Omniscient First-Person’s Viewpoint
Chapter 332: Let's Make Trouble Tonight

After a long pause, she spoke softly.

“…Forget about payment.”

“Huh?! No take-backs, okay! But why?”

“…I don’t really need money.”

“I’ve heard alchemists always put equal weight on both sides of the scale whenever they do business. Isn’t it against your principles to not receive compensation?”

“…It’s fine.”

｢…Those chosen by the Golden Lord, whose Unique Magic and alchemy become one, can blind the scales.｣

What does that even mean?

The scales are meant to be seen by people!

And more importantly, there’s something else I’m curious about.

Despite being one of the Fallen Dominion’s rulers, she’s surprisingly cooperative with me.

She doesn’t seem interested in starting a war either.

Hmm, maybe I’ll push a bit further.

I was considering my next move when someone entered the tent.

It was a bit rude, considering there was already a guest inside, but the man shoved his massive frame through without a care.

“Excuse me, Primarch Peru. Do you have a moment?”

Why are you asking for permission when you already shoved your whole body inside?

As I was shoved to the side, Peru responded calmly.

“…chief? What is it?”

The burly chief ignored me and spoke directly to Peru.

“There is a disturbance in the camp.”

“…A disturbance?”

Peru asked with a puzzled look.

The man was a camp chief, the person who first established and currently ran this camp.

Who is a camp chief?

In a place like the Fallen Dominion where people come and go all the time, it’s hard to make an exact comparison, but the closest thing I could think of would be a noble of a region.

The chief maintained order and peace in the camp in exchange for a small fee from visitors, a sort of toll.

Of course, ensuring peace required the power to settle disputes.

As one of the most formidable individuals in the Fallen Dominion, the chief’s strength could be compared to a General in the Military State.

So what could have happened in the camp that the chief couldn’t handle on his own?

Both Peru and I waited with curiosity for his explanation.

“There’s a kid outside, asking everyone where the Golden Palace is. He’s making such a fuss that the camp is getting chaotic.”

“….”

Peru glanced at me.

What? Why?

Yeah, that’s probably the Regressor.

She’s acting suspiciously, so I guess she’s drawing attention.

What can I say? It’s just in her nature.

Peru, who had been staring at me intently, finally spoke in her usual slow manner.

“…Did he cause any problems?”

“Not yet. He hasn’t caused any trouble, but he’s throwing around a ridiculous amount of money in exchange for information. There’s so much Alchemic Gold flooding the camp that the supply of goods is running low. The camp might have to shut down just to use up all this money.”

Overwhelming amounts of money can become a form of violence.

The camp was on the verge of collapsing under the weight of the Regressor’s financial stimulus.

Come on, Regressor! If you have that much money, give it to me!

I could read everyone’s thoughts and map out the palace’s location for half the price!

“…”

Meanwhile, Peru was still staring at me.

What? Why?

It’s frustrating! It’s not like I’m happy about it either!

I feel like I’m going to die of jealousy.

That Alchemic Gold and material wealth—how much is it worth? And where does the Regressor keep getting all this money from?!

“Isn’t it suspicious? Normally, if Dholes are granted permission to loot, they head straight for the Military State, but this kid is doing the opposite, looking for the Golden Palace. He’s also loaded with money. In ordinary times, I wouldn’t have given it a second thought, but considering the current situation, I thought I should consult you first.”

Yeah, it is suspicious.

Even I, with my Mind Reading ability, find her suspicious.

You must find her even more so.

｢…He’s obviously suspicious, but if he’s an envoy from the Military State, he might be in a hurry.｣

As I nodded to myself, Peru sighed softly and said.

“…Leave it. It’s fine.”

“You’re aware of something?”

“…Roughly.”

“Understood. I’ll leave him alone then. Hmm…”

｢I was thinking about framing him as a spy and seizing his assets, but Peru doesn’t seem interested. Maybe he’s someone important. I’d better warn the others to leave him alone.｣

Hmph. Of course he was tempted by greed.

