Ch.319319 – A Special Promise

<319 – A Special Promise>

Ferguson was not in a position to leave Oknodie behind with a simple “Yes, sir.”

“I can’t allow that. You sent her to the Academy because you couldn’t properly understand Oknodie’s true nature, but now your thinking has changed. Do you think I don’t know your scheme to raise that child within the Foundation’s embrace?”

“I believe a child who was attacked by an Imperial professor needs time to heal her emotional wounds. If this fact becomes known, parents concerned about student safety won’t just be in our Foundation.”

“Are you threatening the Academy now?”

“Don’t forget that the justification is on the Foundation’s side.”

This wasn’t a battle he could win with words.

But using force would mean failing to protect the other children and putting himself in danger.

He needed to find a solution through peaceful dialogue while there was still willingness to resolve things amicably.

“Then I’ll speak with the child directly. Whether she wants to stay here of her own will, and what schedule she plans for returning. As an Academy professor, surely you understand my concern for a student? If you refuse even this, the Academy cannot simply let it go.”

While resolving things with violence might seem faster and simpler, the most dangerous and troublesome blade often comes not from the hand but from the tongue.

Perhaps the Foundation wasn’t willing to risk all-out war with the Academy either, as Jona couldn’t refuse this request.

“Follow me.”

Training Tower.

Upon entering the facility, Ferguson felt an enormous magical field permeating the entire structure.

It was a force comparable to the Dragon Principal’s massive magical field that dominated the entire Academy grounds—something any professor entering the Academy would inevitably sense.

<Continental-grade Mana Boundary>

<Do not defy the Lord’s will – non obedite voluntati Domini>

The Dragon Principal, who had become a living god capable of violating the laws of the world, established an island in the middle of the ocean and inscribed his own laws upon his territory.

Thus the Academy became a domain that even the 12 Divine Gods, 12 Evil Gods, and the One God Sophemia could not easily intrude upon.

The pressure felt in this tower was no less imposing.

‘Were the rumors about the Chairman’s identity true?’

The location was significant as well.

The Training Tower, created for hero parties.

A training facility made by the One God Sophemia for her chosen true heroes.

The Chairman and Foundation secretly occupying such a facility.

Perhaps the Chairman wasn’t an illegal occupant but someone fully qualified to use this facility.

Whoosh.

The elevator—technology that spread from ancient facilities to all of humanity.

As this marvel of civilization opened its doors sideways, Oknodie and the Chairman appeared.

It was an anxiety-inducing sight, like watching a small, fragile jewel rolling around in the hands of a massive demon, ready to be crushed at any moment.

If you can’t have it, wouldn’t it be better to destroy it?

Seeing Ferguson’s nervousness, Oknodie made an openly disgusted face.

“Ugh. It’s really him.”

“Really?”

“The evil serial enhancer. The main culprit behind senior students’ bankruptcy!”

“What are you suddenly talking about?”

“Don’t play dumb. Everyone knows Professor Ferguson runs the enhancement service for senior students!”

Some loose-lipped senior student must have blabbed to Oknodie, who was just a freshman.

Realizing he’d made a terrible first impression, Ferguson frowned deeply.

Do you even know what kind of person you’re clinging to right now?

He desperately wanted to scold her.

The Chairman, seeming to understand Ferguson’s feelings, lightly shrugged and smiled.

“I heard you had something to say to my child. Since we can’t keep a busy person like you for too long, let’s keep this brief.”

“…Oknodie. If you miss the cruise ship back, we don’t know when you’ll be able to return to the Academy. It’s not too late—come back with me now.”

“No way!”

“Is it because of the false rumors your seniors spread about me? If there’s a misunderstanding, let’s resolve it through conversation.”

“I thought it was suspicious when you gave Titosoga that level 5 enhanced lamp. You showed the power of enhancement through early access, planning to fleece everyone once they become seniors, right?”

“Why would you say such a terrible thing? I swear to the gods, I’ve never plotted such an evil plan.”

“Hmph. I won’t fall for it! You’re mistaken if you think I can be easily fooled like Titosoga!”

Is such a difficult child already being groomed by Professor Bronze and Professor Destroyer, as rumors suggest?

As a professor, he found it amusing that this child was already looking beyond senior year toward graduate school routes, but as a student supervisor, it was more troublesome.

This distrust ran deep.

At least, not something he could resolve.

The Chairman smiled with upturned lips, as if mockingly.

‘It seems pointless to continue, doesn’t it?’

‘…To have less credibility than the Foundation’s Chairman, damn it. Did I set the high enhancement probability too low on the slot machine?’

Persuading Oknodie was impossible.

As he was about to give up, he noticed a student standing behind the two with an extremely uncomfortable expression.

A male student with a sharp presence like a sword, but unable to properly display his aura because he was intimidated by the Chairman.

