I Regressed and the Genre Changed

Chapter 24 – Coming of Age Ceremony (4)

“…Follow me for a moment.”

With those words, the Emperor rose from his seat.

I glanced around lightly.

Isabel and Luna were nowhere to be seen, and conveniently, Rudine was also absent.

I passed the Empress, who was sitting quietly looking at the ceremony, and followed behind the Emperor.

Thud, thud—

Time passed suffocatingly, and finally, we arrived at the reception room.

“Please, have a seat.”

I nodded lightly and cautiously took my place, bowing my head.

The Emperor glanced at me briefly and slowly brought up the matter.

“Alopecia… did you say it can be cured?”

It was a question I had already anticipated.

At this moment, the Emperor harbored almost obsessive trauma about his alopecia.

Hence, every possible resource was poured into researching a cure for alopecia, but naturally, all those efforts had come to naught.

‘He must be desperate to the point of death.’

Overcoming alopecia was not within the realm of simple treatment.

Strictly speaking, it was closer to the realm of miracles.

However, this world is a world within a game.

In this world where magic, alchemy, and divine power coexist, overcoming alopecia is possible.

“Yes, it’s possible.”

“Are you serious? Improvements are possible?”

“Not just improvements, complete cure is possible.”

“Then, provide me with that treatment immediately…!”

“However, the cooperation of the Royal Family is needed.”

At my firm response, the Emperor’s eyes widened.

“…Let’s discuss it in detail.”

“To cure alopecia, a special elixir needs to be made. However, the problem is…”

“The problem is?”

I smiled lightly.

“It requires astronomical costs.”

Astronomical costs.

It means the cost of producing a single elixir is exorbitantly expensive.

Commonly known as an Elixir.

It heals all illnesses and even restores cellular damage.

It’s the ultimate boss of the pharmaceutical world, capable of reviving even those who have recently died.

The underlying theory is simple.

The black fog that devours the continent.

If not surrounded by divine power, merely touching it would cause the cells in the affected area to die, but with a special process, the destructive nature is completely altered to heal everything it touches.

At first glance, it might seem easy, but in reality, it’s anything but.

The materials required for production, as well as the manpower.

Even with insane costs aside, without the infrastructure of the Royal Family spanning the entire Empire, the attempt itself is impossible.

That’s not all.

Even if success is achieved after numerous twists and turns, the resulting product is minimal.

In other words, it’s impossible to churn out Elixirs like in a factory.

Even if it’s successfully manufactured, there are clear limitations to its usage.

‘In the previous run, I couldn’t even attempt it.’

No matter how good the performance is, what can I do?

There’s no reason to save someone while playing the villain, and the relationship with the Royal Family was at its worst.

But this time, I absolutely need the Elixir.

Not only because of the Emperor’s favorability rating, but also because now that I’ve completely deviated from the main scenario, I need at least one insurance policy against potential crises.

“…”

“…”

He whispered something to the attendant standing next to him.

After a while, the attendant left and entered the reception room with cautious steps.

In the attendant’s right hand was a flask containing a transparent liquid.

“Try drinking this.”

“What is this?”

“It’s a truth serum. It’s usually used when interrogating prisoners, but just understand it for today. There’s no better way to determine if what you say is true.”

Without batting an eyelid, I swallowed the serum.

As the cold serum passed through my throat, I could feel the changes within my body in real-time.

It was a strangely refreshing and cool sensation, as if tiny threads were crawling all over my body.

A feeling so familiar.

It was the movement of magic.

“Have all the words you spat out until now have been nothing but the truth?”

The Emperor’s firm voice forcibly stirred my mind.

After a moment, my lips moved involuntarily.

“Yes, they have all been nothing but the truth.”

Then, a harsh, forced laughter burst out.

It was the Emperor, sitting there, glaring at me with an indescribable look in his eyes.

“…Now I understand. The reason you showed me a blank check from the beginning was for this.”

Correct.

When receiving the amount on a blank check, the recipient’s information is exposed.

By shifting that responsibility to the Royal Family, at least, there would be no external pressure on me using a blank check as a pretext.

“Haha, haha…”

The Emperor burst into laughter a couple of times.

I maintained a smile, waiting for his response.

As the Emperor, who had been rubbing his face with both hands, soon parted his lips with a face filled with joy.

“Speak what you desire.”

“I need the full support and protection of the Royal Family. Additionally, this information should not be leaked to anyone other than the two of us. Do you agree?”

“I agree.”

Wow, he’s surprisingly cooperative.

I straightforwardly stated my demands.

“I also need unrestricted access to the Imperial Palace. Please grant me temporary status as senior alchemists under the Royal Family for the use of imperial research facilities.”

“I will grant you the status of Chief Alchemist belonging to the Royal Family.”

“All manufacturing processes will not be disclosed. Even if Your Majesty requests information, it will be the same.”

“As long as the results are certain, information is unnecessary.”

A gleam of ecstasy akin to madness flashed in the Emperor’s eyes.

“The procedure through the Elixir we produce will be solely for one person.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

It doesn’t matter.

As long as only he receives treatment.

The Emperor’s alopecia will be cured, and the remaining elixir will be solely mine.

