The interior of the trench was cozy.
I had installed lights on the earthen walls that smelled of soil, and I had laid out a cushy sleeping bag in advance.
There was plenty of food, and it felt like camping.
[Ben: Yes. We’ve just entered as well]
I received reports from the members of Team 3 from within the trench. Ben's glasses were definitely practical.
Just by wearing them, I could communicate with my team members at all times.
[Yes. Then I will send you the map of the trenches I’ve dug.]
Through the lens of the glasses, I sent a map marked with the trenches.
[Also, this is my current location.]
'...Ah, I’m tired.”
I stretched and wriggled my body into the sleeping bag.
Now, it was time for a break.
It’s been a while since I've had a good sleep.
The place is nice, but it’s a shame that there's no SNS or OTT service.
"Haah.”
I closed my eyes quietly and surrendered my body to the creeping sleep.
...How much time had passed?
Rustle.
Footsteps sounded. A distinct magical energy touched my skin.
I opened my eyes.
Click-
The light turned on.
The face of a threatening man gleamed in the light.
"So you were here."
His heavy baritone voice spread thickly. I saw his face.
It was Beckman.
He looked around the inside of the trench and nodded.
"A nice burrow. Perfect for a rat to hide.”
“...Hmm.”
I gave a faint smile.
In fact, I had expected this.
Team 3 was a team personally organized by Beckman.
Naturally, one of the three had to be a spy.
"That’s right But, what brings you here?"
"What brings me here?”
Beckman raised his Magic Body. A murderous smile formed on his lips.
"You dare to take on the task of surveilling me"
Sure enough, he seemed to have caught on to the mission Johanna had given me.
“...It’s a mission I received in strictest confidence. Surely you haven't been snooping around Lady Johanna’s quarters?"
I got up.
“It's to protect our lord. From leeches like you.”
Beckman was confident.
Perhaps because he was sure that this conversation wouldn’t leak outside.
"Mr. Beckman. Snooping or intercepting the private affairs of the direct line is a grave offense that can be summarily executed."
"Shut up. You won’t be able to get out of here alive anyway."
I thought to myself.
It won’t hurt.
"Lady Johanna would prefer me over someone like you.”
After all, this doll doesn’t have a sense of pain. I just need to transfer my consciousness back before it breaks apart.
The rest will be taken care of by my master.
"You’ve fallen.”
“...Fallen.”
He snickered. Staring at me with a hard frown, he extended his finger.
"Then let me ask. Why do you follow Lady Johanna?”
It was slightly intriguing.
Suddenly, Beckman threw a question at me that was almost identical to the script the master had written.
I answered according to the script as well.
“It is because Lady Johanna is a direct descendant of Libra.”
"No. The direct line includes Derek, Jade, and Zia, whom you claim to serve. Yet you insist on standing by Lady Johanna's side.”
Crackle- Electricity sparked from Beckman's body. He was extremely angry at this point.
“Is that reason simply because Lady Johanna is a direct descendant?”
I kept my mouth shut.
This too was all part of the script
"Don’t spout such dogshit."
Beckman gave a trembling smile.
"You, a mere piece of trash, dare to harbor filthy feelings for Lady Johanna.”
The reason he had been unreasonably restraining, suspecting, and hating Shion Ascal was simple.
Hatred of the same kind.
He hated madly because he mistakenly thought that Shion Ascal loved Johanna as he did.
I looked at Beckman intently.
After staring blankly for about 10 seconds, I nodded as the script dictated.
“. Yes. I may not understand my emotions well, but your argument is persuasive.”
A confession of feelings by another.
"Perhaps you’re right, as you say."
A passive conveyance of‘perhaps you’re right.’
"Ha. What a moron. Are you a robot?”
Beckman scoffed. He ran his fingers through his hair and concentrated magic power in his fist
"However, Mr. Beckman, I do not prioritize personal emotions as you do. I simply carry out the tasks commanded by our lord. Therefore, I am different from you."
"Blabber all you want You're going to die soon anyway.”
He pulled his hand back.
A swirling vortex of magic power sucked in the space around us.
