Chapter 22: New colleagues are always welcome (3)

After recruiting Violet, codenamed Purple, we held daily meetings to prepare for the now-derailed original plot.

“We have two main objectives.”

We established two primary goals. The first was the Imperial Academy Romance Manipulation Team.

If this world truly operated on ropan logic, then romance was paramount. If we could successfully manage the relationships, we could control the flow of events. Of course, that wasn’t easy.

“So, what are the odds?”

“Based on the first-year academy arc, it’s like this!”

We had a competent informant who knew the future: codenamed Purple.

• Prince Esid: 55%

• Aslan: 25%

• Prince Arwen: 15%

• Others: 5%

So, Prince Esid had an overwhelming advantage?

“…Without your personal bias.”

“Tch.”

Trying to pull a fast one on me? Even if there was a designated male lead, if one character had such a clear advantage, the later arcs wouldn’t have been such a mess.

Of course, Violet had said it was a mess, but there were apparently a significant number of “demon king” supporters. That meant the author had skillfully managed the “male lead stocks,” keeping the readers guessing until the very end. The sudden appearance of the demon king hadn’t caused a market crash; some investors were even cheering for him.

• Prince Esid: 45%

• Aslan: 35%

After removing Violet’s bias, Prince Esid’s shares dipped slightly, while Aslan’s rose.

“Is this for real?”

“I’d bet my salary on it.”

Hmm, she was serious. This was different from what I’d expected.

“There’s that much of a difference?”

“There are various incidents, but most of them are internal Imperial affairs. The main plot revolves around Prince Esid and academy politics. The combat scenes mostly involve Aslan, the eternal runner-up, trying to defeat Ellen.”

Prince Arwen, the magic user, had a few magic-related scenes, but his presence was minimal in the first-year arc. He became more prominent in the third year, when dark mages started appearing. In other words, Crybaby had to make his move before the third year.

“He’s doomed.”

In many stories, childhood friends were destined to lose. But they also had the biggest advantage. They were the first to meet the protagonist, they shared countless memories, and their families were often close. They should be unbeatable.

But that also meant they hadn’t become a couple despite all those advantages, until a new girl appeared. They’d known each other for years, shared countless memories, and their families treated each other like their own, yet they were about to lose to a newcomer?

“What does it even take to win?”

Wasn’t it just a losing battle? Damn it, Crybaby. He should have focused on igniting his prince’s heart instead of practicing his fire magic.

“Well, his route is a bit… lacking.”

Violet, her sentences becoming shorter as my frustration grew, nodded and erased the male lead percentages. Then, she wrote down Arwen and Marie’s names.

“Prince Arwen was solely focused on magic before coming to the academy. And Marie respected his dedication, supporting him from the shadows.”

Even with a brief explanation, I understood. I was in a similar situation. Prince Ellen had also prioritized swordsmanship before entering the academy. Crybaby must be feeling betrayed.

“And then the ropan heroine appears.”

“Our Daisy is just that charming.”

“Our” Daisy? That sounded overly familiar, but it was true, so I let it slide.

“But Marie is a royal shadow. She can’t act openly.”

The protectors of Dale and the instructors of Leon were similar organizations. They protected and nurtured royalty.

But they were also fundamentally different. We were instructors, teachers focused on education. They were protectors, shadows operating in secrecy.

For example, if Ellen died, I would lose my position and possibly face punishment, but if there were extenuating circumstances, it would be considered an unavoidable tragedy. There would be rumors and disgrace, but at least I wouldn’t die.

But the protectors of Dale were different. They were essentially extra lives for the royal family. If the royal they protected died, they would die too, regardless of the reason. It wasn’t even a decision made by the royal family. It was an automatic consequence of the contract they signed before becoming protectors. They had immense power and influence, but with significant restrictions.

“She won’t use that power, right?”

“No. She tries to win him back with pure magic…”

If I become a better mage, the prince will notice me! I just need to become stronger!

“But then the Saint awakens, displaying a miracle that transcends the laws of magic and unlocking her own magical talent!”

And judging by her recent fistfight, she was also formidable in close combat. Damn it, Crybaby had no chance.