That’s just how the Fallen Dominion is.

Still, the fact that the chief didn’t act rashly spoke of his experience.

Peru looked up at him and asked.

“…Is that all?”

“There’s one more thing. It’s something the kid was handing out along with the money.”

The chief took a metallic structure from his coat.

It was an icosahedron made of various metals, each face a different color.

It was too heavy to be a die, making its purpose hard to guess. The chief explained.

“I’m embarrassed to say it, but I couldn’t break it down with my alchemy. I thought maybe you, Primarch Peru, might be able to.”

“…This is.”

Peru’s eyes widened as she grabbed the structure.

Normally, she moved lazily like a sloth, but now she was as quick as a cat whose tail had been stepped on.

The chief scratched his head awkwardly, surprised by her reaction.

“Well, I thought you might know something.”

“…The Gold of Understanding.”

“Pardon?”

“…Elric’s legacy. Where did you get this?”

“Like I said, from that strange kid….”

The chief, flustered by her intense reaction, only just noticed that Peru was staring at me.

Tsk. So that’s why she had so much money.

Did she discover one of the old Golden Empire’s hidden vaults and connect it to her Pocket?

What a life. She’s probably never had to worry about money.

But wait—if she’s holding it now, that means she got it this time around.

So why didn’t I pick up on it with my Mind Reading?

If it’s a memory from this timeline, I should have been able to read it, right?

Is it because it’s part of some routine she repeats every time, or is there some other reason?

Something’s definitely off here.

“…How?”

Honestly?

I have no idea.

But I can’t just admit that.

If I say I don’t know, that’s the end of it, but if I act like I do, it becomes a weapon to manipulate the situation.

I narrowed my eyes slightly and replied nonchalantly.

“Who knows?”

“…He’s your companion, isn’t he?”

“Yes, but you’re not my companion, are you? Who should I prioritize—my companion or someone who isn’t?”

“…You…”

“You insolent brat! How dare you speak to the Primarch like that?!”

The chief reached for my collar, fast and strong, but predictable.

Even without Mind Reading, I could have dodged it.

And I’m a Mind Reader.

Before he could even reach me, I grabbed a card from the table and transformed it into wire.

By the time his hand got close, the wire had already wrapped around his wrist.

“You should know better than to lay a hand on someone without knowing who they are. Where are your manners?”

The world’s greatest magician and a master pickpocket—do you think a typical attempt to grab me like that would work?

I’ve gotten through countless situations like this!

｢Wire made of alchemy? And it’s steel! In such a short time!｣

Of course, if he decided to use brute force, that would be a problem.

I could imbue the wire with some Qi, but with my meager reserves, it would probably just leave a small nick.

｢Damn it! I never thought of this kid as someone so strong! I should have been more careful, especially with someone the Primarch meets alone!｣

But if you make someone believe you’re in control, they’ll treat you as such.

Go ahead and calm down.

I’ll ease up on the wire, just enough for you to pull your hand away….

That’s when it happened.

“…In front of me.”

Suddenly, my grip weakened.

My hands, which had been pulling the wire tight, slowly drifted apart.

At the same time, I heard a distant voice.

“…Don’t use my creations as weapons.”

The steel disintegrated.

The brand-new wire vanished into dust in an instant.

Luckily, only the portion I had alchemically transformed was affected, but…

If she had wanted to, she could have erased all the cards I had in my possession right then and there.

Damn, I forgot about her.

The chief, now free, raised his arm triumphantly.

“You idiot! Using steel in front of the Witherarch? I will end you!”

“…Stop.”

“Yeah! I’ll make you stop right now!”

The chief was about to throw a punch at me when suddenly, the table extended, brushing past his face.

The table’s sharp corner slashed through the tent as it stretched outside.

The startled chief gulped, while Peru continued speaking at her usual slow pace.

