Report

People always envy those who reign above them and wish to become such people themselves.

In that sense, the Imperial Family receives more envy from people than anyone else in the world.

Because they govern and orchestrate everything in this world.

···But could people really maintain their fantasies about the Imperial Family after seeing this sight?

The Imperial Family’s nameless Guard Knight bowed his head deeper, hoping no sparks would fly his way.

“Your Highness.”

“···Repeat what you just said to me.”

“We’ve lost contact with the Bright Light Society.”

“How are you handling this matter!”

“My apologies, Your Highness.”

Crash.

The sound of something shattering filled the spacious room, and fragments of what was clearly an expensive vase flew near the feet of the bowing Guard Knight.

···He’d seen this before. His senior had earnestly warned him that this vase was so expensive they couldn’t afford it even after saving for years, and that they must never break it no matter what mistakes they made.

Was it really acceptable to throw such a precious item just because of anger?

He bit his lip with complicated feelings.

“However, please listen. The Bright Light Society has disappeared without leaving any trace. As if such an organization never existed.”

“Disappeared?”

“Yes. We suspect they were attacked by someone.”

“···Didn’t you just say they vanished without any trace? How can you claim it was an attack then?”

“I understand how absurd this sounds, Your Highness. But there’s something suspicious about this.”

“Suspicious?”

Though he knew he absolutely shouldn’t speak during guard duty, the knight nearly opened his mouth.

Bound by numerous restrictions to prevent problems from what they witnessed during protection details, Guard Knights had seen countless things that ordinary people wouldn’t believe.

That’s why he was certain. The Bright Light Society was a criminal organization, but its members weren’t incompetent.

It was impossible for all of them to disappear without leaving any trace. Especially if it was due to someone’s attack.

“Do you remember the criminal organizations infesting the slums that formed after the war?”

“Yes. Those rabble. Why mention them?”

“In recent months, all criminal organizations in the capital’s surrounding slums have disappeared. ···Except for one.”

“What? Why wasn’t this reported?”

“Didn’t Your Highness recall all troops maintaining slum security to the Imperial Family’s interior? With our intelligence network gone, we only recently learned of this.”

It must have been to solidify his own power.

He needed as much strength as possible to gain advantage within the chaotic Imperial Family.

Though he disliked sacrificing national security for power struggles, there was nothing he could do.

Decision-making was the privilege of those in power.

“Tch, fine. So? You must have a reason for mentioning this now?”

“Yes. Those organizations disappeared in the same manner. They evaporated without leaving any traces.”

“···You’re suggesting it’s the same perpetrator?”

“It’s merely speculation, but yes. The possibility seems quite high.”

All back-alley criminal organizations had vanished without trace in a short time.

Hearing this, he could feel everyone present becoming unsettled, though none could voice it.

“Then the one remaining organization must be the culprit?”

“Well···. Rumors say it was done by a single person.”

“···Alone?”

“That organization had a different boss just a few months ago. The timing of surrounding organizations disappearing matches when the boss changed.”

The knight reporting to the Prince had a slight tremble in his voice.

This story was so absurd that reporting false information could reasonably get him purged.

But fortunately for the knight, an unusual light appeared in the Prince’s eyes.

“Interesting. Continue.”

“Yes. The boss’s identity is unknown. Having never revealed their face to anyone outside the organization, they’re called a ghost.”

“And?”

“No one knows why they eliminated surrounding organizations, why they specifically became that group’s boss, or why they remain hidden.”

“···Can’t we force them to talk?”

“About that···. One organization kidnapped a member, but he never spoke even until death.”

“What happened to that organization?”

“They disappeared long ago.”

The Guard Knight didn’t want to believe the story unfolding before him.

Even with harsh training and coercive contracts, information sometimes leaked.

Yet some back-alley criminal kept silent?

It was utterly unbelievable.

“Unknown identity, unknown whereabouts, unknown motives···. A true ghost indeed.”

“What shall we do?”

