Episode 121. Am I an ally? (1)
After Jason’s eventful training, we came to Radian’s personal laboratory.
Radian brought us here as if he wanted to tell us a secret.
Since they had arranged a place where there was no one to talk to, everyone expected it to be something serious.
The solemn atmosphere unique to his personal study also contributed to such thoughts.
“Huh? You’re dating Professor Stella…”
“Yeah, we decided to date.”
But the person who created that atmosphere said something contrary to that.
At first, Kent had a very serious expression on his face when he was called here. His composed appearance made it seem as if he had built an iron fortress on his face.
It was a kind of defense mechanism to keep my wits about me even after hearing some shocking words.
“I, I didn’t know something like that would happen….”
But the fortress that had been built with so much effort collapsed with just a light stimulus. This was because the shock came in a different direction than expected.
“Is it that surprising?”
“Of course, isn’t it surprising! For someone like you, a professor, to be in love… It feels like a lion confessing to a rabbit!”
“So, are you saying that Professor Stella is nothing more than a rabbit?”
“Ah, that’s….”
Kent was so excited that he ended up saying something wrong.
I was so busy that I forgot that Stella was also someone who couldn’t be treated with the expression ‘just’.
“I’m truly sorry. I will gladly accept any penalty points or volunteer work.”
“It’s okay. It’s only natural that you, who are so sincere, would be shocked.”
As Radian said, it couldn’t have been anything but groundbreaking news.
However, I was secretly disappointed because it wasn’t news that could sway the department or class.
“Is that why you called us?”
Jenny puffed out her lips as if she was not pleased. Ruska and I, who were dragged along next to her, had similar reactions.
Radian said with self-mockery, as if he had read our minds.
“Actually, you all probably know what kind of relationship that person and I have just by looking at the ring.”
It wasn’t on my finger right now. I guess the reason was that I sprayed ink on it and the plating got dirty.
I’m so sorry. I guess I’ll have to ask you sooner or later, right?
“So, I would like you to please keep it a secret.”
Radian said it bluntly. In fact, that’s why he called us.
In Kent’s case, he was called in like us because he was a trustworthy class president.
Then, Ruska, who had a strange question in her mind, asks.
“But even if you kept it a secret, isn’t it already too late? From what we can see, you’ve been wearing it since the first day of school.”
“Don’t worry. No one will have seen it. That’s because it was set that day. So you’re the first ones to see it.”
… and you’re the last person I saw, Radian added.
That means, no one but us knows that the two of them are dating.
It was truly a miracle among miracles. So, Assistant Professor Adela didn’t know about it either?
“But since when did you two become like this?”
I also agreed with Kent’s question, and my eyes lit up. I had been wondering about that too.
No matter which ending you watch, you wonder how Professor Stella, who has been single her entire life, managed to tame such a giant man.
“Strangely enough, Professor Stella and I stick together too much. It was like that even during the Mosria incident.”
At that time, honestly, it was a coincidence. I didn’t know that there were only two professors left in the department.
But no one could have predicted that this coincidence would continue.
“Since then, I’ve become quite close with him. He used this as an excuse to accompany me when I went out to deliver official documents to external groups. I would stop by the Magic Association to share research materials on sacred magic, or the Sword Society to share combat training materials. It just so happened that there was no difference in the routes we were taking.”
I had to circulate interesting materials here and there to that large group to get their attention, to keep them excited for the upcoming Magic Festival this year.
It may seem like a simple errand, but it is by no means an easy task. The terrain on which these groups are established is such that carriages and trains can never pass through.
That’s why the two of them would have joined forces to cross rough roads like a suspension bridge, subdue bandits or monsters that were attacking them, and spend the night in a confined space to avoid the unpredictable weather.
And that too, just a man and a woman…
“Life is something you can’t let your guard down. Who would have imagined that I would have my lips stolen by surprise back then?”
It’s been a long time since the winter break. If you put a man and a woman in the same room during that time, it’s obvious what kind of chemical reaction will occur.
Although it is not unconditional, it is true that the probability of them becoming lovers increases exponentially.
