Our school, huh.

It’s a good thing, but the pressure is immense.

Aren’t these the people I’ve been spending every day with? Even though I’ve distorted my voice, and covered my magic power and body odor with Divine Power, it’s true that I’m conscious of whether the subtle nuances of Lucas Rene Askanian’s aura might be present in my actions.

‘Still, there aren’t any people.’

I came through the back gate on purpose to avoid being conspicuous.

It’s not an unfamiliar sight for an imperial carriage to go in and out of our foundation’s school, but it would be troublesome if people crowded around before I could even finish my work today.

As soon as I got out of the carriage, I saw the faces of the Imperial Second Academy’s Headmaster and Leo.

I was about to greet them, but closed my mouth when I saw another person standing next to them.

Adelbert was standing there, looking at me with sparkling eyes.

“…….”

It’s not like I came here to interview a revered figure, but I only get that thought whenever I see that bastard.

Just then, the Headmaster approached me and took off his hat.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Your Excellency Ernst. I am Helena Falkenhayn.”

“It is my pleasure. I have heard from His Majesty that Your Excellency has actively cooperated with this matter.”

“It was only natural. For the safety of our school, and if it is His Majesty’s will, I am prepared to follow it no matter what.”

I replaced my response with a smile.

In fact, this person is only the Acting Headmaster.

I don’t know where the real Headmaster went, but that person hasn’t even stuck their face out once since I enrolled.

The students just call the acting person the Headmaster.

I spoke to Leo before he could draw out the words at length.

“Your Highness, it’s novel to see you at school.”

Leo, who had been twisting one corner of his mouth, nodded.

“It is the same for me.”

“Yes. And… Your Highness the Prince, I am glad that you seem to have recovered well.”

If I hadn’t heard the news that he had rampaged, there would have been no occasion to talk about his recovery.

Anyway, I was the one who took care of it directly, so there was no way I wouldn’t know.

I swallowed the words that had risen to my throat and asked a different question.

“His Majesty needs to receive a detailed report of what happened today. Won’t you be tired?”

Adelbert isn’t here just to play around.

He is additionally playing the role of the Divine Power mage from the Imperial Household who followed me by my side at the Police Bureau.

Of course, aside from Adelbert, there is an Imperial mage who came with me now.

At my question, Adelbert flinched, then raised his voice.

“Not at all! I believe it is an invaluable opportunity. I am only grateful that His Majesty, no, and Your Excellency, accepted my request.”

‘That much?’

Perhaps thinking the same as me, I could see Leo’s expression changing questioningly next to me.

I just smiled, feeling like I was almost in an interview.

“I am grateful that you think that way. More than that, it seems the school will become more chaotic if we stay in this place. Let’s slowly go inside.”

The Headmaster, who had been watching with a smile, led me into the nearest building.

“Sir Ernst. Let’s set your purpose for coming here today as gathering data about Pleroma. If any problems arise, you should handle it that way.”

“Yes, I understand well.”

I don’t intend to use Divine Power right away from the start.

The school is different from the Police Bureau.

From 2 weeks ago, the professors have been investigating Adelbert’s attempted rampage incident in the most strenuous manner, and there is a student they have marked as a suspect—me—and they have a reasonably based opinion.

To prevent anyone from questioning the result, not only do I have to erase the memories of today, but I have to eliminate all memories and data, so it is better to use Divine Power only when it is truly necessary, lead the conversation, and persuade them.

After that, I exchanged a few more words with the Headmaster and went down to the basement of the building.

A small auditorium appeared, where I had never set foot even as a student.

The Headmaster stood in front of the door and turned around.

“You may go inside. You will have to use magic on me as well, so I will enter together.”

“Yes, I understand well.”

As I went inside, the professors I had seen yesterday were sitting there in formal wear.

My eyes naturally turned towards the professors wearing red formal wear.

It was the Knight Faculty. I briefly met Professor Traut’s eyes.

