Chapter 85
Inside the Dean’s Office at Avalon Imperial Academy…
There were two men facing each other in front of a large table while sipping tea on their seats.
One of the men was Dean Syutain, who was also a Count of the Avalon Empire, while the other was Professor Zwisegi, Baron Zwisegi. His face shaped like an inverted triangle reminded one of a rat. The latter seemed frustrated as he opened his mouth and slammed his fist on his chest.
“Dean, are you sure you don’t want him out of the Academy? Are you really?sure?”
“Hmmm…”
“He’s Duke Agnus’ son, but he went against three families from the Twelve Families! Among those families are the Villas Family and the Crombell Family, they’re a military and a merchant family, respectively, and the latter holds at least half of the wealth of the entire empire!”
“...”
When he saw that Dean Syutain wasn’t responding, Professor Zwisegi’s voice got louder as he said, “One has to make decisions in life! Dean, you have to be cautious at times like this! Your decision will have a great impact on our lives down the road. We need to choose the correct side to be on now.”
Professor Zwisegi didn’t even wait for Dean Syutain’s reply anymore as he added meaningfully, “We have to make sure that we handle this situation well today. Marquis Villas promised me a key position in the central government if I can handle this situation well. Dean, they can even recommend you as the next Prime Minister based on your experience.”
At the word ‘Prime Minister,’ Dean Syutain’s eyes brightened.
“Did Marquis Villas really say that?”
“Do not fret, it’s not only Marquis Villas. Marquis Crombell also promised that he’ll support the proposition.”
“Why are they…” Dean Syutain’s surprise didn’t go unnoticed.
Professor Zwisegi hurriedly said in a low voice, “Dean, you could probably guess Marquis Villas' thoughts, can't you? He might hold the actual authority among his soldiers, but the soldiers all look up to a certain individual with all their hearts.”
Every soldier, every Avalon knight admired one person: Duke Agnus.
‘I guess that's nothing scarier than jealousy…’?Dean Syutain muttered to himself.
“What about Marquis Crombell then?” asked Dean Syutain.
“Well…”
Professor Zwisegi cautiously looked around and spoke in a way that made it seem like what he was about to say was the most confidential and controversial topic to ever exist.
“Have you heard about Marquis Crombell and Duke Pontier's economical battle and how it recently escalated into physical fights?”
Dean Syutain nodded. Fights did happen between noble families, but this time, it was a fight between two powerful families, not just a small-scale fight between tiny noble families.
As such, every noble of Avalon definitely knew of this.
“There are some rumors about how the Mercenary King is connected to Marquis Crombell, so everyone expected that Marquis Crombell would soon emerge victorious. I’m thinking of the same thing as well because the only difference between Marquis Crombell and Duke Pontier was their noble title. The two have perfectly split the commercial areas of the empire in half between themselves.”
At that, Dean Syutain revealed a look of disbelief as he asked, “Did the rumors end up being true? What did His Majesty say about it?”
The Mercenary King would still technically be an outsider, even if it was proven that he had a relationship with the Crombell Family.
Since he was an outsider, how could His Majesty just stand still and watch as an outsider intervened in a fight between two noble families from Avalon?
Professor Zwisegi continued to assuage Dean Syutain’s suspicions.
“How could we even begin to comprehend His Majesty's will? The most important thing is that His Majesty has no intention of doing something despite the rumors around the Mercenary King and Marquis Crombell.”
“Hmmm...”
Dean Syutain sighed.
Professor Zwisegi added. “Anyway, Duke Pontier sent Princess Charles to the Angus Duchy some time ago.”
“Wait, really?”
At that, Dean Syutain’s eyes almost popped out of their sockets.
Professor Zwisegi nodded. “We are in a turbulent period, yet he took a risk to send his daughter over to the Agnus Duchy. Isn’t the reason pretty obvious?”
“It’s to ask for Duke Agnus’ assistance?”
“Well, it won’t be a surprise. Those two were friends for a long time now..”
“...”
Dean Syutain kept his mouth shut and mulled over Professor Zwisegi’s words.
“If you still have concerns, you can just leave the matter to me. We have already received around a hundred complaints, so we could use that as an excuse to—”
“D-Dean!”
The door was suddenly flung open, and a man rushed in.
Professor Zwisegi frowned at the man’s rude entrance, but Dean Syutain stared intently at the man.
“What is—”
However, before Dean Syutain could finish, the man urgently interrupted. “There are hundreds of cadets protesting outside!”
“...”
“See?” At that, Professor Zwisegi smiled like a sly fox. “Didn’t I say that they’ll do something themselves if we didn’t do anything?”
Professor Zwisegi shrugged and laughed before saying, “By eliminating the 'evil' Joshua von Agnus, 'justice' shall be restored.”
At the sight of the laughing Professor Zwisegi, the man cautiously said, “It's the opposite...”
“What?”
Professor Zwisegi titled his head, and the man continued. “They are protesting not because they demand disciplinary action against cadet Joshua von Agnus. They’re protesting against Araksha.”
