Tampered with?
His chilling words sent shivers through everyone's hearts. Charl's voice even wavered as she asked, "What does that mean?"
However, the truth was unsettling.
:When I first saw Frey in the woods, I noticed something abnormal about her,' Rozen continued in a detached tone. 'Her magical energy circulation was highly unnatural. Although her magical energy was abundant, it felt as if it had been forcibly squeezed out from deep within her body, giving it a distinct, rigid flow.'
Upon hearing this, everyone exchanged glances. There were two reasons for their shock. One was the unexpected revelation of the issues with Frey's body.
The other was the astonishing fact that Rozen could perceive such unnatural magical energy flow with his Spirit Vision.
Typically, even though magus could observe magical energy flow through Spirit Vision, they could, at best, merely observe it. Trying to discern subtle details like this was nearly impossible. Yet Rozen could detect this unnatural flow clearly, pointing to signs of deliberate manipulation.'
Rozen could only discover this because he had thoroughly perused all of Karyusai's collection within her residence.
As the foremost expert in the field of automata, Karyusai Shouko's knowledge and skills in crafting humanoid automatons were unrivaled. One could gauge the realism of the Setsugetsuka series of automatons to understand the depth of Karyusai Shouko's comprehension of the human body.
Moreover, her expertise extended to creating Banned Dolls from her own flesh and blood, which included comprehensive knowledge about adjusting the physical aspects of the body. It was through this knowledge that Rozen noticed the telltale signs of Frey's body being tampered with.
'All this artificially adjusted magical energy ultimately converges at one place,' Rozen stated coldly. 'That place is the heart.'
Yes, the heart.
Frey's magical energy flowed from her heart, which explained why it felt so unnatural. Since the unnatural source was the heart, it wasn't hard to deduce which part of Frey's body had been manipulated.
"Frey's heart has been fitted with magic circuits,"
Rozen stated, as if suffocating his own emotions.
"Her heart has been mechanized."
The utterance of these words sent a collective shiver through the audience.
'Presumably, it's a magic circuit designed to forcibly extract magical energy from the host and utilize it,' Rozen continued, his gaze sweeping over the faces of those present. 'Thanks to this modification, Frey's magical affinity was enhanced, the generation of magical energy was catalyzed, and even the magical energy circulation system was altered. This led to the unnatural flow of her magical energy, which we observed.'
As mentioned previously, interference with the magical energy circulation in the body would have consequences.
'It's likely that Frey's complexion has turned unnaturally pale, and her hair became that pearly color, all due to side effects.' Rozen stated with a mixture of mockery and anger.
"As for the abnormality witnessed during the Night Party, it was due to the removal of restrictions on the heart's magic circuit, resulting in increased output.
One can easily surmise that if the heart continuously operates at maximum capacity, relentlessly siphoning magical energy from the body, it won't take long for the host's heart to fail.
To avoid this dire outcome, the heart's output must be maintained at a relatively balanced high level, preventing it from causing substantial harm to the body.
However, when the host's emotions undergo severe fluctuations or when anomalies arise in the body, the restrictions on the heart are forcibly released.
At that moment, the output of the heart's magic circuit surges to its maximum, causing the host's blood and even flesh to be transformed into magical energy, explosively enhancing the host's power.
This is the very reason for the sudden anomaly displayed by Frey during the Night Party.
All of this is because her heart was artificially mechanized.
In other words,
'Frey is an experimental subject for human experiments.'
Rozen finally uttered these words, the most loathsome and hateful terms he had ever spoken in his entire life, addressing everyone present.
Perhaps, for those in attendance, Frey's strength might not be considered remarkable. She ranked at the bottom during the Night Party and posed no threat.
Not to mention Rozen himself, Charl and Hinowa, the duo, occupied the 6th and 8th places, respectively, making them the top candidates to win among the 'Thirteen,' whereas the 99th place was simply inconsequential.
Even Subaru and Mutsura were among the top 50 in terms of power, with one at 17th place and the other at 28th, and neither could be compared to Frey.
