Chapter 74 : Chapter 74
Chapter 74. Changes
The atmosphere in the faculty meeting room was gloomy. The professors kept their mouths shut, only examining each other’s expressions.
“How did the 4th Prince end up like that?”
Principal Veridian broke the heavy silence.
The other professors looked at Allegri, who was in charge of investigating this incident.
“It’s difficult to give you an answer as nothing has been clearly determined.”
“Still, you must have investigated something so far, haven’t you? You should at least tell us that.”
Vice Principal Potecus chided Allegri for his overly conservative approach.
“Hmm… Understood. This is not precise information, so I hope you won’t take it as confirmed.”
Allegri, checking the surrounding atmosphere, made a grim face and scratched his forehead.
“It seems he clashed with the remnants of the Black Market.”
“The Black Market… you mean the one that was recently cleaned up?”
Keller asked with wide eyes.
“Yes, that’s the one.”
“So the city didn’t clean it up properly?”
“That’s not it. Even with many personnel deployed for the cleanup, it’s difficult to catch all the ones who flee.”
At Allegri’s answer, the other professors swallowed a deep breath.
“But why was Hans fighting with the remnants or whatever they’re called?”
This time, Olivier asked.
“We haven’t been able to find that out. As of now, we can only speculate…….”
Allegri bit his lip, as if burdened by what he was about to say.
At this, Potecus let out a long sigh and frowned at Allegri. It was a clear sign for him to speak his mind without holding back.
“I apologize. I’m hesitant to speak because I’m concerned there might have been a problem with the semester reorganization.”
“For what reason do you think so?”
“With this semester’s reorganization, we instructed personal training until the exams. Cadet Hans would have been preparing for the exams as well. Could it be that he clashed with the remnant forces then? That’s how we’re currently seeing it.”
The professors’ gazes turned to Potecus. It was because Potecus was the one who had led this semester’s reorganization.
Potecus maintained a calm demeanor and lightly scanned the faces of the others.
“What are you all thinking?”
No one answered Potecus’s question.
The atmosphere turned sharp. Glances of accusation, asking if she was trying to shift responsibility to the Vice Principal to avoid it herself, were exchanged chaotically.
“Everyone is in such a hurry.”
Veridian, feeling the need to organize the situation, opened his mouth.
“Let’s not rush to a conclusion and look at the situation calmly.”
The professors, as if embarrassed by what had just happened, repeatedly cleared their throats with a ‘Hmm!’.
A moment of silence fell.
“This incident is not the school’s problem.”
Keller broke the silence, drawing the attention of the other professors to himself.
“Look. Didn’t Cadet Maxim fight with the Amirios Clan? That was something no one could have predicted. It’s not like the school intentionally created such a situation, is it? Didn’t Cadet Bron have an accident before the semester reorganization? It was an accident caused by Cadet Bron’s deviation. That too has nothing to do with the school. This Black Market incident is the same. According to Mayor Cosca, wasn’t the removal of the Black Market something the city had been preparing for a long time? Cadet Maxim merely helped out. It wasn’t something the school wanted.”
“So what is your point?”
Potecus, who had been listening to Keller, asked nonchalantly.
“I’m saying we shouldn’t blame the school. Who among us wants a cadet to get hurt?
Nobody. Every choice is for the improvement of the cadets’ skills and the development of Poinus. I hope there will be no shifting of responsibility.”
The professors, as if agreeing with Keller’s words, made evasive remarks like, ‘It seems to be an external factor.’, ‘There was nothing we could do.’, ‘If the school is responsible, it would be a matter of management.’
“Ahem! Now, everyone, let’s stop thinking about responsibility…….”
Click.
Just as Veridian was about to correct the direction of the conversation that had gone astray, the door to the meeting room opened.
“Isn’t the issue of responsibility the most important thing?”
The person who came to the meeting room was the 3rd Queen, Barnetta.
“Y-Your Highness.”
“No, how did you get here…….”
“So suddenly.”
Several professors stood up in great surprise. On the other hand, Veridian was staring at Barnetta, having erased the calmness he had shown until now.
Barnetta was not unaware of Veridian’s gaze. But she snorted as if it were nothing and strode to the center of the meeting room.
“As you all have heard, my son is on the brink of death.”
“…….”
The professors kept their mouths firmly shut, only watching Barnetta’s expression.
“And at school, no less. My son, a prince of this country! While staying at school, his arm was cut off and his Mana Circles were destroyed before he returned home.”
Barnetta, her eyes filled with killing intent, ground her teeth.
“So what is the school doing? My son has become like that, and you’re all gathered here making excuses that it’s not your responsibility?”
“Please calm down.”
Veridian said as if to appease Barnetta.
Bang!
Barnetta slammed her hand on the desk.
“How can I calm down? What on earth are you people doing?”
“Your Highness, we are sorry for the accident. And the matter is under investigation. We are also trying to figure out how to view this incident…….”
Slap!
A red handprint bloomed on the cheek of Potecus, who was explaining the situation.
Everyone looked back and forth between Potecus and Barnetta with surprised eyes.
“Shut down the school immediately. Mobilize all personnel and find the culprit of this incident.
That’s what you should be doing.”
Barnetta’s murderous gaze pierced each and every professor.
At this, they all bowed their heads or flinched.
But Veridian was different. He looked at Barnetta with a cold gaze.
“Your Highness, we cannot do that.”
“What?”
Barnetta glared at Veridian.
“Saint-Denis Military Academy is an official institution of the state. It is also a place guaranteed autonomy by law. We are sorry about the 4th Prince’s incident. But we cannot close the school over that.”
