Chapter 75: The Elf Conspiracy (2)

Eole’s eyes lit up in horror. “An archfiend?”

“Yes,” Simon confirmed. “A terrible monster drawing its power from the Goatfish constellation dwells in your people’s Sanctuary, as far as I can tell. It should wake up on the first day of the Pluviose month of 404 After Doom, a little over a year from now.”

Eole scowled. He had managed to convince her of his prophetic abilities like in previous reigns, enough that she took his ominous doomsday warning at face value.

“I don’t know of any sealed away monster in my home,” she admitted, “but our native elves and dryad are old, older than the Doom itself. If a demon was captured four hundred years in the past, as you say, then they should be aware of the danger.”

“Awareness and understanding are two very different things.” Simon crossed his arms. “Are they still in contact with Illusea and the Oracle?”

“No. Our manatree has been uprooted since the Doom, and our people do not keep much contact with the surface.”

Wait, did that mean they had little to no knowledge of the Overlord? Eole only learned of the political situation by visiting Telluria, but elves that split off from their kindred since the Doom probably never learned about Mardok’s creation of the Class.

A hidden nation that knew nothing about the Overlord might be one of the few places where Simon could live in peace one day…

“You should go there and warn your people of the danger,” Simon told her. “The great comet Abraxas’ power will grant the archfiend both the strength to break its seal and regain its true body. A year of preparation might make all the difference.”

“I will bring your word to them, Lord Simon.” Eole bit her lower lip. “But it would be easier if you were to join me.”

“I have too much to do here.” Simon scoffed. “Like toppling an empire.”

Eole’s eyes widened with realization, then interest. “Oh, I see. I was wondering why a kind prophet like yourself would stay a prince of a rotten nation, but now I understand. You intend to bring down this cursed land from the inside.”

“Yes, you could say that.” As much as Simon hoped to dismantle the elf conspiracy before it ran its course, gathering information on them would likely involve assisting them in tearing Endymion apart. “It may take a while, but I hope to reform it… and if I can’t, I would like to save some people I know.”

Eole stared at him for a moment with a thoughtful expression. Simon thought she would offer him a feather or simply take flight from the window as she did in the past, yet her next words took him by utter surprise. “If you don’t mind, Lord Simon, I would like to accompany you on your quest.”

“What?” Simon blinked in surprise. Eole always refused to accompany him when he remained a prince of the empire, and even then he usually had to ask her first. “I told you, your Sanctuary risks destruction a year from now. You should go warn them.”

“I do not need to physically travel to our Sanctuary to send them a message,” she replied. “I must simply find an elevated point.”

Simon recalled that Magvolia had a few such places. He’d be lying if he said the idea of Eole joining him for this reign didn’t appeal to him. He knew how loyal she could be to her friends, and he was about to enter a den of vipers with fewer allies than usual, since bringing Duchar, Hector, and Cassandra aboard would raise suspicions—not to mention he didn’t feel ready to meet them so soon after how his previous reign ended.

“I would gladly take you along, Eole, but the risks will be great,” Simon warned her. “First of all, I ask that you never reveal my intentions to anyone, for discovery will mean death for us both. Neither will you be able to step into Telluria so long as Vouivre remains alive. The risk that she captures you and unleashes another archfiend is too great.”

Eole nodded reluctantly. “I have faith in your visions, Lord Simon,” she said. “My kind can only achieve freedom once this empire falls. If its weakness lies in another land altogether, then I shall travel there.”

“That is very brave of you, Eole.” Simon genuinely smiled for the first time since this reign began. “I am happy to have you with me.”

“I will assist you in any way I can.” Eole folded her wings slightly. “What is your plan, Lord Simon?”

“It’s a bit too early to tell you everything, but… there is something you could help me with.” Eole was a talented minstrel and actress, on top of being rather charming. He had seen her at work in Valne. “I suspect a family called the Malphas to be working with the empire’s enemies. Their daughter, Elaine, might become my fiancée soon, but neither she nor her father trusts me.”

“You want to earn their trust so that you will be trusted in turn,” Eole guessed. “Surely freeing me would do the trick.”

“I think it may help, but they have stayed undercover for years if I am right. They might mistake us for spies if we look ‘too good to be true,’ so to say, and they’re willing to kill to keep their secrets.”

“I understand,” Eole replied with a scowl. “I may have an easier time winning their trust than you, Lord Simon. I was imprisoned for trying to rouse my kind in rebellion, and I was a slave. My struggle was genuine and documented.”

“That’s… true.” Eole had a point. A bastard prince of House Magnos would always remain suspicious in the Malphas’ eyes, but she was the ideal White Unicorn recruit. “You should have no trouble winning them over by being earnest.”

“And once I do, I shall put a good word in for you. It is the least I can do to pay you back for your kindness.”

Simon thanked her for her gratitude, then sent Eole away to collect her belongings for their departure. He had to admit he wasn’t sure how to feel about this. Using someone he considered a friend to hoodwink a rival conspiracy without her knowledge didn’t entirely sit well with him, but… well, it beat running a murderous cult and summoning an archfiend at least.

And that act of deceit paled compared to what was next on the list…

Simon heard a knock on the door. “Come in.”

