Chapter 119 Peaceful Negotiations
The one who opened the door and appeared was an old man with a long white beard. He seems to be in his 70 or 80, but his legs seem to be firm and he walked into the room without bending his back.
「Oh my, I’m sorry I’m late. I was in charge of the students’ classes. I came as quickly as I could, but I hope I didn’t keep you waiting.」
The old man takes off his pointy hat and sits down on the sofa opposite to Deris and Nell while fixing his reading glasses. This old man is Hao Square, the principal of Adelheit Magic Academy.
「It’s been a long time, Principal Hao. It’s been since the end of last year’s graduation festival, right?」
「Yes, I remember that as well. Also, I’ve heard about your great efforts since then. I’m glad that you haven’t changed. Are Canon and Muno, who graduated from our school last year, doing well?」
「I’ve left Canon in charge of my needs, and Muno is fond of me a lot. It seems that you are giving them a good education.」
「It is a great honor to be praised by the famous Knight Leader Nell.」
It’s a very formal greeting. Nell spelled the words in a dignified manner, and President Hao lowered his head.
(Canon is entrusted with the chores such as cleaning the knight leader’s room, and Muno blindly serves her. Still, it’s kind of itchy when Nell is acting as a knight leader and not Nell-ish. She said something about destroying a building, you know!? She was trying to turn me into charcoal even though I’m innocent, you know!?)
Deris shouted out loud in his mind, but he will never say it. He just watched over the two with a sarcastic smile on his face.
「Hmm? The person over there, aren’t you Deris-dono?」
「Oh, you sure know about my name. I’m surprised that Principal Hao, the principal of the world’s foremost Adelheit Magic Academy, knew about me.」
「Don’t be so modest. There aren’t any of us, who are trying to master magic, who don’t know Deris-dono’s name. It was a long time ago now, but I’ve heard rumors about you when you were an adventurer.」
「Haha, you seem to know more than the current adventurers.」
It’s a very formal greeting. Deris humbly responded well, and President Hao lowered his head.
(It’s possible that he has put his hands on Haruna too since he has put his hands on Chinatsu… I’m sure he won’t do it to the b*tch Lily, but I feel like the girl named Touko was looking at him with a passionate gaze. This is not good! I have to wake him up with a quick rush!)
Nell shouted her determination in her mind without looking at the situation. However, she did not lose her stern and dignified expression as a knight leader and only her appearance seemed to watch over the two of them.
「So, what is your business here today? There are still a few days before the graduation festival, and it’s too early to have a meeting…」
「No, I came to talk about the graduation festival. It’s also the same for Deris.」
「Deris-dono too?」
「Yes, that’s right. By the way, how is it going this year? I heard a rumor about a prodigy has appeared even since the beginning of the academy.」
「A prodigy… I think it’s about Weerel Joshua-kun. Her appearance and personality are still young, but she’s definitely the best magician. Even at this stage of graduating from the academy, many people are calling out to her from inside and outside the country.」
「Hou, I’m sure she will be a good playmat―― I mean, a good magician. Nell, how about you invite her to the Knight Order?」
Deris brings up the subject to Nell, But she shakes her head.
「Unfortunately, it seems that her place of employment has been decided. You see, her name is Joshua, right?」
「Joshua? … Oh, I see. That’s a shame. But, the graduation festival is going to be much more fun.」
「………?」
Deris slightly showed a smile that had a hidden meaning. It was just a hunch, but Principal Hao felt something unpleasant. And he was almost correct.
「Well, what can I do for you about the graduation festival?」
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「It’s a simple matter. I’d like to ask you to increase the number of participants for two people using your authority.」
「……Pardon?」
Deris explains and Nell watches quietly.
「I-In short, you want me to use the principal’s recommendation to let the two of your disciples participate…!?」
「That’s right. If there is a student that President Hao praised so much, I’m sure our disciples won’t win the overall victory, but… you see, any master would want the disciple to gain prestige, right? Also, it’s a good opportunity to measure how good our disciples are.」
「B-But …」
「I’m not telling you to do match-fixing, but just give them the right to participate. You can place them in a random place that’s not a seed, and it’s over. It shouldn’t be difficult, right? Don’t worry. Even though I said she’s my disciple, I taught her directly only for a short period of two weeks or so. My~, it was hard to train a level 1 village girl. Kukuku.」
President Hao is at a loss. After all, he personally wants Weerel to win at all costs. If the graduation festival goes on as planned, she will win without any problems.
For that sake, he excluded Therese from the selection since she’s the second strongest even though she’s flawed as a magician. However, this one has been reviewed due to Therese’s achievement in conquering the dungeon, which was established yesterday, and the majority said that she has the right to participate.
That much is still better, but then Nell, the leader of the Magic Knight Order, and Deris, who has the nickname of Black Iron, told him to let their favorite disciples participate. Deris said something about teaching for only two weeks, but in reality, there’s no knowing who will they bring. In the first place, he has no obligation to listen to them. Also, he has to eliminate any further anxiety factors. When Principal Hao made up his mind and tried to open his mouth――
「Ah, that’s right! There is one more thing I would like to discuss with you, Principal.」
「… What is it?」
「About that―― You can come out now.」
Deris called out to the back of the sofa where he’s sitting. It’s a blind spot from Principal Hao’s side. ‘Someone was hiding there? Who?’ Suspicion was growing in Principal Hao’s mind. And then, it was the worst person for him.
「………」
Standing up from the shadow of the sofa with her head down was a quiet-looking girl with glasses, wearing the uniform of the academy. For some reason, she seems to be terribly frightened and she refuses to make eye contact with the principal. But more than her reaction, Principal Hao opened his eyes wide, surprised by her presence.
「It’s understandable for you to be surprised since she suddenly appeared here. She is the daughter of my acquaintance. She is also a student at the academy, so you may know about her.」
「W-Well, yes…」
Principal Hao tried not to let the other party noticed, but he replied with a trembling voice.
「Actually, when I happened to meet her the other day, she consulted something to me. She said that she was forced to do something immoral in this academy.」
「W-What…!?」
「However, she was taken by surprise and forced to drink something like alcohol, so she doesn’t remember well the face of the other party. Oh my, I’m sure it was an act that he did while knowing she has a weakness for alcohol. He sure was very careful.」
「………」
At this point, Principal Hao was able to understand what Deris was trying to say. The talk about non-students participation using the principal’s recommendation, and Deris’s manner of speaking as if he knows everything. These two things are connected.
「There is no way that such an affair can be allowed to occur in this academy, the pride of Adelheit. This is a matter that should be pursued thoroughly. Even someone from the Knight Order came to set an example! … But right now, Knight Leader Nell is upset because of the things about her disciple, so that criminal may be tortured to death by her. Moreover, in a more painful way. Ah, if her disciple can participate in the graduation festival without any problem, she may do it kindly. I know it was his own fault, but when I think about the criminal at the time of death, I can’t help but feel sorry for him.」
「T-T-T-T-That’s right…」
「Similarly, I’ve been so preoccupied with my disciple that I haven’t been able to do any work lately. If only this feeling is refreshed, I can cooperate with the investigation and settle the situation ‘smoothly’…! For example! If my disciple! Can participate! In the graduation festival! … Something like that.」
「………」
On this day, Haruna and Chinatsu decided to participate in the graduation festival.