Ch.109Summer Vacation Preparations (1)

# Ruide decided to observe.

The Emperor was merely trying to help Amelia earn merit, and hadn’t crossed the line yet.

…Above all, the Windsor succession structure wouldn’t change so easily.

Irene’s abilities were too exceptional for things to change just because someone earned some achievements.

Irene is strong. Even Ruide doesn’t know her limits.

Originally, even the somewhat clumsy Amelia was described as “the sky” in the original work.

That’s Irene’s skill—subduing Amelia with a single strike.

Honestly, no matter what the Emperor tried, overturning this structure would be impossible.

“Um, Professor.”

At that moment, Ella asked cautiously.

“What?”

“…H-how long should I keep patting your head?”

Ella was kneeling while stroking Ruide’s downy hair.

‘Ella is all-purpose.’

Ella was an all-purpose genius magic girl.

For research, she was research. For a pillow, she was a pillow.

Especially as a pillow, her usefulness was extraordinary.

First, perhaps because of her height, her body was firm. Not too soft, not too hard.

Plus, Ella’s body temperature was higher than average, so she was warm.

Truly an excellent pillow, sofa, and cushion.

It would be perfect if he could just endure the shame of being cared for by his assistant.

And that was the area where Ruide was most confident.

“Until I fall asleep.”

“B-but we have a lot of work piling up…”

“Ella.”

Ruide said seriously.

“Your most important job is to help me fall asleep.”

“Y-yes, sir!”

Ella answered seriously as well.

But she was fidgeting restlessly.

‘What do I do?’

Ella was facing the greatest crisis on earth.

‘I need to use the bathroom…!’

She had been holding it in for quite some time.

**

“You’re late.”

Ella entered the student council room, panting heavily.

Today was the scheduled day for the regular meeting.

Everyone was already seated.

Damon made a comment.

“How insolent. You dare to be later than me.”

“I-I’m sorry.”

Ella bowed deeply.

“I was late because I was putting Professor Ruide to sleep…!”

Ella was sweating profusely.

She was naturally prone to sweating, but the situation just now had been that urgent.

“Y-you put Ruide to sleep?”

Hersy looked at the floor with a gloomy expression.

“I’m jealous.”

“Hmm. That can’t be helped. Sit down.”

Damon nodded seriously.

Normally, he would have severely reprimanded a commoner for daring to be later than him, even if a natural disaster had occurred.

However, Ruide was more serious than a natural disaster, like a calamity from the heavens, so he decided to let it slide this time.

“There’s nothing special about why I called you here today.”

Damon said proudly, crossing his arms.

“It’s to overhaul the Academy’s system. Let’s get rid of that cursed First Emperor’s will first.”

“Ah, yes. That’s really not a big…”

Hersy stood up abruptly.

“That’s not nothing at all!”

Hersy was so dumbfounded that her gloomy feelings instantly vanished.

“What’s the problem?”

“O-of course there’s a problem. That means you want to shake the very foundation of the Empire.”

“If the foundation of the Empire is such a thing, then it’s better to destroy it.”

It wasn’t unusual for Damon to talk nonsense.

But Hersy realized from his cold expression that he was completely serious.

“The Empire is moving according to a fairy tale named after the First Emperor. Don’t you think it’s unbelievably backward?”

“T-the First Emperor’s will has maintained a system for a thousand years. As a result, the Empire is experiencing an unprecedented golden age.”

Hersy sat down, calming herself a bit.

“If other nobles heard this, it would be a severe punishment…”

“By golden age, do you mean the current situation where the entire Empire is steeped in the sweet honey of peace?”

Hersy bit her lip.

She scrutinized Damon with tense eyes.

‘This person, really…’

She gave the best answer she could.

“Certainly, from a noble’s perspective, there are many parts of the First Emperor’s will that are hard to understand.”

Damon tilted his head as if telling her to continue.

“However, I think its direction is right. Although I believe it’s an unattainable ideal, the value of equality is quite efficient.”

“Oh? Then, woman. Do you think the current state suits the Empire?”

“Generally, yes. It’s nonsensical to say nobles and commoners are equal, but that’s limited to the Academy. Thanks to that, the Empire can currently nurture excellent talents. In fact, outstanding magicians from commoner backgrounds emerge every year.”

Damon spoke as if finding it ridiculous.

“You’re wrong, woman. I declare this. The average quality of magicians in the Empire is significantly inferior compared to other kingdoms.”

“I can’t let that comment slide.”

Hersy denied it.

“According to studies in the magical academic field, the Empire’s magical studies are a century ahead of other kingdoms.”

“What do you think would happen if a war actually broke out?”

“Pardon? Well…”

Obviously, the Empire would win.

No country could be stronger than the Empire.

That’s what Hersy was about to say.

But Damon spoke first.

“What can a magician who has never killed even one person, no, not even a single magical beast, do? No matter how many inexperienced troops you have, they’re just a burden.”

The First Emperor’s will.

Damon thought it was just a poison with a pretty facade.

Human history has always advanced through struggle.

However, the First Emperor’s values regarded conflict as primitive and disparaged conquest as unconscionable.

Damon had never understood those values since childhood.

To covet, to destroy, to take—that’s what makes an empire.

That’s what a hegemonic state is, and that’s how development occurs.

