Time passed, and a little over a month had gone by.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
“Tests are over, collect the papers from the back.”
As the bell signaling the end of the exam rang outside, Fernand, sitting on the podium, stood up.
At his words, the students who sat in the last row began to gather their exam papers one by one…
Ugh…!!
Rudel stretched, showing signs of fatigue, reaching his hands above his head.
“How was the exam? Do you think you did well?”
“Pretty much? How about you?”
“I only knew the things I had studied.”
“Then that’s a relief.”
With a slight smile that seemed indifferent, Leje responded, and Rudel lightly loosened up and stood up.
“What are you going to do now?”
With today marking the last of the exams, it meant that from now on, including tomorrow’s weekend, there would be free time.
“My sister called me… I think I have to go for a bit.”
“I see. Want to grab dinner outside since it’s been a while?”
“That sounds good. I’ll go as soon as I’m done.”
“Got it.”
As Rudel nodded in response, Leje packed her things and headed out of the classroom.
Watching her, Rudel also gathered his belongings and followed her outside.
Huh…
A short sigh slipped from Rudel’s lips as he walked down the hallway.
The midterm exam was a hurdle for someone like him who was a student, but the real challenges were just beginning.
“What to do…”
The chimera he had faced in the back alley was clearly quite well-made.
This meant that the church faction within the academy might have secured a considerable number of chimeras.
“The timing really sucks…”
In that situation, the fact that the princess was visiting the academy made Rudel feel uneasy.
This was understandable, as in the original story, she played a pivotal role in a colossal event.
The kingdom’s civil war.
It was an event that signaled the story’s descent into decayed matter.
The princess, long hailed as the heir, was assassinated by pawns of the church that had infiltrated the kingdom, and her uncle, Duke Franz, claimed the right to succession and took over the royal castle by force.
On top of that, the church’s incitement and conspiracy triggered a civil war within the kingdom.
With the church’s mass procurement of high-risk monsters like chimeras and the entire kingdom in a festive mood, even the princess would be walking straight into the jaws of danger.
For the church, it was indeed a golden opportunity.
“I need to prepare…”
Of course, there was a good possibility that the church wasn’t fully ready yet.
But it was far too important a matter to neglect preparations based on mere possibility.
“Then, where do I start from…”
First, he needed to think of ways to deal with the chimeras.
Even a few chimeras released would surely turn the academy into pure chaos.
No matter how great a magician Rudel was, he couldn’t possibly handle tens of chimeras all by himself.
“Ugh…”
There were the student council and the academy’s guards, but their skill level and armament made it difficult for them to confront chimeras.
To minimize damage while dealing with the chimeras, he would at least need combatants from the peacekeeping force’s 1st, 2nd, and 3rd classes.
Ugh…
Feeling a headache coming on, Rudel let out a low groan.
And then, at that moment…
[Um, excuse me…]
“…?”
At the familiar mechanical sound coming from behind him, Rudel turned with a puzzled expression.
What caught his eyes was a giant mechanical armor, emitting steam and moving forward.
[Ah, hello Count Weinstein…!!]
“Oh, Silphier.”
Rudel greeted her as he recognized her…
[Did you do well on the exam…?]
“Pretty much, how about you?”
[W-well, I think I did well too… ]
“So? What’s up?”
Since the incident in the back alley, they hadn’t had many conversations.
It was only to be expected, as they were busy with exam preparations, and Silphier’s social anxiety wasn’t something that could be cured in a day.
If it could be resolved that quickly, she wouldn’t have needed to wrap herself in armor to begin with.
[It’s, it’s nothing much… I just wanted to say hi… ]
“And?”
[W-well, I thought you looked like you were in serious trouble… ]
“Do I look that serious?”
For her, who rarely spoke to others, to approach him and ask about his worries must have meant he had an extremely serious expression.
As he thought about wanting to look at himself in a mirror, Rudel replied in a flustered voice.
[S-sorry…! That was quite overstepping my bounds…! I’m sorry for bothering you…!]
“No… you really don’t have to put yourself down like that…”
With her constantly bowing her head while emitting steam, Rudel chuckled awkwardly.
[Ah, I, I see… Thank you… ]
“It’s nice of you to try to help, but it’s not really something you could help with. Sorry.”
[No, no! I’m the one who should be sorry for not being helpful…!!]
“Hahaha…”
As Silphier waved her hand at him, the two-meter-tall armor acting like a girl created an indescribable and strange sensation within Rudel.
And then…
A thought crossed Rudel’s mind as he looked at Silphier.
Was there really a need to deal with the chimeras?
What if he just incapacitated them instead?
As the pieces of his mental puzzle began to align, a smile gradually appeared on Rudel’s face.
[Count Weinstein…?]
Seeing his reaction, Silphier cocked her head in confusion.
And with sparkling eyes, Rudel shouted.
“Silphier!! No, Lady Pelennies!”
[Kyah!?]
Startled by his loud voice, Silphier screamed.
At the same time, the gazes of other students passing by turned toward them.
“H-hem… I’m sorry for startling you. I didn’t mean to…”
[Ah, it’s nothing… Don’t worry about it… ]
Feeling embarrassed, Rudel cleared his throat and hunched his shoulders.
Looking back up, he spoke to Silphier in a polite tone.
“If it’s okay, could you help me a bit?”
*
In a secret laboratory located beneath the northern tower of the academy.
A man was watching over a pool containing chimeras, which were monsters mixed from various creatures.
In his murky gray eyes, ambition that had long been extinguished blazed back to life.
“The heavens are helping me.”
The unexpected visit of the princess.
Mysterious collaborators promised him that if he eliminated her, they would grant him everything he desired.
From the immortality arts he sought to vast treasures and power.
Moreover, they even promised him the entire kingdom.
The competitors who had pushed him aside through dirty tricks and taken the place he deserved.
Moreover, the kingdom that failed to recognize his worth.
For him, these were all things without reason or value for existence.
“Soon it’s coming… Soon everything I desire can be realized…!!”
There had been an unidentified presence that had been bothering him recently, but at this point, it didn’t matter.
Ever since the back alley incident, that person had not shown their face.
Whether they were dead or simply hiding out of fear was unknown, but even if they reappeared, he already had dozens of fully prepared and awaiting awakening chimeras.
Top-class chimeras that had been crafted with immense effort.
If they were set loose, turning the royal road into chaos would be a piece of cake.
Imagining the rosy future unfolding before him, he was lost in ecstasy.
At that moment…
“You seem to be in a good mood…”
“You’ve arrived.”
A voice came from behind him.
He slowly turned his head to see a man standing there.
Covered in a dark robe and hood, his detailed appearance was unclear, but the pressure emanating from him was something he could clearly feel.
“Is the preparation going well?”
“Of course. I’m itching to set those beasts loose right now.”
The carnage the chimeras would unleash.
In the midst of it all, the man’s voice was filled with anticipation, seemingly indifferent to the lives that would be sacrificed.
“I hope you are aware that there mustn’t be any mistakes this time.”
“Hmph! I hope you’re ready to keep your promise too!”
Immortality, power, immense wealth, and even the kingdom itself.
All these things were about to be in his grasp.
Unable to hide his excitement over that fact, the man’s voice quivered with joy.
“You don’t need to worry about that. Unlike them, we always keep our promises.”
“Then I’m relieved. Now, please leave; I don’t want any interruptions during these final adjustments.”
“Understood.”
Nodding at the man’s words, the other man began operating the controls, and a humming sound erupted as numerous cables began creating noise.
As he walked away, the figure faded into the shadows.
Kuhuhuh…Haha!!!
Following that, a crazed laughter began to resonate within the laboratory.
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