Chapter 82 — There is No Salvation in a Swindler’s Words

1

Mia, the history professor at the academy, quietly observed the matches.

Her instructions to Lupera were simple.

Just to place the prepared drug near the monsters.

Once the drugged monsters start rampaging, everything would be over.

Being a teacher had many advantages.

That foolish traveler probably still thinks this place is sacred ground.

But the tower was merely a stage of opportunity.

If Lupera does well, she thought it might be time to increase their numbers.

‘If we take over the academy first… we can drive out the nobles too. Hehe-.’

It started as a small dream.

People look down on commoners.

Despite commoners being present throughout countless historical events, nobles never fear them.

She just wanted to change that perception.

As time passed, she experienced all sorts of tragedies.

Her parents were unjustly taken away, and she wandered in some unknown territory.

As a commoner, it was easy to hide her past, but a stable life was just as elusive.

‘I will definitely create a world where commoners stand tall.’

Her ideals, forged through a thorny path, soon became desire.

She did what she could and found her talent to enter the academy.

And she learned there was a place where she could realize her dream.

It was a stage of opportunity, a place where great changes could be made.

In a place unknown to anyone, she had been preparing for years.

There were quite a few victims, but that was fine.

They were all nobles, after all.

“Let’s see the power of those high and mighty nobles.”

She watched the evaluation from a place no one paid attention to.

In her hand were answer sheets students had worked hard to complete.

This was her professor’s office.

Naturally, it was a place no one could approach.

Or so she thought.

Knock knock-.

“It’s the head maid. May I come in for a moment?”

“Ah yes, please come in.”

She composed herself before answering.

The head maid.

She had changed recently, hadn’t she?

Moreover, she was said to have been dispatched from the great Caesar family.

Mia thoroughly checked her surroundings, lest she give any openings.

As the door opened, she saw the head maid carrying a bundle of exam papers.

Do head maids do such things these days?

“Professor Trail was busy, so I came instead. Excuse me.”

“Not at all. You must be working hard.”

“You flatter me. I’m just doing what needs to be done.”

They smiled at each other, but neither took any particular action.

The head maid took out a small bottle from her bosom.

Professor Mia asked with her eyes, as if wondering what it was.

The head maid smiled slightly and spoke.

“A student asked me to deliver this. The name was… ah, student Morris.”

“Ah-. Thank you.”

“Then, keep up the good work.”

Aden quietly withdrew.

As the door closed again, Professor Mia looked at the bottle with suspicious eyes.

Someone gave her this for her sake?

“As if I could believe that.”

It was the same at the academy.

There were those who subtly looked down on her just for being a commoner.

No, actually, that wasn’t important.

She just wanted to believe that.

Their gazes, their actions and questions, their…

Professor Mia’s expression had turned unpleasant as she put the bottle aside.

The sloshing drink.

Normally, she wouldn’t have accepted it, but the name Morris was involved.

‘He was a commoner too. Should I use this to get closer to a friend?’

In that sense, she should drink this beverage well.

She put the sloshing drink in her bag with her personal belongings.

Thinking of her next plan, she called Lupera’s name.

“Lupera, Lupera, you need to do well.”

She continued grading while humming.

She wanted to mess up the nobles’ evaluations, but that could get her truly expelled from the academy.

In the midst of this, she saw an answer sheet that seemed to draw her in.

“…What.”

[Caesar Manus]

Seeing his name written in elegant handwriting, she felt anger rising.

Tyrant?

Yes, it was a fitting name.

It was also a name that must be brought down someday.

But contrary to her instinctive hatred, her reason was praising him.

Concise and neatly organized essay answers.

Not a single mistake in the multiple choice questions.

However, the last question was left completely blank.

“Of course. It must be too much for a second-year level. Hehe.”

There was no answer sheet for the last question.

Wouldn’t this make for good conversation when they have the final report meeting?

She giggled and indulged in pleasant imagination.

Not realizing how twisted her own mind had become, or what kind of miracle this child Manus had performed-.

2

Lupera remembered.

The sweet dream she gave him.

The rope of possibility she offered.

She showed him a secret stairway to bring down those above.

She taught history and was very knowledgeable.

Also, there was a secret only Lupera knew.

That she was quite versed in alchemy as well.

‘This is the result of that.’

Pop-.

The sound of the cap opening was quite cheerful.

He quietly approached where the monsters were.

Poor creatures trapped in cages, just waiting for their moment of death.

Lupera looked around to carry out the professor’s orders.

There were guards watching the cages, but it was a task he could accomplish without going near the enclosures.

From a spot out of the guards’ sight, he sprinkled the reagent on the ground.

