The Soldier Shouted Save - Chapter 72



Only Noblemtl

The soldier shouted save (72)

The hand of the demon that sucked the priest’s life force.

The bastard didn’t seem to be content with just one priest.

-Ugh, ugh.

I look down at the strange sound.

The demon’s hand crawls towards me, its knuckles moving in strange ways.

‘Is it a living creature?’

Concentrate your mana and grab the sword.

-Whoosh!

A blue trail cuts through Mashin’s hand.

However, the Azure Dragon Sword cuts through the air as if it had no substance.

Realizing that he can’t defeat the bastard with physical attacks, he steps back.

‘It’s sucking up all the life around it.’

A foul black smoke billows from the demon’s hand.

The smoke was sucking the life out of human corpses and plants, drying them out.

“…Why don’t your hands look bigger than before?”

It wasn’t the leader’s mistake.

The demon’s hand, which was as small as a fernbrake, had grown to the size of an adult male’s palm.

‘If the sword doesn’t work, then I have no choice but to burn it.’

I had no intention of letting that strange creature live.

“Ignis.”

The red dragon’s flames cover the demon’s hand.

But neither physical attacks nor fire magic worked on him.

“I’ll try to get rid of it.”

Is there any way to get through this?

The chief says, taking off the bracelet he was wearing.

“We might get caught for leaving the academy, you know.”

As the epic item, the Bracelet of Reversal, fell from the leader’s body, pure white divine power gushed out from the leader’s body.

“Purgatio.”

One of the four candidates for sainthood at the Academy.

As the leader shouted the starting word and fired divine power, the bastard’s fingers began to twist like a mollusk.

-Keu, rurururuk, ugh, ugh, ugh.

The appearance of losing strength as one is unable to overcome divine power.

With a sound of bones crunching, Masin’s hand falls limply to the floor.

“I don’t know what it was, but you don’t have to worry anymore.”

The hand of the demon god scatters like white powder.

We blocked the unknown danger in advance and returned to the academy through Hye-rin’s teleportation.

* * *

The next day, there was a huge uproar at the academy.

“All faculty and students, please gather in the auditorium!”

People gathered in the auditorium without even having breakfast due to the one-sided notice.

The headmaster, who had gathered everyone at the academy, raised his fist and shouted.

“Yesterday! An unfortunate incident occurred in front of the Academy where 12 people died!”

The 12 people that the chief and I killed.

“Our Academy is certain that the culprit is here! We will uncover the culprit through a thorough investigation!”

The people gathered in the auditorium looked at each other with bewildered faces at the principal’s words.

“12 people died… …?”

“I haven’t even had my first class yet, what’s going on?”

“The status of the Imperial Academy has also fallen to the ground.”

People who grumble and show anxiety.

“I came here after hearing about its reputation, but I am disappointed. I will tell my father and quit the academy.”

The principal and I looked at the students’ reactions and frowned at the same time.

‘What on earth are you thinking, revealing what happened yesterday?’

The reason why the hand of the demon was not removed and the body was not disposed of properly was simple.

Because they’ll definitely try to cover up what happened yesterday.

‘If we show that the Academy is dangerous, the Freya Church will try to expel the saints?’

It’s not me who has to grit my teeth and hide the body, it’s the palace.

I couldn’t understand why he revealed what happened yesterday to the entire Academy.

“The person whose name is being called is requested to follow Professor Alater of the Department of Espionage and cooperate with the investigation.”

The four names that the principal first called out included some familiar names.

Croix, Ranko, Copel, and Veil.

There were four candidates for sainthood, including my sister and the chieftain.

‘I guess you felt the divine power that the leader emitted yesterday.’

The divine power of the saint who destroyed the hand of the demon.

‘Are you trying to use the investigation as an excuse to summon and kill the candidates for sainthood?’

The chief sends me a look with red eyes, wondering if he is thinking the same thing.

“If it gets dangerous, make a fuss.”

I brought the party ring to my lips and whispered quietly, and as if the chief understood, he turned around and followed the espionage professor.

‘I think it would be better not to miss this opportunity and initiate expulsion proceedings.’

While waiting for the investigation, I relayed the news of this place to Marie Walker using the microphone privilege.

The process of removing the hand of the devil.

And the chaotic atmosphere at the Academy, where it was revealed that 12 people had died.

“Put pressure on the palace through the Freya religion to expel the saints.”

As I whispered that, Marie made a sign at the party window to show that she understood.

‘It’ll only last two days at most. You just have to be careful until then.’

Now is the time to be most vigilant, as the Academy is separately summoning and investigating the candidate for sainthood.

‘If they’re going to seek an opportunity to assassinate me, now would be the time.’

I was prepared for battle with all my senses sharp, but things didn’t turn out as I expected.

Croa’s seat vacancy indicator blinks and changes.

‘Did the interrogation end without any problems?’

As I exhaled and relaxed at the signal that it was safe, someone came up next to me and spoke to me.

