Chapter 14: 'What is this feeling...'

'What is this feeling...'

Kynemeia entwined her hands and rested them on her stomach as she burrowed into the head's chair inside the conference room.

'Ah, I guess that's it.'

The sensation that felt as if paint is spreading inside your heart, and you end up thinking 'Ah, so this is why you shouldn't run your mouth off.'

'No, no. It's more like the burden of someone in authority. With great power comes great responsibility, maybe something like that.'

This strong and particular impression was only to be expected when any authoritative figure stated something.

"If you look here, at this part!"

She stared blankly at the Head of the Lyonne Merchant Company, Mikhaela.

The woman with an immaculate appearance, and a pair of small, slanted eyes set upon dusky skin, was displaying the data on an image sphere and delivering her presentation passionately.

"The key detail is this clean hand which looks like it didn't actually touch anything."

The retainers kept nodding as they viewed Mikhaela's presentation. It wasn't a problem when Mikhaela, the one in charge of Lyonne Merchant Company, came in person to meet her. Kynemeia was already planning to meet her even if she didn't.

'Since I'll have to meet her first of all if I want Behemoth's swords to bear a reputation as the finest of the finest of swords...'

However, Mikhaela's visit wasn't the issue per se, but her purpose behind it—she'd come here bearing a project proposal declaring that slimes made for an extremely lucrative product.

'...How did it come to this?' She racked her brains wondering how this situation came to be out of the blue. It was the Behemoth sisters, who held vast gratitude and affection for Kynemeia. It was most likely that they unequivocally assumed that 'slimes' were Kynemeia's long-desired idea of a business venture.

"So she still has a childlike side too."

"She's so cute."

The sisters chuckled as they researched diligently, touched the real slime monster, and finally...

Kynemeia touched the slime erected in front of her.

'They really made it...'

'It was really possible? Are they geniuses?'

"I'm convinced our Lady is a genius!"

Mikhaela exclaimed, slamming her hands on the conference table.

'...!' kkamjagiya

Kynemeia, who was listening to Mikhaela with only half an ear, clutched at her racing heart.

"Such a groundbreaking idea. Our Lady is well beyond a genius."

Mikhaela rested her hands on the table and looked at the girl, her eyes brimming with respect. Kynemeia evaded her gaze as best as she could and waved her hand dismissively.

"...Mhm. Thanks..."

"To think that our Lady is merely eleven years old, this Mikhaela can hardly believe it. 'Ah... I have no regrets in joining the Lyonne Merchant Company. Rejecting all of the famous families' proposals and coming to Lyonne Merchant Company were all for this day. This lowly Mikhaela Cooper shall forever devote her life to Lady Kynemeia,' I dared to have such thoughts when I first heard of the explanation about the toy slime."

'Didn't Mikhaela join the Lyonne Merchant Company because our employment terms were the most satisfactory?' was what Kynemeia was about to say, but she held them back. Mikhaela, having recited the Kynemeia Lyonne hymn awhile, cleared her throat with a reddened face and resumed talking.

"This will be a hit. No question about it!"

Mikhaela pointed at the image floating from the sphere, and Kynemeia shifted her vacant gaze ahead, resting it on the levitating image.

'Just...' While Kynemeia was in a state of dumbstruck wonder, the retainers rose to their feet and began clapping thunderously.

"Magnificent, as expected."

"Our Lady is unparalleled in the slime world!"

"Unparalleled!"

The retainers poured forth all the praises that she hated to hear.

'No...' She smiled awkwardly. She was just making things up, but somehow it had given rise to the existence of the unparalleled and master artisans of the slime world. It might be because Mikhaela was thrilled at the prospect of earning money, but her eyes kept on sparkling.

"How... To even think of processing monsters...!"

'It wasn't to make this, though...'

She fiddled with the slime. It was soft and squishy to the touch but felt firm enough to not break when twisted and toyed with. It was definitely a product with higher utility than the sand toys or dough that the kids in the empire had been playing with. Mikhaela then continued again,

"Since the material is derived from a part of the monster that doesn't require specialised techniques, unlike its hard bones or leather, we can round up ordinary technicians and mass-produce..."

'Wait, then from what part exactly is it derived from?'

"This slime, what part is it made from?"

"Ah, that—"

Mikhaela smiled.

"—A slime's body fluid and (BEEP-)."

Plop, the slime dropped from Kynemeia's hand.

* * *

"..." ikemen intensifies

The Teacher came to visit in the form of a lark today as well and sat on Eian's shoulder as he talked, and Eian silently watched Kynemeia from his perch on the edge of the rooftop. The child with soft blonde hair was taking a stroll with blacksmith sisters and chatting with them.

