Elizabeta was spouting nonsense about considering legislation to tax male body hair management for public health, or useless foreign gossip about how a princess who had nearly secured the position of future monarch surprisingly had her marriage prospects open to the market regardless of social status.
"Hmm. I understand."
"Oh, that was a story I really wanted to hear."
"Ah, indeed, that's right."
"Yes, Your Highness, you are correct."
Ivan, being a sociable person, was demonstrating modern social skills represented by [listen, agree, empathize, and respond], showcasing his ability to 'empathize.'
Looking at him with great disdain, Elizabeta finally sighed deeply and returned to a serious expression.
Ivan, who had been listening to her words with a consistently serious expression while half (actually almost entirely) tuning them out, finally realized the main discussion was beginning and focused on her.
"You know that those dwarf bastards launched a massive attack on Pritzenkaya, Vanka?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
"And you also know that they brought excavation artifacts during the process?"
"Yes."
Though he hadn't seen it firsthand, he had grasped the circumstances on that rainy night in the streets of Pritzenkaya.
Extensive ground destruction. The dwarves' weapon of destruction that could bury an entire city if properly activated.
Excavation mechanism, excavation artifact. Whatever those guys called it, it was a massive structure that was roughly referred to in that way on the front lines.
Due to the thoroughly meticulous annihilation during the last war, he had believed that such artifacts no longer existed in this world...
"Yes. Although Enrique slaughtered all those dwarf bastards... in the end, she only found traces of that artifact."
"By traces, you mean...?"
"Traces of ground destruction initiation. Only operational traces extensive enough to collapse the entire eastern Pritzenkaya were found. Look at this record."
Elizabeta handed over a file stamped with a confidential seal.
-A cavity where a massive structure moved was discovered beneath eastern Pritzenkaya. 75% of eastern Pritzenkaya's underground waterways were destroyed, and drainage facilities throughout the eastern district ceased to function.
-Tracking the destruction traces suggests that the artifact stopped almost immediately after attempting collapse operations.
-Tracking was conducted along the structure's movement path.
-Traces disappeared near St. Yansk University.
-Magical probing revealed an unidentified underground cavity beneath St. Yansk University.
-All attempts to enter the area failed.
-Submitted plans for evacuation of all undergraduate students and major construction. See attachment pg 12.
"Hmm..."
Ivan closed the file and fell into thought.
An unidentified cavity beneath this university?
"Is there a reason why excavation into the underground cavity couldn't be attempted?"
"According to our experts, large-scale excavation work starting underground poses a significant risk of ground collapse. It would trigger a massive collapse centered on the university building, endangering the site workers."
"Then the reason you're not implementing the evacuation mentioned in this report..."
"This is the opinion of our magical engineering department. Take a look at this."
The next item handed over was a file that required an even higher security clearance, though it appeared to have been hastily scribbled.
-Probing results confirm that some kind of large-scale spell was installed inside the underground cavity beneath Yansk University.
-The spell has established its own defense system. The general operation method of the system can be inferred from the loss of the dwarf excavation artifact.
-The estimated installation date of the spell is minimum 1500 years ago, maximum 2500 years ago...
"...Is this even possible?"
"That's what I'm saying. Honestly, I can hardly believe it myself. Well, half of what our magical engineering department does is like this, so what can we do? Either believe it or ignore it. One of the two."
Elizabeta shook her head.
"What's certain is that if the ground collapses, the large-scale ancient magic circle buried in the underground cavity and the dwarf excavation artifact will be lost."
"Is reverse engineering possible?"
At this point, Ivan understood Elizabeta's intentions.
This ambitious war commander now wanted to get her hands on both the ancient ruins beneath the university and the dwarf excavation artifact.
However, the dwarf artifact cannot be restored with human technology. In fact, it's impossible even with dwarf technology. The design techniques have all been lost, and it's a mechanical device too complex for reverse engineering.
Nevertheless, if a complete specimen exists, there could at least be something to gain. It would be a slim possibility, but better than nothing.
If it's buried under the center of the capital, not digging it up would be foolish.
And at the same time, attempting to do so publicly in the middle of the city would also be foolish.
After all, they wouldn't want to announce that they're researching dwarf artifacts, nor would they want to reveal that a national facility studying an unknown ancient spell is being established beneath St. Yansk University, where children of international dignitaries are enrolled.
"Vanka. I'm not asking for patriotism."
"..."
"I'm proposing a deal. It's dangerous, important, and cannot fail."
"Command me, I will listen."
Ivan nodded gravely.
"Enrique went in pursuit through the underground tunnels dug by the dwarves. The counterintelligence command is using all its resources to monitor the nobles of this city. And beneath this university sleeps an artifact whose creator, purpose, and era are unknown."
Elizabeta looked at him with burning eyes.