“Professor Mateo, it’s your turn.”

The administrator in charge of the academy’s facilities.

At the principal’s direction, a man leads me to the cell where the espionage professor is.

“Nice to meet you, Professor Mateo. I am Alater, a teacher of espionage.”

I sit across the desk from my espionage professor.

There are three people in solitary confinement, including me.

I glanced at the man in the corner of the room and asked a question.

“Who is that over there?”

“Don’t worry about it. We’re colleagues I knew from working at the Information Guild.”

For someone who was just a simple information guild colleague, it felt unusual.

‘…What are you mumbling?’

The shape of the mouth could not be seen because of the mask, but the mask was moving irregularly.

It was clear that he was talking to himself.

‘Apparently, the second princess’s escort knight tried to eavesdrop by focusing mana into her ears.’

If someone else could do it, there was no reason I couldn’t.

‘Amplify the sound vibrations with mana… … .’

I concentrate my mana on my ears, recalling the principles of wiretapping magic that Hye-rin once told me about.

―“… sound effects minus 2. character voice volume max.”

A man’s monologue that is difficult to understand.

“Professor Mateo, have you killed anyone recently?”

In response to the spy professor’s question, the masked man begins another monologue.

“Change settings, highlight criminal characters… … .”

She quickly thinks and interprets the man’s monologue.

Character means person.

‘Highlight criminals? … Is it possible to identify criminals at a glance?’

A question from an espionage professor asking if he had killed anyone recently.

‘… … An information window that can see through people just by looking at them. It could be a similar privilege to what the chief was talking about.’

There was a reason the espionage professor had a masked man standing in the corner of the room.

The role of the spy professor is to ask questions.

The masked man seemed to have a ‘special’ role in verifying whether the questions were true.

“Why aren’t you answering, Professor Mateo? I asked you if you’ve killed anyone recently.”

If a masked man can tell me that I killed someone, I should tell the truth.

Truth mixed with lies.

“Yes, I killed someone recently.”

At those words, the espionage professor leans his upper body toward the desk and says.

“Why did you kill the man transporting the textbooks to the Academy?”

“I didn’t kill anyone at the Academy. I killed the Black Sword and the Demon Clan’s followers.”

As I wave my hand and shake my head, the espionage professor turns his gaze to the masked man.

“… … .”

A man sending a signal by closing his eyes for about a second and then opening them.

The spy professor frowned at the sight,

-bang!

Slam the desk.

“Hey, Professor Mateo. This is an academy run by the Imperial Palace. If you’re going to be punished, you should be the only one. Do you think it’s okay to drag the Gremory family into it?”

Intimidating words used to induce a confession by threatening the family.

‘You are convinced that what I am saying is a lie.’

Why don’t you believe me when I say that I killed the Black Star and his followers?

“Who have you killed recently?”

He takes a cue from the spy professor’s words, which seem to emphasize the recent past, and sighs as he speaks.

“To be honest, are you going to keep my secret?”

“I promise on my name. It wasn’t your fault, so why would you put your family at risk?”

It was a common interrogation technique of the Information Guild.

They pressure others by pretending to know everything with small pieces of information.

‘If there had been no save, if my real family had been the Gremory, I might have felt pressured.’

Even if things go wrong, I have nothing to lose.

Lean back against the backrest and raise your voice.

“The princess gave her orders.”

“… … Which princess are you talking about?”

“By order of Lady Violet Gerard, I have killed someone who is a threat to the palace. I cannot tell you the details, so you can check for yourself whether what I am saying is true.”

The second princess had taken Mateo into custody in her residence and used threats to obtain his cooperation in order to obtain my false identity.

It would have been dangerous if I had known all these exact details, but if I had only figured out the circumstances of the meeting between the princess and the real Mateo, then what I said could have been seen as truth.

“… …Why did Princess Violet entrust this work to someone she had no contact with?”

“That is a matter for the Princess to discuss, it is not something I can reveal.”

“… … Hey, Professor Mateo. If you don’t tell the truth, the Gremory family… … .”

“If I work for the palace and destroy the clan for the palace, that too would be an honor.”

The espionage professor, who had been leaning back against the back of the chair as if frustrated by my words, glanced away.

‘We couldn’t have just made eye contact.’

Perhaps, it appears that he is exchanging some kind of signals with the masked man.

“Okay, Professor Matteo. You’re on the Palace’s side, right?”

Along with the spy professor’s question, the masked man’s monologue is heard again.

“…highlighting hostile characters.”

Hearing that, I barely managed to suppress a frown.

‘Are you saying that you can tell if someone is an enemy just by looking at them?’

The question from the espionage professor was whether he was on the ‘palace’s side’.

That means, it is possible to tell if the masked man is an enemy of the ‘Palace’.

“Didn’t you hear the question? I asked if you were someone who would give your life for the palace.”

It was enough to fight and sacrifice one’s life for the palace during one’s days as a soldier.

