episode_0088
by fnovelpiaSeveral days have passed since I confirmed with my own eyes that Cesar was alive.
Since that meeting, I often had a blank expression on my face. The fact that he was alive was definitely good news. Cesar, who I thought was dead, had survived the hot flames, and that was a comfort to me in the past when I was gripped by despair at losing another relationship.
But it was just as shocking. Cesar couldn’t even say in empty words that he was in a normal state.
I keep thinking of that face, moving its half-melted skin in the blazing fire, trying to smile at me somehow, as if to prove that it had not lost its smile.
Eyes that had turned white, hair that had all burned off, and a face that had melted away… .
– Adelheid. That bastard ruined my life. Of course, I should get revenge.
His words, muttered in a voice filled with evil, his only remaining right eye reddening. His face, which had been distorted by anger, was a source of unyielding hatred.
It remained so vivid in my mind that I could never erase it.
“Starting from the second semester, first-year students will also be given exams by subject, so we will try not to burden students so that they do not become too obsessed with grades… .”
I woke up from my reverie. President Damien was giving a long speech to the professors gathered in the conference room.
“So, this summer vacation, first-year students can also invest a little more in their studies… .”
“Hwaaam… .”
Deacon Sophia, who was sitting next to me, lowered her head and yawned. I was the only one who saw it, but it was not a desirable behavior. I whispered quietly to Deacon Sophia.
“Substitute Sophia.”
“Ugh… . Sorry… .”
“Even if you don’t listen intently, don’t look too relaxed.”
“Yes… .”
Contrary to her answer, Deacon Sophia began to nod her head little by little and dozed off. I tilted her upper body slightly so that others would not see her.
“… Then, I think it would be better to end it here.”
“Yes. I will organize the final version of the summer vacation activity book and upload it soon.”
“Okay. Let’s stop here for today.”
With those words, the two-hour-long summer vacation meeting came to an end. As President Damien left the conference room, the professors and teaching assistants who had been occupying the seats in the conference room began to stand up one by one.
“Deacon Sophia. Professor Esther. The meeting is over.”
“Ugh… !”
“Hmm… . Already… ?
Just like Deacon Sophia, Professor Esther, who had been dozing off, stretched and stood up from her seat after me. I led the two people, who were staggering and exhausted, out of the conference room.
“Professor Lucio. Do you have any plans for the future?”
“I think I should go to the main church. I need to check the inventory of items needed for this week’s Sunday service.”
“Oh! Your Majesty! I already organized that and put it on my desk… ?”
“There are some incorrect items. Yesterday, the supplier contacted me to ask how many items were missing, so I need to check again.”
“I can’t help it… .”
Deacon Sophia still had a hazy look on her face, as if she hadn’t woken up yet, but it was something that had to be resolved within the week anyway. I left the main building of the academy with Professor Esther and Deacon Sophia on either side of me.
“Professor Lucio Antonelli.”
It was then that someone called my name. I instinctively turned to the direction the sound came from.
“Wait, can you spare me some time?”
It was black.
He was a man painted entirely in black from head to toe. Black hair, eyes that were almost black, a black suit, a black tie, and black shoes.
With his lion-shaped brooch, the ring and earrings on his finger, and even the shirt inside, all in black, he looked like he should be served as a big brother from some back alley. I couldn’t help but swallow my saliva in nervousness.
“Oh my gosh… .”
Deacon Sophia, who was standing on my left, was already in a state of breakdown. I whispered to Deacon Sophia, who was shaking like an aspen tree all over.
“Deacon Sophia. Why are you shaking all of a sudden? Do you know me?”
“Oh, no… . He just looks scary… .”
“… … .”
As Deacon Sophia had said, the woman in front of her gave off quite an intimidating vibe. Her short hair, cut like a knife, was a far cry from Deacon Sophia’s bob cut, which gave off a voluminous and cute feeling.
Her tall stature, which may be only about half a span taller than mine, and her fiercely slanted eyes seem to perfectly represent her old-fashioned yet fierce personality.
In a word, her appearance was enough to frighten Deacon Sophia. Aside from Duke Adelheid, she was the first person to exude intimidation with her appearance alone.
Besides, this woman smelled like the Duke of Adelheid.
It was a genuine and well-founded arrogance that made it seem like he was treating others as his subordinates, as if they were nothing more than a given. It was a sense of oppression, as if he was standing over the heads of criminals and holding the baton in his hands.
Even more so, she was flanked by a muscular man and woman wearing the same attire.
‘It’s not normal.’
I took a step forward, leaving the broken Deacon Sophia and the tense-looking Professor Esther behind me. No matter how tall he was, he was still smaller than me, and as I got closer, the intimidation seemed to diminish a little.
The woman’s eyes, which had been staring at me, widened slightly, perhaps because she was surprised that I had taken a step closer.
“Are you looking for me?”
“Hmm… I guess it’s Professor Antonelli. I’ve been unsuccessful several times.”
