Chapter 54
Chapter 54
54
EP16 - Welcome, 'Professor'
Rebecca, sitting on the sofa in the living room of my mansion, greets me.
"Welcome, Professor."
A listless voice. As always, haggard, a voice worn out and steeped in something.
I wasn't surprised.
I had thought that she was someone I would continue to encounter, anytime, anywhere, somehow.
It was just a little earlier than I expected.
"You two, give us some space."
"Yes."
"And don't eavesdrop when you leave."
"...Understood."
She dismissed her Guardian Knight Cheongru and Shadow Unit Reim.
I also gestured to Adele, who looked worried. Asking her to leave us alone for a moment.
Soon, only Rebecca and I were left in the living room.
I went to the sofa opposite her and sat down.
What had she come to talk about?
But no matter what she was going to say, I already didn't have a good impression of Rebecca.
"It's always like this. You trample and violate the established rules as you please."
"Did I do that?"
"You attempted to assassinate an ally during the war. You barge into a professor's mansion uninvited, not only opening a locked door but also entering a house with a shoe rack wearing shoes."
"I—"
"Princess Rebecca."
"Yes."
There was something I needed to make clear.
I am an external pressure. And will be in the future.
"In my house, take off your shoes."
"......"
A stern voice, even to my own ears.
Perhaps a voice Rebecca had never heard in her life.
But an unexpected thing happened; Rebecca began to bend down and take off her shoes.
"Is this okay?"
White feet, with blisters and wounds blooming here and there.
She obeyed surprisingly docilely.
"What's your business?"
"...I've been told I'm dry too. You're drier than I imagined, Professor."
"Dry?"
"A poor Student's feet are ruined like this. Couldn't you at least offer a word of concern?"
The reason Rebecca's feet were in this state was.
Because there were many funeral events. Including Zone 0 and Zone 2, there was more than one neighborhood where fighting had broken out. She had visited every memorial altar. She had been touring and praying for days.
That scene was all over the Assassination Daily, and the community [Assassin Town] was filled with praise and gratitude for Rebecca.
"I can't deny that, your hard work is impressive."
"...Thank you."
"Did you punish Elise, who returned to the academy?"
"I didn't. At first, I was doubtful. But if it was an order from a man like you, I could understand the situation."
Rebecca also seemed to know about the Command of the Count Cshikos family.
It was only natural. Command was originally a privilege of the royal family.
"So, what is the reason for a princess with sore toes to visit a mere professor without resting?"
"I came to apologize."
"Apologize?"
"For attacking an ally during the war. For saying rude things to you, saying you weren't needed. For issuing an assassination order through Elise. I apologize for all of this. I'm sorry."
You couldn't see her bowing deeply. Even in the moment of apologizing, Rebecca was dignified and arrogant.
Nevertheless, I was surprised.
Because it didn't match the image of Rebecca I had seen so far.
Rebecca was not someone who apologized.
"I accept."
But the apology was just a build-up.
Looking around a little more, the main point came out.
"...The academy will soon sign an agreement with the Empire. We will open the Assassination Studies and have academic exchanges with the Imperial Academy. Are you aware of this?"
The story about Main Story 2, "Betting Table."
"I know."
"I see you already know. I won't ask how you know... I'm not even surprised anymore... However, I want this agreement to stop."
"...Why?"
"Because there is a long-term risk of becoming a vassal state of the Empire."
Then Rebecca began to rattle off the reasons for that, but it was obvious without listening.
Because it was one of the bad endings.
The important thing is.
The reason why Rebecca brought this up.
That's probably...
'...It must be because it conflicts with the goals of the Hidden Dragon Society.'
What is the ultimate goal of the Hidden Dragon Society?
'Assassinating the Emperor.'
But what if the identities, information, and constantly updated assassination and combat styles of the Hidden Dragon Society are specifically handed over to the Empire here?
The probability of assassinating the Emperor is drastically reduced.
"I heard that you are being used as an important card in this agreement, Professor."
"......"
"Did you know?"
What?
That was news to me.
"I must have underestimated you. How amazing you are, Professor."
"......"
"So, will you join forces with me? If we stop the agreement, I will give you 100 million Hica as a reward."
She offers a huge sum of money.
100 million Hica that you can get in an instant without being tied to the White Path like a slave for four years.
It was truly enormous.
"......"
