Chapter 53
Chapter 53
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: 6. Hell is Just Beginning. (9)
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# 53
#13 Their Circumstances: Someone's Circumstances That Are Still a Secret.
“…Is that really true?”
“Indeed it is.”
In a dark secret room.
It was the kind of atmosphere where anyone would shout, “This looks suspicious!”
Yet the two of them were having a conversation.
“Anyway, this year’s Imperial Tournament victory is as good as decided. In that case, wouldn’t it be better for you to secure your own gains?”
“But I have my comrades…”
“Some of your comrades have already agreed to join our side.”
“Urk…”
His comrades had already been bought off!
Just a little while ago, they’d all been thinking of advancing together toward the same goal.
And yet, for something so trivial!
‘No, it’s not trivial…’
The opponent’s offer was far too tempting. It was worth it.
They were now in their fourth year. They’d have to leave the academy soon.
That made the offer even more appealing at this exact time.
The opponent had devilishly targeted students at precisely this stage.
It made sense that his comrades had been bought off. He himself was fiercely tempted right now!
“So, what will you do?”
“Urk… W-What if I refuse…?”
“Well, there’d be no repercussions. I just ask that you keep it secret.”
“Why?”
It didn’t make sense. This was a strategy that worked best with secrecy maintained.
What if he spilled it?
‘…It’s a devil!’
It would be pointless to say anything.
No, it would plunge everyone into a hell of mutual suspicion.
Anyone else might be different, but that guy—the one who schemed more devilishly than any devil—had surely made the offer anticipating that.
He might even have proposed this only to him, planning to spread suspicion through him to everyone else.
Or maybe he was making him think that, just to shut him up.
“So, last chance. Your choice?”
“Urk… I’ll do it!”
Thus, his only option was clear.
To become a traitor like the others and at least secure his own gain!
And so, another traitor was born.
#14 Their Circumstances: A Certain Student Council President’s Circumstances.
“Yesterday’s strategy was good. We finally succeeded in taking down Professor Maroon and Professor Arhan.”
“The others’ resolve itself has changed. If this keeps up, we might even develop strategies for Professor Myuam and Professor Harian before the break.”
“But the Water Elemental King and the Wind God have surprisingly many applications.”
“True. In that sense, they’re more flexible than our side’s symbolic god-tier summons.”
“Risen and Lady Aris’s gods have such distinct traits, and they’re not nature-based. If their proficiency were higher, maybe, but excluding Lady Aris, the first-years’ god-tier summoners still can’t fully utilize their powers.”
“Can’t be helped. Even spirits become worlds apart to control as their rank rises, and these are gods. Spirits that don’t assert their opinions much are one thing, but expecting perfect control over famously strong-willed gods in just half a year is unreasonable.”
“Fair. Unless you’re like Risen, whose personality matches his god’s perfectly.”
“Speaking of, where’s Risen?”
“Oh, he got called to the faculty office earlier. Probably caused another incident…”
“Again? Does he have a disease where he has to cause trouble once a month?”
“Leave him be. He probably got caught peeking into the girls’ changing room again.”
“Wow, what convincing logic.”
“You maniacs, that’s not it!”
Risen burst into the classroom, flinging the door open roughly.
The student council vice president and Trickster! Born the second son of a baronet family, he’d once been Yuglasia’s top prospect after contracting with the god Loki thanks to his exceptional talent!
Now, he was Yuglasia’s greatest enemy to women!
“Risen, what were you dragged to the faculty office for last month?”
“Peeking into the girls’ changing room.”
“And two months ago, three months ago?”
“Obviously, trying to peek into the girls’ changing room…”
“Die, you enemy of women!”
The female vice president, Karen, finally exploded at Risen’s brazen admission, her fist slicing through the air.
“Hah, but last month, I didn’t peek!”
“Hah? You think we fall for your lies once or twice? The time I mentioned was before break, idiot!”
“Tch, this is why I hate sharp little brats…”
Both were fourth-years at Yuglasia like me, the same age.
But the “brat” part Risen meant was his gaze lingering on her extremely flat chest.
Karen flushed red and trembled at the familiar stare.
“Die!”
Boom!
The massive dragonkin claw she summoned blasted the student council room door along with Risen.
“Here we go again…”
“President, which family do we send this claim to? Risen’s or Karen’s?”
“What’s the ratio so far?”
“Hmm… Handled by student council funds: 7 times. Sent to Risen’s: 27. To Karen’s: 20. Split between them: 5.”
The treasurer pulled out the ledger and rattled it off from a familiar page. Having heard it all, I had to deliberate as president.
Thanks to our vice presidents, we even had a regular construction firm on speed dial, but student council funds had gotten us warnings from the professors before, so most cases were settled by student council arbitration.
First, determine the cause, then adjudicate.
“This time, one vote for Karen.”
“I vote Risen.”
“Hmm, Risen’s words were wrong too, but Karen accused him of peeking first. She provided the initial cause, right?”
