Hikari heaved a sigh of relief at the fact Ciel was staying at the Harriet House. she even walking Ciel to the room herself. Tonight, the Onren’s head of management could rest easy, knowing the Unity Lord and her made some progress. She only needed a few more inches to penetrate Ciel’s guard.

Hikari was wrong.

…

Ciel was spending his entire time in the Residence of Lord’s [Workshop] and running several experiments of the drugs he took from the thug in the slums.

As Caislean reached LV 30, [Treasury] transformed into [Workshop] as an upgrade. Originally, [Treasury] was the ability to store inventories in another dimension. Upon upgrading to [Workshop], this feature transformed into a room with several safes and a crafting studio fit for Ciel who recently discovered his talent for artifact creation.

The Unity Lord glared into the powder of ground narcotic. The analyzer he learned to make from Holmes sat beside him. Ciel scanned the list of chemicals, and its effects he put beside the test-table. However, the most problematic thing was a tiny blue bead hidden in the drug. Ciel must admit the scheme was ingenious. The narcotic wasn’t designed to work through inhalation, but ingestion, ensuring the bead would be consumed. Even if some idiot resorted to snorting the drug, it wouldn’t work, and they would likely ignore the bead's existence as some kind of gimmicky marketing feature. Drug addicts weren’t a type of person who checked what they consumed or injected into their body, as long as it got them high. Only people who knew what they were specifically looking for could catch the tail of this scheme.

Ciel inspected the bead and called out what it was.

“A pill-size emotion synchronizing artifacts,” Ciel said. “Likely part of Etaceh’s invasion plan.”

Beside him, his lab assistant, Betty, voiced her opinion.

“So she is attempting to do the same thing she did in Curtis,” Betty said, bitterly remembering how the Lord of Mechanical Magic had swept into the country and stolen it right from under her.

Ciel corrected her assumption, “It isn’t exactly the same. Borbonsi would never allow that kind of breach. He might be overconfident, but he isn’t stupid enough to let Etaceh installed any artifacts inside his border, even with a business deal.”

Betty couldn’t help but feel insulted for falling for such a trick.

“Etaceh knew the social takeover wouldn’t work with Borbonsi being aware,” Ciel concluded. “She knew playing economic warfare isn’t an option against a wealth magnet like him. Political warfare wouldn’t work either. That means she needs to settle with classic invasion — a blitzkrieg.”

Betty found Ciel theory outrageous, “You mean she planned to settle Eleanor in a raid! Isn’t that outrageous? No matter how corrupted Eleanor is, it shouldn’t be that easy to overwhelm a fully armed Mercenary City.”

Ciel showed her the bead, “That is where this thing came in.” He threw the bead at her. “Read it with [Analysis]”

Betty caught the tiny blue bead in her hand and glanced at it.

As awkward as it was, Betty’s contract with Ciel produced a result worthy of her SSR rating. Most of her skill was locked, but she has unlocked two new abilities; [Witch Heart] and [Analysis].

[Witch Heart] was the ultimate supplementary skill for mage. It functioned as an external organ for Mana management. It gave Betty a Mana Battery, allowing her to refine Mana and store it inside her body as extra ammunition. The organ also reduced the impact from channeling Mana and increased the efficiency of her Magic. [Witch Heart] also closely attuned her to the surrounding Mana, amplifying her multicasting abilities.

But the real prize was [Analysis].

[Analysis], as its name suggests, enables Betty to analyze objects, people, technique, and artifacts by looking at them. It revealed the material composition, and explanation behind a phenomenon like a portable encyclopedia. Ciel considered this one of the best utility power in the Acceltra.

Betty’s eyes turned purple as [Analysis] activated.

“A synchronized type emotional manipulator,” Betty described the object as information ran through her eyes. “This thing is pathetic alone, but it can link with several nearby beads to create an emotion wave.” Betty paled. “And it is also very durable.”

