At first, I thought that the perverted priest might have bribed Karia or something.
It couldn’t be anything else, considering that as soon as we faced each other, the first words that came out of his mouth were like that.
However, Karia’s expression remained serious.
"I’m not joking. I’m asking you seriously if it’s possible."
"Why do you need my jewelry? Do you want to spread the fact that I’m cute all over the place? Auntie, you don’t have to waste your life and suffer for my cuteness."
"I said I’m not joking."
"Old maid. Don’t frown. If more wrinkles appear here, you really won’t be able to get anyone other than a weird pervert, you know?"
"Ugh!"
When Karia raised her voice, a smile appeared on the corner of Jackal’s mouth from behind.
Looks like Karia had a lot built up inside her.
But Jackal... If you keep smiling like that, you’re going to get it even worse from Karia later.
That person is not the kind of person who can’t read people just because they try to hide their expression.
Do you think you’ll be fine with that?
"Boss, just stay quiet, and I’ll explain everything. Got it?"
I nodded, and Karia sighed before continuing.
"You know that the followers of the Void have been active, right?"
"I’m the one who dealt with them, replacing that useless and old aunt, so don’t you know?"
"Just nod your head or shake it, pick one. Anyway, it’s hard to root out all the followers of the Void. Their powers are specialized for these kinds of things."
Karia’s words were right. The insidious nature of the followers of the Void is second to none among the followers of evil gods.
Even just thinking about what happened before the new term started makes this clear.
Not only me, but even Faye didn’t notice they were hiding underground, right?
If they decide to hide, it’s not easy to find them.
"I’ll try to set up a network by placing informants within the academy, but even that has its limits."
In the end, all the measures we can take are just precautions.
We can’t solve the fundamental problem, and we’ll always be the ones being dragged around.
Understanding Karia’s point, I nodded, but there was one big question I had.
"But, old maid, what does this have to do with my jewelry?"
And what does this have to do with my jewelry? I really don’t get it. When I tilted my head, Karia, easily reading my thoughts, let out a sigh.
"Boss, do you know that the jewelry with your face on it has been imbued with divinity?"
"I’ve heard of it. How pretty am I that..."
"Just nod your head."
Pouting, I nodded, and Karia smiled in satisfaction as she continued.
"You might not realize it because you’re the person in question, but that divinity is more amazing than you think. It’s even enough to repel the powers of evil gods. Maid, you saw it, didn’t you?"
"Yes, that’s right."
Erin nodded and spoke about what she saw. When Karia held the jewelry and brought it close, the power of the evil gods retreated a step back.
I had heard that jewelry with my picture on it held divinity, almost like a sacred artifact. But I never imagined that it could repel the power of an evil god.
How much effort must the followers of the Crow Goddess have put into that for such a phenomenon to occur?
"So, if you spread the jewelry with your picture on it, it’ll be possible to block their infiltration," Karia said.
Putting aside my confusion, Karia’s theory seemed plausible.
Just like Adria felt uncomfortable staying in the streets where my jewelry was, if the academy were filled with these jewelry pieces, the divinity would automatically block the evil god’s power.
Additionally, if each person carried one of these jewelry pieces, it would definitely help prevent the infiltration of evil gods.
"What do you think? Sounds plausible, right?"
"I get what your delusion is, but this plan seems full of holes, just like your skin."
Despite the plan’s plausibility, there were clear issues.
One problem was how to supply enough jewelry to scatter across the academy.
The jewelry made by the Art Guild was currently in such high demand that there was no stock left.
It might be possible to gift some to a few people around me if I press that perverted priest, but distributing them throughout the academy would undoubtedly take a long time.
And one more thing.
Even if I were to gather all that jewelry, I can’t make every person in the academy carry my jewelry.
The first-year students, who don’t know much about me, would be fine, but the others who are fed up with all my misdeeds wouldn’t exactly welcome jewelry with my picture on it.
"It’s not going to happen all at once. We’ll spread it slowly," Karia said.
"Like how your wrinkles slowly increase?"
"...Anyway, can you ask Prete to help with this?"
"Sure. That’s easy. Convincing that pervert will be a piece of cake. If I just step on his face a bit, he’ll probably start licking his tongue and thanking me."
I don’t think persuading that perverted priest will be a problem.
He’ll probably be happy to bring the jewelry if I just pose for him according to his desires.
