Wasn’t This Supposed To Be a Strategy Game? Chapter 97

Patrian still couldn’t understand why Kyris was so relaxed.

Asmun had left the capital in search of Silverstone, yet Kyris had spent days without the slightest movement, simply remaining in his castle.

“His Majesty has already made the proclamation, so Silverstone must be found at all costs. You know his temperament.”

Of course. Kyris knew well the emperor’s tenacity—the way he never retracted his words. Which left a simple solution.

If the words could not be changed, the person could.

“Yes. I already have a plan.”

“What plan?”

Kyris swirled the wine in his glass lazily before answering.

“That much I won’t tell you. After all, you’re also a candidate for succession, aren’t you?”

Patrian gave a strained laugh, tinged with both embarrassment and disappointment.

“Brother, you wound me. Don’t you trust me? If I were after the throne, I’d already be in the capital, competing with Asmun.”

Kyris didn’t deny it—he only chuckled.

The fact they were sitting here talking was itself proof that Patrian had no ambition for the throne. He had always been quick to calculate, avoided pointless conflict since childhood, and had even stopped tormenting Asmun once they were older.

So, even with no fraternal affection to speak of, Kyris had no reason to harm Patrian.

“I’ll become Emperor without Silverstone, little brother. That’s all I’ll say. Trust me and wait. I won’t let some bastard steal my seat.”

***

Meanwhile, deep in Mavellios, the mage Chediak was being pursued.

‘Damn it, they found me?’

He had been flawless—how had he been discovered?

Barely an hour ago, there had been no sign at all!

But the power chasing him now was unmistakable—and immense.

‘I can’t let them catch me!’

Panting, he darted between massive trees and cloaked himself.

Moments later, two figures appeared where he had stood.

“He’s gone. Must’ve teleported.”

Chediak froze, listening to the woman’s disappointed voice, clinging tight to the swaying branch he had barely scrambled onto.

“No. He’s still here.”

A calm, detached male voice followed.

‘Damn it, they even know that?!’

‘One man, one woman… wearing robes. Not their usual garb though…’

Chediak risked a glance downward.

“Really? He’s here?”

“Yes. I put up a barrier.”

‘That bastard!’

Now he understood why he couldn’t teleport away. And the realization sent a chill down his spine.

He prided himself on being no ordinary mage. Yet this man had seized his power like a child’s toy, pinning him in place.

‘Someone like this exists…?’

He held his breath tightly. Then—

“Found him.”

The man’s low murmur was followed by the sudden unraveling of Chediak’s concealment spell.

“Gah…!”

Exposed, he tried to flee, but invisible power grabbed his ankle.

“Argh!”

In an instant, he was dangling upside down in midair, helpless. His humiliating figure drifted down into clear view of his pursuers.

“It really is him!”

Through his spinning vision, he saw a man and woman staring up at him. The woman smiled kindly.

“Are you Chediak?”

His blood ran cold. They even knew his true name?!

“Wh-who are you?!”

Eden, looking at the red-haired man, was sure now—this was indeed Chediak.

‘Wow… insane.’

She glanced at Hegenti with awe.

He had found Chediak within an hour of entering Mavellios—yet his face was as calm as ever, no pride, no excitement.

‘…He really is a cheat code.’

Of course, part of the fault was Chediak’s.

「A mage’s true name holds their magic. Track the name, and you’ll find them.」

She remembered hearing that many mages used aliases for that very reason.

‘I thought it was just arrogance.’

When she once asked Hegenti why he didn’t use an alias, he had replied flatly:

「There is no mage capable of tracking my magic.」

That answer had silenced every doubt.

So Chediak’s capture was his own fault—his power was simply too weak compared to Hegenti’s.

“Really, Mr. Chediak, this is your own doing. Why use your true name?”

At her words, he went pale. He had gone by a mage-name for twenty years! How had they found his real one without even knowing the other?

That didn’t make sense. No matter who they were…

“Who are you people?”

“We came to help you.”

“What?”

Dangling upside down, his face flushed in shock.

“Ah, sorry about being rough. You kept running.”

Eden apologized lightly, then whispered something to Hegenti. With a gesture, Hegenti rotated Chediak upright again.

“Ugh…”

Still dizzy, he shook his head violently, then glared at them.

Now that his vision had cleared, he saw their faces—strangers.

‘Not them…?’

Still, he didn’t lower his guard. He wanted to escape, but his body was bound by invisible ropes—Hegenti’s work, no doubt.

“We really are here to help you, Mr. Chediak.”

Eden smiled reassuringly, studying him.

For a quest-character mage with a “grand operation,” she had expected someone older, sharper, ambitious. Instead, he looked frail and unremarkable.

Late twenties, tall and thin, dressed in a worn robe, with no sign of wealth or power.

“Can you tell us what you were doing here?”

But his guard didn’t drop. He shouted back:

“Why should I tell you! To those who’ve bound me like this!”

“We only restrained you so you wouldn’t run again. Please understand.”

“Never! What are you planning to do with me?!”

“Not planning anything—helping you. You were preparing some kind of operation here, weren’t you?”

At that, his face went red again.

‘This guy… really can’t hide anything.’

Disappointing, almost comical, compared to what she’d expected.

What had he been doing here?

“I can’t say everything, but I do have a mission to help you. So tell me—what were you doing here?”

“There’s nothing!”

He resisted stubbornly, and Eden felt irritation rising. Finding him had been easy—getting him to talk was the hard part.

She could understand his mistrust, but she couldn’t exactly claim she was the Saintess of Hesmore and had been commanded by oracle to assist him. She had no Holy Stone left, and even if the quest said so, she couldn’t be certain he was fully trustworthy.

“Looks like you won’t talk. Choco, flip him again. Let’s leave him here. He’s a mage—he can escape on his own.”

Obediently, Hegenti gestured, flipping Chediak upside down again. His face went deathly pale.

“Then we’ll be going.”

Eden and Hegenti turned away. They had barely taken a few steps when a desperate cry rang out.

“W-wait! Don’t go!”

Eden halted, and Hegenti stopped with her. She glanced back.

“Changed your mind?”

“F-first, tell me—how did you know who I am…?”

“Oh, still not ready? Let’s go, Choco.”

As she turned away again, he shouted frantically:

“Damn it! Fine, I’ll talk! Just put me down!”

At her glance, Hegenti rotated him upright once more. Chediak sagged, panting, his face a wreck.

Eden waited silently until he calmed down.

At last, he glanced at her and muttered—

“…But seriously, is his name Choco?”

Choco had been the name of Eden’s childhood puppy in her old world. Since “Hegenti” was too distinctive, she had decided to give him a temporary alias.

It was the name of the one who had always stayed by her side through the lonely nights. And, come to think of it, his big eyes did look a little like Choco’s.

“Got a problem with that?”

“Not a problem, exactly, but…”

“Why make a fuss about someone else’s name?”

“…I apologize. That wasn’t my intent, Mr. Choco.”

Though Chediak apologized politely, Hegenti didn’t even look at him. He seemed indifferent, just waiting for this tedious exchange to end.

“Enough about that. Now, tell us—what were you doing here?”