Chapter 202 - Chapter 201: Is This the Reward?
A cold sweat trickled down Mika's back at Ixel's plan of "fake engagement annulment."
"Such... if we're going to pretend, why not fake an annulment with Cleiria instead?"
"That won't work. Pretend to be married until the future? Continue a fake marriage for a lifetime?"
"That is..."
"More importantly, if you fake a marriage, Cleiria can't marry anyone else in the meantime? You can marry two people, but making Cleiria continue a fake marriage for her whole life isn't pitiful?"
Cleiria had relied on the Marquis's power for Mika's sake.
Because of that, she ended up carrying a cross too heavy to bear.
"If I can persuade the Marquis to withdraw the annulment of both engagements..."
"Who can persuade him? I can't think of anyone other than His Majesty."
Taking the matter to the King would expose the Marquis's lies.
In that case, a heavy punishment would fall upon the Leventein Marquis family.
After all, they had plotted against the King.
He didn't think it would lead to the total destruction of the family, but even that was uncertain.
Mika crossed his arms and pondered.
He couldn't say he was blameless either.
It was undeniable that the Church was the root cause, but he couldn't deny that he had handled things wrongly himself.
He had learned that Cleiria and the others were moving, so he decided to leave it to them.
He had been thinking of a method that would resolve things peacefully in the long run.
Even if Mika simply escaped, the Church would surely do something again.
So, he had decided to use the Marquis's power to remove the grudge against the Church.
A mutual loss? ...No, it's not such a clean story.
It was more like a contest of foxes and tanukis deceiving each other.
A story of deceiving the Marquis and deceiving the King.
Since I entrusted it to him, complaining that not everything went as wished is out of line, isn't it?
If he disliked that, he should have escaped on his own strength quickly.
He should have just crushed the Church or done whatever under his own responsibility.
Mika let out a long sigh.
Seeing such Mika, Ixel opened his mouth.
"Have you made up your mind?"
"............Do you think I can?"
When Mika asked back, Ixel smiled bitterly.
"Well, don't take it so seriously. It happens often."
"Hai?"
A fake engagement annulment?
Mika blinked his eyes.
There are cases where people meet during military service and form an engagement, but trouble arises later.
Mika needed parental consent to sign an engagement contract, but that was because he was still a child.
Once he graduated from the Academy, he could marry or engage by his own will.
So, while the two parties themselves get engaged, the parents decide on a fiancé elsewhere without knowing.
A noble engagement prioritizing connections between families.
If one considers the family, one should marry the fiancé chosen by the parents, but one loves the fiancé chosen by oneself.
Since having multiple engagements looks bad, one temporarily annuls the engagement and signs a contract with the fiancé chosen by the parents again.
At that time, this method of "fake engagement annulment" is sometimes employed.
"There are quite a few people who burn up with each other and get engaged on their own. Usually, it doesn't cause much trouble..."
"Well, I wouldn't think the family would decide the fiancé."
Parents probably tell their children to "look for someone," but apparently, when living away from home, one tends to fall for someone they see daily.
Among commoners, many marry even during military service, but apparently, they usually take the form of an engagement first.
For someone who came from the provinces, it would be a struggle to even meet their parents. But would they get engaged on their own?
That's what a guy who got engaged on his own would think.
Sometimes you just go with the flow!
"So, for various reasons... sometimes there are cases like that. If it's a government office in the capital, I know people who have done it, so you can ask how to do it immediately."
Ixel said with a very nice smile.
Officials working at the government office seemed to turn a blind eye to such fakes, as if to avoid getting involved in noble family troubles.
Even if asked, they would answer, "The engagement has been annulled."
These nobles of this country really do whatever they want.
"If you entrust it to me, I'll even bring Archbishop Wagnare here. Even if you wanted to talk through Mika-kun, meeting him would be difficult anyway, right?"
Wagnare was always at the Royal Castle, so Mika couldn't even approach him.
Ixel belonged to the Royal Guards and worked at the Royal Castle.
Apparently, he met Wagnare the other day easily because they were acquaintances.