“…….”
At Veridian’s calm words, Barnetta bit her lip. Veridian was the teacher of the current king, Louis Sergio Caesar.
‘He’s acting like that because he has someone to rely on.’
Barnetta clenched her fists tightly. If she ignored Veridian here and had the school shut down, not only the king but also the nobles who graduated from the military academy would surely not look kindly upon her. So she decided to persuade Veridian to make things proceed in the direction she wanted. In her own way.
“So? Are you saying the school will take no responsibility for our prince’s pain?”
“We are conducting an investigation. We will also prepare measures to prevent recurrence and find the culprit to bring them to justice.”
“In what lifetime? In what lifetime, while you just run your mouths here?”
“Your Majesty the Queen, I understand that you are greatly angered. But things do not work on emotions alone. So please respect the laws of the country.”
“……Law. Fine. I will respect that law. But when a prince of the country has an accident and is on the brink of death, if the semester continues without a proper investigation.”
Barnetta paused for a moment and stared intently at Veridian. It was a silent pressure.
“What parent would send their child to Saint-Denis?”
At Barnetta’s words, the faces of the professors darkened. It was the same for Potecus and Veridian. It was because they knew what Barnetta’s words meant.
“This is an institution that trains outstanding knights to protect Poinus. If the school closes, it would be a great danger to national defense…….”
“What are you talking about? I said I respect the law. There will be no such thing as forcing the school to close. By force, that is. So everyone, please think carefully. Because I really want to know who hurt my son.”
Barnetta, cutting off Veridian’s words, slammed her fist on the desk. Then she immediately left the meeting room.
“When Maxim was on the verge of death, not a single person moved. How impressive.”
Olivier snorted. Following that, Allegri also let out a long breath, openly showing his displeasure.
“If the support from the nobles is cut off, won’t there be a problem with the school’s operation?”
Keller, unable to hide his anxious expression, said.
Veridian swallowed hard and stroked his beard. He knew Barnetta’s temperament well. On the outside, she pretended to be benevolent and noble, but on the inside, she was vulgar and cruel beyond measure.
‘She would not shy away from any means to get what she wants.’
Therefore, Veridian was certain that her remark was not a simple threat. Until the culprit who ruined Hans was found, and perhaps even if the culprit was found, she would have Saint-Denis Military Academy permanently closed.
“I have a proposal.”
Potecus, who had been deep in thought, quietly raised her hand.
“The threat from Uresra is rising. Each unit is desperately hoping for knight reinforcements.
So…….”
Potecus’s solemn statement flowed out. And everyone listened and nodded their heads.
Veridian also calmed his troubled mind and focused on her words.
***
“Did you hear that the exams have started?”
During mealtime, Piontek said while chewing on beef jerky.
I looked at Piontek with indifferent eyes and poked bread into my soup. It was a sign not to waste time on things I didn't need to care about.
Piontek, seeming to understand the meaning, made an awkward face.
“Well, it’s not like we need to care, but we should still know how the school is running. That way, we’ll know how to live a better life.”
“Wouldn’t it be better to train more in that time? You’re the weakest.”
“……No, I’m not.”
“What do you mean, no?”
Piontek pointed at Michelle.
So I looked at Piontek and let out a smirk.
“I’m not?”
At Piontek’s question, Michelle, who was tearing at her meat, held up two fingers.
“2-2nd Circle? Really?”
Michelle, with her mouth full of meat, nodded with a sullen face.
“Ha! My goodness. Only me…….”
“Yeah, acting like you were the only one. What did you even do properly at the Black Market?”
“What do you mean I didn’t do anything? I fought with strange kids, and Nigues asked me to shoot lightning, so I took care of the enemies, and with Gwanju, I…….”
“You fainted. We all fought the strange kids together, and Nigues told you to shoot there after he had bound the enemies with fog. You didn’t do anything on your own, did you?”
At my words, Piontek’s nostrils flared, and he made the most aggrieved face in the world.
“Did Odekerkh do anything?”
“He cut Gwanju. He also reached the 2nd Circle. And he didn’t faint.”
“……What about Adellian?”
“2nd Circle.”
Piontek, shocked that he was the only one in the 1st Circle, slumped in his chair like a wet rag.
“Wh-why is Pi-Piontek like that?”
Odekerkh, who had brought his meal, asked as he sat next to Piontek.
“Reality check.”
“R-reality?”
“He’s the only one in the 1st Circle.”
Michelle, having swallowed her food, kindly answered Odekerkh’s question.
Odekerkh, pleased that Michelle of all people had answered him, blushed and made a stupid face.
Of course, Michelle didn’t even glance at Odekerkh and focused on tearing at her meat. I wonder if she even knows that Odekerkh cares about her.
“Extra! Extra!”
A cadet shouted loudly from the entrance of the cafeteria.
We naturally looked towards the source of the sound.
“The martial arts tournament has been moved up! A week after the exams end! The participants will be decided by this exam!”
The cafeteria buzzed with excitement.
“Weren’t there still six months left? Why so suddenly?”
“Don’t tell me it’s because of Hans?”
“What does Hans have to do with the martial arts tournament?”
“They said the Black Market kids are targeting us. So they’re trying to quickly sort things out and send us out.”
“Aish, damn it. Messing with the Black Market for no reason.”
The cadets muttered, sending me sharp glares.
“I-is it r-really because of th-the Black Market?”
Odekerkh asked me.
“Maybe?”
I put the soaked bread in my mouth, exuding an air of not needing to care much.
‘The Hoso Merchant Guild has made its move.’
The ones who saw Hans must have acted. My instincts were telling me so.