“Even if he surpasses her in magic, it’s a losing battle.”

…Because this was a ropan. Prince Arwen hadn’t fallen for Daisy because of her magic, so trying to win him back with magic was a fool’s errand.

“…What are the odds for the mage in the third year?”

“A three-way deadlock.”

So, the imperial prince, Aslan, and the mage each had a thirty percent chance, and the other side characters shared the remaining ten percent?

“That’s right, but we get another junior character then, so the number of side characters increases.”

I’d thought the new female characters were the only additions, but there was another male lead candidate too.

“This is bad.”

For the sake of world peace, I needed to eliminate the losers quickly. I had to change my approach.

“…Actually, we don’t need your help.”

Crybaby, his face flushed, insisted he didn’t need our help. I had to give him a reality check.

“Losers should keep their mouths shut.”

“What…?”

“Join us.”

He couldn’t even eat the food I’d prepared for him, so I had to force-feed him.

****

I made Crybaby cry three times during his reality check, but considering he would spend the rest of his academy life sobbing over his unrequited love, it was a small price to pay. We’d recruited a new member for the Romance Manipulation Team and planned to approach the potential antagonists. And then, I focused on my second objective at the academy.

“So, are you ready?”

“Of course.”

If the Romance Manipulation Team was our first objective, the second was the Hidden Leaf Village… no, the Imperial Academy Security Force. This damned academy would be constantly under attack!

“From here to there… we’ve reinforced the visible defense systems.”

Aryn was explaining the upgraded security measures implemented after the recent incident. He knew I wasn’t just a student, but an unofficial representative of the Leon Kingdom, so he was taking the explanation seriously. But…

“You think you can stop them with these obvious measures?”

The more he explained, the more uneasy I felt. Even I, with my limited knowledge of magic, could spot the weaknesses. No wonder the academy was constantly being breached.

“It’s a deterrent. This is just what’s visible. It’s a warning: don’t attack unless you’re confident.”

Aryn, sensing my skepticism, hastily added that there were hidden measures too, but even those wouldn’t be enough. This was a ropan academy, destined to be attacked!

“Hidden measures? Then tell me.”

“That’s classified.”

“Classified between us? I’m hurt.”

“I’d love to tell you. But my hands are tied. If you defect to the Empire, I can tell you everything. Interested?”

My skills were apparently in demand even in the Empire. He wouldn’t reveal any secrets, but if I defected, he would tell me everything. My popularity was a problem. Well, not really. I would mention this to the Commander during our next meeting and use it as leverage during salary negotiations. More bargaining chips were always welcome.

“I doubt the Empire can match my current salary.”

“Come on, we’re the Empire! How much do you get paid?”

“About this much.”

“…Huh?”

Even the Empire seemed surprised by the Leon Kingdom’s generosity.

“Are there any openings?”

“Unfortunately, we just filled our last position.”

He said they’d used the remaining budget to recruit Violet, so there were no openings for a while.

“That’s a shame.”

He was probably faking it, but he looked genuinely disappointed. Was the Empire also stingy with salaries, like Dale? Well, they controlled a territory several times larger than the Leon Kingdom, which meant more specialized personnel and higher maintenance costs. Even the Empire would struggle with the expenses.

“So that’s why terrorists attack the academy. You’re short on funds.”

“No, this was an exception. It won’t happen again.”

“…”

Silence might have been an exception, but similar characters would continue to knock on the academy’s doors, and the academy would welcome them with open arms. They would try to stop them, of course, but this lax attitude from the Empire, the first line of defense, was concerning.

“What’s with that look?”

“Well, um… I picked up some information.”

“What is it?”

“Well…”

It was nothing much. Just a minor incident…

“I heard the Swordsmanship Department is going to the Adrian Mountains for a practical exam.”

“…How did you know?”

Aryn’s face hardened as I mentioned the unannounced training location. But Violet knew something even more important.

“I heard there are dark mages there.”

“…Really?”

“…Take care of it.”

“…”

“…”

Since I’d said it was a minor incident, they would take care of it, right?

“Oh, .”

Trusting Aryn was a mistake.