Ch.231231. Presentation

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Walter, the dean of the Holy Department, is someone I’ve encountered before, and he’s quite a principled lunatic.

In other words, he’ll more or less accept even rather extreme methods.

[…You’re the only one who would interpret it that way.]

“…”

[You’re going to show something extreme in front of the dean again? Even more than before?]

Well, whatever.

To be honest, I think it’s far too late to worry about my reputation at this point.

And originally.

‘…It’s something I need to do eventually anyway.’

My goal is ultimately to make all the Demonic Vessels around me happy.

To do that, I first need to gradually improve how people perceive them.

And if I think of this as the first step toward that goal, it’s not something I can’t do.

Although the scale is somewhat small, showing such an image in an “official setting” has its own significance.

“So.”

I continue speaking in a calm voice to Riru and Serath, who are staring at me with dead eyes.

“You both understand the plan, right?”

“…”

“…”

Two gazes that seemed to say “Are you seriously calling that a plan?” returned to me simultaneously.

“Once we do it this one time, you won’t have to do it again, so don’t worry too much.”

“…Senior Darwood.”

Serath said while trembling.

Judging by her expression, she seems to be feeling quite ashamed, as her reddened face is at a level that would make even a tomato feel relatively pale in comparison.

“Are we really going to do this?”

“Of course.”

I answer with a grin.

“There won’t be many people watching anyway, so there’s no need to be so nerv-“

As I was saying that while entering the auditorium where the “demonstration” would take place, my sentence was abruptly cut off.

“…”

In fact, looking at the situation, it’s not much different from what I was told beforehand. There’s only Dean Walter and a small evaluation panel consisting of a few “observers.”

However, the problem is those “observers.”

“…Your Majesty.”

When I said that while holding my head due to the intense headache rushing through me, one of the “observers” responded.

“Is there a problem, my good man?”

Looking at Cecilia Arc Bailey Diedonné smiling brightly as she said that, my headache gets much worse.

What is she doing here?

Is the position of Imperial Emperor so trivial that she can just abandon all her duties and wander around like this?

“Ah, I am here merely as an ‘observer,’ so do not worry too much. I will not exert any influence on the evaluation.”

“May I ask if it’s appropriate for you to come to a place like this for such a leisurely purpose-“

“That’s not the only reason. One must adapt to a place in advance to become familiar with it later.”

“…Pardon?”

What could she possibly need to adapt to at Elphante Academy?

“Time that has passed never returns. Eternity is not a luxury granted to mortals.”

As I was tilting my head at that thought, Dean Walter suddenly cleared his throat and said those words.

Ah, right.

I suppose he means I should focus on the presentation and not worry about other things.

“…Well, fine.”

Scratching my head, I look at Serath and Riru.

The two of them flinched simultaneously when they met my gaze, but I gesture toward them with a friendly smile.

“Come over here. We need to show them.”

“…”

At my words, the two of them walked onto the stage with expressions that looked like they were facing death.

“The research topic I will present as a requirement for establishing the club is,”

Standing in front of them, I deliver the sentence to Dean Walter with a confident voice.

“How to ‘tame’ demons.”

“…”

“…”

As soon as they heard those words,

The expressions of both the Emperor and Dean Walter became simultaneously ambiguous.

●

In an educational institution like Elphante Academy, it’s natural to have all kinds of transfer students coming in regularly, besides the freshmen entering during the regular academic term.

Such students usually enter through special routes due to various circumstances, so there are quite a few eccentrics among them.

However.

Even taking that into account, this is the first time a student has made such a request.

“…Hmm-…”

Lady Ophelia, the dormitory supervisor for new students, said with a troubled expression as she looked the person up and down.

“So, your name is-“

“Victoria Evatrice.”

The reply came in a clear voice like glass beads rolling on a silver tray.

She was a female student characterized by snow-white hair covering her neck, red eyes, and a petite stature.

No matter how you look at her, she seems too young to be admitted to Elphante, but perhaps no one anywhere would be able to say such a thing directly while looking into her eyes.

Because those eyes.

The sharpness condensed in those red eyes was, well.

“…”

Lady Ophelia silently looked at the other person.

It’s probably something most people would instinctively feel, and for someone like her who has been in actual combat many times, it would be even more apparent.

These are the eyes of a killer.

The kind of aura that only someone who has “butchered” people multiple times can possess.

Among the students, probably only the student council president, Elnore, has a similar aura.

“So-“

However, Lady Ophelia continued speaking without showing any particular reaction.

Her background was not something for Ophelia to be concerned about. As long as she was enrolled as a student at Elphante, she was someone Ophelia needed to protect.

“…You want to share a room with a student who’s not from the Empire-?”

“Yes.”

The answer came back in an unwavering voice.

For Lady Ophelia, it was a request that made her sigh.

Goodness, isn’t it too harsh to look for a non-Imperial roommate in an Imperial educational institution?

‘…Wait a minute.’

Suddenly, as some information flashed through her mind, Lady Ophelia tilted her head.

‘The surname, Evatrice-?’

It was definitely a name that remained in her memory.

Lady Ophelia began searching through the student records for the related name.

