I Became the Savior of the Academy’s Villains Chapter 74

An emergency faculty meeting was suddenly convened in the middle of the night.

Usually, only the veteran teachers or senior administrative faculty working in the central building would gather, but this time, all the lead teachers from each department had assembled.

"A terrorist act at this place, Hernan Academy—how preposterous! We must track down the culprit immediately!"

The head of the Martial Arts Department, Erke Mark, shouted with eyes wide open.

With his fiery temperament, he looked as if he might run out and catch the perpetrator himself at any moment.

"Please calm down, professor Erke. It is not as easy as you say."

Bendia Moraco, who oversaw all the professors, including their appointments and welfare, tried to subdue Erke Mark.

"Do you really expect me to calm down? One of my department's students was hurt, and you expect me to be calm?"

Erke Mark, with fire pouring from his eyes.

But Bendia Moraco remained composed.

"I understand how you feel. However, the Founding Festival is currently closed to outsiders. That means the culprit is someone internal to the academy."

"And what does that matter!"

"We would have to suspect our colleagues, or even the very students we teach. Can we really launch a reckless hunt for the culprit?"

At the mention of colleagues and students, Erke Mark faltered for a moment.

He gritted his teeth in frustration.

"So what are we supposed to do? If you haven't got a proper plan, the Martial Arts Department won't stand for it!"

"Oh my, if you're not going to stand for it, what exactly do you intend to do?"

"?"

The slightly mocking tone got on his nerves.

Erke Mark frowned and looked toward the owner of the voice.

"...... Why are you here representing the Swordsmanship Department, Kryphi Mosto?"

"Haha. It's not like I wanted to be here. But our dean appointed me as acting dean, and none of the other professors wanted to come."

Kryphi was attending the faculty meeting as the representative of the Swordsmanship Department.

Erke Mark gave him a once-over and retorted sarcastically.

"You look injured. Wouldn't it be better for you to rest in the infirmary?"

"I'd like that too, but seeing how the Martial Arts Department does nothing to stop the head teacher of the Swordsmanship Department from marching straight in, I thought someone had to step up—even if it's me."

"...... What did you just say?"

At Kryphi's direct criticism, Erke glared fiercely.

"Oh my, was I mistaken? I thought you left Teacher Kirius alone because he's also from the Martial Arts Department."

"What nonsense are you spouting, you brat?"

"Oops, did you not know? Today, teacher Kirius tried to kill a student from our department, you see."

Kryphi's narrow eyes opened slightly.

Through the slits, his amber irises gleamed coldly.

"Could it be you really didn't know? I heard quite a few students witnessed Teacher Kirius losing control. Not knowing is incompetence, but knowing and ignoring is also incompetence. It seems you chose the former."

"...... Teacher Kirius Blavon would never actually harm a student. He was just enraged, that's all."

"Oh my. So he would only harm his colleagues, I see."

Kryphi said playfully as he rolled up his sleeve to show his arm.

The flesh was crushed and some bone was peeking through.

"......."

"Well... I hit back as much as he hit me, so there's no real grudge. But if he had actually met with and even slightly assaulted one of our students—"

Kryphi's eyes fully opened.

At the same time, an overwhelming intimidation radiated from him.

Twitch.

"!"

A completely different, oppressive atmosphere from the previous taunting.

Kryphi spoke in a flat tone.

"If anything, our Swordsmanship Department would not have stood by either."

"......."

"Now, now, it's not the time for us to be fighting amongst ourselves. Both of you, please calm down."

Bendia Moraco, the faculty head, stepped between them to restore calm.

He sighed, then glanced towards Vice-headmaster Ethylen Basta.

He resented Ethylen, who remained silent the whole time.

"I have a question."

At that moment, Michele Endro, dean of the Alchemy Department, raised her hand.

"Go ahead."

"Where exactly is the headmaster in all this?"

Michele Endro looked around pointedly as she spoke.

"Now that you mention it, quite a few of the deans are absent. Why did proxies come for the Swordsmanship, Arcane Science, and Divine Arts Departments? Surely they're not avoiding responsibility at a time like this?"

At her words, Curto Mende, head of the Spirit Studies Department, chuckled quietly.

"Maybe the head of Arcane Science didn't come out of sheer laziness. After all, that's so like that genius."

"Is this really the time for such talk?"

The acting head of Arcane Science shot back sharply, but the mood soured.

"It is important. Isn't it natural to suspect those who didn't show up in this situation?"

Confronted by Michele Endro, he fell silent.

Indeed, Herote's attitude, not coming herself even in this situation, was odd.

"Enough. If Herote Markato really intended to cause trouble, this would not have ended here."

It was then that the silent Vice-headmaster, Ethylen Basta, finally spoke.

At his words, Michele Endro and the other deans also fell silent.

Indeed, if she wanted to do something bad, it wouldn't have ended so simply.

"Anyone who rises to the position of dean surely possesses more intelligence and respect than regular folk. I convened this meeting to seek opinions from such people, yet here we are, slandering and fighting each other. It's lamentable."

At Vice-headmaster Ethylen Basta's words, the deans glanced at each other.

