Chapter 24
Chapter 24
24
EP9 - Righteousness (2)
Assassination Studies is like a fishbowl.
From the thoroughly controlled life, to not being able to go outside for long, to the shallow mourning for dead fish, and so on.
Perhaps the rumor had spread far and wide.
The rumor that Professor Hakon was trying to kill me. As I walked down the hallway, the Students glanced at me, so I brought up the 【Script】.
【 Assassination Studies 1st year Bane: “Did you hear that Professor Hakon is going to kill Professor Dante soon?” 】
【 Assassination Studies 1st year Lil: “Yeah. But it's rare for a professor to assassinate another professor, isn't it? He must have really rubbed him the wrong way.” 】
【 Assassination Studies 1st year Bane: “I'm kind of looking forward to it.” 】
What are you looking forward to, you crazy bastards?
That wasn't all.
Was it because the rumor spread that I was targeted by the Black Path?
Professors belonging to the White Alliance came to me from time to time, expressing their concern.
"Professor Dante, we've met before, haven't we?"
"Is there anything you need help with?"
But they didn't try to accept me into the White Path.
They didn't want to affiliate someone who had already stirred up trouble.
Nevertheless, I had beaten up Joaquin of the Black Blade Society, who they didn't like. They were giving me charity out of pity.
"I don't need any help. Thank you for your concern."
I wouldn't have gone even if they had called me.
Whether it's the White Alliance or the Black Blade Society, the moment you belong, you have unnecessary obligations.
Adele also expressed her concern three times.
"...Professor, are you really okay?"
"I'm fine."
"Still, we've been together for a while, so I'm worried."
"There's nothing to worry about. Hakon can't dare to kill me."
Anyway, amidst the commotion in the department.
I was alone in the lab, manipulating various models with 『World Fabrication』.
A message came through the 「crystal ball」 on my wrist (more precisely, a round lens-shaped watch with the top of the crystal cut off, from which a hologram floated), which served as a cell phone.
A difficult question was written.
-
Kaiser: Professor, what is assassination?
A guy who had been quiet all along suddenly said this, so it seemed like a consultation.
He must have had a hard time.
'What is assassination?'
I had never thought about it deeply.
It's definitely not a good thing. But I can't say to Kaiser, 'Assassination is bad, so don't do it.'
Because he's a guy who lives as hard as I do. I want to be a little nicer to Kaiser.
So, I thought seriously and answered.
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Dante: Assassination is the power to realize righteousness.
The reply came slowly.
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Kaiser: I'm sorry, Professor. I'm too foolish to understand properly.
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Kaiser: What is righteousness?
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Kaiser: Is being kind righteousness? Is taking care of the sick, helping the poor, and helping those in need righteousness?
Judging from the sudden barrage of questions, he seemed to be cornered emotionally.
What is righteousness?
He's asking me something difficult.
I don't know much about philosophical or complicated things either.
'Hmm.'
But I thought I knew how to make Kaiser feel comfortable.
Since we're in the same situation, all I had to do was substitute myself. If I were Kaiser, what would I want to hear?
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Dante: What you think is righteous, is righteousness.
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Kaiser: If I go crazy and think everyone should die, is that righteousness?
It was chilling.
It's just a metaphor, right?
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Dante: It is righteousness.
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Kaiser: .......
I guessed that Kaiser was living a very difficult life on a tightrope.
And what a person standing in front of a cliff needs is not advice, but comfort.
I can't change reality. No matter what I say, Kaiser has to live on that tightrope. So what Kaiser needs is self-affirmation. To give him the strength to overcome anything by saying 'it's okay'.
So I decided to ramble on.
-
Dante: A world where everyone is happy does not exist.
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Dante: I have to protect myself and what is precious to me.
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Dante: And to protect it, I may have to harm others.
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Dante: If peaceful conversation can solve it, why is swearing necessary? If it can be solved with a few swear words, who would raise a fist? If raising a fist can solve it, why is law necessary? If law is absolute, why do unfair victims exist?
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Dante: But the number of humans on this earth is so countless that someone among them is bound to be unfairly treated. Swearing doesn't reach. Fists are weak. The law does not protect him. Someone can choose two things.
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Kaiser: What are they?
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Dante: If you don't have power, you can choose a curse. Because curses are the only weapon allowed to the weak.
Conversely.
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Dante: If you have even a little power, then you can choose something else.
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Kaiser: Ah.
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Kaiser: That is 'assassination'.......
Actually, I don't really know.
Does that kind of thing exist? You just live.
So I decided to stop pretending to know here.
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Kaiser: I see.......
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Kaiser: The reason for assassination was 'righteousness'.......
I just hope that Kaiser, who is in the same situation as me, will feel comfortable.
That's all I want.
-
Kaiser: Righteousness.......
But as monologues came in units of 10 minutes, 30 minutes.
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Kaiser: What is righteous for me? What is precious? I've been so busy trying to survive that I've never thought about it.
I felt like something was going a little strange.
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Kaiser: But now, a little.
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Kaiser: I think I know a little.
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Kaiser: What is precious.
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Kaiser: What should I cherish.
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Kaiser: What has cherished me.
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Kaiser: What is preciousness.
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Kaiser: What harms preciousness.
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Kaiser: When I say that defeating what harms preciousness is righteousness, in what direction should I use the assassination given to me?
Uh oh. Why are you so scary?
Is this guy thinking something weird...?
So I was going to ask more, but I stopped.
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Kaiser: Thanks to you, I feel better.
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Kaiser: I will find the answer slowly.
That's enough. Feeling comfortable is important.
-
Kaiser: Thank you, Professor.
I hope nothing goes wrong?
Because it was said with good intentions.
* * *
"What's wrong, Kaiser?"
Elise asked.
'Huh?'