I stood before the podium and said, looking around at those present.

“It is a pleasure to meet you all.”

Because the distance was far, even the sounds I made reverberated and were heard.

I cast an amplification spell and continued.

“I believe you all know well the reason why I came here today. I have come to this place to compare and analyze the information that the school investigated regarding the attempted rampage incident that occurred some time ago with the information I investigated separately. Thank you to all the professors of the Imperial Second Academy for readily cooperating.”

In reality, they probably didn’t readily cooperate, but it’s not my concern.

As expected, someone opened their mouth with a dissatisfied face.

[Are you trying to use magic to make us confess? Are you trying to ferret out the culprit, having determined that there is a culprit among us?]

“I am sorry that you think that way. My participation in the Imperial Second Academy’s investigation is His Majesty’s order.”

[…….]

As expected, they are dissatisfied with only the professors being investigated. They are asking, ‘Won’t you investigate the students?’

I won’t investigate.

‘Then that would become a situation where Nicolaus is investigating Lucas, would he do that?’

He wouldn’t.

From the start, if we were to divide the ‘political world’ in Pleroma’s expression, it’s difficult to consider that the Imperial Second Academy is included in that.

In reality, only about 50% of the professors are in politics, and as per the initial contract, the school is not under my jurisdiction. In reality, it would be a waste to leave the ‘political world’ alone and investigate even this far.

But the Emperor isn’t someone who would back down due to such a small matter.

One of the two letters Leo brought from Bavaria was a supplementary agreement that the Emperor sent to the Bavarian Royal Family.

The fact that he handed the contract to the Royal Family first meant that, in light of this current situation, he had created it so that there were no provisions that would cause harm to Nicolaus and Bavaria, even if legal review was conducted.

‘He thought well.’

In this political world, there are no people who would sign a contract at a meeting without entrusting the analysis to the legal team. That is, the Emperor prepared the board for me to be able to move right away.

And proving that, he did not include ‘interrogation of students’ in the additional agreement.

Why? Because half of the professors are politicians, and the foundation is under the Imperial Household in terms of management structure, so there is plenty of room to elicit my agreement. However, the students number only a few who are politicians, and they are not people who are employed by the school, but people who have paid the school fees.

It was clear that he was concerned that the legal interpretation would be prolonged.

‘Of course, if nothing comes out from the professors, he’ll subtly reach out to the students’ side too.’

Thanks to the Emperor’s eagerness to have me move right after a new incident broke out, I avoided one danger.

That situation where Nicolaus had to interrogate Lucas. Just thinking about it sends chills down my spine.

I now erased my thoughts and focused on them.

“And, I know that trying to resolve this in a coercive way is not a good method. It’s not too late to converse calmly until everyone is convinced, and then act afterward. Let’s slowly compare the information we have. That is the help I can give you, and it is what His Majesty wishes for.”

[…….]

“First, I received the school’s investigation record this morning. The Magic Department was in charge of it. It is eye-catching that you investigated thoroughly using all methods except Divine Power.”

At those words, the Knight Faculty professors slightly furrowed their brows and looked at the Magic Department professors.

[Ah, so that’s why they asked for statements in minute detail? I only heard about the attempted rampage incident today, and was wondering….]

“It must have been for the investigation. As a result of investigating in that way… it is eye-catching that you were unable to find someone who had a gap period to prepare the crime.”

As soon as those words came out, as if they had been waiting, someone from the Magic Department professors opened their mouth.

[That is correct, Your Excellency Ernst. I understand that you came here because it is an Imperial Order, but as you are reading now, we could not find anyone who had any points of suspicion among our professors.]

It was Professor Winter.

To be facing the person I had seen yesterday in a different form. Anyway, he seemed to not know at all that I was that student.

Judging by the reaction, our homeroom professor was the same.

I nodded to mean that he should continue speaking.

