Chapter 67
vae“Good work. Thank you for answering sincerely.”Zc7F
dZKxiA“It’s nothing. With your permission.”m0g
rIjLuina gave a slight bow and left the headmaster’s office.2kP
BL2HL8“Hmm…”7UiHeX8
32ZSThe headmaster leafed through the reports one after another.jJcyo
0S58“They all say exactly the same thing.”1bEK3
ikGx“That’s right. Demons, demons… frankly, it doesn’t sound real. Do you believe it’s true?”Mqnhzgr
10p“Not at all.”Xgd
YOOUOZy“At least act like you doubt it a little.”mwKIlT
KkXFX“We’re talking about demons. Is it possible that mere students could have exterminated one—if one really descended?”dih
j6BO6He was right. Demons were the enemies of humanity, disasters in human form.IEbCRQR
0HX7L0cIf they could be defeated by students, would they really deserve to be called enemies of humanity?N9KMZ
5wFPfVWould the First Emperor, who founded the Empire after defeating demons and King Colomo, have been glorified if such things were so common?0hNa
tqJE1qsNo. It would be like not celebrating a knight for slaying an orc.sL1
HOY3deEven so, the puzzling thing was that all the interviewed students said the same thing.0n10bg
sCVt8“They clearly agreed beforehand.”k7bgVl
QV5“And why would they do that?”4quWJ
eP0“For prestige. Doesn’t it sound better to say they defeated a demon than a corrupted entity?”Mbn
QHs3Oi1“And would they risk lying knowing how easily the truth could be exposed? Consider their circumstances. If discovered, the damage would be far greater than the benefit.”m7WMGvW
7sq8W1GThat was true as well.O36kew
rWu“I suppose the answer will come when we speak with the next student. Send him in.”YCg8
6sdCAnd if someone had schemed this with a clear purpose, the most likely suspect was Fernan Pellenberg.SjuTW
UwrDeb“Come in.”19laA
8mN4smOMoments later, Fernan entered. Though his face looked a little pale, his eyes were calm.zTo
u4DRzZw‘He still hasn’t fully recovered, it seems.’mjud
REcXzkZ“Sit.”yCHDd
8thUrEQ“Yes, sir.”XJK
j4e2S“Serve something. What would you like?”okQqd7
1laDCcJ“Coffee, please.”BZFDC
o9y“Sweet?”wAiNBt
fyLLc8“I don’t need sugar.”RUqyf
yLiDsvUThe secretary served black tea for the headmaster and coffee for Fernan.FsV
eOtksFg“Fernan. First of all, I want to thank you. In my absence, you and your companions protected the academy from what could have been a disaster.”dwWB3
i9tq“I only did what I had to.”bB2K5v
YtGq“Whatever the reason, your contribution and that of the others deserves recognition. I’ll make sure you are rewarded appropriately.”9da2I
ntOaK7w“Thank you.”RBJ
XPncCkKRejecting material rewards was not in Fernan’s nature.6O1t
V2Kunve“Now then, let’s get to the point… I imagine you already know what I’m going to ask.”i4Jaz
qYuFD“To be honest, yes.”2hL3Bt
f6MIt was obvious. With everything that had happened, there was nothing else to ask about but the demon.Fg0uNv
l8fuI6“Before that, would you read this?”ujn
objKCThe headmaster handed him the reports with the other students’ testimonies.AU7cvwe
ngo“A barrier suddenly appeared, isolating the area. The enemy appeared. We fought. We won with difficulty.”NvniH
nacuAs he spoke, the headmaster poured milk into his tea and stirred it slowly.v2vX
dRF5T8“The words of the four interviewed students match word for word. At another time, I would have accepted their accounts without question.”wc6exg
gE0nQ“But this time something doesn’t add up.”dE7KeZD
Yk37tvs“Correct.”kuVbON
lpE1STThe headmaster brought the tea to his lips.Dsafosg
sInIsOk“Will you also say you fought a demon?”mCNOs
Xq1BE7His eyes, wrinkled yet piercingly sharp, bore into Fernan.tMBhh
tgv“Or will you tell the truth?”NDxYHox
oHDzXi“I’ll tell the truth.”WYt
vFmm“Good.”gP70xy
2qo2“We fought a demon.”mvf
ivNNRiPThe headmaster’s eyes narrowed slightly.abfpg
1RSA4“Specifically, the 72nd demon, Andromalius.”Vwq
OCWf7“Why are you convinced of that?”qHLab6I
5Y2k6“His appearance matched perfectly with what’s described in ancient texts.”QZig
