episode_0071

000

The inside of the conference room was noisy with the voices of the top students from each department sharing their opinions.

Or rather, to be precise, when the top student from another department presented an opinion.

The main thing was Layla finding reasons to reject that opinion.

“It is necessary to prevent the executive department from causing problems before they arise. How about having skilled students from each department patrol the academy?”

“Considering the size of the academy grounds, quite a few students would have to be drawn out. The academy is a place to study, not a place to stand guard.”

“For departments that learn combat skills, it can be considered an extension of practice.”

“You’re talking about the possibility of it leading to actual combat, right? What if they get hurt there and suffer damage to the extent that they can no longer be enrolled?”

“In that case, let’s place surveillance crystal balls, manufactured by our Department of Magical Engineering, throughout the academy. If connected to the academy’s ley lines, we can guarantee the operation of the magical tools even for 24 hours.”

“It’s better than nothing, but that means ordinary students and teachers are also being monitored 24 hours a day, right? The kingdom won’t stand still if they find out.”

“It’s okay. If we hide them in streetlights or bushes…”

“That’s even more wicked.”

“Sex.”

“You just want to say it, don’t you!? Kleon! Make this woman quiet!”

“Even if you tell me…”

Kleon deflects the complaints about his student, Riomes, whom he cannot control himself.

Aruru could only give a bitter smile and shake her head.

Looking at that scene, it seemed like he could understand what Aruru was talking about.

A little flashback to yesterday.

When Layla and he went to Aruru and told her that they wanted her to participate in the top students’ meeting.

Aruru readily nodded her head.

“Of course. Actually, all the students who come to the meeting are excellent, but they are a little too assertive. I needed someone to coordinate opinions.”

“…You don’t mean you’re asking me to do that?”

“I don’t know anyone more suitable than Layla. She can respond to everyone’s opinions objectively and logically.”

When Aruru smiled, Layla frowned slightly, as if she felt uncomfortable.

“The other top students also recognize Layla’s skills. The big obstacle is that they think she has no cooperativeness at all and looks down on them based on her past impressions.”

“Well, that’s not a wrong perception.”

Layla muttered, as if sulking a little.

Kleon stared at Layla for a moment, then turned to Aruru.

“There must be one or two people. People who respect Layla’s abilities, regardless of her personality.”

“Of course. I can secure the top student from the Department of Magical Engineering on my side.”

Layla seemed to recall who Aruru was talking about, but she couldn’t quite remember.

“Then, all that’s left is to create the flow.”

“I’ll do that. Kleon, help me. It’s not difficult, just tell the story of what happened according to what I say.”

At Aruru’s words, Kleon nodded.

And after a moment of silence, Layla carefully opened her mouth.

“…Thank you. Aruru Tromea.”

“It’s nothing. Layla is also a top student at the academy. Rather, we should apologize for not inviting you to the meeting even once until now.”

“It’s not that. Even as a figure of speech, I wasn’t a good person, and I’m still… I think I’m a dogmatic person.”

When Layla’s face darkened, Aruru gave a kind smile.

“Dogmatic people don’t feel guilt or gratitude. And no self-reproach either.”

Certainly, Layla was such a person in the past.

But change came as she experienced a great event that shook her values.

And a person who loves her.

Communicating with the person she loves.

Slowly, little by little.

She was understanding the phrase `for someone`.

“Are you regretting it? About your past self.”

“… …”

Layla didn’t answer Aruru’s words.

She just clenched her fist with a slightly lonely look in her eyes.

“Regret isn’t bad either. People eventually grow up with regret.”

“…Do you have it too? That kind of regret.”

At Layla’s words, Aruru gave a slight bitter smile.

“I did. But, I wonder if it’s been resolved a little recently.”

Aruru’s smile was directed at Kleon.

Kleon cleared his throat and turned his head.

001

“Is this all? Don’t you have any more plausible opinions?”

A long two-hour debate.

Layla, who smashed all the opinions that each top student put out for their own department’s benefit, put her hand on the desk.

The inside of the meeting hall became quiet, which meant that there was no more ammunition prepared.

As Aruru said, everyone was just saying what they wanted to say in the face of an enemy called the executive department.

There were no opinions in it for the sake of the students of the academy, or to unite the opinions of all the top students a little more.

The gazes of the top students towards her had not changed from when the meeting started.

At least Layla’s favorability towards them had decreased even more.

“If you have ignored all opinions to this extent. Of course, Layla Flamewatch, you must have prepared an opinion as well.”

It was the top student from the Department of Politics who broke the silence.

He also presented Layla with a plausible opinion: `Expel the executive department, create a student organization to protect students, and have the top students lead the organization.`

But looking at the inside, it was a structure in which students belonging to that organization were given more power than necessary.

That part was pointed out and the opinion was rejected.

“Of course, before that. Where is Trace – the top student from the Department of Archery?”

“…Come to think of it, he hasn’t been seen for the past few days.”

“Oh my. He said that he would apply for a leave of absence for the past few days, saying that he would track down the executive department’s hideout even alone, right?”