Yet, if you looked at it globally, for Frey to rank within the top hundred among over a thousand geniuses from around the world in an academy filled with excellent puppeteers, was it easy?
Of course, it wasn't.
Just as Susuka managed to become one of the 'Twelve Divine General' at such a young age, it was all thanks to her body being altered through forbidden techniques used by Dairenji Shidou.
And even Rozen's astonishing talent today was inextricably linked to his past experiences.
"Frey's current achievements, her current ranking, all owe themselves to human experiments. So..."
"So, I said it back then, didn't I?" Rozen's voice sounded calm and deep.
"Regardless of the world, there are always those scoundrels who care nothing for others' lives, doing whatever they please."
These were the words Rozen spoke when he first saw Frey in the forest and discovered her secret.
Charl, Subaru, and Mutsura were unaware of this situation, but Yaya, Charl, and Sigmund were well aware of it.
"So that's why you..."
Charl muttered quietly.
"Is that what it was all about?"
Sigmund's tone also felt rather heavy.
"Rozen..."
"Rozen-sama..."
Yaya and Hinowa looked at Rozen with some sadness.
As for Subaru and Mutsura, they raised objections.
"Perhaps you're thinking too harshly," Subaru said. "Even if she's an experimental subject, that doesn't necessarily mean it's a bad thing, right?"
"Right," Mutsura chimed in. "Frey might have volunteered to be an experimental subject to gain power, and that's a possibility, isn't it?"
And this made sense. Voluntarily becoming an experimental subject for the sake of acquiring power, if that were the case, it would be justifiable.
Otherwise...
"Otherwise, it would be quite a taboo, wouldn't it?"
A voice with remarkable abruptness chimed in, while laughing gently, resonating throughout the scene.
"Such matters, of course, are not something one can simply do, are they?" The voice exuded an elegant laugh.
This abrupt voice, with an elegant laugh, slowly reached everyone's ears."
"Who!?"
The sudden voice first prompted a reaction from Subaru and Mutsura, who, like loyal guards, instinctively leaped to protect Hinowa. They placed themselves between him and the approaching source of the sound, alert and watchful.
Yaya, Hinowa, Charl, and Sigmund, among others, were equally taken aback, and they turned their heads toward the direction of the corridor.
Rozen raised his eyebrows, casting his gaze at the newcomer with a calm countenance.
Soon, everyone saw the three figures approaching.
On the left stood a male student with a slender build, wearing the school uniform. He possessed a body with muscular definition, draped with a half-length scarf across his shoulders. His facial features appeared very well-defined, but his gaze was remarkably sharp. He exuded an extraordinary and intimidating aura, akin to a beast ready to strike, leaving everyone uneasy.
Beside this male student, there was an automaton that appeared as if it were composed of metal plates, awkwardly fashioned into a humanoid shape. This peculiar automaton was covered in spiky protrusions resembling thorns. Every edge on it seemed as sharp as a blade. It carried two massive longswords, each almost as tall as Yaya, Hinowa, and Charl. Its appearance resembled an angelic mechanical entity, essentially a mechanized angel of death.
Upon seeing this male student and his unique automaton, Charl exclaimed in astonishment, "Sword Emperor?"
Sword Emperor.
It was evidently a title.
And furthermore, it's a title known to everyone.
"Is he the Sword Emperor?" Even Hinowa expressed some surprise, clearly recognizing the newcomer.
Rozen, too, shifted his gaze toward the male student.
"So he's the Sacred Blaze?"
Sacred Blaze.
That was indeed the newcomer's true title.
More accurately, it should be referred to as his registered code name. He was one of the "Thirteen," ranked seventh, right between Charl at sixth and Hinowa at eighth. He was considered a prominent figure within the academy, even as a second-year student, known for having never been defeated in practical combat exercises. He was recognized as one of the top ten students in the academy, and he was often mentioned in the same breath as the Last One. His strength was formidable.
His name was Loki.
Now, this person had appeared here with his automaton.
