Episode 8
"...Frey Raon Starlight, do you even realize how serious a thing you've done?"
"I'm not really sure? Why are you making such a big deal out of using a single artifact?"
Right now, I'm having a private meeting with Isollet in the faculty office.
The reason for this private meeting is because the other professors kept stealing glances at me before slipping out of the office one by one.
No matter that I'm the first son of a Duke's family that holds the Empire in its grasp, is it even normal for professors to be afraid of a student?
And yet this corrupt Empire's corrupt Academy has achieved that difficult feat. Honestly, at this point, it's almost impressive.
Of course, most of the professors who left were either new instructors in charge of first-year students or commoners by birth, but that doesn't make this a normal situation.
"...If it had been an ordinary enhancement artifact, I wouldn't have made such a big deal out of it. While that too is certainly a violation, it would have ended with appropriate reprimand and demerit points."
While I was thinking that, Isollet spoke with a serious expression, so I replied with the most annoyed expression I could muster.
"Then why are you acting like this now?"
"That artifact reacted to the Saintess's 'holy power.' You can't possibly not know what that means."
"You know very well that I lost my divine power when I was young, sister. Why bring it up now?"
When I answered shamelessly with my legs crossed, Isollet sighed and then changed her expression to one of worry.
"Frey... You weren't this kind of child... Just, why have you changed so..."
Hearing her gentle voice, my chest momentarily tightened.
[Isollet Arham Baiwork's current emotions: Anger/Disappointment/Worry/Regret/Pity]
Having inadvertently used the [Mind Reading] skill because of that, I blankly stared at the information floating before my eyes, then closed them and sank into memories for a moment.
When I was young, Professor Isollet... no, Sister Isollet, who always treated me kindly, was one of the few people who believed in me until the end when everyone pointed fingers at me.
Thinking about it, even my childhood friend and fiancée tried hard to rehabilitate me until the end, but Isollet sister trusted me despite being just close siblings, so I was even more grateful.
Perhaps that was why? When I saw her corpse, having stayed at the Academy until the end, cutting down the Demon Lord's army while saving students before dying, I held her cold body and sobbed for a long time, even though I knew she would come back to life if I regressed?
'...No, I mustn't get caught up in useless emotions.'
Isollet Arham Baiwork is alive, right before my eyes now.
Not only that, but the 5 'Main Heroines' who died hating, cursing me are also alive.
Therefore, to ensure they don't die again... I must become the Villain.
"...Don't try to appeal to my emotions. I haven't changed, I've just adapted to the world."
"Frey..."
"...And sister will realize it someday too, won't you?"
"...Realize what?"
"Living so righteously, eventually you'll break. You know that well too, don't you?"
"............"
It must be quite unpleasant words for her, who always held to her convictions without bending, making her beliefs her weapon.
"Perhaps so, but even if I break... the seedlings I've raised will someday bloom."
Even so, she's looking at me and speaking gently without showing any distaste. Truly, a person with incredible patience.
"So, Frey. Stop being stubborn and now..."
"Let's get to the main point. So what about that artifact?"
Sensing that I might reveal my true feelings if we talked any deeper, I quickly changed the subject, and Isollet quietly watched me before sighing and returning to a businesslike expression.
"That artifact reacted to 'holy power.' That means... it's an artifact using black magic that the Empire has forbidden."
"...And?"
"Where did you get that artifact? Frey?"
"...From the back alley."
"That brooch isn't something they'd sell in a place like the back alley..."
"You know it's slang, right?"
"............"
For nobles, 'back alley' is slang referring to the largest and most famous black market in the underworld.
Naturally, it carries the death penalty under Imperial law, but no nobles actually follow it.
It's to the point where there's a rumor that when the Empire's key figures and powerholders need to meet, they don't send letters but turn their carriages toward the back alley.
"...Can you handle that statement?"
"You're not seriously going to report me, the first son of Duke Starlight's family, are you? In this era where not just Duke families but baron families' wives go around bragging about decorations bought in the back alley. Do you think reporting would work?"
"...You seem to have forgotten my influence."
"Rather than a sister who's been half-disowned from the Baiwork family, a hero's companion... the first son of the Starlight family, a hero's household, disliked but not abandoned, would have more influence."
"............"
When I talked back point by point, she glared at me for a while before finally speaking.
"...I will report this matter to the Imperial Palace."
