episode_0105

Before the Disciplinary Committee convened.

Sepia, having received a request from Alicia to deliver the camera, was running rapidly, even utilizing the power of spirits. No, “flying” would be a more accurate description than “running.” Currently, Sepia’s speed was much faster than that of a swordsman who had reinforced their body with mana.

Excitement is undoubtedly poison for swordsmen and mages. That poison clouds their minds and judgment. For spirit users, excitement can be poison, but it can also be medicine. Spirits sometimes grow stronger as a spirit user’s emotions fluctuate more intensely.

“Didn’t something just pass by?” “Really? I didn’t see anything.” “Wasn’t that Sepia-nim?”

Ignoring the sounds in her ears, Sepia entered the building.

She had never once been to Professor Alicia’s office, but there wasn’t an ounce of hesitation in Sepia’s movements.

‘Everyone! Do you know what? Over there, Professor Alicia has a space she uses as her office.’ ‘So Professor Alicia uses the office all by herself?’ ‘Probably, right? Should we perhaps tell Professor-nim that if she feels lonely, she can stay here with us?’ ‘Haha, that’s a bit…’ ‘Would Professor Alicia even come just because we said so?’

Recalling a memory from before, Sepia went down to the basement and ran in the opposite direction from where the special class was.

Thanks to Loki, the special class students’ ears were never quiet for a moment, and neither the other special class students nor Sepia disliked that atmosphere.

‘Hmm. Gashurin-ssi, I heard that in the East, besides swordsmanship, there are also things like hidden weapons. How about you try using one?’ ‘Frederic-ssi, I heard there’s an artifact that automatically activates shield magic when cursed. Couldn’t you use this in reverse to compensate for your weak close-quarters combat?’

Moreover, the special class students who accepted Loki’s casually given advice became stronger than before. Gradually, when fighting Professor Alicia, the number of times they fainted decreased, and recently, they almost succeeded in landing an attack. So surely, the other special class students wouldn’t want Loki to be disciplined…

No.

‘I just don’t want it.’

Honestly, she wasn’t curious about the thoughts or opinions of the other special class students. She wanted to be with Loki a little longer. This was her true feeling.

She had lived her entire life thinking only of avenging her villagers. Now, she had finished her revenge and began to think about what came after.

‘If I finish my revenge and Loki is by my side, wouldn’t I be able to enjoy academy life a little more?’

If everyone in the academy wanted Loki to be disciplined, she would stop it herself, even if it meant fighting to the very end.

-Clank!

Sepia seemed to have forgotten to knock, or perhaps decided even the time for knocking was too precious, and roughly opened the office door. Inside the office was Alicia, who said nothing to Sepia for suddenly entering without knocking.

“Professor-nim! Right now, Loki, because of me earlier! The Disciplinary Committee. That Daron fellow!”

Sepia was rambling, unlike her usual self. This showed Sepia’s currently agitated state of mind.

“You’re quite excited.” “Professor-nim!”

Seeing Alicia utter such an unconcerned remark, Sepia raised her voice, sounding angry.

‘Loki might be waiting for disciplinary action in a narrow, dark place right now!’

“First, drink this and calm down.”

Alicia handed Sepia the tea she had prepared in advance, and Sepia gulped down the steaming hot tea as if it were cold water.

“Haa…”

Because she drank it so hastily, Sepia didn’t notice, but the tea she had just consumed was no ordinary tea. It was tea infused with a bit of Alicia’s mana, likely selling for more than most high-grade elixirs. It had the effect of an elixir, but also a calming effect on the mind. Alicia hadn’t offered the tea without reason.

“Are you a little calmer now?” “Yes…” “Then tell me slowly now.”

Sepia had a lot she wanted to say, but she stated only the essentials. Because she was worried about Loki’s current situation.

“And Loki told me to deliver this to Professor-nim.” “…A camera.”

Alicia took the camera from Sepia and quickly checked the recorded footage. The camera had recorded the entire situation before the fog appeared. Alicia realized why Loki had told her to deliver it to her.

“So that’s how it was. Hmm…”

Alicia poured a cup of tea and took a sip. The video also showed Loki getting angry on Sepia’s behalf. Suddenly, she recalled a conversation the professors had during the last midterm exam. The conversation where they argued over who Loki was ‘that kind of’ with.

“Are you and Loki dating?” “…Huh? What do you mean? Suddenly!”

Upon hearing Alicia’s words, Sepia’s face instantly turned red.

“Me and Loki dating… ‘that kind of’ relationship?! Of course, if he asked, there’s nothing I couldn’t accept… No, no!”

