Chapter 82 - Dishonorable Deeds

I struck a bit of a pose, saying, “Shall I do a little background check?” but in truth, I had no intention of doing the investigation myself by running around.

Wasn't there someone else who was much more accustomed to information warfare and showed overwhelming skill?

Yes, that's right. It seemed I had been mentioning her a lot lately, but I was talking about Regina Eliade Abellon.

What was the point of dragging it out? I decided to contact Regina right away.

But by what means could I go and find Regina immediately? It wasn't an era with cell phones.

…As if to prevent such a situation. There was a contact method Regina had told me about.

‘Hmm, the method Regina told me to use if I needed something was…’

-If you have any business, snap your fingers three times on the spot. My attendant will appear immediately, and you can receive guidance.

Considering Regina's smirking expression when she told me this, it seemed a bit like a joke.

In fact, from a modern person's perspective, it was truly unbelievable.

‘Eh, what have I got to lose.’

What more could happen other than being a little embarrassed after realizing I'd been played? With this thought, I snapped my fingers three times, making a sound.

Snap, snap, snap-

And right after that.

“You called, young master.”

An individual who appeared to be the princess's attendant approached me from a blind spot.

‘This actually works?’

I was momentarily dumbfounded and glanced at my fingers… but I quickly composed myself and turned my head towards the attendant.

Given the nature of this utterly expressionless face, I probably didn't show any signs of surprise.

“……I have something to discuss urgently with Her Highness the Princess. I was hoping you could guide me, would that be alright?”

“Of course.”

Hmm.

I think I handled that well. Though I was still a bit surprised.

***

After that, it didn't take long to contact the princess. It was thanks to the attendant who took me to where Regina was immediately, as if he had her schedule memorized.

As it happened, Regina also had a break between lectures, so there was no need to wait.

We began to talk in a quiet space behind the lecture hall.

“Fufu, has it been three days since we last spoke? What is your business?”

“There is something I need to discuss a little.”

“Oh my- I welcome such things anytime.”

“And… there’s also a favor I need to ask regarding that.”

“Hoh?”

To Regina, who gestured with her hand in a suave manner, I roughly conveyed what I had been thinking while looking at the team assignments for today's Joint Grade Mock Battle.

And the names of the members of my Team A, as well as the members of Milo's Team B.

At that, Regina crossed her arms and leaned against a tree, seemingly lost in thought for a moment.

That thought didn't last long, though, and she immediately opened her mouth.

“Hmm, certainly… Team B is indeed composed entirely of members from my dear brother's faction.”

“Have you generally not heard about the members of Team A?”

“It seems none of them are from well-known families… The Cristy family name is somewhat familiar, at least.”

“Is that so.”

Whether it was because she saw my bland reaction, or if she had another meaning…

Regina smirked.

“I praise you for bringing this matter to my attention. It is certainly a noteworthy issue.”

“Although there is no certainty that Milo Gloss is still plotting something.”

It was indeed a suspicious move, but this was nothing more than a suspicion.

However.

“But your business isn’t over yet, is it?”

Regina said so, as if she had read my mind.

I readily nodded my head and continued to speak.

“Yes, there are two favors I need to ask in this regard.”

But, the proof could be found from now on.

“First… could you quickly gather information on the individuals belonging to our team?”

“That much barely counts as a favor.”

“Indeed, the story after this will likely be the real favor.”

At those words, Regina flicked her hand as if to say, “go on.”

And, I opened my mouth.

“……I need information on the proctor for this exam.”

***

It was a principle at Archenia Academy that the proctor for any exam was not disclosed until the start of the exam.

It's an obvious thing, but for lecture-specific exams, well… the question-setter is already decided, so that's an exception.

This was a measure to ensure the fairness of the exams and to prevent cheating.

Think about it, in the world of where this noblesse oblige is rampant, what would happen if even this kind of deterrent didn't exist?

The academy's exams would highly likely become a battle of who could cheat without getting caught.

Fortunately, these principles were set to be faithfully observed at the academy level.

Even though they were corrupt nobles, I guess they knew that if this system collapsed, their authority would soon collapse as well.

Anyway, seeing the academy's system which, for the most part, operated fairly, I had initially dismissed this possibility…….

‘No matter how I look at it, it seems like he’s tampered with the exam.’

It wasn't an implausible story. It was just that there was no one tampering with the generally observed system, but if a person with a solid background like Milo put his mind to it… what couldn't he tamper with?

Of course, if he were to be caught, he would face very- great trouble.

“Does that mean you think that Milo Gloss has played some trick on the proctor for this exam… is that what you’re thinking?”

