Seven!　You're late!　What the hell are you doing?　The stew is cold!

'Sorry, I'm just (・・・・). And reheat it. I don't like cold ones.

I'm already doing it!


　Light is rewarming the stew while being plump and angry.

　If it's a good time, I want to eat it well, and if it's a good time, I guess I want Light to eat it well too.


You'll be able to find out if there's something wrong?　There was a lot of noise in the hallway earlier.


　While stirring the stew, Wright asks me about that.

　Hmmm, I don't know where to start. ......


'First the emperor called me in, and then the emperor was brainwashed by Spica, and then I almost got brainwashed by Spica, and then I had to break that guy's shadow brainwashing before I could get Spica.

Wait. This is the most confusing thing ever. Oh, what?　Did your father brainwash you?　For Spica!　Huh?　Hey (・・・・) what!　Seven I know what a little bit means!　Explain it to me!


　There you go, you're a pain in the ass.


Don't act like we're getting out of here.


　Geez, they know.

　Wright forgot to stir the stew and bit into my story.


'You're going to burn the stew.'

No, it's about time you ate ......, now is not the time!

So let's talk about it over dinner.

...... ahhh, f*ck it!


　Scratching the back of his head three times, Wright took the stew off the fire.

　I served them quickly on plates for two people and sprinkled a pinch of chopped parsley over them.

　Now, now, let's wait and see. It's Wright's special white stew.

　There was rice on my table without being asked about it. In contrast, Wright is like a piece of baked bread.

　You're a rice anyway, right?　Rough delivery of food, as if to say. No, well, honestly, I like both of them just as much. Sylvia and Yukari always look at me like, "You're serious ......?" but Eco and Raz are good, understanding people.


Oh yum!

Early!　It's fast, from the moment you put it in your mouth to the moment you think about it.

It's that straightforward. You should try it yourself.

'What?　Uh-huh.


　The stew was very well done.

　Wright followed me and brought a spoon to his mouth.


'Oh, sure, it's ...... me,'


　The food tasted better than I thought it would, and his face was relieved.


　We spent the next few minutes talking about the food and enjoying dinner with Light.


''You're looking pretty calm by the way, aren't you?

No, it's Seven's fault.


　When my plate was empty, when I cut it out like that, Wright responded with a dumbfounded look. It's typical of Light that it's not 'thanks' but 'because'.


'Then let's just get to the point anyway. Your father seems to have been brainwashed by Spica for a long time. He was forced to obey her with the skill of brainwashing magic, regardless of his own will. I'm going to ask him how long that was, what he was made to do and what changed.

Brainwashing witchcraft ...... If your father was brainwashed for two years?

What makes you think that?

It was two years ago that he became unusually cold towards me. If you recall, the policies of the Empire have changed since then, with Cigarone being made vizier and your mother imprisoned. So that's what happened!　Two years ago is right around the time we welcomed Spica to the Imperial Castle as a fortune teller: ......!


　Wright let go of the spoon, rattled his chair, stood up, and clenched his fist in a rasping, shaky fist.

　-- or so I thought. He suddenly relaxes and looks at me.


...... Well, there's no point in me panicking. Seven, I'll leave you to it.

!


　Hey, hey, hey, hey!　What the hell, Wright!　You've grown up so much!


Seven. Can I ask for one?

Oh, come on, say what you want.

I wonder if your father was under the influence of brainwashing and was cold to me: ......


　And then I was about to say.

No, no, I don't want to.

　Wright has stopped asking me for a favor or something. For some reason, he looks like he's blown it.


'What, are you sure?'


　I asked, and Wright made a quick upward gesture with both palms of his hands and opened his mouth.


'I figured checking wouldn't change anything. I decided to go my own way. I don't have to cling to my father's or sister's opinion of me anymore.


　No, seriously, what's wrong with you? You've grown too much in the last few days, haven't you?

　As I rolled my eyes, Wright chuckled as if he had guessed and said this.


'It was Seven's fault (...). Didn't you realize that?

...... That's one for you, man.


　It doesn't seem to be a serious aspiration to become a chef, but finding enjoyment in the small amount of food he cooks every day must have helped him grow spiritually.

