Chapter 53
Chapter 53
EP15
EP15 - Where the Storm Passed
Many things happened after that.
“Battalion Head Professor was a traitor?”
“What a crazy bastard. Did the Professors let him live and send him away?”
When the whole story was revealed, the Students were greatly indignant.
They set fire to the Battalion Hall, named after the Battalion Head Professor. But no one was punished.
Hiaka Academy felt a great sense of defeat despite winning the Assassination War. The Discipline Department and the faculty cooperated to find the seeds of rebellion and ferreted out several people who had colluded with the neutral Head Professor.
Half of them were beaten to death.
“To have our vital spot stabbed by the Kreutz bastards, does that make any sense?”
“We should have launched a surprise attack, but this is just unacceptable.”
The kingdom's citizens criticized Hiaka Academy.
Even though the response was excellent, with almost no Student casualties.
“The royal family expresses its regret regarding this incident. It is extremely disappointing. Did this have to happen at an academy that teaches counterintelligence?”
The royal family strongly criticized the academy's operations and decided to drastically reduce support.
In the meantime, the royal family issued an angry statement to the Kreutz Kingdom. The Kreutz Kingdom denied any knowledge of the matter, even if they were to die. They hid it meticulously, but there was plenty of material evidence. Nevertheless, Kreutz remained silent.
These facts spread throughout the continent, and the assessment that the balance of power between Hiaka and Kreutz, which had been tight, had tilted toward Kreutz became dominant.
People are generally on the side of the weak, but.
Countries are generally on the side of the strong.
Hiaka received a lot of criticism.
But Hiaka didn't just stand still.
Ezekiel borrowed a national treasure called the "Register" from the royal family.
Next, the Black Path and White Path branch leaders suddenly disappeared with the royal Assassination Squad.
Then, for two weeks, major terrorist attacks occurred throughout the Kreutz Kingdom.
Mana Transmission Towers in major cities were destroyed. Mines collapsed. Airports and major facilities were bombed. In addition, several Assassination Squads from Kreutz Academy disappeared entirely.
No one knew who did it, but everyone who needed to know knew.
These assassinations ended only after the Kreutz royal family issued a statement saying, "We don't know who did it, but if we don't stop here, we could both die."
It was a kind of 'proportional deterrence strategy.'
They returned the damage as much as, or more than, they had received, but no one felt any sense of satisfaction.
Only a sense of defeat.
The Kreutz side celebrated the fact that several excellent Grandmasters had abandoned Hiaka and come to Kreutz. They promoted interviews and their achievements through newspapers and broadcasts every day.
'What a load of crap.'
In my opinion, this was a bit absurd.
At first, there were typical propaganda phrases such as "Why Kreutz's future is bright," "Why the level of Hiaka assassins is lower than Kreutz's," and "There are many Head Professors who want to defect (they called it defection, not betrayal) to Kreutz like me"...
Later, even things like this started appearing in articles.
-
There were no restaurants like this in Hiaka! Kreutz's best 3 restaurants, selected by the Battalion Head Professor!
-
It was worth defecting just to see this, the 5 best places in Kreutz, selected by the Battalion Head Professor!
Even to me, who had very little patriotism, it seemed like bullshit.
I could easily imagine what the other Professors and Students thought...
At the end of this war.
There were many changes in two weeks.
Quite a few Students applied for withdrawal.
A considerable number of Professors also resigned.
In that academy, where despair had settled so deeply.
Dean of Assassination Shaman Kreutz begins to make a deal with the royal family at the board of directors.
【 Dean of Assassination Shaman: "I would like to open the Hiaka Assassination Studies to the empire." 】
A very unconventional deal.
【 Dean of Magic Ezekiel: "Shaman!" 】
【 Dean of Warriors Valkan: "Are you serious?" 】
The other two Deans are surprised.
That's because, until now, Hiaka Assassination Studies had long been isolated, and it had not disclosed its unique research and assassins to the outside world.
Of course, it wasn't that they had completely controlled information, so they were reporting gossip through Assassination Daily, etc., but they had minimized academic and exchange activities, and order taking.
【 Shaman: "It's about the essence. Why did the neutral faculty betray us?" 】
【 Ezekiel: "Because they were blinded by money!!" 】
【 Shaman: "Of course, the 'private interests' you mentioned will be a big reason. But that's just Battalion's personal reason. We had to find the fundamental cause from the perspective of running the department." 】
【 Shaman: "I'm ashamed to admit it, but Hiaka Academy is a mess right now." 】
At this time. I was eavesdropping on this conversation at the cat cafe on the first floor, and I couldn't help but laugh at those words.
