The New Special Cadet (4)
"I'm going to lose my mind. I'm actually going to lose it..."
Inside the carriage, Kirlin trembled from head to toe, gnawing at her fingernails.
She had already been granted a private audience with the Second Princess — had even been praised — and still the nerves refused to leave her alone.
The Second Princess possessed a charisma that seemed to pour from her very existence, overwhelming and inescapable. And that one remaining eye of hers felt as though it could pierce straight through a person's heart. It was genuinely terrifying.
Not once had she ever raised her voice at Kirlin, nor shown any overt sign of displeasure. Even so, a faint smile was all it took to get the message across.
But I can't run away anymore. I'm the principal of this academy, and I have to live up to that responsibility. If I work hard now and earn Her Highness's favor, then even if I step down as principal someday, I can stay on at the academy as a Subject Professor.
And more than anything else, I can't disappoint Dian.
Dian was working himself to the bone for the academy. If the person sitting in the principal's chair did nothing simply because she was frightened of the Second Princess, that would be unforgivable. Dian would be disappointed in her. He would end up hating her. And then, eventually, he would turn to Professor Lina...
Kirlin squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head hard. That was not going to happen.
Get it together, Kirlin. Earn the Second Princess's recognition. Earn Dian's recognition. Hand over the principal's seat smoothly and remain at the academy as a Subject Professor. And, just in case, as a safety measure — maintain and develop an "amicable relationship" with Dian. Pour everything into this plan.
While Kirlin was lost in these feverish daydreams, the carriage turned onto a narrow mountain road.
It was a single winding track threading between the jagged ridges on the outskirts of the capital, and Kirlin had no idea where it led. She was riding in a windowless carriage, after all.
When she had arrived at the Imperial Palace, an official from the National Security Office had informed her that the Second Princess was out. He had offered to escort her to Her Highness's location, and she had been transferred to a different carriage.
Where on earth are we going?
The winding path went on and on, until a building appeared ahead. It was a long, low two-story structure stretching out to either side, and it looked for all the world like a military barracks. An open courtyard lay in front of it, and high brick walls enclosed the grounds. It really did look like a garrison.
"Please step out."
The carriage halted, and the National Security Office official opened the door. Kirlin descended at the main gate.
Two men in civilian clothes stood before a thick iron gate, posted like sentries. Long swords hung at their waists, and to the casual eye they might have passed for ordinary townsfolk — but Kirlin saw through them at once, thanks to the gifts of her race.
Those men had concealed weapons hidden all through their clothing. Daggers, of course — and their belts were lined on the inside with iron plates that could be unfastened and wielded like a whip if the need arose.
Not ordinary citizens. Not legion soldiers, either. Then what were they? Members of one of the various organizations the National Security Office kept on a leash, most likely. And a mountain compound guarded by people like that would be...
"This way, please."
She followed the official who had driven the carriage, and as they passed inside she saw a crowd of people gathered before a raised platform. Seated in a chair upon that platform was a tall, striking woman with silver hair. The Director of the Empire's National Security Office. The Second Princess.
"I-I hope Your Highness has been well..."
"Welcome."
Kirlin bowed her trembling head, and the Second Princess greeted her with a gentle smile.
"You've had a long journey. You have something to propose to me?"
"Yes..."
"Is it urgent? If not, it can wait a little."
"I-i-it's not urgent...!"
"Good. Sit here."
The Second Princess indicated the empty chair beside her. Kirlin sat, overwhelmed by the honor — and only then realized that every person below the platform was staring at her.
They were men and women in black, their faces wrapped in masks, and the eyes left exposed above those masks were brutally cold. Kirlin knew that outfit all too well. It was the same gear Professor Lina of the Infiltration course often wore during practical exercises.
"This is the principal of the Imperial Special Duty Academy."
At the Second Princess's words, the assembled figures looked away from Kirlin. Only then did the chill catch up with her.
They had not been watching her out of idle curiosity. They had been watching her because she was a dark elf.
Dark elves had been traitors — operatives who had fought on the Demon King's side during the war. The Nemara Clan that Kirlin belonged to had turned against him and saved the Emperor from assassination, but that was an exceedingly rare case. The other clans had never converted, even after the war ended. They had scattered to distant lands and vanished into hiding.
The world's regard for dark elves remained unkind. Even though the Emperor owed them his life, the Nemara Clan still could not leave their forest. Kirlin's skin was far lighter than a pureblood dark elf's, and her build was different besides — but a dark elf was a dark elf. To people who did not know the circumstances, it all looked the same.
"Begin."
At the Second Princess's command, the figures in black formed up. They arranged themselves around the edges of a fairly large square of open ground in the center.
"These are operatives under the National Security Office. Today happens to be a live-combat demonstration, and you've arrived just in time."
"Operatives... do you mean a special task force?"
"The purpose of their training is different from that of a special task force."
"Then what are they..."
The Second Princess did not answer. She turned her gaze toward the operatives instead.
Two of them walked out into the square and stood facing each other. Each held a short blade roughly a foot and a half long, and no matter how Kirlin looked at them, those were not wooden practice swords. They looked real.
They're going to spar with those? That looks incredibly dangerous. They must have choreographed it ahead of time, since someone of high rank was coming.