Sepia, with a flushed face, babbled on and on, then seemed to realize this wasn’t the time for such talk and shouted.

“This isn’t the time to be talking about this!”

Of course, that doesn’t mean it’s not an important topic! Right now, the Disciplinary Committee takes priority.

“What if someone harasses Loki with power after the Disciplinary Committee is over?”

She didn’t think Daron’s father or his second wife would use their power to harass Loki just because Daron was disciplined. However, the collateral branches or other nobles pushing Daron to become the head of the Marquisate of Revaiden were different. They would try to torment Loki to erase Daron’s flaws.

“Power, huh…”

Alicia murmured softly, recalling the relationship between the Emperor and Loki. Surely, the Emperor wouldn’t want anyone to pressure Loki with power. He had allowed him to perfectly hide the fact that he was Phantom Thief Cardinal, and even besides that, he possessed outstanding talent.

“I guarantee it, harassing Loki with power is impossible. So you don’t need to worry about that part.”

Alicia didn’t know it, but the Emperor wasn’t the only one who would protect Loki from power. The Adelian Ducal Family, a renowned magic family of the empire, and the Freya Ducal Family, a renowned swordsmanship family, also stood behind Loki. To think a bit extremely, even if Loki went to another country and slapped a prince without reason, Loki couldn’t be killed carelessly.

“…Still, I’m worried.”

Although Alicia told her to relax, her anxiety didn’t disappear. She didn’t know where Loki might be waiting for the Disciplinary Committee right now. He might even be in the same place as Daron or his subordinates. She didn’t think Loki would be harmed, but she was still anxious.

‘Nothing will happen, right?’

Loki, whom Sepia was worrying about so much, was.

“Sunbae~ Give me that.” “Hm.”

…eating snacks while lying on Johanna’s lap.

“You like it that much?” “Yes, of course. Should we just ignore the Disciplinary Committee and keep doing this?”

And this was in an enormous classroom, not some dark and cold space.

* * *

‘Wow, everyone still came. As expected, I haven’t lived my life in vain.’

I waved to the special class students to greet them and looked around. The venue where the Disciplinary Committee was held looked similar to a courtroom seen in dramas.

“I told you to rein it in a bit.”

A reprimand came from beside me.

“But Sepia-ssi. If it’s not a time like this, when else would I get to wear clothes like that and say things like that? Missing an opportunity like this isn’t what a first-class clown does!”

Unlike the other special class students, Sepia was next to me because she was a witness who saw the incident from beginning to end. Daron’s subordinates were also there from the start, but unlike Sepia, they were subject to disciplinary action.

“Be quiet. We will now begin the Disciplinary Committee for Loki and Daron Revaiden.”

The man who had been sitting silently in the judge’s seat until now opened his mouth. A dust-free suit and neatly styled hair. Sharp eyes and even deep dark circles. That man, who was proclaiming “I’m strict” with his entire being, was the professor in charge of the Disciplinary Committee.

As a peculiarity: He didn’t entertain my joke earlier. If Professor Idra had been there, she surely would have wittily responded to my joke. Another peculiarity was that he was pressuring Daron and me using mana. As evidence, Daron, who was next to me, bowed his head, unable to meet the eyes of the professor in charge of the Disciplinary Committee.

“Come to think of it, you were just playing around in this sacred place until now.”

The professor stared straight at me and spoke, and I didn’t avert my gaze.

“Well, I haven’t done anything wrong. There’s no need to be nervous if you haven’t done anything wrong, right?”

“Oh-ho.”

The pressure directed at me increased, but I felt nothing. I’ve met, or rather, felt, a perfect superior version of this several times. The characteristic the Emperor used on me. Domination. Compared to that, this was nothing. At this level, I might even be able to sleep?

“I hope that confident expression of yours doesn’t change until the very end.” “I’m wearing a mask, can you see my expression?”

I tapped the mask I was wearing and spoke.

“What are you doing?”

Sepia, next to me, whispered into my ear. There’s a reason I’m doing this. I extended my index finger and wiggled it left and right.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk, Sepia-ssi doesn’t quite understand, but in places like this, you have to go in with confidence.” “Why provoke the professor with that confidence?!”

Sepia slapped my back with her palm. And then whispered quietly again.

“Aren’t you scared?” “There’s only one thing I’m scared of right now.”

I’m not scared of that professor right now. Nor Professor Alicia, who told me earlier to stop causing trouble. Nor Daron, who’s glaring at me from the side. Even if I messed up and got disciplined, it wouldn’t be very scary.

‘The thing I’m most scared of right now is…’

…Johanna, who is giving me a chilly stare while I’m whispering with Sepia.