Chapter 10
Chapter 10
Episode 10
EP5 - The Palace Saintess (1)
"Princess. May I come in?"
The leader of the Hidden Dragon Society, Kaizer Truman, carefully knocked on the door of the Hidden Dragon Hall's second floor.
When a response came, the maid carefully opened the door. Kaizer limped into the room with his cane.
It was late at night.
Only one candle was lit in the princess's room, making it dark.
Kaizer bowed to the princess, who was lying in bed looking at a hand mirror.
"I know you are still weary from your journey, but I have come because there is something urgent I wish to request."
"……."
"To be direct, I believe I have finally found a professor whom our Hidden Dragon Society first-year Students could ask for guidance."
"……."
"He is a new professor who recently joined. I have attempted to meet him separately, and his insight was astonishingly precise, and the depth of his character was immeasurable."
"……."
The princess did not respond to these words, as Kaizer knew she was more indifferent to things she found uninteresting than anyone else.
However, the next line would be different.
"I can say with certainty that he is several levels above me."
Only then did the princess react. She put down the hand mirror and turned her gaze to Kaizer.
"Who is it?"
"Professor Dante Hiacapo. From Assassination Studies."
"Did you request guidance?"
"……That is, I am a little ashamed to say. Despite my repeated requests, the professor has refused. Perhaps I was an inadequate person."
That is why I came to the princess.
His own request, which was worth nothing, and the request of the princess of the Great Hiaka Kingdom would carry different weight.
Perhaps he might change his mind...
"This is unusual. You wagging your tail like a dog."
Kaizer, who never asked Rebecca for help even in the most difficult situations, was forced to bow his head due to the desperation that he could not lose the professor.
"I understand. You may leave."
Kaizer bowed his head and left the room.
Thus, the next morning, a letter was sent to Professor Dante.
It was a letter asking him to come to meet the princess.
* * *
It had been a week since I entered the game.
During that time, there had been several assassination attempts. I almost got stabbed while walking, almost got shot, and almost had my leg cut off by stepping on a Trap. Once, while eating in the professor's cafeteria, I even had the experience of seeing the spoon in my soup melt.
Pretending to be unfazed in all those situations was nothing short of a miracle.
"With such clumsy assassinations, you couldn't even kill my grandmother in her grave."
Even though my heart was still tense, why did those scolding lines come out so easily...?
After spending such time, I was slowly adapting to life as a professor.
"Let's begin the lesson."
This is Assassination Studies.
And today, I am going to talk about Assassination Studies and assassins.
There are three types of warriors.
Warriors, mages, and assassins.
Among them, assassins are a job that is cultivated solely for 'destruction.'
Don't warriors and mages also mainly focus on destruction?
That's right.
That's right, but.
The difference between assassins and warriors or mages is that
they are trained to pour as much magic power as possible in a short period of time.
Warriors sustain combat for a long time.
Mages dominate the battlefield with a wide range of magic.
However, assassins must pour all their power in just a few tens of seconds to a few minutes to destroy the target they must destroy.
To put it in perspective, assassins are missiles.
Therefore, the Assassination Studies departments operated by academies in each country were, in fact, like missile factories.
Within this analogy, the Hidden Dragon Society was a nuclear missile. It may still be just a plutonium ore, but the moment it is completed, it has the ability to devastate a country.
However, nuclear missiles always require two buttons. So, who is holding the buttons?
a. Kaizer
b. Princess Rebecca
a has already been figured out to some extent, so now it was b's turn.
I had to confirm Princess Rebecca.
The Hidden Dragon Society would try to kill me for a long time to come.
And I had to survive within it and nurture them.
There was a very specific reason for this.
What was that...
"Come forward one by one and submit your assignments."
The Students came out and submitted their assignments.
There was a reason why I made them come out one by one. At the moment their bodies touched, I could confirm the value of that person's talent.
That was why I reached out to shake hands.
"Here it is. Professor! Ah... I look forward to working with you in the future!"
───
Derek Rohas [1.3]
───
"I worked hard."
───
John McCullin [1.4]
───
The number next to the name like this is called [Potential].
[Potential] literally means the growth potential of a person.
In terms of the system, a potential value of [1.0] is average.
[1.5] is an outstanding child.
[2.0] is a prodigy who can become the top Student in an academy.
Professors generally have a potential between [1.9] and [2.2].
In that respect.
───
Elise Ksikos [2.8]
───
This is it.
The reason why the Hidden Dragon Society is important.
Because it is a group of such monsters.
