Ch.136Traitor (7)

Kadel approached quietly.

He extended his hand with an ominous smile.

“Judas student.”

“I have something serious to discuss with you.”

“It will only take a moment.”

As suggested, we had a brief conversation.

It was indeed something that needed to be settled.

Concerned about potential eavesdroppers, the snake and professor headed to a secluded area. We faced each other in a chilly atmosphere.

The conversation that began lasted just under 30 minutes.

To get straight to the conclusion…

“Then… I’ll trust that you understand.”

“Please choose wisely. I’m showing mercy to a student, after all.”

The conversation left a definite result.

Thanks to it, the traitor’s identity became clear.

I concluded our talk with what was essentially a warning.

I could feel a meaningful gaze on my back as I left, but regardless, I simply continued in the direction I needed to go.

I hadn’t been worried from the start.

‘Anyway.’

Everything was going according to plan.

There was no need to worry about a play unfolding in the palm of my hand.

I merely observed from one step removed.

I remained silent with a steady heartbeat.

‘There’s no reaction yet… but soon, when cornered, what will happen?’

The day passed with various idle thoughts.

The next day, we were given time to rest.

Faculty meetings, testimonies, and report writing… I thought I’d be stuck with annoying tasks for a while, but most of the related matters were left to the professors.

The academy seemed to be proceeding cautiously given how sensitive the situation was.

Thanks to this, students with assistant professor status were able to get a short vacation.

The same applied to me.

“Hmm.”

I spent my time holed up in the dormitory.

With a book in hand, I wanted to quietly kill time in a room without sunlight.

Of course, if I were to add that I was hungry after that sentence…

It would be because life was too hard to even fulfill such a small wish.

I look up with an awkward smile.

The dormitory interior comes into view.

Among the familiar scenery were girls with pink, blue, platinum, red, and orange hair.

The children all stare at me with determined eyes.

As if they won’t let me go no matter what I say.

“Um… everyone? I’ve been telling you I’m fine.”

I try to speak, but…

“Y-Young master! When you’re sick, you need to rest…!”

“Sit still and don’t make noise.”

“Yeah… if you keep this up, even Judas will get angry.”

“Just accept it. After all, this is your fault.”

All I got in return was scolding from the girls.

Shrinking back, I lean against the innocent wheelchair and mutter.

“I don’t even feel sick…”

That’s right.

I was confined to the dormitory in broad daylight.

By none other than the hands of the protagonists.

‘I didn’t expect everyone to react so sensitively.’

I chew on a word to myself.

The dragon subjugation from just a few days ago.

Because the original plan went awry, it was an event where I had to shoulder a considerable burden.

I ended up consuming not just my basic output but a large amount of life force as well.

Fortunately, it wasn’t enough to affect my lifespan, but I had to suffer from muscle pain and fever for several days afterward.

Of course, it was a minor ailment compared to my lowest times.

‘This is troublesome.’

I didn’t want the children to worry.

Therefore, I had planned to keep my overexertion as secret as possible.

But I was betrayed by unexpected individuals.

None other than Irene and Sharlotte.

The two who had participated in the subjugation with me had revealed my condition.

With serious expressions, they said something about me needing protection.

“Judas is a patient. He shouldn’t push himself until he recovers.”

“Since I couldn’t stop you myself… I thought bringing in the others might make you listen.”

Since their actions stemmed from concern, it was difficult to blame them.

Their sorrowful eyes had been weighing on my mind.

Anyway.

Through that process, the other children also found out about that day.

Lezia, Ameila, Elise… the three whose expressions had darkened.

When they heard that I had coughed up blood, they all turned pale and started hovering around asking if I was okay.

That was the backstory to the current situation.

The snake, the puppeteer, the vain one, the fox, the little prince, and the rose.

A dormitory occupied by five people excluding myself.

Since it was spacious enough to rival a decent mansion from the start, it didn’t feel particularly cramped or uncomfortable.

Still, I felt bad about constantly receiving their concern.

‘I really appreciate the sentiment, but…’

I thought putting me in a wheelchair was going a bit too far.

Especially since my life force was gradually recovering, making it difficult to even claim I was sick.

Of course, arguing back was useless.

“It’s hard to believe you’re fine… since you’ve already collapsed once.”

