Ouroboros Record ~Circus of Oubeniel~

Chapter 13: Gleaning (Latter Part)

Good afternoon. I am Tullius Shernan Oubeniel.

In a certain office that was the interview venue. The impression of the person Tullius Shernan Oubeniel who was expecting Jean there was more mediocre than Jean initially thought.

He was several years younger than Laubert. Probably he was not twenty yet. All his facial features were in order, but, perhaps it would be easier to understand if one were to say that there were no ugly aspects there instead of the other way? Like a bland bisque doll, such was the only impression his cold face left on him.

If there were indeed a beautiful aspect in his look, then the maid who was attending beside him would be far more superior in that matter. Her face looked like that of a dolls as well, but it was more like a sculpture carved by a chisel which a master artisan put all his soul into, her mould had that feeling of exquisiteness. This maid was also fitted with a silver collar, the proof of slavery.

But the most curious presence there was the person standing on the other side of the maid and the viscount. The person was dressed in a thick robe, their face hidden by its hood. From the protrusions on the persons chest, Laubert thought that the person might be a woman, though for what purpose did this person who wasnt showing their face to be there waiting besides the noble as well?

While burying such question, for the time being Laubert lowered his head.

Its an honour to be in your presence, Lord Viscount. I am examinee number twenty, Jean-Jacques-

Ah, wait, wait! You dont have to introduce yourself. I can see the number in your name tag and with that I can look your name up in the document I have here. At any rate, since we have a lot of people at this time, I have to save time here.

And so, he was interrupted by the viscount.

How outrageous. To a nobleman, their name is like a face, or like their tools of trade. It must be treated with due respect. He regarded it not in the slightest, and in addition he spewed that it was because he didnt have the time for it!

As he thought, as a nobleman his lacking points were conspicuous. Taking up on the young mans offer was the correct choice. So Laubert thought as he glanced at the young man who was summoned to the room as well. He also had this somehow astounded face.

There were six candidates, including himself, currently in the room. They were all sitting on chairs that were lined up in a row. There was a considerable gap between their position and the viscounts desk, about three metres. It was indeed wide, but that was a reasonable distance in a landed nobles office.

Well, shall we get over with this quickly? Stand up.

Yes.

Three steps forward.

Yes?

You didnt hear that? Take three steps forward.

It was a strange instruction. What is his intention? Laubert thought as he couldnt surmise anything from it. Did he want to see the way they walk? Or perhaps their conduct? If that was the case, then it was Laubert himself who was wondering whether this viscount could understand proper conduct or not.

Nonetheless, the highest-ranked person in the room was the young viscount. Thus confused as they were, all of the candidates took three steps.

Viscount Oubeniel let out a smile filled with satisfaction.

Right, thank you. Well then, dont move. Do it, Uni.

Yes- Earthbound

Heavy pressure.

With that all six of them were floored at once.

Wh!?

Th, this is!

What is the meaning of this!?

It felt like being held down by a giant palm of hand from above.

Heavy. His whole body was heavy, and he couldnt stand.

Something was crushing his body down, for someone powerless like Laubert it was something unbearable, not even for a short while. He couldnt move a muscle, and he couldnt understand what was happening as he fell into a state of confusion.

Im, impossible this cant be!

He heard the young man painfully cried.

At that, the viscount went, good grief as he shook his head.

If youre like that, as I thought, did you bring a protective amulet with you, I wonder? Because if you have one, itll be difficult for the brainwashing magic to take into effect. I struck ahead and I have prevented you from stirring about, so Ill be taking that away.

What did you say?

While still being nailed to the floor, he could somehow still say that much.

Does that mean he had expected that someone among the candidates were trying to set him up from the very beginning?

All the more bewildered as he was, the young man said,

Th, then just what is, this magic? To think the amulet didnt, react!

Yes, about that, youre probably wondering. Youre the second person who asked me that. The other one asked me a while ago too.

Viscount Oubeniel let out a stifled chuckle.