“Talent, indeed. Certainly, the Empire has many talented individuals. But what do these talents want? They want to be detoxification magicians. What about knights? No matter how much they sharpen their blades, they have no use—can their swords truly be sharp?”

Hersy closed her mouth.

And she was bewildered.

“Certainly… although we should be vigilant because the period of peace has been long, I don’t think the Empire will collapse so easily. Prince Damon’s words are too extreme.”

“Extreme, you say? You still say such things after experiencing this recent incident?”

Damon calmly recounted the situation.

“Black mages infiltrated the heart of the Empire. The truth behind it still hasn’t been revealed.”

“…!”

“Everyone seems busy just praising Ruide’s achievements.”

Hersy’s eyes wavered.

Damon looked at his hands as he spoke.

“I got goosebumps. If Windsor hadn’t been there, the Emperor would have died. Yet people enjoy banquets without any sense of crisis, laughing and chatting. It’s something I simply cannot comprehend within my common sense.”

Strong disgust rose on Damon’s face.

“I declare this. Among all the empires in history, the current Empire, addicted to the drug of complacency, is the weakest. It will shatter at the slightest crisis.”

Hersy swallowed hard.

His words had merit.

But—

“…There’s no way.”

The First Emperor’s will is absolute.

Even the Emperor would find it difficult to change those values.

And they were just members of the Academy’s student council.

Although they were heirs, that was still a distant future matter.

“The magical beasts of the North.”

Damon dropped it casually.

“What?”

“I think the reason Windsor is strong is because of magical beasts. They have their first experience killing magical beasts at age 5. And when they become adults, every day is a war. They must face the powerful magical beasts pouring in from the North.”

Damon strongly believed.

“The magical beasts of the North are the only way to awaken this weak Empire to a sense of crisis. Above all.”

Damon looked at Hersy with a smirk.

“Don’t you think a country is placing too much burden on individuals?”

“W-wait a minute. You’re saying we should go hunt magical beasts from the North? Taking Academy students?”

Damon put aside his serious face and returned to his usual arrogant expression.

He crossed his legs haughtily and declared.

“Commoners don’t deserve to see Windsor Castle. It’s not us who will visit, but the magical beasts. Let’s have the first defense line that Windsor is maintaining be lifted. I order rigorous training in preparation for that day.”

Hersy was dumbfounded.

It would be exhausting to explain how powerful the magical beasts of the North are.

Moreover, the first defense line was directly connected to the capital.

It seemed unrealistic.

“Is that even possible…?”

Damon raised the corner of his mouth with a smirk.

“My dear friend happens to owe me a favor.”

**

“…That summarizes this meeting.”

Ella, Ruide’s assistant, reported diligently.

She had a habit of reporting even the smallest details, but this time Damon had ordered her to do so.

After hearing everything, Ruide’s impression was:

“…It’s not difficult, but.”

Wouldn’t Victoria and Irene actually like it?

The North is always short on manpower.

There are nine defense lines blocking magical beasts, and the Windsor Duchy is holding them alone.

No matter how untouchable Victoria and Irene’s abilities are, they don’t have multiple bodies.

Since the level of magical beasts is high, when new knights go to the defense line, their survival rate is 50%.

Especially the first defense line has the lowest number and level of magical beasts, but since it’s directly connected to the capital, Irene is the overall commander.

They need a strong person like Irene because they can’t let even a single rabbit-like magical beast slip through.

Naturally, it’s a tremendous loss of manpower.

Because of this, Irene would occasionally grumble, “Rui, do you know why I want to become the family head? I want to go to a stronger defense line.”

Damon’s plan is something to welcome with open arms. Probably when Irene hears this news, she’ll seize the opportunity and withdraw from the defense line in an instant.

“We won’t… be able to handle it.”

“Are the magical beasts of the first defense line that strong…? Too much for the entire Empire to handle?”

“The entire Empire could handle it. But, unlike what Damon says, the Empire isn’t just playing around.”

Most of the main forces are at the borders.

It is an era of peace, but that’s limited to the capital.

In the lower regions, there are other magical beasts, and in areas bordering other territories, so-called “barbarians” frequently plunder.

Obviously, they can’t be called in.

“Since we need to protect His Majesty, the Imperial Knights can’t move much either. From the beginning, the current system of the Empire is designed on the premise that our family thoroughly blocks the magical beasts of the North.”

No matter how far it is from the North and how weak the first defense line is, it would be difficult unless nobles voluntarily provide troops.

It doesn’t seem likely that greedy nobles would willingly offer their forces.

In other words, they really would have to face the magical beasts with Academy personnel.

“Um… what about calling the forces from the first defense line to the capital?”

“Hmm. There’s no reason…”

He was about to say there’s no reason for the Windsor side to accept Damon’s request if that’s the case.

Something flashed through Ruide’s mind.

‘Damon wants to stop the Emperor’s plan.’

‘Since he’s not one to lie, his desire to stop the Empire’s bad practices is also sincere.’

‘Damon is the type to solve multiple things at once.’

‘There’s only one way to definitely solve both issues.’

Ruide’s eyes widened.

“Bringing Sister Irene to the capital?”

That was the only way to both check the Emperor and bring a wind of change to the rigid Empire.