Chapter 173: In the Midst of Rebellion (2)
I definitely complained about it. I can’t just lose my mind to understand a madman’s perspective, and since I’m not particularly skilled at gathering information, I have no way to find an internal spy.
Yeah, those were my thoughts. I set my own traps.
Damn it.
But was it really necessary to collect clues as obsessively as a ghost?
Suddenly, two people emerged—both skilled in inquiry and equally mad. It’s like declaring I had no regrets, only to die that very day.
— Hehe, the Executive Manager looks touched.
— Oh dear, he must have been feeling lonely.
The teasing in their voices was clear, driving me to the brink of madness. Why did it have to be them out of all the managers? I guess I’m stuck with these idiots.
As insane as they might be, I couldn’t believe they would come to the academy for kicks. Given the timing, it must be related to the Red Wave.
So even though my heart denied it, my mind had to accept it. Indeed, these two were the best fit for the current situation.
The 2nd Manager was good at finding information, while the 1st Manager could handle things efficiently when they got there. Right now, I didn’t need brute force, and they were the perfect selection.
“…Why are you coming here?”
Still, just in case, I asked with a hint of hope. Maybe they had reached some critical point and came without orders.
Ta-da!
And just like that, my useless hope crumbled in the face of a piece of paper held by the 1st Manager.
Right.
It was clear at a glance—a cooperation request from the Minister of Intelligence, with the Minister of Finance’s seal of approval. This was an official dispatch order.
So, they weren’t completely nuts after all. It should be good news, but why do I feel so sad?
— This would usually be the job of the Intelligence Department, but they asked us for help since they’re swamped. Plus, since you’re at the academy, they thought it’d be better for someone compatible to go.
I nearly grabbed the back of my neck at the 2nd Manager’s words. Shouldn’t “being compatible” mean they shouldn’t be sent?
Damn it.
I’m pretty sure I understood why the Intelligence Department was busy; they were swamped dealing with the North, leaving us short-staffed domestically.
Whenever something terrible happened in my life, it was usually because of the North. Such useless troublemakers.
— Then, Executive Manager! We’ll see you soon!
“Alright.”
I nodded weakly, knowing I couldn’t stop them. I understood that giving up early was important.
Though I was miles away from being ready to abandon hope, I knew it was necessary.
I’m going to lose my mind.
I lamented as I confirmed that the communication had ended. The Red Wave was already a headache, but now the 1st and 2nd Managers were coming too?
They were supposed to be reinforcements against the Red Wave, yet they felt like a burden. Objectively, they should be helpful, yet…
Those brats aren’t normal.
Suddenly, it hit me again; those guys weren’t normal. Who smiles like that when they’re going to see their superior?
They truly were a perplexing bunch.
*
I hadn’t visited the Principal’s office since my probation. It was one of those places that were better left unvisited for the sake of peace, like the commander’s office or a professor’s lab.
Unfortunately, now I had to visit because it was no longer peaceful.
“The Red Wave, you say?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Unlike when we handled the Third Honor at the fair, I let the Principal know about the Red Wave.
Back then, I didn’t want to spread the word and cause a ruckus, especially since we were fully intent on intercepting them before they got close to the academy. But this time was different.
With the possibility of an external invasion and internal unrest, the owner must know if there are spies in their own front yard.
“Support from the Prosecutors’ Office is also on its way.”
And that was also something I had to mention.
“I see.”
The Principal’s expression darkened a little upon hearing that. Just imagining the Prosecutors’ Office roaming around his own front yard—
Is it just me?
For some reason, his expression seemed darker than when we discussed the Red Wave.
But unlike before when we snatched the Third Honor lurking outside the academy, now we had to identify a spy within the academy itself. For that, the Principal’s cooperation was key.
We could bulldoze our way through with the authority of the Inspection Department, but that would be counterproductive. Even spies drawn to attention might try to hide.
“We’ll need to prepare a suitable cover.”
The Principal seemed to agree, nodding slightly. Having a plausible alias would be much better than waving around the badge of the Prosecutors’ Office.
“An assistant teacher’s position should suffice. They come and go frequently, so neither the staff nor students will find it odd.”
“That’s a relief.”
The casual mention of such a dreadful reality startled me, but I managed to move past it.
What’s with the turnover rate?
Labeling it “rapidly rotating personnel” seemed a bit cruel. Graduate students are people too!
Am I right?
I doubted for a moment but decided to go with the assumption.
“Please inform me when the reinforcements arrive. I’ll prepare everything by then.”
“Thank you for your consideration.”
“It’s for the academy, after all. If anything, I should be the one thanking the Executive Manager of the Prosecutors’ Office.”
With that, I returned the Principal’s smile with one of my own.
*
After confirming that the Executive Manager of the Prosecutors’ Office had left, I sank into the sofa.
A surprise visit, a surprise request. And of all things, it was for the disruptive Red Wave. This incident would surely cause a tumult for some time.
