[The morning after I came down with the divine fever, I went to my father and sobbed. I begged him not to die, that he was in danger. He just thought I’d had a nightmare and dismissed it.]
[Two days later, my father survived an assassination attempt.]
[It failed, of course, and while it’s not as if my opinion had any influence on it, it was from that moment that I realized what I was seeing was a possibility of the future, a fragment of it.]
I calmly read the letter and posed a question.
"... When did you start seeing me?"
I was curious. When had my existence first appeared in her dreams?
[This is the first time. To be precise, I first saw you in this current situation.]
[Soon, monsters will appear in the capital, along with a great fire. And this is not something that can be stopped by ordinary means. It would require the resources of a high noble, one who can interfere with the entire capital using their private soldiers.]
"Ah."
I nodded, letting out a small sound of understanding. One fact that had been a mystery to me was now solved.
"So that's why you arrested all of them?"
[Yes. Of course, I didn't intend to do something so extreme from the beginning. Since I can see the changed possibilities, I tried various actions and watched to see if the future would change. But as the day drew closer and nothing changed, I grew anxious, and, well... I ended up using a slightly more drastic method.]
The content was audacious, a stark contrast to the gentle handwriting. Because her prophetic ability wasn't perfect, no matter how many times she looked into the future, she couldn't figure out who was responsible for such a catastrophe. So, she had simply tied up everyone who could possibly be involved.
So this was why Aletus was framed for treason. But a question remained.
"Didn't you say you can't see the result? Then how did you know such a thing would happen?"
[Because all of this is part of the process.]
"?"
[I have changed so, so many things over the years. It feels like I'm gilding my own face, but from minor administrative reorganizations to every critical matter concerning our national strength. From the day I gained the power of prophecy until now, I have done my best every single day without fail. It is safe to say that the Empire before and after my involvement in politics are two completely different nations.]
"You've lived diligently."
[I'm happy to be acknowledged.] ...
I was just receiving and reading the letters in order, but it felt like I was having a real conversation, getting answers to my questions.
How strange.
[There is a reason I've been doing this since I was ten. I once saw the distant future.]
[A calamitous future that could neither be changed nor reversed.]
[Dozens of disasters will come. A few have already passed us by.]
"What kind of disasters, for example?"
[Have you heard of the bloodletting plague that spread from Eolan, a disease that killed seven out of every ten people it infected? It was a terrible event that killed half the Empire.]
"... I've never even heard of it. It must have been decades ago."
[No, it was three years ago.]
"What?"
[It's natural that you don't know. I stopped it before it even started. The people of Eolan wondered why dozens of infectious disease research institutes were set up in their city, but when I said it was my doing, they just let it go.]
"..."
So this was the hidden story behind the Empire's long era of peace. That was only one example. I couldn't even imagine how many other misfortunes she had prevented.
The ability of prophecy, no matter how incomplete, was practically invincible when it came to governing a nation, unlike stocks or coins.
[I saw the flames in the capital back then as well. I thought I had prepared enough... but this disaster is hard to stop. No matter how hard I try, even using such extreme methods, the outcome doesn't change.]
"I see. I understand why you have come to me."
I looked at the maid with an incredulous expression as I answered.
"But I do not understand why you chose me. In the process of reaching the future you saw, what on earth could I possibly do? I am just a child who struggles even to survive."
[It's because... you appeared so often, I wanted to take a chance.]
"Pardon?"
The letter, which began with a baffling prelude, contained an even more baffling message.
[Jern, you appear every single time in the possibilities that arise after I have all the nobles contained. Without fail.]
[At first, you tried to cleverly charm a knight during an interview to get an introduction to me, intending to grill me on why I was investigating Sir Aletus.]
[If I had dismissed that, I wouldn't have given you any room, but you immediately realized something was amiss and began to act.]
[What's more, out of 106 possibilities, you were certain that I was a prophet a staggering 21 times.]