The inside of the conference room was once again engulfed in silence.

No one could remember him.

“W-Well. I agree with that opinion too. All of you are full of thoughts of expanding the power of your departments by taking advantage of this opportunity. You just have to do what’s necessary.”

“Necessary things?”

“Yeah. Find the place where the executive department guys are hiding and catch them all. I’m against creating organizations, creating surveillance systems, or dragging in ordinary students.”

Aruru also nodded at Layla’s words.

“I agree with her too. We are here as representatives of each department. We are by no means special people. It is against the purpose for us to decide something and change the school’s policy.”

It was Aruru Tromea, the heroine of the ducal family, who was chosen by the sacred sword, who said it, so it had even more weight.

Not only the commoner students, but also the aristocrat students nodded their heads.

“But in the end, in order to find that hiding place…”

When the top student from the Department of Divinity tried to continue talking, the top student from the Department of Sacred Studies quietly.

Riomes raised her hand.

“Information… Shall we extract it?”

Everyone’s attention was focused on Riomes.

She was also a person who had not given a proper opinion.

But this time, she spoke in a serious voice, with a smile on her face.

“I was thinking about that too. I heard that the students from the executive department who fought with Kleon before were retrieved. Didn’t you think about extracting information from them?”

At Layla’s words, the student from the Department of Magical Engineering said.

“Of course, we did. But everyone’s lips are so tight that we were thinking of using a truth serum, but…”

His gaze turned to Aruru.

“I heard that ordinary, light items don’t work, so I stopped them because they were trying to use a high-concentration truth serum.”

“…The drug used in truth serum is basically poisonous to the body. Of course, it’s questionable whether those guys need mercy, but…”

When Layla answered Aruru’s words, some of the top students also nodded.

“It’s not mercy. But if we, as top students, use such a means once, there’s no guarantee that someone among us won’t do something worse.”

“Indeed. It’s a story that’s a little too big to be done at the student level.”

Kleon quietly supported Aruru’s opinion from the side.

If this was a dispute between adventurers and adventurers.

Or between adventurers and criminals.

Kleon wouldn’t have stopped them from using truth serum or mind control spells.

But their role was, after all, learning and research.

Just because the other party had abandoned that, it didn’t mean that they had to do the same.

Fighting at the same level as the other party was not a very wise action.

“In that case. I will try to extract the information.”

Riomes said quietly.

It was worth seeing everyone’s faces change to fear or dismay in an instant.

“Oh my, why is everyone making such unpleasant faces…”

“You extracting information… That is, are you talking about inflicting sexual torture on them?”

When the top student from the Department of Politics spoke carefully, Riomes widened her eyes.

Then, after a while, she quietly covered her mouth and laughed.

“No. Even though I’m a person from the Department of Sacred Studies, there’s no way I would do such a thing to people from other departments.”

“… …”

“…Did you really think so? That’s unexpected. Students from the Department of Sacred Studies never mix bodies with other departments unless they are in a relationship.”

Kleon was just thinking, “Was that so…” as he listened to the story.

To be honest, when he heard that she was extracting information, he had the same thoughts as the student from the Department of Politics.

“There’s an instructor here who mixed bodies with a student from another department, though.”

Aruru speaks in a voice that only Kleon can hear quietly.

Then Kleon clears his throat so that the voice is not heard by other students.

However, when Kleon’s clearing of his throat draws attention to Kleon, Kleon thinks he needs to say something and opens his mouth.

“So, Riomes will interrogate them in her own way?”

“That’s right. It’s a peaceful method and no one gets hurt. And it feels good.”

Everyone nods at Riomes’ answer, but they all stiffen at the last sentence.

“…Don’t reassure us with the first sentence and then lower our expectations with the last sentence.”

“Doesn’t it raise expectations instead?”

It seemed that the day she understood her mental state would never come.

“You can take responsibility for extracting the information, right? Riomes.”

The top student from the Department of Divinity speaks with an expression of disbelief in Riomes.

For her, who had been receiving ridiculous, prank-like questions such as `What’s the difference between the Department of Divinity and the Department of Sacred Studies?` since before.

The Department of Sacred Studies was still an evil organization.

“Of course. Ah, but that’s right. I think it would be good if instructor Kleon could help me.”

But whether she knew her heart or not.

Riomes answers in a light voice and turns her gaze to Kleon.

“…Even though it’s temporary, if a student in the department I’m in charge of is trying to do something… I have to take responsibility.”

[Are you okay? Kleon?]

The next moment, Layla’s telepathy is heard.

Her voice was more worried than ever before.

She had quickly countered all kinds of opinions from the top students, but she was embarrassed because she could not read Riomes’ thought patterns.

Then Kleon quietly nodded.

He had no idea at this point that he would soon regret it.

002

Kleon, accompanied by Aruru and Layla, heads to the place where the students are being held in case of an emergency.

Riomes, who is at the front, is humming as she walks, as if she is in a good mood.

“Riomes. If you had a way to extract information from them, why didn’t you do it?”