"—Beckman. You should not be by Lady Johanna’s side.”
This was the last line for this body of the doll.
"For her sake, if nothing else...”
Kwaah—!
Beckman’s fist struck directly at the solar plexus.
The doll was destroyed, and the burrow was half-demolished.
...except for the recorder cunningly hidden beneath the ground.
Inside the magic space. Johanna’s fortress.
She jerked her head up and opened her eyes suddenly.
She had dozed off while sitting in the chair.
"Sigh.”
She pressed her fingertips to her eyes.
Lately, she was quite tired.
It was because she had been engaging in battle almost every day for nearly a week to expand her Domain.
Knock knock—
Someone knocked. She waved her hand. The door opened with [telekinesis] .
It was Beckman.
"What is it this time?”
“It's a report transmitted remotely by the leader of Team 3.”
Beckman extended a thick dossier to Johanna. Johanna read through it
All the information was organized.
What kind of crops were growing inside this magic space, where the farmlands were, and what kind of monsters lurked.
Also.
[The farmland at the coordinates occupied by Yurkon Corporation grows ‘Syrot,’ a high-grade magical crop. It would be wise to strike and take control of it.]
It was a false report from Beckman, but Johanna, unaware of this, asked with evident excitement
"Syrot? When was this report sent?”
"Last night."
Beckman acted with the utmost skill.
It had been nearly a week since he killed Shion, but he was fabricating an alibi.
"Beckman. What do you think?”
Johanna asked him first.
“In my opinion, it's risky. There’s no evidence that ‘Syrot’ is growing there, it’s merely the team leader’s conjecture.”
Johanna looked at Beckman without a word.
Although Beckman was tackling Shion's suggestions as usual, for some reason, she found the entire situation suspicious.
However...
“I’ve never liked those Yurkon bastards from the start. If Syrot is indeed growing there, we must seize it with all our might.”
Syrot was that precious of a crop. After all, its nickname was ‘Trace of Elixir,’ and its market price was as high as 50,000 Ren per root.
"Yes. Understood.”
Beckman feigned a look of dissatisfaction. Johanna pressed her temples, weighed down by fatigue.
"What’s the problem now?”
"You always trust the team leader too much, my lord.”
"Because it's Syrot”
“. Yes. If it truly is a Syrot farm, I agree we should take it. However, the team leader is not trustworthy. What will you do if this report is incorrect?"
Johanna closed her mouth. Seeing her expression contorted seriously, Beckman quickly changed the subject.
“It's about the external matter you mentioned before.”
He presented a different report this time.
It was about the youngest, Zia, as Johanna had once instructed.
"It's as you said, my lord.”
The investigation revealed that Zia was conducting various businesses behind the siblings’ backs.
Of course, the scale was still modest. It could be the youngest’s effort to find their own way, but if they consistently aim higher, it could become a risk for Johanna.
If Zia sides with Derek.
Or, if they covet the position of successor.
Shion Ascal would ultimately choose Zia over Johanna.
"Beckman. How many members are in team 3?"
"Excluding the team leader, three."
"That's quite a small team.”
"Deploying a large number of people in a move in is a waste...”
Johanna closed the report.
“First, call in one of the remaining team members. I want to ask them directly.”
"Yes, understood."
Beckman stepped back. Johanna stared at his face until the end.
Thud—
The door closed. She leaned back in her chair.
Meanwhile, Shion Ascal had no intention of returning from outside Johanna’s Section.
Was he simply engrossed in his mission?
If he had discovered a crop as significant as Syrot, he should have returned by now.
Knock-knock-
Johanna opened the door again.
There stood a bespectacled man. With bright eyes, he looked at her and said,
"I’m Ben, a Chaser from team 3.”
"Right Did you receive a briefing about ‘Syrot’ from the team leader?"
"Yes.”
"How was the briefing conducted?”
Ben pointed to his glasses.
“I can exchange Transcriptions, or texts, with my team members through these lenses. I received the report about ‘Syrot’ from team leader Shion Ascal through them.”
A pretty useful Spectrum.
Johanna rested her chin on her hand.