They had not.
The instant the bout began, the two operatives roared and charged, fighting as though their lives depended on it. Kirlin's eyes nearly started from her head as she watched them get scored and sliced, blood welling from every cut.
She had learned assassination and stealth in her clan's forest — the basic curriculum every dark elf began the moment they could walk. But Kirlin was a child Nemara had sired for a separate purpose. Even when the other dark elves were being thrown into actual combat, she had remained behind in the woods. A scene like this was something she had never witnessed in her life.
"Hhk...!"
After a savage, bloody exchange, one operative drove a blade into the other's side, and Kirlin sucked in a useless gasp of air.
"Are you all right?"
"I-I'm fine..."
She was still answering the Second Princess when she saw the blade punch into the same spot again, and again. Vertigo washed over her. She swayed in her seat.
"Stop."
At the Second Princess's command, the bout ended. The victor stepped back. The other operative crumpled with the blade still buried in their side. Several medics rushed in and began treating the fallen fighter; a shimmer of golden light suggested a priest was among them.
"What are your impressions, Principal Kirlin?"
The Second Princess turned to look at her.
"I-I've never seen... anything like that..."
Kirlin's face had gone completely bloodless. She forced the words out.
"Some of the students who graduate from your academy will carry out missions like that. Teach them halfheartedly, and they will die like dogs in the field."
"Yes..."
"Understood, Your Highness..."
"I hope the graduates we produce next year will meet the standards required by our National Security Office and the various agencies."
"I will do my utmost..."
Graduating from the academy did not mean being thrown straight into the field. Every agency and organization needed a different kind of talent, and each maintained its own induction process; only those who passed it were permitted to do actual work. Even so, a graduate had to possess at least the minimum in physical fitness, basic clerical competence, and the rest — and that was entirely the academy's responsibility. Kirlin's responsibility.
"So, Principal Kirlin. You said you had a proposal."
Kirlin glanced at the operative being carried out on a stretcher, blood pattering off the sides, and opened her mouth in fits and starts.
"Y-Your Highness... our academy would like to, t-t-to... enter a competition..."
Meeting the Second Princess's one remaining eye head-on, Kirlin could not go on. She swallowed.
"You want to enter a competition."
"Yes..."
"Whether or not to enter a competition is entirely the principal's authority. I doubt you came all this way because you didn't know that."
"The thing is..."
Kirlin let her ears droop and explained herself as respectfully as she possibly could, taking every care not to ruffle the Second Princess's temper. They wished to participate in a competition in order to raise the standard of their graduates and give them a proper credential. However, the competitions currently held within the Empire did not quite align with a Special Duty Academy. And so they wished to request that the National Security Office host a related competition of its own.
"You want the National Security Office to hold a competition?"
"Yes... W-well... for example, perhaps... if you could open some of the evaluations targeting active-duty operatives to the academy, in part..."
"Who told you to say that?"
"Y-yes...?"
Watching Kirlin's eyes nearly start from her head, the Second Princess smiled.
"Never mind. I understand your intent. I'll discuss it internally and contact you before long."
"Th-thank you...!"
Kirlin bowed so deeply her forehead nearly touched the ground.
"By the way — how is the special cadet selected last time?"
"If you mean student Sophie, she's adapting well."
Freed from the crushing pressure, Kirlin answered with a somewhat brighter expression.
"She's a talent who will contribute greatly to the Empire's security after graduation. I'll take personal responsibility and produce her with excellent results...!"
"Excellent, Kirlin."
"Eek!? Thank you!"
Rarely praised by the Second Princess, Kirlin made a peculiar little noise and ducked her head again.
"The special cadet selection is an excellent system for unearthing the Empire's hidden gems. Make active use of it."
"Understood...!"
"Good. Return now."
After Kirlin had gone — grinning, her mind in a pleasant fog — the Second Princess smiled and crooked a finger. The adjutant standing behind her stepped close and inclined his upper body.
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Convert a portion of this year's Unit 5439 evaluation into a competition. I'll discuss the details with the unit commander."
"Understood. I shall disseminate this immediately and begin preparations."
Once the adjutant had withdrawn, the Second Princess felt a considerable satisfaction and swept her silver hair back from her face.
Open the National Security Office's active-duty evaluations to the academy? That is Dian's idea. It has to be.
A remarkable man, truly. Not merely his past — the way he revolutionized the academy the moment he took the professor's post, and now this, thinking to turn our internal evaluations into an academy competition. As expected of Sir Linus's friend. As expected of a member of the Demon King Assassination Special Task Force.
He has more than enough qualifications to become my dagger in the years ahead. He must already be looking this far down the road, turning it over in his mind in his own way.
Meanwhile, at Dian's house in the faculty district of the Special Operations Academy...
"Dian! I am begging you, please stop taking your socks off inside out!"
Olicia was in full scolding mode, holding up a sock that had been peeled off in a bunched, inverted wad.
"Huh? Is there a problem?"
"I can't even wash them properly, and then I have to turn them right-side out again later!"
"No problem. Just wear them inside out. Then next time take them off the right way."
"Aigoo! Seriously!!!!"
Contrary to the Second Princess's expectations, Dian was snickering away as he teased his young maid.