Well then, Ill explain it with a simple lecture. Take the fire magic as an example. Fireball, a spell used by those with low magical power. If you try to stop the spell from hitting you using that amulet, what would happen? Of course, before it hits you, the amulet will trigger a barrier and the spell will be rebuffed. However-

The viscount snapped his finger as he said so. Immediately after that, the chair where the young man just sat a while ago burned- no, it exploded. That was a chantless fire magic. All of a sudden the heat wave generated from his back started to attack the young man. Of course, its force was averted by the amulet.

Ugh!

A piece of the chair debris that was broken by the spell hit his forehead.

- In this case, the amulet could not defend you from things that were moved by magic.. Ah, Im sorry. Did it hurt? Ill patch you up now so youll forgive me for that.

He snapped his fingers again, and the wounds on the young mans forehead quickly faded away. But the pressure that restrained him was still there.

So offensive magic cant pass through the barrier, but recovery magic can, how odd.. Anyway, let us return to the original topic. So, the earthbound spell isnt like those spheres of fires that were conjured by fireball spell, as it wasnt meant to restrain you directly. It only used the gravitational force which is keeping you on the ground- that was there in the first place, and doubled it. Thus, you wont be able to avert it by using a simple magical tool, because the force exists already, and it already affects you, and were just strengthening that force with magic.. you understand now?

Of course the answer would be no. Grevitesienal force? What is that, some sort of terminology in alchemy? Just who would understand that load of nonsense? Others looked similar as well. There were either the colour of confusion or hatred in their eyes, but none had the light of comprehension in them.

But one thing could be understood. This mad alchemist certainly had a malicious agenda.

Now, Uni. Disarm these men.

As you ordered, Master. Excuse me.

After she received her masters order, the slave-maid who casted the spell approached the men. She patted them down and confiscated their magical armaments.

Then!. Gah!?

The young man, who was trying to do something, was overpowered by the maid at a speed unperceivable to the eyes.

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It seems he was going to make the amulet self-destruct.

I see. So if he were to return alive but with his amulet destroyed, itd mean to his superior that he received some sort of treatment here. Did he manage to do so?

No. Its safe.

As she said so, she retrieved an amulet that was fashioned as a rosario from his chest.

Well, even if he managed to do that, Ill just simply repair it. But since you saved me the labour and resource for doing so, this is better. Well done, Uni.

Its an honour to receive your praise.

Then, the maid bowed reverently.

It was unbelievable. From what Jean saw, this unknown pressure was occurring in a scope that enveloped all six of them. Its effect shouldve been indiscriminate, as there was clear indentation on the surrounding carpet. But still, the maid moved around without difficulty, and quickly confiscated their magical equipment.

Oh, theres a communication device here.

Hah! How foolish did you think I wasnt that prepared!?

One of the candidates who wasnt well-acquainted with Jean proudly said so while still gasping from the pressure.

Ive heard of your crooked dealings from the count! The conversation in this room is already

Ah, its already been interfered with.

Oubeniel casually declared so.

Huh?

Where do you think you are? Youre in my stronghold, you know? Soundproof to jam communications, impact disabler, teleportation magic barricade, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. Of course we are prepared at least to that degree.

While saying so, he toyed around with the communication device in his hands,

. Hmm. This size, the minimal amount of material, I suppose this devices effective communication distance is limited only within the mansions premises. I suppose you have a friend among the other candidates too? Surely they began to move as soon as the communication was cut off, but Ive stationed Due there. There are not many people who can get away from him, not even top-notch adventurers. Too bad, huh. Though, you do have a good perception.

- If they were to reach the capital or even if they didnt, assuming there were other collaborators in their vicinity it wouldve been dangerous.

He concluded his evaluation as so. Although, he thought that such a scheme couldnt be done in the first place. Laubert didnt know much about the variety of magical tools, but at least he knew that one would need a large-sized device had they wanted to communicate long-distance. It was impossible to bring such a thing without being seen.

