Grip from Coma and Shadows of Phiren
Information Security Bureau 3rd Division Chief Kyle Redford had come to visit the patient. It was to check on Leonidas, who had fallen into a coma after the decisive battle in Eisenheim. Even after three years had passed, Leonidas showed no signs of waking.
He set down the flowers he'd brought by the bedside and sat right next to the bed.
"Hey. You awake?"
There was no reply, as expected. This was a ritual he performed every time he visited. The words Kyle was murmuring now were nothing more than self-talk.
"I sometimes think I made a needless request of you."
The cult incident in Eisenheim. Had it really been the right choice to call on him to resolve that situation and his own suspicions? Kyle thought it had been the best option, but he still couldn't be certain.
After a moment of silence, Kyle got to the point of his visit.
"I've got a lead on the bastard who did this to you."
Leonidas. A 7-Level superhuman. Levels didn't refer to realms or hierarchies. They simply measured the scale of influence one could exert on the continent. If 8-Level encompassed the entire continent, 7-Level was national in scope. That's why it was so rare for an individual to reach 7-Level—and why it had been possible to pinpoint him, and thus track down his accomplice.
"Who could've imagined a dead man walking around alive?"
The ghost from the past who had led the empire's resurgence. A truth even the imperial family dismissed as conspiracy theory now lay in Kyle's hands.
"I promise."
Kyle stood from his seat and continued.
"I'll definitely catch the bastard who did this to you."
He'd found the accomplice who had aided the culprit. All that remained was to catch the man himself during his next spate of activity.
With that thought, Kyle turned to leave—
Thud.
"…!!"
His wrist seized, Kyle whipped around to check on Leonidas. Leonidas was breathing raggedly, his eyes fixed on Kyle.
The Academy's entrance exam was divided into two stages. The first was a written test, and those who passed it went on to the second, a practical exam. All the money and time I'd poured in had paid off—Ella passed the written exam with ease.
Nothing special about it. I'd been the one tutoring her for two years and hiring extra instructors. If Ella had been a total dimwit, I would've been ready to steal the exam questions myself. No matter what, she was getting in. Impossible isn't in my dictionary.
Ella took the acceptance notice, skimmed it once, then handed it straight to me with a look that said, "See? What'd I tell you?"
But wasn't this all thanks to me? The thought crossed my mind, but I didn't voice it.
"Good job."
I'd planned a celebration party, but Ella's face went pale and she flat-out refused, so I dropped it.
"Celebration... party?"
"Yeah. What do you want?"
"No. No, I don't want it. Don't do it. Absolutely don't."
"…?"
Why? I wasn't planning to cut off her fake hair or her real head or anything. Anyway, since Ella made her stance clear, I decided to respect it.
Her tutor Lisa sent congratulations, but Ella was cold even to her. Ella always showed subtle wariness around Lisa, like she was some rival. It had been that way since they first met, so I let it slide. Lisa didn't seem to mind much either.
And then the day of the practical exam arrived. I took Ella to the Academy's main building, where the practical venue was.
As we walked together, I stopped at the entrance to the exam hall.
"Do your best."
"Yeah. And you—don't do anything while I'm gone. Got it?"
Ella entered the exam hall. I watched her back for a moment, then turned on my heel the instant she was out of sight.
The practical exam apparently spanned a full week. From what I'd heard, it included physical tests, aptitude checks, survival trials, and a bunch more. Things I'd dreamed up as dean while pondering web novels—and apparently, they were still going strong as "tradition."
They sure cling to the weird stuff.
Looking back now, there were probably better, more efficient ways. But I chalked it up to tradition and the sheer number of applicants.
With time to kill, I had my own schedule.
I've pulled Ceres and Ella onto the stage. Time for the antagonists to make their entrance.
I headed to the Phiren Duchy.
Phiren Duchy maintained the facade of a nation, but it was little more than ruins. The reason was simple.
[Phiren Duchy Sword Master Awakening Incident]
I'd orchestrated that event, recorded in imperial history as such.
To sum it up briefly: I used a memory ritual to duplicate Sword Masters. Just like I'd created copies of myself to face the saintess, I replicated Phiren Duchy's Sword Masters in the same way.
Thanks to that, Phiren gained unprecedented power. Sword Masters—Sword Saints, in other words. Once they had over twenty forces on that level, it was only natural for Phiren to get cocky.
What followed was straightforward. Phiren declared war on the empire, lost, and lost its nationhood in the process. The aftermath lingered to this day.
A bit further along, I reached the meeting spot: the shantytown.
Skinny orphans with pitiful frames stared up at me vacantly. I pulled some bread from my subspace, and their eyes went wide.
I tore into it right there in front of everyone. Eyes that had looked at me like a benefactor quickly turned murderous. If they could snag bread from the dirt, they'd stab a man for it.
This time, I took out one loaf from subspace and chucked it far away.
"…!!"
One orphan bolted and snatched it. The others piled on to steal it back.
"It's mine...!!"
"Get lost! Get lost!!"
As I watched, I noticed a few kids still sitting there, eyes full of expectation. Thinking I'd toss more bread, maybe?
This time, I pulled out a cake from subspace. I shook it around, and their gazes followed. I smirked, shoved it in my mouth, and clamped my lips shut.
Their faces hardened. They were sneaking up, probably planning to stab me and take the food.
But subspace is bound to my soul.
If they came at me, I wouldn't hold back. Murder was like that—you prepare to kill, you prepare to die.
"That's far enough."
I turned toward the voice. There stood Ludwig, bulkier than before. Looked like he was eating well.
"Saw how far you'd go. Your antics are a sight. What kind of psycho are you?"
"Still out of your mind. Seriously... not something a human does."
Before I knew it, Blue Moon operatives had surrounded me. Some faces were new from the north—Phiren survivors, no doubt. Ah, that woman's still alive?
I gave her a friendly little wave.
"…!!"
Her face stiffened at my greeting. I shrugged.
"Phiren Duchy. Victims of the empire. Anything you're feeling from this?"
Feelings from seeing these orphans?
"Nope. They're poor. That's it."
"Then why'd you do it?"
Do what? I tilted my head at Ludwig, and he nodded toward the orphans fighting over bread.
"Oh, that?"
Ludwig's face hardened.
"That?"
"Seemed fun."
Bella, standing beside him, scowled fiercely.
"Fun? What's fun about this?"
"Hey, Bella. Volunteer work is for idiots. You know? Me tossing bread and keeping their bellies from rotting changes nothing."
"How do you know my name...?"
No, it doesn't. Humans don't change. If they haven't, they won't.
"Bad situation, bad luck, born that way, no talent—excuses. People who change, do. The ones rotting here without changing? That's on them."
"What kind of bullshit—?!"
"If they won't change, won't ever—maybe it's better if I put them to use?"
The other operatives started yelling in protest, but Ludwig raised a hand to quiet them.
"Enough. He's always been like this. Don't bother persuading him. It won't work, and he won't change. Right?"
I shrugged and got to the point.
"So, looks like you're all set? You didn't call me before, but now you do."
"More precisely, we're preparing. We need your help."
I tilted my head, feigning ignorance.
"For what?"
"The academy demon summoning attempt a while back. I'm planning to clean up the remnants there."