“Hmm, I don’t think that’s a very wise move. If you get pushed out there, I, having lost even my justification, won’t be able to help you anymore.”
“That’s a risk worth taking.”
The day after the meeting, Lich, whom I met in person, reacted unfavorably to this story. From his perspective, it must have seemed like I was taking an unnecessary risk.
However, I was confident that things had gone quite well.
“You’re quite confident, aren’t you? What exactly do you stand to gain from this evaluation match? Given your personality, you wouldn’t propose something you only break even on unless it’s more than just pride.”
“I might gain something, or I might not.”
I gave a wry smile at his genuinely curious question. Unfortunately, I couldn’t give him a definitive answer right now.
While my reason for proposing such a competition was partly to get rid of those who kept tripping me up and annoying me, fundamentally, its purpose was to intensify the competition.
Intensified competition would lead to the students’ training, and their training would, in turn, help them save themselves in future events, even if only a little.
As expected, I cannot be satisfied with merely saving and twisting the fates of a few individuals. I will use any means necessary to struggle and twist the fate of this entire world.
“Anyway, fine. You wouldn’t do anything foolish. Our Imperial Family will provide all necessary support. Since it seems many other nobles are also supporting, the cost burden will be reduced anyway.”
“Of course, if the academies they graduated from receive high rankings, their own value will also increase. That’s enough.”
As long as we can take first place, it doesn’t matter what happens to the rest. If they compete amongst themselves fiercely, their strength will naturally increase.
“Achieving that first place is crucial, though. Do you have a solid ace up your sleeve?”
“It’s not that I don’t.”
I nodded at his lighthearted remark. Everything I had implemented since becoming the headmaster of Ragfedia was working towards one single goal.
Perhaps the ‘one operation’ that would happen now or a little later was also for that purpose. I wondered if students from other academies had ever moved with the constabulary to execute a criminal apprehension operation.
“Then, Headmaster, let’s leave the rest to others, and we should go do our work now.”
“Just how much more do you plan to bring from the Demon Realm?”
“Most of them are duds, but sometimes we can find ancient artifacts containing excellent technology. The funds harvested from those are the majority of the support money going to you. Even if you hold the evaluation match and receive official support funds, you still have to do work commensurate with what you’ve received so far.”
Lich, who had risen first, extended a hand to me. In truth, the place we were sitting in was not the Imperial Palace. It was just an ordinary teahouse, or rather, a café, located on the outskirts of the imperial capital, which had recently become popular around the capital.
Concealed by our hoods and cloaks, we were neither the Emperor nor the Headmaster here.
“Thank you for the meal. I wish you prosperity.”
“Oh, goodbye.”
It’s usually hard to imagine an Emperor walking around outside the Imperial Palace without a single escort, so even if that waitress saw his face revealed beneath the hood, she probably wouldn’t know who had just greeted her.
****
“The aroma is lovely.”
“Indeed. It’s clearly just tea brewed by the same person using the same ingredients.”
While Eve was busy with Lich, and while two students quietly left the academy with special leave permits signed by the Headmaster after their classes to join the constabulary.
A regular general assembly was held here in Ragfedia. However, there was a slight difference from the general assemblies held since the start of the new semester: the highest seat was vacant.
“Actually, don’t we all know why? We simply haven’t had any leisure until now.”
One of the professors muttered distractedly. To their surprise, everyone agreed with his words and nodded.
It had been so long since they had such a strangely leisurely and peaceful general assembly that even the tea they always drank tasted much better now that the mental stress was gone.
“Ahem, so, is it certain that the Headmaster will be absent for three more days?”
“Yes, that’s right. It seems we can have at least three more quiet days.”
The culprit was, of course, Eve. As soon as she saw anyone, be it a student, professor, or staff member, she would point out their shortcomings or areas for improvement, stripping them bare to their souls. The professors, though it hadn’t been long, were already utterly fed up with Eve.
“Since it’s just us, why don’t we make this general assembly a bit more relaxed? Don’t you all agree?”
“Indeed.”
“It’ll be nice to relax for a change.”
Thanks to this, the general assembly without Eve was filled with laughter and a friendly atmosphere. Although there were still documents to report, preventing them from doing nothing, they could continue the meeting with a much lighter heart and enjoy the leisure.
