Chapter 79

Chapter 79

[Translator – Prøks]

[Proofreader – Gun]

Chapter 79: Second Betrayal (5)

The disciplinary committee was in session.

Merhen and Dolores were called to stand before the professors.

“Merhen, is it true that you were the one who grabbed Dolores’s hair?”

“Yes, that’s true. But—”

“Ah, enough,”

They seemed uninterested in any further explanation.

Instead, they turned to Dolores.

Only that morning, she had a full head of beautiful golden hair.

Now, it was all chopped into an uneven bob.

“Dolores, did Merhen use a blade to cut your hair?”

Another professor asked, confused by the situation.

A group of professors whispered amongst themselves.

“It was that troublemaker, Cairn.”

Cairn had gained a reputation, even among the faculty.

He was the oddball who came from the swordsmanship department to attend magic classes.

He didn’t display any noteworthy magical abilities; he just sat through the lessons with a peculiar indifference.

However, whatever was going on between him and Dolores was their problem.

The professors did not want to get tangled up in the affairs of two influential houses, especially when it was a trivial disciplinary matter.

They just wanted to move on and get back to their usual business.

Professor Lammer continued questioning them, but it became clear that this session was nothing more than a formality.

As it went on, Merhen’s expression grew increasingly somber.

She had put up with nearly a year of harassment and abuse.

She had reached her breaking point, but nobody here seemed interested in hearing her side of the story.

Dolores was from a prominent ducal family.

She had the prestige, the connections, and the magical talent to back it up.

But what did Merhen have?

She was just a commoner with no magical ability to speak of.

The professors had already decided whose side they would take.

This was supposed to be an academy that valued equality, right?

But it was all just a façade.

The truth was much uglier.

“Merhen, we have collected testimony from your classmates. They say you are antisocial, you have no friends, and you have incurred debts because of your lack of self-discipline. Is that correct?”

Merhen said nothing.

“So, it makes sense that you would lash out without any hesitation, your record is quite poor, and your behavior reflects that. Your grades are abysmal in everything but theory. It’s clear to see that you are not fit for this academy.”

Merhen stood there in silence, realizing that there was nobody on her side.

It was as if the academy’s promise of equality was just a pretty lie.

Everyone cared only for the powerful and influential.

‘It’s just a matter of time before they expel me,’

Merhen clenched her fist tightly.

Even if she scored well on written tests, it didn’t matter.

The practical exams, which carried more weight, always brought her down.

She was consistently at the bottom of the class.

She knew it was only a matter of time before they expelled her.

Thinking about it made her feel a little less miserable.

‘What will I do when I’m out of here...’

A wave of regret hit her.

She wished she had tried a little harder, given it everything, before it got to this point.

What if she could have activated her magic?

Maybe she wouldn’t be standing here, about to get expelled.

Professor Lammer adjusted his glasses and spoke with authority.

“I suggest we expel Merhen. This is for the honor of the Prial Academy,”

“I agree.”

“Me too...”

Then, suddenly, the doors to the disciplinary committee room flew open with a loud crash.

It was Cairn.

“Enough! Listening to you lot is driving me mad. What, is this a gathering of morons?”

“What do you think you’re doing? Do you know what kind of meeting this is?”

“Tsk, and they call you professors. At least the swordsmanship department has some decent people.”

“You insolent brat!”

But before they could react, Cairn’s sword was surrounded by a burst of energy, sending dozens of sword slashes through the room.

In an instant, the professors found the blades pressed to their throats, with their defensive spells shattered before they even finished casting them.

Cairn stepped forward, smirking at the paralyzed professors.

“See? A bunch of fools.”

The professors were stunned.

Prial Academy was supposed to be prestigious, yet these professors were embarrassingly weak.

‘Not even War Mages,’

Maybe the pent-up anger she had been holding onto had been released to some extent.

Since they had gone all the way to the disciplinary committee to cause a scene, the rumor would spread quickly.

This should reduce the number of students who harass Merhen.

‘Then I have to solve the fundamental problem now.’

He looked at Merhen.

All of this was ultimately a problem that arose because she couldn’t manifest magic.

If she could manifest it, she would quickly rise to the top as her aptitude was excellent.

At least it would make her academy life much happier than it is now.

‘Of course, it won’t end just like that, but.......’

Compared to the case of Cedric, it would just take a little more time, and the fundamental difficulty itself was on the very easy side.

All he had to do was make one girl happy.

And for that, he would get her, a super-powerful summon like Cedric?

The math didn’t add up.

There had to be more to it than that.

“Merhen. May I ask you something?”

“What is it?”

“If someone told you to become an undead, would you do it? Assuming you could become a very powerful being.”

She tilted her head at the sudden question and replied.

“......I don’t know why I should. If I become an undead, my emotions will die, my senses will disappear, and it will be full of bad things.”

“Let’s say you were expelled from the academy and then heard that offer. Would you still think the same?”

“I think I would still feel the same way. I haven’t had many happy moments in my life. If I become an undead without living a proper life...... I think I would feel very resentful.”

“I see.”

“But why are you asking me that all of a sudden?”

“I was just curious.”

Why was she reliving the stage of her time as a human?

Because she couldn’t have a happy academy life?

It was ambiguous.

Even if she had been bullied and expelled, that would have been it.

As a Banshee Queen, she would be able to easily repay the grudges she had from her human days.

She would have taken revenge to the point where not even a fragment of bone would be left.

That meant it wasn’t a situation that would leave her with much regret.

That was why he asked the question.

He wondered if that regret had something to do with becoming an undead.

He had just learned from her answer that the possibility was very high.

The one who could make Merhen a Banshee Queen.

There was only one person he could think of.

‘Death Lord.’

Maybe his past self had come to this stage directly.

And then he found Merhen and made her an undead.

Even if Merhen didn’t want to become an undead, there was no answer if he forced it.

Maybe that’s why she had a grudge.

Because she missed her human days endlessly.

Then, is the main theme to stop the Death Road of the past?

It was in the realm of speculation.

But somehow, it felt like that would be the case.

If not, there was no reason why the stage of her human days would be unfolding.

‘It also seems like it would be a similar level of difficulty to Cedric’s.’

The progress so far had been extremely easy.

It wouldn’t be strange if something big showed up.

‘I’ll have to think about it.’

He returned to the classroom with her.

He could see the students quietly avoiding their eyes.

The same was true of the bullies who had been harassing Merhen.

What could the cowards do in a situation where Dolores was bowing her head?

They had to keep their eyes down.

Unlike before, Merhen took her seat without any resistance.

He naturally sat down next to her.

Soon, a professor came in and started the class.

“As you all know, the practical exams will start next week. We will form teams of two with students from the swordsmanship department and enter the Devil’s Forest.”

The Devil’s Forest.

It was a place where academy students gathered once a year to enter.

Its characteristics were that magic gathered there and all sorts of mutated monsters appeared.

Despite its ominous name, it wasn’t that dangerous a place.

Students could complete their practice without any major accidents if they were careful, they said.

He looked at Merhen.

Fortunately, she was enrolled in the swordsmanship department.

It was as if it had already been decided who she would be paired with.

[Translator – Prøks]

[Proofreader – Gun]