<791 – How to Prevent the Professors' Corruption (2)>
Massugaki, who had been sitting on the throne maturely, turned into a brat the moment she met her motivation.
“Behave yourself.”
“No way~”
“If you keep staying up late and wandering around on quests, you won’t grow taller.”
“If I get knelt down, I’ll grow even more♡”
“If the Empress leaves the palace now, it’ll be hard to prevent the accidents caused by the new nobles who are obsessed with dark mana.”
“But we have the Minister of Internal Affairs, Fukitsunamono~?”
That’s why I’m trying to dissuade you; I can’t trust that guy.
Eungchilgeom Alexander couldn’t hide his discomfort. Just when he thought the suspicious Jibsa Jang Okashii-ne had disappeared, now appeared a Minister of Internal Affairs who incessantly summoned dark mana.
– The new nobles were repelled by using the Chimera Legion against powerful demonic beasts that couldn’t be controlled by the system.
– Well done♡
– A few new nobles were ambushed during a frantic dark mana competition, destroying facilities and detaining all involved.
– Excellent♡
– Can I dispose of them as usual?
– Sure~♡
The Minister of Internal Affairs, basking in the Emperor’s praise, was selectively choosing only the cruelest punishments. Just gathering the experience and dark mana during the punishment process elevated the Minister to the second rank in the palace’s dark mana hierarchy.
Considering how others were slowing down their rate of acquisition and putting effort into purification to prevent dark mana from reaching their bones, it was worrisome to think that the Minister might go crazy and commit a massacre at this insane speed.
Yet, there was no sign of insanity.
That was even scarier.
‘Is that thing really human?’
‘That ominous fellow…’
The Royal First Knight Hiscliff and Alexander looked at Dmitri, asking him to do something.
Dmitri, who had been an exceptional being even back in the Eungchilgeom days, was now the Royal First Knight and the greatest sword, the only person capable of standing up to the Minister of Internal Affairs.
“Your Majesty.”
“…What?”
Even though she slyly turned away from the earnest gazes of her loyal subordinates, Hiscliff and Alexander, she couldn’t ignore Dmitri’s stare. Unlike the two who were clearly her people, she still held onto the thought of Dmitri being ‘the Emperor’s knight.’
In her eyes, there was no sign of ‘loyalty’ towards Massugaki.
“Professors who do not follow the Empire’s control are a great threat.”
“Then it’s even more my duty to take care of them!”
“That means it’s a danger to you, Your Majesty.”
“…Huh?”
“If Your Majesty were to pass away, the Empire’s professors could return to the political arena, riding on the authority of the mainstream nobles who support them. Now that the previous Emperor has passed, the Empress must pay extra attention to her own safety.”
However, even without loyalty, she didn’t relinquish her position as the foremost knight of Eungchilgeom and the current Royal First Knight. Dmitri saw Massugaki as the Emperor needed for the future of the Empire and offered her some advice.
“Your words are excessive.”
“Your Majesty is still young. Can you not speak in gentler terms that better consider your interests?”
Even with the remarks from Akuno and Alexander, Dmitri feigned ignorance. Her attitude might be annoying, but Massugaki instinctively realized she had her own wishes.
“So, do you want to go directly? With someone like Dmitri, you could just sit in the palace like a totem and the security would go up without doing anything!”
“…Before the previous Emperor stepped down, I had a duel with a scholarship student from the Empire.”
Surprisingly enough, the emotion that surfaced on Dmitri’s face was anger.
“Charlotte of the Foundation. The strong one who gained [Golden Apple] that grants control over space and even [Bivo], did not show up for this Foundation Workshop Battle. The remnants of the Foundation still exist, which means that they have plans in place for the aftermath of the chairman’s death.”
“…!”
That was hard to overlook.
Even though the chairman of the Foundation had died, the direct subordinates, the Maid Jang and Butler of the Foundation, had yet to reveal themselves. Including the existence of that strong Charlotte meant the Foundation might be preparing a Plan B following the chairman’s death.
“The abandoned Academy professors are very favorable prey for them. According to the testimonies of Warrior Ishtar and the Warrior Party, some professors have already betrayed the academy and joined the Foundation, so the remaining ones are likely to be recruited as well.”
“Certainly… That cannot be left alone. Since my motivations have done a lot in the Foundation Workshop Battle, this much cleanup should be done by the Empire. I’ll allow participation♡”
Massugaki harbored this selfish desire in her heart. If her motivations defeated the chairman, she could say she had defeated the wicked professors of the academy too. She wanted to brag about having powerful subordinates like the Warriors in front of Oknodie!
“Oknodie, help meee…! At this rate, the weak Royal Guard Captain will die…”
Not long after, the Emperor’s ambitions resonated in a voice on the verge of crying as she called for help through the communication talisman.