[And once, though only once, you tried to assassinate me.]
"I... did?"
[Yes. I cannot tell you the details, but let me just say that it was more daring and frightening than any other assassination attempt I have ever witnessed.]
No. What kind of thought process did my future self go through to arrive at the destination of assassinating the princess? I instantly felt as if I were sitting on a bed of thorns.
[Do you know what you did in all those possibilities? You opened the sea gates and flooded the city, installed a fake traitor, impersonated the Red Lotus, and in one possibility, you even brought the real ones in. To be honest, I started to wonder if I shouldn't classify you as a disaster yourself.]
"... I apologize."
[It's alright. I could see that your ultimate purpose was for the sake of the Empire, for everyone. In the meantime, I became so curious about what kind of person you were that I... ended up doing a background check on you.]
"Is it even possible to do a background check on a parentless orphan like me?"
[Yes. It's difficult, but there are ways.]
The ways a princess would call difficult... I couldn't even imagine what kind of methods she had at her disposal.
[I'm sorry to say this, but both I, and you, we both failed despite having the same goal. In the midst of that, a thought occurred to me. What would happen if I tried cooperating with you just once?]
"Thank you for thinking so highly of me. I don't know how much help I can be, but I will do my best."
I didn't know the details. But whatever else, this was one matter I could not simply let go. I absolutely had to find out my information from the princess.
There was a reason I had to. The drawing in the letter. The attire of the woman holding me in it was by no means that of a commoner.
'I thought it was a long shot, but...' There was a high possibility that my enigmatic past was connected to the Deep Sea. Looking at Ren, the catalyst for a Fall is closely related to the fallen one and has a real impact on them.
It was something I absolutely had to know.
[Phew, finally! I mean, really, finally.]
As I expressed my intention, the content of the letter took on a slightly more profound meaning. It was written in a slightly hurried script, as if filled with emotion.
"What do you mean by that?"
[Jern, do you have any idea how hard it is to get you as an ally? If I just ask you to help, you pretend to, then ask Lumia to investigate me. If I mix in a subtle threat, you become impossible to predict, prophecy or not.
And if I offer a material reward, you start thinking, 'Hmm, the princess is asking me for a favor, she could just have me do it, but she's offering money? Something's up,' and you get suspicious all over again. After checking every single one of those countless possibilities, the only way I could finally get your cooperation was this one.
The only way was to reveal all my secrets and beg you to please help me!]
[This method of conversing through letters, you know, it's not supposed to work. I'm only able to perform this feat because I've had this conversation hundreds of times to get here, so I know everything you're going to say. From your perspective, Jern, this has been a conversation of less than 30 minutes, but for me, I've been talking for three days without rest...]
"I'm at a loss for words... I'm sorry."
It seemed I was quite a handful in the future. Then again, if the princess asked to speak with me, I probably would have considered every single possibility. Fortunately, the princess was just venting, and from the next letter, her tone returned to a gentle one.
[Don't apologize. I have no intention of accepting an apology for something you haven't done. Rather, I am sincerely grateful for your help.]
[Please find the traitorous noble, by any means necessary.]
[I will take care of all the consequences.]
Those were reassuring words. But I couldn't help but ask.
"I know you can't see the result, but you said you can see the process, so..."
[Yes.]
The reason the princess went to such lengths to recruit me was simple.
[If I help you, you solve it.]
I could do it.
"Lastly, please take this bag."
I took the bag the maid handed me.
"Everything you need is in here. That is what she said."
"Yes, thank you."
"Then I shall be on my way."
The maid rose from her seat, and as I put away the pile of letters, I asked something I had been curious about.
"By the way, Ms. Sharmia. Towards the end, wasn't it unnecessary to use the letters? Were there many possibilities I failed to notice?"
"No, you always noticed."
"Then why go to all the trouble...?"
"I wanted to tease you a little. I'm sorry."
"Ah, yes...."