It was unconventional.
【 Ezekiel: "……." 】
【 Valkan: "……." 】
【 Chairman Hedwig: "……." 】
The Deans and Chairman were inwardly shocked.
【 Shaman: "We closed our doors after the Second Assassination War. At first, it was probably to hide us, but at some point, it became a greenhouse. Now, we may have become obsolete on our own." 】
Shaman is, indeed, an excellent Dean. He knew the essence of the situation accurately. He had the power to propose unconventional policies.
After he talked about opening the department.
【 The Deans' eyes turn to the Chairman. 】
【 Chairman Hedwig: "Huh? Ah." 】
【 Chairman Hedwig: "Ahem! In other words, you want to suck on the empire's warm tits?" 】
【 Shaman: "That's right, Chairman. Your expression is as vulgar as ever." 】
【 Chairman Hedwig: "Thank you! I'm sad? To open the firmly locked gate with my own hands?" 】
From this conversation, I realized the next main story.
【 "But for intermediate developed countries like us, there must be an intermediate path~" 】
By opening the closed Hiaka Assassination Studies.
To start academic exchange and exchange programs with the land of opportunity, the empire.
A main story of growing by being put into numerous dungeons, labyrinths, and requests and seizing great opportunities.
「 Main Story 2: Betting Table 」
It is the only early story that allows you to step on the giant casino called 'Empire.'
Either soar by betting everything on the academy, or fall into the abyss of death in an instant.
As the name suggests, many choices are forced, and it is the most risky and rewarding development.
'From the Student's point of view, I just had to go out and work with what I learned from the Professor.'
This time, it's from the Professor's point of view.
'The Students under my guidance must go out and achieve results.'
The Students' achievements and accomplishments would soon be converted into my accomplishments and give me 'Star Fragments.'
【 Chairman Hedwig: "Okay! But I have a question. Just because we open the department doesn't mean we'll be competitive right away, right? What kind of competitiveness does our Assassination Studies have?" 】
【 Shaman: "I think all Professors and Students are competitive." 】
【 Chairman Hedwig: "If our child studied, don't say things like the empire's top Student!" 】
【 Shaman: "……There are geniuses in this year's Assassination Studies freshman class." 】
【 Chairman Hedwig: "You mean the Hidden Dragon Society? But I heard they're not controlled because of the Princess?" 】
【 Shaman: "Unfortunately, that's true. As of now, the Hidden Dragon Society is not under our control at all. It's a task that we'll have to solve gradually…. But those kids' genius is the real deal." 】
【 Chairman Hedwig: "How much~?" 】
【 Shaman: "It's overwhelming." 】
【 Chairman Hedwig: "More than the Dean?" 】
【 Shaman: "……Yes. More than me. So, originally, I was going to secretly raise them in the department." 】
【 Chairman Hedwig: "To be honest, it was foolish. It's hard to grow without actual combat~" 】
【 Shaman: "That's right." 】
After such a meeting, the Chairman's approval was obtained.
【 Chairman Hedwig: "Ahem! I understand." 】
【 Chairman Hedwig: "I'll make a suggestion to the royal family!" 】
Then Adele called me.
"Professor. It's almost time to close the store."
The store closes earlier than usual.
Because the boss is also depressed.
"Okay."
I had heard everything I needed to hear, so I decided to go home.
So, when Adele and I returned to the Professor's residence.
A familiar figure was sitting on the living room sofa.
Wearing red shoes, with her legs crossed.
"……Where did you learn the habit of sneaking into empty houses?"
"Isn't that what assassins do?"
It was Princess Rebecca.
* * *
"Ah, but Dean!"
"Yes?" "Yes." "……."
"Oh my! There are three Deans! Haha."
After chasing out the two Deans, the Chairman asked Shaman.
"What are you going to do with the spy you mentioned before?"
Dean Shaman frowned. This human was always like this. A way of speaking that always gets to the point first. There's no dignity at all.
"I'm going to keep an eye on him."
"The spy?"
"Yes. I have a plan."
"Hmm! Okay. Then another story. I heard that you lent a national treasure to a Professor with the Dean's authority?"
"Who says that?"
"Our 'This Industry' people!"
Shaman shook his head.
Again, that damn 'This Industry'…
"You usually don't care about the department at all, but you hear everything you need to hear."
At that, Chairman Hedwig's mouth sticks out a foot.