Good. Then, where the hell is this team leader who wrote the report and won’t show his face?”
It had been nearly a week, no, since Shion entered the magic space through the passage, Johanna hadn’t met him.
For such an important report, one would expect to at least see his face.
"Our team 3 has a trench.”
"A trench?”
"Yes. We collect information by moving through the trench, so there’s no need to return to the main force, and it seems there’s no time forthat."
“. Tch. Alright, you can go.”
Johanna waved her hand dismissively.
"Yes!”
Ben bowed at a 90-degree angle and stepped backward.
Outside the fortress.
Beckman called out to Ben as he came out Ben stood in front of Beckman with a stoic expression.
“I’ve conveyed everything exactly as you instructed, Mr. Beckman.”
"Good. What about Shion Ascal’s trench?"
Ben answered promptly.
“I’ve taken care of everything.”
He was a strategist personally procured by Beckman. Among the Chasers, he was quite exceptional, and Beckman had kept him hidden as his own personal information agent.
"What kind of‘taken care of?”
"Under Miss Zia’s orders, I volunteered for a mission to sabotage Lady Johanna's residence... I’ve hidden secret coded documents to that effect You're welcome to check them yourself."
Of course, Ben would have perfectly manipulated the den.
Beckman nodded in satisfaction.
"And ‘Syrot’?”
“I’ve already aligned our story with Yurkon Corporation.”
Ben flashed a sly smile, one that exuded reliability.
Beckman took a deep breath.
"Once Lady Johanna sets out there, instead of finding Syrot, she’ll stumble upon a barren land."
They had deliberately crafted a false report for Johanna, with the intent of luring her out.
"Yurkon Corporation will seize the opportunity to attack one of our most valuable lands...”
This was the first part of the plan.
Johanna would be betrayed by Shion Ascal, the man she trusted.
"A trap will be sprung in that barren land. A magic bomb."
The second plan involved a magic bomb set to explode, targeting Johanna specifically.
It was clear evidence that Shion Ascal harbored murderous intent towards Johanna.
"The magic bomb has enough power to kill Lady Johanna. So please be careful, but also look for the right opportunity!1
Ben raised a finger.
Beckman also swallowed hard, focusing intently.
“Just protect Lady Johanna. Like a prince on a white horse.”
Prince on a white horse.
At that outdated phrase, Beckman's face softened, as if envisioning a future with Johanna, their son, daughter, and grandchildren.
"Afterwards, Sir Beckman, you will present the already slain Shion Ascal. Claiming you’ve killed the traitor.”
Ben's plan was clear from beginning to end.
"Good. Very good.”
“...However.”
Ben cautiously looked up at Beckman.
"Sir Beckman. This operation—"
"Don’t worry. I’ll take full responsibility for everything. Your future career and wealth as well.”
"Ah, thank you!”
Ben's face flushed with color. Beckman suddenly looked down at him.
“I’m curious. How did the bastard fall for it with you?”
“It was easy. I pretended to stutter, to be a fool, to be a low-level Chaser, and he fell for it hook, line, and sinker.”
“...Haha."
Thus, a Chaser must never let their guard down. A foolish face, expression, or complexion could all be part of a crafted performance.
"Proceed as planned.”
"Yes!”
Beckman smiled.
Now, Shion Ascal, that bastard, would be buried in the filth of being labeled a ‘traitor,’ even in death. His body would be torn to shreds, leaving nothing behind...
“Filthy swine.”
A surge of excitement and satisfaction welled up within him. It was an intense euphoria that seemed to overflow to his extremities, as if it would burst forth at any moment.
He trembled all over, spreading his clenched hands.
Now, everything was going according to plan. It was all in his hands.
Johanna.
Johanna.
Johanna.
The attention, affection, and trust of the lord he admired would all return to him.
Shion Ascal, that filthy swine, would die a maggot, a parasitic insect, while his own future would be with Johanna.
All of Johanna's future would also be with him.
‘...Ha, hahahaha."
Beckman let out a robotic laugh.
The mere thought brought an unbearable excitement and pleasure welling up inside him, and he bent over, intoxicated with dopamine and hedonism.