“But Risen’s usual behavior… If it were his first offense, sure, but he gets dragged to the office periodically…”
“First-years might not know, but other years? Half change in the rooms, half guard against Risen.”
“Huh? Isn’t that dangerous? Shouldn’t we warn the first-years…?”
“With Lady Aris in this year’s first-years, you think Risen would dare peek?”
“But it’s Risen. He might charge in thinking, ‘When else can I peek at a marquis family lady!’ That’d be a mess for us.”
“Wow, second-most nonsense I’ve heard this year after skipping night self-study, but Risen makes it convincing.”
“Now that you mention it… One vote for Risen.”
“Both provided cause this time, so half-half vote.”
One vote, another. Conclusion: Risen pays again.
Should I praise the treasurer’s excellence for having estimates ready, or curse the vice presidents for making this routine?
Thanks to them, even I was used to it and received the claim quickly. Hand it to security before night self-study, and the broken walls would be fixed by lunch tomorrow.
Then the treasurer, reviewing past claims, closed the ledger and said to me.
“President, why not ask Professor Niserwin to make those walls auto-repair like the hallway ones?”
“Good idea! Then no more claims to the kids.”
“Sounds great?”
I’d thought of it. Maybe because it’s the 10th floor without classrooms—not a main battle zone—the student council room walls don’t repair.
Back then, maybe, but now with close fights shattering walls constantly, the miraculous auto-repair tech applied everywhere except here. But!
“Then the Black Anvil Clan would come.”
“What do you… Ah!”
One executive gasped, understanding.
Yes, that Black Anvil Clan! They’d turned the academy into a monster with Professor Niserwin, practically remodeling it!
Among students, legends spread that in crisis, the academy transforms into a giant golem defending the empire!
Theory: 10th floor is the head, so no transformation.
If they returned?
Devilish Niserwin might upgrade traps while they’re here.
Thus, no Black Anvil Clan. We even told gate guards to report any dwarves to the student council first—dwarves are taboo here.
“Got it? They’re made-in Black Anvil. Feels reliable, but Professor Niserwin called them devil’s spawn or something.”
“Sorry, President. Short-sighted of me.”
The treasurer bowed, understanding.
Good, now to rein in the two vice presidents whose sanity’s returning…
“Heh heh heh, bad kids get punished by big sis!”
“Eek!”
“Save me!”
…No need.
“Pette, Shield of Earth!”
“Makena, Wall!”
“Block, Mikedna!”
Rapid footsteps echoed, followed by the silver devil’s voice and the vice presidents’ cries from down the hall. Seasoned council members sealed the broken wall seamlessly.
“Tr-traitor!”
“Kyaa! Save me!”
The hole quickly filled with earth, wind, and ice, then screams from beyond.
“Too bad.”
“Roof’s sealed. Could’ve jumped cleanly to death.”
“But wake them before night self-study. When the devil descends, someone fetch the two corpses from hall’s end.”
From the opposite hall end came obvious “hee hee hee” cackles. We began planning for night self-study.
“Overall plan same as yesterday. But after Maroon and Arhan, send first-years’ four god-tier summoners and second-years’ mains right away.”
“Hmm… Promoting them already?”
“Not already. We and Lady Aris draw all attention anyway. Need to raise other key forces.”
“Hmm… President, those four first-years are god-tier summoners. Won’t they be watched?”
“Yes, and that’s why they know: freshly contracted, so weak. But god-tier could snap anytime, so foes will rush to eliminate them.”
“Hmm… So use that inversely, let them take foes down?”
“Exactly. At least enable suicide attacks.”
Some nodded at my words.
Usually, otherworldly gods don’t contract with mismatches.
Thus, god contractors like Risen match personalities.
But these new first-year god-tier summoners? Different.
Couldn’t witness contracts, but per them: one-sided violence.
The silver devil beat otherworldly gods into forced contracts.
We’d all muttered, “What… scary,” at first.
But after facing that devil ourselves, we realized: god or not, unmatchable.
Forced contracts ignore compatibility, so first-years can’t wield god powers properly despite being god-tier.
Thus, they need experience.
Fight until gods acknowledge them and lend full power.
“Alright, per today’s plan, advance the strat… Hee hee hee done. Someone drag in the corpses.”
“Yeah, I’ll fetch the vice presidents.”
Soon, two second-year executives hauled half-dead vice presidents as usual.
But we didn’t know yet.
Professor Niserwin was already advancing Plan B’s next phase.
That Plan A was already in motion!
The cost was devastating.
“Urk… How… How you!”
If plans went as scripted, we’d have crushed Maroon and Arhan easily, facing Myuam and Harian—yet the entire fourth-year council hadn’t escaped the 8th floor.
“Sorry, but couldn’t help it. Offer too tempting.”
Calmly attacking our backs: one of our sturdiest executives.
“Professor Niserwin’s Plan A. As she said, most-used tactic among humans.”
It was none other than—
“Divide and conquer.”
Student council vice president, Risen.