“It would be more like, there is a possibility.”

In fact, based on my suspicions, I was about 80-90% certain.

Regina nodded her head with a mysterious expression.

And.

“But you do know, don't you? That information about the exam proctor is kept top secret until the start of the exam.”

“……”

“This, you know, is cheating.”

…She wasn't wrong.

As I closed my mouth for a moment at those words, Regina spoke in a soft, whispering voice.

“Fufu, what's wrong? Do you feel some resistance, now that you're hanging out with those sparkling knight-hopefuls?”

Certainly, the main characters of . That is, Serene, Elwin, Khan, Yuna, or Arien wouldn't use such a method.

They were heroes, and heroes were always prepared to break, always standing tall and fighting with just methods.

However, I was a different kind of person from them.

“……Not a chance.”

If they fought for the greater good, for justice… I was a person who fought to survive for myself.

I was an ordinary person who could barely, just barely, touch their heels only by mobilizing everything I had.

Use everything that can be used. That was my creed.

Looking at it from this aspect, perhaps I was indeed more like Regina… than the main characters of .

-They say the monarch and their vassal are bound to resemble each other.

…Was what Regina muttered during our last tea time in this context as well?

Well, anyway. I expressed such thoughts calmly out loud.

“I never had any intention of using only honorable methods in the first place.”

And Regina's reaction upon hearing my answer was.

“You’re no different from a villain.”

That one phrase.

Unlike the content of that one phrase, she had a satisfied smile on her lips.

“What is the scope of the information you want? It’ll be difficult if you request too much detail.”

“I won't ask for an unreasonable amount of information. It would be nice to have more, but… for now, just finding out who the exam proctor is will be enough.”

“That much is nothing.”

Regina continued to speak with a confident expression.

“Though I may be a half-baked princess pushed aside by my excellent dear brother, I can get that much without leaving a trace.”

Along with a self-deprecating… of a kind, gag?

I didn't laugh. I felt like it would be a problem in its own right if I laughed.

“……Thank you.”

“How dull.”

Seeing my reaction, Regina shook her head from side to side.

What am I supposed to do if I'm not dull here?

It's difficult, this thing called tact.

***

Time rewound to the Saturday two weeks before the final exams began.

The legitimate heir of the Gloss family, Milo Gloss, had gone out, just as he had always done.

The only slight difference from usual was that this time, he had gone out to meet someone specific.

Milo was enjoying teatime with someone in a quiet place a little away from the downtown area of Endinium. Flaunting his characteristic green-tinged hair.

His teatime companion was somewhat older, a middle-aged man with a distinctive mustache and half-balding head that were quite impressive.

That middle-aged man's name was Hugo, one of the professors in the Combat Department of Archenia Academy.

“Professor Hugo, you always work so hard.”

“Oh my, not at all, young master. I am rather honored to be able to offer even the slightest help with your studies.”

Hugo was receiving Milo's words with extreme humility, as always. Even though he was dealing with a student much younger than himself, there was not the slightest awkwardness in his flattery and low posture.

Was he truly a figure who had secured an academy professorship solely through tact and connections, despite having no ability to teach someone nor the disposition of a knight?

“So, you said you had a favor to ask…”

At Hugo's words, which seemed to ask about his business, Milo nodded his head.

“I was hoping you could help me a bit with this exam.”

Even Hugo couldn't help but be surprised by those words.

“Yes…? With the exam…?”

“Yes. To be precise, in the Joint Grade Mock Battle.”

“W-what kind of help do you want….”

“Oh, it's nothing much. I just hope you could show me some convenience in forming the teams… and there’s a fool I want to face.”

Hearing those words, Hugo could feel his head instantly become complicated.

It was because the things Milo mentioned were, in every sense, irrefutable acts of cheating.

Archenia Academy professed a policy of strict punishment with no tolerance for cheating.

If he were to get caught…….

Gulp.

Hugo swallowed his dry saliva once.

It was a dreadful thought just to imagine. This academy professorship that he had obtained and maintained with such difficulty.

How much help from so many connections was needed for this professorship.

However, Hugo absolutely could not refuse. Why?

It was because of Hugo's position.

Hugo was not born into an authoritative family. He was from a lower-class noble family, but he had built up connections through all sorts of corruption and bribery to rise this far.

But what if he refused this and offended the heir of the Gloss family, one of the influential families in the empire?

On the surface, there would be no problem, but he didn't know how he would be nitpicked and kicked out in the future.

That was how precarious Hugo's position was.

Yes. Hugo never had the option to refuse in the first place.

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