*
Back in the dormitory after sending both papas to the netherworld.
Perhaps due to the influence of being exposed to various kinds of enormous powers, Howling Mandragora was running away from me while screaming in fear.
To the Mandragora, which perceives the world with mana instead of eyes, I must have looked like a giant monster carrying the powers of the 24 gods on my back.
“So, Senior Alice, could you take care of Howling for a while?”
“I’m okay with it… but are you okay? The one who really needs taking care of is you rather than Howling.”
“Me? Why’s that?”
In response to my innocent question, Senior Alice couldn’t hide her worried tone.
“You sent off two papas.”
“I’m not sure I understand. Is it really worth being sad about?”
“They’re called tyrants or great evils by the world, so people say there’s no value in mourning their deaths, and if you’re holding back your sadness because you care about others’ opinions, you don’t have to. They might be that kind of person to others, but for you, they are still family.”
“What is family?”
“Uh…?”
Senior Alice seemed confused. Maybe it was too tough a question.
“Is it that if someone tells me from today that I’m your papa, then they become family?”
“That’s not it… but if protecting and caring for a child is a father’s duty, then they must have tried to protect you in their own way.”
“Hm… is that so?”
I knew both of their missions had failed and they had walked the wrong path, but they had still tried to teach me various things in their own way.
Seonhwang Papa taught me the security that consistent support and trust provides, and Foundation Papa taught me the strength of loneliness that comes when you break free from the frailty and futility of relationships.
Well, I already know all of that.
I thought those foolish papas were pitiable, ridiculous, and regrettable. I even shed tears as I empathized with their lifetimes once.
But those were the tears shed by ‘the Demon King’ and not by me, ‘Oknodie,’ right?
– We shouldn’t look back at the past.
– We shouldn’t let go of the past sorrow.
– If we do, there are too many screams and evil deeds that can’t be forgotten and we can’t take a single step forward.
My own promise.
I repeated my own magical words and stuffed the feelings of sorrow tightly into the garbage bin of emotions placed at the far end of my inner world.
When I opened my eyes beyond the countless trash bins of my inner world, what returned was the usual clear and refreshing feeling!
…Just kidding, it was the excruciating pain from my whole body!
I wasn’t joking when I said the power-saving mode thing to Ishtar; it truly hurt so much that it felt like I would die if I exerted just a little bit of strength.
“Ugh…”
Going in and out of my inner world while using magic must have strained me, and as I clutched my aching body, I let out a groan and Senior Alice sniffled.
“Even if you try to act all tough and calm outside, once you return to the dorm, you’re just a kid crying secretly over losing your papas… so sad!”
“That’s not it!”
“I get it. Oknodie doesn’t want to show a weak side to anyone. Don’t worry. Today, I’ll pretend I didn’t see anything at all. So let it out and cry!”
As the arm attached to the Dark Aptitude Evaluation Hat sent debilitating strength and pain to my already battered energy channels, I couldn’t do anything but scream.
“Aaaaahhh…!”
“You can cry more; it’s soundproofed! So you can cry as much as you want!”
“It hurts… don’t touch me!”
“Crying in secret isn’t shameful! Cry louder!”
“I’m telling you it hurts!”
Every time I returned to the dorm, I was forced to labor in tears by Senior Alice, and this would last for several days.
“Help me, Ishtar!”
Unable to endure it any longer, I sought help from Ishtar only for her eyes to glisten with tears and raise her hands.
“Oknodie was the type to cry alone in a deserted place.”
“Ishtar?”
“It’s alright. No matter how trashy the head of the Foundation was, he was still a precious papa to you. I swear on my name as a warrior to keep your secret.”
“D-Don’t come near me!”
“Just come and cry in my arms!”
“WAAAAH!”
Ishtar’s overpowering strength squeezed my body, screaming in agony.
With no energy to activate a sense-blocking spell, pain surged from my body, causing tears to flow out involuntarily.
“See? Oknodie’s eyes. So red.”
“I guess I’ve been crying secretly.”
“Well, they must’ve been precious papas to you.”
“So pitiful.”
“Should I at least offer consolation?”
As time passed, it seemed even Senior Alice and Ishtar weren’t enough, as every female student I encountered would be ready to attack me with hugs.
The moment I received contact from Massugaki was just one peaceful afternoon as I trembled in fear at the merciless strategy of my companions to target my weakness.
“Oknodie, help meee…! The weak Royal Guard Captain is gonna die…!”
“Why is the Royal Guard Captain dying?”
“I went to eliminate the remaining professors in Goblin World, but the life signs have weakened!”
This was it.
As soon as I heard this, the faces of Senior Alice, Ishtar, Isabel, Arcadia, Rosgini, and all those who had been happily tormenting me flashed in my mind.
It was time to turn the tables and give all of them a taste of their own medicine!