“What?!” Professor Zwisegi jumped up from his seat in astonishment.
In response, Dean Syutain said, “Let’s go out and take a look.”
At that, two men followed Dean Syutain out of the door.
***
“This is the voice of the students! We protest against the punishment of Joshua von Agnus!”
“Dissolve Araksha! The tormentor of students! The vile evil-doers!”
“We are not their playthings!”
“What is this?” Dean Syutain blankly muttered when he saw hundreds of cadets shouting at the academy entrance.
“These worms…”
Dean Syutain looked next to him in shock. Professor Zwisegi marched toward the gathered children with a distorted and flushed face before shouting, “Can you guys still call yourselves children of nobility?!”
Professor Zwisegi’s voice momentarily silenced the protest.
"We are talking about expedient enrollment here! Being able to enjoy such a privilege because he is a high-ranked noble. Are all of you really not upset about it?"
However, a child in front courageously stepped forward amidst the silence.
The child was Agareth. His previous timid demeanor was gone, and his gloomy eyes were nowhere to be found as he said with bright eyes, “It’s just an expedient enrollment! However, I would like to ask Professor a question.”
“What?” Professor Zwisegi seemed disgusted as he stared at Agareth.
Agareth took notice of that and firmly said, “Can you call yourself a professor? An educator? Can you honestly say that you’re a proud noble of the Avalon Empire?”
“What?”
“Some cadets established a circle called Araksha and bullied students. Actually, no, I don’t think that what they had done could still be considered bullying,” Agareth calmly continued, “They crippled and joined hands to kick my only sibling out of the academy. I saw it unfold right before my eyes, but no one, including you, took any action. You only watched as a child’s life was destroyed.”
At that, Professor Zwisegi was enraged. He shouted at Agareth as if he was desperately trying to salvage the remains of his pride.
“It was an accident!”
“Do you seriously believe that?”
“Of course, it was an accident! You are noble children, but you are still kids! Accidents are inevitable when you play with your peers.”
Agareth’s blood boiled when he saw how Professor Zwisegi was trying to downplay the event as a mere accident. However, Agareth kept his mouth shut and held his fury in.
“If you’re so sure that Araksha had been bullying your classmates on a regular basis, then show me concrete evidence! This isn’t a joke, kids. How can you shamelessly claim that something is true without proof,” said Professor Zwisegi.
All of a sudden, a voice echoed from behind Professor Zwisegi.
"There is no proof, but there are witnesses."
“...”
Professor Zwisegi turned around. “Professor Kane?”
Professor Kane stared at Professor Zwisegi with cold eyes. His large figure loomed and intimidated the latter.
“I am one of the witnesses.”
“W-what…?”
At that, Professor Kane ignored Professor Zwisegi and bowed deeply to Agareth.
Agareth's eyes widened at the startling sight.
“I’m sorry,” Professor Kane commented.
“...”
“I know what happened to your brother, and I know the mastermind behind it. I knew it all because Shimizu asked me for help.”
“...!”
It was a shocking revelation. Agareth's eyes widened even more.
“But I was terrified. I should have helped him because I am an educator, but I considered my own safety as the most important thing for me back then.”
“...”
“Thinking about it now, I was a shameful idiot. I ignored and tolerated the situation until it could not be salvaged anymore.”
Professor Kane turned to Dean Syutain.
“Dean, I will be resigning as the professor of swordsmanship after all this.”
“What?”
Dean Syutain was dumbfounded.
It was difficult to become a professor at Avalon Imperial Academy. In addition, the competition was tough since most low-ranked nobles considered the Avalon Imperial Academy as a stepping stone to ascend and join the empire’s political world.
Similar to the children of many nobles, the professors also came here to network.
“You’re such a hypocrite..”
“What did you say?”
Professor Kane stared at Professor Zwisegi. However, the latter remained steadfast and explained, "Professor Kane, you are such a hypocrite. Do you really believe that what you’re trying to do will make you feel at ease?”
Professor Zwisegi smiled at Professor Kane and added, “The kid who asked you for help had already been crippled and thrown out of the Academy. Did you come here to come clean just to make yourself feel better? Don't make me laugh.”
"..."
“I have no desire to partake in such hypocrisy because people like you would have to face the real world sooner or later,” concluded Professor Zwisegi.
“What exactly do you mean?” asked Professor Kane with a frown.
All of a sudden, a boy walked through the crowd.
“I feel like vomiting from how disgusting this place smells. It’s all because of the garbage here.”
“What?”
Professor Zwisegi flinched and trembled. He hastily turned his head and saw a boy standing in front of him. Professor Zwisegi instantly recognized the boy.
“J-Joshua von Agnus...”
“As you wish, I will personally take responsibility for the issue concerning my expedient enrollment. But…” Joshua smiled coldly and said, “Before I go, I want to make sure that I'm going to clear the trash in this academy. As a descendant of the great Agnus family, I don't want the future of the empire to be tarnished by filth."
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