Chapter 36. The latecomer.

“So, what’s your reason for being late?”

A male professor with short, dark black hair, a deep wrinkle cutting across his forehead, thin eyes, a sharp nose, and a pointy chin asked with his eyes wide open. I think that man’s name was Vegas something…….

“Are you not going to answer?”

“I was trying to stop a monster.”

“The Demonic Moon hasn’t arrived yet, are you claiming a monster descended?”

He was pressuring me, as if to make me admit my reason was a lie. It was ridiculous. An institution like a military academy would have received reports and conducted its own investigation about what happened in a nearby town.

‘…They would have, right?’

I swallowed a sigh and quickly scanned my surroundings. Six pairs of eyes were on me, all of them professors at the military academy.

‘So when they said there would be a talk about the opening-of-term exam, they meant I’d be referred to the ethics committee?’

Let’s say I was referred. I don’t understand why they had to drag me away like a kidnap victim while I was signing my re-enrollment confirmation form.

“Maximilian Caesar! What do you think this place is? From the moment you enter this school, you are not the 5th Prince of Poinus, but a cadet of Saint-Denis. Therefore, do not forget your duty and approach it with sincerity!”

This time, another professor barked. I think that man’s name was Ballerina De… something like that.

“Answer!”

“Yes, I will be sincere.”

If I gave any other answer, they looked ready to discipline me, so I gave them the answer they wanted to hear. Others were starting with exam scores, and I couldn’t be the only one starting with a disciplinary action.

“Cadet Maximilian Caesar. I will ask again. What is your reason for arriving a week late?”

The short-haired professor asked. So I gave him the same answer.

“Really, until the very end…….”

This time again, the short-haired professor was about to get angry. A silver-haired female professor stopped him. I think she was the vice-principal. As for her name… I’ll get to know it in due time.

“The cadet claims that he was late because a monster descended and he fought it. Then I will ask. Why did you not report it when you saw the monster attacking the town? Are you claiming that you handled the monster alone?”

“The guards would have reported it, did I have to do it separately? Or was it right to use reporting it as a pretext to not fight the monster and desert?”

When I answered a question with a question, a chill spread across the vice-principal’s face.

“Do you remember that your grades are very poor?”

Not just poor, but very poor? Then I think I can understand their reaction a tiny bit. For a guy who isn’t good at anything to step up and fight a monster is no different from going to commit suicide. Still, running away is not the right choice.

“It seems you didn’t know. Cadet Maximilian’s academic achievement is at the very bottom.

Is it even plausible for such a person to step up and fight a monster? Weren’t you more of a hindrance than a help to the guards? Didn’t you think it would be helpful to report the problem and step aside?”

At the vice-principal’s words, I clenched my molars. Have these people forgotten what a knight does? Looking at the way they were looking at me, it seemed so. That if you have no ability, you shouldn’t act up, you should only move in the best of situations, you should only do what is necessary, you should think of your own well-being before others, that you exist simply to be used as a soldier, to be loyal to the royal family.

“Not tolerating injustice, not fearing danger, and not turning away from the weak.”

“……?”

The expressions of all the professors, including the vice-principal, twisted strangely.

“I will not hide behind the gods as a shield, but raise my sword high to build my own story.”

“What are you doing now?”

The short-haired professor asked with a frown.

“A knight!”

I looked the short-haired professor straight in the eye and put strength into my voice.

“Makes himself a lantern, and illuminates the path. Sing, you who are blind. I will carry your pain and sorrow.”

It was the song of the wandering knight. He who sets out on a path alone is always vulnerable to temptation. A minstrel made the song so that knights would not forget their mission, and the knights sang along, engraving their mission deep in their hearts.

Knights sing the song of the wandering knight regardless of the era. From when I was Leonhardt to now as Caesar. Even if they forget for a moment, it is only for a moment, the song within them is not erased. Bethel, who was scared and ran away, was the same.

Because that is what a knight is.

Clap! Clap! Clap!

In the heavy silence, a lonely applause echoed.

“Not bad.”

The female professor with her hair tied up tightly said with a smirk. I know her name. ‘Mahler Olivier.’ It was a name I had heard before coming to the school. She was said to have one of the best swordsmanship skills in Poinus.

“Professor Olivier!”

The short-haired professor gave her a sharp look, telling her to restrain herself. But Olivier didn’t seem to care in the slightest.

“Why? It’s not bad, is it? You have to have that kind of heart to become strong. Kids these days don’t even know the knight’s song, but he does.”

“Is that important?”

When the short-haired man asked as if to argue, Olivier showed a smile.

“Why are you laughing?”

“Because it’s funny that you’re criticizing a knight for acting according to the knight’s song.

What is the school for?”

“That is to be a shield that protects the motherland…….”

At the short-haired man’s words, Olivier dug her ear.

“Professor Olivier!”

That short-haired man seems to get provoked easily. In a way, he’s a very easy person.

“He doesn’t even know what a knight is. Since the professors are like this, the kids are in that state. They can’t even use a sword properly. Tsk tsk.”

“Are you trying to pick a fight now?”

“You seem confident, don’t you?”

When the short-haired man crossed the line, Olivier let out a smile full of killing intent.

“Ahem, that’s enough, both of you.”

The vice-principal stepped in to clean up the messy atmosphere. She let out a short sigh and fixed her gaze on me.

“So the cadet is claiming that he stepped up to protect the spirit of the knight, but how will you prove that it is not a lie?”

“You can ask the mayor of Graf, or the blacksmith at the blacksmith's forge on the outskirts of the city. Or you can ask the surviving guards.”

There were many people who could testify. That aside, I had a feeling, but it seemed there really was no investigation.

