63 – Exchange Battle 5 –
“So, what is the reason you came looking for me?”
“Why is the exchange battle happening now?”
The person I sought out was Sergey Dalmore, the principal of the Zerip Academy.
He was the one holding the key to this incident.
“Didn’t you hear the detailed information? Other people have noticed.”
“I know, but isn’t it strange? Why now? It’s odd that they agreed to it willingly, especially when it’s also exam season for other academies.”
“Well, let’s look at it the other way around. Let’s assume there is something suspicious about this incident. Then what would be the problem?”
“If we assume it’s suspicious, it’s meaningless to find the cause. It’s better to just come up with all sorts of reasons to block it. It’s like evacuating or stopping a bomb if it seems like a bomb was installed, without knowing who installed it or what type of bomb it is.”
“That’s true. There are two problems. First, the Holy Maiden of the Sky has not said anything about this incident.
Second, it’s not a power that can be stopped. I’m maintaining neutrality, and that’s why it’s like this. There is no force to withstand when everyone becomes a target.”
“If we are protected within the academy shield, even if we foresee, it won’t appear in the foresight.
And some people were missing from the group photo because they were outside the foresight. Even though they were there, they didn’t appear.”
“Saying it could happen and saying it might not happen are pretty much the same thing.”
“That’s true. But you can agree that there is something obviously strange, can’t you?
How could so many academies, including other countries’ academies, cancel exams and create such a situation? Isn’t there some huge force involved?”
“The royal family can’t do things secretly either. It can only be thought of as a lucky coincidence.”
“That’s right. The royal family, and even the prosperous Cheongdo at the time, couldn’t do such things secretly.”
That’s why I’m even more suspicious.
Did something happen that the royal family and the prosperous Cheongdo at the time couldn’t do secretly?
And all because of pure coincidence?
“There is something.”
Other people would think that both these forces are impossible, so it must be a coincidence.
But no matter how you look at it, there are obvious suspicious corners.
“In terms of Korea, let’s say Korea University, Yei University, Harvard University, Peking University, and Tokyo University all coincidentally replace exams with an exchange competition, and it happens to be at the perfect timing. A perfect nonsense story should come out.
We don’t have the internet here, so public opinion isn’t inflamed… It’s very strange.”
You can’t say anything in reality just because it’s strange.
Because sometimes retarded stories circulate.
There have even been cases where the military password was q1w2e3.
But this is different because it’s the consensus of the majority, not just individual negligence.
It’s more comfortable to think that there is something.
“After all, there have been cases where the princess sacrificed her life. What’s this compared to that?”
Even if we’re caught, it’s not a problem.
What would they do themselves.
From Noble mtl dot com
Since powerlessness can also become a justification.
As I began to master the Earthen Soul Technique and grow stronger, it seemed that no one else would dare say anything to me.
The royal family values justification because they can’t control the strong. But I’m not one of them.
“So why are you determined to dig into this? You mustn’t act recklessly this time. Do you even know how many factions are involved this time?”
“Quite a lot. Many nations, including the Empire, the Holy Crimson Sect, the Magic Republic, the Twelve Kingdoms, and more, are deeply entangled.”
“If you cause a commotion this time, it won’t end easily. It won’t be limited to just the Empire!”
The Headmaster pleaded with me to please refrain from this course of action.
It was truly ironic that I was not willing to take the path of expulsion, even though it might mean being controlled by something.
“Well, since immediate expulsion is impossible, let’s at least investigate. I also thought that being expelled because the Academy was destroyed… wouldn’t be so bad?”
“Your fate is no different from the Academy’s. If the Academy is destroyed, you will be too.”
Of course, I had no intention of eliminating the Academy.
I needed to find out why the incident had occurred at the Academy, one way or another.
It could be related to this incident.
“So, I have to persuade the Headmaster…”
If, by any chance, terrorism were to occur, it would become a problem, and the Imperial Academy had the authority to search and investigate.
However, the Headmaster seemed to have doubts about my actions and asked me.
“Aren’t you trying to worsen public opinion even more with all of this? I’ve already offered you a solution, haven’t I? Fight me and win. If you win, I’ll graduate you, without expulsion or self-exile.”
“I heard that it’s expulsion.”
“That’s not the most important thing. Just fight and beat me, no matter how you do it. Considering your actions so far, it seemed like you’d challenge me to a duel all the time, but you’ve only done it once?”
It was only natural.
I had witnessed firsthand just how formidable the Headmaster was.
The image of him facing off against two dragons at WFS was still vivid.
How could I easily put it into words?
I had already halfway given up on the initial goal of self-exile.
Maximilian had also promised to teach me Awakening.
In the end, it was a somewhat reasonable way to make connections here before leaving.
“Of course, it’s best to obtain the freedom of fortune, so the challenge will continue. If I only learn the guihon swordsmanship of geomgyui… It wouldn’t matter if I stayed at the academy…”
Of course, that will come later during the break, so all I have to do now is prepare for it.
“Just a moment. Look at me properly.”
“What now? Why?”
The principal stares at me intently.
I, too, opened my eyes and stared back at the principal’s eyes.
It didn’t take long for the principal to blink and express doubt.
I was victorious.
“I won. So, please let me graduate now.”
“What nonsense. What did I do?”
“You just had an eye fight with me and closed your eyes, so you lost.”
“…Are you kidding me? What’s so great about winning an eye fight?”
“What if I take your eyes out in an eye fight?”
“Master.”