“Yes. I am Lucio Antonelli, professor of theology for Class 1-A of the Chaldea Imperial Academy.”
“Yes, nice to meet you. Please call me simply ‘K’… . No, no.”
She kept her mouth shut for a moment, then looked towards the short woman standing on either side of her.
The short woman who received that gaze seemed to hesitate for a moment, then nodded slowly.
“Well, I’ll tell you what I mean. My name is Grace Kirk Kerbain. I’m the director of the Imperial Federation Intelligence Service. Please call me Director Kerbain for simplicity.”
“… Information Department, you say?”
“Yes.”
Chief Curbane thrust a shabby civil servant ID card into her hand. It had the words ‘Director of Federal Intelligence – Grace Kirk Curbane’ written on it. Judging by the anti-tampering magic circle attached properly, it wasn’t a forged civil servant ID card.
I heard Professor Esther, standing behind me, gasp in relief at the sight. I recalled the word ‘information department’.
– It appears that an agent from the intelligence agency who was close to Adelheid committed arson.
Suddenly, I remembered what Cesar had said. I tried desperately not to waver for a moment, but I wasn’t sure if people with such a genius for this kind of thing would have noticed it.
Anyway, at least outwardly, he didn’t show any reaction. I tried not to show it and asked Chief Curvein.
“What brings you here?”
“Um… .”
Chief Curvein was thinking for a moment, rubbing his chin. No, to me, it looked like he was doing it to look like he was thinking.
An action to show his human side. I could see the deceptive trick he used to break down the other person’s boundaries from the smallest detail. I did not let my guard down.
Chief Curbane, who was staring blankly at Deacon Sophia and Professor Esther standing behind me, with a drooling sound, snapped his fingers and spoke.
“First, how about we go somewhere a little quieter? Leave everyone else alone, just the two of us.”
“That won’t do.”
Would I be crazy enough to be alone with someone like this? I said I was alone with someone, but that was just a roundabout way of saying that I wanted to separate Deacon Sophia and Professor Esther. I covered up those behind me even more thoroughly.
Chief Curvein, who had been rolling his eyes as he looked at me like that, soon burst into loud laughter.
“Pfft… . Ahahahaha!!”
“… … .”
“Aha, ahahaha… ! Ha… . Ah, I’m sorry. The deacon behind you is too cute.”
Chief Curvein’s face was completely relaxed, and he still couldn’t erase his smile. This appearance actually brought about tension.
“Ah… Don’t be so nervous. You seem to be mistaken. We didn’t come here to do anything to you, Professor.”
“… … .”
“It’s true. Why can’t you believe it…?”
She even tilted her head as if she was genuinely curious. At this point, I was the one who was wondering.
Does it really mean nothing? Maybe I’m being too sensitive?
I hesitated for a moment, then let my guard down and slowly nodded. It was almost like gambling, but I believed that they wouldn’t harm me in the middle of the academy’s schoolyard, so it was possible.
“I think I’m ready to have a little conversation now.”
“Yes.”
“I’m sorry, but those of you behind me… . Could you please step aside for a moment? I need to talk to the professor over here… .”
I looked at Deacon Sophia and Professor Esther. The two people who met my eyes hesitated for a moment, then nodded with determined expressions.
“I’m fine, so go ahead.”
“I’m okay too. If Professor Esther is here… .”
“… I’ll be right back. Or, go to the main church first.”
Deacon Sophia and Professor Esther nodded and turned around. The two agents of the Information Department standing on either side of Chief Curbane also followed them.
It was extremely unsettling to be with those two agents, but… the parish is not that far away, and the caretaker and several theology professors come and go, so I don’t think anything big will happen.
Besides, Professor Esther is a formidable person. I had strong trust in her.
‘…I hope nothing happens.’
With that thought in mind, I followed Captain Kerbein, who had already started walking ahead.
* * * * *
“Please sit down.”
“… … .”
The way he tried to talk to me in a commanding tone showed that he was quite used to dealing with subordinates. I followed the gesture of Chief Curvein and sat down on the bench next to him.
It was a bench under a maple tree. It was where I often smoked and also where I met Cesar.
‘…Did you come because of Cesar?’
Naturally, I could infer that. I silently watched Chief Kerbein rummaging through his suit pockets and taking out cigarettes.
“Do you smoke?”
“Yes, I smoke.”
“Let’s smoke together.”
“… Yes.”
It was an awkward, destructive conversation. Following her, who lit a cigarette as naturally as water flowing, I also took a cigarette out of my bosom and put it in my mouth.
What would you like to share with me personally? The more I smoked, the shorter the length of the cigarette became. My anxiety slowly grew.
And then, when we both finished smoking our cigarettes at the same time.
“Professor Antonelli, let me get straight to the point.”
Just a moment ago, Chief Kerbane, who had greeted us with a bright smile, was nowhere to be found. Looking at her face, which had become as cold as ice, I silently nodded.
“Have there been any suspicious sightings within the Academy recently?”
And then I thought.
It was meant to be, I thought.
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