[If Your Excellency thinks that ‘there is Pleroma among the professors’, that is something we have already reviewed, so I can say it is definitely not the case. Then the crime must have been committed at the instigation of Pleroma or someone related to them, and someone inside our school became the channel for the crime, correct?]

“Our opinions match.”

I smiled lightly and continued.

“To go inside the room and commit the crime, one would have to know the detailed coordinates. So, at the very least, the person who revealed the coordinates becomes the culprit within the school. And only the professors have access to the detailed coordinates, correct?”

[There are many cases where students find out the detailed warp coordinates of the room and warp directly into the room. They often share that with their friends as well. So you should bear in mind that a student may be the channel for the crime.]

At this time, detailed warp coordinates refer to the coordinates to enter directly inside the room, not the corridor in front of the room. I didn’t know that, which is why I broke down Adelbert’s room door and entered.

Anyway, I had to hold back my laughter.

He is still thinking that there is a culprit among the students.

Well, if you had to find a criminal candidate among the students, I would think Hayke Ainsidel would be the most likely… but it seems he is still suspecting me.

[Anyway, that is not the point. If someone among the professors moved at Pleroma’s instigation, there must be a gap. That time to go out, converse with that person, and plot the crime!]

“Hmm.”

I nodded briefly.

He continued to speak like a machine gun.

[Or would they have communicated using an artifact? Or would they have gone out and received a letter directly? Knowing that, we have already searched the professor’s residence and main house without warning. Even going so far as to search the main house of a professor who has been holed up at the school for three months, I tell you that we have searched the house.]

“…….”

[Of course, we did not find a single trace.]

I listened to his words with interest, feeling it for the first time in a while.

Because I didn’t answer and just looked, he started to defend the professors even more passionately.

[To prepare the crime, one must obtain the drugs, so they must warp outside directly and bring the items, or go to meet Pleroma. Or, they must have had the drugs warped into the school from the outside, or sent the drugs through the school post office. Is that right?]

“Keep speaking.”

[The latter case makes no sense. Transporting only inanimate objects with warp magic has been prohibited since this year, and all postal items within the school are all inspected and go through a purification process. Then let’s look at the first case. Warping directly outside… the time to bring the drugs would be less than 1 minute, so perhaps we can accept the drug part.]

Now other professors were nodding.

[But the Imperial Second Academy’s professors are different from the students. It’s not a phrase I particularly like, but the professors here are entirely the foundation’s property. In exchange for receiving tens of millions of Pell in research funds, they can be used anywhere. While warp magic is permitted for students to guarantee their freedom, as the school’s protectors, the professors must be inside the school 24 hours a day. To go outside, whether walking or warping, they must report the reason in detail every time, and they cannot leave their place for long.]

That had only become the case recently.

After experiencing the Bavarian mage attack incident last year, and then Pleroma poisoning the river, the regulations changed like this.

It was under the reason that the school was no longer a safe zone, so the professors’ protection was necessary.

I opened the reason reports listed in the investigation record.

‘They really don’t go outside at all.’

Adding up all the faculty professors for the last month, there were only enough reasons for one page.

I nodded and said.

“I see. Especially if the culprit for both the attempted rampage incident and this Askanian incident is the same…. There would be even more conflict.”

Adding a little to Professor Winter’s lacking logic….

Someone could leave a letter with instructions at a storage facility or store and have it delivered to someone at our school.

How long would it take to go outside, do business, and casually receive a letter? In this case, it is only natural that there is no gap.

However, there’s something else to consider.

Even if this doesn’t apply to the attempted rampage incident, which had a long preparation period, it doesn’t apply to this warp magic incident.

Perhaps not knowing that I would take his side, Professor Winter exchanged glances with his colleagues and asked me.

[What do you mean by conflict?]

“First, let’s make this known. Primrose Path is supported by Pleroma. But I heard that this warp magic was connected to Primrose Path?”

[Yes, that’s correct. But that side is related to Pleroma…?]

There’s no reason to answer his questions one by one.

I opened my mouth right away.

