The story of the Destroyer was shocking.
However, while mulling over his tale, Ishtar’s mind wandered to someone else’s story.
– That can’t be right! The Warrior has a lot to do ahead. They have to defeat the regional boss that appears during the region events, slay the Demon King, and get rid of the Emperor!
– What do you think a Warrior is…?
Day 6 of the Uninhabited Island auction.
Just before the sixth item, [The Guardian Forces of the Warrior Party], came up, Oknodie shared a terrifying future during a brief conversation.
The unimaginable future where the Warrior—himself—had to kill the Emperor of the Empire.
He thought it was absurd.
The Emperor and the Empire were the Warrior’s guardian forces.
Even if not immediately, they were the potential guardians who would offer the greatest support as the Warrior achieved accomplishments in the Empire.
In fact, the Emperor had provided an aide and knights to assist the Warrior until he enrolled in the Academy.
So why should he ever adversarially confront such an Emperor?
Now, after hearing the story of the Destroyer…
That unwavering trust shattered.
“The Emperor is the mastermind behind the horrors of the past…?”
“There is no need for even that. There are many soldiers seeking the military gates of the Empire, and the advisors turned strategists are not few either. The only thing is that the Emperor does not permit anything to occur in the capital.”
“That can’t be! The Emperor has been a long-time ally of previous Warriors…!”
The Destroyer nodded.
“The Emperor is indeed an ally of the Warrior.”
“Then why the label of revolutionary?”
“Isn’t that just a way to utilize the sacrifices for the allies?”
“…!”
The Destroyer’s cool derision came on as if he was effortlessly spouting simple words that the clumsy Warrior couldn’t finish.
Just then, a chilling smirk formed on his lips like a cold wind blowing through.
“The Emperor is an ally of the Warrior and the father of the people. But not every father is a wonderful one to their children. Perhaps someday, the same could be said for the Warrior. What Ni’alatotep did might merely be giving the Emperor—who could become the Warrior’s enemy—a new headache while buying time.”
“…”
“At least that’s what I wanted to believe back when I barely grasped the truth.”
“Then what are you thinking now, regarding the previous Hero and the Emperor?”
“Guess. The answer you present on the last day of the second semester will be the answer for the final exam of the second semester.”
The lecture concluded, but Ishtar and Hestia found it hard to take their leave.
“Ah, it’s a red-spotted butterfly!”
Only Oknodie, who had taken out a net from her backpack to chase after the butterfly, ran out joyfully.
As if she clearly knew what she was pursuing and enjoyed the gathering for that reason.
*
Who decides the Three Great Evils?
It’s defined by the Empire.
“If labeled as evil by the Empire, it is deemed evil by the world, but the Empire’s evil does not necessarily mean becoming the true enemy of the world… For first-years, this might be too profound of a lecture.”
After all the students and Professor Destroyer had left, Professor Bronze finally took a step.
Like a person barely breathing in front of a predator, his actions were filled with caution.
“That’s why this lecture has given me conviction.”
The lecture from the Destroyer provided new realizations for rookie Warriors and the Chief Scholarship Student of the Foundation.
Their true enemy could be the Emperor of the Empire rather than the Three Great Evils.
Just like focusing on protecting the head of the Foundation—a member of the Three Great Evils.
“So, a man like you has sided with the Foundation?”
The Dragon Principal would definitely say, “How interesting.”
Asking for help wouldn’t change anything.
Even if he did ask, what could he hope for?
To figure out the true nature of the Destroyer and be rejected?
To ask the Foundation to restrain the Emperor?
Or to request an assassination of the Emperor?
That would all be a futile wish.
At the same time, he realized while looking at Oknodie.
She indeed knew everything.
Had she heard the whole story from the Director?
What did the Director really know about the Empire and the Warrior?
What kind of relationship does the Director have with the Destroyer?
“You really know how to spark my curiosity to this extent, you’re quite the bad man.”
Just like a bad adult attracts naughty children, a bad man attracts naughty women.
Professor Bronze made a resolution.
It was time to become a bad woman after a long while.
*
Recently, the Mob felt a considerable sense of crisis.
His frequency of receiving education from Oknodie had been decreasing gradually.
He wasn’t entirely uninterested.
However, it had become hard to find Oknodie casually hanging upside down on the windowsill, tapping his shoulder, leaping out of the bushes, or popping up from perfectly fine ground.
“So you brought me along to a lecture in the Administrative Department that I had no business being in?”
“Acting calm like it’s someone else’s problem. Jaku, it’s the same for you; you’re worried about Oknodie too.”
“…That’s true. I owe that guy in many ways.”
Was he genuinely so regretful that Oknodie, who used to trick around, was now just casually passing by and only asking about the progress of training?
Even as he thought his rival’s hard work was foolish, Jaku found himself reluctantly agreeing on some level.