KTC7SN“That’s all?”rW6kao
2fOiC“He introduced himself as the general of hell, Andromalius, and his power was far beyond any corrupted entity.”RrKj
qxJFKju“I see.”Vp1
w5wThe headmaster stroked his long beard, which reached his chest, and turned to the next page of the report.pNF
bU5j“Then, according to you, what happened was this: corrupted entities infiltrated the academy, activated a barrier, and within it a battle with a demon took place. Do you agree with that version?”c3CUfG
k6TxuqThe headmaster lowered the documents.Fh4x
em1rRK3“Yes. That’s what happened.”gtGo
vLWNF“I believe it’s possible.”fbe5ST
TLzejr2“Possible?”IYe8
acnUItG“The enemies were new, weren’t they? And they were targeting Aint Armian. Surely they gave it everything they had.”rC3
g1059“Are you suggesting I’m lying?”vxM4vHY
WFF“Not at all. I trust you. And the others. But precisely because of that, I think you may have mistaken a corrupted entity for a demon. It’s normal under pressure.”5NR5fK
CdwDaWeThe headmaster spoke calmly.kOc
ZTkLA demon and a corrupted entity were different things. Only one letter apart, but the gulf between them was immense.3y8
CjKEven knowing the headmaster doubted him, Fernan didn’t feel offended.YPwSv
4r1After all, he had already seen it in the prophecy book. And if he put himself in the headmaster’s shoes, he would have thought the same.BpxjmJ
GgloaWhat was a demon? Only seventy-two existed. Each was a calamity unto itself.U5mKu
f4FTo say a group of students defeated one—who would believe it?gBPz
7e6kvk“I understand your position. And I respect it.”VMes
lnEThat was why Fernan nodded naturally. But the headmaster did not overlook the hidden edge in his words.FEkzcOr
lr2Tgz3“You’re throwing my own words back at me. And you don’t even look surprised or indignant.”MQQ4Ht
nM2RzHis hand stopped stroking his beard.zyvubby
DFEt4w“Then… do you have proof?”lCue
nqTr7“What do you think?”zPwwAE7
ysc“The matter of demons and corrupted entities is no small thing. The decisions we make will depend on the testimony of you—the first witnesses and victims. It will change the entire stance of the academy and the Empire.”9giu
GErhXBIt wasn’t the same to declare they had faced entities already known as it was to assert that a demon had manifested.NQFN
Z4GSJ“I understand.”IEF4DwY
F3KKUb5“And are you willing to take responsibility for what you said?”WrySI
6grThe headmaster’s gaze grew heavy. Without applying direct pressure, the atmosphere in the office became dense.Pax
l98CF“No.”J8y
QoiOEven so, Fernan denied calmly.3m2
Y2cgWuL“I have no intention of carrying that burden, nor do I think I should. I’m only stating the truth.”makG
n6Mdb“The truth… according to Pellenberg. Then, I assume you have evidence.”JZ6s
ada27jFernan took an orb from his subspace and placed it on the desk.BvwAsOF
oWyN“Is this a recording orb?”y8R
X9LU“See for yourself.”qj2zED
uXns“Give me a moment.”FaqM
E7IP65The headmaster infused mana into the recording orb. A soft light ignited, and the events within the barrier began to project.r6q7C
5rm9mThe demon’s appearance, tearing through space.39c
pwU2The battle.NrJTWKG
LKxpSd9Another battle. And another.4rQX
44pmm2“…This is…”CxG
MHluOc2Seeing the entire recording, the headmaster covered his face with his hand.nWf
Vv5xJ“…It definitely was a demon.”t7jJVqc
QYiThe headmaster’s eyes changed.qfFN
W0F“Hahaha… Seems I’ve gotten too soft lately.”8cQKj
0GkicOtherwise, how would someone have dared to summon a demon inside the academy?1fVbb
3OL1I“Kh…!”N8BLzZG
QSM“Ah, my apologies. I got carried away.”k4bQu
hrF3zt1The aura released unconsciously made Fernan stifle a groan. Only then did the headmaster realize and withdraw his pressure.M2B
PXVcoY“Now I have no choice but to believe you. This is a hundred times better than any fancy speech.”dzm
6K9“I’m glad it was to your liking.”i1kCNo
DiaMXM“But, if I’m not mistaken, this isn’t the original, is it? I get the impression some parts are missing.”Hc5ma