"Elise. What about your assignment? You came out empty-handed?"
"I forgot. Hehe."
"Stand with your hands up."
"Okay."
Still, because I am a professor, she listens to me, but in terms of potential, it was almost like punishing a baby dragon.
It was the same a few days ago.
I secretly checked the potential of Balmung (glasses guy) and Kaizer (team leader) on my way to the Hidden Dragon Hall.
With Balmung, it was when I shook hands. With Kaizer, it was when I approached him and exchanged numbers.
And then I was horrified inside.
───
Balmung Nibelung [2.8]
───
Balmung, the son of 「Dark Star Constellation⚉」. This one was a monster as expected.
In fact, it was a potential that did not even exist in the entire continent in [Hard Difficulty]. Because the maximum in that world was [2.5].
I felt that this [Hell Difficulty] world was really gritting its teeth to kill me.
Conversely,
───
Kaizer Truman [0.5]
───
Seeing this, I felt dumbfounded.
A potential of [0.5] is half of an ordinary person [1.0], so he was a huge dullard even among dullards. Kaizer was in charge of the Hidden Dragon Society with that kind of ability.
This bastard...
What kind of life is he living...?
───
Forte Asimov [1.9]
Hwaru Han [1.5]
Dominic Dominic de Dominic III [0.9]
⋮
───
After checking, even if I checked all the Students taking my class, there was not a single one with [2.0]. At least Forte of the Moon Shadow Scholar was [1.9].
So far.
This was why I decided to meet the person holding the second button of the nuclear missile.
This morning. A letter came from the princess, saying that she wanted to have a conversation.
'Princess Rebecca...'
Following <Synchronization>, Princess Rebecca's information came in.
Princess Rebecca was a very famous person in this world.
Known as the 'Palace Saintess,' she was a princess renowned for doing all sorts of righteous and beneficial things.
She became even more famous when she abandoned her peaceful royal life and suddenly chose to enter Assassination Studies.
To the world, it was ironic.
Because assassins are tools.
However, I think the reason she entered Assassination Studies was very simple.
It was to control this artificial monster group, the 'Hidden Dragon Society.'
'Before jumping to conclusions, I should meet her once.'
After finishing the class, I headed to the Holy Mother Church in Zone 0.
A splendid Gothic-style building.
A red light was flashing, and smoke symbolizing incense was rising from the chimney.
There were nearly dozens of people inside the temple. Solemn music was playing in the dark.
At the center, about a dozen coffins were lined up.
It was a funeral.
"Hey. Hurry up and move along."
A low-ranking knight nudged my arm.
So, I turned around, and he turned to look at me too.
"What are you glaring at? Go in."
"……."
"You're late for the princess's event... Why aren't you going in quickly?"
What a piece of trash.
I didn't want to get into a fight, so I passed by.
Anyway.
Whether they are Students, dropouts, or professors, quite a few people die in Assassination Studies. The church holds an event once a week to commemorate them.
That event was in full swing now.
As I blended into the crowd, I heard whispers around me.
"Is that really the princess...?"
"Yes. Isn't she amazing? Leaving behind a comfortable and good path. She even comes to such a harsh place to pray."
"That's true, but she's so beautiful in person..."
I could see her from afar, but I decided to get a little closer.
I pushed through the crowd and went forward.
Finally, I saw a girl kneeling and praying on the bare floor in front of the pulpit.
'Huh.'
I was a little surprised.
Hiaka Academy is a fabricated world.
From Forte to Adele, Gray, Kaizer, and so on, everyone was like a celebrity. As if God had sculpted them beautifully.
But this person's face, among them, seemed to have been carefully crafted as if God was showing off something.
Bright blonde hair.
Red eyes looking pitifully at the coffins of the dead. White hands holding an identification tag.
The beautiful saintess robe and the earrings, which were clearly made by a craftsman, emitted a subtle light, making Rebecca look even more noble.
The 'Palace Saintess' was sitting right in front of me.
After finishing her prayer, Princess Rebecca hugged the bereaved families who were allowed to enter and shed tears with them.
"When she first started attending funeral events, I thought she would only do that for a few months."
"Right. She must have been around ten years old at the time, so everyone thought so. She's royalty..."
"But seeing her go around the entire Hiaka area every week without fail even at this age, I changed my mind."
Words of praise continued.
That's amazing.
However, only attending funeral events was probably not for a good intention.
In my memory synchronized with Dante, Princess Rebecca was not a kind Palace Saintess.
It was the same now.