“…What is it? The general assembly is currently in session.”
It was then that Illia, who had been standing silently like a statue beside Eve’s empty seat, observing the professors’ meeting, took out a buzzing short-range communication device and received a call.
The quick-witted professors, even amidst their laughter and chatter, flinched momentarily upon seeing her expression.
“What?”
And that subtle unease intensified further when her eyes widened in surprise as she took the call.
‘The Chief Secretary is that surprised? What kind of news could it possibly be?!’
Among them was the experienced senior professor Griezmann. He couldn’t take his eyes off Illia, who was usually impeccably strict and rigid, now frozen with an expression beyond surprise, bordering on bewilderment.
“Please give me your attention for a moment. This is a matter of great importance.”
Ultimately, his premonition proved correct; Illia herself struck the Headmaster’s gavel, silencing the professors who were deep in their meeting.
“What on earth is going on?”
“Indeed. We are in the middle of a very important meeting…”
“These are the Headmaster’s instructions. Frankly, I don’t fully understand them myself, but as they involve the Imperial Family, please all remain quiet.”
The professors showed their discomfort, but Illia, by mentioning the Headmaster and even the Imperial Family, immediately made their eyes widen.
“This is an Imperial Family directive, initiated by an agreement between the Headmasters. Before the official document arrives, I am merely relaying what I have heard.”
Illia took a deep breath and slowly began to speak. An academy evaluation match, with the Imperial Family’s support funds at stake.
And not just by selecting a few representative students, but an unprecedented plan to test all students, which instantly stunned all the professors.
“Each academy is to select professors to form an examination committee, send them to the Imperial Family, and create the exam under the supervision of the Imperial Family, who will serve as evaluators. For this, the Headmaster has instructed that the selection of professors be completed before her return.”
“W-wait, wait a minute! I-I’m too surprised to fully understand, but right now…”
“So, you’re saying the support funds will vary according to the ranking in this evaluation match?!”
However, their stunned state soon wore off, and the meeting room turned into chaos.
The professors, bewildered by this unimaginable development, swarmed around Illia, and she, sweating profusely, did her best to soothe and pacify them while repeating her explanation.
“No, why on earth! Why does the Headmaster decide such things every time! Without even a hint?!”
‘I wish I knew too, please.’
One of the professors questioned Illia as if he genuinely couldn’t understand. Unable to voice her agreement, she could only nod inwardly.
“It seems there must have been some urgent circumstances.”
She forced herself to defend Eve out loud, but in truth, knowing full well that Eve never really cared for the professors’ opinions from the start, she soon let out a deep sigh.
“In any case, since it’s an Imperial Family directive, we must follow it.”
“That’s right. Let’s call off today’s meeting here. We need to go back and adjust our schedules first.”
“Since things have already progressed this far, we definitely have to win.”
The general assembly ended earlier than planned. Even as they were agitated, angry, and grumbling about not understanding, the professors hurried back to seriously deliberate on the evaluation match.
After all, it was a nationwide evaluation match, with the academy’s honor at stake. For the professors’ own futures, they absolutely had to win this evaluation match.
“I heard a professor sighing. They said all students from the empire’s top academies will undergo an evaluation match?”
“The teaching assistant said the Emperor is taking an interest in the evaluation match? Will outstanding students receive Imperial rewards?”
“I heard from a senior! Top performers get Imperial rewards, but those who fail will be expelled for disgracing the academy’s honor?!!!”
And starting that very night, rumors began to spread everywhere.
Soon, the rumors grew in size and spread misinformation, to the point where the entire academy became abuzz with talk of the evaluation match before even a day had passed.
“A-a nationwide exam, just how difficult will it be?”
“It won’t be that bad, so don’t worry. Anyway, it seems the financial situation was quite complicated. I suppose the money that flowed out like a magic spring wasn’t free, considering the Headmaster doesn’t really run a business or own a territory.”
Naturally, this news reached Lassian’s ears through Karl. Having personally experienced the joys and sorrows of adults related to money, he merely gave a wry smile, unlike the other students.
“More than that, I’m worried about those two.”
Instead, Lassian focused his concern elsewhere: on the two female students who were currently undergoing practical training, a place he couldn’t follow.