novelraw Chapter 94 : Butterfly Effect (5)
Chapter 94 : Butterfly Effect (5)
Chapter 94: Butterfly Effect (5)
The city of the Inquisitors, Dellowell.
The strongest military group in Ribenia, housing numerous monsters of the Empire’s highest caliber.
For the Ribenian Orthodox Faith, which was merely a religious group, Dellowell was the one and only sword.
A power so immense that even the Special Task Force could not guarantee victory against it.
Their existence alone was the greatest obstacle to the Karbenna–Mallet Alliance.
“Eventually, we’ve reached the unpleasant point.”
That one line from Michel, which summed up this complicated situation in a single stroke, said it all.
I stepped forward to drive the final wedge.
“Even so, it’s a point we must pass through.”
They wouldn’t have wanted to face it. If possible, they would have turned a blind eye and ignored it.
But we could no longer avoid it.
For the renewal of the Empire, to overcome the Apocalypse, and to safeguard the stability of the current alliance.
…And because we must win this battle, for the sake of saving all of them.
Perhaps everyone was deep in thought, for the room fell silent for a while.
Then, unable to bear it any longer, Meriel tilted her head and asked cautiously.
“But… will Dellowell really go to war?”
“……”
“It’s one thing for us in Mallet, but Karbenna is the Imperial Royal Academy. If they were to attack Karbenna, surely the citizens would strongly oppose it…”
“There will be backlash, of course.”
However. Even so, they won’t be able to avoid it.
“They’re not the only ones desperate to find a way out.”
A ticking time bomb riddled with countless dilemmas.
That was the current Ribenia Empire.
The Imperial Army’s outdated organization, tax revenues overly concentrated in the hands of the nobility, a royal court that had lost effectiveness despite its authority, and an education system hardly different from that of two centuries ago.
The Parliament, which had always been a mere debating table, was even less capable of proposing effective alternatives under the watchful eye of the Bernhardt Family.
Even the Special Task Force—the key to dealing with the beasts—was mired in factional disputes, losing sight of its purpose and role.
But the most serious problem of all lay in the religious side.
The Ribenian Orthodox Faith was losing support with each passing year.
Their only remaining supporters were the citizens of the Empire themselves, who clung to them despite their regression against international currents.
Even that was now changing—more and more people were beginning to question them.
That was why Archbishop Dominico had so harshly criticized the Magic Tower during the summit.
And why he hadn’t even spared a glance at Rubia, who used Holy Magic afterwards.
All of it was to assert their stance with firm conviction.
But they surely knew better than anyone that such gestures were not enough to be persuasive.
What truly mattered was that someone from the Magic Tower had used Holy Magic, and that the Empire’s only Royal Academy had now joined hands with that Tower.
Now that suspicion had been cast, they had to deny that fact completely and label us as heretics.
That way, at least they wouldn’t be the only ones to take the hit.
‘The Orthodox Faith may have chosen extreme measures, but what choice did they have if they were to root out those cunning heretics once and for all!’
…That was the narrative they wanted.
“The Orthodox Faith has no intention of avoiding a fight. It’s unavoidable for them, perhaps.”
If that was the case, then we couldn’t just stand there and take it either.
“If we must fight, then we must win.”
As everyone’s resolve hardened at my words—
Rubia quietly spoke from beside me.
“There is one way to end this without fighting.”
“…Rubia?”
She placed her right hand over her chest and gently closed her eyes.
“If I leave, that will solve it.”
‘…I figured she’d say that.’
The Rubia Magnus I knew had always been like that.
Even when something wasn’t her fault, she always felt guilty, taking on responsibilities far beyond reason.
Especially when those she cherished were harmed—her stubbornness only grew stronger.
In this case, she must have believed that her rash actions had brought danger upon Mallet and Karbenna.
If one were to assign responsibility, yes, part of it lay with her.
But there was no reason for her to shoulder it alone—nor was there any need to.
We all knew that well enough, so we simply shook our heads in unison.
Michel, as our representative, tapped the table lightly and spoke to stop her.
“…That won’t resolve this situation, Professor Magnus.”
“But…”
I joined in, backing him up.
“It’ll only make things worse.”
“Mm.”
“They’ll be delighted. They’d say, ‘See? They’re kicking out the related parties in a panic because they’ve got something to hide.’”
Once we conceded like that, we’d never again hold the upper hand against them.
Since we had declared ourselves the center of change, we had to at least show resistance.
‘The moment we expose all our cards, it’s over.’
I placed a reassuring hand on Rubia’s shoulder as she lowered her head in shame.
“They’re the kind of people who’d fabricate evidence just to shove it in our faces. Now that we’ve touched their reverse scale, there’s no option but to fight and win.”
“So… that’s how it is, then?”
“Well, it’s not as if they’re invincible.”
If a direct approach couldn’t break through, then we’d come up with a strategy.
If our own power wasn’t enough, then we’d wear down the enemy’s forces.
Exposing their internal corruption to spark infighting was one option; posing as the underdog to invoke sympathy was another.
‘There’s no such thing as an impregnable fortress in this world.’
Whether it was through schemes, sophistry, or contradiction—if we could just manage to break through… the victory would be ours.
We skipped lunch that day and devoted all our time to discussing countermeasures against Dellowell.
It wasn’t until around two in the afternoon that the discussion finally wrapped up.