‘This should do it.’

It was a simple task.

But the repercussions would be far from small.

The reagent Professor Mia gave him was one that awakened the ferocity flowing within the monsters.

A sweet scent spread.

The ones that smell it first will show the strongest effects.

And the ones in front were monsters for the ‘nobles’ to face.

‘I’ll get to watch them fall apart. And… I’ll use that chance to climb up step by step.’

Healing magic wasn’t omnipotent.

What those who’ve been injured fear most isn’t the healing of external wounds, but trauma.

There were those whose talents were crushed by massive trauma, even after healing magic completely cured their injuries.

This was exactly what Lupera was aiming for.

Professor Mia said she had a meeting with Professor Trail.

She must have worked some angle there.

[I’ve taken care of it, so don’t worry.]

[Buttering up Professor Trail is nothing.]

[He even liked how neatly I wrapped things up. What a fool-.]

Words heard in their private space.

Confidential words that allowed Lupera to act without hesitation.

A shadow rose in the place he quietly left after completing his mission.

“Hmm-.”

The man, Umbra, who had watched all of Lupera’s actions, moved his mana.

Sniff sniff, he smelled the air and collected some of the reagent scattered on the ground.

It had already seeped into the ground, making it difficult to obtain a sample, but the Umbras were skilled individuals.

If they couldn’t accomplish this much with their skills, they wouldn’t be fit to be shadows protecting Caesar.

Mana swept the ground, and the shadow skillfully collected a sample.

‘It’s a reagent I’ve never seen before. But… something feels ominous. Should I report first?’

Though Umbra had diverse knowledge, it was impossible to immediately identify an original invention.

Everything is learned through obtaining samples and researching from various angles.

He disappeared again, as he always did.

No one knew he had come and gone.

Meanwhile, the breathing of the monsters in the cages began to grow rougher.

3

[I have a report.]

“Speak.”

[After spraying an unidentified reagent, he returned to the plaza.]

“What color was the reagent?”

[It was red.]

“I see.”

Manus stood up.

Combining the information coming to mind, he guessed what reagent Lupera had used.

Mia.

A delusional woman who wanted to become a tower noble by giving herself a surname.

She wanted to become a doll to punish nobles, calling herself ‘Annabel’.

The words Professor Mia had uttered.

Every one of them disgusting, statements that shook one’s mental state.

‘She definitely used red, blue, and white reagents.’

The blue reagent had the effect of summoning demons.

The white reagent controlled the demons’ consciousness.

Lastly, the red reagent greatly increased their abilities.

He wasn’t sure when she had developed these reagents, but it was probably one of them.

If so-.

‘I need to move quickly.’

It would have been good to respond in advance.

Acting without justification would only backfire on us.

The other party still has the status of an academy professor after all.

Now that we have evidence, we can move.

He headed to where the chairman was waiting.

There was still some time before the evaluation.

He needed to go and come back quickly.

“I wonder how the chairman will react.”

As he was organizing his thoughts while walking, he felt a presence following behind him.

Manus quietly opened his mouth.

“How was the reaction?”

“There was no particular reaction. But I left the catalyst, and given her personality, she won’t throw it away.”

“Well done.”

“Hehe, you flatter me. This is fun.”

Aden’s voice rang softly.

Missions with such low difficulty compared to the past.

Manus was keeping his promise thoroughly.

If he suspected Professor Mia, he could have ordered her death.

But he didn’t.

It was felt that this was not only for justification but also to keep his promise with Aden.

“Go tell Kael to be careful.”

“-Understood.”

The shadow moved away.

Knock knock-.

The ever-classic door rang with a clear sound.

Chairman Nyx said to come in, and Manus entered with the sample he received from Umbra.

“What’s the matter?”

“Lupera, who returned from the tower, had this reagent.”

“Let me see.”

Nyx received the sample and put on a monocle.

It seemed to be an artifact, with faint mana imbued in it.

After examining the reagent for a moment, his expression hardened.

He must have discovered it too.

The chairman asked with a serious expression.

What on earth was going on?

“What is happening?”

“It seems Lupera made some kind of contract in the tower. This means there’s an unknown force operating within.”

“Within the academy… I see. Alright. But the evaluation must continue. Manus. I’ll be counting on you.”

Manus nodded.

“Please interrogate Lupera. I will enter the tower today.”

“Understood.”

Chairman Nyx gave an appropriate answer.

It’s time to move.

First, we should start by brilliantly crushing the enemy’s plans.

There are no villains who last until the end in this game.

Their role is simply to do their job and disappear.

Having led the story so far, it was time for them to exit.

–TL Notes–
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