The Overpowered Cult Leader at the Academy Chapter 58

Chapter 58

Episode 3 (1)

Only after the professor ca to his senses and shouted did Bereninche and Winter leave. In the anti, Bereninche stole the entire pot of seaweed soup I had made.

There was still plenty of seaweed left, so I could just cook more, but among the things she took was an abalone larger than a fist.

“Well, nothing I can do.”

It wasn’t like I could go and ask for it back. Thinking of Bereninche as one of the natural disasters, I didn’t even feel angry. Had I already reached a state like this?

“Smoking is prohibited in the mountains.”

“Heh. Crazy bastard.”

I said a word to the professor, who had a cigarette in his mouth and looked utterly exhausted. Of course, the professor cursed freely and lit it anyway.

I hadn’t expected him to listen in the first place, so it didn’t bother . I simply slumped down and stared at the campfire.

The crackling sound of flas and the sll of burning firewood. Even the soft glow it emitted without being overwhelming.

Gradually, I felt at peace. It wasn’t the kind of comfort found within the solemnity of a chapel, but sothing different. Once I realized it was sothing called everyday life, my gaze was already filled with lancholy.

“You, brat.”

The professor, who had been staring at for a while, slowly opened his mouth. His words were rough, but within them was a clumsy warmth that cared for his student.

Knowing the sincerity behind it, I didn’t reject him. My voice ca out sowhat firm, and because of that, inevitably stiff.

“Yes.”

“There’s sothing I’ve been curious about for a while.”

Stirring the fire with a charred branch, the professor brought it up. What could he be curious about?

Just from the top of my head, several possibilities ca to mind. I quietly nodded.

“You’re so damn ominous that it’s not exactly easy to start a conversation with you. But lately you’ve llowed out a bit.”

“That’s true.”

Before getting straight to the point, he set the stage first. Judging by his appearance and the way he spoke, he seed like the type to charge in imdiately, yet he was surprisingly considerate in things like this.

Aside from the Vice-Commander and the Aide, this was the first ti I’d received such consideration. Then again, the only people I ever really talked to were those related to the Order, so maybe that was only natural.

“You. Why did you stab that guy?”

“……”

I suddenly found myself at a loss for words. It was sothing rather uncomfortable to bring up. At least, that’s probably how the professor saw it.

The incident that beca the decisive cause for Davide’s expulsion.

The incident that branded Davide with the title of a villain.

And also the incident that would beco the cause of Episode 3.

Episode 3 consisted of two parts.

‘Recovery and Subjugation.’

Recovery ant saving the classmate Davide had stabbed with a knife.

Subjugation ant joining forces with that classmate to defeat a common enemy.

The Recovery part takes place outside the Academy, while the Subjugation part occurs inside the Academy. Due to the nature of the Academy, it is difficult to go on external missions, so the Recovery part takes place during vacation.

“Well.”

“Huh.”

The only answer I gave was a vague evasion. It wasn’t because of so old-fashioned reason. Strangely enough, it had been a deal.

A deal where everyone benefited—both Davide who did the stabbing and the guy who got stabbed. The reason was a struggle among noble heirs.

It was a complicated issue involving not only that family but also the Duhein Family. The reason Davide accepted the proposal was simple.

Because Duhein had tried to kill him. It was a desperate struggle to escape from the hunter of the raging waves.

“It’s a family matter.”

“Is that so. Hah. Being a noble isn’t all that great either.”

The professor dismissed it almost unreasonably. He soon clicked his tongue and grumbled. Being from a commoner background, he couldn’t empathize with the ruthlessness of the nobility.

In that regard, I should have been distant from it as well, but since I prioritized personal gain over greater causes, it wasn’t sothing I couldn’t understand at all.

Nobles move for the sake of their own safety and profit. Life is generally like that, but nobles were even more so.

“Is the Order’s business going well?”

“It’s going smoothly. For so reason, luck seems to be on my side.”

“That’s good.”

With that, we fell into silence again. It was a sowhat awkward conversation. I glanced at the professor.

He wore an expression filled with deep thought. Though rough, it was rare to find soone so human.

“Professor.”

“What.”

“I think your forehead has gotten a bit wider.”

“……”

The answer I expected was, ‘Cut the bullshit, you brat.’ But nothing ca.

When I looked at him just in case, I saw an expression I couldn’t quite describe.

I had tried to change the mood, but without realizing it, I had stabbed him with a dagger instead. The atmosphere naturally turned solemn. It was the first ti I had ever felt this sorry toward soone.

***

“Senior. Are the books good?”

“Yeah. They’re a bit easy.”

After spending one night and two days in the mountains, I slept in the dormitory all day. After waking up, I headed to the chapel.

Since it was midterm exam period, I also did sothing called studying so as not to ruin the atmosphere. Thinking it might help in combat, I borrowed books related to tactics and strategy.

Surprisingly, military strategy books were interesting. It was fun reading about the various battles and wars used as examples, and it was also enjoyable learning the strategies themselves.

“Though even if you read them, I doubt you’d understand.”

“……That’s not true.”

“I’m sure.”

Judging by that resentful face, it must have annoyed her. Her reactions were always so distinct that I couldn’t stop teasing her.

If Canis were here too, it would be quite sothing, but that person herself was a bit uncomfortable to deal with, so maybe next ti.

Winter studied a lot. She liked reading books and was willing to learn anything.

However, her grades were not very good. Aside from religion, she barely finished every other subject with average marks.

Her performance in combat-related subjects was especially terrible. She studied extrely hard, yet her exam scores were disappointing.