............Is this really okay for me?
However, he couldn't think of any other means.
Mika made a bitter face, but...
"P-please take care of it."
And he bowed his head.
After that, thanks to Ixel's arrangements, Mika and the others were sent home.
"Mika-kun needs time to think. Demanding the resolve of a noble from a commoner is the arrogance of nobles."
He was firmly told by the Marquis, and he managed to win a little time.
The Marquis was returning to his territory soon, and he succeeded in getting an assurance that he would leave it to Ixel from now on.
The formal engagement contract with Cleiria was set for summer, and Ixel would handle the annulment of the engagement.
And as soon as Mika and the others returned home, Ixel came.
"I got Cleiria's consent."
With that, he explained Plan Number Seventy-Three to Kistil and Nerisfeene as well.
Apparently, both of them were told by the Marquis and reluctantly agreed.
They were told, "It's better this way for Mika-kun's sake."
When it comes to matters involving nobles, the two couldn't judge what was good or bad.
So, they apparently accepted it as told.
That Marquis, I absolutely won't forgive him.
Thus, Mika ended up with one troublesome problem.
By the way, he heard later that Plan Number Seventy-Three was just made up on the spot.
Well, there wouldn't be that many plans anyway.
■■■■■■
Day of the second week of the second month of Water.
After resting at home for about two days, he went to the Academy for the first time in two weeks.
Honestly, the atmosphere in Mika's house was a bit gloomy right now.
Kistil and Nerisfeene were troubled by the method of "fake engagement annulment."
He only had anger toward the Church and the Marquis who said and did unnecessary things, but there was no way to undo it now.
Mika tried to act cheerfully to cheer the two up.
When he went to the Academy, even Cleiria had a gloomy expression.
Cleiria was burdened with the thought, "I did something unnecessary."
Usually, Cleiria acted bravely even when something happened, but she couldn't even put on a brave face now.
Mika felt like complaining himself, but he held it back and spoke to Cleiria with a smile.
Of course, he couldn't talk about the content too openly.
Even if deep talks were saved for another occasion, Mika acted so that it was conveyed that "I'm not worried."
Everyone in the Leventein Group was worried, but he brushed it off saying, "The work dragged on."
He thought Charl might have said something to everyone, but apparently, he was silenced by Stellan and Cleiria.
So, the story of Mika being captured by the Church hadn't spread even within the Academy.
And after school, Mika was at a stylish cafeteria in District 2.
"Um... Mika-kun?"
"Don't say anything. Just decide what to order."
Mika silenced Stellan, who was sitting opposite him and speaking with some confusion, while preparing for Buattre Heed.
Mika shut out the gazes pouring in from his heart and continued preparing silently.
On both sides of the seat where Mika and the others sat, there were six female students.
Five of them had informed Charl after seeing Mika being taken away by the Church, plus Charl himself.
When Mika consulted with Charl about wanting to say "thank you," a reply came immediately.
They would attend even if it meant skipping their parents' funeral, so afternoon tea after school was decided on the spot.
No, if it was a funeral, go to that instead.
There was also a request to watch Mika and Stellan play Buattre Heed, so Stellan was dragged along on short notice.
"............Why am I here?"
"Don't complain, Messerite. I'll treat you to whatever you want, so come with me."
And then, Messerite was strangely brought along.
Apparently, it was at the girls' request that Messerite should sit beside them.
What is this?
The thick gazes poured from the seats on both sides.
The Heart Sutra of the Great Perfection of Wisdom, Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, when practicing deeply the Great Perfection of Wisdom...
Mika was chanting the Heart Sutra in his heart to endure.
Well, he only remembered the beginning part.
He was often made to chant it at funerals, so he had memorized the head part.
But once Buattre Heed started, he could concentrate on that and stop worrying about the gazes.
Haa... Haa...
Heard a harsh, heated breathing sound.
Koton, Mika moved a piece.
Bosoboso... Bosho...
Heard a whispering voice.
Kotto, Stellan moved a piece.
............I'm not bothered... I can't hear anything...
Mika told himself.
