Queen's Gambit (6)
"...... So in the end, you're saying we have to kill Louise Violet to bring down the Violet family!"
"This is why people without families are such a pain... Noble houses aren't that easy to deal with. If we kill Louise Violet, the Violet family will do whatever it takes to wipe us out! Forget revenge—we'll be massacred!"
"You cowards!"
The hideout of the Fallen Noble Student Council and the Purge Squad. Even after Alicia had ended the meeting, heated arguments continued among them. It was the same tedious debate that seemed destined to drag on until one side was dead. They tore into each other without even noticing Alicia's return.
Alicia shot them a contemptuous glare, cleared her throat, and shouted.
"Stop!"
When Alicia raised her voice and drew everyone's attention, the students finally noticed her and fell silent, turning to face her.
"I told you all to disperse."
In the suffocating tension, Alicia spoke one deliberate word at a time, as if grinding them out. The students stammered out excuses, flustered by her low, measured tone.
"My lady... We're sorry! These people kept insisting we have to kill Louise Violet no matter what—"
"N-no, that's not true! They're the ones who keep insulting us personally!"
"Make one more excuse and I'll hold you responsible."
At Alicia's threat, everyone fell silent.
She's become quite capable.
I watched Alicia and thought to myself. Alicia Floren had certainly changed. Not long ago, she had been nothing more than a puppet dancing to their tune. As expected, the position shapes the person.
"Eden. Everyone's gathered. Speak."
"Fine."
I walked past Alicia and stood at the center of the hideout. I could see their faces. Some were strangers; others were the ones who had betrayed me. The same people who had hidden behind Louise Violet to save their own skins when I was expelled were now here, spouting nonsense about the Purge Squad and the Fallen Noble Student Council, as if they were apostles of justice. It was laughable and absurd, but there was no need to deal with it here. They would pay the price for betraying me eventually.
"My name is Eren Lopez."
A few who recognized me exchanged startled glances. It didn't matter. Whether they did or not, I would say what I had to say.
"I won't waste time. Stop the pointless armchair theorizing, you idiots."
Episode 3 Queen's Gambit
"What did you just call us—idiots!?"
"Is he out of his mind?"
"He really doesn't know when to shut his mouth!"
The moment Eden finished speaking, most of the people in the room jumped to their feet in outrage. How dare some nobody appear out of nowhere and dismiss their sacred meeting as mere theorizing, then insult those with noble intentions by calling them idiots? What an outrageous display of disrespect.
"Shut up."
But when Eden opened his mouth again, they fell silent as if struck dumb. Killing intent radiated from his eyes.
"...... You gathered here to take revenge on Louise Violet, yet all you do is argue among yourselves. Not a single one of you actually acts. People who only vent their anger without a plan, people who argue over plans they lack the power to carry out—if that's not armchair theorizing, then what is?"
Eden raised his right foot and slammed it down on the table. With a loud bang, the students flinched.
"If people like that aren't idiots, then what are they? What should I have called you instead?"
"But we don't have any power! What can a bunch of fallen nobles and commoners even do!?"
Eden let out a short, incredulous laugh.
"I was an orphan. Even so, I could beat all of you combined."
"Eden..."
Alicia tried to intervene as the atmosphere grew hostile, but Eden waved her off.
"Have you even tried? After everything you've been through, are you really content to sit back and do nothing just because you gained a little strength? While you waste time sitting here, Louise Violet is probably thinking about how to kill you all in the most cruel way possible. You pigs."
"This bastard really—!"
A man who looked like an executive shot to his feet, raising his cane. At that moment, a flash of light erupted, and a massive wave of force swept through the hideout as if the air itself had been split in two. The students didn't even realize what had happened, but a few with strong swordsmanship senses noticed the change and swallowed hard.
...... Shit.
The cane had been sliced clean in half. The severed front half fell limply to the floor. Eden finished sheathing his sword and tilted his head in provocation.
"Come on, then. Let's see who wins."
"......"
But not a single person stood up. The time it took for Eden to cut the cane and resheathe his sword had been less than a second. Everyone present knew that attacking someone like that would be suicide.
... If I step in now, I'll die.
Students who had recognized Eden the moment he entered quietly swallowed their breath. Those who had just witnessed his swordsmanship trembled at the thought of possible retaliation. Even so, a few still hadn't come to their senses.
"So what if you can swing a sword? That doesn't give you the right to treat us like fools."
As if on cue, about a dozen students rose simultaneously and drew their canes. But before Eden could even move, the situation was resolved. The assassins who had been waiting nearby had already sliced the canes in half and pressed blades to their throats.