“Finally, a suitable reward for my efforts is needed.”

“Just name it. I’ll give you the best treatment under the name of the Royal Family. Seems like you and Rudine are on quite good terms. If you desire, I can arrange a place for you whenever you want.”

He’s really in a hurry.

No matter what, I never thought the Emperor, known for being doting towards his daughter, would go as far as to use Rudine.

This should be considered a successful deal.

Then, as a final touch…

“What’s this?”

“Oh, you mean this?”

I took out the highest-grade Geass I had received from Merlin in advance.

“It’s a contract.”

Naturally, I’m suspicious.

****

After concluding the contract, I left the reception room.

It was while passing through the corridor, intending to go down to the ceremony hall to find Rudine.

“Kyle.”

Luna, standing in the dim corridor with perfectly arranged attire, called me.

As always, she was so beautiful that I couldn’t help but sigh.

‘When did you come here again?’

I met Luna’s gaze directed towards me.

And I immediately noticed.

Luna’s face was somewhat unusual.

Luna Winfred had also inherited her memories from the previous run.

Did she come here to blabber nonsense again?

I reluctantly spoke up.

“What are you doing standing there?”

“Just that.”

Luna’s immediate response.

Unlike usual, she seemed somewhat disheveled.

“If you have nothing to say, move aside.”

Luna lazily tilted her head.

Her disheveled black hair swayed precariously.

Her slightly exposed eyes seemed somewhat gloomy.

I swallowed a sigh inwardly.

As I was about to leave, at that moment…

“Imperial Palace.”

Luna’s hollow voice rang out.

“Is this the furthest place you’ve managed to find after leaving the Duke’s estate? Just the palace?”

“What?”

“Stop wandering around and come back, to your home.”

The moment I heard those words, my lips involuntarily parted.

My home? That’s something that doesn’t exist in this world, at least for me.

“Back to my home?”

“Yes.”

“Where is that?”

“Where else, the Winfred’s estate.”

A straightforward answer.

For a moment, reason froze cold.

Suddenly, a realization struck me like lightning.

Ah, it’s just a simple mockery mixed with a pun, as always.

“All the problematic servants have all been replaced, and Ian Winfred will also leave the mansion for the time being.”

“…”

“Your name will confidently appear at all official events of Winfred. Not as a legitimate son, but as the second son, and as a member of Winfred.”

“…”

“If you want, I’ll arrange for a completely new mansion next to the Duke’s estate.”

My head buzzed as if even my eardrums were pricked.

“There’s no one left to threaten you in Winfred anymore.”

Stress surged at the nonsensical words.

I’m no Kyle Winfred, but I definitely know that the best response to such baseless talk is silence.

Nevertheless, a chilling laughter burst out of control.

“Haha.”

I looked down at Luna with an expressionless face.

“There’s no one left to threaten me?”

“…”

“There is, right here.”

I took a step, then another towards Luna.

“Luna Winfred.”

At that moment, Luna’s shoulders twitched.

“Your mere existence is a threat to me. Where can I go?”

My stomach turned, as if it were in knots.

Suddenly, a memory flashed through my mind.

— Ah, my brother.

— Wearing the guise of a human, but you are truly worse than a beast.

She’d throw leftover scraps pretending to be food into my room, saying such things.

— Please… Please, it’s too cold in the room…

— Please, at least… a blanket…!

One winter day, all my clothes and bedding were confiscated under the pretext of needing laundry.

Thanks to that, I suffered through a bout of flu.

— Is your body so fragile?

— Now, here are the family knights gathered for you.

— Approach the training with gratitude.

Another day, knights of the family beat me under the pretext of training since I had no energy after fasting all day.

Thanks to that, instead of training, my body was aching for several days.

I endured it all.

To raise the progress rate, and to return to my original world.

Yeah, even then, she had this look in her eyes.

Eyes with a dualistic gaze that seemed to feel guilt.

I narrowed my eyes sharply.

“What? Go back home?”

Ridiculous.

And disgusting.

“Sorry, but I won’t return to Winfred as long as you’re there.”

Luna’s pupils shook roughly.

I spat out roughly in a rough voice.

“Ha, damn it.”

Her face twisted as if someone had forgotten how to use facial muscles.

“I’d rather die than go there.”

Luna’s arms, which had been crossed all along, fell weakly.

Her trembling hands shook weakly.

‘Fuck, why do I feel so dizzy…’

My head spun, and my stomach twisted as if the disguise had melted away.

At the same time, blood vessels popped in my temples.

Something was wrong.

Then, a realization struck my mind like a stake.

‘Ah, the truth serum.’

The truth serum I ingested at the Emperor’s urging.

Truth serum has one characteristic.

It forcibly awakens the magic within the body, causing a boosting effect.

It’s fine until here.

However, Kyle’s body has never used magic before.

The side effect of forcibly awakening magic through the serum.

Magic eruption.

And the aftermath is…

“…Cough!”

Ah, damn it.

This bloody body.

“…Shit.”

My vision blurred.

At the same time, my body, which was barely holding on, collapsed helplessly.

“K-Kyle!!”

Luna grabbed my collapsing shoulders and propped me up.

A moment later, a scream with a cracked voice rang in my ears.

“No—!!”