Chapter 92
Chapter 92
“Things are proceeding just as Irina predicted.”
“I’m not sure if that’s fortunate or not.”
“Sir Cassis, Irina! The talks with the Academy professors went well.”
“Really? How did it go?”
Cassis, Roen, and I had an unbelievably busy time.
The launch date for ‘Lu & Cream’ was getting closer by the day, yet we had to deal with all these rumors too.
We were hesitant to rely too much on Isiel’s help.
To him, ‘Lu & Cream’ was just one of many investments, so we were reluctant to share all the information.
If he decided to cut his losses and pull out now, we’d be in serious trouble.
As a result, even Seiren, who had been sticking with us, was sent back to the Lemiere duchy.
<How could you do this to me!>
<Don’t worry, I’ll call you back once everything’s settled.>
<No!>
<Or you could join the Luwin duchy like Senior Roen.>
<…..>
It was probably too much to ask a young lady not yet twenty to abandon the continent’s wealthiest Lemiere family for the declining Luwin.
Anyway, because of this situation, Roen, Cassis, our elite team, and I were all working together.
Roen pulled out some contracts from his documents.
“Though they aren’t Marquis Cloi’s people, I approached those who cooperated with him for financial reasons.”
Roen said he had checked the lab atmosphere starting with the most junior students, and after careful selection, finally chose two laboratories.
The labs researched ‘Monster Ecology’ and ‘Sacred Animals’ respectively, and were perfect for conducting the research we wanted.
“Both professors were told by Marquis Cloi to fabricate results, and they agreed in exchange for research funding.”
“Are you sure they’re not Marquis Cloi’s people?”
“Yes, we cross-checked that. They only took his side for money.”
If they decided to fabricate results for money, it would be easy to turn them around.
We could outbid them with more money, but we don’t even need to.
“They said it would be revealed as false eventually anyway.”
“So they plan to implicate Luwin when the controversy is at its peak, then reveal ‘Actually, that wasn’t true!’ when interest has died down?”
“That’s one way to look at it.”
Such researchers without honor.
I clicked my tongue while checking the contracts.
“So these contracts say we can reveal them when we want?”
“Yes, in exchange for protection when everything comes to light.”
Of course, we didn’t reveal to them that we were from Luwin.
[Not bad.]
[Indeed.]
The fact that Roen successfully negotiated without revealing our identity showed his considerable skill.
‘At least we’ve overcome this major hurdle.’
[Yes!]
[We’ve prepared false evidence and perfect evidence to overturn it too!]
About a month had passed since the incident first occurred.
Just when people were starting to forget, Marquis Cloi would announce through newspapers that new information had emerged from the Magic Tower and research institutes.
Thanks to that, people were still talking about the Demonic Beasts even after all this time.
While it would be better to avoid such rumors altogether, if we can’t avoid them… we should make the best use of everything.
“Well Irina, it seems everything will align perfectly timing-wise.”
“Yes, Lord Cassis.”
“Then let’s proceed.”
“Yes.”
“Yes.”
Cassis held the documents to a candle as he spoke.
“Roen, release the false information and evidence to my uncle.”
“Yes, understood.”
“Irina, spread the same information more blatantly among people, regardless of their status.”
“Yes.”
The documents in Cassis’s hand burned away to nothing.
***
‘Cute and lovely ice cream summons grotesque and repulsive Demonic Beasts!’
Better to be misunderstood with such an absurd story.
Who would believe that this cute and lovely ice cream could be used to summon hideous spider-like Demonic Beasts?
Such dissonance would settle uncomfortably in people’s minds.
While their heads might think ‘It’s evil and wicked!’, their hearts would simultaneously harbor doubts of ‘Surely not?’
And such facts would be relatively easy to overturn later.
When it’s revealed ‘Actually, that wasn’t true!’
…people would likely respond with ‘Ah! I knew something was off!’ or ‘I thought as much!’
For this reason, Roen and I began secretly spreading rumors everywhere.
Since Marquis Cloi had already distributed similar stories to so many newspapers, I didn’t need to reveal my identity or sponsor them.
Just spreading similar stories was enough for journalists to embellish articles that passed through the editorial department.
Roen’s situation was similar.
The false evidence leaked through an Imperial Academy magic professor, one of Marquis Cloi’s people, reportedly went up the chain faster than anything.
[Without proper verification?]
“There wasn’t time for verification. Marquis Cloi demanded it be sent up immediately upon hearing about it.”
[Oh my.]
“So the results should come out soon.”
We should be figuring out what these Demonic Beasts are, why they appeared, and how to prepare for the destruction.
I don’t understand why I suddenly have to deal with Marquis Cloi in such an urgent situation.
Just then, the system notification sound rang.
[SYSTEM | ‘Ice Cream Summons Demonic Beasts! – Inform the Public’ has been completed.]
