A Mastermind? No, I'm just the Live-In Son-in-Law-Chapter 146: The Shadow Assembly (4)

“With this, all of you are now the only ones who know my true identity.”

“......”

“Of course, you must be surprised and confused—but the truth doesn’t change just because it’s inconvenient.”

Whitney, now fully revealed before the gathered crowd, continued speaking with a radiant smile.

“...Huh?”

“Ah...”

“...!?”

But the few remaining black mages in the room merely stared blankly at Whitney.

Given they were in the presence of the so-called Great Shadow, their reactions bordered on rude—but they couldn’t help it.

Wasn’t this the very same Whitney Ringaarden, the insolent obstacle who had just moments ago disrupted their plans?

And now, inexplicably, the Great Shadow had taken Whitney’s form... and even declared that he was the Hero.

“Haha, it’s not something that shocking.”

“P-please, explain...”

“Yes, I’ll explain now. I’ll keep it brief, considering the time.”

As the confusion reached its peak, Whitney responded with a low, easy smile to the black mage whose breathless voice barely rose above a whisper.

“You’ve all probably already guessed what my ability is.”

Everyone in the room flinched and shuddered.

While the Great Shadow had never publicly confirmed it, every black mage already knew the truth—his ability was possession.

All of them had, at one point or another, seen black mages who had failed missions or been discarded. Their eyes would roll back, black smoke would pour from their mouths, and their personalities would be replaced entirely.

“It seems some of you are starting to understand.”

Just as those thoughts passed through their minds, Whitney’s wicked voice slithered into their ears.

“Whitney Ringaarden is, for all intents and purposes, nothing more than an empty shell.”

“Ah...”

“Th-that’s...!”

And at his next words, all the remaining black mages could do nothing but let out a gasp of awe.

“B-but... what about the matter of the Saintess...?”

“...Haha. That was something of a stage play.”

But awe quickly twisted into creeping dread.

“There were... some sacrifices, yes. But in the end, both the Empire and even the Holy Theocracy now fully believe I am the Hero.”

“......”

“For the record, the Saintess has already sworn loyalty to me. She believes I saved her life.”

If that was true, then just how vast was the scheme their master had orchestrated?

If Whitney truly was not the Hero—but rather the Great Shadow himself—then the Shadow Union had nothing left to fear. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

The Empire, the Holy Theocracy... all would end up dancing in the palm of his hand, only to be destroyed by the illusion known as “Whitney Ringaarden.”

“......”

But just as some of the black mages and secretly wealthy backers were beginning to feel elation... their expressions darkened, struck by a single, unsettling thought.

...Why is he telling us all this?

At the same time, Maier—who had stood blankly in shock for quite a while—finally regained his senses and began thinking with his usual sharpness.

“As you all know, our enemies do not exist only beyond these walls.”

As if he could see through every one of their thoughts, Whitney began speaking again with perfect calm.

“I’m well aware that many factions exist within the black mages.”

“......”

“I also know that some of the absent executives are currently building their own power bases.”

At that, many turned to glance at the empty executive seats—everyone except the Shadow Witch, that is.

“Of course, I can tolerate that much. But if those forces are used to push me out... that, I cannot accept.”

A wave of dry throats and parched lips swept through the remaining attendees.

It was true—most of them had some connection, however slight, to the “factions” Whitney had mentioned.

“O-o Great Shadow, we’ve never even imagined such a thing...!”

“Y-yes, exactly! We would never dare such blasphemy against the master of shadows...!”

“...Silence.”

A few of them, clearly unnerved, rushed to defend themselves—but the Shadow Witch’s chilling voice brought the room to silence once more.

“Whatever thoughts you had in the past... they no longer matter.”

Once again, the hall fell silent. Whitney’s soft, low voice echoed through the chamber.

“As I said before, you were chosen.”

“......”

“Oh, and if you’re unhappy with this, you’re free to leave.”

Of course, none of those who remained had any real choice but to keep listening.

“Good. I’ll take that as a no.”

Those with sharp instincts may have already noticed the Shadow Witch’s gray eyes scanning them one by one. Even those less perceptive could tell that the only exit had somehow been sealed with an unknown force.

“From this point forward, you’ll be entrusted with a special, honorable mission.”

Whitney leaned back in his chair, speaking with relaxed confidence.

“I won’t ask you to betray your current factions or steal information. That’s unnecessary—everything is already in the palm of my hand.”

“......”

“All you must do is support ‘Whitney Ringaarden’ from the shadows. As much as you can. In secret.”

Each of the gathered black mages showed a different reaction to those words.

Some looked intrigued, their eyes gleaming. Others grew visibly anxious, scanning the room nervously. And some simply stared forward with stony expressions.

Whitney, observing them all silently, let the corner of his mouth lift.