Belzemine walked inside and closed the door behind her. “Your Highness.”

“Yes.” At least this trickery will be for your own salvation, Belzemine. “Are you done?”

“Yes. I have finished warding this room. No outsider will be able to see us or listen to our conversations, and the spells will cancel out any invisibility effect.”

Excellent. Simon had Shabram report on the Malphas’ movements through her Brand, but Elaine was a Spy with access to unknown resources. He didn’t want to take any chances.

“Then, Belzemine…” Simon said as he unveiled his Overlord armor, much to her shock. “There’s something I need to ask of you…”

True to his word, Patriate Malphas arranged a journey to his sister’s dukedom on his private airship. Simon boarded it with a retinue composed of a newly emancipated Eole, Belzemine, Meredith, and Leonard. He had considered bringing Lorimor with him, but the man was both a security risk and more or less useless for this reign.

Seeing Leonard after Simon murdered him and his sister in the previous reign filled his heart with guilt and anguish, which Leonard quickly picked up on. “Is something the matter, Your Highness?”

“Nothing,” Simon lied. The fact that his loyal retainer had completely forgotten his employer’s crimes against him and his family didn’t assuage his conscience in the slightest. “I just mistook you for someone else.”

Leonard squinted at him in skepticism, perhaps having noticed the half-lie, but he didn’t argue any further. Lord Patriate and his daughter warmly welcomed them in the airship’s salon, with the Lord-Treasurer paying close attention to Eole.

“Could your retainer be a kish, Lord Simon?” Patriate inquired with genuine curiosity.

“She is,” Simon confirmed, the question slightly taking him aback. “Do you know of them?”

“I’ve heard of them, but I believed the tribe to be extinct.” Lord Patriate explained as he studied Eole closely, much to her discomfort. “Can you understand us?”

“Eole only speaks a little elvish and her native tongue,” Simon replied. “I managed to establish contact with her using what little I knew of the former tongue.”

Elaine smiled at him. “You can speak Elvish, Lord Simon?”

“A bit,” Simon lied, since his Perks let him speak and translate all tongues. “I learned the basics from the imperial library. I had hoped to travel to Illusea and see the Worldtree when I was younger and foolish.”

“There is nothing foolish about wishing to explore the world, Lord Simon,” Patriate said. He took Eole’s hand and kissed it while switching from Endymian to Elvish. “A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lady Eole.”

“You are very kind, but I am no noble,” Eole replied in Elvish. “It has been a while since anyone could understand me since I’ve met Lord Simon.”

“As it happens, my work demanded that I learn the Elvish language to discuss with elven diplomats and merchants; a skill I taught my daughter in turn.” Lord Patriate stroked his goatee. “I cannot help but notice your lack of slave brands.”

“Lord Simon kindly emancipated me without asking for anything in return,” Eole replied. “Since I cannot return to Telluria on account of being imprisoned for encouraging my kind to rebel against your empire’s slavery practices, I decided to stay in his service.”

“Yes, I recall hearing about the troubles in Telluria.” Patriate raised an eyebrow at Simon. “Forgive me for being so forward, but why forgive a known rebel?”

“My brother Dassein sent Eole to the capital to serve as an imperial slave concubine for my father, to be raped and abused.” Simon scowled in genuine disgust. “I just couldn’t keep her bound after learning that.”

“That was very noble and selfless of you, Lord Simon.” For once, Lord Patriate sounded genuine. His eyes moved from him to Eole for a moment before changing the subject. “Would you mind teaching me and my daughter about your people’s ways, Lady Eole? Learning about other cultures is the wellspring of an open mind, I always say.”

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How forward-thinking. Simon had no idea of what he could trust when it came to Patriate Malphas’ words. The man played the role of a mild-mannered fence-sitter and bureaucrat eager to go along with everyone to perfection, but that was all a lie. A man willing to blow himself up for the sake of keeping his conspiracy secret had to possess an iron will and wells of bravery. Nonetheless, Simon had the feeling that granting Eole’s freedom had won him some points with the Malphas family.

Elaine invited him to a private table near a porthole during the flight, so they could learn more about each other away from their chaperones, which Simon recognized as something of a hidden interview. He would bet his right hand his retainers and Eole were being grilled to determine whether they would threaten their plans or if they would have to be slain. She served him tea and cakes, then went straight for the throat.

“My father questioned Lady Shabram about your mother.” Elaine gave him a pointed look. “It was all true. She was indeed executed when trying to elope with a Lore merchant and take you away.”

Simon snorted. “I’m surprised that my father’s pet told him anything at all.”

“She said there was no point in keeping it a secret with His Majesty’s assassination, but asked my father to keep that to himself.” Elaine smiled. “But he never keeps anything from me.”

“Neither did mine… usually for the worst,” Simon replied. The truth was that Simon had allowed Shabram to leak the story as part of his plan.

“Oh?” Elaine raised an eyebrow. “Like what?”

“Do you really want to know?” Simon wondered what to reveal, before settling on something unrelated to the war effort so as not to appear too informed. “He… rated them.”

Elaine’s face darkened. “Rated what?”