“The reason they chose Askanian student as their target is because the prosecutor investigation was resumed after I met His Majesty the Emperor. Now that Duke Elias and I are considered partners, Primrose Path must have believed that attacking Duke Elias’s friend would be sufficient pressure.”

I could feel Leo frowning next to me.

Of course, that’s not the only reason I was dragged there, but there’s no need to reveal that.

And the information that Leo needs to know is only this far. No, he needs to know up to this point to move forward. But it is dangerous for him to know beyond that.

[…….]

The professor nodded as if telling me to speak.

The reason why they chose me, their target for Primrose Path, was because they had heard the news that Nicolaus had visited the Imperial Household.

I sent the letter to the Emperor at 6:30. He sent a letter during dinnertime, and he immediately sent a reply to immediately meet me in less than 30 minutes, he said. Even if I had the news go directly to Primrose Path, without any delay, it would be 7:30.

But here’s the problem. The time the Emperor ordered the Primrose Path investigation to resume wasn’t 7:30.

“The time when pressure was applied to the prosecution was 8:30 PM, after my conversation with His Majesty ended. If Primrose Path or Pleroma had wanted to attack a student at the school, there would have to be a person who went out from this time to listen to the order and plot the crime….”

I slowly read down the investigation records and continued to speak.

“There isn’t.”

[…Haha, right. Your Excellency has also admitted it. There is no time to meet Pleroma directly, whether warping or walking, and no way to exchange letters or communicate with an artifact. Where would there be time to plot? As Your Excellency expressed, none of the professors have a ‘gap’.]

I smiled at those words.

They were similar to the words I had heard in the time that had already disappeared.

To the Old Human I last met at Primrose Path, I had asked, ‘What method did you use to receive notification and proceed with the job?’

That bastard said that he neither met directly, contacted in writing, transferred with an artifact, nor received the order through any medium, be it a person or an animal.

After that, only one thing came to my mind.

“One can sufficiently commit the crime even without a gap.”

At those words, Leo and Adelbert’s gazes turned to me.

“If one already knows what to do, there would be no need for time to go out and plot the crime.”

[Your Excellency Ernst.]

A look that seemed to say that I was talking nonsense passed across the professor’s face.

It couldn’t be helped. If they knew what they had to do from the start, that would mean there was Pleroma at the school, wouldn’t it?

“I will speak of this for the first time at this place. Pleroma gives revelations to those who are newly born, in the name of a mission.”

It was something I learned during the time with Asman.

Even though no one told him, he said he had instinctively felt the mission to ‘lead many people to Pleroma’s path’ since he was reborn.

And, getting an idea from this, the last question I asked the Old Human at Primrose Path was this.

Did you receive instructions directly in your head? If that’s possible, can the person giving those instructions also manipulate thoughts or actions?

And, that Old Human nodded.

“If you hear ‘revelation’, I am sure everyone will understand the idea. Pleroma can transmit information directly into the head. There would be almost no time spent to plot the crime. And, according to what I have found out, there is no problem even if it is not Pleroma who gives the revelation.”

[…….]

Professor Winter, speechless, just stood there with a bewildered look.

Anyway, professors can access the detailed warp coordinates of all dormitories if they set their minds to it, so they become a tool more excellent than anyone else.

If they can just give the revelation, that is.

“Has your question about the gap been answered now? Shall we start?”

I twirled the Wand that I had newly received from the Bavarian Royal Family between my fingers.

And slammed the end of the staff onto the floor.

Crash―!

―Enter through the narrow gate.

A pure white light pushed out. I could feel the Imperial mage behind me casting protective magic in front of Leo and Adelbert.

‘The problem is whether they know they committed the crime or not.’

Thinking about the meeting that had taken place earlier at dawn, I would bet that they don’t remember.

“From 8:30 PM yesterday to midnight, there will be people who have a moment where their memories are empty.”

I looked at them and slowly opened my mouth.

“Those to whom it applies, please answer.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep