Chapter 269

Volume 2 Ch 12: Doing Something Naughty in the Bathroom

Iruya ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍fell silent for a moment, her fingertips tapping lightly against the tabletop without thinking.

She ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was weighing it.

Ryan’s ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍reasoning was clear, and the plan sounded workable, but injecting such pure, massive energy directly into a body that had only just been heavily damaged—and one that already contained a dangerous construct like the Gospel—still carried enormous risk.

One ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍slip, and the energy could spiral out of control, the arrays could reverse, and Ryan might be blown to ashes in an instant, or have his Mana channels torn apart by the violent surge of Magic.

“The ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍risk is very high.” Her voice was cool, but her eyes remained fixed on Ryan’s. “Even with Serandil’s guidance diagrams, the energy level of the Philosopher’s Stone far exceeds anything ordinary. Your body is very fragile right now. How much confidence do you actually have in succeeding?”

“Seventy ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍percent.”

Ryan gave a number, slightly higher than the sixty percent he had estimated earlier. It was not blind confidence.

“That is assuming your control is precise enough. If we fail, the worst-case outcome is an energy rampage. I could die, and the Philosopher’s Stone might be destroyed as well. But if we do not try, then as time goes on, my body will continue to weaken from this constant Mana starvation, and those two arrays may fall completely silent—or mutate in some unpredictable way. By then, the situation could be even worse.”

He paused, then added, “And I need to recover my strength as soon as possible, even if it is only part of it. Whether it is to deal with possible accidents, or to prepare to search for information about the next Gospel, power is essential.”

Iruya remained silent for a few more seconds. At last, she let out a soft breath and nodded.

“I understand. I’ll help you. But we need to prepare thoroughly, choose the right location, and set up some stabilizing and protective Magic Circles, even if they are only the most basic ones.”

“I’ve already chosen the location.” Ryan stood up. “The private bathroom connected to my bedroom. There is enough space there, and the floor is smooth, waterproof stone, which makes it easy to draw temporary Magic Circles. There is also a large amount of flowing water. If something goes wrong, we can use the water element to suppress and buffer it to a certain degree.”

After a brief moment of thought, Iruya accepted the choice. “That will work. We’ll need some basic materials, mainly pure conductive magic dust, stable energy crystals, and...”

She listed several kinds of magical materials. None of them were truly rare, but they did need to be of high quality.

Ryan memorized the list, turned toward the door, and pulled open the heavy carved wooden panel. The corridor outside was carpeted in thick rugs, and the wall lamps cast warm but sharply bounded halos of light. Raising his voice slightly toward the empty end of the hallway, he called out,

“Someone.”

Almost the instant the word left his mouth, a servant in a dark standard household uniform emerged soundlessly from the shadows beyond the corner of the corridor and strode over at once. She stopped three steps before him and bowed with flawless precision.

“My lord, your command.”

Ryan’s gaze passed calmly over the middle-aged maid.

This residence in the Upper City, along with the servants within it, had been granted by the Emperor as a complete package.

These people had unquestionably received the most professional training. Their conduct was impeccable, their judgment sharp, and they knew well that silence was worth gold.

It was equally unquestionable that among them, more than one pair of eyes belonged to the true master of this Imperial Capital—or to that deeply calculating Royal Princess.

Ryan, however, did not care.

At least on the surface, they were his servants. They were obedient, efficient, and useful. They would allow this newly minted hero to slip quickly into the rhythm of aristocratic life in the capital.

With some things, rather than exhausting oneself trying to guard against inescapable surveillance, it was better to place them in plain view from the very beginning.

As for the things that should not be seen... he had his own methods. Besides, at this stage, allowing certain people to witness actions that fit within their expectations and seemed perfectly logical—such as shutting himself away for research, or meeting with members of Cecilia’s faction—was itself a necessary reassurance.

“Go prepare these materials. They are to be of the highest quality, and send them to my private bathroom as quickly as possible.” Ryan handed over a parchment list he had already written out. “Also, have the bathroom prepared. Set the water temperature properly. I may remain there until rather late. Without my permission, no one is to come near or disturb me.”

“Yes, my lord. The materials will be purchased at once, and I guarantee the finest quality. The bathroom will also be prepared immediately, to ensure that you and... Miss Ilis may use it in comfort.”

The middle-aged maid accepted the list respectfully with both hands and gave it a quick, professional glance. Most of the items were common magical herbs, mineral powders, and basic alchemical materials. A few were somewhat unusual, but none of them were particularly strange.

Her expression remained perfectly normal as she accepted the order. Her voice was steady, without the slightest ripple.

And yet, after Ryan gave a small nod, turned, and went back into the room, closing the door behind him, she stood there holding the list. As she turned toward the stairs, the trained, nearly silent steps of her feet faltered for just an instant.

Her face, so practiced it might as well have been wearing a standard smile-mask, remained expressionless. But deep within her eyes, a strange look very nearly broke through before she suppressed it at once beneath professional obedience.

Fragments of all the elegant scandals and refined improprieties whispered among servants about noble households began to flood uncontrollably through her mind. She hurriedly lowered her eyes, fixed her mind, and recited to herself ten times in silence the first rule of the Royal Servants’ Code of Conduct:

A master’s affairs are not to be seen, not to be heard, not to be imagined, and not to be questioned.

She was a servant trained to the highest standard. She knew what ought to be remembered, what ought to be forgotten at once, and what ought to be buried forever in the stomach.

She squeezed her eyes shut, then opened them again. All that remained there was absolute obedience and efficiency.

Quickening her pace, she almost seemed to float as she hurried downstairs to carry out her new master’s orders.

...

Dinner passed in an atmosphere of subdued silence.

Ryan had little appetite. He ate only a small amount of easily digested food. Iruya, meanwhile, symbolically ate a little fruit and nothing more.

Both of them knew what awaited them next, and without needing to say it aloud, they conserved their strength and their focus.

By the time night fell, all the necessary materials had arrived and were neatly arranged on a small wheeled cart outside the bathroom door.

The vast estate also seemed to have settled into nighttime quiet. The servants had all tactfully withdrawn far from the area where their master was staying.

Ryan’s private bathroom was less a bathroom than a luxurious bathing chamber with every function one could imagine.

It was extremely spacious, covering at least seven or eight hundred square feet, with a high ceiling that made it feel open rather than confined.

The floors and walls were covered in smooth cream-white marble tiles, so tightly fitted and polished that they reflected light like mirrors.

At the center of the room was a huge sunken circular bathing pool, built from the same white marble, its edges rounded and polished smooth.

The pool was large enough to accommodate several people at once. It was empty at the moment, but the bottom and walls were connected to delicate brass pipes and valves that could bring in flowing water at the desired temperature.

One corner of the room contained an independent showering area, partially screened off with frosted glass.

On the other side was a small resting area, furnished with two cushioned lounge chairs and a low table.