Ayanokouji Kiyotaka 177

Title: The Controlled Future

After some time of communication, Ayanokouji and Crusch reached a consensus. After that, Ayanokouji would temporarily operate in the Karsten Mansion to assist Crusch in handling matters related to the black market and prove that the so-called Illusion was not real.

All of this was within his plan.

On the way back to the royal capital, Crusch rode the earth dragon and slowly approached him, asking curiously, “May I ask some questions in a way that might be offensive?”

“Please ask, if I know, I will tell you as much as I can.” Ayanokouji answered.

“I want to know, are you truly a product of the White Room Project?” Crusch wanted to get more information.

“That’s right.” Ayanokouji nodded and answered without hesitation.

“Then... Do you truly not understand what are called feelings?”

“It’s not that I don’t understand it at all. I have the most basic concept, but I myself cannot understand it.” Ayanokouji was not lying, as there was no need to lie in this regard, and he was telling the truth precisely. If he said it, it could also increase her trust in him.

“Cruel and inhuman actions...”

“No, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with such behavior.” Ayanokouji replied directly.

“Huh?” A confused expression appeared on Crusch’s face.

“I use my emotions to gain enough ability, that’s what ordinary people have learned.” Ayanokouji explained, “Besides, the people created by the White Room Project are meant to be leaders, to manage and benefit the people. Let people live together, with fewer emotions and make this country better.”

Ayanokouji slightly changed his words, which had altered the nature of the White Room Plan.

Actually, he didn’t have any particular thoughts about the White Room Project. He didn’t feel disgusted or grateful, he considered it a small thing that had happened. Even if he felt something now, he couldn’t change what happened in the past.

“I see...” Crusch nodded. Now she should be able to understand what Ayanokouji had just said, prioritizing the lives of the citizens of the royal capital.

This did align with the contents of the illusion. The White Room Plan was to create someone who controlled the country. Ayanokouji’s statement also made sense.

“But Ayanokouji, you yourself haven’t become a leader? Haven’t you always intervened as a facilitator?” Crusch continued to ask.

“Just focus on the outcome, whatever the process, as long as the ultimate goal can be achieved, it’s enough.” Ayanokouji said expressionlessly.

“Really?”

“Oh, Crusch-sama, there’s one more thing I want to ask for your help with.” Ayanokouji said.

“What is it?”

“If you’re willing to wait a while, could you allow me to take a detour for a bit?”

“What’s going on?”

“I want to pick someone up and have them come with me.” Ayanokouji said calmly.

“Is it Beatrice?” Crusch immediately thought of this name.

And Ayanokouji’s eyebrows raised slightly: “Yes, was it easy to guess?”

❀❀❀

Inside the prison, a man named Ayanokouji Atsuomi raised his head and looked at the screen where Ayanokouji Kiyotaka mentioned the White Room Plan, his eyebrows furrowed and his eyes filled with anger.

It was Ayanokouji who sent the man who was his father to prison.

That sudden vision destroyed everything Atsuomi had managed for years. He immediately made amends, moved all his ‘work’ to another place, and eliminated all traces as much as possible, not even leaving a footprint or fingerprint.

But in the end, he made the biggest mistake, which was bringing back his greatest masterpiece, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka.

Atsuomi couldn’t predict that his son would defy his ideas and take action against him.

When Atsuomi went to the Advanced Nurturing High School to talk to his son, everything was recorded by the other party and used as evidence and sent to his political opponents.

Not only that, the people he initially planned to send to the Advanced Nurturing High School to take action against Chairman Sakayanagi had also been informed of the trend beforehand, so there was no room for a detour.

In addition, Butler Matsuo contacted reporters and, as a witness, admitted to all his actions.

In the end, Atsuomi’s political kingdom, which was ready to rise again, collapsed in just a few days. Even though he had the power to cover the sky with one hand, his political opponents were not vegetarians, let alone the fact that they had to bear the pressure from other countries.

Atsuomi eventually lost everything and was imprisoned. As a result, the incident ended happily.

“Kiyotaka, I trained you to be too good...”

Atsuomi muttered to himself, and it seemed like there were a lot of emotions hidden in his tone, like a volcano about to erupt.

❀❀❀

After Crusch spoke with Ayanokouji, she rode the Earth Dragon to check on the situation of others in the team.

“This is not good, meow, Crusch-sama.” Felix still had a sense of disbelief, “Felix always felt that Ayanokouji wasn’t a good person, meow.”

“It’s okay.” Crusch turned and said, “Ayanokouji helped us a lot this time, and we all have to repay each other for the sake of circumstances. Besides, we can also better understand whether Ayanokouji is truly different from the one in the illusion. My Divine Protection doesn’t sense that he’s hiding anything, and even if he is hiding it, he’ll definitely show flaws, and every move he makes will be under our surveillance.”

“So that’s how it is, you are indeed very wise!” A smile immediately appeared on Felix’s face.

A few meters behind them, Ayanokouji also followed behind them. Although the distance was not far, due to the vast terrain and the large number of parade participants, he could not clearly hear the content of their conversation in front. But by reading lips, he could also guess what the other party was saying.

