I Will Break Off the Engagement Because I'm Jealous - The Untalented Villainess Who Rejected the Prince Searches for a Safe Haven with the Cheat Heroine - Chapter 6.1

The Imperial Capital. The heart of the Giena Empire, which had greatly expanded its territory by expelling monsters and was advancing its industrialization. For Emilia, visiting for the first time, it was an ancient capital.

After successfully infiltrating, they secured an inn to serve as their base. They spent the night in an old, dirty, and creaky room, and Emilia looked up at the sky through the glass window.

(It’s sunny, yet dark. It’s so different from the city of Abilis. The air should be better here since the mines are far away, and yet… It feels stagnant.)

Emilia, her hair tied up high in a single ponytail and wearing a long skirt today, let out a sigh.

“This isn’t good…”

“Huh? Was breakfast not tasty?”

She turned around and smiled at Iris, who was dressed in a navy-blue apron dress. Iris was clearing away the plates from the meal Emilia had neatly finished.

“Not at all, it was more delicious than usual. Where did you buy the bacon, for instance?”

“It’s homemade. So, if it’s not the food you dislike, is it this Imperial Capital?”

“Something like that. Right after we entered, we heard that unpleasant story, didn’t we?”

“Ah… the dungeon.”

Emilia, with her forged skill certificate in hand, and Iris, her asset, had crossed the city walls yesterday. The two of them, right after entering the city… had encountered a monster in the city streets. A low-level beastman-type monster called a “Snake-hood” that walked bipedally despite having eight legs. Although Emilia had defeated it with her Holy Sword, it wasn’t something one should normally run into within the city.

Somewhere in this Imperial Capital, one had appeared.

A dungeon—from which monsters crawl out.

(An unpleasant story… an unpleasant sensation.)

Recalling the feeling of cutting down the monster, Emilia clenched her right hand. It had been terribly slimy and disgusting… not something she wanted to experience repeatedly.

“We don’t know where the entrance is, but it seems to be somewhere. Because of it, the city was supposedly put under lockdown, wasn’t it?”

Iris held out a plate she had cleaned and wiped. Seeing its polished shine, Emilia let out a relieved breath. Using the skill of the Spirit Vessel Aiter within her “inner space,” she stored the plate away. After putting away all the dishes, Emilia met Iris’s gaze and gave a slight nod.

“If that’s the case, the lockdown won’t be lifted until it’s found and destroyed. As long as there are monsters, it’s certain a dungeon exists.”

“Officially, for safety, the Emperor evacuated the capita but behind the scenes, it’s thought that the establishment of Skill Absolutism and the imperial abdication took place.”

“The ‘Talentless Hunt‘ was definitely happening. Both the dungeon and the conspiracy exist. It’s a dangerous and unpleasant city.”

The so-called “Talentless Hunt“—where those without skills were taken away by officials and forcibly sold off to someone with skills. Emilia had witnessed such a scene and had also seen the patrolling officials called “Hunters.” If not for the silver bracelet on Iris’s wrist. A forged proof of being someone else’s property—she too might have fallen victim.

“Wouldn’t it have been better to go to another country after all?”

Iris’s face as she asked this was twisted with a somewhat mischievous expression.

“That would be a waste. It’s just as expected. Well, it does make me feel gloomy though.”

“I agree with that.”

The two shared a faint, ambiguous laugh.

“We’ve made contact with the other Blaze Brigade members who infiltrated. What’s next?”

“Searching for the missing brigade members who were hiding in the city beforehand, investigating the university rumored to be closed, making arrangements to approach the Imperial Castle… that’s about it, I suppose.”

“That’s right. The ultimate goal is to verify the truth of the rumors. If the Empire is truly planning to attack the Kingdom, we have to stop it.”

“Yes.”

Watching Iris nod, Emilia let out a small breath.

(This is the event from the second otome game in my previous life’s memories. A dungeon appears, the Imperial Capital is locked down, and the laws and emperor change. But the abdication is fake, and the emperor is aiming to attack the Kingdom. However, the details weren’t depicted, and I don’t know where the emperor is now. He’s probably hiding in some city but if we could locate his whereabouts, that would be a godsend.)

“Ah. That’s right. For the future, Lady Emilia.”

Iris handed her something like a small mortar. It seemed to be made of bronze and felt a bit heavy when held. Its overall shape was an elliptical cone. The inside of the mortar had several ellipses coiled like a spiral, and it also looked somewhat like an “ear.”

“What’s this?”

“It’s a spirit tool. It’s called ‘Rumor-Talker (Roma-Talker)‘. I’ll explain how to use it later.”

“Haaah. Did you get it from your father or something?”

“No, I made it.”

“Hmmm…………”

She stared at the received spirit tool for a while.

“Iris made this!?”

Emilia let out a shrill, undignified cry. She stared at Iris’s smug face, blinking.

“Well, I can make a Spirit Vessel, you know… Lady Emilia?”

“Amazing.”

Storing the spirit tool in her “inner space,” Emilia patted Iris’s cheeks. Spirit tools aren’t something one can make intentionally. Originally, only those with specialized skills could create them. Naturally, Iris did not have such a skill.