“…Both of you, I mean.”

The words came out so slowly that they lagged behind the actions.

It would be nice if she gave the warning before flexing her power.

Either way, her intention worked.

Both the chief and I were physically immobilized.

Peru sighed deeply and looked at me.

“…What do you plan to use it for?”

Hmm. The Regressor probably didn’t think much about it.

She likely figured that throwing valuable metal around would work just fine.

However, I can’t reveal that she’s that careless.

I have to make it seem like it was all part of the plan.

“Well, we didn’t come empty-handed. You saw it yourself—people reacted to this metal. I figured that with something like this, we might be able to meet the Golden Lord.”

“…Foolish. Don’t do it.”

｢…King Elric’s relic could… awaken the Golden Lord.｣

Oh, now this is new information. She doesn’t seem entirely sure, but she thinks it could awaken the Golden Lord?

What kind of metal is this, anyway?

Regressor, what have you been scattering around so casually?

This is starting to get terrifying.

“Seriously? You’re calling it foolish without even explaining why? What am I, your child? You can’t just tell me not to do something without giving a reason. If you’re going to balance the scale, you have to put something on the other side.”

“…”

“I don’t know what kind of trick you’re pulling, but even if you fool the scales, you can’t fool me. Go ahead, make your case.”

“…”

Ugh, stop stalling and just say it.

Are you going to go along with it or not?

Why all this hesitation?

“Primarch!”

The chief called out urgently.

He wasn’t trying to prompt her for an answer or interrupt the conversation—no, he had noticed something.

He was staring at a mysterious flying object with a blazing tail headed our way.

Wait, what is that?

“Get down!”

- Whoosh.

The chief’s shout was followed by a long, slicing sound as something cut through the air.

A blazing light streaked across the sky as if someone had taken a pair of scissors to the night itself.

The fiery projectile—a long rocket—landed near a tent in the distance.

- BOOOMMM.

A delayed explosion echoed through the camp like a second sun suddenly appearing.

Shadows danced wildly as the intense heatwave shook everything in its path.

Then came the screams.

Panic and fear spread through the crowd.

People ran through the camp in a frenzy.

In the Fallen Dominion, people were always ready to flee and now that readiness was on full display.

Peru squinted at the lights and asked calmly:

“…What’s going on?”

“I don’t know! We’re under attack! Could it be the Military State?”

｢…Incoming artillery? No, if this were a tactical strike, loud bombs wouldn’t be used. Chaos scatters the Dholes. This is more like a hunter’s tactic than a soldier’s.｣

“…No. This approach….”

Peru was just about to say who she suspected, but the explosions themselves spoke first, announcing their identity.

[This is Lord Rocket, addressing you.]

It was a strange voice.

Each part of the sound was a sharp, jarring explosion, but together they somehow formed a cohesive speech.

It was like a form of auditory pointillism.

Whatever technique was being used, it was impossible to guess without reading minds.

Meanwhile, the chief recognized the name and muttered.

“Rocket? The Fireblastarch?”

[The great Golden Lord has commanded you. Attack the Military State.]

The Fire…blast…arch?

Each of those words sounds terrifying individually, but together it comes off a bit pathetic… and forced.

If I meet him face-to-face, I’ll have to ask if it’s intentional.

If he gets mad, I’ll know it is.

Lord Rocket’s voice continued.

[But look at these pigs, camping out and licking each others’ asses! All you care about is stuffing your bellies! Why haven’t you left? Why haven’t you followed your orders?!]

He scolded the crowd with a shrill, frustrated tone.

Someone muttered something like “We were about to leave…” but it didn’t matter—Rocket clearly wasn’t interested in excuses.

[Everything you eat, everything you wear, everything you ride—all of it was made by the Golden Lord! Everything you have comes from the Golden Lord! Our god is the Golden Lord! And yet, you dare to ignore the orders of your god!]

