Chapter: 398
The aftermath of that incident shook the continent.
Just as the Crown Prince desired, it was an unprecedented showcase of the empire’s strength, demonstrating it was backed by celestial authority. The performance was so outlandish that it left everyone at the academy completely dazed. It’s no surprise that those who were awestruck spread rumors all over the continent.
Upon hearing the news, the entire continent fell into a collective panic. Now, that’s what I call a perfect performance.
‘Seeing that, they wouldn’t be able to stay calm, right?’
A meteor appearing out of a clear blue sky, and then sliced apart? Honestly, isn’t that just insane? Even if one were to call it nonsensical, they’d still want to hear about it. Surprisingly, this wasn’t just some tall tale; countless witnesses and recordings confirmed its reality.
To top it off, most of those who witnessed it firsthand or filmed it were friendly towards us. Even though the academy opened its doors to outsiders, you’d have to be quite passionate to make your way to the imperial academy. Yet there they were, all gathered at the academy—noble folks who were crazy about swords and magic.
Thanks to that, most outsiders who attended were not only stunned but wildly enthusiastic about the performance. They saw meteors appearing above them, watch them shatter, and instead of viewing it as an act of intimidation, they considered it the pinnacle of incredible magic.
Of course, not everyone was crazed in excitement; some felt threatened. However, with the majority cheering, the dissenters likely kept quiet. After all, who wants to be the party pooper when everyone’s buzzing with joy?
‘But all’s well that ends well.’
The buzz among our supporters only served to benefit us and the empire at large. Even the Crown Prince, who initially clutched his neck in surprise when he heard about the performance, quickly confirmed that diplomatic channels were quiet before launching into a massive publicity campaign.
In truth, even if the diplomatic channels went haywire, I doubt it’d matter much. Let’s get real here—if other nations labeled this as a “terrible provocation by the empire,” what could they actually do? Sanctions? Starting a war?
Maybe right after a succession conflict, that would’ve mattered, but the empire that swallowed the Northern Region isn’t one to crumple under the complaints of Eastern Kingdoms.
“Then can’t you forgive him?”
“No way.”
Kinda saw that coming.
I drooped my head at Mar’s firm stance. If Mar couldn’t forgive, then there’s nothing I could really do…
‘Thought we could sneak by without a hitch.’
Such a bitter pill to swallow. The display of might exceeded what the Crown Prince had hoped for, and the empire’s grandeur spread far and wide across the continent. Ultimately, the Crown Prince even graciously accepted this fiasco. It truly wrapped itself up perfectly.
Of course, one might argue that it was an overreach, and there could be disciplinary actions, but with the entire continent buzzing over the event, that possibility drifted away fast. If they tried to penalize me for this, it’d practically acknowledge that the academy’s chaos was a sudden blunder by the Crown.
This could only mean that disciplining us would ultimately be an admission that the royal family couldn’t control the magic and might Beatrix wielded. Hence, both Beatrix and I got off scot-free.
At least, publicly.
“Thank goodness nothing came of it, but it could have escalated badly for you and Cal.”
Privately, that wasn’t the case.
“Depending on how you look at it, that could be seen as an act threatening foreign dignitaries. What started as a well-meaning gesture could’ve turned malicious.”
“I’m sorry…”
Her reasoning hit home, and all I could muster was apologies.
Just like Mar pointed out, the situation had surprisingly found a smooth resolution. While Beatrix and I had gone a bit overboard with our opportunity but when I look back, it was a perilous act indeed.
Had someone lost their cool and made a formal protest about the meteor hovering over their heads, it would have become a hassle. Sure, we accomplished the show of might, but we’d also have to shoulder the fallout and the scandals that come with it.
“Maybe we should let it slide since the little one seems to have caught on. I think we both understand that this shouldn’t happen again.”
Amidst all this, Beatrix, who had been reading the mood beside Mar, tentatively spoke up. Normally, she’d be kneeling beside me, taking in Mar’s scolding as well—
“I’m truly sorry. That spell was one my father never completed, and I’ve always wanted to try it out.”
Suddenly mentioning memories of a father and daughter with that remark pushed Mar’s focus away from Beatrix, centering it entirely on me. It feels like a cold-blooded jerk to reprimand her when she expressed a desire to showcase magic once held by her father.
“Reflection, huh?”
Then Mar’s gaze switched to Beatrix.
Is it just me or did Beatrix seem to shrink a bit at that moment?
“You agree that you should reflect too, right?”
“Y-Yes, of course.”
Seeing Beatrix hastily nodding away made Mar exhale a deep sigh before giving a nod of her own.
“…Fine. If there’s a mistake, I also bear responsibility for not stopping you till the end, and the royal family seemed to enjoy it, so I probably don’t have much right to object.”