"Then I’ll leave it to you. I’ll also think of some countermeasures for dealing with the followers’ infiltration."
After finishing the conversation with Karia, as I was about to step out of the room, Karia’s low and menacing voice echoed from behind.
It seems she had noticed Jackal was still smiling behind her.
Well, Jackal, it’s the disaster you’ve created. Deal with it yourself. If you hang in there, you might get something out of it.
Maybe.
"Lucy."
While descending the stairs, the absent-minded fox on my shoulder suddenly spoke.
"I have a secret method to help with that plan."
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"From you?"
"Yeah. Even if the professors don’t know, the students, if they’re touched by my power, can have their minds altered."
What kind of crazy talk is this now? I glared at him as if to ask if he had lost his mind, but the absent-minded fox, excited, continued.
"I don’t need much in return. Just that perverted guy from the Art Guild’s drawing of your picture and the collar you gave me..."
I turned my ear away from the nonsense the absent-minded fox was spouting and saw a man in Karia’s shop. I approached him.
"Are you talking about that thug-looking man?"
"...Are you referring to me?"
When I first saw him long ago, he had been giving off a fierce vibe toward me, but now he was maintaining a very polite attitude toward me.
It was only natural, since he knew that I could overpower him with my strength.
"Hold this."
I grabbed the absent-minded fox by the nape and pushed him toward the man.
"...What?"
"Hold him. Can’t you understand this? You’re even dumber than you look."
"I... I understand. I’ll do it."
"Ugh!"
Watching the absent-minded fox struggling in the man’s arms, I couldn’t help but chuckle.
Being hugged by an ugly man who’s miles away from beauty—it’s the greatest humiliation for the absent-minded fox, isn’t it?
Take responsibility for the nonsense you spouted! Absentee fox!
"I heard you’ve just completed a dungeon raid. Lady Patran. How was the dungeon outside?"
"It wasn’t completely easy. Unlike the academy’s dungeon..."
After finishing the dungeon raid and returning to the academy, Joy attended a gathering with several noble ladies.
She wasn’t exactly thrilled about it.
Since before coming to the academy, Joy had been uncomfortable with gatherings with noble ladies.
And now, at this point, she would rather be practicing magic or chatting with her friends, or if not that, be with Lucy.
Even so, Joy quietly mingled among the noble ladies because this was the role a Duke’s daughter had to fulfill.
When she was among her friends, she was teased as a fool, but outside, she was a proper Duke’s daughter.
Joy, who had a strong sense of responsibility, had no intention of running away from her duties.
"We’ll have to raid the outside dungeon someday. I’m scared."
"Don’t worry, everyone. As long as you can properly use what you learned at the academy, there won’t be any problems."
"Just like Lady Patran."
"She’s so cool."
"Lady Patran, can we go raid the dungeon with you later?"
"Wow! That sounds like an amazing idea!"
"If you’re with us, Lady, we’ll feel so much more secure!"
"If Lady Patran, the praised mage by all the professors, is with us, we’ll clear any dungeon in no time!"
Despite being in the center of so much praise, Joy didn’t feel particularly happy.
About half of what they were saying was flattery, and most of the remaining half wasn’t pure praise but jealousy.
She would rather hear sarcastic comments from Arlen... no, Lucy.
Although Lucy never gave her proper praise, at least there was no sarcasm in Lucy’s words.
As Joy was trying to pass the time and ready to leave the gathering, she noticed some new faces waiting at the edge of the social circle and tilted her head.
"Those people must be the new students, right?"
"That’s right, Lady Patran."
Most of the new noble ladies attending the social gathering were familiar to Joy.
Having participated in social gatherings frequently, Joy remembered the faces and names of most of the noble ladies.
However, among them, there were a few who were especially familiar.
For example, the Kent family’s young lady.
Her friend, Prey Kent’s younger sister, and someone close to Lucy, the Kent young lady was looking at Joy with an eager expression, as if she wanted to rush over right now.
She was trying her best to control herself, but no one around her could miss her lively energy.
Hmm. If I leave her like that, she’ll cause jealousy among the other young ladies.
I should talk to her later.
Though I’m not sure if she’ll understand.
Hmm? Oh?
That person next to the Kent young lady. Was her atmosphere always like that?
Something feels off.
Is it just me?
The energy I felt from them seemed similar to what I sensed in the dungeon.
Is it just my imagination?