Ch.140EP.35 – The Instructor’s Flex (2)

Two weeks before school starts.

This was when Ihan received information from the old priest about why he was suspected of heresy and targeted by the Inquisitor.

Ihan…

“You have a list of cardinals and high priests targeting me, right? Could you give that to me?”

“I don’t mind giving it to you, but may I ask why you need it?”

“I need to go deal with them directly. …I’m also open to resolving this through dialogue.”

“Ho ho, that last part is clearly a lie.”

“……”

He was planning to play the role of assassin once again.

Assassination—if he could somehow eliminate the higher-ups targeting him, the temple would no longer come after him.

He was confident.

If he utilized his true abilities well, he could even aim to become the “Reincarnation of the Shadowless Divine Fighter” in this world.

“With Tristan, there was reason and value in confronting him directly, but not with the temple.”

Just as one doesn’t feel guilty killing flies or mosquitoes, Ihan felt the same about the temple’s high officials.

He didn’t feel at all that killing them would dirty his hands.

Ihan boldly spoke of eliminating them, and to such words, the old priest…

“That’s not a bad idea.”

“……?”

…responded positively, leaving Ihan rather bewildered.

“…I mean, I’m the one who suggested it, but are you really okay with this?”

“Ho ho, my spiritual cultivation isn’t deep enough to forgive those villains who exploit the name of the Light of Radiance. Sometimes extreme measures are necessary. Don’t worry, even if you commit sins, I will bear them all and go to hell in your place.”

“I-I wasn’t asking for that….”

Looking at him carefully, he was definitely someone who went even further than himself.

“…However.”

“Yes?”

“Eliminating them is not the answer.”

“…Go on, I’m listening.”

“Thank you. What I’m trying to say is this: using your example, pests will keep appearing no matter how many you catch. Like when you find one ant, there are already others scattered throughout the house.”

“……You mean even if I catch those guys, new pests will emerge. Is that it?”

It was a relatable point.

There’s an old saying about burning down the whole house to kill a bedbug.

It means ruining something big because of something small, but it could also be interpreted another way.

“To completely exterminate pests, you must be prepared to burn down the entire house.”

If you’re going to eliminate something, you need to pull it out by the roots.

If he were to take out the temple’s high officials, it would certainly feel satisfying and solve the immediate problem, but the temple would likely continue to send troublemakers after him.

The temple had already started paying attention to him.

Second-generation pests would emerge and buzz annoyingly around his ears.

Irritatingly so…

“Also, Inquisitors of the Inquisition know no surrender. Increasingly skilled individuals will come after you. Especially if those known as Special Inquisitors appear, even you, brother, would suffer considerable damage.”

“Are they strong?”

“Rather than strength, they’re formidable because they’ll use any means necessary. They might target those around you rather than you directly.”

“……Then the temple and I can’t exist under the same sky anymore.”

Though the temple was a formidable force, Ihan was confident that if he acted alone, he could bring down even the temple, even if it took ten years.

This wasn’t arrogance but confidence.

He was the type who couldn’t stand being wronged and wouldn’t be satisfied until he returned tenfold—no, a thousandfold—what was done to him.

“That would be a tragedy. For both you and the temple. So, I think it might be better to take some time to proceed with this matter.”

“Time?”

…Could giving it time really solve anything?

That was Ihan’s doubt, and Raphael, without hesitation…

“Of course. I haven’t just been sitting idle either. Fortunately, there are brothers willing to help an insignificant old man like me.”

“Hooh.”

He immediately understood what that meant.

The old priest had been gradually forming a “faction” since returning to the temple.

A former cardinal and highest elder of the temple, even a candidate for sainthood.

If such a person were to form a faction, those who cooperated would likely be quite formidable.

“When those who cooperate with me gather, I too will have to perform the final mission of my life.”

“Planning some reforms?”

“If necessary, yes.”

“…It won’t be easy.”

He’d heard it said that establishing a new dynasty is easier than saving a fallen nation.

To Ihan, it seemed the old priest was attempting something even more reckless than what he himself had proposed, but nevertheless…

“If someone must do it, then it should be me.”

He answered calmly.

“…Alright, let’s put assassination as a backup plan for now.”

“Thank you, brother.”

“But if things start getting annoying, I’ll have no choice but to go with the ‘backup plan.’ Remember that.”

“Ho ho, of course. But don’t worry. As long as I maintain my position at the Inquisition, neither they nor the Inquisitors will be able to move freely.”

Given that one attack had already failed, and with the old priest directly monitoring the situation, the high priests wouldn’t be foolish enough to make a move.

That would be like openly advertising the temple’s corruption and would only serve to increase Raphael’s influence.

“People with strong desires for power never create opportunities to lose that power.”

“Ho ho, you understand the psychology of those in power quite well, brother.”

“…It just happened that way.”

It was an inference possible because he knew someone among his acquaintances who was the embodiment of power—his sister. As Ihan and the old priest were about to reach an agreement…

“But what should we do with these guys?”

“……”

The old priest showed a troubled expression for the first time.

The eleven Inquisitors captured by Ihan.

He still hadn’t decided how to handle them.

After pondering for a moment, the old priest…

“Hmm, I’ll take those two with me.”

