Chapter 18
Chapter 18
“‘It was just natural acting… but he patted my head….’”
After being escorted back to the dormitory by Damian, Yuria entered her room and gently touched the spot where his hand had rested. A faint blush spread across her face.
“‘My heart is racing….’”
Thump, thump!
She placed both hands over her chest, feeling her heartbeat.
“‘What do I do…? I think… I like him.’”
She had never experienced love before. No—more accurately, she had never even been in a position where she could. But she understood.
What she was feeling now… was love.
She had sensed it even before, but after what happened today, she had finally become fully aware of it.
“Uuuh…!!”
She buried her face into her pillow, trying to suppress the embarrassment, but her heart kept pounding wildly, and her face only grew hotter.
Kicking her feet and pounding the bed like a flushed tomato, she soon—
“…But our statuses might stand in the way….”
Her mood suddenly sank.
Status.
That one thing could twist everything.
The gap between royalty and commoners was enormous.
Like trying to pluck a star from the sky.
Royalty could only marry royalty or nobles. Nobles could only marry royalty or other nobles.
Commoners were never even considered.
There was, of course, the option of taking a concubine. Male royals or nobles often used that to claim beautiful commoner women.
“…That’s disgusting. It’s irresponsible….”
Yuria herself was, in a way, born from such a position.
Her mother had not been a concubine, but the Third Empress—yet in the end, she was still lost.
For reasons unknown.
Because of that, Yuria knew.
There were people who wanted to kill her.
And those people… were fellow royals.
Even if her father, Emperor Persio Rozhill, treated her generously because of that incident, she still believed he had allowed her mother to die.
So the idea of becoming a concubine… was something she refused to accept.
“…Still, if he became a noble… if not a baron or viscount, but at least a count or marquis… maybe it could work?”
She suddenly shot upright.
“Right! Then I just have to make him a noble! With his skills and ability, it’s definitely possible!”
She hurried to her desk, opened a notebook, and began writing something down.
“Good… Let’s make him… Damian… into a noble.”
◈
“Royal Inspection Team. We’re here to see the chairman.”
“R-Royal Inspection Team!?”
The Royal Inspection Team.
An elite group composed of only the most capable royal knights—individuals possessing both combat ability and intelligence.
True to their name, they investigated corruption. And when guilt was certain, they acted.
Because of that, those in power called them “reapers of corruption.”
And now, just days after the new semester began, they had arrived at the Imperial Academy.
“W-What brings you here?”
The academy chairman wiped sweat from his forehead as he spoke nervously.
One of the inspectors stepped forward and tossed a stack of documents onto the desk.
“Take a look. You’ll understand.”
“This is…?”
“Records of corruption committed by professors—and the noble students who instigated them. Read through it. Starting today, we’ll be arresting them one by one.”
The inspector’s sharp gaze fixed on the chairman.
“There must be some misunderstanding—”
“These were submitted directly to the imperial palace by several professors, including the head of the Knight Department. Even though it implicates them as well.”
Bang!
His palm slammed against the desk.
“Who would submit evidence that harms themselves? Chairman… or should I say, former chairman soon to stand trial?”
The chairman flinched and hurriedly flipped through the documents.
Everything he had done… was written there in detail.
As if someone from the inside had recorded it all.
“Shocked?”
The inspector smirked.
“Well, of course. Evidence like this is usually held by those at the top. But what a surprise—someone managed to take it from them.”
“I-It can’t be…!”
“Regrettable, Chairman. I didn’t expect you to be involved as well.”
“Y-You… Head of the Knight Department!!”
“I warned you before. For the sake of the academy’s reputation, we needed to correct the students’ behavior. But you refused. That’s when it started….”
“You’ve lost your mind! We did this to survive—!”
“Yes. We were all powerless against authority. That’s why I cooperated as well.”
Grit.
He clenched his teeth.
“But when I saw that student… I saw a possibility! A boy who endured oppression for four years and still walked his own path—Damian!”
“A commoner? You risked everything for him?!”
“If a sixteen-year-old could endure it for four years, then what excuse does a grown man like me have?!”
He took a deep breath to calm himself.
“…That’s enough. Admit your crimes. The Emperor has said that if you confess, the punishment won’t be too severe….”
“No, you’re mistaken about one thing.”
An inspector stepped forward.
“Professors with severe offenses will all be expelled. You’ll only face a fine since you didn’t take bribes.”
“What?!”
“The academy was founded to nurture talent regardless of status. Dividing people by status here is an act of betrayal.”
His gaze turned cold as a snake.
“That’s why His Majesty has decided on strict punishment to prevent this from happening again.”
“Professors will be expelled. Students expelled. Nobles will face demotions or heavy fines.”
Clink.
Handcuffs appeared.
“At this moment, Chairman Colon Mason is under arrest.”
◈
“Just as expected.”
Sitting on a long bench in the academy plaza, sipping canned coffee, I watched the inspection team move busily.
After handing over the evidence, things had unfolded smoothly.
Thankfully, the professors had chosen to confess.
No need for bloodshed.
“Do you know who I am!?”
“I’m a professor! Let go of me!”
Students and professors alike were being dragged away.
Despite the scale, classes would continue—there were still enough decent professors left.
“Professor Marco, right? You’ve done great work.”
“Director Mavis.”
A member of one of the three great ducal families.
“…Have you considered becoming a full professor?”