Chapter: 411
By around the time the graduation party was wrapping up, the headmaster of the Academy was starting to feel what it meant to have his lifespan gnawed away.
It was at that moment when demands started pouring in from all directions.
The turning point had been the First Queen of the Soladin Kingdom.
On the day of the graduation party, disguised, she visited the Academy and, for some reason, informed that she would be inserting her people into the Academy.
It wasn’t a negotiation, but a unilateral notice.
At first, the headmaster resistance to maintain the Academy’s independence, but he couldn’t stand against the pressure from the nobles who funded the Academy.
Thus, the First Queen’s demand was begrudgingly accepted.
After that, the Second Queen came and said that she would also be inserting her people.
Having anticipated that the Second Queen would step in the moment he accepted the First Queen’s request, the headmaster let out a heh of resignation and complied.
He figured it would be better for the Academy if the Second Queen’s people came in and kept each other in check rather than just filling the place with the First Queen’s people.
The problem was that such requests continued at a feverish pace for three months, while the existing professors of the Academy began to rebel.
Voices rose questioning where the Academy’s independence had gone as those who had been forced out were replaced by those who entered through power, manipulating the power dynamics among the professors.
The headmaster, aged prematurely over the last few months, resolved to resign the moment this year ended.
Staying any longer in this insane place would likely lead to a burnout before his time was up.
While pondering how to resign naturally, one of the professors, Karl, visited the headmaster’s office.
The appearance of a knight who had barely any opportunity to meet due to balancing his work as a professor and serving his lord made the headmaster break out in a cold sweat.
“What now? What has happened that a knight of the Allen family has come here? Is it related to the recent discovery of the Followers of the Evil God on the street?”
“There has been an infiltration by the Followers of the Evil God inside the Academy,” Professor Karl’s words were more horrifying than anything the headmaster could have imagined.
The Followers of the Evil God had infiltrated the Academy!?
That meant their safety device, created along with the Church, had failed to function at all!
Fortunately, it was a relief that the students of the Academy, including the Saintess, had already subdued the followers.
Had the Saintess not made the first move, a huge disaster would have unfolded during the Academy’s entrance ceremony.
“What is the current situation?”
“There are no injuries, and the Followers of the Evil God were directly guided to the Church by the Saintess.”
“…So, the aftermath is already taken care of. That’s a relief. I can’t express how thankful I am that the Saintess is here.”
“The one who resolved this issue is the Saintess…”
“…Hmm? What did you say, Professor Karl?”
“Nothing. I’ve finished the story, so I’ll take my leave.”
“Right. Ah, please convey my gratitude to the Saintess and the noble families. I’ll visit them separately later, but I should send my regards in advance.”
However, the headmaster’s relief didn’t last a day.
As if they knew of the quietly handled matter within the Academy, the Second Queen’s confidant came bearing a crystal connected to the Second Queen.
“Headmaster. What the heck is going on here?”
The Second Queen’s confidant had arrived with a crystal connected to her.
Not long ago, a Follower of the Void had been discovered in the street, so how could the internal checks of the Academy have been so lax? The two queen’s complaints were completely reasonable, and the headmaster had no words to say.
Of course, he could have spoken. He could have mentioned that the chaos resulted from the power struggle within the royal family made personnel checks impossible or that he had summoned the Church’s people, yet found nothing.
“I’ll send someone to check the barrier again, so keep that in mind.”
“Yes. Understood, Second Queen.”
However, knowing that making excuses would only incite more anger, the headmaster humbly lowered his head.
From then on, the headmaster faced numerous complaints from noble families and other academies, each time thinking that it was a relief to have concluded matters before anything catastrophic occurred.
If he had learned of the problems only after they arose like last year, he might have literally lost his head.
Just when the headmaster was finally catching his breath amid all the complaints, a girl appeared in his office.
Until a year ago, she had been scorned by everyone in the kingdom, but now she had become a person sought after by all factions.
The Young Lady, praised for her beauty by the followers of the Arts Church as the manifestation of the Goddess.
A genius said to potentially overturn the continent’s balance in the future.
Lucy Allen had come to the headmaster’s office.
Dressed in her school uniform, she entered the room without even greeting the headmaster and plopped down on the sofa.
Crossing her legs and nodding at the headmaster with an air of arrogance suited her too well, yet the headmaster couldn’t say a word.
The one who had saved his neck by solving various Academy issues sat right in front of him.
Once again indebted, the headmaster forced a smile and seated himself across from Lucy Allen.
“What brings you here at this late hour, Young Lady?”
“I’ve got news that’ll shorten our poor headmaster’s lifespan.”
“…News that would shorten my lifespan?”
“Curious, are we? If you plead to hear it, I might just tell you as a special favor.”
“W-What could it possibly be?”