It was Sing, a student from Class 981, Year 1 Advanced Class.

“Sing. Are you also staying with Oknodie?”

“I am.”

Why is this kid speaking informally to me?

Ferguson’s blood boiled.

If the Chairman weren’t here, he’d have no qualms about hammering this kid’s head without caring who was watching.

“If your way back disappears, your safety will essentially be in the Foundation’s hands. If they don’t permit it, you might have to spend your entire lives trapped on this island.”

“No need to worry about that. There’s a <Transfer Magic Circle> on the 60th floor of this tower, and Oknodie secured our right to go directly to the 60th floor through a deal with the Chairman.”

“You mean you can leave this tower anytime without taking a ship?”

Nod.

Sing now just moved his head without even replying.

Veins bulged on Ferguson’s hand.

I’ll make that bastard repeat ‘I’m dead’ when he takes my class later—that’s the only way I’ll feel better.

Suppressing his violent thoughts, Ferguson decided he had fulfilled his duty as a professor.

“Then I hope you return safely before the semester begins. As you know, if the first semester was from March to July, the second semester is from September to December, so you should return to the Academy by the end of August at the latest to attend classes properly and avoid paying fines.”

Ferguson gave up on bringing Oknodie and Sing back with him.

* *

Oknodie watched the cruise ship leaving the island through the tower window.

The Chairman asked her:

“Aren’t you disappointed? Missing the chance to enjoy more of your vacation with your friends.”

“Not at all! I’ll see them again when the semester starts anyway!”

“Hehe. What if I don’t allow you to return to the Academy? There’s no professor to take you back now.”

Oknodie stared up at the Chairman.

Then, with a somehow confident face, she let out a high-pitched “Pffft” and laughed.

“Someone of Papa’s stature wouldn’t do that.”

“What correlation is there between my stature and your Academy attendance that I’m unaware of?”

“Of course there is. Small-time villains don’t know how to keep their word, but big shots have class. You need to know how to keep promises to qualify as a big shot.”

Evil, but with style.

That’s what makes a great villain!

Her bright self-assertion evoked a feeling of endearment.

“Where did you learn such excellent words?”

“Hehe. Just somehow? It seemed like the right thing.”

“Excellent. Truly excellent. Oknodie, you might have a talent.”

“What kind of talent?”

“The talent to be called a great villain of the continent!”

Sing, who was crouched nearby, flinched.

‘What kind of conversation are this crazy father and daughter having as soon as the professor leaves?’

“Remember this. Ordinary people tell countless lies throughout their lives. Promises they can’t keep. Empty boasts. The world watches and remembers such things. It notes: this person is a liar who doesn’t even keep their own word.”

“Heh. That sounded just like Papa!”

“Hehe. Not just like Papa—it is Papa. Didn’t you make an implicit promise to me as well?”

“Hmm~ I suppose you could see it that way!”

“Lies are bad. In times before qi existed in the world, the words of the strong had no integrity, and they could renege on their promises to deceive the weak whenever they wanted.”

“Is it different now?”

“Of course. The world gradually gives credit to those who don’t lie and keep their promises. Internal energy, mana, divine power—though different in nature, the size of one’s credit grows.”

“!”

Sing, who was eavesdropping on their conversation, became alert at these words imbued with enlightenment.

As if reading Sing’s mind, the Chairman smiled generously.

“Sing. This will be a good lesson for you too, so listen carefully. Keeping promises with the world isn’t just about keeping your word. Running at a set time every morning, repeating sword strokes ten thousand times a day—these are promises kept with the body.”

“So my training had such meaning…?”

“Ah, that’s the dolphin pants sisters… Ahhh, n-nothing at all!”

“Of course, keeping diligent promises in daily life isn’t bad, but to gain great credit, you must keep great promises. Actually fulfilling a vow of revenge, or achieving a goal like eating one of each type of food in a region.”

“!!”

“Slurp…!”

“So don’t make commitments lightly. Don’t easily place expectations on anything. If you commit to something, you must keep it; if you expect something, you must achieve it. Otherwise, credit will leave your side.”

Is this how the great villain of the continent, the Foundation’s Chairman, viewed the world?

Though evil, perhaps there was something admirable about his attitude toward life.

Sing entertained such thoughts.

“In that spirit, would you like to make a promise?”

“…What kind of promise?”

“Not to leave the tower until you reach the 50th floor on your own feet. If you achieve this condition, I’ll give you a congratulatory gift in my own way. However, if you fail to meet the condition, I’ll help you with special training until you climb the tower.”

For Sing, who had overcome the trial of the 39th floor with Oknodie’s help, it was quite an enticing proposal.

But for a bet, it seemed somewhat soft.

“What do you gain by doing this?”

“Simple. The longer you stay with the Foundation instead of the Academy.”

“…!”