The Academy’s Weapon Replicator - Chapter 221

Episode 221

Chapter 70 Audience (5)

As the party continues.

Frondier headed to the parlor with Fili. Aten was also there.

However, Bartello did not move an inch from the chair he had initially sat on. Fili didn’t seem to mind him either.

“You don’t have to worry about him.”

Fili said as Frontier turned towards the drawing room but kept his eyes on the hall.

“I’m just tired for a moment. “He trusts me with all his duties.”

“…okay.”

In fact, most of the emperor’s work these days is being done by Fili.

Her daughter, Saleh, who will become the next empress, is assisting with this, so things have improved a bit, but it is not an easy task.

There are quite a few people who are dissatisfied with the fact that the empress is taking charge of the emperor’s work.

“Politics is very difficult.”

Fili said.

“When I was young, I believed that all I had to do was prove my qualifications. If I achieve something like that, people around me will think differently. But people who have already decided to become my enemies cannot change their minds like that. “The better I do, the more I inflame the hostility.”

Fili’s voice as he went ahead was calm, but Frondier could not tell his expression because he could only see his back.

“The war would have ended a long time ago.”

Even though the voice muttered like that, there was still no expression.

But soon Fili returned to his lively face and grinned when he saw Frondier behind him.

“You suddenly said something personal. “This is not why I called Mr. Frontier.”

“…no.”

Fron Deer shook her head.

Frontier knows how much Philly has suffered.

Bartello’s aging was predestined, and Fili had entered politics even before that.

Fili is a character who can become either a good or a villain at any time depending on the situation. Like Frontier, players always describe Philly as ‘gray.’

However, whether he is a good actor or a villain, Fili always acts for the sake of the empire. Because the safest place for her daughters is the imperial palace.

In other words, from the player’s perspective, Fili becoming a villain means that the Empire has turned into an enemy.

‘What is Philly like now?’

Frontier thought as he watched Fili walking away again.

In Front Deer’s opinion, she thinks Fili has come quite close to becoming a good man. None of her daughters died and she never accompanied Fili on her mission.

It’s nothing to brag about, but she admits that she has built up quite a rapport with Philly.

However, the problem is that it was originally Aster’s job to do.

‘Aster is growing steadily. Aster’s growth engine is someone stronger than him. Originally, in Constel, there was no talent or skill higher than Aster, so growth was bound to be slow, but now that I am overestimating my skills, growth will be fueled.’

However, despite this, it is difficult for Aster to grow beyond what players encouraged.

In this world, which had not been conquered in the first place, players moved to squeeze out Aster’s growth with maximum efficiency.

When and where to go, who to meet, and what to learn, the optimal route was devised by going around various communities and exchanging information with each other.

Of course, it would be difficult for the current Aster to be stronger than him.

Above all, in this world, Aster has never met Fili.

‘I don’t know if Aster needs to meet Fili. But in most cases, Aster and Fili encounter each other quickly. ‘Aten, the link, is originally Aster’s party.’

But here, Aten is not by Aster’s side. She follows Front Deer around.

That’s why Aster hasn’t even met Philly yet.

It is unknown what this butterfly effect will cause. I don’t know if it will get better or worse.

There is only one thing Frontier knows.

He brought this situation on himself.

‘What if this situation causes a big typhoon someday?’

Frontier knew very well that he had the responsibility to solve it.

* * *

“It’s been a while since we talked like this.”

In the drawing room, Frontier and Fili faced each other.

It was clear that we were on the same side and had met to solve a problem, but there was a strange tension.

Meeting Philly was always like this.

“Then shall we go straight to the point? “That’s what me and Mr. Frontier like.”

“great.”

Aten, who was listening, tilted her head. For some reason, it felt like it was going to be a completely different story from a ‘3D map’.

“There is a group in the imperial palace called ‘Ambu.’”

Philly says. The one who was surprised was Aten.

“…mom.”

Dark part. Aten also knows of its existence. She couldn’t have known it while she was in the princess’s position, and from the beginning, Fili had told Aten as if it was important.

-The Aten Empire must always exist as an empire.

When she was young, she couldn’t understand Fili.

-If the empire shines bright light, won’t there be a lot of shadows? The empire must also be able to embrace its shadow.

Fili has been subtly hinting to Aten about the existence of her dark side since she was young.

You don’t have to know the exact truth. Because it’s a child. However, the princess must wake up to her reality a little sooner than other children her age.

To prevent the shock from being too great, Fili showed the other side of that reality little by little without Aten even realizing it. She made Aten unconsciously prepare himself.

Aten has grown to the point where she attends Constell. Now I know what the darkness is and what Fili meant.

Therefore, I also know very well that its existence should not be revealed outside of the imperial palace. That’s why she was surprised. Fili, who values keeping the secret more than anything else, candidly reveals the existence of the dark side.

However, Frondier’s answer surprised Aten even more.

“I know.”

“yes?”

When Aten asked, Frondier smiled vaguely.

“It’s more like we met than we knew each other. “A figure from the shadows.”

Frontier thought of Laurier.

Of course, she promised that they had not seen each other when she saved the people of Ambu in front of the debris, but not Laurier.

Laurier had already infiltrated the barracks of Jeranhes a long time ago.

‘From what I saw, I didn’t think he would agree with turning people into weapons.’

Laurier gave up her own life just before Frondier saved the people in the shadows and used her powers to save more people.

It was obvious to her why Laurier was working undercover.

This is because he was born and raised there in the first place and basically moves to protect the citizens of the empire. They didn’t choose the method, so they just hid it from the citizens.

However, although turning humans into weapons is intended to drive out external monsters, that line has been crossed far.

