CHAPTER 143
CHAPTER 143
Academic Affairs Moving Through Assassination
Idnia was already seated in the dining hall, studying while using detection magic to analyze the sticker she had received from Buremhyde. At the same time, she was researching in order to master a magic technique that would allow her to control her pulse-type mana waves.
Since the dining hall was the only place with proper tables, and it opened during the morning free time, this was essentially the only place she could come to read books and study magic.
Fortunately, perhaps because the reading room had been made available, Zephyrus students had all disappeared into the reading room, leaving the dining hall unusually quiet and peaceful.
“Hmm, a basic textbook has its limits. I’d like to go into the library, but the second stage after the reading room is the opening of the first floor of the collection storage, correct? I should maintain good relations with Zephyrus who obtained the reading room… hmm?”
Suddenly, a commotion broke out.
“Th-there’s a problem! A big problem! Ah? Lady Idnia!”
Students from Notos entered, then spotted Idnia.
“Ah, hello. What’s going on?”
“They say an assassin attacked Instructor Nibles yesterday!”
“…Pardon?”
“This is it, right? Kk, Boreas is terrifying. As expected.”
They could not bring themselves to mention Karl directly, but by saying Boreas, wasn’t that essentially suspecting Karl as the culprit?
“That’s absolutely not the case. With Prince Karl’s personality, if he were going to kill someone, he would do it with his own hands rather than use an assassin.”
Idnia defended Karl in a strange manner. However, the effect was certain.
“Now that you mention it, that does make sense.”
“Given Prince Karl’s personality, he’s not the type to do that. He’s not someone who would entrust his revenge to others.”
“Realistically, there’s no way he could suddenly obtain an assassin….”
“Well, let’s not say such things for now and wait for an official announcement. Everyone, please be cautious.”
Idnia did not forget to give a warning, concerned that Notos and Boreas were already natural enemies and that this incident might spark conflict between the two dormitories.
Meanwhile, Lorenzo was in shock.
“Please try this!”
What Fiona had brought was the breakfast distributed by Eros.
“No, Fiona. Why are you so enthusiastic… well, since it was made by Lady Idnia who deliberately chose the kitchen, it must be better….”
“No, you really have to try it! Prince! This is strange!”
“…Strange?”
So he took a bite….
“Hmm, just an ordinary fish soup. Basil, refined seed oil… sansho… hmm?”
Lorenzo felt a bizarre harmony of flavors and shuddered.
“What is this? Why is it so rich in umami?”
“Right? Surprising, isn’t it?”
“…I don’t understand. Looking at the amount of meat used, it doesn’t make sense.”
Southerners prided themselves on their cuisine as the best in the world. Yet Idnia’s cooking, prepared in a method they could not comprehend, was remarkably excellent.
It looked unremarkable, but the taste was astonishing.
“With such meager ingredients, how can it have such depth of flavor? It’s as if it was simmered with far more meat and then the meat was removed.”
In a world without MSG, tasting MSG could only lead to that conclusion.
“The Eros students don’t purchase seasonings. What should we do?”
“That doesn’t seem to be the issue. To produce such flavor without pepper or nutmeg… if Lady Idnia begins to seriously manage her household, it could severely impact the spice trade.”
“Is it really that serious?”
“There are many who spend their wealth on spices for the pleasure of eating. Do not underestimate them.”
Lorenzo believed that Idnia’s actions were not merely disrupting their black market, but in the worst case, could significantly damage the Medici family’s business.
“Could someone her age truly become a threat not only to the Medici family but even to the Papal See? This is truly impressive. Lady Idnia. Before meeting you, I prided myself on being quite a capable individual for my age….”
Lorenzo was genuinely impressed by Idnia.
“So, what should we do?”
“Is there any method? Surely you are not suggesting we assassinate Lady Betelgeuse.”
“……”
“For now, let the black market focus on sweets as its main product, and let us move on to the next stage. Since we’ve secured the salon, it is time to begin placing bait.”
Lorenzo pointed toward the next step, looking at Idnia who was sitting in the dining hall studying.
After breakfast ended, the students of Eros had completely fallen under Idnia’s spell.
The students who had gone to assist Idnia returned and began speaking in awe, praising her so much that one might believe she had gone and slain a dragon.
“We barely helped Lady Idnia at all.”
“While she was cooking, she worked completely on her own so effortlessly.”
“She’s a master of formation magic too. She even created tools and complex devices as needed.”
“Honestly, it was embarrassing how little help we were despite going to get coupons. And yet Lady Idnia encouraged us so much.”
“If she sells this for money, it must be because of the other dorms, not us.”
“No matter what anyone says, this is entirely Lady Idnia’s achievement.”
Thanks to this, the resistance toward Idnia’s decision to begin charging money for meals disappeared.
It was a strict policy that would normally provoke strong opposition, but Idnia’s contributions were so great that it had to be accepted.
And once money became involved, a natural thought emerged.
“By the way, if we take ingredients from other dorms and prepare and sell them like this, wouldn’t it generate profit?”
