I had no intention of getting deeply involved.
Avoiding the assassination and confiscating weapons should have been enough.
But while I was conjuring mist, evading traps with fake vehicles, and sending fake cadets to create confusion, I noticed something odd in the script.
【 Assassination Department 1st-Year Bedin: ‘Why is this happening? He’s supposed to be a professor who only dodges! I never heard anything like this...!’ 】
【 Assassination Department 1st-Year Farnan: ‘Damn it, I never wanted to do this from the start....’ 】
【 Assassination Department 1st-Year Gaineri: ‘...If I just pretend to do it properly, he’ll probably cause less trouble, right?’ 】
The script sounded as if they were receiving instructions from someone.
The decisive moment came from Forte’s thoughts.
【 Moonshadow Institute 1st-Year Forte: ‘......That bastard Joaquin is trying to extract information in this way, huh? Dream on. You’ll never beat Professor Dante.’ 】
Joaquin’s instigation.
Or perhaps, a threat.
‘...A proxy assassination, huh.’
In the Assassination Department, as long as you don’t get caught, even murder isn’t an issue.
However, there are a few actions that are considered problematic.
One of them is shifting the responsibility of your assassination onto someone else.
This is called a ‘proxy assassination.’
‘This place breeds tools called assassins, not masters....’
If I was aiming for long-term survival, I had to eliminate long-term threats.
In a situation like this, if a cadet harbored resentment and commissioned a proxy assassination, I had to put an end to it.
【 Moonshadow Institute 1st-Year Forte: ‘Damn it! Stop it, you idiots!’ 】
Ultimately, the cadets’ reckless play escalated into an uncontrollable wildfire.
I had no choice but to step forward.
── .
When the effect of 『World Forgery』 wore off, the flow of time that had been temporarily frozen resumed rapidly. Birds darted through the sky, and the cadets all slumped to the ground.
At their level, they wouldn’t be able to detect anything strange.
“All of you. Drop your weapons and raise both hands.”
The cadets complied without a word. They were all trembling—seems like 『World Forgery』 had worked perfectly.
That’s when Forte looked up at me with startled eyes.
“Professor....”
“Shut up and lie down.”
“.......”
He had a knife wound in his back, and his breathing was shallow.
That meant his lungs were damaged.
Who stabbed him?
“Ugh, uh...! Huff...!”
It was this guy—the cadet Forte had been shielding behind him.
He was still trembling, clearly too shaken to process what he’d just done.
“Adele. Call the Disciplinary Department. Tell them there’s an injured cadet.”
“Yes, sir. Oh my god, what should we do....”
The Disciplinary Department—Hiaka’s version of the police.
“Is there any cadet here who knows first aid?”
“Ah... I-I know how....”
“Then come forward and tend to these two.”
For now, the situation was contained.
But here and there, the once pristine white cadet uniforms were stained with blood.
“.......”
Personally, I was getting a little pissed off.
I already despised the idea of a professor assassination.
But forcing such a disorganized group to carry out something so dangerous was like handing scalpels to children and telling them to perform heart surgery.
I was livid.
Soon, the Disciplinary Department and the medics from Hiaka would arrive to handle the situation.
Before that—
Forte had regained some of his strength after drinking a potion, so I asked him.
“Who commissioned you?”
“...What are you talking about?”
“This group assassination—who ordered it?”
“We just... decided to do it ourselves....”
Since words weren’t getting through, I took off the glove on my right hand.
The bandages were soaked in blood.
Not from this assassination attempt.
I showed it to Forte, meeting his eyes.
“Was it Joaquin?”
“.......”
I already knew the answer.
“...Yes.”
The process was just a formality.
“I see.”
Not long after, the Disciplinary Department’s vehicles arrived, and the Self-Defense Guards got out to take control of the scene.
Adele had explained the situation regarding the proxy assassination quite well—it saved me the trouble.
“Professor. Shall we handle the rest ourselves?”
“No. I’m going too.”
Ideally, I would have liked to leave it to them. But one of the assassins seemed to be part of Joaquin’s group, and his script was nagging at me.
【 Assassination Department 1st-Year Haman: <Joaquin!! Pick up the call! The Disciplinary Department is about to barge in!!> 】
By now, they should have given up, given how far the situation had escalated.
But he was trying to send some kind of signal. What was it?
‘Escape?’
Even if he tried to escape, this was 0 Zone.
Unless he was from Dormant Dragon Institute, there was no way to get out.
‘Or, is he planning to destroy evidence?’
That didn’t seem right either.
There was a truckload of witnesses here for the proxy assassination.
“Professor. Then let’s go together right away.”
