Smash It Up

22

The Imperial Intelligence Agency’s archives were more bustling than usual.

The staff deployed to uncover the identity of the ‘key’ Oracle sought were sifting through data day and night.

Of course, if it was merely searching existing records, asking Lisa, with her perfect recall, would suffice.

However, no matter how capable she was, handling the constant influx of newly updated information alone was beyond her, so she needed help.

“Any progress, Lisana?”

“A-ah, no, not yet…”

Answering Celine, who had come to check on her, Lisana continued organizing files frantically.

Seeing Lisana, who had been intently poring over data for three days with hardly any sleep, Celine took her shoulders.

“Take a break. You might collapse again.”

“R-really…?”

Lisana, already nearing her limit, nodded at Celine’s suggestion and accepted the coffee she offered.

Sipping it, slowly calming her mind. Then, as if struck by a thought, she asked.

“B-by the way, is it really true that the ＜Golden Griffin＞ is holding the Intelligence Agency’s company dinner…?”

“Yes, it’s true.”

“Unbelievable…”

Celine chuckled, amused by Lisana’s incredulous reaction.

Rumors had been circulating within the Intelligence Bureau, carried by owls returning from the Praus Holy Kingdom, whispering of a celebratory dinner.

The rumors were soon confirmed as fact, and when it became known that the Director himself had proposed the dinner, the Intelligence Bureau could barely contain their surprise.

That alone was an event of earth-shattering proportions, but that wasn’t all.

When it was revealed that the Director had personally chosen the Golden Gryphon as the location, the Intelligence Bureau descended into near frenzy.

‘It’s probably Christina’s doing, nagging him, but I suppose it doesn’t matter.’

Celine had dined with the Director, just the two of them.

A completely different realm from a dinner with everyone gathered together.

Thanks to that, she could bask in a sense of superiority whenever she witnessed reactions like these.

“I, I really think I made the right choice coming to the Intelligence Bureau…”

“Then to enjoy the dinner to the fullest, we should discover the identity of the key, shouldn’t we?”

“Y-yes, of course. But other than the fact that it’s suspected to be an artifact, there are no clues…”

It was clear that it wasn’t an ordinary artifact, but they couldn’t even ascertain its appearance, let alone its location, so the investigation was inevitably struggling.

“I suppose the Oracle hasn’t been able to find it for the same reason. If only we knew its purpose, at least.”

“Y-yes, you’re right. Oh, speaking of which, what about the Director? He didn’t come to the archives today…”

At Lisana’s question, Celine rose from her seat and replied.

“The Director went to see his younger brother.”

“H-his younger brother? Why all of a sudden… Ah.”

The Director’s younger brother, and the second son of the Duke’s family, Karl Barmut.

He was the next Duke, and a renowned artifact researcher at the same time.

“Well then, I should be going.”

“A-ah, yes. Thank you for the coffee…”

“And Lisana.”

“Yes?”

“It might be good to wash up a little. And change your clothes.”

Lisana stared blankly at Celine’s retreating figure as she left the archives, then cautiously raised her arm and sniffed.

“Eek?!”

That day, Lisana was seen rushing frantically into the showers by several agents and staff.

—

Ah, my hiding place has vanished.

In the Director’s office, with Celine by her side, I have to pretend to be doing something.

But if I go to the archives, my subordinates are too busy trying to uncover the identity of that key Oracle’s after; it’s hardly an atmosphere for goofing off.

Having lost my sanctuary, I agonized over it for ages before coming to the University.

Under the guise of seeking advice from my artifact researcher brother, I can confidently play hooky.

Though, while I’m here, I suppose I should at least show my face.

After asking a passing student for the location of my brother’s lab, I went straight to see him.

I knocked, requested permission, then opened the door to find Karl sitting at his desk, fiddling with something, his eyes widening.

“Brother?! What brings you to the University so suddenly…?”

“I have a matter about which I’d like to seek your counsel.”

“Counsel? From me, Brother?”

What, can’t I ask a question?

I explained the general situation to the bewildered Karl.

“I see. Oracle… I heard about them from Father, but they seem even more dangerous than I thought. Still, for something like that, you didn’t need to come all the way here, you could have just called me.”

If I’d done that, I wouldn’t have been able to skip work, would I?

“So, do you have any inkling as to the key’s identity?”

“Hmm… Just a moment.”

Karl, after asking me to wait a moment, rummaged through a large bookshelf behind him, pulling out several volumes and bringing them to me.

You’re not expecting me to read all of this, are you, little brother?

If that’s the case, this big brother is turning tail and running!

Contrary to my fears, Karl didn’t tell me to read the books. Instead, he opened one himself and began explaining, pointing to a paragraph with his finger.

“As you know, artifacts are relics from ancient times, or even further back, from the age of myth. In a way, they can be considered the magic tools of that era, but in essence, they’re quite different.”