“Yes,” Ciel confirmed his guess. “Etaceh probably released this drug into Eleanor on purpose. When she finally invades, she will flip the switch and stir a substantial part of Eleanor into a riot. I will even say she already planted her agents here.” Ciel yawned. “You are right, Betty. It would be too hard to destroy an entire nation with a direct invasion. Instead, Eleanor will be torn apart by an internal uprising in combination with external siege.”

Betty nodded, agreeing with Ciel, but she had one question, “How did Borbonsi miss this?”

“Because he doesn’t expect the puny human to be a threat to him,” Ciel said. “That is his greatest weakness — arrogance, stemming from believing the world functions on a similar wavelength to himself.” Ciel shrugged. “Most of the time, it isn’t so bad. He has a good sense of business and trade. But the moment he selected the ‘best’ option, he got tunnel vision. He already made a profitable business with Etaceh, and believed people are money pumping farms, not assets. Etaceh understood how Borbonsi functioned. She knows he barely gave a damn about the human population, allowing them to be easily compromised. On top of that, the deal between Intelligentsia and Eleanor are mutually beneficial. For Borbonsi, their trade is an insurance that Etaceh wouldn’t attack.”

“It isn’t?” Betty said, unable to understand the game between the Lords.

“Most of the time, no,” Ciel said. “Trades often discourage an all-out war, and Borbonsi would be right. However, that only works against a rational opponent. Etaceh is smart, but she isn’t rational. She is a smartass who got high on wanking off how smart she is. She will pound the easiest bloc first, bask in adoration of her victory, and proclaim she is the miracle worker.” 

Betty tried to ignore the fact Ciel’s description also applied to her.

Ciel continued, ignoring Betty’s discomfort, “And Eleanor’s very set-up supported this tendency of hers. Imagine it,” he waved dramatically, “the underclass oppresses under the booth of corruption, then the Prime Intelligentsia appears out of the sky.” Ciel was totally on the drama. “The oppresses rose in rebellion as Etaceh’s golems march to the city and throw money down the street. Isn’t that something Etaceh would be dying to do?”

“What about Borbonsi?” Betty asked. “He must have something to throw against Etaceh, right?”

“He has,” Ciel said. “But Borbonsi has a weakness in his authority. One that he never expects or comprehends. I’m sure Etaceh already knew about that specific weakness.”

“Oh, stop with the mystery,” Betty said. “What is this flaw?”

“You will know the moment Etaceh used it,” Ciel said. “I could tell you now, but it would spoil the delicious epiphany. Trust me, it would hit Borbonsi where it hurt.”

Betty eyed Rem, miffed at the partner keeping the present wrapped. Then she realized one particular obstacle.

“Should we tell, Hikari?” Betty said.

Ciel absorbed the question and let himself be drowned inside the haze of consideration.

…

Betty’s question would still haunt Ciel even when he woke up tomorrow, ate his breakfast, and met Hikari. She was dressed in her black suit, waiting patiently for him in front of Harriet House for their arranged date.

Even when walking down the street of Eleanor as a couple and entering the dock, the question only built. The two strolled by the sea atop the concrete harbor, enjoying the waterside view, the scent of salt, and the gentle lapping waves. Silence and tension built between the two. Both the Unity Lord and Onren’s manager didn’t know how to start the conversation.

They rounded the corner and continued

At last, Hikari stopped. In front of the couple was a stone tower built next to the harbor. It was a very dark and murky area, not an ideal target for a date. The mystery of why Hikari took them here hung in the air.

“Do you know how Onren’s head of management is selected,” Hikari said gloomily.

“Probably not through a glowing CV,” Ciel replied.

“No,” Hikari said. “We are chosen through a death match. The head of management is just a front.” Hikari opened the door. “The real job is being the leader of the Golden Hand.”

Hikari stepped inside the darkness and beckoned Ciel to follow her, “We are Lord Borbonsi personal assassin and enforcer of Eleanor.”

…

Ciel knew instantly this was a golden hand hideout. At first, the interior looked empty. But then Hikari walked to the far corner of the room and pressed a hidden switch, revealing a trap-door. Beneath the sparse room was a gloomy corridor of dim light and gray brick, lined with the men dressed in black and golden masks. Upon Hikari's entrance, this army of assassins saluted.