“Wow! This is truly a match made in heaven!”
Kent couldn’t contain his excitement and was excited. He was expressing his congratulations on the couple’s relationship in a way that was unique to him.
“You’re saying that something like that happened just because a man and a woman were in the same space…?”
I could see Ruska glancing at me, wondering if that included her too.
But it was impossible.
“Ruska, what are you thinking about?”
“Huh? What did I do?”
Jenny blocked Ruska’s gaze with a bashful expression. She shot him a look as if to tell him to turn away, but Jenny responded in kind.
A simple exchange of glances can be felt as intense as a sci-fi battlefield with laser bombs flying around.
What are these people doing in front of the professor now?
“Spring is just around the corner. Thinking about the cherry blossoms blooming in the near future, I’m already looking forward to it.”
The person who should have been put in a coffin if this were the main story is now thinking of walking down a street with his lover, where cherry blossom petals flutter in the spring breeze.
Even though it was my own work, I felt like Radian’s strict image was collapsing.
Is this really how I’m going to turn into a pure-hearted guy? I’m not saying that’s a bad thing.
“It would have been perfect if that guy weren’t there.”
“That guy?”
“Your new instructor.”
He too was aware of Jason Barkel’s existence. It would be strange if he wasn’t.
“Do you know Instructor Jason?”
“I also once worked in the royal family. What’s more, he was my successor.”
“Then about that guy….”
“Do you want me to tell you?”
Radian cuts off Kent’s question sternly.
Before I knew it, the expression on his face that had been so happy while thinking about love had changed 180 degrees. It turns out he hadn’t become a completely innocent man.
“As you can see, he’s not a good guy. And… I can’t tell you any more than that.”
“Are you really as dangerous as we think?”
I don’t know how threatened the cadets felt, but even apart from Jason’s brutality, revealing his history itself is extremely dangerous.
“It’s not a good idea to dig too deep, Kent. The Royal Knights aren’t the only department that works to protect the people.”
If you have a profession dedicated to the Empire or are a blood relative of one, you will have heard of it.
Black Squad. A unit that claims to be a knighthood, but is completely veiled. Leaking information about them means immediate death.
“I’m sorry. I’ll be more careful with my words next time.”
“Well anyway, I never thought he would be your instructor. I can’t deny that he’s skilled, but….”
Radian, who has become a deeply thoughtful person. The questions about Jason will still linger in his mind.
Jason’s rapid promotion, which was originally only due to disciplinary action, is probably still unknown to us as we do not know that Doomsday is behind it.
* * * * *
The relationship between Radian and Stella was kept a secret only we knew.
All sorts of questions were put off until later. Digging into the Black Squad and all that stuff now would just be tiring.
And now there was something else we needed to discuss.
“Sign number 2, Angela Whitegreen. I thought she’d actually come out.”
Screens were installed throughout the campus to briefly display announcements.
Some of them appeared as semi-transparent shapes like projectors, but what we were seeing was a large mirror.
There was another candidate for student body president being announced besides us.
“Why did Angela run for office? Even though she’s a saint, she’s still a beginner.”
In response to Jenny’s reasonable question, Ruska told her what she had heard herself.
“It’s because of symbol number 1. I ended up running for office because I absolutely had to prevent that woman from being elected.”
Symbol 1: Nevia Cromag. Angela, who had noticed her dark inner self, could not just sit back and watch.
Although the Academy had once been put in danger by being transformed into a nine-tailed fox, this time he had stepped forward to protect it from harm.
“So you’ll take a picture of Angela too, right?”
Ruska asked with an expectant look in her eyes. She seemed to trust our history of taking care of Angela.
But, it is not possible for a person to just depend on someone else unconditionally.
“Unfortunately, I had to choose Crona. Angela is precious to me, but… Crona and I are one of the few friends who have been together since childhood.”
The two’s positions have become clear. Just like in the lab earlier, this time, sparks start to fly from their eyes for a different reason.
Yeah, this one was a reasonable excuse.
“Radon, who are you going to be?”
“I’m sure you’d pick a good candidate, right?”
They suddenly turned their gaze towards me.