“Puahaha. Your voice is shaking; you must be terrified. How troubling. I wonder if I tell you this, you might just drop dead from fear.”
What to do? Lucy pondered while tapping her chin, and the headmaster cautiously bowed his head.
“Please have mercy and share the news with me, Young Lady Allen.”
“Hmm, you look so pathetic, so I’ll kindly help you out.”
With a giggle, Lucy pulled a piece of stationery from her coat. The headmaster took it and froze upon seeing the seal on the letter.
If the headmaster’s eyes weren’t deceiving him, the seal on the letter belonged to the Jushin Church.
“What are you doing? Open it and read it. I’m sure you’ll find it amusing.”
Unable to resist her urging, the headmaster tore open the letter and collapsed to the floor after reading its contents.
The letter contained a statement of condemnation from the Jushin Church regarding this incident.
In other words, it meant that the most influential religion on the continent would directly question the headmaster’s wrongdoings.
“Wow. Did you lose so much strength in your legs from the joy? Since you’re so happy, I’m delighted too.”
“I- Is this for real?”
“Are you losing your memory from all those late nights? How could my friend possibly lie?”
Recalling who was next to Lucy Allen, the headmaster trembled and quickly lifted his head.
There must be a reason she brought this to me. Otherwise, she would have simply watched me die!
“What… what do you want from me, Young Lady?”
“Me? Watching the powerless headmaster flail around and meet a pathetic end would be amusing.”
“Please, I beg you. I will do anything. I will do anything, so please help me.”
The headmaster could handle condemnation from other nobles. He was also a noble of the Soladin Kingdom, and it would be possible to just become another faded old man.
But not from the Jushin Church. If they condemned him, all his acquaintances, family, and even his country would abandon him.
“Really, are you willing to do anything?”
Bowing his head repeatedly, the headmaster only raised his head after hearing Lucy Allen’s voice.
“Yes, of course, Young Lady.”
“Then lick.”
“…Excuse me?”
“Was I speaking in a foreign language?”
Seeing the shoes bobbing in front of him, the headmaster stuttered before opening his mouth. However, Lucy didn’t allow that and pushed his forehead, sending him sprawling.
“Puhuhuh. I was joking, but I didn’t think you’d actually try to do it. Looks like you want to cling to life, even if it means embarrassing yourself in your age, huh?”
“…”
“Swear you’ll work for me. Then I’ll stop the Jushin Church’s condemnation. Surely, even a senile headmaster can understand this much?”
“… Yes. Understood, Young Lady.”
“Oh, and one more thing I’d like to ask. It would be something a headmaster could grant.”
“Anything, please say it. I’ll gladly comply.”
“I’d like to bring a maid of mine along.”
*
‘I didn’t think things would go so smoothly.’
Finishing the oath with the headmaster, I was filled with astonishment at how easily things proceeded.
Since it was a plan handed down from my grandpa, I believed it would work out well, but not to this extent.
[What else could it be? They’re understandably terrified because their faults are clear.]
‘…Isn’t it a bit much not to suspect even that this matter hasn’t gotten out?’
Originally, the fact that the Followers of the Evil God had infiltrated the Academy hadn’t spread anywhere. This incident was quietly handled compared to the chaos on Academy Street.
The priests of the Church who took the followers didn’t even suspect anything had occurred at the Academy, merely thinking of it as a matter settled by Phoebe.
Then what about those who were pressuring the headmaster all this time?
Except for the initial instigator, the Second Queen, most were fakes crafted by the Newman Family and Karia’s subordinates. The headmaster had crumbled in fear after being pressured by forged complaints.
Grandpa’s plan was this.
Firstly, intimidate through the connection with the Second Queen by getting her involved.
Then mix real complaints from my connections with the forged ones to apply pressure, and finally, with the Church’s letter, deliver the finishing blow.
The strong assault made in the headmaster’s office was also part of the plan. So he wouldn’t notice something odd and end up swearing.
[What’s the harm? That idiot’s foolishness made everything go smoothly. Now I just need to hold the leash nicely.]
‘That does seem to be the case.’
Soon, the headmaster would realize he had been completely deceived, but it would already be too late.
Having sworn an oath with me, he had no choice but to follow my words, barring extraordinary circumstances.
There was no way a scholar and noble could withstand the disgrace of breaking an oath. Thus, I had properly secured a reliable informant instead of Luka, who might act erratically.
This is why I appreciate being able to work with a person of normal thinking. Unlike maniacs like Luka or Lasha, I can trust them to follow along.
[But tell me, Lucy. Why do you want to bring your maid along?]
‘It’s not a grand reason. I need Erin to achieve the perfect makeup.’
<…You added that on purpose just for such a trivial reason?>
‘It’s not just a trivial reason. This is more important than you think.’
Grandpa, your deity wishes for me to pray and perform makeup!
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