 Hikari put on a featureless face and addressed her men.

“Continue with your usual business,” Hikari ordered before addressing Ciel. “This gentleman here is the guest of Lord Borbonsi. His safety is paramount. I have an urgent matter to discuss with him, so leave us alone and ensure no one interferes.”

“““Yes, Ma’am!”””

The shadowy group accepted the order and dispersed. The two couples were left alone inside a gloomy room accompanied by darkness, as Hikari continued her story.

“There are two requirements to join the Golden Hand,” Hikari said. There wasn't any light of hope in her eyes. “First is to find this place. Second is to beat one of its fifty members in a duel and take their place. Most losers in those death matches often tried to escape, but they never got far.”

Ciel didn’t like where the conversation headed, “What do you mean, Hikari?”

“It means I am disposable,” Hikari confessed, turning to him with teary eyes. “The Golden Hand never tolerated failure. Lord Ciel, even if you reject me, a replacement will simply kill me and take my place. Lord Borbonsi wouldn’t shed a tear if I disappeared. Please, I know this is selfish, but you have to accept his deal. If not, you are the one signing my death sentence.”

Ciel groaned. Hikari was hanging on the line to seduce him. Like it or not, Ciel was Hikari's only ticket to a stable future, but he needed to put up some resistance.

“There is another option,” Ciel said, pointing to the alternative. “Retired. Runaway. Quit giving Borbonsi what he wants”

“I can’t,” Hikari replied. “If I quit or die, Eleanor will most likely collapse. There are recent shifts in mercenary recruitment in the slum, likely indicating someone was building an underground paramilitary. Lately, there is a recent spread about the need for social revolution. I can barely stop the merchants from violently prosecuting this idea, and giving it actual legitimacy. And you know what happened to Curtis. We are in the worst crisis since Eleanor founding.” 

Ciel knew where Hikari was going. She was a much savvier politician than Borbonsi and noticed Eleanor was on a knife-edge. A paramilitary build-up more than anything suggested a problem. The idea of a revolution brewing underneath made the problem worst. The poor in Eleanor already had nothing to lose, Ciel could imagine them rising in rebellion tomorrow. The beneficiary of the current system — the rich — would want to crack down on it, but all tyrants fall the same way for a reason. If the idea of revolution got pounded to the ground, it would rise back like a phoenix. You can be feared, but the moment hate grew bigger than terror, it is revolution ahoy. With Etaceh breathing down on their neck, Eleanor couldn’t afford to erupt into chaos.

Ciel had no doubt that beneath the stoic, cool beauty was a woman who was doing Borbonsi’s job of putting out fires. She held the rich in check, probably mediated with the poor, while trying to keep all the rowdy corruption and state-security under control. Hikari was the keystone holding Eleanor together on a tight-rope with acid-rain above and hellfire below.

It was a precarious situation. This one woman could be gone tomorrow in a random accident. It spoke to Borbonsi’s incompetency that someone as vital as Hikari is treated as a replaceable two-cent plastic product.

Ciel felt genuine sympathy for her. Like Xia, Hikari didn’t deserve this. He didn’t want her to pay for her Lord’s stupidity.

He knew it was an eventual checkmate. There were three ways this story could end.

Option one, he gave up and accepted Borbonsi’s deal to save Hikari and Eleanor, playing right into the idiot’s hand and surrendering his pride. 

Two, he rejected Hikari’s plea like a black-heart bastard. This meant she eventually got replaced, and Eleanor collapsed. Etaceh would swoop in and take the W.

Three, he found alternative options, but there weren’t any useful one. Delaying time would inevitably end with scenario two of Hikari being ‘replaced’. He doubted he can reach a compromise with Borbonsi without it eventually being pushed into an Eleanor-sponsored shotgun marriage with the girl in front of him.

Borbonsi or Etaceh; no matter who won, he was going to lose.

…

And that was how Reaper came within a blink of actually pulling a victory against the Unity Lord.

If not for a raw wild-card, Ciel would have lost.

In the end, it took a villain to save the day.