Chapter 64

If there were matters that flowed among the students, matters that flowed among the professors were also bound to exist.

The meeting regarding the incident that occurred during the 1st Year Flowering Festival preliminaries took place a day after things had been somewhat settled.

“Begin the report.”

Evan, who had entered the conference room, asked, revealing his authority without hiding it.

Artemia, who had been seated first, rose from her seat as if she had been waiting and began her report.

“First, all the mercenaries who were managing the Geothermal Hounds are safe, but they are in critical condition. They are currently being healed under the supervision of Professor Beatrice, who is away from her post.”

That no one died was a blessing in disguise.

“Anyone woken up?”

“The mercenary corps leader has regained consciousness and we have finished questioning him.

He said that when the most seriously injured mercenary went in to check on the Geothermal Hounds, he was attacked first by the hounds that had escaped from their cages, and then the others were attacked in sequence.”

Mercenaries skilled enough to be hired by the Academy were taken down so helplessly, without even a chance to react?

It was either that sudden, or,

“Someone’s intentional intervention was involved.”

It wasn’t difficult to use magic to prevent an opponent from displaying their full abilities.

However, why the Geothermal Hounds of all things?

And why did the escaped Geothermal Hounds flow into the gate where the 1st-year preliminaries were being held, of all places?

“What kind of madman would do such a thing.”

An attack on the Academy was considered an attack on the Imperial Family itself.

In other words, even a slight misstep would be punished as treason, and the minimum sentence for treason was death.

And yet, the opponent carried out the attack.

“They were confident they wouldn’t get caught, is that it.”

I’d like to see the culprit’s face once.

Ha, as Evan’s laughter, filled with annoyance, escaped, Artemia bit her lip.

“For the injured mercenaries, compensation and memory erasure for the sake of silencing them are planned.”

“The carcasses of the Geothermal Hounds?”

“Professor Beatrice burned them first.”

The evidence had been destroyed, and with Lucian and Zephyros succeeding in catching the Geothermal Hounds, it was portrayed as part of the exam day.

As such, no particular problems would arise from this incident.

But still, irritation welled up.

Why at this time, of all times, and even the 1st-years?

I don’t know who the hell it is, but I’ll make them pay the price for messing with the Academy.

“I’ll entrust the investigation through the burnt carcasses to Professor Beatrice. Professor Artemia, instead of memory erasure, silence them by setting a taboo.”

“Will that be alright?”

Memory erasure would be the most certain way, wouldn’t it?

“It will be useful later on.”

Evan muttered quietly.

What kind of use could it have, Artemia wondered, but decided not to ask.

“Understood.”

“And, I heard there was a small commotion.”

“Ahem.”

Clearing her throat for a moment, Artemia brought up the topic with difficulty.

“There was a small commotion between student Theo Lisitoel and an acquaintance of student Fel.”

A window was broken, but at least no one was hurt.

“It was resolved well without any major disturbance.”

Despite Artemia’s report, Evan’s expression remained stiffly hardened, as if lost in thought.

Was there some kind of problem, Artemia looked at Evan with a hint of anxiety.

“Well… done.”

If Theo had been hurt in the process, she wouldn’t have hidden it.

He must be fine. Even thinking so, a chill in some corner of his heart just wouldn’t disappear.

“Is there anything else to report?”

“No.”

“Then, let’s end the meeting here. As it is a time when many outsiders are visiting the Academy, everyone be on your guard.”

With those words, the professors gathered in the conference room left, leaving only Evan and Artemia in the room.

“Artemia? Is there a problem?”

“There is a problem.”

Letting out a faint sigh, Artemia strode over to Evan and used a calming magic on him.

A warm light seeped into Evan’s body, and his trembling subsided a little.

“You’re that anxious?”

Am I anxious? Yes, I’m anxious as hell.

“It was the right decision not to stop the preliminaries.”

With the Academy’s Headmaster currently absent, Evan was his deputy. It was only natural for Evan to make decisions and act for the good of the Academy.

However, the one who made the right decision in that moment was not Evan, but Beatrice.

The moment he saw the Geothermal Hounds, Evan had instinctively looked for Theo first.

He was relieved to see Theo safe.

And, he judged that stopping the preliminaries would be safer for Theo. It was a judgment made not as the Headmaster’s deputy, but as Theo’s father.

“Haa….”

Seeing him let out a deep sigh, Artemia decided to use calming magic on him one more time.

“Hey—”

“What? You don’t like it?”

Did he think using calming magic as if to say ‘then don’t get worked up for no reason’ would be all that pleasant? Evan shot daggers at her with his eyes.

At that sight, Artemia laughed lightly and confessed her honest feelings.

“What’s wrong with a father worrying about his son?”

“The problem is… I’m not just a father.”

Honestly, he wanted to run and check on Theo right now.

But, he couldn’t. Evan was a professor.

“…Should I just retire.”

“Hey.”

“Just kidding.”

There aren’t many outsiders who can enter the Academy. For a magician who had reached a certain level like Evan, the regulations would be even stricter.

It was much better to be able to watch over him from the side as a professor. Above all—

“He said being a professor suited me.”

Artemia, not having heard Evan’s mumble, tilted her head.

“What did you say?”

“Nothing.”

“How dull.”

At Artemia’s words, Evan shot up from his seat.

“Thanks.”