Even so, the examinee changed completely as colour was drained from his face.

You, youre bluffing theres just no way

Its not like Im asking you to believe me. Theres no inconvenience for me even if you dont. Well then, Drei. Ive kept you waiting, huh. Time to do your job.

Yes, master.

With a short reply, the woman who was standing beside the viscount took off her robe.

From what was exposed, there were long silver hair, brown skin, unworldly beautiful face and a pointed long ear.

Within Jeans knowledge, there was only one kind that met all such characteristics.

Da, dark elf..!?

Someone among the examinees raised their voice in surprise.

Dark elves, known with their other name, dark fairies. For its ties with demons, They were officially recognised as an enemy of mankind by the church, all citizens had been notified to neutralise them, dead or alive, if they were to run into one. Barely a single one of them were living in the areas inhabited by humans, as all of them had fallen into slavery, a damned race they were.

However, it was said that their magical latency and the prowess of their arts were not inferior to the forest elves.

You have this kind of thing too.?!

In addition to the maid who casted the restraining magic without a chant, a literally inhuman magus a dark elf, appeared as well.

As Jean and his fellows were squirming in despair, the woman named Drei let out a dark laugh.

Kuhuhuhu. I find it troubling if you were to mistake this body with the lot of my former brethren

As she said so, she put her hand on the eyepatch covering the upper left portion of her face.

Eyepatch. Yes, she was hiding her left eye.

Why did she hide it? And why was she going to reveal it now?

And as he saw her unblemished face after the black eyepatch was removed, he knew the answer to those questions right away.

Clearly, the violet-coloured iris on her left eye differed in colour from her right eye. There was a dangerous magical power swirling in there, it was enough for Jean who wasnt even a magus to perceive so.

De, demon eye.!?

It was mentioned in an illustrated book he had read once in the library to kill time. Gorgon, Catoblepas, Basilisk, Gazer. It was said that the devilish eye, which a lot of dangerous monsters inherently possess, could inflict a spell to others just with an eye contact.

TL Note: If youre not familiar with the name gazer, its the Japanese equivalent to the D&D monster, beholder. Credit to sancturillore for bringing it up.

The woman named Drei snorted.

Hmm. Even among the lowly apes, it seems that theres someone who knows a bit too, huh? Indeed, this eye is a demon eye bestowed to me by our master. The extent of its effect I shall let your body experience it for yourself.

I cant, but there was no time to think so.

Even when Jean knew that it was indeed a demon eye, its effect was getting into him just by seeing it.

For Jean, who only had the magical capacity of an ordinary person, there was no avenue for him to resist.

Ah gah!?

His consciousness was dyed in the violet colour.

His thoughts were diluted and his reason was melting, as if he were getting drunk from a bad alcohol.

Meanwhile, Tullius Oubeniel smiled in satisfaction.

In the past, Uni picked up the body of a young Gazer in the dungeon. I preserved it and later, I transplanted its eye to her. Theres a lot of subspecies of the demon called Gazer, and the effect of their demon eyes is also vastly different.

Ah.. u..

Igh. geh

My head is fuzzy.

Every voice is distant.

What is this place?

Who am I?

So, what I transplanted in Drei was a kind thats specialised in brainwashing. Apparently they get their food by manipulating the other party to hunt it for them. There are sure some strange creatures in this world, right?

No matter how many times I see it, I still find its immediate effect to be wonderful. As long as shes here, we wont need the brainwashing incense anymore.

No, its hasty to conclude so, Uni. While rare, warriors who can fight off the eyes effect do exist, and in the other hand, no men can keep themselves from breathing. Besides, the effect of the demon eye is limited to things within Dreis line of sight. The incense would be better if we wanted to brainwash even more people at once.

I can hear a voice eloquently explaining something

So?

So what should I do?

Please, someone, quickly, quickly tell me

Otherwise, my thoughts will go insane.