‘The empire’s dark side is huge. Laurier was used as a discard word at the time, so her status is probably not that high yet. Laurier probably won’t approve of Ambu’s mana injection plan.’

So, to put it on the other hand, there is a high possibility that the current Laurier will cooperate with Frontier.

Since she is a member of the Dark Department in the first place, she will be able to provide meaningful information to Frondier.

The problem is where and how to meet.

“Mr. Eden Hamelot’s explanation is correct, but it is not inevitable.”

Fili said.

“There are no contradictions in the information, but moving as Mr. Eden explained and finding the meeting place relies too much on luck. It’s also a gamble with a fairly low probability. Nevertheless, Mr. Eden found the meeting place right at once and, as if he was sure of it, he deployed a large number of people there.”

Fili said as if piercing Frondier’s eyes.

She seemed to be looking into Fron Deer’s mind, but she couldn’t even do that.

“Besides, it’s strangely different from the explanation I heard last time. It has been fixed. The look in Mr. Eden’s eyes when I pointed that out—”

“I was there.”

Frontier responded obediently.

There was no need for Fili to pierce Frondier’s mind.

“I provided information to Eden.”

Frontier had planned to be honest from the beginning.

Fili’s eyes widened in surprise for a moment at Frondier’s words, but then he grinned.

“Where did you get that information?”

“Angus, the leader of the research institute, had a blast.”

Of course, it was actually discovered through analysis skills, but the result is the same.

Fili said.

“…They say that after being arrested, Angus was interrogated by the police, but he did not answer questions and kept talking nonsense all day.”

“I see.”

“You won’t be able to get him to open his mouth through clumsy torture, right?”

There was nothing to say about that.

He had nothing to say, so Frondier simply answered.

“But I made them open.”

Aten’s throat trembled as he listened. She was recalling the most brutal torture she could imagine.

Fili asked.

“Then do you know why I’m bringing up the story of Ambu?”

“…yes.”

Frontier’s analysis skills do not allow for selective selection of the information that can be obtained.

When he uses his analysis skill, it is impossible to say that he only wants to know his name or only his family relationships. Even Frontier himself cannot predict what category the information coming from the analysis skill falls into.

The biggest reason why Frontier obtained useful information through analysis in the mana injection incident was because he poured an enormous amount of mana with the intention of exposing the enemy to the bottom.

So, of course, Frontier knows.

“It was Ambu who led the mana injection plan.”

Aten held his breath at Frondier’s words.

From here on out, this is not something that can be said carelessly anywhere.

Of course, the place where Fili welcomes her guests is thoroughly equipped with soundproofing security magic, but Aten felt a chill go down her spine without even realizing it.

‘Not the entire dark part, though.’

Frondier knows not only that Ambu did it, but also who that person is.

But it’s too difficult for him to explain how he figured that out.

Fili nodded his head.

“yes. The problem is that the shadow is on the side of the empire. “I am the empress of the empire.”

“It must be heartbreaking to punish you.”

Fili shook his head this time.

“If you throw it all down, it will be a loss.”

“…I see.”

Frontier knew what Fili meant.

“In that case, I want to weed out only the minimum number of people who led the mana injection. “Do you mean that?”

“yes. I think I crossed a line recently when I left them alone. So, make up your mind to come up with such a plan. “I hope I can use this opportunity to be a good example.”

I don’t like the fact that they made up their minds to come up with such a plan rather than carrying out a plan that would sacrifice citizens. Fili said so.

Don’t even think like that in the future.

Don’t dare even think about it, let alone execute it.

“The empire’s shadow is a double-edged sword. Since they are nonexistent outside the empire, there is no need to choose between means and methods. You have the freedom to do anything, but at the same time you are not responsible for it. Instead, they have other costs. “What is that?”

“Because it is a non-existent being, no one cares even if it dies.”

Fili smiled as if satisfied with Frondier’s answer.

“Mr. Frontier, can you help me? “I’ll give you enough examples.”

[Subquest has been created]

[Subquest: Weeding out]

•Explanation: The group that planned the mana injection belongs to the Dark Division. Execute them according to Fili’s orders.

•Goal: Eliminate the mastermind and collaborators of the plan.

•Compensation: Paid separately depending on quest performance. If you miss a few of the masterminds or collaborators or eliminate other people in the shadow, your reward will drop. If you kill someone who is not a character in the shadow, you will fail.

•If you fail, you lose Fili’s trust.

It’s truly a quest that hasn’t happened in a long time.

‘At first, when I was running around trying to solve the mana injection plan, the quest didn’t even appear.’

Frontier smiled bitterly.

Actually, I know why the quest didn’t appear. It was not the time for him to step forward.

At the time, it was a joint operation, so even the Imperial Palace and Constell participated, and even if it wasn’t Frontier, the lab would have been discovered at some point.

It was only Frontier’s own initiative that attacked Eden and his colleagues and captured Angus in the laboratory. It was a movement completely unrelated to the quest.

But this time it was a proper quest. For the first time in a long time, Frontier felt that things were going a bit better.

“All right.”

“Yep. As expected, I like Mr. Frontier because he is refreshing.”

“There is just something I would like to ask your highness.”

“I don’t like the title.”

“…How could Your Highness know that the person behind this incident was an undercover person?”

“I can’t hear very well. Strange thing. “I don’t think I can hear you because it doesn’t seem like you’re calling me.”

Fili tilted his head and closed his eyes. He seemed like he wouldn’t listen unless he changed his title. He probably won’t actually talk back.

“…Mr. Philly.”

Frondier hesitated and then spoke.

Aten, her eyes wide in disbelief, turned to look at Fron Deer.

“…Mr. Frontier, no matter how much you don’t know the case, it is….”

“sorry. “It’s my karma.”

Regarding this appellation, Frontier had little to say in defense.