<460 - The One Who Deceived Too Well>
[Midterm Exam for "Let's Enter the Ball"].
A masked ball.
The first-year students were squished under the wealth and well-maintained figures of the noblewomen invited to the ball.
“Look at that kid. They seem too young to be at the ball.”
“Oh dear, they must be having a hard time standing on their toes. It’s sad to see their calves trembling like that. It’s tough to take the exam; we should help them take a break.”
“Absolutely. I want to start grading too.”
From a distance, the noblewomen gathered in small groups, holding grading boards and expressing their concerns about the examinees, appearing to be considerate.
Of course, for the examinees, there were devilish noblewomen who made life a living hell.
– You’ve practiced so poorly you lack the strength in your legs?
– What else is there to see in a loser who can’t even stand on their toes? Take a hint and back off.
– Your grades are trashed. Scram.
Translating that yields tears of anguish!
However, the first-year students, pushed back in front of the noblewomen, found it hard to step away to another place.
“Oh no, those are noblewomen from the Empire.”
“Are their judging standards even harsher?”
“Ugh… We couldn’t even satisfy the noblewomen from the border; how can we approach them…”
At the entrance, the more lenient noblewomen were settled, while as one moved inside, the criteria became more severe— a strict masked ball indeed.
The Destroyer, normally one to steer clear of such events, peered down at the ballroom from the second-floor terrace.
‘I received intel that a pink-haired girl, identifiable as Pinkberry, is here.’
As he filtered voices through his ears, one by one, the students were being weeded out on the first floor.
‘Not bad. Watching the dance makes it clear it’ll aid greatly in agility and flexibility training.’
While students fell short of even the evaluations from the Step 3 Border Nobles and got stuck at the Stage 4 Empire Nobles’ evaluations, one student with remarkable skill boldly entered the Stage 5 main hall.
Wearing a chic two-tone dress that barely covered her chest to her thighs, she moved with unabashed footwork that revealed her shorts, leaving onlookers in awe.
A hushed whisper of satisfaction came from the representatives of the Border and Empire noblewomen who judged the event, along with the professor teaching “Let’s Enter the Ball.”
“She’s even got the leisure to add an extra 10 steps to a 100-step fast-paced piece.”
“Her jumps, spins, and steps are all flawless. The continuity in her choreography is incredible. Being from the cultural melting pot of Florence, the combination with martial arts is remarkable.”
“Ha! Now that’s my student. She could skip Stage 4 and challenge Stage 5 dancing shoes.”
With the spotlight firmly on the center, he brushed aside the overwhelming noise and honed in on the scene more clearly.
‘There she is.’
Professor Pinkberry was bouncing with delight in front of a waiter carrying drinks, her adorable twin tails swaying.
“Isn’t there anything besides orange flavor?”
“You’ve already had grape, apple, cherry, grapefruit, and mango.”
“Not just you, other waiters are also serving!”
“The waiters in the border region are serving vegetable juices like carrot, beet, and celery…”
“…Skip that! Just bring me different juices!”
As Pinkberry grilled the poor waiter, her antics in the dance hall matched every rumor about her.
‘It’s right; they said her physical and mental age were both on the lower side.’
The academy’s assessment of Professor Pinkberry, brought in by the principal from who knows where, was brutally harsh.
– That damn kid has no social skills.
– How could someone like that be a professor?
– If you ever happen to meet her, tell her not to use “useless kid” when referring to fellow professors…
A brat boasting skills while having the social skills of a potato, a thorn in my side that’s too good for dismissal!
‘Ah, I see. That’s why she’s still at the Academy.’
While browsing administrative records, the Destroyer learned how the principal had been utilizing Pinkberry.
– I’m too lazy to teach today, so I’ll disguise Pinkberry and send her out as a substitute.
– Can she even breathe fire if I tell her to? Oh boy, she’s actually doing it.
– Tomorrow, I should have her flap her wings to put out a fire. No fire, you say? Then I’ll just set one!
The principal treated her almost like a toy, utilizing her for his whims as he slacked off!
‘…This isn’t Pinkberry’s flawed character; it’s the principal’s fault for completely breaking her spirit.’
If I had to go through that stuff for over ten years, I’d have lost my character too.
The Destroyer felt a sudden wave of sympathy and familiarity towards Pinkberry, a professor he had only an acquaintance with, having never even exchanged words.
“If you’re looking for delicious drinks, come to my office. I have quite a collection of sweet beverages.”
Pinkberry blinked in surprise, looking up with a stunned expression.
“Really?”