"Fine, do as you please."
"And, I'll report it to your father as well."
"Ah, that's a bit..."
I was planning to write to my father asking for money when I returned to the dormitory after this meeting... if this reaches my father's ears, it becomes troublesome.
"Hey, I'll do anything, just please don't tell my father..."
".........."
"...Hm? Sister?"
"Haaah..."
When I urgently made a servile expression and begged, Isollet let out a deep sigh and spoke.
"Then, I'll propose one condition."
"...Condition?"
"...Take me to the place where you purchased that item."
"...What?"
"I can't just leave a place selling such dangerous magical tools to students as is. I'll raid it myself and secure evidence."
"...Really, she doesn't live in a different world or anything."
Tongue-tied for a moment by what could be called her incredible sense of justice, I finally nodded as if agreeing and spoke.
"Fine! I'll take you! Just that, and you won't report to my father, right?"
"...Right."
"Good! That's a satisfactory deal! Then, how about going this weekend? I had business to go there this weekend anyway!"
"...We're going to raid. Not to buy things."
"Don't be like that, sister should try using it sometime! There's lots of interesting stuff, you know!"
"...No."
Though I was saying this with a sly smile and oily expression, inside I was shedding tears of blood.
'...Damn, that was the most cost-effective place.'
Saying goodbye to the shop with its eccentric owner who sold illegal artifacts I needed for my villainous acts at regular price without gouging me just because I was a student... It really breaks my heart.
But illegal is illegal, so what can I do? I'll have to destroy the shop but spirit away the skilled owner and use them as my personal artisan.
"Well, if you don't want to, can't be helped... Anyway, we're done now, right? I'm leaving?"
".........."
I stood up and glanced at Isollet, but she was lost in thought without saying anything.
"Then, see you this weekend!"
"...Understood."
Like that, I left my farewell to her, who was distracted, and quickly exited the faculty office.
For reference, as soon as I left, the professors who had been blankly standing in the hallway started entering the faculty office one by one.
It seems I need to think about ways to elevate educational authority as well.
.
Time passed and flowed until the last class period of the day arrived.
The last class period naturally became a self-study atmosphere since Isollet, who had business, didn't enter the classroom, and the nobles who loved to play started gathering to have conversations.
"So I'm saying! That guy who was drunk back then...!"
"My, is that really true?"
"Pff... that's funny..."
By the last period, factions were already starting to become distinctly visible.
"Lord Frey, so speaking of which... if nothing else is going on, after the Academy ends, would you like to join us..."
"...Um, that foolish professor didn't say anything, right? Please don't worry too much... we're on Lord Frey's side."
"To play such tricks on a brooch... it must have been one of the lowly commoners. Should we interrogate them one by one?"
No, actually I can't help but see it.
This is because all the nobles gathered around me, shielding me while conversing.
It might look like I'm being harassed by the nobles, but this is a subtle signal from the noble students that they want to join my faction.
Seeing the nobles lining up and employing worldly wisdom unlike the commoners quietly sitting in the back reading books or reviewing, I feel my blood rising in reverse, but it can't be helped.
To become the Villain, I must become the leader of these hopeless bastards.
- Click!
Just as I was suppressing my urge to get liver disease from anger while dealing with the noble students one by one, the door opened and someone entered the classroom.
""............""
And at that moment, all the nobles who had been noisily chattering froze.
Because the person who entered the classroom was none other than the Empire's Third Imperial Princess, Klana Sol Sunrise.
With the brilliant golden hair and eyes that are symbols of the Sunrise Imperial family, and a haughty face that bewitches those who see her, she was emitting an aura that could dominate half the room at any moment, but...
"...I've found a good tavern nearby! I'll pay for everything, so wouldn't you like to enjoy yourselves there and forget about today's events cleanly?"
"...That professor is in a state of half-disownment from the Baiwork family, right? Then isn't she actually insignificant?"
"...Well? She did seem to have some skill though."
"Still, looking at the sparring earlier... Lord Frey is definitely stronger, right? He's so cool, Lord Frey!"
"Right! He just lost and felt embarrassed, so someone must have maliciously tampered with the brooch as an excuse!"
The nobles who briefly looked at her for some reason took their eyes off her and started continuing their conversation while looking at me again.
".........."
And they didn't once look back at her until the Princess quietly went to sit in an empty seat, treating her as if she didn't exist.
