Chapter 215
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 215
I read the newspaper article carefully before setting it down on the table.
“...So the Cassandra Imperial Family wants to invest in our academy.”
Sensing my displeasure, Freya asked cautiously, “Isn’t that a good thing? Support from the Empire would be a massive boon for the academy’s operations, wouldn’t it?”
“Of course it would. If we’re in the same boat as the Empire, we’ll be shielded from the interference of other factions.”
With the backing of the Cassandra Imperial Family, not only would our finances stabilize, but recruiting top-tier professors and students would become significantly easier. Furthermore, we could avoid any potential meddling from rival powers. Who would dare lay a hand on an academy under the direct protection of the Empire?
“Then why do you look so concerned?”
There was just one problem.
If I’m not careful, my academy could become a mere vassal of the Empire.
On the surface, it looked like a reward for the thesis I had donated to the imperial family, but the underlying intentions were far more complex. It would start with simple financial support, but they could later use that leverage to expand their influence and swallow the entire academy. Using investment as a foothold to seize an organization was a classic tactic of the powerful.
I might end up having the sweet fruit of my labor snatched away by the Empire. In short, it was a poisoned chalice.
But simply refusing isn’t a viable option either.
If I rejected the Cassandra Imperial Family’s support, they would likely begin to apply serious pressure. Moreover, if I made an enemy of the Empire, other investors would become reluctant to fund the foundation, creating a financial nightmare down the line.
As I was lost in thought, Ciel asked tentatively, “What do you plan to do?”
“What else? I have to accept it.”
The Emperor might suspect that Valerian Academy is an attempt by the Devalis family to stick their oars into continental politics, and he likely decided on this investment to nip that ambition in the bud.
But what could I do? I had no interest in such power struggles.
I finished my tea and continued, “My goal is simply to provide educational opportunities and discover talented individuals. Everything else is secondary.”
It would be nice to have my own faction, but I wasn't obsessed with the idea. What mattered was identifying talent early and helping them grow strong enough to fight our eventual enemies. As long as that goal was met, I didn’t much care whose hands the academy ended up in later. In fact, if someone else wanted to do the heavy lifting for me, I’d be grateful.
If they were promising such wholehearted investment, there was no reason to refuse.
Perhaps… the Emperor read my intentions and is offering this out of genuine goodwill.
After all, it wasn't long ago that he declared in his closing ceremony speech that all of humanity must unite. This move by the Cassandra Imperial Family could be a declaration of their intent to embrace even Valerian Academy—a potential threat to the establishment—for the sake of the greater good.
After weighing it from every angle, I decided to accept the investment.
“Let’s get going.”
Our morning tea was over. It was time for class.
*
“That concludes today’s Spiritology lesson.”
With Professor Isley’s closing words, the lecture ended. Students began to filter out of the classroom in small groups. Some left to prepare for their next class, while others headed to the construction site for their part-time jobs.
As the room gradually emptied, Isley called out to me.
“Roen, do you have a moment?”
A meeting with a professor was usually nerve-wracking, but Isley was different. I nodded readily.
“Of course.”
I followed Professor Isley to his office. The interior resembled a cozy wooden cottage, bathed in bright sunlight. Unlike the sterile offices of other professors, it felt warm and inviting. He had his subordinate spirits serve me a hot cup of tea.
I took a sip of the steaming brew—a joint effort by the spirits Undine and Kasa—and then spoke.
“Is there something you needed to see me about?”
“I heard you were a great help in the success of the academy festival. On behalf of Voltimir, I’d like to express my gratitude.”
“Don’t mention it. I benefited greatly from the festival as well.”
Although I had lent them a hundred billion, it allowed me to recruit skilled spirit users for the academy’s construction. Besides, the festival’s success helped spread the word about both my carbonated water brand and the academy I was founding. In the end, it was mutually beneficial.
“Yes, I heard you signed a few contracts with Miss Kiriel.”
“Is this about putting students to work on the construction site?”
“No. I’ve confirmed that there is sufficient safety supervision. It’s good for the students to practice Spiritology while earning a wage, and it’s good for you to speed up construction. That’s not why I called you here.”
Professor Isley took a sip of tea to wet his throat, his gaze shifting.
“Roen, the spirit you recently contracted has awakened, hasn’t it?”
Isley was referring to Kabeltar. It seemed he had noticed its hatching.
“...You knew.”
“Yes, it was a rather strange wave of magical energy. It’s a spirit, yet it has a distinct physical form, and for some reason, I could sense the aura of a dragon. This may be presumptuous, but there is some information I’d like to share with you. If possible, could you summon it?”
Isley’s eyes glinted as he adjusted his glasses. I looked into the pure, curious eyes shining behind the lenses.
From the beginning of the semester, Isley suspected my spirit's identity and gave me hints.
Isley was a trustworthy person—no, a trustworthy deer. If he had truly harbored ill intentions, something would have happened long ago. What he was showing me now was pure goodwill. Sensing he was trying to help me again, I made my decision.
“Kabeltar.”
I drew a magic circle and summoned him.
Swoosh—
A small, dragon-like figure emerged from the circle amidst a black mist.
Kageuk—!
The creature stretched its tiny wings wide, seemingly thrilled to be out for the first time in a while.
Isley watched Kabeltar and murmured in fascination, “Hoh, so this is the legendary…”
As Isley examined Kabeltar from every angle, I said, “Just as you mentioned before, Professor, it seems to be a spirit specialized in handling demonic energy.”
“I’m glad my prediction was correct. A Dark Spirit. So its name is Kabeltar.”
