Walking alone in the dark hallway of the stadium, a person popped her head out from the corner as if she had been waiting.
“First… no, Professor Ludger.”
“Sedina, right?”
Sedina Rochen, who had brown, volumized hair. She brightened her face the moment she saw Ludger, as she had been waiting for him.
After looking around for a while and checking if there were any other people, she opened her mouth when she thought it was okay to speak.
"Congratulations on winning the bet."
“Yes.”
"More than that, are you alright? Maybe you've gotten too much attention from inside the Academy because of this incident. The other members are worried as well.”
The part that Sedina was concerned about was that.
Ludger was hiding in Sören under a false identity.
However, his recent moves had attracted too much attention in Sören.
In that case, no matter what he did, their eyes would follow him, which would significantly interfere with him in a long-range plan.
Ludger shook his head at her concern.
“It’s okay. I prepared myself for when it became like this."
“You prepared yourself…”
“Sedina, do you know something about the principal of Sören?"
Sedina nodded immediately when the principal's name came out.
“Yes. Her name is Elisa Willow. She is a famous wizard who achieved the 6th rank of Lexure class at a young age. She's now the principal of Sören. She's a woman whom you can never let your guard down to."
“Yes. She’s currently suspecting me.”
“Do you mean… Professor Ludger?”
“The principal is aware that our people are hiding in Sören. Maybe I'm now on the list of her suspects, even if I'm a professor.”
“That…”
“I need to get rid of her suspicions now. Because of that, it will be impossible for me to contact other members, but it can't be helped."
"You came here as a Professor so you could be less suspicious, though…”
"It was something I had to do anyway. It's a profitable deal if I gain reliability from Sören through this incident, but we need a little more time to do that."
“As… as expected, it’s like that. I believe in you!”
Sedina, who had already been properly blinded by Ludger, believed Ludger's words without a question.
Actually, it wasn’t a complete lie, either.
Ludger's behavior in which he distinguished himself in Sören was based on his intention to look good to the principal.
However, for Sedina, there were some concerns that Ludger might be receiving too much attention.
In fact, when she secretly listened to other members, there were even talks that said Ludger was a First Order but that he didn't have anything to do to the point that it became weird.
‘Yes! As expected, there’s no way Professor Ludger was like that!’
She believed in Ludger, and she also wanted to believe him in the future.
It was the first time…
There had been a person who listened to her so well.
Having suspicions toward such a person itself felt like committing a crime that could not be washed away.
“Sedina. The same goes for you. Do your best as a student now, as you are now a student in Sören."
“Is… is that so?”
“Yes. You are the only one among the other members who can make easy contact with because I’m a Professor, and you are a student. They won't doubt us just because we meet and have a conversation, but I can't thoughtlessly meet a student who has no actual business with me."
“Of… of course.”
"You should make yourself prominent as a model student. The more you do that, the more suspicious eyes from others will subside."
“I see!”
“Yes. In other words, it's a mission just for the two of us to adjust thoroughly to our own identities in our own position. Do you understand?”
“A mission….. just for the two, of us.”
Sedina's eyes went blank when Ludger used the word 'us'.
Looking at her expression, Ludger thought that it was fortunate.
'If I've explained it to this extent, she'll understand quite well, right?’
He had been working hard because he was absorbed in his work as Sören's professor. However, Ludger had never ignored the existence of the Black Dawn Society even for a moment.
In their eyes, he was nominally an executive who held a title of First Order in the Black Dawn Society.
The problem was that Ludger did not yet know what he had to do as an executive after he infiltrated Sören.
All he learned from the interpretation of the cipher was for him to infiltrate Sören and gain their favor.
And after that…?
Had their original plan been decided, or was a new order going to be issued in the future according to the later situation?
Ludger didn’t know that.
But he couldn't even ask Sedina. How could she know what kind of mission an executive had come for?
‘In the end, I have to figure it out by myself.’
It was highly likely that he was directly ordered by Zero Order, or that another First Order was sharing the work with him together.
The way to find out right away was that he had to find another First Order who had infiltrated Sören.
However, in a situation where he couldn't find the other First Order, Ludger had to work as much as possible while clearing the suspicion of the Black Dawn Society.
That was why he deliberately moved more eagerly as a Professor.
'It's true that the principal suspects me, and it's true that I need time to clear her suspicions. Using that as an excuse, I can at least quell the growing discontent of the secret society.'
And it was also possible to extend the deadlines that were given under this pretext.
In fact, even though he only explained it that way, Sedina seemed to be convinced immediately.
‘No. Can't she be a fair example because she's just extremely praising towards the First Order?’
But it was okay.
If Sedina could go forward and explain it to the other members instead of him, it would be much easier for Ludger.
In fact, Sedina was already full of such thoughts.
‘As expected, Professor Ludger! We were worried that something might happen to him, it turns out that he had planned it all along!'
Sedina's social status had led to similar bullying within the organization, but recently, the other members had stopped irritating her because she had been acting as if she was Ludger's full-time subordinate.
That made Sedina respect Ludger even more, thinking that it was also a blessing.
‘He's even worried about someone like me and giving me that kind of advice! He’s really awesome!’
As Ludger had said that, Sedina decided to obey the order even after she died.
"Explain it well to the others."
“Yes! Just leave it to me!”
“Ah, and…”
“Yes! Do you have anything else to tell me?”
* * *
* * *
“…No. Never mind. I'll talk to you later. And it's nice to see you more confident than before."