But my position was set, and that huge sum of money couldn't influence me at all.
Should I help Rebecca ruin the agreement?
No.
That was also a very, very strong negative.
That kind of thing should never happen.
First of all, I had no reason to kill the Emperor.
"Betting Table" was the best scenario for me, a veteran player, to acquire Star Fragments.
I also had personal ambitions as a professor.
Think about it.
The moment Elise will be revealed to the world in the future.
There are many shortcomings now, but it is my role to educate her.
In other words, the impact that Elise, refined by my hands, would bring to the entire continent beyond the Empire as an assassin was a huge expectation for me.
And what about the Star Fragments that would pour out in the process?
Stop the agreement for this?
Am I crazy?
So, the answer I would give was also decided.
"I understand."
In an instant—
A ripple spreads in Rebecca's red eyes.
"You understand."
"Yes."
"Just like that?"
"I don't know why you're asking again. I will help you and try to break the agreement."
Her red lips twitched.
"......"
Rebecca tilted her head slightly. Frowning as if she didn't understand.
She must have thought I would definitely oppose it. Because that's how it's always been whenever we met.
At the end of that thought. In the small question that flowed out, there was an honest emotion for the first time.
"Why?"
This was a pure question.
The answer is simple.
Because.
"Because I want to help you."
Because it's a lie.
"......"
Rebecca crossed her arms and even crossed her legs.
Then she looked deeply into me.
As if trying to figure out what I was thinking.
There are three reasons why I'm lying to deceive Rebecca.
One. Now that the Relationship Stat has solidified with [Hate], I'm thinking of collecting more Star Fragments by increasing the hate relationship a little more.
Two. The use of the Hidden Dragon Society becomes important in "Betting Table," and I'm thinking of getting rid of the cancer called Rebecca at this opportunity.
Three. I didn't like Rebecca.
Originally, "Hiaka Academy: Assassination Studies" is a game where you find your own answers in rapidly changing situations and various choices.
In short, my conclusion was this. The moment "Betting Table" starts, Rebecca will be completely betrayed by me. I will reveal all the members of the Hidden Dragon Society to the Empire and nurture them as a guiding professor to prepare for the Demon King's war.
The problem is that Rebecca can kill me. But now I've become quite strong, and if I make a deal with the Dean to prepare a safety net, I can survive. So, this is purely the best judgment made from a player's point of view.
Then Rebecca asked.
"You want to help me."
"Yes."
"I don't understand. What's so pretty about me?"
Now it's time to act. Acting to make Rebecca trust me until the agreement is passed.
Slowly, I lowered my gaze.
"Your feet are pretty."
"Feet?"
"Yes. Without the slightest exaggeration, they are the most beautiful feet."
"......"
Rebecca looked at the end of her crossed legs.
Those feet, stained red with wounds, bruises, and blisters.
"I still don't understand, Professor."
"There was treason. There was collapse. Cshikos is arrogant and mocks Hiaka. Everyone is steeped in a sense of defeat. Do you know where the masses try to look in these times?"
"Where?"
"The masses tend to look up."
I raised my finger and pointed to the ceiling.
Her red gaze followed.
In the fragments of the small chandelier, Rebecca's own face would have been visible.
"The fact that a collapsing war situation is reversed just by the return of a general, the fact that a retreating war situation is reversed just by the news of a ruler's participation, is something that has been recorded countless times in human history. But what about Hiaka? The royal family has rather drastically cut support for the academy."
"......"
"I understand the royal family's position. There's nothing wrong with the current assassins. But the educational institution whose performance and achievements are sinking has rather become a big hole. But what is the result? Immediately after the royal family's announcement, many Students and professors hoped to leave the academy."
At this point, Princess Rebecca was the only member of the royal family who stepped forward for the academy.
I remember the recommendation posts on [Assassin Town].
———
< I'm still encouraged because Princess Rebecca is there. >
< Is the Princess okay? She's been visiting the entire academy memorial altar every day for two weeks.... She hasn't even gone back to the academy. She doesn't seem to have even washed;; >
< Wow. Everyone needs to know this. Thanks to the Princess, the royal family's relief funds have increased fivefold. >
———
Wasn't it really hard work?
"You did what even the professors couldn't do."
"......"
Rebecca raised her hand and swept back her bright blonde hair.
Then she showed humility.
"I just did what I had to do."
