Book 8: Chapter 11: Amber Whereabout (1/2)

When Monica returned to the attic of the girls' dormitory with Lynn's super-fast flying magic, Nero was wedged in the small gap between the wall and the closet. With his butt facing Monica.

”…U-Um, Nero?”

Instead of answering, his black tail tapped the floor with a plop. Oh, he was sulking.

”Geez, Nero, you really are…”

Monica muttered in a troubled tone, and Nero said, still tapping the floor with his tail.

”You left me behind to play all night, moreover you're staying over until morning?”

”W-Well…”

Monica was at a loss hearing his response, but the woman who'd brought her here, Lynn, in her usual maid outfit opened her mouth.

”Certainly, Miss [Silent Witch]'s had a feast accompanied by handsome young men, after which, continued with having carnal lust with a handsome man in the brothel…”

”Lyyyynnnn!?”

As Monica peeled her eyes open, Nero coming out of the gap, tapping Monica's foot with his paw.

”You've disappointed me, Monica! You're hussy!”

”Hussy!?”

”How heartless of you! You should learn from Abram!”

”Who's Abram, anyway?!” shouted Monica, at which Nero snorted before pulling out a book. It was Nero's favorite adventure novel with Dustin Günther as its author.

Nero often mentioned how great Dustin Günther's book was. Dexterously turning up the page, he tapped the scene introducing the characters with his paw.

”Abram's a friend of the main protagonist Bartholomew, and he's a very good and loyal guy. Even when he's tempted by a beautiful woman, he says, ”For me, friendship is more valuable than love,” and keeps his friendship with Bartholomew alive. It's so cool.”

”Abram… Bartholomew…”

Monica had never read the novel, but she had a feeling of having heard its name somewhere. It was also rather recent.

—You know, I'm currently writing a scene in my new novel about a foolish man who falls in love with a stage actress. And Abram, a friend of the main protagonist Bartholomew, who's in love with the stage actress Catherine says: ”Oh, I'd like to see her play again with my own eyes.”  …and your expression was exactly like that.

”…ah!?

Monica's mouth gaped open as she cried out.

Now that he mentioned it, didn't Felix say that Porter's an antiquarian bookstore owner and novelist?

While Nero went on at length about how righteous and compassionate Abram is to the stunned Monica. The kind-hearted Monica decided to keep quiet about the development of Abram, who lives for friendship and is reduced to the stage actress adorer.

＊ ＊ ＊

After getting herself ready, Monica decided to leave the girls' dormitory early with a little more time to spare.

Having been informed by Linn that the assassin who had infiltrated the chess tournament had escaped from the prison, she wanted to think of a countermeasure.

Assuming that the man who had disguised himself as Minerva's teacher Eugene Pittman was also capable of impersonating another individual… which would be very troubling.

Nero can help her to sense any unusual mana activity. Lynn also can help her to eavesdrop on any suspicious conversations. But these things can be performed because very few people were present at the chess tournament.

On the other hand, a lot of people would come and go on the day of the school festival, so asking Lynn to pick up only suspicious conversations among them was almost an impossible task. In addition, some groups will be held magic presentations at the event, so it's doubtful that Nero will be able to detect any unusual mana activity.

He might be able to notice it immediately if it was mana from [Conch Flame] or like the time when Cyril's mana gone out of control, but it's unlikely he can detect magic that runs on a small scale.

If I keep staying by His Highness on the day of the school festival, he might think of me as a suspicious person.

In any case, the most reliable way is to give Felix a magic tool that has a defensive barrier function.

It was a move that'd been used once by Louis Miller—though the said magic tool was destroyed within three days after its creation.

…Now that I think about it, that's also the reason I came undercover…

Remembering the conversation at that time, Monica laughed helplessly and shoved her hands in her pockets. In her pocket was the magic tool that she had improvised this morning. It was a cheap brooch she bought in the entertainment district and applied a protective barrier to it after Lynn informed her of the assassin's escape.

She actually wanted to make it usable as many times as possible, not just a one-time disposable item. Including a function that would allow her to know when the barrier was activated, even if she was far away.

However, in order to incorporate multiple functions, it would require her to take a long time to produce and a better gemstone, which was considered by its size and its purity.

But with only a cheap brooch within her options, all she could do was applying a simple formula to it.

…but I've increased the strength of the barrier, so that should be enough to protect him when the worst-case scenario happens…

The question is, how would she give this brooch to Felix?

She wished he could keep it with him all the time, preferably unnoticed.