Chapter 97
Chapter 97
During the hearing strategy meeting…
“Their argument is bound to be weak anyway. They’ll have to force their claims without proper evidence.”
“And since they need to incite people, they’ll bring evidence that catches attention and can be talked about for a long time, rather than sophisticated proof.”
In other words, we could win just by refuting and picking apart their arguments, even without special preparation.
“But winning through point-by-point refutation isn’t good in the long run.”
“Yes, because if His Majesty simply dismisses our case as wrongdoing, we’re finished.”
“… If we had considerable influence, we could get help.”
“Can’t be helped.”
I shrugged.
Most houses would probably remain neutral.
“So we need to make our own impression, showing that our ‘ice cream,’ our ‘Lu & Cream’ isn’t related to demonic beasts but rather is made using divine power.”
Just refuting Marquis Cloi’s claims point by point would likely make us look ‘petty.’
“However, we can’t leave incorrect information unrefuted. If we do, such false information will solidify as truth.”
At Roen’s words, Cassis thought for a moment before speaking.
“Then let’s adjust the order.”
Order.
If we needed to imprint on the public that ‘ice cream’ was innocent while also refuting Marquis Cloi’s evidence, changing the order of explanation was the answer.
“First mention that ‘ice cream’ has no connection to ‘demonic beasts,’ imprint that fact through Irina’s ability.”
“Oh ho.”
“Then we can refute point by point after that.”
“Since people will already be leaning toward our side anyway?”
“Exactly.”
Not bad.
Rather, it’s good.
“Then let’s introduce ‘ice cream’ from the start as a divine dessert containing ‘divine power.'”
To flip things around more effectively.
This was the context behind Cassis starting his hearing statement by refuting Marquis Cloi’s opinion from the very first word.
* * *
“Rather, ice cream is food that contains dissolved divine power.”
As soon as Cassis finished speaking, Marquis Cloi immediately jumped up from his seat as if hearing nonsense.
But Cassis didn’t even blink.
“Because the most fundamental power in making ‘ice cream’ is ‘divine power.'”
Ice cream’s ultimate force comes from a divine power.
We should have researched this aspect earlier.
But we were too focused on just selling ice cream.
However, this incident prompted many Luwin mages, including myself, to dedicate themselves to researching ‘ice cream’ itself.
I would have liked to ask Sian Terezia, who was skilled in divine power, but he kept disappearing and reappearing, making it difficult to seek his help.
Even if I wanted to ask for help, the person himself was so questionable that I was reluctant to share too much information.
In this situation, I received help from Seiren, who suggested ice cream production through the ‘Philosopher’s Stone’ by connecting magic and divine power.
Thus, we could officially prove that ‘divine power’ was necessary for producing ‘ice cream’ itself, and consequently, ‘divine power’ was dissolved in ‘ice cream’ itself.
<Although it’s a tiny amount, almost undetectable, divine power is definitely dissolved in it.>
Roen and I crafted a plan to initiate our own manipulation.
<Irina, let’s manipulate it.>
<Won’t we get caught?>
<Ice cream melts and disappears anyway. There isn’t much ice cream in circulation, either. It’s already a task for Marquis Cloi to obtain ice cream.>
Roen’s suggestion was to modify Seiren’s magic circle formula to use more divine power in ice cream production.
To make it easier to detect.
As if that much divine power had been in it from the start.
<Okay. Let’s do that.>
And to maximize this effect, we decided to use a more theatrical presentation at the hearing.
“Grand Duke Luwin! Watch your words. If you cannot prove what you just claimed!”
Cassis cut him off immediately.
“I can prove it.”
“How will you explain the phenomenon of amplified magi, shown before tens of thousands of people just now?”
“Uncle, no, Marquis Cloi. Isn’t that a fabricated result?”
Cassis’s words, spoken without any increase in volume or intentional flair, echoed gently through the circular hall.
That calmness strangely inspired peculiar trust.
Those who had been criticizing us suddenly fell silent.
In that silence, Cassis spoke again.
“I find it remarkable that you had the courage to bring fabricated results so confidently before His Majesty and all the people.”
“Cassis, if you can prove it, then prove it.”
Without answering, Cassis turned toward me.
I slowly approached him.
Cassis checked me once as I took my position in the center, then drew his sword and strode forward.
His destination was where the massive demonic beast lay.
[Are you using that demonic beast as is?]
[Don’t you have something prepared separately?]
‘We do… but that demonic beast is much bigger and more grotesque. It seems better for showing the horror of demonic beasts.’
Cassis spoke calmly before the demonic beast.
“To show that ice cream contains divine power, words are unnecessary.”
As his words ended, our people, including myself, all turned our heads toward Marquis Cloi as previously arranged.
As if suggesting Marquis Cloi had just been running his mouth.
Although they were our people, when five or six gazes simultaneously turned toward Marquis Cloi, countless public gazes followed.
