Chapter 147 — Those Who Wish to Tarnish Excellence

1

A new week’s morning dawned.

After the League’s weekly summary, it was now a week for facing monsters and preparing for the upcoming monthly evaluation.

On top of that, midterms were just two weeks away.

The students, having gradually adapted to the hectic academy life, now wore faces of calm confidence.

Manus also left the dormitory, mentally preparing for the classes that would start today.

As April ended and May began, the schedule would become more structured.

He could start planning his routine according to the rigid academic calendar.

‘The third years are heading to the artificial island, aren’t they?’

It was quite a grueling schedule.

After exploring artificial dungeons on the island for four days, they would have their monthly evaluation the very next day.

All the professors from each department would participate in the evaluations, a method so brutal it was often described as murderous.

By the third year, they were at an age where it wouldn’t be surprising to see them on the battlefield as active combatants.

The academy, in its relentless schedule, was forging students into combat-ready soldiers.

In the real world, such intense training might have been considered inhumane, but here, this was the logic of a world inside a game.

Mages, warriors, and guardians were all people who armed themselves for war.

In that sense, the harsh training brought them closer to the goals they aimed for.

“Sounds like fun, actually.”

Fighting monsters would provide an experience distinct from battling demons.

There were countless creatures hostile to humans.

Learning how to deal with them would ensure that, even after graduation, they could earn their keep.

“Manus, you look well today too?”

Nia, who had grown quite close to Manus over the course of these classes, approached him.

Following her closely were some first-year students.

Kael’s short hair, cut to chin-length, shone brightly in the morning sun.

“Senior, we made a lot of money.”

“…Well done.”

Kael’s eager, wide-eyed look seemed to be asking for praise.

Without much thought, the group naturally moved together towards the classroom.

They chatted about this and that along the way.

The main topic was monsters, particularly the differences between demons and monsters.

“Monsters definitely seem a bit smarter.”

“Mm, right. Demons just attack blindly. Just think about those ogre-like ones—”

Indeed, unlike demons who acted purely on instinct, monsters had a certain level of intelligence.

Especially as you went up the hierarchy of monsters, they employed more varied and cunning strategies.

“Senior Manus.”

“Hm?”

“When we go up the tower next time, I want to learn a lot from you both.”

Kael’s sudden statement.

It was the first time she had brought something like this up.

It was likely because of the encounter with the Wanderer during their last tower visit.

Manus smiled faintly and nodded.

“Since it’s a space only we can enter, it makes sense that you should be the one preparing.”

“How admirable.”

To think she was considering things like this.

Kael’s expression mirrored Manus’s smile.

Manus planned to teach Kael how to craft items at the tower that evening.

[Interference has begun.]

“I feel like I need to do better than you, Senior.”

“There’s no need for that.”

Kael’s face became serious.

The pressure she felt must have been overwhelming.

Knowing that there were many things she could do.

In other words, there were many things she felt she had to do.

Manus could sense the weight of the burden she carried.

Kael wouldn’t want to see anyone get hurt because of her.

Had she been better prepared, they might not have had to run from the Wanderer.

She now seemed to have the mindset of someone ready to become a leader.

“Don’t try to do too much. But also, don’t neglect what needs to be done.”

“—Yes. I understand.”

Kael nodded cautiously, taking Manus’s words seriously.

There would come a day when, as she reflected on and internalized those words, she would truly grasp their meaning.

Both of them knew that not rushing was the most important thing.

And so, they would continue to grow.

2

Once everyone had left, only the maids were bustling about the dormitory.

It was the time of day when only maids could come and go.

While the maids were busy moving around, Siren appeared on the top floor of the male dormitory.

The lunch she had received from Assistant Chesthip had been delicious.

She ought to return the favor.

Siren prided herself on her long years of service here.

Something like changing room assignments was no big deal for her.

She carefully opened the dorm room door, looking around to ensure no one was watching.

‘This is it…’

It was Manus’s room, which she normally wouldn’t even approach because she couldn’t stand him.

But today, with his familiar gone, she could handle things perfectly.

The luxury of the place was a world apart from where she stayed.

The neatly organized bookshelf.

The magical refrigerator stocked with drinks and snacks.

Even the gold-embellished bathtub.

Seeing these, a sudden sense of futility washed over her.

“Well, he’s a noble, so living like this is expected.”

She shrugged off the hollow feeling and began tidying up.

No matter how great the family or how dignified the noble, Siren knew all too well that at the end of the day, they were just people.

Their most intimate daily lives weren’t so different from those of commoners.

What did it even mean to be noble?

She didn’t really want to think about it.

Did anyone even think about such things anymore?

Most people simply avoided the filth because it was too disgusting.

“It’s ridiculous—”

She had seen plenty of the aristocracy’s atrocities.

Some of them had been so severe that it made her, who had to bow her head and endure it due to her lack of power, feel utterly miserable.

