American Isekai - Chapter 94 (Patreon)

Christmas passed merrily. The day was spent in the company of Umara’s immediate family, as tradition dictated. It was a time of ease, comfort, and appreciation, so all families throughout the city spent their time together.

There was nowhere to go, no parties to put on or attend, and only a few gifts to exchange. Since I got along with the family, I didn’t feel out of place and enjoyed myself contentedly.

Until I received a message in the evening that unsettled me just a bit.

It was from the Puppet Master, and its contents were succinct.

“The Magisterium, specifically the President, has decided what to do regarding your kill. As for your request regarding the corpse, such matters are best spoken about in person. Come see me when you return. Until then, enjoy your Christmas.”

That was it, and the message left me with a small feeling of unease.

Anything regarding President Carrion didn’t sit well with me. But it wasn’t like I cared about what they did regarding that record, good or bad, so I didn’t worry about it.

Still, I had messaged the Puppet Master earlier on when I had my thoughts about using the Cyclops head as the ingredient for a Crown. I didn’t tell him the specifics, but let him know that I might have some business with it and asked him to hold it for me until I could grab it.

This was the first message I received since then. I trusted him though, so I didn’t worry about him crossing me or something else nefarious.

I simply did as he said and enjoyed Christmas day, the first day of the new year.

It was the day after that I was set to return. Business didn’t stop with the new year and both the Duchess and Duke had matters to attend to. As for Umara, she was going to stay behind and do whatever is was her parents wanted her to do.

It was just before the weekend and there was a bit less than three weeks left before the Magisterium ended its vacation. Umara would return to the capital before then and soon after that, we would be going back out to the front lines.

And so the day came for me to return.

“You promise you’re going to visit?”

Faey asked hopefully, making me smile and hug her.

“Of course. You just keep yourself out of trouble. Or just make sure you don’t get caught.”

“Ahem.”

The Duchess cleared her throat in warning, causing me to snicker.

I winked at Faey and ruffled her hair, making her laugh.

“Alright, I need to get going. Mr. and Mrs. Talerria, thank you for your hospitality. I quite enjoyed myself.”

“Of course. Be safe on your way back.”

“I will.”

I shook their hands before heading to the carriage, Umara following and the two of us bidding each other quiet goodbyes. Once she closed the door, I was off to the Rail Terminal where I was sent back to the Capital.

……

Umara turned after shutting the door and watching the carriage roll off.

She saw her parents staring at her, making her tilt her head. It felt like she was being put on the spot.

“What is it?”

“You’re quite the grownup now, aren’t you?”

“I’m not sure what you mean.”

Umara was confused by her mother’s scrutinizing comment, prompting her father to translate.

“Ahem, your mother and I happened to overhear yours and John’s proclamations of love to each other on New Year’s night.”

“Eh?”

“It was quite the surprise. We didn’t want to say anything until he left, but we had never known you to be so bold.”

Ikhor chuckled a bit as Umara’s face turned beet red.

But instead of showing her embarrassment, she huffed and turned away.

“Hmph, I’m not ashamed of anything. It’s the truth and nobody can say otherwise.”

“We’re not questioning that, dear. We just didn’t think that you two had gotten so far. It’s only been how many months?”

“Almost four.”

“And you two already look like you want to marry each other.”

The Duchess commented with sharp eyes, making Umara go silent, not denying nor confirming.

She sighed at that.

“Daughter, don’t make this difficult for me. Not any more than it already is.”

“It never had to be difficult in the first place. You think Shadowbane would have to deal with any of this?”

*Woosh*

A small wind was kicked up right as Umara said that, making her heart pound erratically for a moment as a thick sound barrier was created, blocking out all sight and sound beyond their group. Not even Faey was able to see or hear what the Duchess said next.

“Believe me, Umara. I’m trying. I know we aren’t the Raven Family. And I’m sorry any of this was ever a problem. But it is because we can’t control our own interests and power without the approval of the rest of the nobles that this is a issue. And we cannot extricate ourselves from their influence anytime soon. So unless you want me to doom the entire Talerria line right now just because you don’t want to keep your pants tied, I suggest you work with me until we can find a way that works for everyone.”

“...”

Umara was silent, her head dropping with indignation.

She wasn’t mad at her mother. It was her hatred for the noble class that was only increasing.

Talexia could only sigh.

“I feel like if I don’t continue to expose you to the harsh realities, you’ll run off and do something  that will make all of our conflicts explode. I know you can’t see a way out, and I can’t give one to you right now. But you need to trust that I’ll find one eventually.”

“...I just hate feeling like I’m just a tool.”

Frustrated tears rolled down Umara’s cheeks. She felt like she was going to explode, yet was constantly being crushed and confined with no way to fight back.

