Decision

After the Hermit finished his explanation, it was time for Other Shore's second-favorite part of the meeting: the Seven-Person Council's debate.

During this part, you could watch powerful figures who usually held positions of great authority argue until they were red in the face. Sometimes they even lost their composure and resorted to personal attacks.

"The merchant guilds have profited so much from the Empire over the years. Now that it's your turn to take responsibility, you're going to chicken out? You're a bunch of bona fide parasites."

The Regent, representative of the Imperial Capital's nobility, was the first to launch a personal attack. Most of these titles had existed since the time of the First King. The original members of the Seven-Person Council had lived and died, and their successors had inherited their titles along with their seats.

Other Shore lazily propped her cheek on one hand, listening to the heated debate with interest.

As for her, she had chosen her own title. It came from a flower she had seen during an expedition to the eastern continent, back when she was a Second-Order Knight of the Holy Temple. It had been beautiful and left a deep impression on her.

When His Majesty Henry knighted her, she had insisted on keeping the title she'd chosen for herself.

The faction led by the Pope believed that the Elemental Shaper was an uncontrollable factor for the Empire. Worse still, he was connected to the Winter Witch in countless ways. So they wanted to do everything in their power to uncover his true identity and haul him before the tribunal to face the Empire's laws.

Until then, the Lofik Consortium was expected to fully cooperate with their efforts.

The Lofik Consortium's representative refused outright. Protecting every client's privacy was the guild's promise to everyone, and to merchants, one's reputation was sacrosanct.

"That may be difficult."

The Astrology Society's "Scholar" still wore her harmless smile as she gently explained, "I took part in the construction of Fireplace Bay. Teleportation Magic can only record the coordinates of two locations at a time. Even a Grand Magus from the Astrology Society couldn't teleport Heisenberg from Fireplace Bay to the Imperial Capital."

"Then arrest him and torture his identity out of him! If necessary, deploy the Golden Fleet. We must nip this threat in the bud!"

The Iron Fist, the tribunal's presiding officer, was as hardline as ever. He was even ready to send the Empire's undefeated Golden Fleet into war.

In reality, however, the tribunal had no authority to deploy the Golden Fleet. This vaunted weapon of war had always been in the hands of the royal family. It was just like the great nobles to issue orders so casually, then leave countless others to clean up their mess.

Other Shore silently grumbled to herself.

The Hermit, the Dean, who had been silent all this time, spoke without changing his expression. "We still can't make an accurate assessment of Heisenberg. Acting rashly will only backfire. The Empire can't afford another War of Corruption."

His words struck at the heart of the matter, and the meeting ground to a halt.

They all knew that although the Empire had won the War of Corruption, it had paid a terrible price. Afterward, the King had taken ill and never recovered, and the Empire had begun to decline. Worse still, the propaganda about their victory hadn't curbed the Evil God Cultists' rampage. Instead, evil fanatics had sprouted up across the land like mushrooms after rain.

The Hermit fixed his cloudy gaze on the Pope. "The last thing the Empire should do right now is let word of Heisenberg's existence spread. Whatever his connection to... that person, whatever his own position might be, he'll take that person's place as the savior in the eyes of the Evil God fanatics."

As expected, the vote was tied at 3–3. Every gaze shifted to Other Shore, who hadn't taken part in the discussion.

Her vote was crucial. It would directly affect the future of the Empire.

"I think Mr. Hermit makes a lot of sense. I vote against the proposal."

Her answer was crisp and decisive, giving the Pope's faction no chance to sway her.

Sure enough, the Pope shot her a cold look. This was the third time in a row she had sided against the Church.

Still, Other Shore had to make it clear that she had no personal grudge against the Pope. She simply disagreed with the Church's increasingly aggressive policies in recent years.

Ever since the King had fallen ill, she felt the Pope had become more and more obsessed with power.

But the Church's faction had made a fair point about the Lofik Consortium. A pack of parasites born for profit, they did everything they could to hoard wealth and didn't care at all about the Empire's future.

That was why casting her vote was often an incredibly difficult choice.

Still, once the votes settled at 3–4, no more words could change anything. That was how the Seven-Person Council worked: in the end, everyone had to abide by the vote.

"Then, according to the vote, Mr. Horn will make contact with Heisenberg."

The Lofik Consortium's representative gave the tribunal's Iron Fist a long look. "He should sound him out peacefully and cautiously. I believe the Empire may be able to win him over. I don't want anyone starting a war in Fireplace Bay."

Over the years, the tribunal had earned a reputation for infamy. It had practically become the Pope's tool for eliminating his political rivals.

The Iron Fist merely snorted and looked away.

At last, the long and tedious debate came to an end. No matter how many times she attended these meetings, Other Shore could never get used to the atmosphere.

Every councilor claimed to act in the Empire's interests, but the meetings were always about securing more benefits for their own faction. In fact, she felt that the Kingdom had begun to split apart from the moment the idea of "factions" had emerged.

And now, a major expedition awaited her.

The Empire's intelligence agents had picked up the Dream Erosion's trail. Not long ago, they had killed a former A-Class Investigator from the Containment Bureau in Fireplace Bay, along with an executive from the Imperial Union Bank.

This might be the first time the Kingdom Army had truly fought these Evil God fanatics.

Seeing Other Shore rise to leave, the Pope suddenly stepped forward to meet her.

"I wish you every success."

He stared fixedly at Other Shore and spoke with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

The Kingdom Army's political stance had once again... disappointed him. But fortunately, it wouldn't be long before the Seven-Person Council welcomed a new, wiser decision-maker.

Other Shore didn't reply. She merely nodded politely to the Pope, then walked out of the church without looking back.

She much preferred that enormous ice bird to the Pope's scowl. Just thinking about it made her itch with excitement.

No knight could resist a flashy mount.

This meeting had been about Heisenberg. But unlike those politicians, if she ever met Heisenberg, she had just one request.

To take a ride through the sky on that gigantic ice bird.

Please, she'd do anything!

Meanwhile, far away in Brookwood Town, Mr. Heisenberg crept toward the guest room and pushed open its ajar door.

Light spilling through the crack had caught his attention.

It was Miss Chloe's room.

When he saw the scene inside, a bolt of lightning seemed to strike his mind—Miss Chloe was lying by the bed, having lit a gas lamp from who knew where. An open Parchment Book lay on the floor in front of her, and an assortment of herbs was scattered beside her.

What had happened over the last few days?

When had Miss Chloe learned to read?