What a headache.
The Red Wave, audacious enough to deny order and incite chaos, is the enemy not just of the empire but of the entire continent. It posed such a substantial threat that even rival nations were cooperating against it.
It’s only natural. A nation might lose some privileges in disputes, but when the Red Wave prevails, nothing remains of them.
Hence, every country, especially the empire at the pinnacle of the established order, launched its merciless, no-tolerance policy regarding the Red Wave. Leading this charge? The Prosecutors’ Office.
They serve to uphold His Majesty’s authority by keeping the nobles in check. How then could they deal with the Red Wave, which openly denies the very existence of His Majesty?
The students must not panic.
There would surely be a bloodbath. The Prosecutors’ Office had erased entire villages and cities while trying to quell the Red Wave before.
Of course, those actions didn’t occur under the current Executive Manager’s tenure. But would the current Executive Manager act any differently?
It surely won’t come to that.
Two years ago, when he became the Executive Manager at 19, there was a lot of chatter, but now? No one dared to oppose him. The reason was simple: anyone who rebelled was eliminated.
He was ruthless toward those who challenged his authority. He surely wouldn’t treat anyone denying the Emperor with any more leniency.
Having observed the Executive Manager for some time, I grasped his personal character. He’s far from the cruel, heartless figure many might expect.
However, the public persona differs from private behavior.
I hope the spy is caught without a fuss.
I didn’t know who the spy was, but that thought crossed my mind. I feared the chaos that would ensue from the spy’s frantic struggles more than the anger I felt about a traitor lurking in the academy I oversaw.
Surely they wouldn’t execute someone in front of the main building or the front gate for treason.
…Would they?
*
Periodically, I contacted the two managers to check how far along they were.
I felt like a parent checking to see if their child got to their school safely. What am I even doing?
The desperate should bear with it.
Still, it was better than the surprise of them crashing into the club room unannounced. Who knew where they might end up otherwise?
— Executive Manager, do you really miss me that much?
“Shut it.”
The 1st Manager’s misinterpretation of my words along with her twirling her hair was particularly irritating. Miss her? What nonsense was that?
My blunt response caused the 1st Manager to pout and then smack the 2nd Manager, who was chuckling beside her.
— Hey, why are you hitting me?!
— I don’t know! Who told you to be there?
This was somewhat amusing. Go on, hit him more!
The 2nd Manager moaned dramatically and was propelled out of view, as they exchanged blows. Nah, it was more like he was getting thoroughly thrashed.
“Why’s he so weak all of a sudden?”
The 2nd Manager wasn’t specialized in combat, but he shouldn’t be losing to the 1st Manager like this.
— He says he hasn’t regained his strength yet.
“That’s unfortunate.”
The explanation felt sadder than I anticipated. It seemed like he hadn’t fully recovered from the North’s aftermath.
That made sense—the North was brutal. Just surviving an encounter with the Chauzid tribe and not dying was already worthy of celebration.
“So, how far have you come?”
My sympathy for the 2nd Manager lasted just three seconds before I quickly switched the topic.
Well, it shouldn’t be too serious if he was dispatched. The empire preferred to use its civil servants wisely rather than wear them out too quickly.
— We’re in Baron Rivac’s territory, so we’ll arrive in about two more days.
“That’s soon.”
I wondered if we would finish prepping their identities in just two days, but then again, it was the Principal personally handling it, so it should wrap up quickly.
As I nodded that thought, the 1st Manager’s smug face came into view.
“What’s with that smile?”
Two years of being around them were no joke. By now, I could roughly guess why she was smiling just from her face.
I could sense her excitement when she was about to tease me, when she smiled thoughtlessly, or when she was angry.
This time, she was wearing an excited grin. She looked like someone eager to do something fun.
— I’ve heard so much about the Red Wave, and it’ll be my first time seeing them!
And most of the time, that excitement was about discovering some new ‘collection.’
Cheerfully proclaiming this, the 1st Manager reached out and handed me a pouch.
— I made sure to bring it this time!
“Ah, right.”
I quickly averted my eyes from the familiar object. She actually brought it.
She came prepared this time compared to when we dealt with the Third Honor.
Her torture diary…
That item was the 1st Manager’s favored torture tool, and it was where she recorded her most impressive torture sessions.
— Hehe, how many spies do you think there are?
Seeing that made me have a hunch. It didn’t matter if there were many spies or just one; they were probably going to end up dissected like parts of Exodia.
She must have been pretty bored lately.
My site has received a lot of DMCA notices, lol. From now on, I will update the MTL on https://darkmtl.com/.
The site is fast and lightweight because there are no ads yet. However, the theme is different from Cybor-TL, so take some time to familiarize yourself.
Support me by donating at least $10, and you'll have the right to request any novel from Novelpia (excluding 19+ content) using a newly developed tool.