Leaving only a short word of gratitude, Evan left the conference room.

Left alone, Artemia let out a sigh.

“I’m handing in my resignation as soon as I find a successor.”

She wanted to escape from the Academy as soon as possible, even if it was just a day sooner. Sincerely.

* * *

The world is terribly cruel to good people.

There was a time when I believed that the world was like a mirror, that it would be kind to good people and mean to evil people.

But, the world was not like that.

Evil people have no will to even hide their evil deeds, and because of their evil deeds, good people endlessly disappear.

A just judgment was a luxury for the evil. There is no good for the sake of good, and no evil for the sake of evil.

If so, I shall become evil for the sake of evil.

“Will you be able to be satisfied with that?”

It was as if someone had asked that.

To answer, I don’t know.

He was still a failure who hadn’t even carried out the very first judgment he had resolved to execute.

“No, that’s not it.”

A whispering voice was heard. A faint laugh was only hazy.

A corner of his heart grew cold amidst the clear ridicule.

“There’s no way I can be satisfied.”

That was of no importance to him. The truly important thing was something else.

In an instant, the darkness disappeared, and the face of the one who had questioned him became clear.

“I just want to take revenge.”

It was himself from his younger days, shedding tears.

It was the me who resented everything, who had lost what was precious without being able to protect it.

When he opened his eyes, his heart sank in the dark world.

…It was a dream.

Ferdiel fiddled with the corner of his eye.

When he had incompletely regained his sight through holy power, it felt like something was always lacking.

But, when his eyes were opened again by something, there was no incompleteness, only a feeling of being whole.

His heart pounded strangely at the sensation he felt for the first time since that day in the basement.

“Ha.”

He thought he could understand why he had acted so confidently.

This was a feeling one couldn’t help but get addicted to.

Even though he knew he shouldn’t, he wanted to go back and say he would cooperate. It felt like he could really do anything to get his eyes back.

Yes, it wouldn’t be bad to at least hear what he wanted in return for giving back his sight.

Ferdiel let out a heavy sigh and got up.

* * *

As soon as the morning sun rose, I woke up to the sound of knocking.

I hid the soundly sleeping Albedo under my pillow and opened the door, and as expected, Ferdiel was standing stock-still in the hallway.

“You came?”

Does this mean he’s come around! Yoohoo!

Swallowing the cheer that was about to erupt, I leisurely stretched the corners of my mouth.

Hide my impatience, and deal with him with a relaxed attitude.

“I was thinking we could have a little chat.”

Lucian had already gone to the training ground before the sun even rose, so it shouldn’t matter.

When I opened the door wide as if to let him in, Ferdiel, after briefly being wary of his surroundings, strode inside.

“Did you bring an answer?”

“I’m still fifty-fifty.”

It means he’ll refuse if I present a condition he can’t accept as the Sword of Doctrine.

In the first place, what I wanted from Ferdiel wasn’t something that heavy.

Rather, it was something so simple that he might wonder why I would want such a thing in exchange for restoring his eyes. Or perhaps it could be something excessively heavy.

However he felt, I had no intention of changing the condition I wanted.

“What I want is simple. Your favor.”

It was something light, but perhaps heavier than any gold.

Not unaware of the weight of a favor, Ferdiel remained silent.

If I had wanted something like a holy relic of the Church, he might have accepted the deal without much thought.

But, now that what I wanted was the Sword of Doctrine’s favor, he had no choice but to fall into contemplation.

A favor is an ambiguous thing with no clear form—

He wouldn’t be able to be certain of how it would be used in the future.

“Can’t you have a little favor for someone who helped you?”

There was nothing wrong with my words.

But, Fel still didn’t let down his guard.

His gaze fell coldly.

“The Sword of Doctrine’s favor shouldn’t be that cheap.”

Have some conscience.

In a way, it’s no different from giving a miracle.

“And, when did I say I wanted the Sword of Doctrine’s favor?”

I clearly said I wanted ‘your’ favor. In other words, what I wanted was not the Sword of Doctrine’s favor, but simply ‘Fel’s’ favor.

Fel’s face, who had been listening quietly, contorted slightly.

The emotion, beyond bewilderment to embarrassment, was conveyed in its entirety. It was as if he was asking why he needed a mere Fel’s favor.

“Because Ferdiel Levian’s real name is Fel.”

The name Fel was, in the end, Ferdiel’s alias and the name he had lost when he was entered into the Levian family registry.

“It’s not like you’ll live as Ferdiel forever.”

So this was an investment.

An investment not in Ferdiel Levian, but in Fel.

“Actually… I don’t even want a favor.”

A blue parchment appeared before my eyes.

I took the quill pen that scattered a pure white radiance in my hand.

“It was an unfair trade in the first place. I just want to return the light to ‘Fel’ who had his light taken away.”

I placed a clear emphasis on the name Fel.

This wasn’t for Ferdiel—

“Good for the sake of good, also definitely exists.”

I just want to prove it.

Fel’s eyes widened.

It was a reaction where emotion preceded words. His lips trembled slightly.

“Do you… really believe that exists?”

“Yes, at least I will.”

If there is not a single shred of kindness left for the good people in this world, I will gladly become that thing.

「Fel’s sight is completely restored.」

Well, I’m in a tight spot myself, but.

I gave Fel a relaxed smile.

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