Only then did we step out of the meeting room.
The two representatives, Michel and Gustav, exchanged a simple handshake and a few polite words.
“Thank you for sparing your time, Master Gustav.”
“The pleasure’s mine. Next time, let’s make it formal—with the contract documents in hand.”
“Yes, let’s do that.”
“We’ll escort you to the gate.”
“I’ll leave it to you, Instructor Carter.”
Rubia and I accompanied them to the front gate.
While the waiting coachman brought the carriage around, Gustav spoke to me quietly, in private.
“I thought we’d said all there was to say earlier. Something else on your mind?”
“Our part’s done… but there’s still one matter left for you.”
“What do you mean?”
“They’ll be making contact soon.”
As soon as I got straight to the point, Gustav’s gaze darted quickly from side to side.
He lowered his voice and asked in a near whisper.
“Who? The Orthodox Faith? Or Dellowell? Or… Bernhardt?”
“All of them.”
“……”
“They won’t start with an all-out offensive. A full-scale war carries too much risk.”
“…So, you’re saying they’ll try to incite internal conflict first?”
“Yeah. That would make for a much cleaner outcome.”
Gustav, who had been quietly listening, suddenly twisted his expression and glared at me.
“What, so you came to warn me? To tell me not to fall for their persuasion, that you’ll expose everything if anything leaks later?”
“You’ve got quite the imagination. But no—quite the opposite.”
“What?”
I leaned in slightly and whispered into his ear.
“…You understand, right?”
“…You’re sure that’s fine?”
“What we need right now are information and time.”
After hearing my proposal, Gustav seemed to think for a moment before shrugging and nodding.
“Well, I’ve got no reason to refuse. Let’s give it a try.”
“I’m counting on you, Master. Your role is important.”
“Stop, you’re making it sound heavier than it is.”
That same night, at midnight.
Eric Halenber stood in front of the small meeting room on the fourth floor of Building C, the same place he had visited before.
‘…I’m not sure this is a good idea.’
He had already lost Halenber, the home he once called a sanctuary.
If he stepped any deeper into the Empire’s corruption, he couldn’t guarantee his life.
If he truly hadn’t wanted to get involved, he should have burned the note without reading it.
Then he could’ve left the center and lived quietly, working the fields somewhere.
But Eric knew better than anyone.
That he had already learned too much to ever live such a peaceful life again.
And, above all—
His curiosity about Dale Wedmeyer had completely smothered his lingering hesitation.
‘Just what kind of man are you?’
A Code Black of the Platinum Dawn, while also the Director of Planning and General Affairs at Karbenna.
An insider of the pro-Bernhardt faction who cooperated in the production of Hockma, yet also a member of the revolutionary Ribenia Resistance.
After hesitating for more than five minutes in front of the door, Eric finally took out the purple pendant, just as before.
Click!
The door closed quietly behind the boy as soon as he stepped inside.
Without turning around from the table he was facing, Dale spoke.
“I knew you’d come, Cadet Eric.”
“…Well, it’s not like I had much of a choice.”
Eric walked to the central sofa and dropped into it.
“But I still don’t quite understand the situation… could you explain what’s going on?”
At that, Dale slowly rose to his feet and took a seat across from him.
“You must have a lot of questions. And a fair bit of confusion.”
“……”
“However, it’s difficult for me to reveal everything here. There are things even I must be careful about. It may be disorienting, but I’d like you to make a decision first.”
As Dale evaded the question once more, Eric rubbed his forehead and asked with a determined expression.
“You’re aware of where I stand, right?”
“Mm.”
“And that by making me this offer, Instructor Carter will inevitably learn about you as well.”
“…Not exactly the most pleasant thought, but if that’s how it must be, so be it.”
At Dale’s evasive answer, Eric could only stroke his lips, unable to decide.
‘I can’t read what he’s thinking at all.’
Wasn’t the Wedmeyer Family one of the Empire’s most distinguished noble houses?
The Platinum Dawn’s insiders might have changed stances over time, so merely holding their code wasn’t necessarily a problem—
—but being part of the Resistance would be unwelcome news to any noble.
‘…He could be a spy.’
Or maybe it was something else.
Maybe he knew of my close connection with Instructor Carter, and deliberately tried to lure me into the Resistance.
If the rumor spread that Eugene Carter, the hero of the Imperial Summit, was plotting rebellion with Halenber’s whistleblower—
…that alone would deal a significant blow.
Still, in that case, a countermeasure was possible.
Dale had been the one to make the offer first, and the proof of that was right here in his possession.
‘Could that be why he told me to burn the note, too…?’
With no clear information, Eric’s thoughts only kept spiraling deeper.
Seeing the boy hesitate endlessly, this time Dale added a few words of his own.
“Hmm… I thought you’d have realized it by now.”
“…Realized what?”
“Whether I’m a spy for the Resistance, a spy for the Bernhardt faction, or a double agent for both—your choice remains the same.”
“……”
You’re damn right, he knows exactly what he’s doing.
After a long moment of thought, Eric scratched his head roughly and nodded slowly.
“Fine. No turning back now. Let’s do this. What do you need me to do?”
Then,
Looking at the boy who had promised his cooperation, Dale Wedmeyer raised his left index finger.
“Recruit Francia Brida. Then I’ll introduce you to everyone.”