“Really.”
Slurp. She wiped away drool, momentarily entranced as she was about to follow him when she snapped back to reality.
“Good kids don’t follow adults who tempt them with food! Spill your intentions. What do you want to do with me in your office!”
“Just a normal conversation. If I were to indulge, I’d want to discuss Oknodie.”
“Oknodie?”
A tiny mischief sparkled in Pinkberry’s eyes.
“That Oknodie, who’s clever, has such a cute personality, and is exceptionally talented with a height of around 230cm, showing potential for excellent growth?”
“…!”
Her innocent voice belied a serious undercurrent.
230cm.
Nobody in their right mind would expect such abnormal growth while just seeing an Oknodie of merely 133cm.
And a height like that for a girl— it’s practically a curse!
However, for Oknodie, 230cm held a specific significance.
“…Yes, that Oknodie.”
The Northern Grand Duke, presumed to be Oknodie’s mentor.
His exact height was 230cm.
The phrase “growing up to 230cm” was a code phrase.
The chance that she was articulating a foundation official’s position regarding whether she knew Oknodie was extremely high.
‘I made a mistake.’
The Destroyer felt a chill run down his spine.
He had aimed to avoid the likely foundation official, Professor Raregrills, by coming to Pinkberry, when it turned out Pinkberry was also a foundation official.
Moreover, she instantly grasped the core of his attention towards Oknodie.
This was both a showoff and a warning.
I know what you’re thinking, and I know what you’re plotting.
“Fine. I’ll tell you anything about Oknodie! I wouldn’t want to talk with those useless riffraff, but you’re not useless to me, Destroyer. What intrigues you about that child?”
There were things he wanted to say.
Whether she has any intention of liberating Oknodie from the hands of the three Great Evils, the principal, and the Foundation’s Executive Director, not fearing the principal.
How her freedom could benefit her, and what role she envisions.
‘Can’t say that so easily.’
Whether Pinkberry was part of the faction for the Director or opposite, gathering her own power to plot a rebellion on behalf of Oknodie—or was neutral, he needed to sort that out.
If she was indeed aligned with the Director, revealing that information would jeopardize Oknodie’s future plans.
‘But I still have to do it. At the very least, I need to determine if she’s in the Director’s faction or not.’
Even if the Foundation’s Eye has spread more severely within the Academy than he could have ever known, giving up now would yield no changes.
The Destroyer steadied his fraught heart.
“Oknodie is a wretched child.”
“What?!”
“She is like a bluebird that has been nurtured with care by the Foundation yet keeps trying to fly away.”
“I mean… ah, that makes sense.”
“I’ll build a cage for the young bird. But in return, you too need to concede to my desires. Would you accept this contract?”
“What’s the reason you want to trap Oknodie in the Foundation?”
The Destroyer fell into thought.
Would the Foundation acquiesce to a deal with someone having no weaknesses?
They wouldn’t, surely.
Without possessing some mutual blackmail against them, they wouldn’t comply.
After much contemplation, he concocted a flippant reason that could be a potential liability.
“I have a fondness for young ones.”
“What?!”
“If Oknodie becomes free, she’ll disappear from the Foundation’s Eye in no time. If she doesn’t leave the Foundation, I can keep her close within my sight, hence increasing my chances of being around her.”
Pinkberry couldn’t hide her astonishment.
Such a sudden admission would certainly be surprising.
“What’s so great about that child?!”
The line had been crossed.
It would now be more perilous to end it half-heartedly.
Having crossed that line, it would be better to reveal a weakness potent enough to be acknowledged even by the malevolent Foundation.
“I love children raised under the Foundation’s ruthless training. That unfortunate past, her twisted beliefs not knowing a normal life, and her odd aura as if she’s not quite of this world, all coupled with her clear, perceptive eyes. All of it is just too endearing.”
“!!”
“In short, I have a fondness for
Pinkberry’s mouth hung open in a continuous gasp.
“No, no… how could you view a student that way?!”
“…What on earth are you saying? From your position as a Foundation official, wouldn’t this provide you with an advantage instead, enhancing your leverage?”
“No matter how you look at it! It’s inappropriate teacher-student relations! Oknodie already has a guy named Sing!”
The Destroyer started feeling a chill run down his spine.
What is this reaction?
Could it be she’s…
“Are you actually not aligned with the Director but rather siding with Oknodie?”
Pinkberry froze, unable to respond, like a malfunctioning robot, as if time itself had stopped for her, possibly paralleling the thoughts swirling in the Destroyer’s head.