“Oh, right. But....”
No, this won’t do.
“You there.”
“Yes? Me?”
“Come with me.”
One of Joaquin’s subordinates blinked in confusion and followed.
I shoved him into the Disciplinary Department’s vehicle and headed toward the Moonshadow Institute together.
On the way, I questioned the lackey.
“Haman. You’re one of Joaquin’s goons, right? Isn’t that so?”
“.......”
He clamped his mouth shut.
He even turned his head away, pretending not to know anything.
But I had the 【Script】.
【 Assassination Department 1st-Year Haman: ‘How did he know?’ 】
【 Assassination Department 1st-Year Haman: ‘No, I can’t say anything.’ 】
I could see right through him.
So, I asked again.
“What is Joaquin doing right now?”
【 Assassination Department 1st-Year Haman: ‘No. Absolutely can’t say a word!’ 】
He remained silent.
The Self-Defense Guard driving the vehicle got irritated.
“Hey, you little piece of shit! The professor’s talking to you, and you’re just gonna keep your mouth shut? Huh!?”
【 Assassination Department 1st-Year Haman: ‘Hmph. Wonder all you want. There’s no way he’ll find out Joaquin’s gone to see the third-year seniors.’ 】
Ah. I see. So he’s going to see some easily manipulated seniors.
I frowned.
‘Joaquin knows how to dodge a proxy assassination charge.’
An assassin is a tool.
A proxy assassination is only applicable to those who step outside the role of a “tool.”
In other words, if there’s another “master,” the blame gets shifted up.
Joaquin was planning to turn some weak seniors into “masters” while making himself a mere “tool” to evade responsibility.
Now I knew Joaquin’s objective. What remained was his location.
“Where is Joaquin right now?”
【 Assassination Department 1st-Year Haman: ‘Damn it. He looks scary as hell....’ 】
【 Assassination Department 1st-Year Haman: ‘But I can’t let fear get to me! If I tell him where Joaquin is, it’s all over!’ 】
“Haman. Answer while I’m asking nicely. Where is Joaquin?”
【 Assassination Department 1st-Year Haman: ‘No, no, no, no, no. Don’t even think about it. If I let something slip, it’s over...!’ 】
He was doing well up until the end when he started to crack.
Now, he was forcing himself to think about elephants, sheep, dinner plans—anything to avoid letting me read his thoughts.
If things continued like this, I would miss the golden opportunity to capture Joaquin.
But I had a way.
“I get it.”
“Huh? You do? Where is he, Professor?”
【 Assassination Department 1st-Year Haman: ‘What!?’ 】
“Joaquin is in Building 20.”
“Building 20? Hmm, Professor. That’s definitely not the place....”
The Self-Defense Guard doubted me.
And he was right.
Building 20 was the dormitory for cadets from the White Saber faction. Joaquin was from the Black Abyss faction.
“Why not? It’s definitely Building 20.”
“No, Professor... uh, Building 20 is....”
“Enough. Just shut up and turn the car around to Building 20. I’m sure of it. Joaquin is in the dorms at Building 20.”
“...Understood.”
Why was I insisting on a wrong location?
【 Assassination Department 1st-Year Haman: ‘What’s with this professor? Why’s he so damn stubborn? He’s wrong anyway.’ 】
Because sometimes, when you want something, you have to gently provoke it out.
【 Assassination Department 1st-Year Haman: ‘What a dumbass professor. Go ahead, search Building 20 all you want! Joaquin’s in Building 31 anyway.’ 】
Just like that.
Building 31. Confirmed.
“Guard.”
“Yes, Professor.”
“My apologies. I was mistaken. I think I said the wrong number.”
“Oh? Then...”
“We’re going to Building 31.”
【 Assassination Department 1st-Year Haman: ‘Wha...!?‘ 】
Haman flinched, looking back at me in shock.
The Self-Defense Guard also nodded in understanding.
“Understood!”
Before long, we arrived at the dorms of Building 31.
Three Disciplinary Department vehicles screeched to a halt, and seven Self-Defense Guards jumped out.
“Joaquin! Get the hell out here!”
“You are under arrest for commissioning a proxy assassination!”
They began to search the dorms thoroughly.
But that’s when several third-year cadets from the Black Abyss faction stepped in to block our way.
“What the hell is this? Huh? You’d better get out of here right now!”
“Move aside! We’re here to arrest Joaquin!”
“He’s just a first-year! Why are you looking for him here? Get lost!”
The third-year Black Abyss cadets, loyal to Joaquin, erected a 『Magic Barrier』 and blocked the stairs.
Cadets violently resisting law enforcement.
“Move aside.”