“That’s not true, Mar. Thanks to you, I realized my reckless actions.”
With such a cringe-worthy admission, Mar’s expression softened a tad.
‘Relief fills me.’
I was genuinely worried about what might happen with such a colossal incident. This uncertainty about avoiding Mar’s wrath was finally easing up.
While I let out a silent sigh of relief, I stole a glance at Beatrix, who returned my gaze with an expression that spoke volumes of relief as well.
‘Yeah, I should’ve dropped just one meteor.’
In reality, Mar sure wasn’t irritated because we called down meteors. As mentioned earlier, Mar agreed to that deed.
The real issue was about the number of meteors we dropped. We had promised in the president’s office that we’d only drop one, but somehow, right before the closing ceremony, Beatrix and I secretly agreed to drop multiple.
What a mad idea. Staying in beast-mode and doing that as a human? No way!
From here on out, I need to steer clear of surprises.
Once the second-semester class competitions concluded, life rolled on as usual. Aside from the club fair, field trips, and the class competitions, there’s not much else to highlight.
With the academy calm, however, events began unfolding outside its walls.
“Congratulations.”
—Cough, thanks.
Thankfully, it wasn’t a negative occurrence, but a positive one.
‘What a world.’
I felt cognitive dissonance looking at the grinning Second Manager.
‘That guy is… a dad?’
I rushed to contact the Second Manager after hearing from Elizaveta that he became a father not long ago. The Crown Prince became a dad, and now the Second Manager? What kind of bizarre universe are we living in?
Of course, unlike the Second Manager, who isn’t exactly a people person, his wife Christina is perfectly normal, so there’s a chance they could actually have children, but thinking about an eventual child have “Father: Second Manager” next to their name? That really flips my world upside down.
“Was it a son?”
—Yes, he resembles both me and Christina equally, a beautiful boy. I can already tell he’ll charm girls as he grows up.
“That poor kid inherited the worst traits from his father.”
I said that with all sincerity. Considering the Second Manager’s previous exploits as a notorious Casanova in the academy, I worry for the child’s future. Please let him only inherit the looks and not the personality.
However, it seems the Second Manager took my jab as a joke, chuckling in response.
‘Oh, that guy.’
He was already a tough nut to crack with barbs, and now it feels like he’s leveled up. Must be because of becoming a father?
After a hearty laugh, the Second Manager suddenly remembered something and continues.
—Oh, Christina’s planning to host a banquet once she feels better. Will you come?
I nodded vigorously. Regardless of how my feelings towards the Second Manager have folded over the years, it’s still the duty of a superior to show up when their subordinate has a child.
“Let me know when the date is set. I’ll be there in a heartbeat.”
—Ah, wow, it’ll be an honor to have the Minister of Information present alongside the Minister of Finance.
“Damn you.”
His casual jab hit me right in the gut, prompting some colorful language to slip out. I’m still not a minister, just a designate.
‘What a wretched fellow.’
It feels so wrong that I’m suffering through this, having to face jabs from a subordinate due to an undesired promotion. Who am I supposed to share my misery with—?
…
‘Should I promote him too?’
Suddenly that thought struck me. As the head of the Information Department, I’m a minister-designate, while the Second Manager’s position is basically empty above him.
It’s unlikely I’d be able to elevate him to Head, but at least I could set him up as the next Deputy Manager, right?
‘Nice.’
That thought brought me a sense of peace. If I have a subordinate who congratulates my impending ministerial promotion, I might as well return the favor with a nice little boost for him.
As I made that little promise and wore a slight smile, sensing a change in the atmosphere, the Second Manager hastily wrapped up our conversation.
—Then I’ll see you at the banquet.
“Sure.”
I’ll bring good news about a promotion along with me.
The next morning, a vibrating violet communication crystal had me bracing myself. I’d wager that, despite the banquet, I wouldn’t be seeing the Second Manager today.
[His Majesty the Emperor has announced his abdication. All high-ranking officials of department head level and above, immediately gather at the palace.]
And sure enough, that anxious feeling I often find myself guessing was right on the money, as the message sent via the crystal provided a solid reason to head for the palace.
‘Ha.’
Just seeing the word ‘abdication’ elicited a hollow laugh from me. I had a feeling the wave of abdications would arise soon, but I’d hoped it would at least hold off ’til next year.
‘…Looks like it’s not just me who’s shocked.’
Looking closely, I saw several typos in that brief message. Whoever sent it must’ve been just as flustered.
Thinking of the emperor’s secretary, who must be scrambling to handle the empty chair left by the Minister of the Imperial Household, I suddenly grew somber.
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