“Oh, this doesn’t suit you. That’s why you don’t have any friends.”
“All my friends are dead. They’ve long since left for the heavens.”
“Even if they’re dead, they’re still considered friends.”
“Anyway.”
What was that? Was it real?
I didn’t know it was really isolated.
When opinions don’t narrow down and simply run in parallel lines.
The principal gave me a hint.
A suspicious hint that meant something.
“To put it simply… don’t get involved in this matter.”
“No. If there’s a problem, it’s obvious that dealing with it is a priority…!”
“That’s why I’m telling you not to get involved. You’re the victim. The victim can’t take revenge themselves.”
Wait.
Victim?
No way.
“Leave right now. No matter what happens. You have nothing to worry about.”
An incident where I am the victim.
There is only one existence.
“The Demon Cult.”
The principal cannot speak because of the surrounding gazes.
He is suspicious of the Demon Cult.
However, there was doubt.
Even if only a small number of people are involved here, in several countries and even in the Holy Court.
If there is a traitor among these people, even hiding in a high position in the Holy Court…
“No. From what the principal is considering, it means that there is a possibility. Is the power of the Demon Cult that… strong?”
How long has it been since the decline of the Holy Court?
Has it already spread to this extent?
“Ah… How high was the status of the Holy Court for it to come to this state just because of a momentary decline?”
If you see the motives for joining the Demon Cult in WFS, there are many who say it is because the Holy Court is not eternal.
The Holy Court is a fading star, so they say they will join a new religion.
However, the Holy Court is still strong,
And they still possess their abilities.
It’s just that the selection of the Supreme Priest has caused repeated controversies, and even among the adults, there is severe division and conflict over future actions.
“The Pope is doing everything possible to save it, refusing all schedules except for a minimal number, and the surviving Supreme Priests are demoted and promoted repeatedly.
There are even people from the adults who came to the Academy for political reasons… Now that I think about it, there’s enough reason to abandon them…”
But the powers of the ten Saints, the ten Holy Maidens remain intact.
Internally, there may be chaos, but their influence on the outside has hardly diminished.
“How great was their status in the past? Well, if you think about it, it could have caused panic just by the fact that there is a possibility that the Holy Court can be defeated, like the unbeatable myth of the Korean real estate.”
I truly realize how powerful the past Holy Court was.
The Earth’s Holy Court was only politically powerful.
But the Holy Court can still easily trample on at least a small country, so it’s even more so.
“So, my task is already set.”
Since there is no longer any need for me to intervene, I should continue my work without any worries.
“Who is next… I don’t know, but I should go and find out.”
The next person in line was someone I did not know.
But that’s okay. The waiting room he was waiting in was predetermined.
[What strange thing are you trying to do again?]
-Don’t worry. It’s an action that won’t cause any problems.
The angel expressed doubt about my work.
But when I said I was okay, I just let it go.
That was the convenient point of the angel.
Immediately, I put on another set of clothes and disguised myself as someone else.
As long as I deceive others to some extent, it’s fine.
If I deceive only third parties, no one will have a problem with it.
With that in mind, I turned my steps towards the next goal.
—-
During the exchange match at the Academy.
A man was listening to something in a corner.
The man’s earring shimmered slightly, and the sound flowed into his eardrums.
[Surely, it will be something that can be successful, right?]
“This time, even if I invested so much, can’t I do it? With this level of support, even the royal court will be breached. A small academy like this can’t stop it.”
[Well, if there are doubts, that means there will be political disputes, and the president can’t do anything about it. Then the operation will proceed smoothly now.]
“That’s right. The Academy has really done something impressive. Putting that expensive magic spell on Abra Ksausengdo, the person known to all the noble families. Truly.”
[Well, still, it doesn’t have much meaning, does it?]
“That’s right… Nobody, not even the magician who cast that spell, will think that they are on our side! hahahahaha!”
[Then I will look forward to it. If we fail this time…]
“Yes. All of us… have already prepared ourselves.”
With that, the man gathered his determination once again.
He decided to carry out the operation.
‘It’s not really your fault. It’s just… a fault of this world.’
He thought that this world had too many problems.
Because in this world, one could not be truly free.
“The evil spirits said to become free, but… I wonder how many people among the members of the sect can really be free… I don’t know.”
But he did not have freedom.
So, there was no choice but to make a decision.
The sinister forces that had infiltrated the academy.
They had begun to make their move in earnest.
—-
Knock, knock, knock.
“Yes. Come in.”
As I get permission after knocking on the door, I step in.
I was wearing a similar outfit to when I was messing around in the VIP room earlier.
The person who feels doubtful about my presence.
But that wasn’t too important to me.
Since the other person doesn’t know me anyway, and if they refuse, I was just planning to let it go.
“So, you are Ely Ely Bell Bell, right?”
“Yes… that’s me, but what’s going on?”
Ely Ely Bell Bell.
I can sense that her parents gave her name without much thought.
I don’t know about her last name, but why would her first name be like that?
Does she like hip-hop?
“Ely Ely Bell Bell, would you be able to lose in this upcoming match? In return, I will give you this.”
What I handed her was about a hundred twenty million baht.
The money ripped off as rental fee for Dragon Heart.
And what I proposed to her was defeat.
I suggested match-fixing.
To make money.
“There won’t be any major issues if you lose.”
It’s an act that ruins sportsmanship.
But I don’t care about sportsmanship.
On second thought, this is a more healthy approach than cyber terror.
There are no legal precedents, so there won’t be any problems.