“What is there to send people to ask about? A knight should speak with his sword. Since he didn’t take the opening-of-term exam, we can just make him take it, can’t we?”

Olivier said with a meaningful smile.

“What exam? He was late for a week, so he should receive a corresponding action.”

“Professor Allegri is so rigid. It was a late arrival with a reason, can’t you just overlook that one thing?”

“What did you say?”

“Why? You have a complaint? Ah, you do have a complaint. Then let’s settle our complaints with our swords, not our mouths. I’ll take you on as much as you want.”

“Ahem! Quiet!”

The vice-principal, who had been maintaining her composure, exploded in anger.

The short-haired Allegri and the tied-haired Olivier closed their mouths and only exchanged murderous glares.

“Have the two professors forgotten what kind of place this is?”

“……”

“……Hmm.”

“That’s enough. The two of you will have your speaking rights restricted. Does anyone else have anything to say?”

There was no particular answer to the vice-principal’s question.

“Then let’s wrap this up. We will proceed with an investigation into the reason for being late.

If the cadet’s words are false, a corresponding penalty will be given. But if it is true, we will grant him the qualification for the opening-of-term exam.”

Should I be happy about this? If I take the exam, a good grade… right. I should call Blace and ask him to give me the answers to the opening-of-term exam. Then I’ll get a decent score.

“Professor Keller will prepare the exam separately.”

Agh, unnecessarily meticulous.

“The ethics committee will conclude for today.”

The vice-principal declared the end of the interrogation and banged the gavel. The professors got up from their seats to return to their respective rooms. Except for two.

“Professor Bethesda Allegri, Professor Mahler Olivier, the two of you, come to my room.”

Serves them right.

***

Jjaenggeurang!

A glass shattered. The 4th Prince, Hans Caesar, let out a ragged breath with a reddened face.

“Your Highness, there’s blood on your hand…….”

A classmate sitting next to him said, taking out a handkerchief. Hans roughly snatched the handkerchief and glared at the person sitting in front of him. It was Armand Blace.

“Hey, you fucking idiot.”

“……”

Blace, kneeling, received Hans’s fierce gaze head-on. Blood was trickling down his head, and glass shards were scattered in front of his knees.

“Not answering? Fuck, did you sew your mouth shut?”

“N-no, sir.”

“You son of a bitch. Did you just sit there and get beaten by that retard Maxim?”

“I-I wasn’t beaten.”

“You weren’t beaten? Then the eyes of the bastards who saw it are all retarded? Huh?”

“……”

“Aren’t you going to answer!”

Paak!

Blace’s head, struck by Hans, plunged forward. He stretched out his hands to the floor to prevent the glass shards from embedding in his face.

“Euk.”

And he let out a groan as a glass shard embedded in his palm.

Hans squatted down and stared blankly at the pained Blace.

“Ha! That hurts, but getting beaten like a retard by Maxim didn’t hurt?”

“N-no, sir.”

“What do you mean no, you son of a bitch. Ah, really. The more I think about it, the more pissed I get. Hey, you son of a bitch. You can’t even drag one retard here. What the hell can you do? Huh?”

“I’m sorry.”

“Ah, so you’re sorry. You are sorry. But you see.”

Hans picked up the largest and sharpest of the glass shards.

Blace looked at Hans with a nervous face.

“Hey, don’t be scared. When you’re scared, it makes me feel like a bad guy.”

“N-no, sir…….”

Tuk, tuk, tuk.

The sharp edge of the glass shard repeatedly touched Blace’s eyelid.

“Why? You’re not finishing your sentence? Just because your dad does some business in the capital, you think you’re hot shit?”

“N-no, sir. R-r-r, really not!”

“Hey, I told you not to be scared. Who’s doing anything?”

Blace, looking into Hans’s eyes, trembled and gasped for breath.

“If you think you’re hot shit, why are you licking Dwight’s asshole?”

“……!”

“Why? You thought I wouldn’t know?”

Hans let out a smirk.

Blace, greatly surprised, retched and tried to say something. But he couldn’t make a proper sound because of his rapidly beating heart, ragged breath, and uncontrolled amount of air.

“What’s wrong with you? Disgusting. Aish, damn it.”

Hans threw down the glass shard he was holding as if tossing it and got up from his seat.

“Your Highness!”

A new face opened the door and entered the room.

Hans made an ‘ah’ sound at the unpermitted entry and openly showed his displeasure.

The newcomer immediately explained the reason for entering without permission, saying, ‘I apologize. I found out some important information…….’ At this, Hans clicked his tongue and waved his hand, signaling him to spill the information.

“Maxim is taking the opening-of-term exam.”

As soon as he heard the information, Hans’s movement froze.

“Is that true?”

“Yes, he’s taking it with the girl who came in with him this time.”

“Ha! Shit……. He was dragged to the ethics committee, but instead of being disciplined, he was given the qualification for the exam? Wow, it’s about time Saint-Denis went to ruin. They should be punishing him, but they’re giving him a chance. Right? Isn’t that right?”

Hans asked, looking at Blace.

Blace, trembling, nodded his head vigorously.

“What do you think we should do?”

Hans’s question fell. But no one in the room could answer.

“Does your brain break every time I ask something? Do I have to tell you everything one by one? Huh?”

“N-no, sir.”

“We should ruin the exam……. Yes, we will ruin the exam.”

“We will interfere.”

A fear-laced answer barely came out. But none of them pleased Hans.

“You’ve all become too nice. What are you going to do with all this niceness? Use it to make soup?”

“……”

Everyone closed their mouths and held their breath, staring at Hans’s mouth.

Hans, with a bothered expression, scratched his forehead with his little finger.

“He came back from the dead. We should send him back to where he belongs. Don’t you think?”