Chapter 216

In the academy garden.

Three people were sitting.

Camian and Annette were familiar faces, but one was new.

Leon Benesse.

It seemed they had become quite close after the incident on the island.

Not bad.

I approached them.

“Is everyone alright?”

“Ah, senior.”

“Hello, senior.”

The juniors greeted me.

I sat down next to Leon.

“Are you alright, senior?”

Camian looked at my shoulder, which had been pierced by the black hand.

I casually shrugged.

“Yeah, my cute junior’s emergency healing was so good.”

“N-No, senior. I’m just glad I could help.”

Annette blushed slightly and brushed her hair aside.

I smiled lightly and changed the subject.

“By the way, everyone had a hard time being treated like patients with collective hallucinations.”

“Sigh…”

Annette immediately sighed.

“A hard time… It was definitely a hard time.”

Camian said with a bitter taste in his mouth.

“Are all Imperial investigators like that?”

Leon narrowed his eyes in displeasure.

It seemed like everyone had a lot of pent-up frustration.

I chuckled and said,

“It’s because he’s an investigator. Investigators have to judge based on evidence, right?”

“You’re saying there really wasn’t a single piece of evidence left? Not one?”

“That’s right. There’s no reason for them to lie to us, right?”

“That’s… true.”

Leon reluctantly agreed.

But he soon opened his mouth and said,

“Even so, I can’t accept it. All those traces disappeared overnight? Does that really make sense?”

“Yeah, I know. It’s definitely a mystery. But since it happened, we have no choice but to accept it and move on.”

“…”

Leon closed his mouth.

“Let’s put the dungeon aside for now.”

Camian said this time.

“It was hard to swallow being dismissed as liars about our testimony regarding the dark elf. We should pay even more attention to such a dangerous individual.”

“Ah, that’s because she’s a dark elf.”

“Huh?”

“Dark elves are said to have gone extinct a long time ago, right? Of course they wouldn’t believe it.”

“Ugh, we clearly described her name and characteristics…”

“Yeah, yeah. A dark elf named Natasha, wielding a strange sword with an invisible blade, right? And she was so strong that she even cornered a party consisting of Elaine of Ice and Fire, Leon the Lightning Spear, Slain the Fangs of Slaughter, and Lucia, the half-breed with keen eyesight. I’d believe it if it was in a novel.”

“…”

Camian also closed his mouth.

I concluded,

“In the end, what can’t be helped can’t be helped. Let’s just be glad that at least we know the truth.”

“Yes, senior.”

Annette nodded.

The others didn’t answer, but they seemed to agree.

That was enough.

I deliberately didn’t bring up the funeral.

Everyone would know that those who had passed had to be let go, and those who were alive had to keep living.

Even the kind-hearted Annette.

“Um…”

Leon suddenly looked around and spoke up.

“What?”

“I don’t think this is something I can handle.”

Leon held out a small metal case.

My eyes widened slightly.

Because I could immediately guess what was inside.

“That’s something you earned with your own strength.”

“It wouldn’t have been possible without your help, senior.”

“That doesn’t mean I should take it.”

“Maybe not. But I still think you’re the only one who can handle this.”

“…”

I fell into thought for a moment.

It was a dangerous item.

But it must also be an important one.

Since it was something Red Rain was after.

‘The question is, is it worth the risk…’

Actually, I already had the answer.

That it was worth it.

Red Rain, one of the biggest threats that could trigger a bad ending.

Disrupting their plans would definitely be beneficial for me.

Especially if it was an item they had sent their core executives to retrieve.

‘Sigh, with the heart already in my possession, I don’t think it’ll get any more dangerous.’

I made up my mind and nodded.

“Alright. I’ll keep it safe.”

“That’s good to hear.”

Just as I received the item and put it in my pocket,

Someone approached.

“It’s nice to see such a friendly atmosphere between seniors and juniors.”

We turned our gazes towards the speaker.

And.

“Ah, Professor.”

“Hello, Professor.”

The juniors stood up.

You guys are making me look disrespectful.

I chuckled and looked at her.

Regina, dressed in a black mourning dress.

She gestured for them to relax and then turned her gaze to me.

“Are you almost done? I’ll wait over there.”

“No, we were just finishing up.”

“Really? Then…”

Regina looked at the juniors.

“I’m going to borrow this person for a bit.”

“Ah, then we’ll excuse ourselves…”

“No, I can’t impose.”

Regina reached out and gently pulled me up.

“W-Wait. Don’t do this. I’m a student, and you’re a professor.”

“…”

“…”

They looked at me as if I was speaking nonsense.

…Sorry, it was a line I really wanted to say at least once.

“Ahem, ahem. L-Let’s go.”

“Thank you for keeping this person company.”

Regina bowed politely.

“N-No…”

“Senior is quite…”

This time, it was the juniors who were flustered by Regina’s words and actions.

It’s obviously a joke, why are you taking it so seriously… I thought, but then I realized why.

She was known as the Ice President, or now the Ice Professor, because of her unchanging expression. So her jokes wouldn’t sound like jokes.

…She actually liked to make jokes, but they didn’t know that.