BD1zzPbThe headmaster’s sharp eyes bore into Fernan.rxm9
9gpoXPOf course he had omitted parts.ei3
Q9TShowing the traps he had prepared exploding would have been the same as confessing he knew about the demon from the start.wow3D
SzIhO9vAnd omitting Wooden was to avoid overshadowing Aint by stealing the spotlight.9UXB39
Otihn“It’s the original.”NTbkPU
bRNRiydAnd he wasn’t lying. He hadn’t edited the data, he had simply chosen not to record the unnecessary from the start.0cin
bcyW“There was more, yes. But during the battle with the demon, some of the engravings were damaged.”yh1pw1i
DsQY“I see. Understood.”SMhs
WKiJThe headmaster nodded slowly.zlA44cs
rYq0“Then, one last question…”0KALV
Kmzec“As many as you like.”spDlSbn
8Lr3Fiq“Why were you there at that moment?”NzP
082He had anticipated it.VpDTR3P
VW8“As you know, I was the one who personally brought the branch of the World Tree. I grew attached to it and… during the vacation, I wanted to see if it had taken root properly.”j0XhWqX
Q7h“I understand. It’s no ordinary object, and if you obtained it through effort, it’s natural you’d care about it.”HShJ
VRu“Thank you for understanding.”1E1Ai
u63The critical moment had passed. Fernan allowed himself a brief sigh of relief.zbgRhj
KOyINcYBut then.ZA7b
DTteOE“And why were the other students with you?”WzTQlri
0y7rBThe question struck like a direct stab.3F2nW
UlZDMgThe headmaster stroked his beard calmly.k5vo
uyf“You must know the branch’s location is classified. Yet all the students said you called them to accompany you.”yea
e5F98XBut since he already knew this would come, Fernan had his defense ready.0QqEd
LcECD“Did they really say that? How strange. I didn’t call them. From what I understand, they were training when they got caught up in the incident.”Cep2agP
nMpaThe barrier covered a wide area.gc3b
o9YKThey hadn’t followed him. They were training on the outskirts of the forest and got caught inside purely by chance.RnW1
EVCAnd with that, the matter was closed.N50
r7T“Oh, did they say that? My apologies… I’m old now, my memory fails me.”HLd
ZtSCbThe headmaster laughed awkwardly.apHtv4F
2gfpX8“No problem.”QU9gcO
005“Thank you for your understanding.”Ii3
q4zXdHe poured a little more milk into his tea.ssYo7ip
PR2mPr0“Now that I think of it, something curious happened not long ago.”bUr
0pz27X3He wet his lips with the tea.wiChgx
pLvjJ“A company came asking me for priority in maritime contracts. It wasn’t an important matter, so I approved it without much thought.”Zer
3yOsb9His tone was friendly.mX7W
GgoT2mD“Then, problems arose, and a new subject was opened. The demand for ships skyrocketed.”yvddZzR
7iIGJBut the real content was a dagger straight to the heart.ctJ
ufYkWk“That company was called Golden Turtle, and according to what they say, you lead it.”KIoBs
aKaZIwQFernan froze for an instant. But his reaction was so brief it was almost unnoticeable.G4f
8pL7PSG“Does that have anything to do with the incident?”2iFkS
vcK“It’s possible. There are texts that mention that demons and corrupted entities often employ monsters.”Heb0N
NKFHis tone remained serene. As if he were talking about the weather.IyVerB
GymPMxp“Perhaps the problems at sea were a sign that a demon’s summoning was approaching.”aDb
YNYlQFBut the intent was clear—he was accusing Fernan.YUr
fy6MhThe headmaster openly suspected him.znss9G6
TfjX“I see. But even if that were the case, what does that have to do with our company? We only build and sell ships.”BhsDE5g
xRDV76“True. Although… what a convenient coincidence, isn’t it?”1MD4
4ExYmjF“Exactly. A coincidence.”UmgZJ
gWDg“I suppose so. Who could predict a sudden invasion of monsters?”LgbMZ0h
R0QRgDThe headmaster let out a broad laugh.iTi8iS
Uh2“It seems the goddess of money smiles upon you, Pellenberg.”Uuier
kHd“I appreciate the compliment.”faF
BY2BYi“An old man like me has detained you long enough. You may leave. I’ll be grateful for the use of the recording.”GJ3