“When all is over and the day of glory arrives, your loyal actions will be rewarded.”

And then—he drove in the final nail.

“However, if you do not. Or if this truth is shared with anyone who was not here today—by any means...”

“......”

“...then I suggest you remember this: one day, you may simply wake up with your personality gone.”

The elegant, refined threat that followed was delivered in a tone disturbingly similar to the Great Shadow himself.

“Never forget—I can extinguish your life, anytime, anywhere.”

And so, all who remained could do nothing but quietly nod their heads in agreement.

***

“Well then, break time is over. Let’s resume the gathering, shall we?”

“......”

“Shadow Witch. Open the sealed door.”

As if everything had neatly wrapped up, Whitney turned back to his casual tone and gave the command.

“...Honestly, I didn’t expect this. Are you sure about this?”

The Shadow Witch, waving her hand to lift the seal, quickly stepped over and whispered to him.

“I mean... I shouldn’t be the one to say this, but black mages aren’t exactly the most trustworthy «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» folk.”

To that, Whitney let out a quiet laugh and replied under his breath.

“I don’t know much about the selection process for black mages. But I do think I understand the kind of people who’d stay in such a bleak place instead of leaving.”

The Shadow Witch tilted her head in curiosity—then her eyes widened.

“People who couldn’t align with any faction, hoping to gain the favor of the Great Shadow. Elderly ones whose bodies restrict them. Or those who are truly loyal.”

“......”

“Or just the overly ambitious. Though... can’t rule out the ones who stayed behind out of pure cluelessness, either.”

Technically, some of the people there were part of the Shadow Witch’s own faction, so Whitney wasn’t entirely accurate—but his judgment was remarkably close.

To be honest, the Shadow Witch had assumed Whitney’s power was limited to domination. Seeing this side of him deeply shook her.

“Still, that kind of risk is necessary for a gamble like this.”

“...So you like gambling?”

“Not at all. I hate it.”

And yet, for someone like the Shadow Witch—who lived in a constant cycle of boredom—this too was a welcome new thrill.

“Hey, so... a few people were coming back earlier than expected, so I blocked the exit myself. You’re not mad, are you?”

“...No. That was well done.”

“But some of them might get suspicious...”

To that, Whitney gave the perfect response.

“In that case, I’m grateful.”

The smile that spread across Whitney’s face at that moment sent a chill down the Shadow Witch’s spine.

“He truly is destined to become a Demon King.”

The aura he radiated—one that could possibly even surpass the Great Shadow—wasn’t something any false hero or false demon king could ever possess.

“...My judgment was right after all.”

At first, she had thought of him as a mere tool to counterbalance the Great Shadow—but now, her entire plan had shifted.

To dethrone the one who currently ruled the world of black mages... and crown Whitney Ringaarden as the new Demon King.

If that succeeded, perhaps Whitney could even fulfill the wish she’d long abandoned.

“Maybe this endless torment... might finally end.”

Though unlikely. The curse etched onto her—a brand from the age when gods still walked the world—was absolute.

Still... if it’s Whitney Ringaarden. Maybe...

“...What did you do this time?”

“...Huh?”

The Shadow Witch, lost in thought, turned her head at the cold voice beside her.

“Heh, playing dumb? Whatever. Do what you want.”

The door had reopened, and the executives and other attendees of the Shadow Gathering were re-entering the hall.

“Everyone, I hope your break was refreshing.”

As the participants returned to their seats, Whitney—now cloaked once more in perceptual interference magic—was just about to speak again.

“Well then, let’s resume the meet—”

“Pardon the interruption, everyone.”

Suddenly, a cheerful voice rang out from the executive seats.

“Great Shadow. Apologies, but we’ll need to pause the gathering.”

“...Why?”

Whitney frowned slightly at the unexpected comment from the Jester.

“Well, it’s just that...”

With a sly glint in his eyes, the Jester snapped his fingers—and the room was swallowed in yet another heavy silence.

“We caught an intruder.”

Right after he said that, something fell from the ceiling with a dull thud.

“Mmmph! Mmmph!”

When they realized it was a person, bound hand and foot and gagged, chaos immediately broke out.

“......”

But amid the rising noise, only Whitney remained silent, quietly staring down at the intruder.

“...Shit.”

Strictly speaking, he wasn’t exactly an intruder.

“Mmmph! Mmmph!”

The man who had just fallen into the middle of the black mages... was someone Whitney had deliberately invited using coordinates embedded in the invitation.

A wildcard. His last resort, in case something went wrong during the Shadow Gathering.

“Found him scurrying around like a rat. Had to stretch a bit to catch him.”

“......”

“Haha! This meeting just keeps getting more and more entertaining!”

Because the one who had never once been caught in his life—was none other than the infamous phantom thief, Bergen.