It had been so long since they'd gathered that they lost track of the situation and voiced their usual complaints—a mistake.

"...... Ahem! Then, returning to the main issue, let's discuss how we will find the culprit."

Bendia Moraco redirected the conversation.

Erke Mark chimed in as if agreeing.

"As far as I know, anyone bringing in a magic stone bomb from outside has to declare it. If not reported, they're bound to be caught immediately. So how did a magic stone bomb explode inside the academy?"

"We're still investigating, but since the explosive power was somewhat lacking compared to the products made in the workshops, we suspect it was a makeshift magic stone bomb assembled within the academy."

At the investigator's response, Michele Endro nodded.

"Then it's simple. Contact the magic stone administrator and check everyone who has used magic stones since the semester started. We'll find the culprit in no time."

"Well, that..."

The investigator looked at the trembling staff member beside him with a troubled face.

"S-s-s-sorry! The reported amount of used magic stones and... the number in stock don't match...!"

"Ha. I was afraid of this..."

Michele Endro sighed.

It did not look like the situation would be solved so easily.

"If the culprit truly is someone inside the academy, there would be no record even in the surveillance spells."

"......."

"I'm not blaming anyone, but at a time like this, don't you think having the head of Arcane Science here would be of great help?"

Herote was mentioned again.

But the fact remained that her expertise would have been invaluable right now.

"She must have her own reasons for not acting. Even if we don't understand."

"Aren't you being a bit too lenient toward her?"

Curto Mende pouted at Ethylen Basta's repeated defense of Herote, but he remained poised.

"Only the headmaster can move Herote Markato. Us complaining is a waste of emotion and time. We must discuss solutions on our own, without her."

"That... is true."

No one here could actually order Herote to do anything.

If she were present, they probably wouldn't even be able to complain like this.

"Once again, I did not call everyone here at this late hour for idle chatter. We must quickly set academy policy to reassure and control the students."

Ethylen Basta spoke sternly.

All the deans began swiftly sharing information and discussing countermeasures in tacit agreement.

"Maybe the best thing is to suspend the festival."

"I also think that might be best... But there are students who have worked the entire year just for the Founding Festival. I think we should at least observe things until tomorrow."

"In that case, quickly identifying the culprit to prevent further incidents is crucial."

"But with no clues and the students supposed to be sleeping at this hour, questioning is impossible."

"So teachers will have to patrol in shifts tonight."

"We must ensure, at the very least, that there are no further victims!"

It was impossible to produce a perfect solution under such circumstances.

They merely offered the most straightforward answers anyone would give.

But even that brought some degree of order to the situation.

"Each department will assign two teachers to patrol the campus. Every patrol group must include at least one senior teacher responsible for an A-class course or higher."

"Um... What if the professors responsible for S-class classes refuse to take part... what then?"

Erke Mark, martial Arts Dean, raised his hand cautiously.

Everyone glanced at him.

'Tch, those people are never easy to command, are they?'

'Could they really refuse even under these circumstances?'

'Actually, knowing them, they probably would.'

Those assigned to teach S-class in each department were special individuals.

Some were decent people, but most were egotists with an inflated sense of their own ability.

There was no guarantee they'd follow orders to patrol.

At this, other teachers began to look troubled.

"If anyone refuses to cooperate, tell them I, as Vice-headmaster, will see to it personally that they are dismissed from the academy."

"!"

Ethylen Basta, always so gentle.

This was the first time he had spoken so firmly.

"Yes, vice-headmaster. I will make sure your message is delivered."

"This incident is simply unprecedented in academy history. Even as it is, the academy will be hard pressed to avoid blame, but we must at least prevent the worst."

Ethylen Basta spoke in grave tones.

"I sincerely hope there will be no more victims."

* * *

The meeting ended, and Ethylen Basta was left alone.

With a heavy sigh, he pulled something out of his pocket.

It was the same rectangular semi-transparent panel that Herote had given to Luca.

Wuuuuung!

― Oh my, I can't believe you're using this. How unusual.

When Ethylen placed it on the desk and activated it, a translucent hologram of Herote appeared.

"Herote, do you have any intention of helping with this matter?"

― Oh my, what do you mean? I knew about this a long time ago and have been preparing to deal with it.

"...... You already knew?"

Caught off guard by the unexpected words, Ethylen challenged her.

"Why didn't you tell me in advance!"

― Did you think anything would have changed if I had told you?

"That's..."

At Herote's curious reply, Ethylen was at a loss for words.

― The darkness seeping into the academy is deeper than you think. That's why I'm not stepping forward myself.

"......"

At that, a shadow crossed Ethylen's face.

To think that even as Vice-headmaster, he hadn't grasped the darkness lurking in the academy.

It was a crushing realization.

― But don't worry. The plan has already begun.

"A plan...?"

Ethylen looked mystified.

Herote crossed her legs as she spoke.

― Yes. The cutest swordsman in the world is working even now to bring light to the darkness.

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=

The professor feels incompetent...

But I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt since they can't really monitor everything having no information and with the Demons controlling some of the professors.

【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】