【 Rebecca is using the 『Curse of Soul Devouring』. 】
Something was seeping into Princess Rebecca's hands from the coffin.
It was not visible. Because it was such a sophisticated curse.
It was Curse Number 75, 『Curse of Soul Devouring』. A curse that sucks out and absorbs the [Soul Spirit] from the dead.
[Soul Spirit] is used as a material for various curses. But there are side effects, so a strong curse is also imposed on the caster.
'…She's doing something very dangerous.'
[Curse System], which occupies one of the twelve ability systems of assassins. However, people who focus on [Curse System] do not have a good end. As the saying goes, to curse others, you have to dig two graves.
After a while. After the funeral event ended, Rebecca went inside the clergy room.
The letter also said to meet there, so I approached, but someone blocked my way.
"Stop."
It was the guy who hit my arm when I entered the church earlier.
● Guardian Knight Batrick
A young man in armor. The name tag on his chest says he is a low-ranking knight.
His level was very low for a princess's knight.
"This is a space where the princess is resting. What business do you have?"
"I am Professor Dante of Assassination Studies. I came to see the princess."
"Do you have an appointment?"
"Do you think I would have come without one?"
"That's strange. I haven't heard anything about that?"
"……."
I just stood there, wondering what he wanted me to do.
The guy frowned and asked.
"Do you have anything to prove it? Like a letter?"
Here, I realized that this guy was a complete newbie. He didn't know that all royal letters, except for important ones like official documents, disappear after being read.
"Go in and ask. If there is an appointment."
"Why don't you listen to me? I'm asking if you have any proof or a letter?"
"……Privately sent royal letters disappear. How long have you been working here? Stop talking nonsense and go in and ask."
Then the guy's eyes narrowed.
As if his pride was hurt.
"How long I've been working here is none of your business. And the princess hates being visited when she's resting."
I really didn't know what he wanted me to do.
So, I looked at the 【Script】 and roughly understood his psychology.
It seemed that he had been ignored by an Assassination Studies professor the day before yesterday. Even though he was a trusted knight of the great princess.
After that, the humiliation had been lingering in his mind for days. He was going to vent his resentment on me.
Soon, a maid approached from over there and whispered something, and the guy frowned as if he realized something.
Then, he couldn't bring himself to lower his pride, so the 【Script】 showed that he was thinking of humiliating me with a security check. This was the first time I had ever been treated like this.
"I'll pass. Low-ranking knight. I'd rather not meet her."
As I was about to turn around, the guy shouted.
"Hey! Where are you going?"
"I'm leaving."
"Hey! I'm not done talking yet. First, you have to go through a security check, so this way..."
"I won't have a meeting. I don't see any reason to be treated like this when I've been invited. You can tell her the whole story."
"What?"
I turned around. I didn't want to deal with him anymore.
Then the guy went even further. He suddenly used [Footwork] to come in front of me and block me.
"What are you doing now, professor?"
"I said I was leaving."
"I said I would let you in if you obediently went through the security check. Why aren't you cooperating?"
Around this time, the servants and church officials nearby began to exchange glances and worry. Because the atmosphere between the guy and me had clearly turned sour.
The maid tried to stop him, thinking that this was not right, but he pushed her away, saying, "Get out of the way."
"Don't be so proud and just get a security check when I tell you to."
"Move, knight. Don't block the way."
"But this bastard. You're here to see the princess, so why are you being so arrogant?"
Then the guy drew the sword from his waist.
Swish -
My eyes went to the blue blade.
I closed my mouth and thought for a moment. Royal affiliation. Quasi-aristocrat. Even the position of the princess's knight. And the non-violent environment of the church. Lastly.
"Professor..."
Even the maid who was trying to stop me this time, since she couldn't stop the knight.
There seems to be no reason for me to resist him anywhere here.
I just have to swallow my pride once.
Isn't it easy? As a modern person, as a member of society. I have lived swallowing my pride in many situations.
"I understand. I was wrong."
"Ha! Only now? Come here, you bastard."
As the guy regained his composure.
I approached and pointed my index finger at the guy's eyes.
"What are you..."
『 World Fabrication : Phenomenon Fabrication [Flash] 』
Light was shot out and pierced the guy's eyes like a bullet.
Clang ─ !
A flash so intense that the backs of the crowd were stained with shadows.
"Uh, uh?!"
"What light!"
Amid the servants and clergy who were horrified by the sudden situation.
The guardian knight, who was hit in the eyes with light, slammed his head on the floor.
Thud!!
Because his eyeballs were burned.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack―!!"