“Whew. Still, I’m so happy the midterms are over.”

“You stopped caring about them at so point anyway.”

“Th… that’s not true!”

After hearing what I said about not having to worry about getting a job, Winter seed to have lifted a burden off her mind.

Her diligence hadn’t gone anywhere, but the target of it had changed. Rather than academics, she invested more into the Order and the Divine Power magic she was interested in.

It was the first ti I had seen soone who genuinely enjoyed studying. I also realized why Winter’s skin was so pale.

—Knock knock.

Soone knocking on the chapel door was sothing rather surprising. The first problem was that the infamous Davide was here.

Even if soone managed to get past or overco that, it was difficult to co here in the first place due to the special nature of the Order.

But now, no one was surprised anymore. We didn’t have the ability to detect presences or mana.

We simply knew who the person knocking outside was.

“It’s been a while.”

Without much hesitation, Winter opened the door. The one who entered with a smile that always seed to heal people was the Vice-Commander.

I stood up from my seat to greet her. The Vice-Commander looked at Winter with incredibly warm eyes and gave a small bow.

Even Winter, who normally felt burdened around people of such high status, had opened her heart to the Vice-Commander’s uniquely gentle presence.

The Vice-Commander visited the chapel suspiciously often. At first, I thought she ca because of , but seeing how well she got along with Winter made it confusing.

“I would like to enjoy Winter student’s tea for once. May I ask you to prepare so?”

The Vice-Commander spoke first out of consideration for Winter’s timid personality. With a delighted expression, Winter began preparing the tea.

Every action and every word of hers was filled with consideration. Yet it would be difficult to call it simple kindness, as she also possessed a rather sharp and cold side.

In this case, it was probably sothing called experience. Why soone like this was receiving such harsh treatnt under the Imperial Princess was beyond .

“Before we enjoy it, I should first explain the reason I ca. There is soone looking for Davide student.”

“Soone looking for ?”

“Yes. It’s the owner of the workshop we visited together before. You left an item with him, but he complained that he had no way to contact you.”

“Ah.”

Co to think of it, that was a thing too. Now that I thought about it, there really wasn’t any way to contact . Still, he finished it quite quickly, didn’t he?

I expected it to take a bit longer, but his craftsmanship was better than I had anticipated.

I glanced at the Vice-Commander. Judging by the sly smile on her face, it felt like there was sothing more to it again.

“Your tea brewing skills are improving more and more.”

“I still have a long way to go.”

At the Vice-Commander’s complint, Winter showed clear embarrassnt. The Vice-Commander had co here for genuine rest.

Anyone would probably think that while seeing her smile so contentedly as she talked with Winter.

It was an unfamiliar side of Winter, who normally never joined conversations unless it was with . If soone didn’t speak to her first, Winter rarely started a conversation herself.

Lately, she had occasionally been chatting with the absentminded Worden, but that was simply because she had grown used to Worden’s foolish reactions.

With ordinary people, she didn’t communicate very smoothly. That was why I allowed the presence of the Vice-Commander. She had a positive effect on Winter.

“Co to think of it, what brought you here?”

Perhaps satisfied with chatting enough, Winter glanced at and then stepped forward first.

The Vice-Commander obediently revealed the reason for her visit.

“Eighty percent of it was because I wanted to skip work. The remaining twenty percent is because there’s sothing I needed to tell you. My superior is looking for Davide student.”

Winter’s eyes, which turned toward , were full of questions. This superior was soone who had been ntioned repeatedly.

A person like that had taken interest in .

Winter was curious about how that had happened. She was also a little worried. Knowing my personality to so extent, she seed anxious that I might have caused so kind of trouble.

So she was probably worried that this summons might be sothing harmful.

That concern was admirable, but it wasn’t sothing Winter needed to involve herself in.

That so-called superior was not soone who could be imagined by Winter’s imagination. No matter what she imagined, the reality would exceed it.

“……It’s okay, right?”

When she asked like that, the Vice-Commander’s expression beca quite entertained. I simply nodded indifferently in response.

Winter pouted slightly at my unfriendly reaction, then shrugged.

More importantly, a superior calling for . Just how troubleso would this beco?

“Hehe. You look tired.”

“Yes. Thanks to you.”

“I did nothing wrong, you know?”

I answered curtly at her teasing tone. The Vice-Commander insisted on her innocence, but I wasn’t fooled.

She had definitely ntioned willingly as well. I had no intention of moving so obediently.

“Shall we go now?”

“Is it urgent?”

“Well. I don’t think so?”

“Then I won’t go.”

At my bombshell statent, Winter’s face gradually turned pale. The Vice-Commander also widened her eyes, clearly showing that she was surprised.

I waved my hand to calm Winter down. If it were truly urgent, they would have co urgently.

They hadn’t even told who it was and just expected to go when called—why should I go?

“I did think this might happen.”

“If it’s the Vice-Commander’s superior, they must be soone important. But that doesn’t an I absolutely have to answer the summons. Are they soone from the Academy?”

With a bitter smile, the Vice-Commander shook her head at my question.

“If you reveal their identity, I’ll go.”

“That is outside my authority. Certainly, Davide student has no obligation to respond to the summons. It seems I have failed this mission.”

“I’m concerned that this might cause trouble for you, Vice-Commander.”

“It’s fine. Hehe.”

Perhaps she liked my bold attitude, because a gentle smile appeared on the Vice-Commander’s face.

If what I was thinking was correct, getting involved with it right now would only beco troubleso.