“Leave it be. We can deal with it after I become Emperor. Now is the time to clean house internally.”

“···Understood.”

The Prince poured wine into his glass while muttering.

“By the way, those guys. They were more useless than I expected. My hopes were misplaced.”

“If I may be so bold, Your Highness. Their disappearance might benefit the Imperial Family. Their eyes burned with malice. They would have stabbed the Imperial Family in the back someday.”

“I know. Impudent hunting dogs always eyeing their master’s throat.”

The Guard Knight also clearly saw their rebellious intentions.

Whether they didn’t bother hiding it or failed to conceal it despite trying.

They all seemed to hate the Imperial Family.

“But even such hunting dogs have uses when properly leashed. No need to shoot arrows when hunting deer. The dogs can just bring them back.”

“Your Highness. Deer hunting is prohibited by law.”

“Exactly. If deer happen to die from dog attacks where those dogs were rampaging, it’s the deer’s carelessness, not my responsibility. Right?”

“···Yes, that’s correct.”

“What a pity. I wanted to unleash the dogs on our lovely sister who’s been acting foolishly.”

To think he’d try to kill even his sister who’d already lost the power struggle by using terrorists.

···As expected, there’s no trace of the positive Imperial Family image seen in movies, thought the nameless Guard Knight.

“By the way, I’d like to see this ghost’s face someday.”

“Once you become Emperor, all things will be possible.”

“Yes, indeed. First, let’s trample our lovely sister who dared rise from the garbage dump.”

***

“Thank you so much for helping me···!”

“I said it’s fine. I’ve lost count how many times-really, you can get up now···.”

“No! I can’t say it enough! Thank you, Teacher!”

···This is problematic.

Leo shows no intention of getting up.

After explaining everything when he turned pale upon realizing what happened to him, he’s been like this for ages.

At this rate, I’ll drown in an endless swamp of gratitude.

No choice. Sorry, Orca.

“I’m truly fine, so please thank Orca too. If not for her, I might have been victimized too. She punished all the scammers who tricked you.”

“W-wait. Teacher, what are you suddenly-···!”

“···!”

“Gyaaah! Get off me, you crazy brat! It’s hot!”

“Thank you so much! Even though I treated you that way when we first met···! I’m so touched!”

“I get it, now get off!”

Great. I’ve attached the endlessly grateful Leo to Orca.

Though she keeps running away calling it embarrassing, Orca probably never received gratitude like this before.

Experiencing gratitude like this might help Orca feel joy in helping others.

I absolutely didn’t dump Leo because he was annoying. Nope.

“···Impressive, truly impressive.”

“Ah, Principal-nim. Thank you for granting my unreasonable request.”

“Nonsense. It’s only natural to excuse a student who missed class after being kidnapped.”

Wink.

The Principal cutely blinked one eye.

Though she must know about the illegal request-handling tavern, her silence clearly meant she’d overlook it.

Typical of our lenient Principal when it comes to students.

“But don’t celebrate too much. That time is approaching.”

“···That time?”

“It’s been quite a while since midterms ended, hasn’t it? Finals are approaching, so you should prepare for exams.”

“Ah.”

Now that you mention it. Quite some time has passed since midterms ended.

The scarecrow rampage incident still appears in news occasionally, making me completely forget.

“What about the exam content?”

“Sorry, but we agreed not to leak this exam’s content. It’s unfortunate, but please look forward to the actual day.”

“Hmm···. Understood. I hope it’s nothing dangerous.”

“Don’t worry. It’s not particularly dangerous.”

I gave an awkward smile to the Principal who grinned while explaining she’d designed the safest possible exam for students.

I already knew exactly how finals would proceed.

Right, it shouldn’t be dangerous.

Having completely removed all practical exams to avoid controversy no matter what happened.

However, my concern is whether students can get good scores.

Since written exams were all conducted as mini-games, Playable Character scores depended entirely on players.

So without players now. How will students’ scores be determined?

Even I couldn’t predict that.

But I could guess for at least one person, so I sighed deeply.