A somewhat suffocating, uncomfortable time passed.
Mika and Stellan kept making terrible moves, a terrible content.
Still, they didn't say a word and moved the pieces in silence.
The gazes pouring in... No, I'm not bothered.
I'm not bothered by anything.
Mika brought his mind to a state of nothingness.
Messerite, sitting next to him, hadn't touched the cake much despite ordering it.
His face wrote "I want to go home."
It's no good. Even if I try to escape alone.
It's a terrible thing to drag someone in and then say that.
Thus, they spent about two hours at the cafeteria playing Buattre Heed.
After Buattre Heed ended, they had a light, trivial conversation.
Of course, the ones talking were Mika, Stellan, and Messerite.
Apparently, the situation where the girls were eavesdropping was considered good.
He didn't quite understand, though.
In the middle, Messerite seemed to have snapped, eating six cakes.
At that sight, some of the girls were very pleased.
Even in such a situation, they could talk quite normally.
"Oh... so Messerite-kun was the heir?"
Stellan nodded at Messerite's story.
It somehow became a light story about one's background.
Stories about childhood, that sort of level.
"The merchant house will be inherited by my younger brother, but when I found out I had magic power, I was crushed."
Until then, he was expected by his parents to inherit the merchant house and apparently went everywhere with his father who went to make purchases.
However, when he found out he had magic power, it was a completely unexpected situation, so he decided to investigate "What the hell is a Magic Academy!"
............So he knew various things when he enrolled?
Like Mika, those who thought of increasing their magic power and going to the Academy seemed to be a minority.
Or rather, was there anyone else?
"I am the fourth son, so I wasn't in a position to inherit the house. But the Segerbaum family has quite a few mages. They said having magic power was a joy."
Stellan's family was said to be a prestigious family of mages that sent many people to the Court Magic Institute.
"Of course, achieving excellent grades was expected, and I was told to aim for the top spot..."
Saying that, Stellan looked at Mika.
"What? More tea?"
"Weren't you listening to my story?"
He said with a smile.
"Even if I wasn't there, the top spot would be impossible, right?"
"Unfortunately, that's exactly right."
Stellan shrugged his shoulders.
Rimliche was waiting in second place.
Honestly, Rimliche was said to have grades that would easily secure the top spot in a normal year.
Well, regarding Rimliche, even Mika was stunned by his magic power, so if he could acquire [God's Miracle], he should have been the clear winner originally.
"In the first year of elementary school, I was told a little at home that I wasn't the top spot. It seems my uncle at the Court Magic Institute heard about Mika-kun's grades. He said it was impossible to surpass that."
Apparently, he was told whether they should be happy or lament that he was in the same grade as a genius like Mika.
"Of course, Stellan is happy about it, right?"
"Yes, of course."
"Puff!"
Seeing Stellan say it with no emotion, Messerite burst out laughing.
"By the way, why does the uncle at the Court Magic Institute know my grades?"
"Well, the Magic Academy and the Court Magic Institute are connected. People in the Kingdom Army and the Ministry of Military Affairs would know too, I suppose."
I wish they would stop spreading people's report cards so much.
Mika let out a sigh.
With such trivial talk, they dispersed.
The girls who were eavesdropping from the side seat seemed very satisfied.
As they were leaving, one girl asked for a handshake, so he agreed, and it ended up being with everyone.
Well, that's fine.
■■■■■■
On the way home after dispersing at the cafeteria.
He was stopped by a knight of the Fifth Knights Order near his home.
It was a message from Ozendorwa saying, "I have something to talk about."
So, they came to the Fifth Knights Order.
"Thank you very much. I caused you trouble."
When Mika entered the Commander's room, he conveyed his thanks to Ozendorwa.
Ozendorwa had also been kept at the Royal Castle for a while and seemed busy with various things afterward.
Yaroibarov was also released only recently.
When Mika went to visit him, he complained, "The food served was terrible."
He said he would cook it himself, but apparently, he wasn't allowed.
Of course.
When he said he would pay for various expenses incurred in this incident, including the Information Broker Guild,
"You brat, don't worry about unnecessary things."
