The Insane Regressor: Throne of Pride

”Yes, I’ve become a Walker,” Ravian said as he looked at the two gleaming gemstones set within the crown above his head.

Larette broke into a wide smile.

”That’s wonderful! I knew that—”

”Larette.”

She stopped immediately upon hearing the tone with which he called her name.

Ravian raised the bloodstained clothes slightly.

”I don’t want to announce it yet, nor do I want any of the servants to see these clothes or attempt to wash them. I need them completely destroyed without leaving behind a single trace for anyone to find.”

Larette looked at the clothes again, then back at him.

”You hid them beneath the mattress?” she asked.

”Huh? How did you know that, girl? Have you been spying on me?” Ravian asked, glancing suspiciously around the room.

”Pfft! No, genius. Look over there.”

Larette giggled softly and pointed toward the edge of the bedsheet, which had been tucked beneath the mattress but had been pulled loose when Ravian hurriedly retrieved the clothes. A dark red stain was clearly visible upon its surface.

”Oh,” Ravian said as he looked over.

Larette watched his reaction with a smile before approaching the bed and—

Swish!

She pulled the bedsheet off the mattress in one smooth motion and wrapped it around her arm.

’Damn, it seems I underestimated this girl’s abilities because of her beautiful, noble appearance,’ Ravian thought as he watched her remake the bed after removing the sheet.

Larette then turned back toward him.

”Now no one will ever know about the clothes that were hidden beneath the mattress. Ever,” she said, giving Ravian a light push on the shoulder.

”I didn’t have anywhere better to put them.”

Ravian felt as though she were indirectly reprimanding him for his stupidity.

”You could have simply called me,” Larette said, looking at him. ”I would have come immediately.”

Ravian raised an eyebrow.

”Call the earl’s daughter in the middle of the night so she could help me hide clothes covered in blood? It would have looked far worse if anyone had caught you here. Don’t you think?”

Larette opened her mouth to answer, but no words came out.

A faint blush spread across her cheeks before she turned her face away.

”Well... you have a point.”

Ravian placed the clothes on the edge of the bed, then looked directly at her.

”Can I rely on you for this?”

Larette turned back toward him, and her hesitation immediately vanished.

”Of course,” she replied without a moment’s hesitation.

She approached the clothes and examined them without touching them.

”There’s a private furnace beneath the western wing that we use to destroy sensitive documents and dispose of waste from certain chemical experiments. Ordinary servants aren’t allowed inside, and I can access it myself.”

She lifted the cloth covering the breakfast basket, then drew out a thick, liquid-resistant liner from beneath the dishes resting upon it.

”I’ll wrap the clothes and bedsheet in this and conceal them beneath the dishes. No one will see them, and I’ll burn them myself until nothing remains but ash. Afterward, I’ll mix the ash with the coal residue inside the furnace,” Larette explained, listing one step after another as though she had planned all of this in advance. ”There won’t be any trace of them left after that.”

Ravian watched in mild astonishment as she devised all of this so quickly, tightly wrapping the clothes and bedsheet before concealing them beneath the dishes.

’Having a daughter so eager to prove her usefulness was the best decision the earl had ever made in his life... after choosing to work with me, of course,’ Ravian thought as he watched her.

Larette suddenly raised her head toward him.

”What are you thinking about?”

”I’m thinking that I chose the right person for this task.”

A satisfied smile appeared on her face, while Ravian uncovered one of the breakfast dishes and began eating.

He was no longer as hungry as he had been before his physique improved, but he did not want to refuse the food after she had brought it herself, especially when she was about to solve the problem that had troubled him throughout the previous night.

Larette sat in the chair opposite him and watched him for several seconds.

”Do you need anything else?” she asked.

Ravian raised his eyes from his food.

”I need to meet your father this morning.”

Her satisfied smile faded slightly.

”Is it about the project?”

”Not exactly,” Ravian replied.

”Then what is it about?”

Ravian set his fork aside and wiped his mouth with a small napkin.

”I need a library.”

Larette blinked once, then again.

”A library?” she repeated.

”Yes.” Ravian nodded in confirmation.

She gestured toward the room’s door.

”We have a large library here in the manor. You could have asked any servant to show you the way.”

Ravian shook his head.

”I’m not looking for general history books, poetry, or trade records that any noble can purchase copies of. I need information about mana, methods of controlling it, meditation and channeling techniques, elements, and spiritual paths.”

Larette’s eyes narrowed slightly as she listened.

Ravian continued, ”I need original books, not cheap copies rewritten by scribes after half their contents were removed. I want a library containing information of genuine value, and I obviously won’t find anything like that in an ordinary public library somewhere on the capital’s streets.”

Larette fell silent in thought for a moment before making a decision.

”Our private library contains some books about mana and spiritual paths, but most of them aren’t as advanced as what you’re describing.” Larette placed a finger against her chin in thought. ”My father may know of somewhere better. The Imperial Academy has private libraries, along with archives that can only be entered by those bearing noble seals or possessing direct authorization.”

’An academy? I don’t have time for that childish bullshit,’ Ravian thought.

His gaze returned to Larette, who was still waiting for his response.

”That’s why I want to meet him,” he told her.

”Are you planning to use one of the two requests he owes you?” Larette asked.

A faint smile appeared on Ravian’s face.

”That depends on how difficult he is to persuade. I won’t waste an entire request if he can get me into the library with a word or a sealed letter.”

Larette could not help laughing softly, her voice barely rising above its usual volume.

”You never stop calculating gains and losses, even for a moment, do you?”

”That’s why I secured twenty-five percent of the project instead of walking away with a few coins. Don’t you agree?”

Larette looked at him upon hearing the question.

”I agree,” she said. ”I agree with you on everything, of course.”

’Here we go again.’ Ravian rolled his eyes. ’I think I should leave soon.’

Larette rose and picked up the breakfast basket after ensuring that the clothes and the thin, bloodstained bedsheet were completely concealed at the bottom.

”My father is usually in his study after breakfast. I’ll tell him that you wish to meet him, but I can’t guarantee that he’ll be able to obtain permission for you to enter the Academy’s archives so easily.”

”I don’t need a guarantee from you, Larette. I only need to speak with him,” Ravian assured her. ”Leave the rest to me.”

Larette nodded in agreement and headed toward the door, only to stop before opening it and look back at him over her shoulder.

”Congratulations, Rayan.”

Ravian looked at her in silence.

”On reaching the Ninth Rank.” She gave him a sincere smile. ”And I’ll keep it secret until you decide to announce it yourself.”

”Thank you, Larette,” Ravian said, smiling gratefully at her.

She opened the door and departed, carrying with her the final physical evidence of everything that had happened the previous night.

Ravian remained where he was until the sound of her footsteps faded down the corridor, then shifted his gaze toward the morning light beyond the window.

The first problem had been dealt with.

Now he only had to find the knowledge he needed as quickly as possible before returning to the border camp.

’A library to provide me with the foundation, and a teacher to prevent me from building that foundation incorrectly.’

The System had told him that he needed both.

If Earl Patrick could lead him to the right kind of library, all Ravian would need to do afterward was return to the border and meet his master.

However, he did not know that the border he intended to return to was no longer as peaceful as he had left it.

Not in the slightest.