In addition to that, in exchange of its high power and immediate effect, it eats away her magical power to a ridiculous extent, hence the eyepatch acts as a seal. When its power gets too strong, cases like the self-destructing amulet that almost occurred earlier may happen as well. My point here is, put the right person in the right place.

Indeed, I feel a little fatigued. But itll be enough to deal with everyone.

Right. Theres the factor of Dreis body too. Lets do this quickly then. Uni, you may release their restraint.

Yes, immediately.

As he said so, Viscount Oubeniel stooped low in front of Jean and the other men. The pressure that nailed them on the ground had already disappeared.

- Instruction, please give me instruction, quickly.

Jeans thoughts were stained in one colour only. Something like escaping didnt even cross his mind.

Alright then, first of all. Among you, who cheated during the exam? this includes, stealing other peoples answers, and bringing unauthorised note into the exam venue.

Everyone shook their head. Of course, Jean too denied it without delay.

His mood was superb. To have everything to be dominated by others, what a wonderfully comfortable feeling.

Next, is there anyone among you who dishonestly filled out the papers even after the test was declared to be over?

..

.. Me.

One person raised his hands as he said so with a small voice.

Examinee number twenty five, disqualified.

Viscount Oubeniel crossed out one of the documents with a feather pen.

Well then, lets move on to individual questions. Examinee number twenty three.

Yes

The man answered back as his number was called.

Who are you?

. Victor Delacroix Lavalle. Youngest son of the Marquis Lavalles house.

Thats strange, Jeans consciousness declared so in suspicion.

He, he himself, shouldve identified himself as being the youngest son of a Count house.

In my document here, youre from a Count house, and your family name is different, though?

It was a lie. to keep my cover intact

Who is this Marquis Lavalle to you?

My father..

Riiight. I havent met with Marquis Lavalle in person, but isnt he supposedly quite aged?

From what I heard from my mother, my father sired me when he was fifty two

Ah, I see. By now I probably can figure it out.

As he said so, Viscount Oubeniel scratched his cheeks.

Were you possibly put out for adoption? And the house that adopted you is the Count house written here, correct?

.. No. I am.. one of the proud Marquis houses..

Was your mother a concubine?

No. my mother was betrayed. my father went over to his second wife

And still she was passed to the Count house while she was still harbouring you. Though on her way there, you were born.

. Yes.

Does Marquis Lavalle acknowledge you as his own son?

He does not. even though. I have the same birthmark as him on my back.

Why do you insist that youre one of the Marquis house? They betrayed your mother and cast her away, right?

My talents. will stagnate in a pathetic Counts house like passing a woman over. in addition my mothers honour. my mother. didnt have a place. even in the Counts house

That was why you participated in the plot to set me up. If you were to succeed, youll be appointed to an appropriate position for you, and your mothers honour will be restored too. Did the Marquis say so?

. Yes.

I see, Oubeniel said so as he shrugged.

As his thoughts were still paralysed, Laubert couldnt figure out the meaning of that question and answer session.

That Marquis Lavalle person played quite the vulgar hand here. If Victor were to grab a hold of my weakness, then alls good. If the covert operation were deemed to be exposed, he could accuse me of killing his estranged son. So no matter what the outcome was, I would still be driven into a corner, right? Crap, I just got a troublesome opponent to keep tabs on me. To drag the marquis into this is a blunder, huh

TL Note: Remember that it was Tullius that notified the marquis (though indirectly) about the vassal recruitment first.

But we still learned something good, Master. It was a blunder, but theres enough room to recover.

Oh well. This time it was due to my blind adherence to the theory that stated that the enemy of an enemy is an ally. Ill be sure to make the best out of this contemplation from now on.

Besides, the marquis also made some mistakes. First that he underestimated masters skill. And while this one was disposable to him, he just relinquished his son from right under his nose.

Lets work on that later. For now, I have to go through this quick interrogation and administer provisional treatment on them.

Laubert still couldnt think of anything. While remaining under the influence of the demon eye, he kept his silence as he waited for an instruction.