‘If you doubt me, doubt me as much as you can. The more you doubt me now, the more you will trust me in the future. Only in this way can you become my tool willingly.’

The scene changed, a day later, Ayanokouji first picked up Beatrice, then followed Crusch back to the capital. In addition, before leaving, he gave a letter to Rem and asked her to send it to Emilia who was still in the Sanctuary.

Rem, who had been traveling all this time, did not have a good impression of Ayanokouji, because in the illusion, Ayanokouji regarded the villagers in Arlam Village as victims to achieve his own goals, but after hearing that he was interested in the Sanctuary, and afterwards contributed to the lives of the people, it changed slightly.

Furthermore, Rem didn’t smell a strong scent of magic on his body, as in the illusion, so there was no hostility.

On the contrary, Emilia had followed Ayanokouji’s words and had stayed in the Sanctuary, becoming closer to the villagers in the Sanctuary, and was not in a hurry to break through the trials and liberate the Sanctuary, because liberating the Sanctuary meant that when the barrier failed, the Sanctuary would no longer be a relatively safe place.

Although the liberation of the Sanctuary was an inevitable event, Ayanokouji had to make the most of its value before it happened.

The letter he left for Emilia was to inform her of the current trend and what he wanted to do in the future – Ayanokouji had explained what might happen in the future.

When he picked up Beatrice, Beatrice deliberately wanted to show that she hated troublesome things, but she still couldn’t hide the happy smile on her face. After all, Ayanokouji fulfilled the terms of the contract and took her away.

Beatrice liked the feeling of being taken seriously.

After that, Ayanokouji followed Crusch’s troops and infiltrated the royal capital and slipped into the Karsten Mansion. This matter was kept secret and no one else knew about it.

Reinhard wouldn’t betray Ayanokouji, and the soldiers who participated in the White Whale killing operation, including Wilhelm, were very grateful to him, and wouldn’t reveal his whereabouts.

After returning to the royal capital, Crusch and Reinhard immediately reported what happened to the elders of the Council of Wise Men. Because of the illusion, more than half of the members of the Council of Wise Men had changed their candidates.

After learning that the illusion might have been interfered with by the Witch Cult, everyone present was very surprised. And after hearing about the Witch Cult’s ambush and Ayanokouji’s achievements, the members of the Council of Wise Men and the nobles also began to reconsider the matter.

Ayanokouji still couldn’t be trusted 100%, but the search and pursuit of him had stopped for the time being – however, there would still be people who chose to act secretly and wanted to get rid of him.

But this outcome had achieved Ayanokouji’s desire. No one could confirm the authenticity of the illusion, so they themselves couldn’t confirm its authenticity.

Then he had room to completely change his reputation.

A few days later, the celebration party for the killing of the White Whale was soon held at the Karsten family Mansion. Crusch and Reinhard were both present. As for Ayanokouji, due to his special status, he chose not to participate.

As the banquet was held, he slightly disguised himself and slipped into the banquet.

His purpose was very clear, he just wanted to get close to someone at the party.

He looked around, making sure Reinhard and the others were talking, and approached his target.

A girl with short blonde hair and fiery red eyes.

Felt.

At this time, Felt was wearing a luxurious dress. She was sitting next to him. She didn’t seem used to the clothes on her body. She pulled her clothes in a rather unethical way.

“Really, I really don’t understand why Reinhard has to bring me to this place.” Felt’s mouth pouted slightly, and her eyes were fixed on the cup in front of her containing juice.

Because this was a very important banquet in the royal capital, Reinhard brought Felt here, hoping that she would show her face in public more often, and with other high-status people, forging good relationships would increase her chances of winning among the throne selections.

Although Reinhard had extraordinary strength and status as the Sword Saint, in politics, he had no right to make decisions.

And Felt didn’t like being restrained like this. Even if she knew the benefits of Reinhard, she didn’t like doing it.

If it weren’t for Rom, Felt wouldn’t want to join the royal family at all.

Although she initially disliked such events, she thought she could try drinking, so she was interested. However, Reinhard specifically told her before coming that she was not old enough to drink, so Felt was less interested.

There were many nobles nearby who knew Felt’s identity, but they were not interested in the girl who appeared out of nowhere, and they also had no respect to make the Dragon Crest shine, there was no proof. After all, she was just an outcast living in the slums.

Besides, Felt didn’t like talking to those people. She could strongly sense other people’s attitude towards her.

Her appearance here today could be said to be Reinhard’s fault. After all, even though Reinhard had a powerful strength that couldn’t be explained by common sense, he was still at the level of an ordinary person in politics.

An ordinary person who couldn’t fight against those political monsters.

And what Ayanokouji wanted to take advantage of was this.

At this time, through disguise and his ‘mysterious’ ability, he could completely hide his identity.

Ayanokouji arrived next to Felt, who noticed his presence, but didn’t want to talk to him.

He was the first to speak: “Felt-sama, you seem a little troubled?”