That's right, the nobles had just made their value judgment internally.
Rather than the Princess, who is lowest in the succession order and is essentially a figurehead, joining my faction as the first son of the Starlight Duke family, which has wielded formidable influence over the Empire for 1000 years and which even the Imperial family cannot treat lightly, was more profitable, they decided.
""..........""
And the commoners also don't approach her.
Though the nobles look down on the Princess, for commoner students who are ordinary Imperial citizens, she is positioned far too high.
""...........""
And Kania and Ferloche also don't approach her.
Kania, being a black mage, might have her mana run wild if she gets too close to Klana and Ferloche who possess the power of the sun, and Ferloche, having grown tired of the complex power struggles between the religious order and the Imperial family in the previous timeline, is quite wary of the Imperial family.
In other words, she is now completely alone in the class.
"I've already succeeded once..."
However, I definitely heard it.
"...There's no reason I can't do it a second time."
Her muttering with eyes full of determination.
'...Seriously, what an incredible person.'
If my fiancée is the epitome of a born genius, the Princess is literally the epitome of an effort-type, self-made figure.
Called the solitary Princess with the lowest succession order, she had gritted her teeth in the previous timeline to expand her support base while undergoing bone-grinding training to increase her combat abilities.
Through such endless effort, she finally achieved the feat of becoming first in the succession order, but as a consequence, her once cute personality had worn down completely and turned cold.
But her old cute personality that occasionally surfaced was famous as one of the amusing spectacles of the Imperial Palace that would welcome her as the new Emperor.
That was until the Demon Lord destroyed everything.
"............"
While I was briefly reminiscing about the past, the Princess started glaring at me fiercely.
Hurriedly turning my gaze away from her, I began pondering a difficult problem that suddenly came to mind.
'...Should I interfere with the Princess expanding her power? Or not?'
If I leave the Princess to expand her power, my life becomes immediately endangered, but if I interfere, the future Empire becomes endangered.
Because all the other heirs to the throne are utter trash bastards.
'...I'm going crazy, really.'
It feels like nothing gets resolved and only new problems keep piling up.
"...What a fucked-up game."
"What did you say?"
"Nothing. By the way, did someone mention a tavern earlier...?"
I uttered a word my ancestors frequently used in prophetic texts, and started making drinking appointments with the nobles.
Today, I want to drink heavily until dawn, then lie in bed and sleep deeply.
.
"...You've returned, Master."
"...Ah, right. You were here."
I forgot Kania was in my dormitory. She was even waiting with her eyes wide open for me who came back after drinking until dawn.
"...Then, I'll prepare your bath."
"Not needed. Just get out of here."
"Yes, I'll sleep on the cot then."
"No, I said get out of the room."
Then have a good sleep."
"...Fuck."
Having let out a curse word with genuine feeling for the first time in a while, I realized this was all villain point loss and calmed my mind before lying down on the bed.
'...I'll keep lying here, and when I confirm Kania has fallen asleep, I'll infuse life force into her tomorrow and then sleep too.'
Thinking that while rolling around on the bed, I discovered a black cat doll placed on the desk.
"...Hey, where did that come from?"
"That, you mean?"
When I pointed at the doll and asked, Kania answered with a smile.
"...My younger sibling gave it to me as a gift. Isn't it cute?"
"Tch, a black cat... how ominous."
Actually, I really like cats, but I ended up lying without realizing. It seems I've developed a habit of acting while always living as the Villain.
'...Sad.'
Feeling depressed from the combination of alcohol and early morning sentimentality, I quietly turned off the lamp at my bedside and closed my eyes, starting to pretend to sleep.
.
Thus, quite a long time passed after Frey and Kania went to bed.
"...Are you asleep?"
".........."
Frey, who had been lying with his eyes closed, asked Kania a question, and upon confirming there was no reaction, quietly rose from his spot.
"...Good, definitely asleep."
Having made it a daily routine to infuse life force while Kania sleeps, Frey could easily tell whether she had fallen asleep or not. After determining that Kania had fallen into deep sleep, he started spinning his right hand round and round while heading toward the cot.
"Then, shall we begin for today too?"
Eventually, Frey, who arrived in front of the cot, slowly began extending his hand toward the sleeping Kania.
".............."
And Frey's figure was reflected in the eyes of the black cat doll placed on the desk.