Then, youre next. What is your name?

Jean-Jacques Laubert

Oi, Laubert! Jean-Jacques Laubert!

Yes!?

As his acquaintance struck his shoulder, he came back to his senses.

He looked around his surroundings, then he realised he was in a hallway of the lords manor.

It seemed that the audience was over before he realised it.

Why did you space out? . Hahaa, were you that tense?

That laughing face of his acquaintance, he sure was carefree. Laubert sighed.

Its an interview that will determine my life from now on, alright? Theres just something wrong with people who arent nervous when it comes to this.

Dont say that, its not like Im relaxed I didnt score that well in the military officer exam So itll all depend on the next interview.

Ah, is that so

Finally, he realised that his acquaintance was sweating a lot. In other words, if he didnt tease Laubert here, itd mean that he was driven into an unprecedented extent of mental strain.

Yes, that is so. And for that reason, Id like to take a peek into some of your responses, because you finished the interview earlier than me.

Even if you say so.

To tell the truth, what he said in the interview was all vague.

It was a hazy memory, and no matter what he did he couldnt grasp it for certain.

At that hesitation, his acquaintance thought,

Ah, is that so. So you didnt respond well too, huh?

That kind of oddly grave thought.

Now that he said that, Laubert felt that perhaps he didnt do well at all.

Might be so. For some reason my mind went blank, and I cant recall what I said

Hey, Laubert, dont put that face like youre going to vanish somewhere now Ah, thats right! Lets sneak out from the inn tonight, and have some drink in the towns bar! Yes, its a gloomy countryside, but there should be a place where we can get a drink.

Perhaps because his face was so grievous, his acquaintance did so to encourage him.

I also called that Victor guy out, but he said he was feeling ill so he passed on that.

Victor

It was the young man whom he got acquainted with in the carriage.

He felt like he made an important promise with him. but he couldnt remember that too.

Well, lets just go to our customary self-pity party, just you and me. There were so many applicants, and the viscount paid for traveling and lodging expenses. There sure were a substantial amount of applications. Its impossible for people who have been unemployed for ten thousand years like us to be accepted. Yes.

He wondered what the acquaintance picked up from his remarks, so that he was now saying all these sorts of encouragement in particular.

Laubert did have a problem with his acquaintances pessimistic response, but going out for a drink might be a good idea. Regardless of the results, he felt like he couldnt help but to drink.

(Tonight, be sure-)

But isnt something already scheduled for tonight..?

( to come to my place to receive your surgery)

..

Thats right. In any case, he couldnt go for a drink tonight.

. Sorry, to make merry before the result comes out is a bit

Tch, what is that? How cold.

Hahaha. Dont sulk like that. As I said, Im not confident whether I did well in the interview, so if I was right on the line between being accepted and rejected, my behaviour tonight might be the determining factor. At least thats what I think.

Thats right

So I cant see anyone tonight.

And when the time comes- what to do?

Well, theres that way of thinking too, huh. I guess I should keep my behaviour in check too.

Yeah, do that. Surely, youll do well that way.

He cut off the thoughts that he couldnt put into words, and then he spouted an unfounded encouragement.

Lauberts self-awareness was there, but he couldnt find anything else to say but that.

At that time, the doors of the office used for the interviews were opened. From it, examinees were coming out, their faces were pale.

. Next batch, please come in.

The collared maid invited the next round of people to enter.

Errrr, next batchs examinee numbers will be- thats our number. Still, why do you look so scared? Is it because of that rumoured viscount? Those guys who just went out now, you guys too, all of you had the face of a dead man.

Yeah, thats right.

Laubert nodded.

. Viscount Oubeniel was dreadful. All his memories about the interview were hazy, but at least he felt that such was certain.

Even as he held on to his vague fear, for some reason he legs wasnt moving to take him to his escape. And so, Jean-Jacques Laubert silently watched his acquaintance as the door swallowed him in.