Ludger's last compliment gave Sedina a tingling and electrifying shock all over her body.
“I will leave it to you.”
“Yes! I will do it even if I have to die!”
“Don’t die.”
“Yes! I will never die even if I have to die!”
“…Yes. Whatever.”
Ludger left Sedina behind, who was becoming increasingly burdensome every time he saw her.
***
Returning to my private accommodation, I entered the room and briefly summarized what I had to do.
‘First of all, through this open duel, I have extensively developed the image of being on the principal's faction. I don't know how the principal herself will take it, but she has her own circumstances, so it will be hard for her to throw me out.'
For the moment, the principal's faction seemed to be more dominant, but the noble faction led by Hugo could not be looked down on either.
No matter what anyone said, the biggest force among the students was Freuden's power, who had gathered the aristocratic students.
The aristocratic professors, including Hugo, had joined hands with Freuden.
The principal's power seemed strong, but if they properly opposed the principal's will, it would be difficult for the principal to decide anything recklessly.
'And thanks to the fact that I attracted the principal's attention, I got the justification that, even though I'm an executive of the Black Dawn Society, I still can't move hastily. Other members from the secret society wouldn't want to contact me recklessly, either.’
In other words, I got an exemption from doing anything in the Black Dawn Society for a certain period of time.
‘So let's put off the Black Dawn Society for now.’
‘As expected, is Sören's side the most important thing?’
With that open duel, I had turned completely hostile to Hugo's faction.
But I didn't care much about that part.
I was going to quit after two years anyway. Being obnoxious to the aristocratic teachers wouldn't cause me any major problems.
They would mess with me a little unpleasantly, but it was only at a level of being cute compared to all the groups of people I had experienced in my whole life.
Most of all, I saw some kind of possibility through that day’s duel.
‘Aidan… I've felt it before, but he's definitely a good guy. He has a moderate sense, a moderate good side, and he is a hard worker.’
It was just amazing that he had learned the Moving Magus in three days, although I had taught him a little intensively.
Was it his talent, or was it more like a tenacious effort?
Considering that a wizard couldn't fully master Moving Magus just because they were good at using their head, he might have been born with the ability to use his body as well.
His movement when he had cut the magic using Anti Magic…
It was definitely a performance that one could see from someone who had trained with a sword before.
Considering that, Aidan was highly likely to stand out in a real battle.
‘Indeed. That's understandable, considering who his teacher is.’
It could be inferred because I had met a wizard whom I assumed was Aidan's teacher, well I was actually quite certain about it.
Aidan's posture that he showed once was exactly the same as the textbook example of swordsmanship that the person I was thinking of usually used.
I thought that he'd live alone his whole life and die without a single soul knowing about him, but it turned out that he had gotten a disciple.
‘If Aidan is an Anti Magic owner, he will rise to a considerable position in Sören, at least.’
I finished a simple calculation in my head.
‘I will use Sören and some special students to fight against the Black Dawn secret society.’
As I was squeezed between the two with one foot on both sides, the last thing I needed was to increase the pressure that weighed down on me.
The thing that bothered me the most was the Black Dawn Society.
If I reduced the power of the society members in the Academy by squeezing their power little by little…
'I'm sure my chances for surviving will be that much higher.’
Aidan, Leo, and Tessie… The abilities of those three musketeers were objectively worth evaluating well.
If I looked at the talent that they had, it could be the best amongst the first-years.
If I added Lynne, who had Judgment Eyes, to the group.
‘It won’t be bad.’
Of course, that might not be enough, so it seemed necessary for me to look for more other people for assurance, just in case.
If I made them collide with each other, I would be able to get out of a dead-end.
‘That's all I should do for the 'let the barbarians fight it out among themselves' method. I have to build up the strength on my side, too.’
My situation was under pressure from both organizations and I, as an individual, was about to be crushed.
Simply weakening both groups couldn’t be the fundamental solution to the situation.
So what was the method?
‘I also have to make my own organization.’
In fact, I preferred to move alone.
But as long as I needed to stay in the Empire, I could no longer do a solo play.
I needed more people.
In addition to Hans, I needed to call the people I had connections with before and create a new organization.
That organization would be my strength, and that power would make me able to resist the forces that oppressed me.
‘Talk of the Devil, and he is sure to appear, they said.’
I was just thinking of him, and the crystal ball I left in my room began to sparkle.
The fact that the marble for personal communication that I handed to Hans rang… it could only mean one thing.
“Hans. What’s the matter?”
[I checked everything around the area according to your order.]
Was it because of that?
"Considering your skills, you'll have as much information as I would. And yet, since you contacted me separately, it seems that you need some force."
[…You're so quick in catching it. You are right. From now on, I need some 'armed force'. You knew it too, didn't you? That I'm not good at fighting.]
“I didn’t expect anything from you in that department since the first time.”
[Anyways, I need your help now.]
“I see.”
It was not bad timing.
I got up from my seat, dressed in a black long coat for outdoor use, and wore a gentleman's hat on my head.
[So when are you going to come? I think we'll have to deal with it by the end of the week at the latest.]
“I’ll come right now.”
[Pardon?]
Because he didn't know that I'd say I'd go right then, I heard a bewildered exclamation from beyond the crystal ball.
"Don't you think it's better to deal with it quickly?"
[That’s that, but… Are you going to be okay? You are so busy, though.]
"It'll be over soon, anyway."
[How are you so sure about it?]
“Because I’m going to make it that way.”
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