“You need to rest! After all the trouble the commoner and I went through to care for you, stop complaining and just recuperate!”

“Young master… *sniff* you c-can’t die.”

“Everyone would be sad if Judas died. Me too.”

A barrage of nagging.

My mouth automatically closes.

Especially Lezia, who was looking at me with teary eyes, seemed ready to burst into tears if I didn’t stay still.

In the end, I surrendered to those pure eyes and decided to go along with them.

It wasn’t that difficult anyway.

“Haha…”

As I let out an empty laugh, the rose sitting beside me pokes my cheek repeatedly.

She was also a girl in a wheelchair.

With a mischievous smile on her lips.

She clearly seemed to want to tease me.

With a rarely seen smile, she says:

“So… how does it feel to sit in a wheelchair for the first time?”

“I think I understand Your Highness’s frustration a little better now.”

“Let’s get along well as patients from now on. Though I won’t allow you to die before me.”

“No… my condition is only temporary.”

“Hmm.”

The princess seems particularly pleased.

Perhaps she liked having a wheelchair couple item.

She even let out a slight nasal sound in response.

“With a face as pale as a girl’s… you’re no different from a sickly flower.”

“I can’t compare to Your Highness, though.”

In truth, it was partly self-inflicted.

Nausea from life force deficiency.

By chance, I had shown signs of collapsing or staggering in front of the children a few times, and they all became extremely vigilant and started monitoring me constantly.

I should have just quietly stayed in bed until I recovered.

In the first place.

If I had properly dealt with the puppeteer then, the dragon wouldn’t have been resurrected, and I wouldn’t have had to consume my life force.

Of course, I had my own unfair circumstances hidden away.

I complain quietly.

‘Who would have known that name would be called…’

A smile so eerie it gave me chills.

In the puppeteer’s pupils, only madness and realization gleamed.

I remember the lips that moved slightly and the sound they made.

“So it was you, ■■■■.”

How.

By what means did they know that name?

In this world, only I… and those people should know that code.

Problems that escape control always tend to give me headaches.

As I’m lost in thought for a moment, the suddenly noisy atmosphere touches my ears.

It was the voices of the rose and the fox arguing as usual.

“The pet sure has a lot to say.”

“At least pets receive plenty of love from their owners. Aren’t patients and doctors just connected by work?”

“Oh my… have you forgotten? I even received a promise to make me happy.”

“Showing off with just a promise.”

“While caressing my skin here and there, no less.”

“How vulgar… perhaps I should fix your head before your body.”

“Can you handle it? Daring to make such remarks to a princess of a nation.”

“I have no interest in the petty hierarchy of humans.”

“What an ill-mannered beast.”

“And you’re an annoying woman.”

I suppose I’ve gotten used to it now.

The two who fight whenever their eyes meet.

They don’t seem to actually hate each other, but both have strong personalities, so they often clash.

I pinch both their cheeks to soothe them.

The soft sensation touches my fingertips as the argument stops.

“I’m pretty sure I asked you to get along.”

“…She started it first.”

“I should be the one saying that, insolent beast.”

The fox and rose continue to grumble until the end.

From the kitchen, bustling sounds of dinner preparation can be heard.

“Princess…! The s-stew is burning!”

“W-What? What should I do? It was fine when I practiced alone…”

“First, turn off the heat!”

“N-No! I’m scared of fire…”

“I’ll do it!”

The vain one whimpering as things don’t go according to plan.

And the puppeteer, with her excellent life skills, quickly fixing the ruined dish.

“Yes. Everyone looks like they’re having fun.”

Behind them, the little prince smiling gently.

The dormitory’s noisy atmosphere seemed likely to continue for a while.

***

Five days after the attack.

The situation among the faculty remained the same.

Although efforts to identify the traitor continued, no meaningful results had been achieved.

As a result, a cold atmosphere lingered among the adults of the academy.

A situation where everyone was watching each other.

As an assistant, I had limited access to information, so I couldn’t tell how seriously the situation was developing.

I could only guess the extent of the confusion through the sharp atmosphere.

I decided to set aside my concern.

After all, I was in a position where I had to walk a different path from them.

There was no point in worrying unnecessarily; it would only complicate my feelings.

‘I hope things flow according to plan.’

I lean back against the backrest.

As I mull over fleeting thoughts, the fox pushing my wheelchair from behind asks a question.