Kageuk—
Kabeltar seemed to take a liking to the natural energy flowing from Isley, nuzzling against him and rubbing its cheek repeatedly. After communing with the spirit for a moment, Isley spoke.
“According to ancient records, the first emperor could read the minds of others just by touching them. I suspect that ability may have originated from this Dark Spirit. Do you have any thoughts on the matter, Roen?”
The ability to read minds.
It seemed the ability to read Kabeltar’s memories had been distorted by history over time. Then again, reading a person’s memories meant knowing all their actions and thoughts, so it wasn't that different from reading their mind.
“I’m not sure. I haven’t tried it yet.”
“Good, then let’s try it now. You may read my mind.”
Professor Isley stretched his neck out, bringing it within my reach.
“Are you sure you’re okay with this?”
“Of course. It’s better than testing it on other students. You wouldn’t want to get in trouble for touching a female student, would you? Ah, but you already have quite a reputation in that regard.”
“...!”
Isley likely meant it as a joke, but his words sparked a realization. One of Roen’s most notorious reputations was that he went around harassing female students. That, too, might have stemmed from Kabeltar’s memory-reading ability.
“Pardon the intrusion.”
With that thought, I carefully touched Isley’s neck. His fur was soft and smooth, with a healthy sheen that spoke of careful maintenance. As I touched him while Kabeltar was summoned, a log appeared before my eyes.
[Activate Memory Fragment?]
Yes.
The moment I gave my silent consent…
“...!”
My vision flickered, and a black-and-white scene, like a reel from an old film, played out. Isley’s memories flashed before my eyes. Though I couldn’t see his entire life, several powerful memories remained etched in his mind.
I saw his childhood, the happy days spent with his loving family, and finally, the time his wife passed away after a long battle with demonic energy poisoning. After that, he had delved into every scrap of knowledge and Spiritology he could find, eventually becoming a professor. Isley had then taken up a post at the Union, guiding tens of thousands of students onto the right path. He was a truly dedicated educator.
I soon came to my senses and pulled my hand back.
“How was it?”
“...”
After a moment of hesitation, I told him the truth.
“I’m sorry, but I saw a part of your memory, Professor. It seems it isn't the ability to read minds, but to read memories.”
“My memories, you say? I hope it wasn’t anything too embarrassing. You’ll respect my privacy, won’t you?”
“The contents of the memory I read were…”
“That’s enough. What good would it do me to know? I’d only end up kicking my blankets in embarrassment tonight. Ignorance is bliss.”
Isley smiled faintly. That composure was proof that he had lived his life without shame or malice. While I was grateful to Isley for sharing this information and even using himself as a test subject, I also felt a little puzzled.
I asked him cautiously, “Why are you going to such lengths to help me?”
At my question, Isley closed his eyes and spoke slowly.
“The Dark Spirit you’ve contracted holds a tremendously powerful force. A power that can kill or save. It is certainly dangerous, but it holds just as much potential.”
“...”
Listening to him, I recalled the image of Isley from the memory. His wife, who had suffered from demonic energy poisoning before passing. Isley must have scoured countless texts to find a way to cure her. He must have discovered the records of the Dark Spirit during that desperate search.
Thinking of it that way, Isley’s actions made perfect sense. He didn’t want such a tragedy to happen to anyone else.
“Poison and medicine both depend on how they are used. It is a teacher’s duty to help his student handle the power they possess.”
He tilted his head to adjust his glasses and offered a smile.
“Don’t forget, Roen. No matter which side you stand on, someone will always be cheering for your path.”
With those meaningful words, our meeting came to an end.
*
After the day’s work was done, I took Roen’s diary and visited the underworld again.
Just by unlocking a small portion of the diary, several questions that had been nagging me for months had been answered. Therefore, the most urgent task was to unlock the rest. Through it, I would be able to clearly understand Roen’s intentions and what I needed to do next.
At the Panopticon Central Headquarters, I briefly greeted Rebecca, who had become the true master of the underworld. Unlike in the past, when she was always listless and slumped over, she now carried the demeanor of a true ruler. Alfredo had recently been complaining about having nothing to do, apparently because Rebecca had finally gotten her act together and was passionately dedicated to her work.
After my meeting with Rebecca, I asked Alfredo to take a position at the new academy. Publicly, his role would be secretary to the dean, Roxana. His real job would be to manage the faculty—who all seemed to have a screw loose—and to run the academy’s foundation.
Alfredo readily accepted.
“That’s welcome news. Just leave it to me. I’ll whip those professors into shape. I’ve always been confident when it comes to handling scoundrels, after all.”
“...Scoundrels.”
Well, it made sense, given he’d been managing the rough characters of the underworld since his youth. I just hoped he wasn’t talking about me.
After securing Alfredo’s cooperation, I headed to the workshop where Lize was staying. After discussing the analysis of the diary with her, the conclusion was disappointing.
“You’re saying it’s impossible for now?”
“Yes, it’s too difficult with my current skills. I need the state-of-the-art equipment from the Magic Tower.”
Lize’s talent was exceptional, but it hadn’t fully blossomed yet. It seemed unlocking Roen’s diary right away would be difficult. She explained that she needed the Magic Tower’s cutting-edge equipment to analyze its structure properly.
The latest generation of equipment can’t be obtained outside the Magic Tower.
Even the educational equipment used at the Union or the advanced gear that trickled into the underworld was a generation or two behind what was used in the Magic Tower. Ultimately, to decipher this diary, I had to go there.
Not that it would be a problem.
Snap—.
I closed the diary and grinned.
“The Magic Tower, huh? I was planning on visiting eventually, anyway.”