Chapter 7
#007.
‘Claude Elcidore…’
The name displayed in the game, [Young Master Claude].
As an NPC companion who could be recruited from the early stages of [Revolution Empire], he was one of the companions known as ‘national treasure’ among users.
With excellent base stats and intelligence bonus, and particularly outstanding magical attack power, he was a widely used all-around versatile dealer.
I thought he would have already joined the Revolutionary Army by the time the protagonist joins, but who would have thought his escape would be happening now.
The timing was impeccable.
“Young Master Claude disappeared a week ago. The Revolutionary Army started distributing this newspaper yesterday. Thankfully, not many people believe it yet.”
In Ben’s office on the second floor of the Knifehead dormitory.
When Ben handed over the revolutionary newspaper, the expressions of the senior members assigned to the operation hardened.
[Elcidore’s Heir Defects to Revolutionary Army!]
[The Cruel Truth of Imperial Noble Society That Even a High Noble Couldn’t Endure!]
[The Revolutionary Army Does Not Discriminate by Status. To Those Who Wish to Become Comrades, Come to Us……!]
“The higher-ups must be in chaos.”
“Sevian the butler was beheaded. If we fail, we’ll be next.”
In House Elcidore, failure means death.
If they could kill a butler who served the family for years in an instant, it was obvious what would happen to disposable pawns like us.
Understanding the gravity of the situation, the senior members asked Ben.
“Search and tracking are our specialty, but it will take time to search the entire city.”
“We need to set up checkpoints on the roads and blockade the train station and airport, but what is the Knight Order doing?”
The seniors’ questions were reasonable.
Knifehead’s area of operation was outside the territory. Traditionally, matters concerning family members were handled by the Knight Order.
However, Ben’s answer was unexpected.
“No, the Knight Order will not be involved in this. And there will be no blockades or checkpoints. These are direct orders from the Count.”
“What?”
The senior members’ expressions twisted as if they couldn’t understand Ben’s words.
“No blockades or checkpoints? There’s a high possibility he’ll escape outside the territory.”
“For the Knight Order to remain inactive when the heir has fled, I think that’s too careless a judgment.”
Though the seniors’ behavior was bordering on insubordination, none of them were kicked away like Karin.
They couldn’t refuse missions. However, they were free to voice their opinions about the missions.
This peculiar rule, whether stifling or progressive, was established by none other than Ben.
“……Eugene.”
“Yes.”
Ben asked me, who had been silent throughout.
“Do you think the same?”
No. My thoughts were different.
After a brief pause, I looked at Ben’s face and spoke.
“Searching for Young Master Claude or censoring the newspaper would be the worst strategy at this point.”
“…What?”
When I said that, the gazes of the senior members lined up beside me all turned toward me.
“Why do you think so?”
Before I could respond to the seniors’ cold stares, Ben’s voice urged me on.
“If it were just about Young Master Claude joining the Revolutionary Army, blockades and checkpoints would be the quick solution. But the problem is… This newspaper.”
I pointed at the newspaper on the table.
“Whether citizens believe it or not, news of the young master’s escape has already spread. If the Knight Order starts responding publicly now, it will look like the Imperial Knights are being swayed by the Revolutionary Army’s newspaper.”
“……!”
“That’s also why they’re not blockading the train station or airport. If we stir things up unnecessarily, it will only make people more interested.”
At my words, the senior members held their chins in thought.
“But are you saying we should search this vast city by ourselves? What if he escapes in the meantime?”
“He’s been gone for a week already. There’s a possibility they’ve already smuggled him out.”
“No, that’s not likely.”
When the seniors’ questions came in, I firmly countered them.
“When the Revolutionary Army promotes their achievements, they always attach photos. Since Imperial media dismisses revolutionary newspapers as complete fabrications, they need evidence to refute that.”
Despite appearances, I climbed to the top of the Revolutionary Army in my previous playthrough.
If there were a Revolutionary Army Psychology degree, I’d have at least a master’s in it.
Why not a doctorate? Well, if I were that good, I wouldn’t have been betrayed, damn it.
“Hmm.”
“Indeed……”
At my words, the seniors and Supervisor Ben looked at the revolutionary newspaper again. While the newspaper was excitedly trumpeting Claude’s name, there was nothing that could serve as evidence, like a photograph.
“The Revolutionary Army members hiding in Elcidore are few. They wouldn’t have expensive equipment like cameras.”
“But since Claude’s defection is true, they just announced it first?”
“If they do that, Elcidore will react, and that movement will become the biggest evidence.”
While saying this, feeling a strange sense of déjà vu, I turned to look at the seniors.
“……”
“………”
Something was odd.
Their gazes, which had been looking at me like a neighborhood kid until now, had completely changed.
Shock, surprise, admiration…
Each one had an expression like they were looking at some kind of monster.
“Supervisor. This child……”
“Everything is as Eugene said.”
Just as the senior in the front row was about to say something, Ben’s voice cut in between.
“If there’s one thing he missed, it’s that Burken has been turning the territory upside down looking for that damn brat.”
When the butler’s name came up, low laughter erupted among the seniors.
“The esteemed Knight Commander must be quite hurt in his pride. To ask us for help.”