Sharmia smiled playfully and left the tea shop. No matter how close they were, she wouldn't tell her maid a secret like being a prophet, so from the moment her identity as a prophet was confirmed, it could have been none other than the princess herself. Was the absence of a knight a show of confidence?
It made sense. She could only have come herself because she was certain there was no danger after seeing it in dozens of possibilities. It seemed she had deliberately put on makeup to alter her face.
I sighed and opened the bag. There were various tools inside. The most peculiar among them was a black mask made of metal.
Besides that, there were many other tools like a necklace, some kind of token, and so on. Each had a small note attached explaining its purpose, so I opened them one by one.
[This is an artifact engraved with perception-inhibiting magic. If you wear this mask, you'll appear taller, so you won't be seen as a child. And yes, it's yours. You don't need to try and replicate it.]
[This is the mark of an officially recognized Inspector General of the Empire. If you show this to the guards, they will open the gates for you even at dawn. I've already told them, so please wear the black mask and take some personnel from the Bureau of Inspection.]
[This is an identification card. Yes. You may continue to use it.]
[If there is anything you need to report, please use this orb.]
It seems she wasn't lying about having talked with me for a very long time. Exactly what I needed was there, with detailed explanations of where and how much I could use them.
[It's not that I don't trust you, but I am exploring other options on my own, so please don't feel too pressured and act as you see fit.]
[Here are the conditions: 1. The traitor is currently unaware that they are a traitor. I don't know what that means either, but this is the biggest problem. I've interrogated them several times, but all of them believe they are innocent.
It's certain the culprit is among them, but if they don't know they're the culprit, interrogation is of little use. This is why even with prophecy, I cannot tell who will commit the crime in the end. I only see the process.
2. There is a high probability that the organization called the Red Lotus is involved. I still don't know how they are connected. However, it's not a case of someone impersonating them.
3. The deadline must not exceed one week. The incident should have happened a long time ago, but I've only put a stop to it with forced treason charges. The nobles, who have no idea what's going on, will start to get angry after a week and begin to file formal protests.
If we can't find the culprit before then, well, we'll have to assume it can't be stopped, right? The method will change, but it will happen. I'm counting on you.
If you lend your strength for the future of the Empire, I, too, can help you with one thing, Jern.]
"Hmm."
A traitor who doesn't know they're a traitor. First, I made sure no one was looking at me and put on the black mask. Then I went to the counter to check.
"The bill, please."
"Yes, yes...?"
The employee was startled the moment she saw me and looked around.
"Si, Sir. At which table were you sitting?"
"Over there, where the child was sitting."
"Aha, yes! You must be his father. My apologies..."
So that's about how tall I appear. The employee's gaze was not on my head but far above it. I suppose that's where she saw my face.
"Thank you!"
I received her thanks and left, rubbing the mask. This thing is truly incredible. I could see why my future self tried to replicate it.
As I walked the streets of the capital, I reconsidered the conditions and objective presented in the note. The number of nobles listed was about 21. Among them was Aletus's name.
"Unaware, you say..."
The simplest conclusion that formed in my mind was that someone with a heart-realm that could make people unaware they were being deceived was controlling a noble. I couldn't jump to conclusions. If the princess had investigated them all herself, she wouldn't have used a simple method like, "Are you a traitor?
Yes or no?" She must have come to the conclusion that they were all clean after a more thorough investigation. Still, the biggest reason the princess chose me was probably this.
A fallen one can recognize another fallen one. As long as their world isn't larger than mine. And even Suirak, who lived within the absolute frost, lived in a world smaller than mine.
At the very least, I had to confirm if they were being controlled. Only I could do that.
"Alright."
After long deliberation, I made my decision and headed for the Bureau of Inspection. One hour later. -Bang!
"The accused, Aletus, open the door!"
"?"
I led dozens of inspectors and pounded on the gate of Aletus's mansion. Forcibly suppressing my guilty conscience, I convinced myself. It was something that had to be done.