It seemed quite natural if you considered the fact that Loki was Frey's older brother. Moreover, they were blood relatives.
Evidence of their relationship lay in Loki's skin color, just as pale and unhealthy as Frey's, and his hair color was the same pearly hue. His sharp eyes and stern countenance gave him a striking, indescribable handsomeness.
Yet, despite his impressive stature, Loki currently followed obediently behind someone else.
That was a gentleman with a smile on his face.
The gentleman had a physique similar to Loki's, tall and lean. His appearance exuded intelligence, making him seem like a scholar. However, his stylish attire and physique were far from frail, giving a different impression than typical scholars. The unique aura he emitted was more akin to an actor playing the role of a scholar.
Furthermore, his presence was even more imposing than Loki's.
The words from earlier had also come from this man's mouth.
Accompanied by Loki and his automaton, this man had now arrived in front of everyone.
"It seems like you're discussing something quite interesting," he said, his gaze moving from person to person before finally settling on Rozen. He wore a polite smile as he spoke, "May I join as well?"
Upon hearing these words, there was nothing in the hearts of those present but vigilance, without any other emotion.
Especially Yaya, who noticed the man's intense scrutiny of Rozen and couldn't help but step forward, positioning herself by Rozen's side.
"Who are you?" Yaya inquired cautiously.
However, when the gentleman was about to introduce himself, Rozen interrupted.
"You're Bronson, aren't you?" Rozen spoke expressionlessly, revealing this name.
"Me?" The man was taken aback. "You know me?"
Wasn't that obvious?
"You are the benefactor behind Loki and Frey, their foster father, currently running an emerging machinart workshop called 'Divine Works.' In less than a decade, your name has become known, and you even obtained a patent for a kind of magical circuit developed by your workshop five years ago. You were also nominated in the design competition for the British Army's next-generation main weapon, and your prospects are quite promising."
The gentleman before them was such a person.
Moreover,
"Aside from being the president of 'Divine Works,' you were once a student at this academy. In the past, you participated in the Night Party and were a man who was just a step away from attaining the position of the Wiseman, with the registration code 'Sword Angel.'"
With this, Rozen looked towards the gentleman he called Bronson.
"Am I right?" Rozen asked.
As soon as he finished speaking, the atmosphere in the room immediately became somewhat quieter.
"Clap, clap, clap"
The man known as Bronson applauded, as if his horizons had suddenly expanded.
"I never expected you to know so much about me," Bronson said, displaying a mix of surprise and satisfaction.
Rozen, of course, didn't reveal to him that this information had been obtained from Karyusai Shouko.
Because Loki was also one of the "Thirteen," Rozen had already learned about his information. Rozen discovered the sibling relationship between Loki and Frey and became interested in their benefactor.
As a result, he came to know the information about Bronson.
As for the others, they were taken aback by this information.
"He was someone who almost attained the position of the Wiseman?" Charl expressed her astonishment.
"Yes," Rozen nodded nonchalantly. "He fought his way through countless formidable opponents during past Night Parties and narrowly lost to the reigning Wiseman in the finals."
In other words, the man before them was once the closest to becoming the Wiseman. If he had won that duel years ago, he would have already held the position of the Wiseman.
If we were to say that the Wiseman is the most outstanding figure of their era, then the man before us is a character from that era who was second only to the Wiseman.
Now, after many years, Bronson might have acquired the strength equivalent to that of the Wiseman; that's also a possibility.
Upon learning this, the people present couldn't help but become somewhat nervous.
Only Rozen maintained his unchanged attitude, even showing extreme indifference.
It couldn't be helped.
"Since you are Frey's adoptive father and a specialist in running an automaton workshop, can I assume that you had tempered with Frey's heart?"
Rozen simply stated this in a detached manner.
When he said this, setting aside the reactions of the others, Bronson's eyes squinted.
And then:
"Careful with your words," Bronson said with a smile as if he had heard something amusing. "Frey's matters have nothing to do with me."
Bronson responded in this manner.
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