“So… do you really need to go out from the morning?”

“My teacher is waiting.”

“From what I saw last time, she didn’t seem particularly happy to see you.”

“She’s someone who dislikes people by nature. But she’s also unknowingly kind.”

“You seem to trust her a lot.”

“I’ve received a lot of help from her.”

I answer lightly.

The rolling wheels were crossing the corridor, heading toward the hospital room at the far end.

I was on my way to visit the drunkard.

Currently, Selena was staying in the academy’s hospital wing.

“No. I can’t cooperate with such a dangerous situation.”

During the attack.

The woman who blocked our way to the underground passage.

After being hypnotized and fainting, she was found collapsed on the nearby floor by other professors, it seems.

Naturally, the drunkard was admitted to the hospital.

There weren’t any particular aftereffects, and her consciousness returned quickly, but strangely, she seemed unable to regain her strength since waking up.

Because of this, she hadn’t attended the faculty meetings that had been held over the past few days.

This was also why I visited her hospital room every day.

‘I need to relay the meeting contents.’

I needed to hear her opinion about the traitor as well.

After all, she was my direct superior.

It was also my duty to relay minor matters missed in the meetings and the current atmosphere of the academy.

A big part of it was also simply wanting to see her face.

Anyway.

“Teacher.”

I wheeled into the hospital room.

Beyond was a white room.

A dreamlike space without even a hint of human presence.

After instructing the fox to wait outside the door, I moved the wheels alone, and suddenly my eyes met with the person sitting on the bed.

The drunkard, lost in thought again today.

“…You came, Judas student.”

Though she tries to greet me warmly, the concern on her face doesn’t fade.

Her melancholy, already deep, seemed to have darkened even further.

Eyes clouded with intoxication as usual.

Her purple hair, flowing down, was sprawled across the blanket.

The darkened circles under her eyes revealed that her condition wasn’t good.

Did she have another sleepless night yesterday?

“You seem even more haggard.”

“It’s nothing… let’s talk about work first.”

Her expression remained particularly dark.

The woman takes a sip from the bottle she was fidgeting with and speaks.

I’m sure the day before yesterday, someone took it away saying what kind of patient drinks alcohol… but it seems she had emptied several bottles she had hidden away.

Due to the gloomy atmosphere, I hesitated to point it out.

Inevitably, I relayed the work-related content as she requested.

It was about today’s meeting.

“The academy’s atmosphere seems to be settling down somewhat.”

“I see… This is work I should be handling, but I’m causing trouble for you, Judas student.”

“Not at all.”

The conversation continued for a while.

The woman in the hospital bed couldn’t take her eyes off the wheelchair I was sitting in, even while listening to my report.

She seemed distressed by the fact that her disciple was injured.

The fact that I looked particularly sick also played a role.

I hadn’t expected that consuming life force during the disaster subjugation would be used in this way.

I smile gently.

“Teacher.”

Yes.

Isn’t this enough by now?

Five days since the attack.

She must have also drawn various conclusions internally.

I ask the question I had been waiting to ask.

“I’d like to hear your thoughts now.”

“Pardon?”

“You haven’t given any opinion so far.”

“What do you want to ask me?”

“I want to know who you think… the traitor is.”

“The traitor.”

“It’s an important matter.”

Selena Drunkard.

She was not only the headmaster’s top disciple but also held a high position as the head assistant, and was a veteran who had experienced the academy for a long time.

She must have figured out the identity of the faculty member who betrayed the academy.

Perhaps the excessively incompetent headmaster.

Or the most suspicious Kadel.

Or perhaps someone else we hadn’t anticipated.

Or if not that.

“What do you think, Teacher… no.”

In fact.

“Traitor.”

Perhaps herself.

I was now looking at her with slightly opened eyelids and white pupils.

The answer that doesn’t come creates a moment of silence.

“……”

The hospital room sinks into quietness.

The snake stares.

At his teacher, a born educator, a scarred adult, and… the academy’s traitor.

I had been facing her across a long span of time.

Soon, her closed lips part.

Her pronunciation was clear despite her intoxication.

“So… you knew.”

The traitor, Selena Drunkard.

According to the original work, a seed of destruction planted by the cult.

The woman mutters.

“…It’s all my fault.”

A reflection on the sins she had committed for a long time.