Professor Ryventrop’s desperate resistance turned into a chaotic team-kill operation as all the other professors collapsed, ending in failure.
Thus, the professors failed to escape, being fitted with mana shackles under the increasingly strict watch of the Butler of Foundation.
“Your treatment will be decided directly by the Director.”
“It’s frustrating… It’s bad enough that I was trapped in the Director’s trap and sent to another world, but hiding a warrior there too?”
“?”
“And to top that, we’ve been toyed with by the church’s secret weapon after being ambushed by the hidden warrior.”
“??”
“To think I’d end up in such a helpless situation because of some relic from thousands of years ago.”
“???”
“The Wahyhiemhai Foundation guys… I didn’t realize how strong the ‘Three Great Evils’ moniker was until I faced them directly and fell into their trap.”
Suddenly, the Butler of Foundation felt a sense of alienation from the praises being showered on the foundation.
Why is it that I’m the only one out of the loop?
Seeing the Empire’s professors captured, it’s clear the Director has something up his sleeve.
The Butler’s heart chilled.
Has the Director drawn a line to push me away?
It’s one thing to have some sort of plan I’m unaware of, but if that plan is this grand, it’s likely I’m not even on his radar anymore.
‘I believed we shared a common goal for humanity’s grand strategy… It seems the time has come for a generational change in the foundation.’
As the thought of generational change crossed the Butler’s mind, the first face that popped up was that of the Director’s child, Oknodie.
Though young, Oknodie was skillful, talented, and had an impressive appearance with no weaknesses.
‘Normally, leaders of organizations are often incompetent and unable to achieve mana refinement at a young age, resulting in a bigger and bulkier physique, but Oknodie has reached the peak at a young age and has a small and slender body.’
The petite and delicate Oknodie was the perfect choice to showcase the foundation’s strength.
Aside from the transcendent Evil Dragon Omoshiroi, the only comparable small ruler might be the Demon King who governs the Northern Demon Realm.
“I should add a quick stop before meeting the Director.”
“Oh? Where is this stop that must be visited even at the expense of meeting with the Director?”
“If you knew, it would only bring you harm.”
The Butlers decided to entangle themselves in a scene until the situation escalated.
They’d take the professors to an appropriate place to make a life-or-death contract with Oknodie.
If they gain the support of the professors, it would benefit Oknodie, and inducing their loyalty would also allow the Butler to make a name for himself, all while enabling Oknodie’s faction to gain substance and strength for faction competition.
Take down the Director.
The dream of generational change would be directly linked to solid achievements.
The plan was indeed great.
If it weren’t for that voice I just heard.
“Director…?”
“I felt an interesting dimensional energy and stopped by, only to hear this even more interesting tale. So, what were you planning to do at this stop?”
The Butler’s eyes turned toward the secretaries cleverly blending in among the Butlers and their head, the Secretary Office Head.
The Secretary Office Head conveyed his intentions with just his gaze, without saying a word.
If you take action against your rebellious thoughts now, your uprising will surely end in failure.
“I was planning to take a tour of the professors’ external strongholds to siphon off resources. Many of our Butlers have died in recent operations. I momentarily lost sight of my ethics due to the enormous loss of power. My apologies.”
“Haha. If you had informed us in advance, we would have been more understanding… You seem to have had too many worries. Since you self-reported, I will let this one slide.”
Just barely escaped.
The Butler felt the tension ease with a sense of relief.
However, the professors could not do the same.
“You mentioned seeing the foundation’s secret weapon. You must answer my questions briefly to verify your usefulness.”
The professors wore solemn expressions as they started to search their memories, knowing that the inevitable had arrived.
At the same time, they were puzzled.
Why is he asking such an obvious question?
It’s all a trap you set up!
Right, this must be the trap the Director laid.
The Director has nurtured the next-generation secret weapon on par with or beyond Oknodie.
Who else would know such secrets but him, the closest ally?
‘Then the essence of this question is to confirm that our escape was not due to luck from avoiding a trap the foundation designed but was indeed result-oriented?’
Such thoroughness in his character.
The professors inwardly marveled at the Director’s meticulous questioning, adhering obediently to his inquiry.
Naturally, the Director had no idea about the traps, warriors, secret weapons, and the capture operation involving the ancient relic he had never created.
How could he know if he had never set it up?
“Please don’t harm us. You don’t need to harass or torture us; we already have the willingness to cooperate.”
One professor’s comment piqued the Director’s interest.
As the lengthy lament continued, the Director nodded in understanding.
“So you’ve fallen into the trap of the Goblin Warrior I set, but now that you’ve been caught and the more vexing adversary is the Principal, you’d like to surrender to the foundation?”
“Indeed.”
It was not something I did, but rather something that happened on its own.
Events unrelated to me.
Given the situation, it was far too enticing to draw a line.