“Those ones?”

The priest who first spoke rudely to Ihan and the one who seemed to be commanding the Inquisitors.

The old priest picked precisely those two, and when asked why…

“They’re adopted sons of high priests. They probably led this incident. If we keep them, the high priests won’t be able to move freely either. The information from their mouths would likely be fatal to those priests.”

As expected of the old priest. Though kind, he wasn’t completely ignorant of politics.

Still…

“…So even in the temple, blood ties are supreme.”

“……It’s just my unworthiness.”

He was dumbfounded by the absurd scene unfolding again, and the old priest let out a small sigh.

Wondering what to do with the remaining nine…

“Hmm, I think you can handle those as you see fit. …Though if I may offer an excuse, those brothers were just following their superiors’ orders, so please show them mercy.”

“Didn’t you say they could die?”

“Ho ho, but they survived, didn’t they? Then they should have a chance to taste mercy.”

“……What convenient mercy.”

Ihan responded casually while briefly looking at the remaining nine.

From those writhing in pain to the red-haired woman disguised as a man.

He…

“Hmm, Drill Sergeant.”

“Yes, yes, Instructor!!”

“You’ve got new juniors.”

“……What?”

“I was planning to thoroughly drill just you for the remaining time, but somehow I got some even worse specimens than you. So…”

“……”

“You handle them well. You’re their senior now.”

“…!!!”

Ihan decided to give the Drill Sergeant a gift.

“Interns” who could be killed if they didn’t perform well.

And now.

“Stand up straight, you fools! After two weeks of training, you should know better! Why can’t you even line up properly!”

“……”

“Not answering?”

“…I’m sorry.”

“Hah…! Look at how they answer? Why? Is it humiliating to be scolded by someone much younger than you?”

“…No, it’s not.”

“What do you mean no? It is, right? Right?”

“……”

“No answer!!”

“…Really, it’s not.”

“If it’s not, why do you sound like that! Are you upset? Upset! If you’re upset, you should have become a drill sergeant before me! Then you wouldn’t have to suffer this humiliation from someone younger, right? It’s pathetic, isn’t it?”

“……”

“Your silence means I’m right?”

“N-no, sir!!”

“How dare you look me in the eye and raise your voice! And don’t shout so loudly. Someone might think I’m bullying you, right?”

“…I’m sorry.”

“Why is your voice so quiet…!!!”

“……”

The Drill Sergeant who gained juniors had awakened.

None other than…

“…He seems insane.”

“That guy Damian has so much pent-up resentment, that’s why he’s like that.”

“Wow, if I were in their shoes, I’d want to kill myself. He’s brutal, absolutely brutal.”

…as a psychopath.

Damian, who had truly awakened as a mad dog, was relentless.

He found fault for trivial reasons and had been tormenting people for over two hours because of those faults.

It was a sight that made viewers sick, and if one kept watching…

“…He should be careful walking alone at night.”

One might worry about him getting stabbed by an intern while walking at night, and though tragedy might be destined for him…

“How dare you look me in the eye…!”

Again, Damian was happy.

Truly happy…!

* * *

“They say everyone has hidden talents, and that guy apparently has this kind of talent.”

Ihan marveled.

He was literally drilling them properly.

No one had taught him, but he must have instinctively grasped how to torment juniors.

That was innate.

A talent that had just blossomed.

“…I wonder if that can really be called a talent….”

“Kunta, they look pitiful.”

“Indeed, reminds me of my days as a low-ranking mercenary.”

Those were the opinions of the three.

And unlike them…

“That woman….”

There was someone interested in the woman herself.

“What’s this? Sooshim, are you cheating?”

“N-no, that’s not it. Besides, why would I be cheating? I don’t even have a girlfriend.”

“…I’ll make sure to tell Boradori exactly what you just said.”

“Why?”

“…Should I beat this guy up too…?”

“??”

“…Forget it, it just hurts my mouth to talk about it, tsk.”

Listening to Taechang’s comments, Ihan felt sorry for Boradori.

How did she end up liking such a guy…

While Ihan was grumbling, not understanding why he was grumbling, Damian spoke.

“B-by the way, Instructor, c-could that girl be Judia Pierre?”

“I don’t know about Judia, but Pierre sounds right. Why? Do you know her?”

“N-no, I don’t know her personally, but I can’t help but know about her.”

“Why?”

“…Well.”

As he listened to Taechang’s subsequent explanation, Ihan’s gaze unconsciously shifted to the dark-skinned man.

“───!”

He saw his face contorted with shock, hatred, and various other emotions like fury, and Ihan was slightly surprised.

And for good reason.

“-She’s one of the three great villainesses in the original story. Judia Pierre, known as the ‘Blood-Shedding Flower,’ alongside Irene, the ‘Flower with Poison.’ …She even became the wife of Prince Roen but is scheduled to divorce him.”

“……That guy was a divorcee?”

How many genres does that dark-skinned guy fit into?

‘Regression and divorce…’

Huh…

Ihan clicked his tongue, saying he now understood why that guy was the original protagonist.

‘Divorced men were trendy for a while.’

……Well, it was a trend he personally didn’t want to experience.

Ihan felt a small pang of sympathy.