Eden gestured for the assassins to withdraw, pulled out a chair, sat down, and propped one leg on the table.
"Anyone else have something to say?"
"......."
No one dared to contradict him now.
"If people could understand words, that would be one thing. But why is it that they can't seem to understand anything unless it's beaten into them? Are you really just pigs?"
Eden chuckled as if amused.
"Well then, I'll take your silence as agreement to cooperate... Let's talk about what needs to be done."
***
"... So we all had to gather like this because of one brat?"
"The Violet family's influence isn't what it used to be. At the end of the day, she's just a drug-addicted child..."
"They claim they couldn't handle her even after sending assassins."
"I heard that before his expulsion, he was the top student in the swordsmanship department at Joachim Academy. He must have some skill."
"Talent or not, he's still a greenhorn who hasn't even graduated. A professional assassin would make short work of him."
In a dimly lit basement, middle-aged men and women in fine suits sat in the darkness, wearing masks that covered their eyes and noses. This was the Violet family's underground conference room—the secret meeting place known as the "Violet Conference."
The man wearing a fox mask shrugged.
"So, the reason you gathered us is to kill that brat?"
He let out a derisive snort.
"Because Dailer's son fell for some petty scheme? Even for the Violets, I'd rather you didn't hold such ridiculous meetings."
"......"
At his scathing remark, Francis Dailer, head of the Dailer family, lowered his head and couldn't respond. Family conferences were rarely held for a single purpose, but today's main agenda was "how to deal with the Dailer family, which had been implicated in the drug scandal." For Francis Dailer, it was like sitting on a bed of thorns. In noble society, wolves were always waiting to pounce on the Violet family and its subordinates. One small mistake could lead to ruin. Thus, the drug scandal involving the Dailer heir could easily become leverage. If other families that had been biding their time banded together to demand accountability, it would provide the perfect pretext.
"Well, if things go south, the Dailers will just have to take the fall. If you refuse, then you have no conscience."
...... Those bastards! They were groveling when they wanted business rights, but the moment they get a chance to bite, they turn on us!?
As Francis Dailer ground his teeth, the door burst open. Jeina Violet entered, her long violet hair swaying. She sat at the head of the long table, lounging as if reclining, and lit a cigarette. A thin wisp of pale smoke drifted from her lips.
"Given the nature of today's agenda..."
Jeina exhaled a thin stream of smoke.
"I'll skip the long preamble and get straight to the point."
"Speaking of which, I don't think the main discussion needs to be long either. Strictly speaking, isn't this all the Dailers' fault? Instead of covering for them and getting caught up in their mess, we should cut them loose and let them take responsibility."
"I agree. I've heard rumors that the Dailer family's businesses have been failing one after another. Is there really any need to stay tied to them?"
"What can someone who can't even manage their own child possibly accomplish?"
Once Jeina opened the floodgates, the others began tearing into the Dailers with vicious fangs. Dailer had no words to defend himself and could only accept it.
"Wait... I'm not interested in your opinions."
Just as the atmosphere was reaching a fever pitch, Jeina raised her hand and cut off the side talk.
"The Dailer family has decided to stay with us. If anyone has objections, raise your hand and speak."
Her words plunged the underground conference room into silence. Indeed, what was called a family conference at the Violet family's underground meeting hall was, in reality, nothing more than a briefing session for the Violet family. Occasionally, Jeina Violet would accept input from other families, but once a decision was made, it was rarely changed. After the Violet family rose to become the empire's sole dominant house through their alliance with the Emperor, no other family could oppose their decisions.
"There are none."
"Of course, we will follow Lady Violet's decision."
"Thinking about it, the Dailer family was simply unlucky."
The moment they tucked their tails between their legs, Jeina smiled in satisfaction.
"Then we'll handle the Dailer family's drug scandal within the Violet family. The agenda is settled, so I'll make one report."
Jeina clapped her hands, and a woman emerged from the shadows. The family heads couldn't hide their surprise.
When had she been there?
They hadn't sensed her presence at all.
"This is Mikhail. According to rumors, the boy who caused the scandal—Eden Rofas—threatened the academy chancellor and several professors to bend the academy to his will. So we've decided to appoint a new chancellor."
"B-but!"
The head of the family to which the current chancellor belonged shot to his feet, but Jeina extended a hand and immediately silenced him.
"I believe the rule of this conference is that no one questions decisions once they've been made."
"......"
Meanwhile, Mikhail stepped forward and introduced herself.
"I am Mikhail."
She smiled faintly and took a seat.
"I assist the Violet family with drug distribution. Feel free to call me Heil."