I was just saying what I had to say.
Since I was going to gain trust, I decided to take just one more step here.
I took out a first aid kit from the [Inventory]. Then I approached her and knelt on one knee. At the foot of the glorious princess.
"What are you doing?"
Feet that seemed to be trying to slip away.
I grabbed her ankle.
"Professor."
"I'll give you a simple treatment."
"I'm fine."
"Those feet are not fine."
"No. I don't like other people's hands touching my body—"
"—Assassination Studies is being comforted as much as those toes are touching. What gratitude have the faculty shown you?"
"......"
"Be quiet."
It was time for basic first aid. Light washing. Removing blisters. Wiping away pus and blood. Applying medicine. Lightly wrapping bandages—
Perhaps, if I hadn't come here right away, I could have gone to the medical room and gotten treatment even faster.
Unexpectedly, Rebecca's feet had a lot of calluses. I thought they were just white, but they were hard everywhere I grabbed.
"The other foot."
"......"
This time I gave the order.
Rebecca didn't listen.
However, she didn't avoid my hand either.
"......"
Thanks to that, the second dressing was a little easier.
All of this was a kind of scheme. I had separately investigated and found out that Rebecca was quite an unstable princess.
Rebecca was not originally a legitimate princess of the royal family.
She was the daughter of King Hiaka III and his concubine.
The place where she was born was also not the royal family, but a rural village.
Even now, she is called a bug's bloodline by the royal elders.
-
Did you think so too? Did you also think that I was a vulgar woman born from a street whore's womb, a bug's bloodline that shouldn't be treated like a princess? Did you?
The words the princess spat out while grabbing the maid's hair at the first meeting came from that background.
And I know that the characters in this game with such settings are highly likely to be weak to human intimacy.
In order to remove the cancer called Rebecca later,
It was a very suitable act to gain trust.
To the point where I wanted to put myself up for the Oscars.
That's how it would have been.
Until then.
"...You're not betraying me, are you?"
One word.
With that, the air changed.
"What?"
I raised my head.
Looking into her red eyes, I was inwardly embarrassed.
"...You're not betraying me after all this, are you?"
Something felt strange.
Rebecca's gaze, which was always sharp or haggard, or one of the two.
Now it was surprisingly relaxed.
"What betrayal. I'm getting 100 million Hica with a professor's meager salary."
"I heard you received a national treasure loan, Professor. With that ability, you can earn more than 100 million Hica."
"What else is there to gain by betraying?"
"I don't know. You never know what people want."
"In the first place, who in this land would betray a princess?"
"It's not like that, everyone."
Rebecca stuttered a little.
"...They betray me."
After hearing those words, for a moment.
Just for a fleeting moment.
I wondered if I was thinking something wrong now.
I decided to betray her to get a bigger profit.
I did things I didn't want to do to gain trust.
I was gaining trust.
When I checked, there was no problem.
"If you have even a little bit of a different mind, tell me now. I'll cancel this contract."
Rebecca only said that much and closed her mouth.
But after checking, I realize.
Rebecca is also acting to use me.
I can't know for sure because I can't see [Thoughts].
Shouldn't it be like that?
All the words I said earlier were just lip service.
Rebecca sacrifices for the academy? Don't be ridiculous.
The essence is different.
Rebecca, as a Saintess, didn't go to the academy to mourn for the academy.
I had already figured out that that monstrous woman was pretending to offer memorial prayers and casting the Curse of Soul Devouring on all the dead.
Even in these numerous deaths.
Even among hundreds and thousands of dead.
Rebecca was only pretending to pray for her own purposes, pretending to be a Saintess, using their deaths and absorbing their souls.
I'm not trying to criticize that. I'm not much different from Rebecca either.
However, the point is this.
Just as she tries to use the dead and me.
"Don't worry. I won't betray you."
I will also use Rebecca.
"......"
Rebecca nodded.
* * *
Rebecca, who was about to get up and put on her shoes, staggered.
It seemed to be because she wasn't used to the bandaged feet.
"...Ah."
Staggering, she fell forward.
I naturally caught her in my arms.
Thud!
Eve quickly got up and ran. Even though she was swept across the gravel field for several meters and had blood on her knees and elbows, she had to run.
"That way!"
"Catch her!"
Assassins were coming.
EP16
Welcome, 'Professor'
END