Kaiser was startled inside.
Oh my god. I almost made a mistake.
'Oh dear. I was having unnecessary thoughts….'
The Hidden Dragon Society was currently casting the 『Curse of Exposure』.
In simple terms, it was extracting information from corpses and writing it on 「Blood Paper」.
Along with the dead businessmen and the blood recently collected, it was a work to uncover their treasonous acts and the information of the assassins.
"I'll continue."
Kaiser closed his eyes and chanted the incantation of the curse. All the Hidden Dragon Society Students added Mana.
In fact, there was too much Mana to run on its own even without him, and he was just pretending to chant the incantation. Anyway.
"...May each leaf be filled with curses. May each caterpillar devour the darkness. Finally, may everything on earth be stained with blood…."
While thinking, the world is so rough, like the sea. Life is like sailing on a sailboat.
The voyage must have started at a small coastal pier. A small plank boat. A small sail on top. And he would have pushed the sea with ordinary oars.
Somehow, he encountered storms one after another. Somehow, he reached the abyss of the sea. Somehow, he came to lead monsters. But today, he seemed to have a compass.
'Righteousness…'
From the moment he left the pier. No one had ever sincerely cared for Kaiser. They were just following him by looking at his mask. An exception was made in his life.
'…'
If the sword wielded to protect what is precious is 'assassination'. Who should he wield the sword for? Gradually, the answer was settling in Kaiser's heart.
'Professor.'
Just as that person saved and supported him. Shouldn't he also trust and support that person?
Wouldn't that be… 'righteousness'…?
Around that time, the curse was completed. The collected blood evaporated and wrote new letters on the Blood Paper. Information about the next target that the Hidden Dragon Society had to assassinate was written.
"Hmm. I want to rest for a while. What do you think, Princess?"
For some reason, Kendrake asked as if he was tired.
And the other members nodded.
Even 'Princess Rebecca', the de facto owner of the Hidden Dragon Society, nodded and finally allowed the rest.
"Okay. Then let's rest now…."
Then Kaiser's eyes narrowed.
The compass in his heart suddenly moved and pointed to the Blood Paper.
One name derived from a drop of blood belonging to the Black Path.
"What's wrong?"
"……."
Everyone tensed and looked at Kaiser.
There was information written that 'a professor of the Black Blade Society is trying to kill Dante'. Even the exact name.
Kaiser hurriedly took his Blood Paper with trembling eyes. So that other Students couldn't see it.
Professor Dante couldn't die. But even the act of holding a knife to him was unpleasant.
As if a button had been pressed, Kaiser's emotions fluctuated.
After the curse ritual ended.
Kaiser headed to a Student's room and knocked on the door.
Knock knock.
Kaiser knows he is a 'leader'. He is different from Rebecca, who is the 'boss'. He has no authority to command.
In the meantime, most of the Hidden Dragon Society have strong personalities and ask for 'justification' for his instructions. While the ultimate goal is to assassinate the Emperor, they ask him to explain why we have to kill that person.
There was one Student who wasn't like that.
A Student who would move unconditionally if it was a mission. A Student who would kill unconditionally if asked to kill.
As such, it was dangerous to break trust even once, so it was a Student who should never be treated carelessly, but she was the only Student he could ask for help from at a time like this.
-
Yes.
A woman with a bright impression popped out, opening the door. Light pink hair. Light pink eyes. A pure smile without any wrinkles.
'Elise Ksikos' asked with a smile.
"Why? Team leader?"
Kaiser was a little nervous. It was the first time he had used the Hidden Dragon Society privately.
'Wasn't she on good terms with Professor Dante recently?'
It's a good thing.
He wanted to check through her. 'Righteousness'.
"Elise. I'm sorry to bother you when you were resting."
"Uh-huh."
"Can you go and kill someone?"
"Is it a mission?"
Kaiser was a little more nervous. The moment he said it was a mission here. Elise gets a license to kill.
"...Yes, it's a mission."
"Okay."
Elise asked as if a puppy was wagging its tail before a walk.
"Who should I kill and come back?"
He instructed, 'Professor Hakon of the Black Blade Society.' When she asked, 'Who is that?' he let her smell the blood he had derived. 'Okay.' Just as Elise was about to go outside, walking lightly with an invisible knife, Kaiser grabbed her and gave her one additional instruction.
"I want you to bring the corpse to the back garden of the academy."
'I will.' Elise, who answered, headed outside in her pajamas. With a very light step.
Immediately after opening the door, her body began to seep into the darkness. When she closed it, she was gone.
It was a moonlit night. The sky was a beautiful sight, overlapping with the rings of the Earth.
Elise entered someone's bedroom. Without footsteps, without breathing. Without any hesitation.
"Why… is the Hidden Dragon Society here to kill me…?"
Someone asked after a knife was stabbed into their heart.
"Hmm. I wonder…"
Elise seeped back into the space.
"It's a mission."
It was a blind assassination.
── .
⋮
10 minutes later, Elise returned. As expected, the compatibility was overwhelming. The [Curse System] is weak against types that push through with brute force like Elise.
"Moong. Spit it out."
A transparent wild dog. A monster that was 5m tall. He opened his mouth and spat out what was inside. It was Hakon's corpse. Kaiser was still sitting with his cane. The reason he had bothered to bring the corpse was to confirm it, but now he had no discomfort in his mind even though he was looking at the corpse.
Rather, a strange emotion was sprouting. A sense of protecting something precious. The thrill of killing something that deserved to die.
There was a wild dog that always hid in the path that the elders of the family used to walk and didn't hesitate to show its teeth. It was the same catharsis that rose when he beat that guy to death with a stick.
This confirmed it.
"Haha…"
Assassination for the professor is the right thing to do.
EP9
Righteousness
END