“Indeed. How desperate must he be to ask us to clean up after him?”
The seniors chuckled at Ben’s dry joke.
The strange looks directed at me had somehow turned into gossip about the Knight Commander Burken, and Ben left us be for a while.
After a moment.
“You three, lead your members and take charge of the airport and train station respectively. Capture and interrogate anyone suspicious. Find out Claude’s location.”
“Understood.”
After giving orders to the senior members, Ben’s gaze turned to me.
“Eugene. Take these.”
Following this, Ben handed me two photographs and a nameplate with mission details.
“What is this?”
“A scenario for infiltration.”
I looked at the photos Ben gave me. The first photo showed a man and woman looking at each other affectionately, and in the second photo, the same couple was being tortured.
“The man’s name is Landon Phelps. The woman is Lucy Phelps. They were Revolutionary Army members captured by Elcidore ten years ago. From now on, you’ll disguise yourself as their son and find the Revolutionary Army’s location.”
After finishing his words, Ben held out a prisoner’s nameplate to me. The blood-stained metal nameplate had the name ‘Leon Phelps’ engraved on it.
“A fake name?”
“Yes. I’ve prepared quite a backstory too.”
Ben explained the life story of the fictional character ‘Leon Phelps’ to me.
“Lucy Phelps was pregnant when she was arrested. She gave birth to a child while doing forced labor in the underground prison, and Elcidore planned to use it as an experimental subject. Your parents killed a guard and escaped to protect you. They were caught after a chase, but you alone managed to escape the mansion alive… That’s roughly the story.”
“Pfft.”
“How moving. It’s quite heartfelt for something you made up, Supervisor.”
The senior members snickered at Ben’s explanation. Ben smiled back at the seniors and shrugged his shoulders.
“Made up? This actually happened a year ago.”
“What?”
“The real Leon Phelps is buried in the castle moat. He would have joined as a trainee in the 40th batch…”
So it was based on a true story.
Seeing Ben’s slightly upturned lips, the seniors shook their heads saying, “Of course, typical.”
‘This guy is a real devil.’
No Revolutionary Army would turn away a child seeking revenge for their parents. Especially considering who the leader of the Revolutionary Army’s Belkers branch was.
Moreover, since the Revolutionary Army didn’t even know about Knifehead’s existence, it was truly a flawless infiltration plan.
‘He came up with this operation in just a week.’
I could truly appreciate how outstanding Elcidore’s intelligence capabilities were.
Of course, I also keenly felt just how much of a psychotic group these bastards were.
“Eugene.”
As the seniors who had received their missions left Ben’s office one by one, when it was finally my turn, Ben called me with a gesture and opened his desk drawer to take something out.
Clunk-
What was placed on the table was a small wooden box the size of a ring case. When opened, it contained a thinly crafted piece of glass.
Two strokes intertwined like chains. Though I’d seen it countless times in the game, I asked Ben just in case.
“Supervisor. Is this……”
“A magic imprint.”
Magic imprint.
An output device that processes magical power generated from magic circuits into the form of magic, and ‘Magic Awakening’ users become ‘magicians’ only after implanting this.
“Everyone deployed in actual operations gets this implanted without exception. It’s grade 4 with ice attributes. The stored formulas are Rapid Freezing, Ice Spear, and Magical Power Barrier.”
After stating the magic circuit’s specs in a plain voice, Ben gestured with his chin at me holding the circuit.
‘So he wants me to implant it here.’
There was no time to hesitate. This was an order, and members who don’t follow orders die.
I immediately brought the magic circuit to the back of my hand and embedded it into my skin.
Thump-!
The pain of tearing flesh and the sensation of a foreign object piercing the skin. And the cold numbness transmitted from it.
Before long, blue light leaked from the magic circuit that had been like transparent glass, and then disappeared without a trace.
The back of my hand where the glass piece had been embedded was clean as if nothing had happened.
“Good.”
Ben, who had carefully observed everything, spoke.
“Eugene Lorentz. From today on, you are officially a member of the Knifehead.”
“Thank you.”
“Serve Elcidore loyally until the day you die. Dismissed.”
There were no congratulatory words. After confirming Ben’s gesture, I left his office immediately.
“Until the day I die, huh.”
Feeling the subtle sensation in my right hand, I frowned.
Ben had said there were three formulas engraved in this magic circuit.
But that was a lie.
‘A grade 4 magic circuit can store two formulas in one stroke…’
In other words, this two-stroke circuit could store four formulas.
And I knew what the fourth formula was that Ben hadn’t mentioned.
[Brand of Dominance.]
A brainwashing formula that gradually erodes the user’s mind from the moment of implantation, and ultimately makes them obey their master’s commands.
A safety device to prevent possible escape or rebellion. At the same time, it was the secret behind creating Knifehead, Elcidore’s loyal dogs.
“According to the settings, I have about 2 years left.”
I held up my right hand where the circuit was implanted.
2 years.
The time remaining until Elcidore’s circuit eats away at my mind and I become his puppet.
Then before that happens…
“I’ll have to kill him first.”
What needed to be done was clear.
I must kill Count Elcidore before I turn twelve years old.