A Shallow Hope

“That’s unexpected. For you to say such a thing.”

Stella looked at her with slight surprise as she spoke.

“Weren’t you the one who reacted most violently back then?”

“Urk. That’s…”

“I understand. It was that shocking of a story.”

The memory of that day remained vivid enough to still linger in her mind.

And in that memory, it was Orca who had shown the most hostility toward Teacher Ophelia.

How difficult it had been to restrain her when she was raging about killing Ophelia if they ever met again.

“…Did you find some information about Teacher Ophelia?”

“What? How did you…!”

“Ha. I don’t know what you think of me, but despite appearances, I am a princess. I can gather basic information without being told.”

Stella felt something was odd about this situation.

Orca wasn’t the capricious type to change her mind so easily.

She might wander aimlessly after venting her anger, but she wasn’t the type to seek out the teacher like this.

If she came looking, it could only mean her perspective had shifted after learning something.

And now, with Teacher Ophelia gone…

The only event that could change her mind would be discovering previously unknown information about the teacher.

“Tell me. I’ll listen before judging.”

“…Fine. You know I’m a Demon Possessor, right?”

Orca’s explanation continued for some time.

About the information she learned from the demon inside her and the conclusions she drew from her own experiences.

“…It’s not entirely implausible.”

“R-really?”

“Yes. If anything, it’s almost too conveniently favorable to be true.”

While it was true she possessed hypnosis abilities, only using them to help with minor things?

The story was too idealistic. Stella almost suspected Orca had fabricated it out of longing for the teacher.

She found herself wary of how much she wanted to believe this story.

“Of course we’ll keep searching, but don’t get your hopes up too much.”

“What? Can’t the next emperor even find her?!”

“Let me finish. While it’s true I have considerable resources for finding someone, they’re not enough to easily locate a person with zero information.”

“No… information?”

“Correct.”

Frankly, when Stella checked the knights’ reports, she’d wondered if they were possessed by ghosts.

The fact others also remembered Teacher Ophelia confirmed her existence, but this only reinforced Stella’s belief in her hypnosis abilities.

“That woman has no records.”

“…”

“So don’t rely too much on official channels. They might help somewhat, but don’t expect miracles.”

They were already using every available means to search for Teacher Ophelia.

With nothing left to try, Stella couldn’t grant Orca’s request.

Because they were already doing it.

“…Then how did she get hired at the Academy?”

“Hmm?”

“She was employed as a teacher, right? How could someone with no records get in?”

“…Ah?”

Stella let out an uncharacteristically dumbfounded sound.

…Now that she mentioned it. How did she get hired?

All Academy teachers were top experts in their fields – even those teaching non-core subjects.

Someone without any background couldn’t possibly have been hired through normal channels.

Then it must have been hypnosis. She used hypnosis to enter the Academy.

But who? Who would she need to hypnotize to get hired?

As this realization struck, Stella hurriedly stood and made a call.

“Anya. It’s me. Come to the Academy immediately. It’s about Teacher Ophelia. *Click*”

*Click*

Stella hung up without waiting for Anastasia’s response.

No need to explain over the phone.

The abruptness would make her curious enough to come investigate.

Leaving a bewildered Orca standing there, Stella opened the door and addressed the guards outside.

“You’re all on leave for two days starting now. Scram.”

“Y-yes? But…”

“By order of the next emperor. I don’t need guards right now. Return in two days.”

*Slam*

After roughly closing the door, Stella asked Orca who still stood frozen:

“Where are Leo and Eileen?”

“Not sure about Leo, but Eileen should be in her room. We’ve been forcing her to sleep there. Why?”

“Old hag.”

“Old hag?”

“…The principal. Teacher Ophelia must have entered through Principal.”

“!”

“Certain. If the teacher exists like a living ghost, that’s the only way she could enter.”

There was only one way to join the Academy without formal examinations – being recommended by Principal.

And that old granny wasn’t one to casually recommend complete unknowns.

…Meaning the teacher hypnotized Hal-manggu.

“If we ask her, we might get even minor clues. So let’s move quickly. With those lazy idiots too.”

Despite appearances, they’d grown quite close.

Hearing about finding traces of Teacher Ophelia would make them rush over immediately.

Stella resolved to search for Teacher Ophelia together with them.

***

“Boss, hungry? Want snacks? We have cake, cake!”

“Huh? Boss is hungry? Here, ice cream too!”

“It’s okay, kids. You eat them…”

“Eeeng.”

I forced a smile at these demons disguised as innocent children offering me food.

Since arriving here, the kids had been constantly pushing snacks on me.

At first, I gratefully accepted since they were gifts from children.

Touched that they still liked me after so long apart.

…But after some time, I realized it was a trap.

“Really, I’m fine. Full.”

“But you’re so thin…”

“Hey now. She said she’s fine.”

The result of kids constantly sharing their snacks was me living with treats perpetually in my mouth.

I’ll become chubby Ophelia at this rate.

If that happens, I’d have to exercise to lose weight.

That was absolutely unacceptable.

Who could live exercising like some masochist? (T/N: Fr)

Having vowed to rather starve than exercise, this place had become a den of temptation.

“Wouldn’t it be okay if Boss ate a little more?”

“Tch. You too, Jane? I’ll get fat.”

“Psh, with that figure that drives anyone crazy regardless of gender? Honestly jealous.”

“…*Ahem*. Anyway, where did all these snacks come from?”

Continuing this conversation risked veering into embarrassing topics.

Sensing danger, I clumsily changed the subject.

This wouldn’t work with others, but Jane – who worshipped me – naturally answered my question.

“We bought them! Hehe, we’re rich now.”

“Won’t your savings disappear if you buy too much?”

“No worries! We have steady income now! Enough to buy what the kids want!”

“Oh?”

“Yes. Several places pay us tribute money like that place you saw last time. So don’t worry.”

Ah, she means that request office.

Taking tribute money for protection – isn’t that basically a mafia?…

Swallowing that thought, I popped another cookie into my mouth.

Mmm, delicious.