Chapter 289
Chapter 289
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 289
>Chapter Title: Clearly, It Was Supposed to End Quickly...
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As the Third Princess ascended the platform, the masked wizard bowed politely.
It wasn't a prearranged performance, but she nodded as if it were routine and took in the gathered crowd.
“Esteemed fellow students, allow me first to offer my deepest apologies.”
With those words, she bowed her head, held it for a moment, then lifted it and spoke again.
She calmly explained the behind-the-scenes details of the incident involving the First and Second Princes—unknown to the academy students—as well as the Grand Duke of Muspellun. But those in attendance couldn't fully focus on her words.
Why not?
She spoke with utmost respect, which was one thing. But a member of the imperial family had bowed her head.
It was a fresh shock.
Even if the prestige of the imperial house had waned with the rise of noble houses, royalty was still royalty.
Rulers of the great Adelian Empire!
Yet here was one of their bloodline bowing her head?
It was quite a shocking sight for Aster, watching from the crowd.
But what truly stunned him came right after.
“...for that reason, I have unintentionally caused trouble for all of you fellow students. I sincerely apologize for allowing the Ivory Tower of Knowledge to be sullied by such filthy power struggles. And furthermore...”
After explaining all the circumstances.
The Third Princess's next words.
Even Aster hadn't anticipated them.
Unlike at the start, she now bowed slightly at the waist in noble etiquette and spoke with even greater formality.
“My brother, the great Second Prince of the Adelian Empire, Deoric, has allied himself with unsavory elements. It pains me beyond measure. For this... I dare to apologize on behalf of the imperial family.”
...This was why the Third Princess had adopted such an extremely humble posture.
She wasn't seeking forgiveness for her own wrongs.
Second Prince Deoric de Giggas Adelian.
She was cleaning up the mess he had made, representing the imperial house.
“...”
“...”
The space, already hushed like a douse of cold water at her appearance, grew icy cold.
Students who had half-doubted the Second Prince's collusion with black mages swallowed low groans.
To them now, his alliance with the black mages was truth. It had to be.
The apology from royalty, the respect in her deferential speech, and her sincere words without regard for face—they lent undeniable credibility.
Meanwhile, Aster's eyes narrowed beneath his mask.
‘...Is she insane?’
It was certainly... effective.
But he hadn't expected such a hardline response.
The key point of Aster's original plan had been to use the agitators as cheerleaders and the Third Princess's ambiguous stance to maintain plausible deniability later: ‘Huh? We never said the Second Prince colluded with black mages. Aren't you the ones who misunderstood?’
Bluntly shouting that the ‘mysterious wizard’—himself—or Third Princess Bellos was declaring ‘the Second Prince is a bastard!’ might feel exhilarating at first glance, but it invited a fierce backlash.
This was like...
‘Turning a goblin in the market into an ogre, then chopping off an ogre's head and presenting it as proof.’
Was she actually crazy?
Aster furrowed his brow, calmly observing the Third Princess's actions. But she didn't seem insane at all—quite composed.
Captivating the masses with eloquent, sincere words that weren't flashy...
‘...This is what a soul-infused lie looks like?’
But going further was getting risky.
From the start, Aster had only hoped to pull in Pellina, Parun, and the principal predecessor, while ruining the Salvatium ceremony.
He hadn't wanted things to escalate this far.
Thus.
[Yeah, this should be enough.]
Aster whispered to Bellos, but she didn't respond.
As if deaf, she focused solely on bewitching the crowd with her impassioned agitation and fabrications.
And so intensely...
“Princess... what do we do? To go this far for us.”
“Sniffle.”
Even the more emotional ones were wiping away tears.
‘...What is this? Scary.’
How much time passed like that?
The awkward moment ended sooner than expected.
The cause: a sudden group of knights bursting in. Aster narrowed his eyes, taking them in.
‘Those guys...’
The Black Falcon Knights.
One of the imperial knight orders. The knights, perfectly arrayed, pushed through the crowd to the princess, raised their swords, and saluted.
“Loyalty!”
“Loyalty!”
“We come to see the Third Princess. Are these the ones?”
“Yes. Take them away.”
At the Third Princess's command, the Black Falcon Knights dragged off the nobles sprawled on the floor and the golden horse in front of Aster, then departed.
They appeared in an instant and vanished just as quickly.
Witnessing it all.
Aster realized why the Third Princess could act so boldly.
The Black Falcon Knights.
‘...She pulled in the First Prince?’
The intent was clear.
To crush the Second Prince so thoroughly he could never rise again.
No, even further...
‘To finish him off?’
Yes, otherwise the situation was inexplicable.
So.
Aster resolved himself.
‘...I need to steer clear.’
Best to avoid the crazies.
* * *
The commotion died down, and those gathered for the next principal's inauguration began dispersing one by one.
The academy students, drunk on a once-in-a-lifetime rare experience, buzzed with excitement.
But not everyone got such time.