“Come on, we couldn’t possibly cook that much….”
“No, from what I saw in the cooking process, even if the number of diners increases, it wouldn’t require that much additional effort.”
“But we don’t have enough stoves.”
“Since we’re heating the pots with heating magic anyway, what difference does a stove make? We could just place them on a stone surface and heat them.”
“But would the other dorms even agree to that? And Lady Idnia’s ingredients like spices and vegetables are limited.”
“Since when have we been so diligent about eating vegetables?”
It wasn’t only the Eros students who were thinking this way.
Students who had already been suffering under the academy’s dreadful meals were envious upon hearing that Eros had escaped that torment.
‘Hmm. Things are going well as expected. I thought there would be strong resistance when we started charging money, but as expected, sincerity wins people over.’
Idnia felt the atmosphere turning in her favor and inwardly rejoiced.
Even if the alliance were to collapse, the other dormitories would no longer be able to treat Eros carelessly.
At that moment, servants entered.
“Ah. Black Wolf. You’ve returned. That’s earlier than expected.”
“Ah, I happened to meet a peddler on the way who was trading these items. It cost a bit more money, but it saved time, so it was worth it.”
Black Wolf handed over the seeds and seedlings that Idnia had requested.
“And about Farinelli.”
“Yes. Did something happen?”
“There’s an instructor here named Nibles, right? We saved him when he was attacked. Farinelli and I.”
“…Pardon?”
“He was attacked by an assassin and was forced to drink a poisonous liquor, nearly dying from acute alcohol poisoning, but we managed to save him with great effort.”
Idnia chuckled upon hearing that.
Whether destiny truly existed or not, it was astonishing that Nibles, who was supposed to die in the original storyline, had been put in danger—and even more so that he was saved by Farinelli, who would have died early in the original.
Had Idnia’s actions created a butterfly effect that led to Nibles being saved?
“Why that expression? Was he someone better off dead? Did we make a mistake saving him?”
“No. You did well. Did the academy’s investigation not say anything?”
“They did investigate. They confirmed the incident and said they would grant a reward.”
“A reward? How much?”
“100 shillings. I have it with me now. What should we do with it? Do you need it?”
“No. Since it was earned by you, divide it with Farinelli. As for the assassin….”
“It’s difficult to talk about here.”
“Understood.”
Idnia nodded after hearing Black Wolf’s words. The fact that it was difficult to discuss here suggested that he knew something about the assassin… and in that case, it was likely something he learned through Farinelli.
“Ah, Black Wolf, by any chance, do you know of a place in this fishing village that supplies food to the academy?”
“I already know one. Why?”
“Could you ask them to separate fish innards from the deliveries to us? Of course, we will pay separately for the fish innards.”
Currently, the fish deliveries consisted of filleted portions with the edible parts separated, while the remaining scraps were placed in baskets. Asking them to separate fish innards would require additional labor, so the fishermen would likely refuse.
That was why Idnia intended to purchase only the fish innards separately.
“You’re buying fish innards separately? That’s trash. Is it even useful?”
“Yes, at the very least, it can be used as fertilizer. Rather than that, please ask them to include more fish meat.”
“Ah. I see what you mean.”
If they simply paid more money to request better ingredients, the academy might intervene. But if Idnia’s side purchased what was essentially food waste and requested better quality fish in return, the academy would have no grounds to interfere.
That day, Eros’s morning class happened to begin with Instructor Nibles’ detection magic lecture.
However, Nibles was nowhere to be seen, and instead an assistant stepped in to begin the class.
“Hmm… Instructor Nibles was attacked by thugs in town last night. Fortunately, he survived, but he sustained serious injuries and cannot conduct the class, so I will be taking over.”
“Ah….”
The students were all shocked upon hearing this.
“While he is absent, I will conduct the lesson. Let us focus on researching detection magic quickly instead of wasting time.”
The assistant proceeded with the lesson without engaging in unnecessary disputes with the students.
After enduring Instructor Nibles’ lengthy self-praise, experiencing the teaching style of the academy assistant felt far more efficient.
“Wow… isn’t this obvious?”
“I heard Prince Karl was insulted by that instructor, right? Was this revenge for that?”
“Maybe it was meant as an example.”
“……”
Idnia remained silent as she listened to the dangerous speculations made by the surrounding students.
She had not corrected the Notos students when they were speaking nonsense before… but based on Black Wolf’s report, the assassin and Farinelli, who seemed to be his subordinate, likely had some kind of connection.
‘Or perhaps it’s someone connected to Black Wolf. There are many assassins among the Sea Spirit tribe as well.’
Whether it was the Scarlet Pimpernel or an assassin from the Sea Spirit tribe, either way, Idnia’s subordinate could become a target of suspicion, so it would be better if the suspicion pointed toward Karl instead.
‘However, who on earth carried this out? In the original, Instructor Nibles was meant to die, and the one who ordered his assassination was the villainess Idnia… but since I didn’t do it, who was it?’
Idnia grew curious about who had attempted to kill Nibles.
And the answer to that question would come sooner than expected.