"Don't ignore me! I'm a smart Chairman!"
To be exact, the mouth of the stupid-looking owl doll is twitching with Illusion Magic.
The Dean didn't know how old, what gender, or whether the thing inside was a human or a monster.
"That's right. I lent it for a period of two years. The national treasure."
"Why!?"
"Why would it be?"
The previous black-and-white conflict… That is, I had been paying attention since Hakon's death and the conflict between the White Path and the Black Path. But this incident made the fact even clearer.
A new Professor named Dante single-handedly chased away the monster that had rendered the two Head Professors helpless.
What does that mean?
"That young Professor is more of a genius than the Hidden Dragon Society."
Because of the situation, there was no time to call him separately, but his name was already engraved in the minds of the department's high-ranking officials.
"Oh. Really?"
"So, I have a question too."
"What?"
"Who is that Professor?"
"I don't know?"
"You don't know? What… didn't the Chairman bring him?"
Frustrated, Shaman became annoyed.
The eyes of the stupid owl doll blinked.
"...I don't know!"
I couldn't say, "What are you going to do if you don't know?" I could only accept that the monster whose inner thoughts I couldn't know was playing tricks again…
"Anyway! Now is not the time to think about new Professors! What's important!"
"What is it?"
"The genius Students. Aren't tools only tools if they listen well? Dean, please think of a way to control those kids soon! Uh-huh!"
"……."
I didn't want to talk about this story.
But because of the situation, I had to share the information.
Dean of Assassination Shaman spoke carefully.
"……I heard that those kids listen to Professor Dante."
The owl's mouth dropped open.
"Really?"
So, if I explain a little more.
The Hidden Dragon Society basically doesn't want to listen to any Professor's words or guidance. Even the Princess is a completely uncontrollable Student without any gaps.
On the other hand, many Students, from the ace Kaiser, who likes to draw lines, to Balmung and Elise, show great favor to Professor Dante. Only to Professor Dante.
The Chairman, who had been listening to the story carefully, said seriously.
"Should we change the Dean of Assassination Studies at this time?"
"...What?"
"Joke, joke. Haha!"
"……."
* * *
That day was a strange day.
It was the same for a squirrel that was diligently collecting acorns and pine cones in Star Gazing Mountain to prepare for winter.
There was a cave deep in the mountain, and inside the cave was 'something' that resembled a human. As a squirrel, I didn't know what it was… But it wasn't a threatening neighbor.
Anyway, the 'neighbor' never came out of the cave during the day. It always came out at night. The 'neighbor' was a very regular being.
But that day was a strange day.
The 'neighbor' came out of the cave before the sun went down.
"……."
We've been living together in the same area for half of my life.
Out of curiosity, the squirrel followed the 'neighbor.'
The 'neighbor' slowly went down the mountain path and stopped at a certain point. It was a boundary that the squirrel also knew. For some reason, the 'neighbor' rarely went outside that boundary. There's nothing special out there, though.
But today was definitely a strange day. The 'neighbor' hesitated for a while and took a few steps down outside the boundary.
After going down hundreds of steps (squirrel standard), it stopped and began to look at the paved road below the mountain.
What is he doing?
While holding a pine cone in my arms and watching quietly. The 'neighbor' couldn't take his eyes off it for a long time and looked around. For a really long time.
I decided to ask out of frustration.
"Squeak?"
What are you doing?
…Even if I talked to him, the 'neighbor' didn't answer.
It was always like that.
The 'neighbor' probably couldn't hear.
Even after watching for a long time, that was all the 'neighbor' did.
So, the squirrel was about to lose interest and go back.
But while yawning, the pine cone that was stuck between my arms fell.
Oh no. My pine cone.
But what's this? The 'neighbor,' who had turned around, crouched down and picked up the pine cone on the ground?
"Squeak."
I told him to give it back.
The 'neighbor' ignores me and starts to leave.
"Squeak?"
Are you just going to take it?
It's mine?
"Squeak?!"
Warmemme.
Look at that, that, that bastard?
He stole it without even blinking an eye!
"Squeak! Squeak!"
Ah, people in the neighborhood! Look here! That bastard is stealing my winter food! He's not even going to eat it!
"Squeak squeak squeak squeak!"
Warmemme! He's picking it up again? He's picking it up again! He's just scraping all the pine cones in the neighborhood for himself… I protested so diligently, but the 'neighbor' didn't hear, and the poor squirrel was robbed of its pine cone.
It was a truly strange day.
EP15
Where the Storm Passed
END