If I were to pick the biggest difference between artifacts and magic tools, it would be that the ‘older’ the artifact, the better it performs.

Many of the well-crafted modern magic tools possess power comparable to artifacts from ancient times.

But they cannot surpass the age of myth.

“It’s only natural, since it was literally the era when gods lived, but regardless, there have been conflicts over their ownership since long ago.”

Because of this, the academic consensus seems to be that almost everything of note has already been revealed to the world.

“Of course, one cannot deny the possibility that some have been left neglected, unknown, as artifacts appear no different from ordinary objects at first glance, and they don’t come with instruction manuals.”

“So, that means the key isn’t an artifact?”

Karl shook his head at my words and opened a new book.

“What I mentioned earlier pertains to artifacts that have already revealed their form. If it’s an object whose location, appearance, and purpose are unknown, then there’s a high probability it’s from the Mythic Era.”

I lowered my head to read the passage Karl pointed to in the book.

“What’s written here are artifacts from the Mythic Era?”

Seems like a lot.

“More accurately, things that are *presumed* to be artifacts. The feather of the Archangel Angelus, the light of the Sun God Phraus, Laplace’s Demon, the tears of the Moon Goddess… opinions vary depending on the method of interpreting the literature, but these are generally assumed to be artifacts.”

Ah, so it’s interpretable this way too. Fascinating. The ideas of those smart folks really are on another level.

“Besides that, there’s also something called the Seven Stars, said to have been left behind by the Moon Goddess in fairytales, but even before it being preposterous, there aren’t many documents left, so it’s difficult to say anything about it.”

It’s alright. This is enough.

“Thanks. Then, from now on, I should focus my investigation on artifacts that *might* have existed in the Mythic Era.”

Even if I’m ‘investigating’, my subordinates will be doing the actual work.

“I’m glad if I’ve been of assistance.”

“Yeah. By the way, it’s been bothering me since earlier, but what’s that metal box-looking thing?”

He was fiddling with it when I came in too… a toy?

At my question, Karl scratched his cheek and said, looking perplexed.

“Actually, this is also an artifact. A friend from my academy days who became an adventurer asked me to investigate it after discovering it in a dungeon.”

Karl picked up the metal box and handed it to me.

It feels heavier than it looks.

“Is it some kind of puzzle?”

“Yes. The structural analysis is complete, but the results show that it’s been designed structurally to be unresolvable, so I’ve been racking my brain over it.”

A puzzle designed to be unsolvable… what morbid taste.

“Then, is *this* itself the artifact?”

“Probably not. There’s something inside, too.”

“Then I guess I’ll just break it open.”

“Pardon?”

You said there’s something inside. But if I can’t open it, the only remaining option is to smash it, right?

Well, it’s Karl’s problem to handle. It’s none of my business.

After returning the metal box, I asked if he wanted to have dinner together, but he declined, saying he had things to do.

Seriously, I’m so sad.

—

“Smash it open, you say?! Professor, what on earth are you talking about!?”

The disciple, trailing after him as he trudged along carrying the metal box, was aghast and tried to dissuade him, but Karl paid him no mind.

“My brother told me to smash it open. So, I’ll smash it open.”

“The, the Iron-Blooded Minister?! B-But he’s hardly an artifact expert…?”

Karl’s footsteps halted.

He turned, and the disciple flinched visibly.

It was the first time he’d ever received such a contemptuous glare from his esteemed professor, as if he were some kind of vermin.

“If my brother says black is white, then it is white. Don’t you dare presume to understand his intentions. Don’t even try. The logic that binds commoners like us means nothing to him.”

To break open an artifact to extract its contents was, undoubtedly, unheard of.

Ordinarily, one had to solve the puzzle encasing the artifact to retrieve what was within; scholars called this the Trial of Wisdom.

The mere suggestion of forcing it open would invite immediate ridicule.

But so what?

If his brother told him to jump into a blazing fire, Karl would leap without hesitation. If he told him to place his head on the guillotine, he would do so without a second thought.

He knew his brother never spoke or acted without reason, which was why he never questioned, never doubted.

“If you still aspire to be my disciple, never utter such foolishness again. Understood?”

“P-Professor…”

Leaving his worried disciple behind, Karl went to the garden, placed the metal box on a suitable rock, and hefted the hammer he had taken from the tool shed with all his might.

With a mighty swing, the hammer struck the metal box.

“What…!”

Then, an astounding thing happened.

The instant the hammer impacted the metal box, the metal puzzle encasing it began to unravel of its own accord with a soft, cascading sound.

‘So that’s it! Impact. The answer was to apply impact!’

The metal, which had formed a small, square box-shaped puzzle, instantly became a flat surface, revealing the true artifact hidden beneath.

Ignoring the dumbstruck gaze of his disciple, who was witnessing this scene, Karl reached out and picked it up, then lifted his head to gaze at the sky.

‘You never cease to enlighten your lacking brother, brother.’