Apostle of Mercy - 2
A round table where the student council executives sat. About twenty student council members filled the seats with grim expressions.
Student Council President Shartia.
"Everyone's probably heard about it already. First-year students going missing."
Mihail. "I've heard, but I don't know the details. Are the underclassmen being kidnapped, or is it something they chose?"
Yuria. "I've heard too. Someone from our department suddenly lost contact..."
Hanna. "Why does this academy never get a quiet day?"
Ruin. "Why'd you call me here? I'm useless anyway."
Besides them, the other twenty or so student council executives sat listening intently to Shartia's words.
An agenda from the student council two months ago.
Missing First-Year Cadets
At first, they concluded it was unauthorized absences due to personal whims and referred them for discipline. But as the number exceeded one, two, three, the student council began to sense something off. Not unauthorized absences, but actual disappearances. The council believed the scale had surpassed mere youthful indiscretions now that the students were adults.
"Over twenty students absent in three months. Twenty-two as of today."
Hanna nodded gravely at Shartia's words, her voice heavy. "This is serious."
"Exactly."
"Isn't this beyond what we can handle? I think we should request help from the imperial family this time."
The crown prince, who had been listening silently, shook his head with a deep sigh. "Impossible."
Hanna's eyebrows twitched at his listless response. "What do you mean, impossible? We have two royals on the student council."
"That's why it's impossible."
"How can you say it's impossible without even trying? Senior, you know this too. It's beyond our scope."
"No outside help—that's been the rule since the founding principal established the academy. Academy matters are handled within the academy. If the professors and principal deem it beyond the students' capabilities, then..."
"Bullshit."
Hanna clicked her tongue, glaring at the crown prince. "What?"
"It's because of your position, right? 'The crown prince solved the incident without imperial aid.' You're dragging this out for that image. Admit it."
"Histania Hanna."
"What? This is an academy equal to all, isn't it? You gonna crush me with your power?"
"You're crossing the line. Just because you're a Histania, you think I'll go easy?"
"Whoa, scary. Should I drop out then?"
"..."
-Thud! As the atmosphere chilled, Shartia slammed her fist on the table, shooting them a sharp glare. "Both of you, stop it! What is this, childish nonsense? You're not three-year-olds."
Hanna didn't back down even at Shartia's sharp rebuke. "Senior, think about it. All the incidents at the academy so far—we couldn't handle them ourselves."
"I said stop."
"The ranking matches, Senior Hans using black magic—those were tough for us. And the ballroom incident? We wouldn't have solved it without the butler."
Hanna looked at Ruin, Mihail, and the crown prince. "Honestly, we haven't solved anything on our own power. Right? At least if we ask the butler for help...!"
-Thud!
"Ricardo is on leave. Bluntly put, he's basically expelled—an outsider. You want to drag him in and beg for help in this mess? What do you think people will call us?"
"..."
"This generation is the worst."
"..."
"In my time, we handled everything ourselves. The academy nearly died. This is why kids these days are a problem. All talk? What about your classmates?"
Shartia spoke to Hanna with a voice full of frustration. "I know. Our situation sucks right now. But what can we do? We need to seize this chance to regain public favor."
"Still...!"
"This isn't just smearing our faces—it's smearing the whole academy."
Shartia uttered words she had to as student council president. She knew it herself. These visible incidents were too much for the student council alone. But this time was different. Shartia lightly gestured to the student beside her. Hand out what's in your hands.
The student next to Shartia nodded and began distributing the papers she held to the seated executives.
"We can solve this one ourselves."
The executives unfolded the papers and gasped in admiration.
"What's this? When did you investigate?"
The papers showed witness testimonies of the last sightings of the missing students and a map with circles around suspected disappearance sites. Hanna's eyes widened at the map, which couldn't have been drawn without firsthand visits, as she stared at Shartia. "Weren't you busy?"
"Busy. I've got mountains of work piling up, feels like I'm dying. But we have to put out the urgent fires first."
"Wow..."
Shartia spread the map and spoke with a hint of confidence. "Let me say it again: we can handle this with our own power. No whiff of heretics, and the disciplinary team confirmed the locations."
Shartia nodded toward Rohan, the disciplinary leader at the far right end of the table, conveying her appreciation for his hard work.