It had been several months since he first met Kynemeia. She never emitted any mana, and nothing indicated her concealment of it nor did she appear to be bothered by it. And it almost seemed like their speculation that she was hiding her mana was a false lead...

"Is that so?"

It was the most plausible hypothesis, but Eian wasn't really convinced.

'Mages may instinctually be unable to contain their curiosity, but...' The lark tilted his head. He had a strange inkling that there was another reason obstructing Eian's path.

"Until my injuries are all healed."

'Even though a few months have passed...' He cut his words short, but Eian smiled meaningfully.

"Yes. Don't you know I got a fierce thrashing this time around?"

Eian simply smiled instead of replying.

'The one who got thrashed is obviously that party. How many mages did you kill before venturing out...'

His cruel hands were so terrifying that it felt like they'd undergone purgatory.

'No matter how he claims to be setting an example...'

It was the reason why the Elders detested Eian; that he was someone who could kill them was one thing, but it was more because of his brutality that held no regard for the mages. Until now, the Elders firmly maintained that if Eian were to be appointed as the Master of the Magic Tower, the continent—no, the world would suffer a catastrophic calamity. Hence, they never ceased their hostilities against him.

"I'm sure Ryan must be feeling so glad to not see me."

'You think it's only Ryan? The entire Magic Tower is overjoyed by your absence,' was on the tip of the Teacher's tongue, but he bit them back because Eian was the type of child who'd feel happier hearing those words rather than self-reflect.

Ryan was the upper ranked mage who concocted the incident to kill Eian. Though young, bright, and possessing a talent not to be sneezed at, he also had a short-fuse and was highly ambitious.

'If Eian weren't around, Ryan would've probably become the Rikasha.'

Ryan also knew this thoroughly well. Unfortunately for Ryan, Eian was also very much aware of his sentiments; Eian used his inferiority complex and competitive streak to provoke the latter and scorned and insulted him since he couldn't rein in his temper.

'That's why it happened...'

The Teacher knew that there were numerous mages who grind their teeth at the mention of Eian, but he had no way of knowing that Ryan would, in fact, corral these mages and incite them to attack Eian. Ultimately, approximately fifteen mages met their end. Ryan narrowly escaped but he lost one of his eyes.

'I need to make sure he doesn't know that Eian is here.'

The lark trilled lightly.

'Though he probably wouldn't be able to do a thing since he's under probation...'

He peered down. Right below them, Kynemeia and the sisters were passing by with quick steps. He didn't know their topic of discussion, but the cute girl who beamed like a flower would change her expressions every so often in the midst of their chat. Unlike Eian who always hid his thoughts and feelings, Kynemeia was a girl who could express herself honestly. The Teacher propped his chin on his small wings. 'Are the rumours just malicious and groundless after all?'

To think there were countless people in the Empire who dubbed that cute and lovely girl as an Evil Lady.

'Do those people even have any interest in the truth?' They were most likely just engrossed in consuming and enjoying the gossip.

'What pitiful children...'

The lark turned its gaze on Eian and once again let out a low warble. Having been abandoned at a tender seven years old, Eian didn't have a happy childhood either. Though he'd been acting like it didn't concern him—

'...There's no way it doesn't.'

It was impossible to remain apathetic about it. As long as he was human. That scar might be slumbering deep within Eian, somewhere he himself didn't recognise. Eian—who'd been silent all along—continued staring down at Kynemeia, appearing to be in deep thought.

'Will there come a day when this boy would be honest? Tch tch tch.'

The lark shook its head, and Eian suddenly opened his mouth.

"We should find out."

The Teacher piped up at the sudden announcement. The corners of Eian's lips raised.

"Whether the Miss Lady has something special or not. It's fine as long as we unearth it, right?"

Wasn't that why he thrust her into danger deliberately while he sat back and watched, and stuck around her for months now?

"You know it too, don't you? That I haven't tried one particular method."

Only

Eian said, standing up and away from the parapet.

'What he hasn't tried?' The lark inclined its head as it bustled, then fluttered its wings as light dawned.

Glancing at the lark who flew in front of him to block him, Eian came to a halt.

Hypnosis, brainwashing, and other magic that could control someone's mind were publicly forbidden among the mages. There was also the fact that it was a challenging sort of magic to utilise in the first place.

Eian's smile reached his eyes.

"It isn't uncustomary for me to do something forbidden anyway."

Leaving the Teacher flabbergasted with his shameless remark, Eian turned away.

But all traces of Eian had already vanished.