Talexia walked forward and hugged her, stroking her hair.

“I know. Again, I’m sorry. I wish I could have spared you from that. I thought that I could do so by finding you someone suitable, a good man to marry since you would have to anyway. But I didn’t expect for you to find yourself one, and for him to be so outstanding that he would piss off the entirety of high noble society and risk his life for his girl. Sometimes I think that you’re the lucky one, not him.”

“Hm.”

Umara smiled just a bit, the two separating and looking into each other’s eyes.

“Regardless of all that, plans change, and we adapt. What I need from you is to play the game with me and bide your time. If you really want this, then you’ll do that. I have a feeling John understands that as well. He’s rash, blunt, and frighteningly casual with people he shouldn’t be, but he’s also smart. That’s probably the only reason he’s still alive. So for his sake and ours, can you restrain yourself and play along?”

“...Yes.”

“Good. Thank you.”

Talexia nodded and dispelled the barrier, sound and sight returning.

Faey was confused but followed as they all walked back into the mansion.

That’s when Umara muttered.

“Fake it ‘till you make it.”

“What?”

“That’s what John said. I suddenly feel like it’s quite the accurate phrase.”

“I agree. So be prepared to do so. There are a lot of people asking questions and inviting us to answer them. For the next few days we’ll be doing so. Get ready for some scrutiny.”

“Is that why you’ve sent John away? I thought you wanted us to face these things together?”

“Well, that was before he almost killed a suitor for trying to dismantle your relationship. I’ve decided that it would be better if he wasn’t put into that kind of position again. I fear he would overestimate his enemies and accidentally kill someone in the process.”

“Hm.”

Umara smiled, pride written across her face.

It seemed she finally had her mother on her side. Now, all she had to do was, as she said, play the game and bide her time.

So long as that worked for them, she wouldn’t attempt to step outside the lines. Nonetheless, it eased her greatly to know that she didn’t have to fight against her mother.

The only unsettling thing was the fact that the Talerria family was so reliant on noble society, and the fact that they had conflict as well. Not just because of her, but due to the fact that Talexia was implying attempts to extricate themselves from that society.

It wouldn’t happen without some extreme consequences, and that made Umara wonder what plans her mother could possibly have in store. Extreme circumstances called for extreme measures.

Whatever it was, she didn’t know the half of it. So she had to admit that part of what was now keeping her in line was fear.

Perhaps if she weren’t careful, she would be the spark to ignite something much bigger than even her family could handle.

……

…

My first stop after arriving in the capital a day later was the Hotel.

There, I unpacked and situated myself before sending a few messages and leaving to take care of my most important order of business.

I soon arrived at the Polaris Headquarters, finding my way to Maxwell’s study.

He greeted me with a placid gaze.

“Yes?”

“Good day to you too. I have questions.”

“I may have answers.”

He looked down at his desk, papers full of scribbles before him.

I took a seat and asked.

“I don’t know if you’ve heard, but I recently killed a Cyclops Scout.”

“Yes, I had been notified that you did something rather impressive. What of it?”

“I was wondering about its viability as a Crown. Would I be able to use it, and would it be beneficial for me?”

“Hmm…”

He looked up at me and pondered seriously for several seconds.

The answer was quite surrpising.

“Considering the nature of your weapons and how they rely on your sight rather significantly, it actually wouldn’t be a bad pick. A Scout has an advancement path almost entirely dedicated to observation. Authority 7 is when they finally attain some form of offensive capability, but even that only stems from an extreme level of observational capabilities that far surpasses even those well above its Authority. Its one of the most extreme examples of a purpose-based Scourge beast. So yes, if you wanted to, you could use its corpse to create a Crown for yourself. You wouldn’t attain the same observational abilities, but it would still increase your own several fold.”

“Really? If you truly think it's a good pick, then I’ll go through with it. I already want to.”

“Each body has a limit as to the amount of Crowns it can hold. And this Crown would utilize one of your slots well. It’s quite the suitable pick considering your style. It would increase one of your strengths.”

His evaluation was straightforward, and he didn’t even know the future of what my summons held. Sight being a significant factor was an understatement. It was the foundation of ranged combat, not to mention all the other benefits that greater observational abilities provided.

I was fully prepared to move forward with this if he signed off. And since he did, there was nothing more to say.

“...Alright then. I suppose I just need to retrieve the corpse?”

“Yes. Bring it here, let me inspect it, and then we can find an alchemist to discuss the process of turning it into a Crown. It’s head wasn’t dismantled, correct?”

“No, it wasn’t, not even for its Crystal. I gave it to the Puppet Master for safekeeping.”