qEjfyw9“With your permission.”RU2t
0tGp0t“The reward I promised will arrive at your quarters soon.”KbUip
f4Hau“Thank you very much.”u1A8K
ANDJiFernan stood. Thud. As the door closed, the secretary asked in a low voice:X4o
Y5l8VUd“Do you suspect Fernan is a corrupted entity?”Sr6Mf7
3zO“Do you think so? That recording is real. No corrupted entity would help kill a demon.”J7y4d
nMk0p4A corrupted entity could not rebel against a demon. Their soul was chained.Q9viy1
oLdM“I just have a slight suspicion.”M0XQq
cSVEWhat if Fernan already knew about the demon and kept silent out of economic interest?KNQiV5k
baLzy“Because if it’s the Pellenbergs, they are perfectly capable of it.”AY5O7M
pdu7jHistory had proven it.xjZ
MCX8x7“But… didn’t you believe him too easily? What if he manipulated the recording…?”sAPnN
ihbTH“It seems I’ve grown too lenient lately… even you’re saying that to me.”WEHPweq
PFOISTap, tap. The headmaster tossed and caught the orb in his hands.rsczhaN
rIaOe“This recording is authentic.”j9T
DNW“…I’m sorry.”rVeEE6
vLGjThe secretary, visibly pale, bowed her head.Lur
aJy“I was impertinent…”3bivzD3
P6m“No, you weren’t. I understand. Even I have difficulty believing a demon fell before mere students.”TrCh
1JQYAcross the continent, there were fewer than five mages above the headmaster.Wl2a1RC
i9ORecognized by the Pope of the Cult of the Dragon God, one of the only ten Archmages in the world.nC8In
jZBwtrFernan could never deceive him with magic.H2ajL3
qBTAy“It is authentic. That’s why it’s so surprising. It truly was a demon.”urt0K
6hqOuAint Armian.7wD
mFkThe figure that shone the brightest in the recording, the one who cut the demon with dazzling light.cFhA
ZmL3AI“The greatness of the Armians has not yet vanished.”0AL
LCZY9teFor nearly nine hundred years, they ruled the Empire.YL33f
17HDdzTheir fall was catastrophic, but their legacy still remained.WffJTS
G3K5“No wonder he was a descendant of the First Emperor. Now I understand why everyone kept saying Armian this, Armian that.”JGr2HL
z3Wj1s2“Exactly. It’s no ordinary surname.”CAcAo
3lPLHTSIt had been believed their power died with the fall of the family and the loss of their legendary swordsmanship style—but that was not the case.8rtjd
yWByZ“This will cause an uproar in Schwaben. They are the ones who fear most the resurgence of the Armians.”l5zEt
HAqBut they could not stop it.GIdkpl
6txD78WIf it had only been corrupted entities, perhaps. But that a demon had been summoned was the sign of an imminent catastrophe.x1vsu
9lbcEITThe denser the darkness, the brighter the light shines.tfB
wAaUuw“Have them keep a close watch on Aint Armian.”0YpGn
PEyItzI“Yes, sir.”9DSOITe
isN4h“And also on the others who fought alongside him. Especially Fernan Pellenberg.”vEm
lga2Q“Is there a specific reason?”moB7
GryW9“No matter how experienced you are, there’s something you cannot hide: the gaze.”qp5RX
ic6ZAppreciation. Faith. Admiration.mwE
QU6CEvery time Fernan’s name was mentioned, the old fox read those three emotions in the eyes of others.GQ5V1a
or91“A Pellenberg who earns faith and admiration—and who killed a demon alongside Armian.”56myaX
ZBEI0qHaving drawn Luina Bercheff to his side. Having become the most brilliant student from nothing.KkM
Ek7l“There isn’t a single thing about him that doesn’t strike me as suspicious…”7eg
x07The headmaster leaned back against his chair and sipped at the now cold tea.7KC3CK
RxnYUJ“Without a doubt, this Pellenberg will show a path different from that of his ancestors.”SdOnAj
7MtiwXIt was very interesting.vRo7o
tTqVBut unfortunately, he didn’t have the time to keep observing quietly.Q0Xyho
k5IYq0K“I’ve enjoyed chatting with these young prospects enough. It’s time to work.”02Aos
ung27nThe headmaster straightened.87S
X3r“Summon all the executives.”0sbgz
dduaKwIt was time to eradicate the cockroaches that had infiltrated the academy.7AOZkrP
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