Now, he is forcing wandering warriors to enter the ‘Palace’ and is filled with disgust towards the Palace that is trying to kill Croa.

But instead of forcing himself to lie, he gives a noble answer.

“Of course! I can give my all for the palace!”

There is no noble in the palace who is not dissatisfied.

My feelings of disgust for the palace.

Wouldn’t that sentiment and the feelings of the nobles who are dissatisfied with the palace have something in common?

“… … Okay, I understand. You can go out and try.”

Eventually, I head out the door, not knowing if I was being seen as hostile or if I was getting away with it.

‘I should ask Hye-rin what the privileges of the masked man are.’

Sound effects, character voices.

Highlighting criminal characters, antagonists, etc.

When I tried to leave the solitary cell while remembering the man’s monologue.

A masked man blocked my path.

“What’s your name?”

“… … It’s Matteo Gremory.”

I say this as I step aside and step aside from the path blocked by the man who was looking me up and down.

“You’re great at handling mana.”

Did you notice that I was focusing my mana on your ears?

“But from now on, don’t show off your life so openly.”

no.

It looks like I’m raising my mana so I can fight whenever I want.

“… Be careful.”

I nodded to the man’s words and was able to leave the auditorium, meaning that the investigation was over.

“What are you going to do?”

“How did you get into the academy? You have to stick with it.”

“… I plan to contact my family. If the Academy fails to uncover the culprit, it will be safer to return home.”

The longer the investigation goes on, the more students consider dropping out.

Although I was still in the middle of thinking, this atmosphere alone was enough to expel the saints.

‘I’d better make an excuse to quit being a professor.’

Time passed from morning to afternoon and then to tomorrow.

But in the end, the Academy failed to uncover the culprit.

“… But, they used the Information Guild interrogation technique on me.”

“So what did you say…?”

“Well, it seems like you’re convinced that I killed someone with some kind of holy relic, right? That’s why you said that you sent someone away by doing a bad healing just before you entered the academy.”

Hye-rin and Croa listen to the chief’s tale of bravery in escaping interrogation with ease.

He interrupts the chatter of the group gathered in the professor’s office and talks about future directions.

“In this atmosphere, it’s nearly impossible to attack a candidate for sainthood. So, focus on acting as naturally as possible.”

It’s a situation where not only us, but all the students in the academy are trembling with anxiety and wary of their surroundings.

“If you guys stick together all the time and don’t do anything suspicious until you start the expulsion process, your time at the Academy is over.”

If we don’t give them a chance, they won’t get a chance to assassinate. There’s not much time left to escape the Academy, the stage for assassinations.

“We won’t be gathering in the professor’s office like this any time soon. Thank you all for your hard work.”

Did my words ease your tension?

Croa rests his head on Hye-rin’s shoulder with a sigh of relief.

‘Still, it would be better not to let your guard down.’

Being caught in a false identity could give them an opportunity.

After finishing our final conversation in the professor’s room, we continued our academy life, faithfully fulfilling our roles as students and professors.

“The weapon of the Demons is not a sword, but a claw. Therefore, there is a big difference between swordsmanship created based on the assumption of swords fighting and swordsmanship used against the Demons… … .”

I finished my first class without any problems.

“Rian, Rian! Look at that! They’re selling otherworldly food at the store?!”

“… … Croa, there are too many people over there.”

“If anything happens, you can protect me! Let’s go quickly!”

Croa, completely relaxed, was enjoying her academy life while dragging Lian along.

‘It’s not a matter of comfort. The number of guards monitoring the inside of the academy has doubled.’

In response to the voices of nobles questioning safety, the Academy increased security, even receiving support from palace soldiers, to eliminate blind spots.

“Brother! I’m preparing to expel you from the Freya Church!”

After a month, the situation progressed to expulsion.

‘The princess said she would prepare for my expulsion, so I guess I just have to wait.’

In the end, all the palace that managed the academy did was search for the culprit for a month without any results.

‘He was so obsessed with finding the culprit that he missed all the assassination opportunities and ended up destroying himself.’

Because of their mistake, it wasn’t long before the entire group left the academy.

‘Now we must find a way for Croa to avoid taking on the role of a saint.’

I had no intention of making Croa a saint who would sacrifice herself for Gerard.

How can we pressure the Freya Church to separate the saint and Croa?

A time when I was pondering in the professor’s office.

The scenery began to change without warning.

“……what?”

It was a scenery that could not be understood even after seeing it with one’s own eyes.

Buildings surrounding me disappear, people change positions, and the ground I stand on changes.

‘… … No. It’s not that the surroundings have changed, it’s that the place where I am has changed.’

The location changed as if someone had used teleportation.

But what was even more incomprehensible was the strange sight before my eyes.

“… …Mateo?”

An old man approaches me as he looks at me from the front of the carriage.

“… … Hmm, who are you? I didn’t hear that Mateo had a son?”

Jaden speaks to me and the students who are entering the academy after parting ways with the servants of the family.

Today was the Academy Admissions Day.