And a dash of blasphemy, too.

[In that case, I’ll make you obey! I, Lord Rocket, the Golden Lord’s faithful servant, will now begin hunting the heretics!]

With that declaration, dozens of rockets fired into the sky.

Time, which had briefly stood still, resumed its flow.

The people who had paused to listen to the voice began running again.

As they fled, Rocket’s voice echoed after them.

[If you want to live, leave! Raid! As the Golden Lord has commanded…! The only gold you are allowed to take is the gold from the Military State!]

Wow. What chaos is this?

Are they planning to raid this place?

Against their own kind?

I think I’m starting to understand how the Fallen Dominion lost to the Military State in just seven days.

At that moment, a terrible tragedy unfolded in front of a tent tavern.

Like something out of a fairy tale, an impossibly beautiful girl with silver hair appeared.

She wore a black parasol over her shoulder, walking confidently despite the unfamiliar surroundings.

She spoke of ridiculous things like the time she had met the King of the Golden Empire and offered rewards for anyone who knew the location of the Golden Palace.

Her words were surreal and her presence even more so, which is probably why no one questioned her.

Like a fairy from a story, they expected her to disappear as suddenly as she had come.

But no one expected her to disappear by being struck directly by a rocket.

Her arm broke, her body pierced by the explosion.

Scarlet flames were followed by dark red blood.

Someone might have murmured something like, “The human body really does look like a flower,” before people finally started screaming.

“Ahhhhhh!”

“A person! A person just died!”

“Are they even human?”

“Whatever they were!”

People, shocked into a brief delay, began fleeing in a panic.

“I’m not dead.”

The girl, who had appeared to have her limbs severed by the rocket, spoke.

Where they thought her body had been pierced, thick darkness now surrounded the rocket, swallowing it whole.

Half-submerged in shadow, the once-fiery projectile flickered weakly, its flames dying out.

The girl’s red eyes glared at the rocket with an emotion that could only be described as… disgust.

“A single arrow filled with fire… how displeasing. I was hoping to gather information in my own way for once.”

But no one was around to hear her.

They were too busy fleeing in terror, fearing something far worse than the rocket.

At that same time, Azzy was running across the ground.

It was hard to express her thoughts in human terms, but if I had to, she was feeling something like “excitement.”

Azzy had chased after flying things many times before and most of the time, it ended in fun.

Using inductive reasoning, she concluded that the same action would lead to the same result this time too.

Moreover, the bright, flickering flames had triggered her hunting instincts.

Where else would she find such a clear, blazing target?

It was the opportunity of a lifetime.

And so, Azzy ran straight toward where the rocket was falling.

Luckily, she caught its scent before it exploded and instinctively leaped away.

“Yipppp!”

The flames enveloped Azzy.

She let out a pitiful cry.

Although she wasn’t badly hurt, the explosion, smoke, and fire were stressful enough.

Desperately, Azzy fled from the scene.

Frightened, she ran to the only being she could trust.

To her most precious friend—the human.

At that same time, someone else opened her eyes.

As the explosion echoed, she rose, as if she’d been waiting for this moment, and muttered to herself.

“They’ve finally shown up. I’ve been waiting for so long. I thought they’d come once I scattered the Gold of Understanding…”

But as she heard the voice and saw the rockets fill the sky, she frowned.

“…Ugh. Why is the Juggernaut coming? And from outside the camp? That’s way too fast. Anyway…”

Just then, one of the rockets flew directly toward her.

But such things no longer had any effect on her.

The Regressor flicked her wrist and the rocket split in two, exploding harmlessly.

It was certainly a deadly threat—a fast-moving hunk of metal packed with explosives, designed to kill.

A weapon.

A tool.

But to her, it was now a trivial problem, one she had already developed countermeasures against.

Even its owner.

“I’ll just capture him and ask him myself.”

The Regressor, Shei, muttered in a flat, dispassionate voice.