‘Gaining Oknodie’s interest is not easy, nor is paying back debts.’
All aboard the cruise ship had risked their lives.
The benefits gained from the ship and the Director’s Mansion were immeasurable.
Just the +5 Strength Compressed Net Gun stowed in his arms could trap an enemy in a net with just a pull of the trigger and stab one outside with a spear thrown from it—it was truly a magnificent weapon.
Those invited as Oknodie’s “friends” all carried at least one of these treasures.
On the other hand, such petty treasures would not do anything to repay Oknodie’s debts.
“I found something.”
“Ah! I already collected the rolling snail. But I’ll take it anyway. I’ll exchange it for something with other monsters in the Production Department! Hehe.”
“…….”
It was a rare collectible one can find by chance on the street, but not even close to being enough!
———
Thursday, Periods 5 and 6
Stand Mill’s Administrative Department elective lecture
[Monopoly Theory]
———
So he decided to help Oknodie, who was struggling under the burden of lectures.
To support the plan proposed by Jezel and Arcadia, the two chose to attend this [Monopoly Theory] lecture.
– Take it easy. Oknodie may not actually need as much help as we think.
Mob couldn’t help but think about what Hestia had said before coming into the lecture hall during dinner time.
Of course, Mob dismissed her words.
I became the first apprentice,
I was the one who learned from Oknodie first,
But one of the students who took Oknodie away from him was Hestia.
“Oknodie is pretending she doesn’t care and saying that.”
“…You dumbass. You can’t expect good outcomes if you’re obsessed like that. You have a decent justification, so quit prattling.”
“A justification?”
Jaku, while hiding his feelings of exasperation, gave advice with a complicated heart as he didn’t want to see his rival in such a pitiful state.
“Students from the Administrative Department are unlike those from other departments. The Knight Department learns force, the Magic Department learns magic, the Production Department learns production skills, and the Adventure Department learns various skills. But the Administrative Department is neither.”
“So then, why does Oknodie bother attending the Administrative Department lectures?”
“The offspring of the nobles sit in appointees when the time comes. That is the essence of an official position. Students from the Administrative Department are those who would rather enjoy their portion without rolling around in hard labor from other departments.”
In short, it meant something like that.
Jaku pointed to a handsome student receiving longing glances from a group of female students.
Mob, upon seeing that face, asked nonchalantly.
“Who’s that?”
“…Are you serious?”
Even though he pretended not to, the male student eavesdropping on their conversation frowned.
Before Jaku could respond, a follower beside the male student raised their voice instead.
“How dare you insult His Royal Highness Hector, the legitimate heir to the Kingdom of Troy? Ignoring a Prince like him is going too far!”
“Enough. Deipobos. Even if you yell for not recognizing the Prince of a Small Country, it’s shameful behavior in this vast Academy. Furthermore, if he is the Black Knight of the Dark Princess, the Prince of a Small Country would be of no importance to him.”
While feigning to calm things down, Hector spoke with a tone that suggested he understood the intention to look down on the Prince of a Small Country.
The expressions of the other students also turned sour as they grasped this nuance.
It was common knowledge among students that those who could breeze through classes in the Administrative Department based on their status had a cushy life without entering the grueling other departments.
Hence, Mob’s behavior, mocking their weaknesses, was seen unfavorably by them.
“…Jaku, what should we do?”
“Don’t do anything. Even if you stammer to retort, you have no chance against a royal who has learned proper speech.”
“Exactly! Those who are good at arguing are the ones who should!”
“Oknodie!”
The little girl Oknodie, appearing with a mischievous smile, was a source of great reassurance.
Unlike Mob, who showed delight, Hector from Troy already had a stiff expression.
“What did the Prince do during the vacation?”
“I expanded my influence and trained. We cleared a dungeon together in a group during the vacation.”
“That’s it? Ahh.”
Oknodie nodded as if she understood.
“You just played house in a rank dungeon, huh!”
“Wait a minute, how dare you!”
Before Deipobos could draw his sword, spikes flew between the desks, striking his sword blade and sending it soaring into the air.
“Shut up ♡ You, a mere servant to the Prince of a Small Country, shouldn’t disturb the resting time of the Empire’s Second Princess ♡”
“Urk. Th-That’s the Second Princess Masugaki…!”
Masugaki, uninterested in some loser, avoided looking even once and cast a provocative glance at Oknodie.
“What wind blew to bring you to a lecture only nobles listen to~?”
“That’s rich coming from a loser princess skipping out on the Magic Department!”
“One can never have too much culture ♡”
“Same here!”
Among the top students of the first-year class, the tension between the two rubes turned Hector into a mouse in front of a snake.
To think he’d challenge a simple Administrative Department elective, believing it would be an easy grade, now faced two heavyweights from the first-year.
Students from the Administrative Department, initially perceived to have no significant interest in grades, might just find this lecture more challenging than they anticipated.