He was told.
He thought it wasn't an amount that could be settled with just one sentence...
Helplessly, Mika decided to return it in some other way eventually.
Well, he couldn't think of any method at all.
Ozendorwa sat in a chair with his legs crossed and cracked his neck.
"Sorry to call you. I've been busy and couldn't move from the station."
"Don't worry. I know you're busy, Ozendorwa-san. Anyway, is there something?"
"Yes."
Ozendorwa seemed quite exhausted.
He lightly turned his neck, leaned forward, and rested both elbows on the desk.
"I've found out the direct motive for the Church's movement and other various things. I thought I'd tell you a little."
First, it seems the Kingdom Army is moving to expose the corruption and other irregularities rampant in the Church organization, not just this incident.
They obtained a large amount of evidence of irregularities, and based on that, they dragged out all the Archbishops and Bishops across the nation, even if it was a bit hasty.
Then, they came out one after another.
Apparently, they did whatever they wanted, taking advantage of their position where almost no one intervened.
When they tightened the screws, they sang happily.
Of course, they didn't forget to say, "I was just ordered," blaming others.
Well, I knew it was rotten from Nerisfeene's case. It wasn't just Runesarm.
Apparently, the Bishop of Runesarm was among those dragged out.
Basically, those belonging to the Pope faction were all those who did whatever they wanted.
And the trigger for the Church's movement this time.
"Humus, is it?"
"Yes. A woman in her early twenties with black hair, said to have come from the Seven Duchies Federation. She said to eliminate a rogue who claimed to use [Dispeller]. She traveled through many dioceses and incited the Archbishops and Bishops of the Pope faction. Do you have any idea?"
Mika shook his head.
He had no recollection of the name, and early twenties with black hair... Rosalinde?
Rosalinde was a bit older.
He couldn't ask her face-to-face, though.
Also, there was a black-haired woman whose Subjugation Curse he had dispelled, but she didn't seem to be in her early twenties.
"Humus used the Archbishops and Bishops to work on the upper echelons of the Church. Apparently, she offered three hundred million Rats for the head of the Dispeller."
"Three hundred million..."
Mika couldn't help but stroke his own neck.
............Will they give me three hundred million even if I take it?
He had thought such a foolish thing.
He didn't want three hundred million.
And anyway, my head isn't a lottery ticket!
"Fools blinded by money worked hard to pressure the upper echelons. They persuaded a powerful Cardinal and moved the Pope. This is the rough outline."
Apparently, the Archbishops and Bishops calculated they would get about ten million Rats as a share.
"............Did they believe such a verbal promise? Three hundred million?"
When Mika said that, Ozendorwa made a bitter face.
"From here, it becomes a truly troublesome story, but there was someone else maneuvering separately from this Humus."
"Separately...? Maneuvering?"
"A man named Aquu. He is said to be a businessman of the Trade Federation, but apparently, he is involved in other crimes."
"Aquu..."
It was a name he had never heard of.
"He seems to have considerable financial power, and perhaps because of Aquu's credit, there was some trust in Humus's ability to pay. In fact, he scattered nearly twenty million Rats to the Archbishops and Bishops he met."
"Wow. Twenty million Rats."
Everyone must have had very heavy pockets in their sleeves.
"Humus and Aquu. Both are undoubtedly scum..."
Saying that, Ozendorwa looked at Mika with serious eyes.
"It seems the woman Humus has something in mind regarding the power called [Dispeller] that you possess."
She set a huge sum as a bounty and actually moved to eliminate Mika, scattering nearly twenty million Rats.
"I called you today to warn you of that."
Saying that, Ozendorwa pointed at Mika.
"Also, I will place a guard knight at your house. I recommend moving as soon as possible."
Mika nodded.
His current house had a high possibility of being discovered by Church-related people.
And there was a possibility that it was passed on from there to a woman named Humus.
............Apparently, the Church wasn't the only problem for me.
Someone behind the scenes.
Mika's shoulders slumped at the content he heard from Ozendorwa.