“Very well. Go get it from him. Perhaps we can have the Crown ready before you go back out for your next trip.”

“Sweet.”

I got excited, standing and making my way out.

“I’ll go talk to him.”

“Mm.”

He just nodded as I took long strides out of the study.

From there, I made my way straight to the Magisterium. I had already messaged the Puppet Master, and he was just waiting there.

So with a quick ride, I made it to the gates where I sought him out.

I found him in the training grounds, specifically that little shed he was always in.

He was waiting outside.

“You’re here.”

“Yes. Where’s the corpse?”

“Come inside first. We need to talk.”

He waved me in with a less than cheery mood, amplifying the ominous feeling I had felt back when he messaged me.

We entered the shed where he took a seat, inviting me to do the same.

Once seated, he sighed and sat straight.

“First, let me tell you about the decision made by the President regarding your record.

“Okay.”

“It will be recognized. You are now the first Authority 4 to ever kill an Authority 7 in Magisterium history. This record will stand for centuries to come, enshrined in the Hall of Fame. Even if there are those younger than you who eventually do the same, your record as the first will forever stand. It’s a massive honor given to extremely few.”

“I see.”

My eyes widened a bit. I didn’t really think about it much, but this was still a big deal. My name would forever sit on display within the Magisterium. Future generations would know that it was I who set that record, something never done before in recorded history.

I felt some pride in it, but still focused in as he continued.

“However, there will not be a ceremony, as there were for other records. The record will be quietly enshrined inside the Hall, not to be celebrated or congratulated.”

“Hm, well, I don’t care about that much. I expected something petty like that.”

“That’s good. But…”

He went quiet, giving me a sinking feeling.

“What is it?”

“...Forgive me, John. I didn’t realize until you sent me that message. By then, it was already too late. It seems that they ripped the opportunity away before we even realized it was there. That’s the difficulty of having smart enemies.”

“Puppet Master, where’s the corpse?”

I asked directly. It was almost obvious why I had asked about it in my message to him. I wanted to make a Crown out of it.

But if he could see that, why couldn’t they?

I just didn’t think they would stoop to that level. It hadn’t crossed my mind. My kill should be mind to do as I please with, especially one as important as that.

But more than that, I had entrusted it to the Puppet Master. If I had at least kept the head with me, even just as a trophy, I would’ve been able to do whatever I wanted regardless of what they said.

But I didn’t.

The Puppet Master had an ashamed, downtrodden face.

“Currently, it is in possession of the President. Where it could be precisely is a mystery. Regardless, it is set to be enshrined inside a case within the Hall later in the week. The corpse will be there alongside your record as evidence and a trophy.”

“I want it back.”

“...Carrion gave me a message to deliver, in case you said that. Specifically, an excerpt from Magisterium Regulatory Policy.”

The Puppet Master handed me a folded sheet of paper, which I took and read.

It said.

“Article 3, Section 1: Hunted beasts and their corpses become property according to Kingdom law. The property rights go to the hunter by default, unless otherwise dictated by any employing entity the hunter may be affiliated with.

“Section 2: As the employing entity, the Magisterium reserves all rights to beast or animal corpses hunted by any and all students and staff under its name and purview. This includes all pieces and parts of the corpse such as the Black Crystal, and all monetary gains from selling the corpse, processed or otherwise, are by rights, considered Magisterium revenue.”

“Article 2, Section 1 of the Ignoble Hunter Rights Bill: Only beasts or animals at or above Authority 9 are allowed to be claimed by non-noble persons regardless of any affiliations and/or contracts which may dictate otherwise. This includes all parts of the beast or animal, such as the Black Crystal.

“Section 2: If the property has been processed or dismantled before the Ignoble Hunter has claimed it, and the Ignoble Hunter and the employing or contracting entity cannot come to an agreement on distribution of property parts and pieces, the property must be sold and the employing or contracting entity is allowed to withhold coin equal to the processing costs, with a limit of 70% the selling price.”

…

I read through these legal doctrines.

After reading each line carefully, I sat there staring at the paper in silence.

For some time I wasn’t sure what to think. According to the legalities, I had no rights to the corpse. And the only way I would ever have the rights was if it were an Authority 9 at the minimum.

However, there was some fine text hidden within these laws.

The Ignoble Hunter Rights Bill.

Key words: Ignoble Hunter.

Would a noble child have to give up their kill to the Magisterium?

No, they wouldn’t. The Bill was only for the Ignoble ones. The commoners.

I could practically taste the mockery in the name of the Bill.

In fact, the very paper I held was oozing contempt.

The President, having studied my weapons, or at least having read the reports about them, knew that my sight was an important factor in their use. And it wasn’t far fetched to think that I may want the corpse for a Crown. It was perfect for me, after all.