"If it's dangerous, destroy it. If it's useful, bring it to me. Without being noticed by anyone. For me... no, for this country, lend your strength once more."
"Yes, Your Highness."
It was an immediate answer.
Elizabeta looked at Ivan with an astonished expression.
Wait, don't normal civil servants at least show some reluctance when given tasks outside their duties? Even if he's not directly on the royal payroll...
To immediately accept such a vague and dangerous project with no proper information or support?
"...Did you actually hear the part where I mentioned a deal?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
Elizabeta wore a somewhat perplexed expression.
Normally, the value of a deal increases according to need. Having expressed such an ardent need, shouldn't she place something heavier on the opposite side of the scale?
Yet the man before her simply nodded without making any demands.
As he always had.
"Um... Well. Is there nothing you want? Position, wealth, honor, rights... something like that?"
"Do you remember the question you sent me, Your Highness?"
"Hmm?"
"The letter, I mean. The one you sent through Dmitri."
"Ah, the letter. But why...?"
Elizabeta is an extremely intelligent person. She remembers all official documents she has personally issued.
Since politics is an extremely delicate matter, even a simple statement can carry complex implications.
Therefore, even as a private letter, being a princess's personal correspondence, she had to consider potential political misuse. Thus, the letter she sent to Ivan was filled with delicate and careful metaphors.
Roughly, the content was... well.
-If you have any wishes, I will repay them threefold.
This is an old Krasilov saying. Always repay both favors and grudges threefold.
So, moving past that.
-If the compensation is insufficient, I will pay with our friendship.
-If even that cannot settle the account, I will pay with our memories.
"Ah..."
When Elizabeta made a perplexed expression, Ivan nodded heavily with a mature attitude.
"The late king's favor and Your Highness's grace are more than enough reason for me to obey your command. The sponsorship funds Your Highness sends every quarter have also been more than sufficient."
Ivan is a greedy person. He runs an orphanage for his own hypocrisy.
It takes a lot of money to feed war orphans. And Ivan had enough money saved from his long military service, as well as official sponsorships from various high-ranking officials, including the princess.
He is a modern person familiar with capitalism. Moreover, he's a political soldier who served in the Royal Guard and had connections with high-ranking military officials. (Meaning he did domestic intelligence work.)
Therefore, he knew that Elizabeta's "deal" was literally something for nothing. It was close to a blank check.
But at the same time, Ivan was a "sensible" person.
'If there's a dungeon beneath the academy, it's just common sense that hidden pieces would be concealed there.'
Dungeons must have rewards. This is a principle that appears even in the classic literature "Dungeons and Dragons," which is surprisingly serious about copyright litigation.
Let alone a quest directly issued by the princess, involving a secret chamber with ancient mysterious magic. Just how amazing would the items sleeping there be?
Suppose he requested support for a mission to solo clear such a dungeon.
From the princess's perspective, she might think:
-Hmm. The expenditure is larger than expected, perhaps I should dispatch additional field agents to distribute the risk?
People of this era are by no means fools. And the princess is an exceptionally outstanding individual among them.
What are the chances that such a princess would blindly think, 'Ah, because I trust Ivan, I'll just keep pouring money into him and simply watch him perform this special operation alone!'?
It approaches zero. Politics doesn't work that way. There's a reason investors check quarterly financial statements and conduct audits of their investment targets.
As a rational, skeptical, and sensible modern person, Ivan accepted this mission without further comment.
With this, the princess now owes him a "political or psychological debt." Unlike tangible debts, such intangible debts guarantee even broader applications.
Elizabeta is currently the most powerful person in this city. It would be fair to say that all administration in the Krasilov Kingdom moves by her hand.
Using the "debt" of such a powerful figure, he could provide higher education and improved nutrition to all the orphanage children without financial concerns.
If he were to receive the reward simply as material goods, it would be a one-time affair, but in this case, how much economic support could he secure under the name of "sponsorship"?
Ivan nodded with satisfaction, feeling as though he were committing wicked and thorough corruption.
He carefully gathered the organized reports, bowed with perfect court etiquette, and left the chancellor's office.
Elizabeta stared blankly at his back for a long time, then rubbed her face dryly and buried herself in the sofa.
"...Idiot..."
The Royal Guard officer who heard this irreverent remark that should never be uttered turned his head expressionlessly and looked out the window.
It was summer.
"I'll give you half the kingdom."
No, that's not it. Too typical.
"Would you like to have the most noble person in this kingdom?"
Crazy, that's too succubus-like. Let me refine it a bit more... Yes, romantically.
"I'll give you my half. Will you give me your half?"
That sounds quite nice.
Elizabeta was muttering to herself while looking in the chancellor's office mirror.
With the face of a devoted princess who gives difficult missions and offers "herself" as compensation.
This scene took place 30 minutes before Ivan accepted the mission without asking for any reward and left with a patriotic heart.