With just a nod of my head, the professor-level powers would willingly roll into the foundation’s embrace, having their morale crushed.
“So, let’s confirm the facts first. Everything you know is correct. The designs that cornered you and led you into the trap were indeed my doing.”
The professors trembled at the brazen and ruthless declaration that, upon admitting the truth, they were wondering what the Director would do next.
It was as if a traffic accident victim would say, “Yes, I was driving drunk, and I nearly crushed your foot with my tire, but at least you survived.” There was no sense of shame in the entitlement.
“Initially, there were supposed to be a few
“Does that mean…?”
“I wholeheartedly welcome your surrender.”
The Wahyhiemhai Foundation and the Director gained new manpower in the professors who escaped from the Goblin World.
“A new employment contract has been drawn up, so let’s remove those bothersome shackles.”
Of course, the contracts submitted to the Foundation and the Director were filled with unfair clauses stipulating resignation could only be obtained through death.
Essentially, they had signed a slave contract disguised as an employment contract.
“You’ve moved from the great waters of a shady place, so you might feel a sense of reverse physiological adaptation, and you might miss your academy days. In those moments, think this: wasn’t it true even at the academy there wasn’t complete freedom?”
The professors nodded in agreement.
“I just wanted to do some research, but I was constantly told to teach students, which was incredibly annoying.”
“We feel the same.”
“Do we really have to lecture the same content every year until we produce a single direct disciple at the 7th tier?”
“The foundation prioritizes quantity over quality, so merely fostering a large number of 5th tier students will suffice.”
“Teaching dumb kids gives me a headache, but at least the effort is less.”
The stark contrast between the expectations for disciples and expendables was a bizarre twist in perspective, yet the Director did not mention the unfavorable facts.
“The mandatory external task requests for your respective missions are indeed bothersome each year.”
“The foundation also needs talents to suppress various risks that have been secured, especially when new threats arise, though we can’t quite compare to the scale of the academy,” he said.
“What the? Same job description but less work—this is totally sweet, right?”
Of course, they would never speak about how the things handled at the academy were only those the foundation had previously secured or abandoned.
“However, that doesn’t justify the human trafficking or various criminal acts the foundation has carried out. We may offer our allegiance, but we won’t engage in those illegal activities.”
“Rest assured, every vessel has a separate purpose.”
Though their responsibilities might become a precursor to unlawful actions, the individuals involved would remain blissfully unaware of the deceptive facade for quite some time.
It would only be until they realized the truth, their hearts crumbling, shedding the mask of professors, and falling into the abyss of wickedness that the moment would arrive.
With countless malevolent intentions hidden, the Director guided the professors naturally towards the foundation’s tasks.
He sensed a superiority from the professors’ attitudes, even if they obediently complied with his words.
Ultimately, the foundation was inferior to the academy.
We’re merely cooperating because our circumstances dictate it; we’re on a different level from you.
Such unyielding arrogance needed to be reined in, even if it required some coercion.
“Would you care for a tour while we’re at it?”
“A tour?”
“A tour of the foundation’s key secret projects.”
Out of sheer curiosity, the professors who had once been overwhelmed by the screech of the Mandragora would never let the topic of intriguing secret projects slip by.
“This orb contains the operational status of the malignant reinforcement magic circles of mana waste capable of crippling 40% of the Deuch Kingdom’s industrial output overnight. As you can see, we’re creating job opportunities by taking in substantial criminal figures hunted by each church.”
“What about that bright shimmering thing over there?”
“Hmm?”
Suddenly, a brilliant flash erupted from beyond the orb.
Once the light vanished, the hideout set beneath the heap of garbage also disappeared.
“This is… Dragon Breath. It seems the Principal’s eyes caught onto this facility. It’s disappointing, but there are still two more secret projects in the Western Three Kingdoms…”
Thud.
Thud.
The adjacent orb was engulfed in light before cracking beside it.
“The Union of City-States…”
Thud.
“The Holy Central Empire…”
Crack!
The satisfied smile of the Director froze as he watched Dragon Principal Omoshiroi dancing around rampantly on all sides.
A betrayer had emerged.
A betrayer belonging to the higher echelons of the foundation.
*
*
*
Maid Jang, trusting only Professor Bronze’s boast, refrained from committing any terror acts, hoping that the academy would take her testimony at face value and would voluntarily surrender.
However, before her stood Professor Mahabharata, who merely doodled on the Mana Board with a nonchalant expression.
“This is already existing information.”
“Is there anything else?”
“I find it somewhat disappointing.”
Maid Jang cautiously queried.
“My information has value far above that… Where did you gather such a wealth of information?”
“If you were to defend the warrior, Oknodie the Second Year revealed plenty of things, citing that we being on the same side meant we could have obnoxious events.”
Maid Jang’s frustration suddenly lifted.
The Director’s daughter, the Dark Princess, must have rebelled against her father, which made perfect sense!