Right after the Black Falcon Knights withdrew, investigators from the First Prince's side stormed in and began hauling off academy staff.
“Let go! Let go, you bastards! Do you know who I am?! Huh?!”
“I-I don't know anything. I...”
Those who had fallen for the Second Prince's scheme resisted fiercely but in vain.
They could flee if they used their skills, but that would make them fugitives for life.
Aster stood on the platform, watching the arrests, when he spotted a familiar face soon enough.
‘That guy...’
“I'll come along for now. I don't know what's happening, but it's an imperial order, so I'll comply gladly. Just please give me time later to defend myself.”
With his sly face feigning innocence, the man meekly following the investigators was Assistant Professor Yorvi.
In a way, a true madman.
His life had plummeted from the heights to the muck in an instant, yet he schemed for his safety with such composure.
‘Come to think of it, I've never liked that bastard.’
Harassing and subtly manipulating students out of some weird inferiority complex... Even someone like Aster, uninterested in others, knew—so he must have been far worse than he seemed.
Aster inwardly thought he deserved it and tried to ignore it, but then strode over to the investigator.
“Ahem. Hold on.”
“Who are you?”
“I serve Her Highness the Third Princess. I have something important to tell you investigators.”
“Speak.”
“Well, it's like...”
What to say?
Right, just the plain facts.
“That bastard's the ringleader.”
“The ringleader...?”
“You'll find out in the investigation anyway, but most of the assistant professors involved were bewitched by that guy's silver tongue. He wags it slyly, so you'd best be extra careful.”
“Hmm...”
The investigator eyed Aster and Yorvi alternately. Yorvi, meanwhile, tilted his head innocently as if puzzled.
His mouth opened soon after.
“Understood. We'll keep it in mind.”
“Make sure to tell the other investigators too.”
“...You're meddling too much.”
“Ahem, just grandmotherly concern.”
...Sharp guy.
Aster scratched his head awkwardly and backed off.
But fortunately, the investigator didn't ignore the advice.
Slap!
“...Gah! W-what is this?!”
Assistant Professor Yorvi, slapped out of nowhere, blinked in outrage. But the investigator paid no heed.
Slap!
“Guh!”
Slap! Slap! Slap!
Without a word, the investigator kept slapping Yorvi's cheeks. The crisp sounds drew every eye in the hall.
After beating him silently for a while, the investigator wiped the bloodied hand on his pants and stared at Yorvi.
Yorvi, about to protest his innocence, flinched and hunched his shoulders as the investigator casually raised his hand.
“W-why on earth... Hnng!”
The investigator said nothing.
How long did the silence last?
“I-I'll tell you everything, just the facts.”
Yorvi's voice crawled.
Only then did the investigator speak.
“Whether you tell the truth or not doesn't matter. We're not rookies with scum like you. Let's go.”
With that, he roughly dragged Yorvi away.
Aster scratched his head watching it.
He'd hoped for some comeuppance, but not to that pitiful extent.
‘Too soft-hearted, that's my problem.’
Still, thanks to Aster speaking up first, both the investigator and Yorvi were probably better off.
From a glimpse earlier, those calluses on his hands... whew.
‘Hands that've worked tools, no doubt.’
Imperial investigators wouldn't moonlight as day laborers for extra cash.
What tool, for what—it was obvious.
Yes, this was better for everyone.
But anyway...
Aster gazed at Yorvi's receding back, then gulped as a prickling stare hit his nape.
‘Why hasn't that bastard left?’
That bastard being...
...Damian.
No, Chenbi too.
The two stood there blankly even as most students had left.
But not just standing.
If so, his nape wouldn't prickle.
‘...Tch, they caught on?’
That grinning gaze... couldn't come without keen insight.
It was an ultimate battle of wits.
Turning around meant defeat.
Pretending otherwise, fortunately a rescuing voice came.
“As...”
“...Tch.”
“Ahem. You know, Her Highness the Third Princess is looking for you.”
Aster shot a glance at oblivious Altex and moved.
The Third Princess had returned after stepping away to urgently contact the escort for the principal predecessor.
But.
‘Tch, they didn't overhear, right?’
He desperately wanted to turn and check Damian, but couldn't bring himself to.
Wait...
‘...Feels like I forgot something. What was it?’
This didn't feel like the end.
“What's wrong?”
“Nothing. Let's go.”
Pausing to ponder, Aster followed Altex's call.
Probably nothing. Probably.
* * *
On a quiet academy walkway.
Mysern sat atop a pile of battered men, gazing at the sky.
Black blood dripped endlessly from their mouths— their cores shattered, it seemed.
A truly brutal handiwork, but those who knew their identities would never call it cruel.
Why?
They were black mages who had practiced forbidden magic.
“...Hmm.”
Mysern, who had captured the black mages hiding in Jenion Academy at Aster's request, let out a faint sigh.
“Clearly, it was supposed to end quickly...”
Mysern only gazed endlessly at the sky.