I Became the Servant of the Blind Wicked Woman

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The interview was taking longer than expected. Vicada tried hard to hide his growing anxiety.

'Huh, he doesn't seem like that type of person, but….'

High-ranking mages often sought experimental subjects under the guise of disciples. If such a lowly traveling troupe were the target, abducting someone without consent wouldn't even count as a crime.

Could he possibly be trying to take Niobe as his disciple? Though she was a novice who had just joined, she was quite useful, being adept at various chores.

If he were to sell her off, it should be at an auction to get her proper value, not through coercive dealings with a high-ranking mage.

While Vicada was lost in these worries, pacing in front of the door, Orthes finally emerged. Vicada peeked inside to see Niobe's expression. She seemed a bit tense but otherwise looked normal.

"Niobe is innocent. Hmm, she seemed quite talented in magic, so I mistook her for Geryon's contact."

"Th-that's what I'm saying! Our troupe is innocent!"

Orthes' remark about Niobe's magical talent made Vicada tense up. However, Orthes simply moved on to the next room without any mention of taking Niobe.

***

"…This concludes the investigation results on the Vicada Traveling Troupe."

Orthes presented the following findings at the board meeting:

1. The Vicada Traveling Troupe performed rituals similar to Bacchus worship.

2. However, these rituals were too crude and lacked proper ceremonial procedures.

3. No holy artifacts or priests were found, indicating that it was not a religion but merely superstition.

"It seems they might have heard distorted forms of rituals meant to bring luck or encountered fragments of an old cult that circulated among wanderers."

The board members sensed a subtle tension between the chairman and Orthes. It was clear this was Orthes' first reported failure.

While it wasn't significant enough to hinder the company's main objectives, it was still a failure. Having witnessed Orthes' fanatical devotion to Carisia, the board members thought he might plead for her forgiveness with a sorrowful face.

A fanatic cannot tolerate failure in a mission assigned by their object of worship.

"Chairman, there are no clues to be gleaned from the Vicada Troupe."

However, Orthes maintained his usual smile while addressing Carisia.

"Is that so? Then, let's conclude the meeting here."

The board members began to move to fulfill their roles in the war play. It was Carisia's voice that stopped them.

"Ah. Director Arabella, and Director Divius, please stay for a moment."

The other six board members couldn't guess why only those two were asked to stay. They might understand if it were Arabella from the Information Guild, where Orthes frequented, but why Divius, the body modifier?

Divius nodded while fiddling with a dentist-like drill attached to his medieval-style helmet.

"Make it quick. I have a surgery scheduled."

***

From Divius' perspective, the president of Hydra Corporation and her lover were utterly insane.

'Fighting with swords and shooting beams is one thing, but…'

Their subsequent actions were the problem. Simply ruling Etna City for wealth and fame—

'Well, there's no honor in the underworld.'

Had they sought wealth, they might have been understood as a typical group of ambitious people. However, Carisia and Orthes made completely different choices.

They destroyed the Lernian Tower and unified the underworld. Then they captured Geryon, brainwashed him, and made Kaicle swear absolute obedience.

Typically, ruling all the magic towers in a city meant holding power for a lifetime. Most people's ambitions would stop there, or aim to become a new member of the Ten Magical Commandments based on that power.

But those two aimed to become new "kings."

The title of the Ten Towers is given to those who possess the Ten Commandments. In ancient times, before the power of the Ten Towers solidified, succession wars occurred, and the title was indeed passed on.

However, the succession war is now a nominally obsolete law. Anyone can challenge, but no one does.

This is because the presence and fear of the Ten Towers are immense.

However, these two tried to create a new throne while avoiding war with the Ten Towers in an unprecedented way.

What kind of life had they led to have such ideas and ambitions?

They didn't seem like novices or fools challenging without knowing the real power of the Ten Towers. The formidable ability to dominate an entire city wasn't something ignorant people could possess.

"Director Divius."

Carisia looked at him. The oppressive aura reminded him of the high-ranking mages of the Ten Towers who had once been his employers.

Carisia's head slightly tilted. It was Orthes who responded to that gesture.

"The president wants to know if Director Divius still remembers the Blasphemia's body modification methods."

An unexpected word stabbed in at an unexpected moment. Divius felt a phantom pain as if a blade had pierced his lungs.

"Blasphemia? The execution squad of the Ten Towers? Why mention that now?"

It was Arabella who spoke first, not Divius. She looked puzzled as to why that term was brought up to Divius.

…Then, with a sudden understanding, her eyes widened.

"Were you the Blasphemia's body reconfiguration specialist? No wonder your skills are exceptional. It makes sense now why your background was never disclosed. It would have been erased when you joined Blasphemia."

Divius raised his hand to scratch his helmet. Even his old clients didn't know his true identity.

He recalled the time he faked his death to escape Blasphemia. At that time, Blasphemia was too desperate to waste resources on a trivial matter like his life or death.

So, how did Carisia know?

To recognize him as Divius, she must have been a member of Blasphemia or the Ten Towers—

Divius thought of Carisia's signature light-attribute magic. Five beams radiating from her gauntlet.

Using light-attribute magic, typically for long-range projection, in close combat was a unique fighting style favored by certain mages who used the inherently flashy light-attribute magic for assassination.

"President. Were you perhaps from the Ten Towers?"

Carisia smiled. It was a cold smile, different from the one she showed Orthes.

"From the Ten Towers? Hmm, you could say I was discarded."

The Ten Towers have countless armed forces besides Blasphemia. While units like Blasphemia, shared by the entire Ten Towers, are rare, the existence of forces to check and govern internally is natural.

"…I see. Now I understand. You two were the head and subordinate of a discarded armed unit? Got caught up in a power struggle among the elders and the unit got wiped out?"

"Haha, if you want to believe that, go ahead. But Director, shouldn't you first answer the president's question?"

It was Orthes who gave a non-answer. Divius frowned and nodded.

"The reason you two were called is due to another matter Orthes reported before the meeting."

Carisia snapped her fingers. A three-dimensional image of Niobe appeared in the center of the conference room.

"She's a Blasphemia member who infiltrated the Vicada Traveling Troupe. She goes by the name Niobe."

"To be identified so easily. The rumors of their quality declining due to the hasty recruitment after the incident a few years ago must be true."

Arabella swallowed the unspoken words. 'Or, Orthes has deep ties with Blasphemia to recognize them so quickly.'

"Chief Investigator Orthes plans to use Niobe to infiltrate the Blasphemia branch a few days later. Under the guise of a returning missing Blasphemia agent. Can you create artificial skin similar to their enhanced muscles to avoid their scan checks?"

"It's been too long since I did that work. I also don't have the special magic holders needed to engrave the Ten Towers' insignia."

"I'll handle that. Director Divius just needs to confirm if making the artificial skin is possible."

Divius thought it fortunate to be wearing a helmet that covered his entire face. A high-ranking mage capable of engraving the Ten Towers' insignia?

No doubt, Carisia must have held a lofty position within the Ten Towers. Perhaps the leader of a fallen faction.

Orthes might be her bodyguard, directly protecting the faction's lineage. Divius had heard rumors of artificial humans created to serve one bloodline for life.

'Indeed, that would explain this level of trust…'

As Divius nodded silently, Arabella voiced her question.

"To bypass Blasphemia's skin recognition scan, only Director Divius needed to be called. Why was I included?"

"Ah. Director Arabella, we need to borrow a drone from you. We'll need to hack into the Blasphemia branch's database."

This damned guy. Arabella's anger flared at Orthes, who nonchalantly assigned her such an absurd task.

To read over 200 fully translated episodes, patreon.com/Denji02