Regardless of my plans for it, he took it away. And his only explanation to me were a couple snippets of some laws.

He was prepared for this. He knew I would come for the corpse, though it didn’t matter if I didn’t. Either he wasted a small bit of time printing this message, or he would taste the satisfaction of withholding an important opportunity for my growth.

And he did. This would have been an incredible boost in my auxiliary power. The advantages in battle I would have gained from this Crown would no doubt be a potentially critical factor in preserving my life and the lives of my team.

And now, with a single piece of paper, all hope of that was lost.

There was silence for a long while as I processed what this meant and how I should react. I truly wasn’t sure.

Should I rage against this? Should I just laugh and declare war?

I set down the paper and stood from my seat, walking out of the shed without a word to the Puppet Master.

Once outside I looked up at the administrative building of the Magisterium.

And I walked toward it with an even cadence, entering before going through the halls and past the offices of various staff.

The office of President Carrion was obvious, and I could feel a single presence inside. There wasn’t even a secretary to stop me, likely on vacation.

So I barged in unannounced, surprising the Authority 11 knight inside.

“Oh, it’s John. So you’ve returned.”

He smiled from behind his desk. There was a towering window behind him giving him a spectacular view of the Magic Tower in the distance while casting a regal glow onto his person.

I walked up without a care and stood squarely before his desk with a placid face.

“I want the corpse of the Cyclops Scout I killed.”

“Given your mood, you visited the Puppet Master first, who should’ve given you my response. I don’t believe there’s much more to say on the matter.”

“Fuck the laws.”

I cursed plainly, without a single change in attitude.

“You don’t care about them. Your prideful ass thinks you’re some kind of king. So skip the bullshit. One of your students wants the trophy of his kill. You’d think a reward is in order for the first record of its kind.”

“I thought we were skipping the bullshit.”

Carrion shot back, standing from his seat and meeting me at eye level.

His Aura burst out as he did so, filling my body with a feeling of dread. But I felt so detatched from my own self that I didn’t even react to it. It felt like my emotions weren’t mine anymore.

“You’re right. I don’t give a damn about the laws. Except when they give me every right, legally and morally, to tell you to fuck off. You’re not getting that corpse. And you’re not getting a Crown out of it. I know how much that would benefit you and I feel no greater pleasure than seeing you exactly like this.”

He smiled and eyed me, like I was some kind of lowly prey for him to do as he pleased with.

“I’m going to lock that corpse away, Crystal and all, right inside the Hall of Fame. I’m going to pin it up nice and pretty behind a single pane of unbreakable glass. Everyone will be able to see it and know you were the one who killed it. They’ll sing your praises for the next few months. You’ll become an idol for the younger generations. And yet you’ll always know that the corpse behind that glass oculd’ve been used as an agent to bestow you greater power. It will forever be a reminder of what could have been.

“So please, indulge in your hatred and rage. I want to see your frustration and indignation. It’s the least you can do for attempting to undermine me in my own mansion. Even though something like this is a small matter I shouldn’t mind, even though you’re a bug not worth paying attention to, I’ve decided to do so since I was bored. What better way to entertain myself than to see a worm like you squirm around when he was denied the little scraps of food he caught.”

Carrion laughed as he circled me, like a viper in front of a baby mouse.

And I stood there blankly.

I felt my vision turn spotty, my mind going white. It was like I was failing to comprehend the sheer intensity of my own emotions.

This kind of depraved malice… I was unfamiliar with it. I didn’t know how to react to it.

Even my Aura went out of control, but it was so stifled by Carrion’s that it couldn’t take hold.

It raged against the cage, expending all its energy with wanton abandon, carving away at Carrions.

But against that level of power, I was powerless. That’s just how it was in this world. There was nothing I could do about it.

Perhaps I still didn’t completely understand that concept of absolute power yet, even if I would after today.

After having his fill of fun, Carrion sat back down behind his desk with a frown.

“Alright, get out of my sight, you insect.”

*BAM*

He waved, a wave of vigor slamming into my body and throwing me across the office.

I rolled when I hit the floor, only stopping when I hit the door. It felt like my entire body had been battered by a sledge hammer, blood leaking from my nose and mouth.

With nothing more than a thought I had been quite heavily injured. That was the difference in power.

So I pulled myself up off the floor. I needed to retreat and settle myself. I needed to process all of this.

And I exited the office, my head pounding from the exhaustion my Aura caused, body throbbing from the new injuries.

Once outside the administrative building, I caught sight of the Puppet Master.

It was a good thing he was there too. I didn’t have the strength to walk myself all the way to my dorm room.

So I collapsed right there on the pavement, quivering in pain for a few moments before passing out entirely.