Aruru points out the part that had been bothering her since she brought up the story.

Then Riomes answers without turning her head.

“If I extracted information in a state where opinions were not properly gathered, those people’s self-assertions would only become more severe and specific.”

“…That’s, that’s true.”

If they found out information about the executive department from them, they would use it to express only opinions for their own interests this time as well.

It would be okay if it was at the point when they were all refuted and pointed out by Layla.

That seemed to be Riomes’ thinking.

“Do you really have a way to extract information without using truth serum? I’m telling you, mind control magic is not allowed. It also damages the brain and soul.”

“Don’t worry, I don’t know how to use such magic.”

Layla also says as if she is worried about her method.

But Riomes just smiles without paying attention.

Aruru and Layla’s eyes turn to Kleon at the same time.

“…I trust the student in my department.”

“Oh my, thank you. Instructor Kleon. I’m honored.”

To be honest, he was a little skeptical.

Half of that trust is in her younger brother, Demis.

The place they arrived at with such an uneasy heart was.

The building of the disciplinary room owned by the Department of Law in the outer area of the academy.

If you violate school rules and receive disciplinary action to be suspended from school.

You will stay here instead of the dormitory.

Among them, the worst students, until their expulsion is decided.

They will live in the disciplinary room – in other words, a prison for students.

All the students from the executive department who attacked Kleon were subject to expulsion without exception.

However, in order to extract information about them, they were now being held in the disciplinary room.

They head to the prison where those who were recently detained are, guided by a student from the Department of Law who is acting as a guard.

There, they saw people quietly locked in a room, restrained with magic-draining handcuffs.

There are two people inside.

One male student and one female student.

“These are the most recently admitted executive department students. They are the ones who attacked Aruru at the restaurant.”

At the guard’s words, Aruru and Kleon check them at the same time.

Looking closely, the female student was the one who was burned and fainted by Kleon’s magic.

The male student is the one who was cut by Aruru.

The wounds seemed to have been healed with healing magic, so their bodies were fine.

The mental fatigue seemed to be inevitable.

“But Riomes. Why did you tell us to put them together in one room?”

Everyone’s attention is focused on Riomes at the guard’s words.

“Well, these two people. They’re in a relationship, so it’s pitiful to separate them, right?”

“…Is that, so?”

“Yes. Don’t look, though.”

As expected, the top student from the Department of Sacred Studies.

“No, even if she’s the top student from the Department of Sacred Studies, it’s strange to know that just by looking at them.”

Kleon returns to his senses at Layla’s tackle, as if she had read Kleon’s thoughts.

Riomes says that and sends a look to the guard.

The guard carefully opens the prison door.

With a creaking sound, the two people inside raised their heads.

For a moment, their bodies flinched as if they were about to jump out.

As soon as they saw Aruru and Kleon’s faces, that thought seemed to disappear and they sat back down in their seats.

“Wise.”

Kleon was thinking of stopping them on the spot if they did anything.

He was relieved that they were quieter than he thought.

“What’s going on? Are you thinking of getting some information from us?”

Riomes nodded at the male student’s words.

“That’s right. I need your help…”

Riomes says that and walks inside.

“Guard, please leave for a while. Layla, put up a soundproof barrier. Instructor Kleon, would you like to come inside with me?”

Then she gives instructions to each of them.

“Wait, weren’t you not going to do sexual torture?”

Riomes still smiles as she turns to look at Kleon at his words.

“Yes. But it seems like it will be a little noisy.”

“… …”

Layla makes a slightly suspicious face, but first she puts up a soundproof barrier to prevent sound from escaping to the surroundings.

“What about me?”

“Please watch from there, Aruru. It would be great if you could watch the Department of Sacred Studies in action.”

“U-Um… I understand.”

Aruru also asks Riomes if she should do something since she was not given any instructions.

Riomes gives her an appropriate answer and stands in front of the female student.

Then, as if putting her palms together, she brings her hands together.

Black and white magic begins to flow out of her hands, up her arms.

It was the `two-way conversion of magic and life force` that Demis coordinated with the help of Ob’s power.

She was a person who had reached the level where she could do it naturally without the help of auxiliary tools.

And that magic went around her whole body, and finally concentrated on the tips of her index and middle fingers on her right hand.

“What… Are you going to do?”

The female student looks up at Riomes with an uneasy face.

“You don’t have to be afraid.”

Then Riomes smiles and bends her knees to talk at the same eye level as the seated female student.

“This, which is concentrated on the fingertips, is magic converted from human life force. If it penetrates the opponent’s body, it can control that body to some extent.”

“D-Don’t tell me you’re going to manipulate my body to make me tell you the information?!”

Riomes shakes her head at the female student’s trembling voice.

“No, I can’t do that much. All I can do with this is, at best… Amplify the sensitivity of other people’s bodies. I usually use it on myself, though.”

The next moment, Riomes’ finger touched the forehead of the female student who could not move.

Like a pebble thrown on the surface of the water, ripples arose in her body and Riomes’ magic spread out.

“Shall we go with about 3,000 times lightly?”