much different from her. If there was a difference, it would be the expression of near-desperation. It was a look that seemed to have already given up.
“Sigh…”
Kalas heard Lena’s question, let out a deep sigh, and rummaged through his pockets. In his hand was a false pact with the demon princess, Cecily.
In his heart, he wanted to tear the pact to shreds or even burn it, but he couldn’t. If his ears turned pitch black, all elf pride and everything else would vanish.
At the moment, there was nothing they could do. Kalas opened his mouth quietly, a voice tinged with resignation.
“For now, let’s return to Alvenheim. We’ll have to hope that Fierin notices.”
“But the pact…”
“Just because it’s a pact doesn’t mean it’s flawless. There must be a way out.”
The pact only takes effect if it’s based on the truth; if it’s a lie, it won’t be effective. So, they would use this in reverse. Kalas, as if he had come up with a good idea while pondering, erased his resigned expression and smiled. Lena and Mael’s expressions also brightened slightly at that smile.
“Yeah, that’s right. When we report to Lord Fieren, we can indicate that we’re lying. Since the pact doesn’t work with falsehoods.”
“Th-then that should work! But how do we lie…”
“When people lie, their body reacts. Like shifting their gaze to the left or fidgeting with their hands, among other things. There are many signs. Lord Fieren wouldn’t be unaware of that either.”
Given Fieren’s extensive political experience, his intuition was quick. Furthermore, once he gets a hint, he won’t let it go until his suspicions are resolved. Even if they didn’t lie, once Fieren became suspicious, he would keep digging and digging.
And they can use that to their advantage. The ears rotting due to the black mana? What’s crucial now is buying time. It’s most important to somehow delay Fieren from taking action.
“But be careful. We don’t know who the traitor within Alvenheim might be. Considering he even knows Fieren’s full name, the probability of him being from one of the prestigious families is high.”
“Why would a mere human like him have ties to a prestigious family… even a young one…”
“There must be a connection. Or perhaps he’s really from the future. Surely the gods have imposed limitations on him, not allowing him to act recklessly. So, we…”
Skkrt
Thud!
During Kalas’s speech, a strong gust of wind swept through, making a sharp sound as it struck something. Startled, Kalas and his companions turned their heads towards the direction of the sound.
A dagger was lodged into the stem of a plant, stretching high into the sky. Tied to the hilt of the dagger was a note. Kalas stared at the dagger stuck right above his head with a dumbfounded expression, then reached out his hand. He carefully removed the dagger, and with trembling hands, he untied the note.
Gulp…
Amidst the sudden ambush, the sound of someone swallowing nervously could be heard. Kalas unfolded the note with a mixture of anticipation and anxiety.
And on that note was…
[Don’t do unnecessary things.]
A clear warning was written.
“… …”
Kalas felt his blood run cold in real-time. He urgently cast detection magic around but found nothing.
“How? Did they use teleportation? What kind of trick is this?”
Could it be the ability of that demon princess? Demons were utterly enigmatic, with no known facts about them, so the impossible wasn’t ruled out.
Above all, demons, like Dark Elves, were a prominent race that revered Morah. Concealing oneself in darkness wasn’t out of the question, especially for something like this.
Truly, he was surrounded by eyes and ears in every direction. Even the path to Alvengard would be under surveillance. For Kalas, it felt like his world was crumbling.
‘What is that guy…?’
Xenon, or rather, Isaac. Just how powerful was he? Kalas looked up at the sky with a despondent expression.
In stark contrast to his feelings, the sky was brilliantly clear.
‘It’s over.’
Kalas let out a bitter laugh, consumed by a sense of futility.
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