　That's kind of exciting, isn't it?


'So what's up with the Spica in question?'

'Oh, prison. In addition to your father, there were other people in there, like a deranged Spica, or a brainwashed Spica's shadow, or an assassin that Melson brought in, and there was all sorts of stuff going on, but I took care of it all.

'Soooo awesome. If that's true, then ...... you've had a rough day, Seven.

No, it all happened in an hour or so.

...... I'm used to it by now, but hey, can you stop trying to solve it in less time than it takes me to make stew?


　Wright, who was so much calmer because of me, said with a zit-eyed dismay.

　Oh, well, it's okay. It's better to be early.



"Thanks for the food.

　I finished my after-dinner tea and sat down. It was almost 30 minutes past the appointed time.


Well, I guess we have to work late again today after all.


　He stretched out gingerly and said a few words.

　Then Light opens his mouth as if to say, "Oh dear.


''But you seem to be in better spirits than when you've been accumulating papers.

　Oh well.


It was the stew, wasn't it?

Bullshit!


　Both of us naturally broke into a face.






'--Seven. I don't know how to thank you for that one.


　As soon as I entered the Emperor's room, he said these words and bowed his head.


"I promise you, Gordo Malvel, that I will repay you with the utmost gratitude and respect.


　He couldn't have been more sincere.

　It's not often that an emperor bows his head. I'm sure the reason he bowed is because Casablanca and I are the only ones here. I know that this is not the right thing to do.


"First of all, it's time for me to get brainwashed, but I've got ...... in mind.

''Brainwashing magic is always successful if it is activated while touching the opponent's body. His Majesty must have touched some part of his body.

"You said Casablanca. Yes, he's right. Two years ago, Carlton, the best fortune teller in the capital, praised Spica as a "rare fortune teller" and recommended her to me, and I was curious and granted an audience with her. At that time, I showed Spica my palm when he said he was going to read my palm. When I think about it, the brainwashing began at that moment.


　Carlton is the best fortune teller in the imperial city. He must be a very famous fortune teller since the emperor recognizes him as the best in the imperial city.


''There's no doubt about it. I met her in the House of Pianissimo, where she served as a slave servant.

...... slave. Hmmm, yes it was.


　The same thing that Phillip-san of the Maurice Chamber of Commerce had told me came out of Casablanca's mouth. That man seems to be doing business with solid information. Phillip's favorability rating increased by one in my mind.


'Yes. I was bypassed almost two years ago when I visited the Pianissimo family to receive a request for an assassination, and I was bypassed by her who came to serve me. From that moment on, I was brainwashed into assassinating the head of the Pianissimo family by pretending he was ill. The family had been rumored to be black from the beginning. Amidst a succession of inheritance disputes, the former head of the family was found to be corrupt and was soon demolished. Afterwards, I went with her to visit the fortune teller, Carlton.

You're connected to me.

''Yes. I believe her purpose was already to brainwash His Majesty, even more so than when she brainwashed me.

So, have you?

Carlton the Fortune Teller has also been brainwashed. He kept saying that he could not be succeeded by anyone other than Spica Amrit, sometimes involving the newspapers in promoting her greatness, so that it took him less than a month to gain an audience with you.

I also remember. Initially, I thought it was just a young man with a great fortune teller. ...... I didn't know there was such a thing behind it.


　It's a hell of a story. Spica had been treated so badly by the Pianissimo family since he was a child, Philip had told me. The motivation to kill the head of the family first is probably too good to be true.


　...... I see. I somehow understood why Spica was able to learn the 《Brainwashing Magic》.

The condition for learning it was that she had to "receive three hundred attacks from a slave with assassination skills. The Pianissimo family she had lived in since she was a child was such a terrible environment.

　No, but ...... after spending more than ten years there, it would only take three hundred times?　If that's the case, wouldn't Spica learn the Brainwashing Magic even sooner?　I'm sure there are more ways to learn, right?


　Yes, for example - Spica Amrit, she is the illegitimate child of the female duke Lucia Aisin, and it is possible that she inherited the Brainwashing Magic upon her death.