It sounded like I was telling him to do whatever he wanted, but the moment we locked eyes, I could tell what he was really thinking.
If you choose Angela or Crona, you’ll end up favoring one of them. Of course, you’ll end up betraying the other.
“I have someone in mind, too.”
“Who is it?”
“secret.”
“Don’t do that, tell me.”
As I moved from my seat, Jenny followed me and smiled. Ruska, who smiled at that simple sight, also walked slowly.
The mirror where we were standing still had a list of candidates who had run for office.
Symbol 1. Nevia Cromag.
Symbol 2. Angela Greenwhite.
Symbol 3. Krona Delaware.
A screen that doesn’t seem to have much room for change. However, the archive always updates the notices on its own.
Symbol 4. Mirona Divine Kirien.
As new candidates were added, white spots began to appear on the branches of the tree next to them.
Spring, full of the fragrance of peach blossoms, was just around the corner.
* * * * *
It seems like I’ve been telling lies a lot lately.
I try to throw a fastball whenever I get the chance, but that’s not enough.
Besides, what if you overuse this too much and cause an accident? If the other person is a high-ranking official, it’s scary to even imagine.
– Liar’s erosion rate: 88%
Moreover, even if the erosion rate is reduced and reduced, it rises again.
Although I needed to write a newspaper article right away, the club’s activation was next week.
That’s why we need to blow it up now.
It was almost time for the sun to set. After parting ways with Jenny and Ruska, I was still walking around the professor’s building.
Then I entered the Unique Hall and climbed the stairs.
Knock knock-
The knocked door was quite wide.
Well, that would be true. It’s because it’s a room that’s just superficially fancy, monopolizing one floor of the faculty and staff research building.
“Who are you?”
“I’m Radon Crowler, a second-year student in the combat department. May I come in?”
The moment I spoke, silence followed.
At this time, the cadets seemed to be pondering for a moment what was going on.
“Come in.”
The thought took about 10 seconds. As I opened the door and stepped inside, a magnificent space was revealed.
It is so spacious and clean that you might think it is a professor’s personal study. It makes you wonder if the office of a high-ranking member of the royal family might be like this.
Jason Barkel, sitting on a chair in the middle, drinking tea, stares at me.
“Come and sit down.”
He walked over to the chair opposite him and sat down. His haughty personality was evident as he sat in the wide, comfortable chair.
You probably think it’s okay to act like this in front of your subordinates.
“Originally, I was going to just send you back. I told everyone to jump in during the first class, but there was only one person who didn’t jump in.”
“….”
“At first, I thought it was someone, so I tried to remember, but then I looked at the list and figured it out later. Now I can see it before my eyes.”
It was none other than me. At that time, I was timing my intervention and completely forgot about it.
“Yeah, so why did that coward come all the way to my lab?”
Coward… I have nothing to say. But even if I had unavoidable circumstances, I would have been treated the same way.
Jason is a man who is still like that.
“There’s one thing I want to tell you.”
“What is it?”
“Before that… if there are other people in this room, I recommend that you expel them.”
Jason’s eyebrows twitched.
I was seething with anger because it was like a pest was trying to trash my room.
But for now, I’ve decided to endure it.
This is because it is highly likely that this cadet is the cause of Saint Nevia’s downfall.
“Is there any reason why it has to be kept confidential?”
Of course there is.
I smiled and put my magic power into my left hand.
Although it is originally right-handed, there is meaning in holding it in the left hand.
I recall the memories of Enviel that I had absorbed. Imitate exactly how he expressed his secret intentions.
He manipulated the magical power in his hand like clay and shaped it into a string-like shape. The string began to stretch and moved freely through the air, connecting it into shapes like letters.
“No way…!”
Jason’s expression, which had been looking down on me, twitched. After seeing that display of magical power, and being in league with Doomsday, it was inevitable that he would be surprised.
“His will is my inheritance.”
[Erosion rate reduction: -50%]
[+5000 Credits]
And for the first time in a while, we could see the erosion rate decreasing significantly.
“I am the instructor’s ally.”
Surviving as an Academy Fraudster