“Cassis Luwin.”
Marquis Cloi called out to Cassis, but Cassis responded with a soulless “Yes” and took his stance, raising his sword.
Then in an instant, he slashed horizontally.
‘…Did he cut wrong?’
At first, the demonic beast seemed unchanged.
However, just as I wondered if Cassis had misplaced his cut, the demonic beast’s corpse wobbled and split in half.
“Woaaaah!”
“Amazing!”
“He split it in half with one strike!”
“As expected of the greatest knight.”
People simply marveled at Cassis cutting the demonic beast in one stroke.
‘Right, I saw this a lot at Duke Hellis’s residence.’
[Indeed. After Cassis dealt with so many demonic beasts, to put him on trial like this. How awful.]
An enormous amount of magi began pouring from the bisected demonic beast.
It was on a completely different scale from the magi that flowed earlier during Marquis Cloi’s demonstration.
“Irina, please.”
Cassis skillfully avoided the magi and stepped back.
Yes.
Now it’s my turn.
“Yes, I am Irina Seike.”
Is the resolution too low?
It doesn’t feel real.
I think I could handle some level of reality.
[SYSTEM | Adjusting ‘resolution’ from ’20’ to ’50’.]
Simultaneously, sounds became clear, as if emerging from underwater.
The world, which had seemed distant as if covered by a veil, suddenly became clear.
Only then did I seem to feel the people’s gazes and heat pouring toward me.
[Aren’t you scared? Are you okay?]
Although I was scared until just now, whether because I’m confident now or because I’m anticipating the upcoming reaction, there’s no fear, only excitement.
“No. I’m excited.”
I answered the System quietly and smiled slightly.
The magi was spreading more and more.
I watched as the mages from Lemiere set up temporary barriers to stop the magi from reaching the people.
I spoke again, hoping my voice and appearance would reach these numerous people.
“You will probably come to revere the fact that you were present here.”
And I activated the magic circle prepared in advance.
Woooong.
The magic circle made by Seiren, organized by Luka, and written by the Lemiere mage.
The magic circle began to hum more powerfully, drawing energy from the magic stones salvaged from Luwin’s mansion and the Philosopher’s Stones that Seiren had painstakingly infused with divine power.
The magic circle, injected with maximum divine power and magic power, seemed about to burst.
[Irina, this is about to burst.]
[You need to release it quickly.]
Yes, the current state is no different from pressing both the brake and accelerator.
However, this would have been pointless with the old magic circle, as it was a malfunctioning mess. Now, with the repairs complete, it’s more like a luxury supercar.
“The moment I inject the skill stones.”
I whispered softly and applied the skill stones ‘Cooking’ and ‘Mass Production’ along with the recipe directly to the magic circle from the System.
And simultaneously, a ‘bang’ explosion was heard.
People were in panic, thinking an explosion had occurred somewhere, but those of us who knew everything maintained our positions and grinned.
[SYSTEM | Until ‘Large Skill’ activation….]
[SYSTEM | 3, 2, 1]
[SYSTEM | Skill has been successfully activated.]
With the System notification, something began falling on my face, drip by drip.
I wasn’t the only one who noticed something falling from the sky.
Exclamations began to be heard from all around the circular hall.
“Snow?”
“My goodness! It’s snow. Snow is falling!”
“The snow is sweet!”
“T-this must be ice cream!”
Because I was sprinkling an enormous amount of ice cream like snow in this hall.
Fortunately, it was an outdoor circular hall in the temple.
People seemed unable to contain themselves, trying to catch the ice cream snow falling in spring.
I spoke to them.
“Ice cream has always been produced this way. You must have all heard about the snow festival held at the Northern Luwin Grand Duke’s residence.”
People’s attention instantly focused here.
“Marquis Cloi claimed that ice cream amplifies magi.”
But watch carefully what actually happens.
A tremendous amount of magi poured from the dismembered demonic beast set up by Marquis Cloi’s team, and the ice cream snow fell gently over the magi.
“See clearly with your own eyes. And be witnesses. Is the magi being amplified?”
Rather than enhancing, it became clear to all.
Having created ice cream by injecting a much larger amount of divine power, the magi began to dissipate as soon as it touched the ice cream.
The particularly effective reaction seemed to be because it was Seiren’s divine power, possessing the power of ‘destruction,’ rather than anyone else’s.
“It’s not!”
“Oh my, the magi is actually decreasing!”
“The magi is decreasing!”
I glanced at Marquis Cloi.
His face was turning pale at the sight of the accumulating ice cream snow and the gradually disappearing magi.
Then someone in the audience shouted loudly.
“Look! The demonic beast is melting! Where the ice cream touches, it’s melting away!”
What?
The demonic beast is melting?
I turned around in surprise myself.
And there was the demonic beast’s corpse, beginning to melt and flow away.
[Did it have such an effect?!]
[Really!]
I’d never seen such an effective before, either.
