Ch.43Plan – 5

After hearing my plan, the Director looked at me with concerned eyes, but ultimately accepted it, likely thinking there was no better option. The decisive factor was his belief that Queen had already begun destroying evidence.

I immediately went to find Priscilla and Rosaria to explain the plan to them as well. At dawn, with the Director leading the way, we stormed in and apprehended Alexander.

“What is the meaning of this, Director!”

It was just as we expected. Perhaps because Nika had been caught, the Succubus Queen had already taken steps to cover their tracks. He had been sitting unnaturally quietly until his body was completely bound, at which point he began to rage.

The dozens of nuns beside him behaved similarly. They remained calm following their master’s lead, but once they were bound, they began struggling and claiming their innocence.

“Do you think the Starlight Order will let this pass after treating me this way? I will formally protest this to the Academy!”

“That will depend on who you really are. So I suggest you refrain from futile resistance.”

The Director remained firm. Ingrid set up a magic circle nearby, creating a space that no one except a few relevant personnel could enter. Jake then searched the carriage.

After quite some time, he returned empty-handed, looking dejected.

“There’s nothing in the carriage, Director.”

“Did you search thoroughly?”

“Yes. With Professor Ingrid’s help, we even used detection magic… The only magical item we found was a temperature maintenance device.”

While Jake and Ingrid found nothing, new arrivals appeared—an Imperial investigator and a high priest from the Starlight Order, both contacted in advance by the Director.

The Imperial investigator had rushed over through a dimensional gate upon hearing that the Order’s escort might be connected to succubi. Similarly, the high priest had hurried after learning that the Pope’s own son—the saint’s escort in name—had been detained on charges of colluding with succubi.

“What have I done to deserve this? This is unjust!”

“We received reliable information that you’ve been colluding with succubi. That explains much of the mischief you’ve caused at my academy. I couldn’t ignore it.”

“I would never do such a thing! Even now, hundreds of nuns and priests are at the front lines treating the wounded—how could I collude with demons? What do you take me for?”

Upon hearing this, he jumped up with an expression of genuine indignation. The nuns likewise unanimously denied any such involvement.

Their words had the desired effect. Led by the investigator, people searched the entire carriage again thoroughly but couldn’t find the magical device the Director had mentioned for concealing demonic creatures.

This was to be expected. If we had raided immediately after capturing Nika, things might have been different, but more than 12 hours had passed. It would be harder to believe they hadn’t taken precautions.

“See! I’m innocent! How dare you falsely accuse me of colluding with demons! Serves you right!”

When no evidence was found, he grew emboldened and openly mocked the Director, even using informal speech. The Director, knowing what was to come, calmly endured the mockery.

“Search all you want! I will personally protest this to the Empire!”

Why did we deliberately wait until the next morning when we should have rushed in as soon as possible to gather any remaining evidence?

To make them believe they had successfully eliminated all evidence, giving them a false sense of security. And they fell right into our trap.

Our goal was to kill Alexander, not to destroy the Starlight Order. If that had been our aim, we would have approached this differently.

Though someday, the Order would need to fall too.

“Can you take responsibility for those words?”

The Director smiled slyly. He never actually intended to find evidence.

We planned to create it ourselves—evidence so clear and irrefutable that they couldn’t even claim it was fabricated.

To that end, the Director allowed the high priest to handle Alexander as he wished.

Moving him to a room prepared by the Order, letting them tie the knots themselves, removing all surveillance magic, allowing them to conduct body searches—he accepted almost all requests to prevent any complaints later.

Giving them what they asked for would leave them no grounds for objection. They requested the removal of surveillance magic to discuss their strategy in private, but any discussion would be futile anyway.

Jake and Ingrid protested, concerned about what they might do, but quieted down when the Director told them to leave it be.

“Student Mira Creight has requested a private meeting with Lord Alexander.”

“That’s correct.”

Soon, I got the opportunity to meet with him alone. This was where it truly began.

“Why?”

“I can’t say. You went in there with all surveillance magic turned off and talked freely, but you’re asking only me for a reason?”

The high priest, perhaps because they had made similar requests, eventually agreed despite my blatant refusal to explain. Instead, they conducted a thorough body search.

Somehow they’d heard about my Eternity and insisted I leave it outside. I gladly complied. It was better to be unarmed anyway.

“Why the body search?”