　That's just my guess. But ...... ah, that one still makes more sense to me. The one time Winfiled mentioned that Lucia must have used it somewhere. I had a sneaking feeling that maybe that was the one he used on Spica.

　This case made it clear to me. The all-important countermeasure is to get brainwashed once. If Lucia loved Spica, it's not unreasonable to assume that Spica would have taken measures to prevent her from a young age. Because Lucia is also protecting Yukari as a result.

　Lucia may have sent Spica to the Empire using the Maurice Chamber of Commerce in order to keep him away from political strife.

　And then he brainwashed her like this. "Forget about the Brainwashing Magic" - he said.

　The growth type is inherited. Growth type is inherited, and that was evident from the Nova case. If that was the case, wouldn't NPC-specific skills like the Brainwashing Magic be inherited as well?　Wasn't Spica born with a mastery of the Brainwashing Magic?

　I'm sure you'll be able to find out more about this in the future.


　I'm not sure if it's just my imagination. But it makes sense.

　And also the reason why I feel like I might be - the ring that Spica wore on her hand a lot (...).

　Lucia was the same. The heavy makeup, the colorful jewelry, and her taste in clothes were very similar to the NPC Lucia Icene I knew.


　--and this is the result?

　It's kind of disheartening.

　Maybe it was something I did out of deep love. Maybe I left my child alive in a desperate attempt to get her to a safe place, or at least to stay alive.

　But the fact is, this is what happened. Spica was warped (...). Stronger and more complicated than anyone could save him - and that's what happened.


............

　Let's keep this reasoning and the Emperor and Casablanca quiet. From now on, we shouldn't talk too much about the Brainwashing Magic. There are some people in the world who cannot resist its temptation.

　What's important in this meeting right now is not her background, but the two years they spent.



'Phew ...... the empire has changed terribly in the last two years.


　The Emperor meditated and turned over slightly and sighed. That would make him want to sigh a sigh or two.

　By the way, how many people has Spica brainwashed so far?　Casablanca, Carlton the fortune-teller, the Emperor, me, and Miss Lingling, so five?　No, I didn't end up taking it, so I guess it's four. That's just the maximum number of times Winfiled expected.


I've made Cigarone the vizier. He has only favored his daughter and mistreated his son. He has imprisoned his wife. Two years. That's too long. Oh, come to think of it, ...... all that folly.

　The emperor puts his hand to his forehead and speaks of his regret while lying face down.


"...... You didn't even send reinforcements to Val and leave him to die. If only I'd let Cigarone go out that time.


　Whoa, Baru?　Is that Vizier Val Moreau, the Imperial Dog who was once in the Kingdom of Castal, the Prime Minister?


What's Val?

Don't you know about Seven? That's understandable. Val is an old friend of mine.

Old friend ......

He had planned to infiltrate the heart of the Castal Kingdom, install the First Prince as his puppet, and take control of the country, only to be defeated in the heat of battle.

　There's no doubt about it. I'm talking about Val Morrow.


'I had originally ordered him to return to the Empire if he was unable to carry out his plan. We kept in touch with each other frequently, and the plan was working. But for two years now, I've been on .......


　Team-only communication. I thought for sure that guy should have used it, but Winfiled said it was unlikely. If that's what the military strategist was doing, then there really wasn't much chance of it happening.

　I see ...... used to use it until two years ago. After the emperor was brainwashed, it was a one-way street from Val. So I said, "You have a way to contact him, don't you? And I think he just shut up when he encouraged Val Moreau to do so.


'Val was in too deep,' he said. Ah ...... well, I finally realized that. Cigarone was right. It is the way of the empire to strike head-on, without using any backhandedness. That guy was trying to correct me all the time while I was brainwashed, even after I became the vizier I didn't want to be: ......

　The emperor finally looked up from his downcast face, as if he was sorry.


''And there it is. I don't know what would have happened to me if it weren't for Sotho. Seven, Sotho and Cigarone have worked very hard and sincerely for me, even when I was brainwashed and had no choice in the matter. I thank you again. Thank you ......!

　He must be really grateful, right? I received another thank you from the emperor with moist eyes.



''Your Majesty. There is one thing that bothers me.