[SYSTEM | Quest ‘Urgent Countermeasures Needed’ has been completed.]
[SYSTEM | Please claim your reward.]
Oh.
After struggling with that last item that wouldn’t end, it’s finally over.
I checked the quest once more.
[Urgent Countermeasures Needed
(Omitted)
(Complete) Monitor Marquis Cloi’s movements
(Complete) Find connections within the Academy
(Complete) Draw in Marquis Cloi’s people
(Complete) False evidence and decisive evidence to overturn it
(Complete) ‘Luwin Summons Demonic Beasts!’ – Inform Marquis Cloi
(Complete) ‘Ice Cream Summons Demonic Beasts!’ – Inform the public
(+) Reward: 20% increase in success rate for quest ‘Marquis Cloi’s Slander’
(++) Additional reward: Random skill gift! (A+ guaranteed!)]
“Ha! At least we have a chance now.”
[Yeah! You worked so hard!]
[Let’s check out the skill now.]
[Yeah, yeah, I’m curious.]
Recently, I’ve had chances to gain skills through various minor quests.
But strangely, the skills I got were things like ‘Running(D+)’, which weren’t very helpful.
I even got another ‘Breathing(C+)’ skill that I already had, so now I have two identical C+ grade skills.
The only useful things were recipes, but as you can see, I don’t have time to cook anything in my current situation…
“I wonder if it’ll be something weird again?”
[W-well, at least it’s guaranteed to be A+ grade.]
Hmm. Right!
Even if it’s garbage, an A+ grade might be worth something.
Still, I’d prefer to get an attack or defense-related skill if possible.
So I won’t be helpless when Demonic Beasts appear like last time.
I claimed the reward with heart-pounding anticipation.
[SYSTEM | Claiming ‘Random Skill Gift! (A+ guaranteed!)’ reward.]
[SYSTEM | Obtained basic skill ‘Combine! (S+)’]
[SYSTEM | Congratulations!]
Huh?
[Wow! Congratulations! You finally got an S-grade skill!]
[Not just S-grade, but S plus!]
[So cool.]
[Our Irina’s only got success ahead of her~]
“…”
I ignored the excited system and opened the status window to check the skill.
It is my first S+ grade.
But? I need to check its main contents.
The skill name is ‘Combine!’
What exactly can it combine?
I only wanted an attack or defense skill to protect myself.
What kind of skill is this that I don’t even know how to use?
[Combine! (S+)
The skill ‘Combine!’ is a ‘basic’ skill that can be applied everywhere. You’re lucky to have the ‘Combine’ skill which appears with extremely low probability!
Application range: Everywhere
Restrictions: Varies by skill level]
“… Is this really that good?”
I felt good about getting something with such low probability, though I still didn’t know how to use it.
“Can it combine skills or something?”
[SYSTEM | Correct!]
Oh my!
[SYSTEM | Please select two skills you want to combine from the skill window, then use ‘Combine! (S+)’]
Ooh.
I scrolled through my very long and flashy but empty skill window.
It was awkward having nothing but useless skills.
“I should select two identical skills.”
I selected two ‘Breathing (C+)’ skills and used the Combine skill.
[SYSTEM | Drum roll please…]
[SYSTEM | Ta-da! ‘Breathing (B+)’ grade has been created!]
Ohhhh!
[SYSTEM | Once skills are combined, they cannot be returned to their previous state.]
This is better than I thought.
It seemed like it could be quite useful.
Plus, getting the ‘Combine!’ skill at this time made me think it might help in dealing with difficult situations ahead.
“Now that the countermeasures quest is done, I wonder what’s next.”
I worked so hard lately.
It might not be bad to get some sleep before the next quest or incident breaks out.
I crawled onto the bed.
Just as I lay down, closed my eyes, and took a deep breath.
‘Knock knock knock!’ came an urgent knocking at the door.
“Irina, are you in there? Irina! It’s an emergency, emergency! Are you there?”
It was Roen.
Ah…
Why do things always happen just as I lie down?
I slowly got up and opened the door.
“Senior, just speak casually.”
“His Highness has summoned everyone.”
Following Roen into the large conference room, most people had already gathered there.
Not just the ‘Lu & Cream’ staff, but also those managing the Luwin ducal household’s affairs.
Of course, not everyone was there – just the decision-makers.
Cassis was the last to enter.
He was wearing his Imperial State Council uniform rather than his knight’s formal wear.
Standing before everyone, Cassis spoke calmly.
“At today’s state council meeting, Marquis Cloi named Irina Seike and Luwin as being behind the Demonic Beast incident at the Hellis mansion.”
33 days remained until the launch of ‘Lu & Cream’.
I smiled slightly.
Everyone’s attention turned to me.
This timing was truly perfect.
“We’ve been waiting for this.”