Regina raised her head again.

The juniors finally relaxed their awkward postures.

“Then everyone, enjoy the rest of your day.”

“Yes, Professor. You too… I mean, you and senior too…”

And so, we moved to another location.

* * *

Even though we moved, we were still within the same garden.

I could see the juniors glancing at us from afar.

I chuckled at their honest gazes.

They couldn’t hide their curiosity.

I could guess what they were thinking, so I ended up chuckling.

They were probably interested in the campus date between their senior and a mature, capable female professor.

So innocent, so innocent.

Click.

Regina took out a cigarette.

She lit it and took a quick drag.

“Phew.”

A mature woman, dressed in a black mourning dress, crossing her legs and smoking a cigarette.

This is bad for education.

Too seductive.

I could see Camian and Leon staring blankly, swallowing their saliva.

I also saw Annette poking Camian’s side with her finger.

Camian hurriedly regained his composure.

I watched their sitcom-like interactions with amusement and then spoke up,

“You’re popular with the students.”

“Popular?”

“Yeah, they say they like your classes because they’re insightful and get to the core of things, something they can’t hear elsewhere.”

She was a new professor who had been teaching for just over six months.

But her popularity was far beyond that of a newbie.

It was only natural, considering she had been popular since her student days.

And on top of that, her teaching quality was excellent, so there was nothing more to say.

“I didn’t know.”

It seemed like she wasn’t particularly interested in that aspect.

Regina changed the subject.

“Is your body alright now?”

“Of course… Ow! Ow! Don’t press it!”

My face contorted as Regina suddenly pressed on my wound.

Of course it hurt.

I had been pretending to be fine, but there was no way a wound like that would have healed completely yet.

“Sorry, I was being insensitive. I thought you were okay.”

Regina put out her cigarette.

“You didn’t have to…”

“Secondhand smoke. It’s not good for recovery.”

“…But my cute disciples will be disappointed.”

“What?”

Regina turned her head, her eyes filled with confusion.

“Cough, cough!”

“Cough, cough!”

A chorus of coughs erupted.

Annette looked like she wanted to disappear from embarrassment.

As I gestured to her, saying it’s okay, I understand, Regina turned her gaze back to me.

“Men are so hard to understand.”

“…That’s just how they are.”

“No, I think I get it.”

“Huh?”

“They’re attracted to special outfits and behaviors, right?”

“Cough, cough!”

It was my turn to choke.

Please, stop venturing into that world.

…Men also have a world they want to protect.

“A-Anyway, what brings you here?”

I quickly changed the subject.

Regina’s expression turned serious.

“Has it begun?”

“Begun? What do you mean?”

“What you predicted.”

She continued,

“This incident. I think the villains’ true objective is related to the princess.”

I see, so that’s how it looks.

If you didn’t know about the secret archive, this incident could be interpreted that way.

The fact that it happened on Imperial territory, on a remote island, and coincidentally when the princess was visiting.

I couldn’t tell her about the secret archive, so I didn’t deny it.

It was true that a dark tide had begun in earnest.

“It’s definitely clear that something has begun.”

“Then we need to hurry.”

“Hurry? With what?”

“The matter in the north.”

“Ah.”

I nodded.

Her family, the Ernbert marquisate, was located in the north.

And my father, Count Celtrine, had promised full support for the war against the barbarians after my persuasion.

His intention had been clearly conveyed to the Ernbert family, but a true alliance was still a long way off.

The distance was vast, and the scale of the operation was not something to be taken lightly.

War supplies had just started to arrive at the Ernbert estate.

“I also think it’s not a good idea to wait until after this winter.”

Next year would be too late.

Because the Imperial conflict was approaching.

We needed to secure the north, eliminate any potential threats from behind, and conserve our strength.

That subjugation would also lead to a complete reconciliation between the Ernbert and Celtrine families.

It was a reason to hurry.

“Alright, let’s do our best to finish it before then.”

“Okay. I’ll take care of things on my family’s side.”

“Good.”

Regina nodded and took something out of her pocket, offering it to me.

My eyes narrowed in confusion.

“The Headmistress asked me to give this to you.”

“Really?”

That was fast.

She said she would contact me soon, but this was express delivery speed.

I unfolded the note.

And.

– Are you free this evening?

I couldn’t help but chuckle in disbelief.

* * *

The Headmistress’s private quarters were located deep within the academy grounds.

It was the perfect location for someone who didn’t like to be in the public eye.

There were only a minimal number of servants.

First, a guard and caretaker.

The man standing in front of me.

A tall, sharp-looking man.

It was natural to think that one guard was too few for someone of the Headmistress’s status, but I knew.

‘He’s a Guardian Knight.’

One of the ten Guardian Knights, known as the Swords of the Church.

The true power of the Church, and the reason why no one dared to trifle with them.

Having one of them as a guard would be more than enough.

“Student Max?”

Esron, the 7th ranked Guardian Knight, who was standing at the main entrance, spoke to me.

“Yes, that’s me.”

“Please come in. The Headmistress is waiting for you.”

“Alright.”

I stepped inside through the open entrance.

“