Oh, what is it?　I'll tell you what.


　I felt like he was going to answer me, so I asked him what I was wondering about.


'Why is Spica favoring His Highness Melson, treating His Highness Wright coldly, imprisoning His Majesty the Queen ...... uh, well,'

Don't worry about it. Just tell me.

Yes. I wondered why he called you "Father."

...... That's it.


　The emperor instantly looks stern.

　No, but you'll be wondering about this one!

　I thought it might be a little bad, but my curiosity got the better of me. I hope I didn't piss you off: .......


'Casablanca. You've already got it figured out that way.

Yes, sir.


　Then the Emperor, oddly enough, turned the conversation to Casablanca.

　Casablanca also nodded, for some reason.

　What is it?　This isn't just father-daughter play?



She has always been chasing what she couldn't get at ...... as a child.

!


　What I didn't get as a child.

　And that's what you call a father?


'Her spirit is a child. As a child, she is frozen in time. It's not a place where she could ever grow up straight.

'I was spoiled all the time with Yo. She was acting like a young girl spoiling her father, asking for praise because she worked hard on this today, or asking him to listen to her because she didn't like that today.

In contrast, he hates his mother for condemning him to hell. Hence my decision to imprison Her Majesty Queen Cleara.

'I had compassion for Melson. It must have hurt his conscience to let him go through his adolescence without a father like himself. In contrast, there was jealousy in Wright. Two years ago, he was only fourteen years old, and he was spoiled by me. In addition to that cocky personality, Spica was resentful of it. I'm sure he wanted to keep me all to himself just for the sake of it.

His Majesty's conversion from meritocracy to pacifism and his complete avoidance of war for the sole reason of preserving his 'life of luxury and opulence with his father'.

I have no idea why I didn't send reinforcements to Valu. The reason for not sending reinforcements to Valu and for not allowing Cigarone to interfere in the strategy of his generalship was to protect the fact that everything is working so well for you now.

The life of luxury is a reaction to the life of slavery. The war must have frightened her. She was obsessed with His Excellency Lord Seven: ...... Perhaps that was her first love.



　............ I see.

　The two people who had been closest to Spica for two years would say that, so it must be true.


'I see.'


　Oh, I don't really want to think about ...... who is or isn't to blame, but I don't really want to think about it.


　All I can say is that this is ...... terrible.



"Seven. I'm not going to change my mind. This will not change.

No, I don't mean to sound sympathetic.

What does your face want to say to me, then?

Just .......


　Just.


It's just disgusting to death.

It's at .......


　The emperor, who quietly nodded his eyes meditatively, seemed to be in the same mood as me.

　I'm in this mood because I've speculated about Spica's upbringing and the Lucia Icene related to the 《Brainwashing Magic》. In the same way, the emperor is also in this mood because of the two years that he and Spica have been treating each other like a real father and daughter.

　Casablanca's expression, I should say that she is a quintessential professional assassin, hasn't moved even a twitch. However, her heart is perhaps even worse than me and the emperor. It's not an exaggeration to say that she has had her own sister killed.



''I think it's time for us to finish.''

　The air became very gloomy, so I suggested we break up.


'So, there is,'

　The emperor nodded and spoke as he rose to his feet.


'Then tomorrow morning, I will gather all my subjects and tell them the truth from my mouth.


　You're going to tell them all. If something like this happened in another country, I'm sure most countries would cover it up. Well, that's just the way the Empire is.


Seven, Casablanca. Seven, Casablanca, you have done a great job today. Get some rest.

Yes, sir.

　Hearing the Emperor's thanks again, me and Casablanca left the room.


'Wait, Seven,'

　But for some reason, I'm the only one who gets stopped.


What's going on?

Hmm. I'll tell you now. It's tomorrow. Yes, the very tomorrow.


　The emperor took a step closer, looked me straight in the eye and spoke out.



"-take my cup.

What about ............?


　My brain freezes.

　A cup?　What's that?　Why?

　Amidst all the questions, the emperor folded up and said, "It is the cup of parent and child, the cup of succession.



It is the cup of parent and child, the cup of succession. Seven, you shall be my son and the next emperor.