“Oh, Professor...”
I shoved the guard aside and stepped up to the Magic Barrier.
The cadets tensed up, clearly anxious.
I didn’t let that opening slip.
『World Forgery: Phenomenon Forgery [Magic Barrier Destruction]』
I merely touched it.
And in that instant, a crack spread across the 『Magic Barrier』 as lightning scattered in all directions before it burst apart.
Crackle—! Crash!!
“What, what the hell?! How did he...?!”
“D-Damn it! Run!!”
Human perception relies far more on sight than one would think.
In truth, the 『Magic Barrier』 was still perfectly intact.
It remained shrouded in thick smoke.
However, the cadet maintaining the barrier, upon seeing it appear to shatter, immediately released his own magic and began to flee.
Thanks to that, a path opened up.
“Move in.”
“Yes, sir!”
****
“Joaquin! The Disciplinary Department is downstairs on the first floor!”
“I know that, you idiot!”
Joaquin rushed up the stairs to the rooftop of Building 31.
As he ran, he swallowed curses under his breath.
“Shit...! This wasn’t part of the plan...!”
He’d expected the assassination attempt to fail.
It was a given since Professor Dante was clearly more than capable.
However, he hadn’t anticipated that they wouldn’t land a single blow.
He hadn’t anticipated that they wouldn’t discover a single weakness.
And he certainly hadn’t anticipated that Dante would uncover his role as the mastermind behind the proxy assassination.
Despite spending 100,000 Hika on equipment.
Yet somehow, Dante had figured out that he was the one who orchestrated the proxy assassination in a matter of moments.
“No... Fuck...! How the hell did he figure it out...!?”
Afterward, Joaquin had tried to bribe some broke third-year seniors in Building 31.
But Dante had brought the Disciplinary Department straight here like he was playing him from the start.
If he got caught now, it was all over.
He still had zero demerit points.
But if he was unlucky, he could get expelled in one strike.
The world of assassins was small. If he got expelled, the Black Abyss faction would label him a pathetic loser for the rest of his life.
A mark he’d carry until the day he died.
“Joaquin! Let me come with you!”
“Hurry up, you idiot!”
But he still had one last option.
The northern faculty building.
If he could get there, the professors from the Black Abyss faction would surely help him.
In this godforsaken academy, there was no such thing as a pure teacher-student relationship.
The White Saber and Black Abyss factions were just using Hiaka Royal Academy to expand their influence.
And Joaquin intended to use them just as much.
He gritted his teeth.
However, the situation was dire.
Joaquin could sense that the Disciplinary Department guards were closing in on him.
“Stop right there, Joaquin!”
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Gunshots echoed, and the cadets running behind him dropped to the ground.
“Guh...!”
But that bought Joaquin enough time.
He finally reached the rooftop and clung to the outer wall, closing his eyes.
『Existence Concealment』
His body blended into the surroundings, becoming transparent.
Now, he just had to climb down.
Down the dormitory wall.
To the ground.
‘...Alright. Fuck yes.’
It worked.
Leaving the patrol cars and Disciplinary Department officers behind, Joaquin sprinted into the forest.
“Ha... I made it. Fuck, I was so close to dying.”
He even walked backward, keeping an eye on the dorm.
From the fourth and sixth-floor # Nоvеlight # windows, he could see the Disciplinary Department officers scuffling with cadets.
What a bunch of idiots. He was already outside.
Sure, he’d get some flak from the Black Abyss seniors.
But that wouldn’t last. Joaquin had money. Connections.
If he just laid low and kept quiet for a while, it’d all blow over like nothing ever happened...
Thud—
That’s when it happened.
Joaquin’s back hit something.
“What the—? You stupid fuck. Watch where you’re going, asshole....”
He started to spit out curses but instantly froze.
A man with black hair and pink eyes was staring down at him.
Like a lion looking at a helpless deer.
Eyes that stripped him down, making him feel utterly insignificant.
“Take him.”
Professor Dante Hiakafo commanded the Disciplinary Department guards.
“Yes, sir!”
In a flash, they tackled Joaquin to the ground and pressed his face into the dirt.
Joaquin couldn’t understand this reality.
‘What the hell.’
They should still be inside the dorm.
Even if they came outside, they should’ve had to follow his trail.
“H-How did you find me...?”
He asked, not to learn as an assassin but because he simply couldn’t comprehend it.
He needed to bridge the gap between his expectations and reality.
But—
“What are you talking about?”
Dante’s response only deepened Joaquin’s sense of defeat.
“Even a blind man could find you.”
⋮
That day, all ten members of Joaquin’s group were arrested by the Disciplinary Department.