Even though Lucy, who had taken the lead in all matters, had fallen asleep, time in the academy continued to flow normally.
First, the chaos within the academy quickly settled down.
The biggest factor in this was the face of the Saint of the Divine Church.
She had always been at the forefront in the fight against the Dark Gods, and it was her, along with the Sword Saint, who was considered the person who had resolved the current crisis.
With her presence in the center of the gradually restored barrier, the major problems had been resolved, and with the declaration that the remaining issues would also be addressed alongside the Divine Church’s followers, who would worry further?
The people inside the academy, who had witnessed the Sword Saint severing the dragon’s neck, trusted the Saint’s words and the declaration from the First Queen, who would actively assist the Saint. They decided to wait for the later announcements.
The fact that most of the students and faculty had fallen into a deep sleep within the barrier also played a significant role in calming everyone.
For those who had slept soundly through the night, today’s event was merely a small disturbance that occurred in the middle of the night.
For those who woke from a nightmare, it would be hard for them to feel the gravity of what had nearly happened.
Thanks to that, the students who underwent several tests and returned to their dorms, along with the faculty members working inside the academy, displayed very different moods.
The mood among the students was mostly calm.
Some careless students cheered because the exams had been postponed, while others were happy, wondering if they might even take a leave of absence.
Some students worried about the academy’s reputation.
Others, overflowing with stockpiled goods, gathered the anxious ones and sold off cheap trinkets.
Those who cared about grades gathered together and opened their books despite the chaos.
Some power-hungry individuals helped the kingdom’s knights and priests with their tasks.
Among them, many were running around, hoping to get noticed by the influential people.
The students’ atmosphere was so relaxed. Though some were uneasy, they also carried a quiet certainty that everything would be fine.
But the faculty members were different.
They regarded the current situation with utmost seriousness.
“We cannot continue running the academy in this state.”
The headmaster, who was sweating profusely, spoke, and several department heads nodded in agreement.
“From the distant past until now, our academy has constantly been a target for the followers of the Dark Gods. There’s a reason why the history of this academy is called the history of education, but also the history of struggle.”
The academy had been attacked by the followers of the Dark Gods several times in the past. Each time, they had repelled them using the barrier that Erginus had left behind.
“Therefore, under normal circumstances, we would have continued the struggle. However, the current situation is different.”
First, the frequency with which the Dark God’s followers were attacking the academy had changed.
They had attacked only once or twice a year, but recently, they were causing incidents every semester.
Had their scale decreased? Not at all. On the contrary, the scale of the attacks had become even larger than before.
Just today, the followers of the Void had attacked, as if they were going to finish everything here.
“But what about us? Have we prepared better compared to last year? No, not at all. In fact, it’s become even more chaotic.”
The headmaster openly pointed out the factional struggles within the academy, and several people cleared their throats in response.
Nevertheless, the headmaster didn’t hide his sharp tone.
“Today, the fact that there were no casualties in the academy is nothing short of a miracle. The Divine God lent the Saint’s body to protect us, and that is why no blood was shed! If the Saint wasn’t here, if the Sword Saint wasn’t nearby, do you think we would still have our heads attached to our bodies!?”
The headmaster’s words carried so much weight that even the uncomfortable clearing of throats died down.
Every word the headmaster spoke had a sound reason behind it, so even if it was uncomfortable, no one could challenge it.
“His Majesty, the great First Queen Soladin.”
“Yes, Headmaster. Please, speak.”
“As the headmaster who has led the academy for many years, I must offer my counsel. First, please put an end to the factional struggles within the academy. I don’t know what you want to achieve, but if the future of Soladin ends up dying because of this, it will be meaningless.”
“I understand. I will personally apologize to those in my faction and to those who have left the faculty. Of course, I will also consult with the Second Queen.”
“There are a few more things I need to discuss...”
As Karira eavesdropped on the meeting from outside the window, she couldn’t help but chuckle, hiding her trembling hands under the desk as she watched the headmaster passionately raise his voice.
This old man is making his last days so noisy. He used to say he’d quietly disappear after his work as an informant, but now look at him.