Whether her sentiment reached him, Rohan nodded lightly, stood cautiously, and said, "That's right. I confirmed it with my own eyes."
"Really?"
-Nod.
Rohan spread the map and began explaining calmly, infusing his information with conviction.
"Three hours by carriage. It's a fair distance, but not too far, and not isolated from the capital. Requesting support should be relatively easy too..."
The executives' reactions split at Rohan's words. The spirited disciplinary team members, eager to restore their tarnished honor from the last incident, nodded. Yuria and Hanna held back, pessimistic.
"Um."
In the sharp silence, Hanna raised her hand and questioned Rohan. He'd skipped the most crucial fact.
"So, what's the circled spot? Looks like a cave or forest on the map. Honestly, it screams heretic hideout to me. Isn't it?"
Rohan, who had looked uneasy, shook his head firmly at Hanna's retort. "No. There's a cabin there."
"A cabin?"
"Like a bandit den. The missing kids all got into gambling. You can guess why they vanished without me spelling it out."
"Couldn't pay their debts and got dragged off. That's it?"
-Nod.
Hanna shook her head ambiguously and clicked her tongue. "Still smells fishy no matter how I look at it."
Hanna bowed her head, swallowing her dissent amid the unyielding mood.
"Got it for now. Senior Mihail, nothing to say?"
Mihail, who had been silent, flinched at Hanna's question and hesitantly spoke. "Student Council President, may I share one opinion?"
"Speak."
"Thank you."
Hoo.
Mihail let out a long sigh, stood, and cautiously voiced his thoughts. "I agree with what Hanna said earlier."
Hanna's lips curved up slightly at the support. Mihail backing her was a big boost. She felt relieved, certain she wouldn't have to join this shady venture. After all, Mihail would oppose hiring the butler anyway.
But Mihail said something no one expected. "I support hiring Ricardo for this incident."
The room's atmosphere froze instantly at Mihail's words. Of all people, Mihail—who hated and resented Ricardo the most, second only to Yuria in victims of his actions—had uttered Ricardo's name. Confusion filled the council.
Shartia looked uneasy, unable to give a positive reply. Bringing him in wasn't simple; they'd have to go to Hamel to check his willingness, under many watchful eyes.
Shartia exhaled heavily and spoke calmly. "That's impossible."
"..."
"I told you. Bringing Ricardo draws too much scrutiny. And there's one thing you all misunderstand."
Shartia rubbed her throbbing forehead and stated her view curtly. "Ricardo has never come at our request. He always shows up on his own whim and stirs things up. He's not someone we can just summon."
Stirs things up. Though said publicly, Shartia meant it as salvation.
Shartia sighed deeply. "We depart tomorrow morning."
"..."
"Those in favor, raise your hands now."
Everyone except Hanna and Yuria raised theirs. Some thought of their trembling underclassmen even now; others yearned to restore their honor quickly.
Shartia nodded slightly and asked the opposite. "Those against, raise your hands."
"Two... Ruin, what about you."
Shartia glared at Ruin, who had propped his leg—about to burst—on the table. "What do you want?"
Ruin replied without hesitation. "Don't wanna go."
"What?"
"I'd just be baggage. I'll rest in the dorms. Discipline me or kick me out—whatever."
Haa. Shartia's sigh deepened.
The meeting, laden with so much anxiety and expectation, ended late into the night.
The next day, early dawn. The student council executives gathered at the academy gates. Their target: a cabin midway up a wild mountain on the capital's outskirts.
At that moment, I let out a lazy breath, stroked the head of the Young Lady knitting away, and greeted her.
"Young Lady."
"Mm."
"What are you making?"
The Young Lady held up a chimera made of yarn with a bright smile. "A scarf!"
"..."
"How's it look?"
A thoroughly grotesque design. I couldn't fathom legs and a neck on a scarf, but I stroked her head softly. "Do you remember me saying I'd be away briefly a while back?"
"Mm."
"I'll be gone a day or two. Is that alright?"
The Young Lady glanced at Darbarb playing with Gomtang in the mansion yard and nodded vigorously. "Yeah. I'll play with Daddy."
"Understood."
"But bring something tasty when you come back!"
"Yes."
I smiled faintly and patted her head. My goal: the wild mountains near the capital. The apostle's lair.