As if by habit, she tidied the bed and cleaned the room meticulously.

As an experienced maid, her body moved almost on its own, allowing her to carry out tasks efficiently while her mind wandered.

In fact, the room looked like it hadn’t even been touched by the time she was done.

‘Now that it’s mostly finished…’

She looked around once more to ensure everything was in place before she proceeded with the real task.

Everyone was busy cleaning and organizing at this time of day.

For at least the next few dozen minutes, no one would come here.

It was time to get to work.

It had to look natural.

Siren meticulously spread traces of the “discarded chemical” that Chesthip had provided around the room.

A few drops, deliberately spilled here and there.

‘Assistant Chesthip is smart.’

A faint scent lingering in the air.

Empty bottles found in places that could easily be overlooked.

Evidence found in a neglected corner could often be the downfall of even the most meticulous.

Siren had dealt with countless students in her time, and had seen many cases where they had been caught.

She had even been the one to clean the rooms after they were expelled.

She had prepared thoroughly, knowing how to ensure that a maid or anyone else wouldn’t be suspected.

‘It’s a shame I have to erase my memories…’

The preparations were complete.

Now, all she had to do was wait for the wolves to come sniffing around.

She smiled.

With a trap and a tasty bait, it wouldn’t be long before the rats came swarming in.

After tidying up the room one last time, Siren casually left.

She didn’t know how much damage this would do to the Caesar name.

However, even just tarnishing the image of the tyrant and stirring up negative public opinion would be enough for her.

If the chairman or other professors decided to back them, they might be able to twist the situation further.

It was beyond a mere maid’s wildest dreams, but when public opinion built up, things could change.

Propaganda was a terrifying thing, and words spoken without much thought could quickly become a tidal wave.

Siren and Chesthip were targeting that exact phenomenon.

“Oh, Miss Siren. Have you finished cleaning?”

“Yes. I’ve finished. Would you like to see?”

The head maid, who happened to be passing by, recognized her and greeted her warmly.

Aden shook her head.

Siren was a trusted maid who had been working here for a long time.

She was one of the few who had earned such trust since Veronica’s time.

“No, there’s no need to kick up dust by going back inside. Thank you for your hard work.”

“Yes, then…”

Aden watched Siren as she walked away, feeling a slight sense of unease.

Her heart was racing a bit faster than usual, and it bothered her.

But she brushed it off, thinking there was no real reason to be concerned, and continued walking.

As head maid, her duties were exhausting and numerous.

It was a minor discomfort, but nothing too serious.

Aden watched Siren’s retreating figure for a moment before resuming her steps.

Little did she know that those steps would soon be tinged with deep regret.

3

“Starting today, you will all spend four days on the artificial island.”

In a gathering of all the third years, Professor Todd of the Eagles Class stood before them, delivering his speech with his usual composure.

There were 100 dungeons on the artificial island.

The main objective of this evaluation was to enter a randomly assigned dungeon and clear it.

The artificial island, where the environment could be altered by magic, was the pinnacle of magic engineering in this era. Creating 100 artificial dungeons there was no big deal.

“Your performances will all be recorded. The main evaluation criteria will be how you conduct your battles and how well you cooperate with your teammates.”

Manus listened to the speech alongside Aiden and Elena.

Occasionally, when he felt bored, he petted Albion, who was rubbing his face against his leg, while absorbing the details of the evaluation.

Though the dungeons weren’t very long, their interiors were designed as complex mazes.

Light traps, monsters, and other various challenges were all set and ready to greet the students.

Typically, dungeons were remnants of the ancient wars between the Demon Realm, Celestial Realm, and the Middle Realm.

Most were places imbued with the weapons or devices used during those wars.

“You must be able to overcome the unknown. In isolated situations, you will need to calmly discuss and wisely solve the problems that arise.”

Dungeon exploration was grueling work.

Many had failed to return, and those who did often spent the rest of their lives haunted by trauma.

That’s how demanding dungeons were.

Training for dungeon exploration started in the second semester of the first year.

Even after years of training, dungeons were still places that one could never fully be accustomed to.

Professor Todd repeatedly emphasized caution and safety.

“There is no need to risk your lives for a dungeon. Escaping from danger is also a skill. You must recognize the difference between courage and recklessness.”

“Starting with the prepared groups, please step onto the teleportation magic circle.”

Only three people could enter each dungeon.

Since there would be no repeat entries, extreme situations could indeed arise.

The fact that you had to proceed to the end, whether you liked it or not, created immense pressure.

“Ready?”

“Manus and I are here, so you’re not scared, right? Aiden?”

“Of course not.”

Aiden shrugged and stepped forward.

Manus, with a calm expression, also stepped onto the magic circle.

Elena glanced at Manus and spoke.

“Looking forward to working with you.”

“—Yes.”

As the teleportation magic circle began to glow, an unbelievable message appeared before Manus.

[Interference has begun.]

–TL Notes–
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