And yet.

“Amazing amazing amazing Iris is amazing wow! Yay!”

Excited, Emilia stroked and patted Iris all over.

“Eh? Huh? Yay?”

“You’re the best! A genius! I love you!”

She shouted, hugging her tightly. She squeezed her eyes shut, trembled with joy, and pressed her cheek against Iris’s. The skin she touched felt like it had suddenly grown hot.

“No that’s definitely not it Lady Emilia that’s not it it’s a misunderstanding a misunderstanding you mustn’t misunderstand…”

(What? Some new kind of chant…?)

Iris in her arms was muttering something. A little reluctantly, Emilia released her, who was acting strangely. She took out the spirit tool ‘Rumor-Talker (Roma-Talker)‘ into her hand again and stared at it with a grin.

(Oh well. Ehehe… I got something good. Ah.)

Holding the spirit tool in her right hand and the brooch at her chest with her left, Emilia raised her face. She cast a slightly serious look at Iris, who was wobbling and muttering to herself.

“I forgot to mention this before. The fact that you can house spirits in objects… about the Spirit Vessel Aiter and this spirit tool. Naturally, it’s a secret, right?”

“Eh? Yes. I absolutely won’t reveal it. It could endanger you, Lady Emilia, and my father. Let’s keep it a secret just between you and me.”

Somehow, Iris could freely house spirits in objects—in other words, she could freely create skills. Those who could once do the same thing with skills had flourished in the field of spirit engineering but in the end, relying on skills, it declined.

Being able to create skills without relying on skills. This was something that could revolutionize modern society… and careless disclosure would surely lead to serious trouble.

Emilia, keeping the secret with Iris close to her heart, nodded firmly and then directed a brilliant smile at her.

“Alright! Let’s go, Iris… no, I-ri-zu.”

“Hwah! Y-yes. E-mi-ri-i-sama.”

Calling each other by their aliases, Emilia felt a slight thrill rise to her cheeks.

While watching Iris, who was bright red.

☆ ☆ ☆

Out on the streets.

“Monsters—!”

Not even five minutes after leaving the inn, she heard such a scream.

(Impossible…! In a place like this, near the city center, where from!?)

A sparsely populated street was growing restless. Looking towards the source of the voice, she saw people running away. Emilia gathered the hem of her skirt slightly in her left hand and started running. Sending a glance to Iris running alongside, she saw her look back and give a small nod. Emilia circled widely from the right, Iris from the left.

(This guy again! They say dungeons produce the same kind of monsters, but still!)

The beastman-type monster was dangling six legs from its waist. It raised its sharp-clawed hands.

“Eeeek, help!”

It was about to attack the man in front of it.

(I’ll make it in time!)

Emilia stepped lightly, leaping and spinning.

Swinging her right foot swiftly.

And from its tip.

“Holy Sword!”

She shot out the sword.

Emilia could take in and withdraw tools inhabited by spirits into and from her body. When withdrawing them, she didn’t necessarily need to use her hands.

“Gyauu!?”

The silver blade pierced beautifully into the monster’s shoulder.

Emilia ran straight towards it.

However.

The monster slowly.

Collapsed.

Behind it was the figure of Iris.

(No way. How did she take it down bare-handed———)

And behind Iris, furthermore.

Two more monsters.

“Iris, look out!”

Emilia shouted and broke into a run. Iris was turning to look behind her. There, a sharp claw was.

“Get away from Iris!”

Grabbing the hilt of the Holy Sword still stuck in the fallen monster. Not sparing a moment to pull it out, Emilia swung with all her might.

A rainbow.

Shimmered.

Light was scattered.

“Slash (Sword)!”

Ink-like light flew scattering towards Iris and the monsters.

But it passed right through Iris alone.

The monsters’ limbs were torn off.

Both slowly crumbled and fell.

“Are you okay? Iris, Iris…”

“It’s Iriizu, you know. Emirii-sama. I’m fine…”

Emilia, still holding the sword of light, quickly approached Iris. Beyond the street, a river flow was visible; it seemed the monsters had appeared from there.

(The sensation of cutting them is disgusting like octopus.)

Relieved, she let out a small breath.

Then.

“Magnificent! That’s a skill, isn’t it!”

A resonant voice reached them. Emilia turned towards the voice, took a step forward, and shielded Iris with her back. A man in lavish attire had dismounted his horse and was approaching.

Hazy but it was a face she recognized.

(This guy!)

“A sword that cuts monsters without touching them is clearly Platinum Rank! Woman, come with me!”

Arrogant words rained down from slightly above. With the sunlight behind him, Emilia inadvertently looked up and glared.

“Those with fine skills belong to me! They exist for the Emperor!”

She gasped and gritted her teeth. Running her eyes around… knights in armor who had caught up from behind were beginning to surround them.

(The Third Prince———Dian! So this man became the Emperor!?)

Emilia reached a hand behind her. Her fingers intertwined slightly with Iris’s hand.

The two firmly grasped each other’s hands.