“Ah- here it is-“

“Pardon?”

To the expressionless response with a slight tilt of the head, Lady Ophelia replied with a smile.

“There’s a student named Serath Evatrice who has the same surname as you-“

Victoria’s gaze narrowed rapidly upon hearing those words.

“She happens to be a student from the Holy Empire, not from the Empire, so how about sharing a room with her-?”

“…”

She looks quite displeased.

“…I’m not sure.”

The answer came back in the same flat voice.

However, what followed didn’t match that tone at all.

“I don’t think that would be a good decision for either Lady Ophelia or myself.”

“Hmm-? What do you mean by that-?”

“If I share a room with that woman, there’s a high probability that either she or I will end up dead.”

“…”

Stunned by the unexpected answer, Lady Ophelia froze, and then the flat voice continued.

“We’re family members who don’t get along very well.”

“…Don’t get along-?”

How bad could the relationship between family members be to prompt such a statement?

She might have said it as a joke, but coming from a student with such eyes, it doesn’t sound that way at all.

“Well. It might be an inappropriate expression. Since it’s been over 10 years since I last saw her, perhaps it would be more appropriate to say we have no relationship at all now.”

“…”

If such words continue so casually, even more so.

Lady Ophelia closed the student records with a sigh.

“…Then could you wait a little-? I’ll let you know when I find a suitable student-“

“Understood.”

Victoria nodded obediently this time, then suddenly spoke as if she had just remembered something.

“By the way, may I ask one thing while I wait?”

“What is it-?”

“Where can I find a man named Darwood Campbell…”

Victoria’s sentence was suddenly cut off.

Probably because she saw Lady Ophelia’s face, which had been gentle until now, suddenly melt into fatigue.

“Huh? Oh, I’m sorry- I’ve been getting too many such requests lately-“

“…Pardon?”

“There are at least five female students who constantly ask where that student is- I’m starting to get tired just hearing his name, so my expression unconsciously-“

“…”

Seeing Lady Ophelia waving her hand as she spoke, Victoria’s eyes narrowed again.

Well. She had roughly heard about it from her “employer,” Marquis Bogart.

This man must truly be a disastrously promiscuous person.

While she was thinking that, Lady Ophelia continued with a sigh.

“He’ll probably be moving out of the freshman dormitory soon since he’s becoming an upperclassman, but well. I think I heard about what he’s doing today somewhere. He was definitely doing some club-related activity-“

“Club, you say?”

“Yes, I believe it was called the Demon Exorcism Club-“

“…”

Victoria’s eyebrow twitched slightly upon hearing those words.

Then, she asked in a quiet voice.

“If it’s not too much trouble, could you tell me the location? I would really appreciate it if you could.”

Clearly, the instruction given by Marquis Bogart when he infiltrated her into Elphante was to report all of that man’s actions related to “demons.”

Not only does this perfectly fulfill the conditions, but also.

‘…I’m becoming personally interested.’

Victoria herself had some interest in this Darwood person.

Partly because he was the target of her assignment.

According to what she heard from her employer, Darwood Campbell is a figure who holds the key to shaking the entire continent regarding “demons.”

It can’t be dismissed as mere exaggeration because information keeps coming in that the leadership of the Empire, the Tribal Union, and the Holy Empire are all focusing their attention on him even when he’s just sitting still.

As an assassin who must be sensitive to such trends, she can’t help but be interested.

So, she should gather information out of curiosity about what this man is planning by establishing such a suspicious club called the “Demon Exorcism Club.”

With that thought, Victoria slightly opened the door to the auditorium that Lady Ophelia had told her about. She had definitely said he would be doing club-related activities here today.

“Excuse me-“

Victoria, who was carefully greeting as she entered the auditorium, suddenly stopped.

In fact, looking at the situation itself, there’s nothing particularly strange.

It was clearly in the middle of some kind of “presentation.” There was an auditorium, presenters on stage, and two people in the audience seats watching with interest.

However.

If only the person on stage wasn’t her “family.”

‘…No.’

Of course, it wasn’t the appearance of her that she was familiar with.

The image of her enveloped in a “purple aura” all over her body, with an expression on her face like an affectionate puppy, was at least a million light-years away from the image of that cold-blooded assassin she remembered.

Moreover.

That current state.

“…”

The sight of her sister lying sprawled on the stage, showing her belly to the man in front of her, waving her arms and legs.

No matter how you look at it.

This was not the appearance of a Grand Assassin, of which there were only two on the continent, including herself.

She was even sticking out her tongue and panting. Her face was full of genuine happiness. As if she didn’t even feel shame for doing such a thing.

Victoria’s mouth fell open. Although she was an assassin who avoided extreme emotional expressions, she simply couldn’t hold back.

“…Serath?”

At those words that she unconsciously uttered in a dumbfounded voice.

Serath’s face on stage quickly turned toward her.

“…Victoria?”

Suddenly.

Serath said those words after confirming her appearance.

The purple aura that had been surrounding her body instantly disappeared. That strange atmosphere that had been in her expression also vanished.

As if she had returned to her “senses” as soon as she saw Victoria.

Then.

“…”

“…”

A devastating silence fell over the auditorium.

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