Well, it’s his own fault. Why did he have to get caught by our employer?
Our employer certainly runs things harshly. I’ve been suffering from all these nonsensical tasks, and I’ve swallowed back my complaints countless times.
The source of this c𝐨ntent is freeweɓnovēl.coɱ.
Whenever I hesitated, I’d be told things like, “You’re just an incompetent old lady,” or “You’re getting old and can’t do anything,” or “It’s understandable since your joints are worn out.” If only they hadn’t said that, I might’ve been able to refuse!
Damn it!
Feeling a strange sense of camaraderie with the headmaster’s plight, Karira moved her feet.
Still, he was a man who had some skills in his prime. It seems like he’ll handle this without a problem.
Thanks to something our employer did, it seems like most of the corruption within the academy has been completely resolved.
There have been no casualties, and the barrier has been fully restored, so it looks like everything inside the academy is done.
Now, it’s time to deal with things outside the academy.
...Ugh. This is never-ending.
At this rate, I’ll collapse from overwork before my employer’s issues get resolved!
Shaking her head in frustration, Karira stepped outside the academy and sighed deeply as she made her way toward the alley.
I really hope my capable apprentice handles everything without causing more trouble. If he does, I’ll probably get even more wrinkles.
“Excuse me, Master.”
Upon arriving at the hideout she had carefully prepared after returning, Karira looked at her apprentice, Alsetin, who was nervously biting his lip and narrowed her eyes.
“What trouble have you caused?”
“...Excuse me?”
“What went wrong, and why are you looking at me like that? Did you interfere with teleportation magic? Or did you intentionally delay it and cause a problem?”
“No! No! That’s not it! If there had been a problem there, I wouldn’t be standing here right now.”
“...Really?”
“Yes. Everything the young lady asked for has been taken care of.”
Karira stared at her apprentice’s eyes. There were no traces of lies. Alsetin was telling the truth.
“Then why are you looking at me like that?”
If that wasn’t the case, there would be no need to be suspicious. Karira tilted her head, wondering if something was off when she noticed two elderly men waiting in the corner of the hideout and narrowed her eyebrows.
One of them was the seamstress who worked at the academy. She remembered the seamstress from her glorious past.
The other one was...
“...Blacksmith Inuki?”
“Oh, you remember me? It’s been a long time since I’ve been buried in obscurity, so not many remember me now.”
“Your creations were so great. Many people are still looking for you.”
Inuki’s weapons, despite the passage of time, were still sold at high prices.
Even after so many years, his weapons showed no rust and maintained their sharpness, making them highly valuable.
Given this, many people looking for quality weapons still seek out Inuki.
Even in his youth, he had made incredible weapons, and now that he had spent decades refining his skills, people were curious about what he would produce now.
“Hmph. I guess I’ll have to keep hiding my identity for now.”
“Why are you here if you don’t want your identity known?”
“I came because someone wanted me to make a weapon. I’m bothering this old woman to help me create a connection.”
“I got dragged into it. I’ve got so much to do, and this is such a hassle.”
“What are you saying? As soon as you saw that young man, you approached him with your cold eyes and walked all the way here.”
“Oh my, did I really do that?”
Seeing the cheeky smile of the seamstress, Karira understood the situation.
So, our apprentice finished everything and was on his way here when these two grabbed him.
The pressure from these two veterans was too much for him, and now he’s avoiding my gaze because he thinks he’s brought an unwelcome guest.
Well, it’s no big deal. I thought the work had increased for nothing.
Sighing in relief, Karira told her apprentice to go do his work and then took a seat opposite the two old men.
“Good day. Blacksmith Inuki, Servi. I am Narin, the leader of several informants.”
Casually using one of her many aliases, she checked the two men’s expressions.
Both of them seemed quite anxious. Whoever they were looking for must be important.
It seems like the person they’re looking for is fortunate enough to have caught their attention.
“May I ask who you’re looking for?”
“The man who just left. You might know him, he’s close to Narin.”
“Oh, that makes me even more curious. Who is the lucky person who caught your interest?”
“It’s Lady Arln from the Arln family.”
“...Pardon?”