“Lord Alexander is unarmed. We don’t know what you might be hiding or what you might do.”

The high priest responded curtly with a contemptuous look. They probably thought this was our last desperate move. Nothing else could explain such confidence.

I met Rosaria, who had arrived earlier, in front of Alexander’s room. She was wearing her usual saint’s robe that was little more than rags, her face half-flushed.

I pretended to show respect while positioning myself so no one could see Rosaria from behind. She pretended to accept my greeting while slightly opening her fingers beneath her chest.

A vial containing succubus pheromones slipped into my uniform sleeve. This was the safest way to transfer the pheromones, according to her insistent suggestion.

I wondered how she could come up with such an idea while being so embarrassed.

“Are you really sure about this?”

Rosaria whispered softly as I carefully hid the warm vial in a corner of my sleeve.

“Of course. Who do you think I am?”

“I know it’s shameless to say this when I’m the one asking for help, but don’t push yourself too hard. I understand the situation has gotten complicated. If necessary, you can just let him go without killing him, okay? Got it?”

“I got it, I got it. Don’t worry.”

“Since you said you have a plan, I’m sure it’ll be fine… but please don’t get hurt. I’m begging you.”

I gave a noncommittal answer and went inside. Rosaria didn’t seem to notice that I had remained silent about her request not to get hurt.

“Welcome, Miss Mira Creight.”

Alexander Reinhardt, loosely bound with rope, greeted me with an expression close to a sneer.

“Lucky you. Colluding with demons, yet no surveillance, no monitoring devices, comfortably resting in a room like this instead of a prison.”

“I haven’t colluded with anyone. This treatment is natural since I’m innocent. Besides, I’m tightly bound like this, aren’t I?”

“We both know those would come undone with just a little force.”

“Haha, surely not.”

He laughed smoothly. As I sat down, he seemed no longer tense, leaning back leisurely against his chair.

“I regret having to say this under these circumstances, but why did you decline my dinner invitation yesterday? You could have tasted various delicacies. They were all raised for that purpose. Well, my father raised them. My father is quite an excellent man.”

“I don’t need that sort of thing.”

“Heh. You lie well. A strong man like you wouldn’t be interested in such places. Or perhaps you prefer… Oh my, excuse me. That was a joke. Just a joke.”

Unlike when he had been angry enough to speak informally to the Director, he remained friendly toward me. I smiled slightly and asked a question.

“Did Queen order you to get close to me? To give me everything so I’d consider you a friend?”

His body twitched slightly. Such poor control of his expressions.

“Haha. Queen? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I already know you’re enthralled by a succubus, so stop denying it and just admit it cleanly. It’ll be easier for both of us, don’t you think?”

His face regained its composure at my blunt questioning.

“I truly don’t know what you’re talking about. As I said, there is no evidence that I colluded with demons. Or perhaps you’ve brought some proper evidence? If there is evidence, I should naturally accept punishment. But there isn’t any, is there?”

‘He’s confessing with his own mouth.’

I inwardly sneered. If that statement had been recorded, even the investigator might have become suspicious again. It was that stupid a remark.

He’d accept punishment if there was evidence? If he were truly innocent, he would have argued that any evidence was fabricated. After all, evidence would have appeared framing him for something he didn’t do.

Ultimately, such a statement meant he was confident that all evidence had been destroyed and that he wouldn’t be caught.

“You seem confused, so let me explain. You’ve made two huge mistakes.”

I felt inside my sleeve. He watched my hand tensely.

“First, if you wanted to live, you shouldn’t have locked yourself in a perfectly soundproofed room with all surveillance devices and magic removed.”

A small vial emerged from my sleeve into my left hand. Seeing the pink mist inside, his expression hardened.

“You recognize this, don’t you?”

“Well, I’m not sure…”

“Don’t pretend. You used it last night too. You were testing what you’d use to take Rosaria, weren’t you? Must have been disappointing you couldn’t use it longer since you had to prepare when you heard we were coming.”

“…Did you just casually address the Saint Candidate by name?”

“What about you? Don’t you remember what you did yesterday?”

I calmly shook the vial.

“And second, I’m not going to look for evidence. I can just create it. After all, dead men tell no tales.”

“…What did you say?”

“What, was that too figurative for you? Should I be more direct?”

I stood up. His body shrank back slightly.

“I’m going to kill you here.”