[The weak cannot even choose the manner of their own death. Though I suppose you, my dear guest, seem unlikely to choose death under any circumstances.]
The human let out a twisted laugh at the court jester, who had finally returned after a long absence only to say something like that.
“Then I just need to become strong.”
Her voice, no longer blurred, announced the true beginning.
“Whatever it takes.”
“…I have heard of it. It was the Markata Disaster, correct?”
“You know it well. However, the true cause differs somewhat from what you were taught. There were several facts I minimized for the sake of the mages who worked in that Magic Tower at the time.”
“Pardon……?”
The Archmage gave a faint chuckle at the Inquisitor’s startled voice.
The explanation was not yet finished.
“Merciless Frostwind’s research involved studying demons themselves in order to discover more effective countermeasures. It was a field with many eager students and a great deal of demand. However, because producing results was difficult, investment funds did not gather easily…….”
“Ah, so that’s why.”
“You mean research intended to fight demons couldn’t attract investment?”
“To be precise, the amount being spent was greater than the amount being invested.”
As a city located on the front lines, there was no shortage of demons.
However, research of that kind generally required live demons.
The commissions required to capture demons alive.
The maintenance costs of keeping captured demons imprisoned.
The cost of…