23 - The Victim of the Academy

Eye of the Storm (1) Peace. Finally, peace! ...Or so I'd like to say, but there's still a bit left to verify. The traitor within Class F has been dealt with anyway. The cult's plans were crushed. Everything went well. However, I haven't confirmed the cult's reaction yet. He hasn't taken any action. Originally, he should have taken some separate action when Melana moved, yet he did nothing except bestow power upon Jeff. Even if I had perfectly exploited his weakness, he should have had some minimal recourse. Yes, there's a big difference between being unable to act and choosing not to act. To put it simply: "Ah, welcome, Johann. I've been waiting for you to come." "......." The cult went easy on me. Thanks to that, things ended quite cleanly, and the contingency plans I'd prepared went to waste. I don't mind. Peace is everything. "What are you up to?" "It's a bit sad to call it a scheme." The cult leader smiled gently and turned his gaze out the window. It seemed pointless for a blind man, but somehow, the sight appeared divine. Even in moments like these, he's making sure to maintain his image. "The one with schemes was rather you, Johann. You unnecessarily provoked that poor student and drove him into despair." "How is that my fault?" It was bound to happen someday, and I certainly gave Melana an early chance to turn things around. It was Melana who threw away the chance and Jeff who chose to walk the thorny path. And with that logic, isn't the cult also my accomplice? No, forget it. If we keep assigning blame, there will be no end. We're both bad. For now, I should just ask what I need to know. "What happens to Jeff now? Are you going to leave him be?" "Who knows? I don’t really mind, but I have no intention of controlling how other followers think." "Eden is full of people who would leap into the flames at your command, isn't it?" "True." "...Why did you save him then?" That implies he could save him, but has no intention to do so. "I have a liking for those who would risk everything to fulfill their convictions. So I wanted to give him a chance." "Isn't it only right to help him through until the end?" "I can't do that. Although I helped this time, as long as he holds different ideals from mine, I can't predict when he might become an enemy or in what manner." This guy is human. And because he is human, he's contradictory. I’ve said it many times, but that’s what’s frightening about him. He commits atrocities casually while maintaining his humanity. That makes him more dangerous than the usual crazies. "Thanks to that, I achieved what I aimed for, so maybe I'll grant him a reprieve?" "What...?" What is he saying now? Was I not his objective? Or did a different goal succeed? However, if that were the case, there’d be no need to credit anyone. Unless Jeff had aided the cult's plan, that is. "You're the one who informed Jeff about this incident, right, Johann?" "......" "You're the one who told him I might assist him, aren't you? Not many people know I'm the Leader of Eden." "...Yes, that's correct." I admit honestly. It's too intertwined to feign ignorance. It was a kind of transaction. An implicit agreement between the cult and me. The moment he blessed Jeff, the cult accepted that deal. "It seems Johann has a tendency to overestimate me. Therefore, I wonder if you ever thought like this:" The cult leader tapped the desk lightly with his finger. He seemed to be choosing his words. "That I could have a grasp of everything about you." "Damn it..." I covered my mouth quickly. I made a mistake. The cult leader is undeniably a monster, but I grossly overestimated him. "How do you think I knew I could help Jeff?" I developed a plan based on the information I had. Information about the future I know. Moreover... "What am I?" It was the part of his identity that the cult leader himself hadn't fully established. "Am I a good person who can't ignore others in danger? Or a monster blindly pursuing my goals? People are complex creatures, but you seem to act like you're certain of what kind of person I am." "..." The cult leader spoke his answer. Yes, I know what kind of person the cult leader is. I understand broadly why he commits such acts beyond just the actions themselves. Facts that can't be discerned solely from viewing future scenes. I tried to exploit even the sincerity he hadn't outwardly expressed. The cult leader willingly played along. Through that, he’s gotten dangerously close to uncovering my biggest secret. "You proposed these choices as if you knew everything about me, even though I don't fully know myself. You acted like it was inevitable while I was still contemplating." Elation. The cult leader smiled brightly as if he had found the answer to a question that had plagued him for a long time. "You're not an associate of the Oracle, are you! Since you know what she doesn't!" The monster who always smiled gently, wrapping himself before his followers, was now showing his true face before me. "You’re something... even more outstanding in a different sense." I let my guard down. I ventured too far into the depths. He discovered I know things I should not. "Thanks, Johann, for the valuable information." "What are you planning to do?" "Rejoice. I haven’t decided yet. Whether to consider you an enemy or to accept you as an ally." The monster who once declared he’d open up my head to see what’s inside now changes his mind. Neither enemy nor ally. "For now, I’ll ponder a bit more about the secrets concerning you." "Haha! What joyous news." What the heck is this lunatic saying? Chills ran down my spine, covering my entire body. Or wait, is this genuinely good news? The monster who wanted to pry open my head to see what was inside is now saying he’ll simply investigate me. In a way, couldn't it be considered more moderate? Haha! There's no way. Even if I try to think positively, this isn't it. It could turn out far worse, rather than improving in any way. "So, should I give you a piece of advice? Be careful. It seems I'm not the only one who has figured you out." "...You don't have to tell me that. I'm well aware." I understand what the cult leader is hinting at. If there was an unexpected variable in my plan, it was the other chain that Melana possessed. No matter how much I think about it, it seems like an excessive investment for someone like Melana. It feels like it was support provided from above for this attack. But there's only one entity capable of delivering such a core piece of an under-chain. "Isn't the Great Sage suspicious of me?" "Haha, aren't you afraid of the Great Sage? Others seem to fear him more than me." "Among the many monsters I'm aware of, I consider him the most pathetic." "Monsters, huh... Then who do you think is the greatest monster?" "The Emperor." "I can't argue with that." An odd sense of kinship forms. It's frightening. Can a person change so much just by altering one course of action? And what about me that's naturally agreeing with him? I must be cautious. There have been so many lunatics around me lately that even I'm starting to act strangely. * * * After finishing the uneasy conversation with the cult leader, it finally hit me. "Hah... It's been a long journey." I'm free. I've eliminated every internal enemy, and next week the cult leader will leave the Cradle. That means no one within the Cradle is left to target me. As long as I don't venture outside the Cradle for the next three years, I'll be safe. Now, every day should be lazy... "...But I can't live like that." There's something I must do. Starting today, I need to work on creating medicine to cure Ariel's disease. I've made a promise, so I can't just shirk it. Besides, it concerns a person's life, so I can't be careless. Once I start, I must give it my all, or I'll regret it. It will be a path where I won't know if my efforts will bear fruit, even if I give it everything I have. I don't want to leave any loose ends. I want to succeed if I can. That's why I immediately set off toward my destination. "I didn't think I'd find myself back here." Though the Cradle is a military facility, it's still technically a school. As such, it has various infrastructures, including clubs. During the past year, I've spent most of my time... Returning to the place where I spent nearly all my time. The Alchemy Workshop - Ars Magna. Like the hospital, it's one of the infrastructures within the Cradle, and one can engage in club activities there. Looking back now, it's a trail of memories. "I used to practically live here, working on a single potion." Since I quit after completing the medicine to save my sister, Chris, I'm not sure what they'll think of me. Won't they consider me a traitor? I disappeared right after completing my research with everyone's help. "Sigh..." It’s nerve-wracking. How long has it been since I’ve felt this kind of tension, unrelated to physical threats? I pondered for a while in front of the Ars Magna clubroom before slowly turning the doorknob. "What?" As soon as I entered, I saw one person sprawled out on a sofa. On closer inspection, it was Mr. Georg, the teacher in charge of the alchemy club. "Is that you, Johann?" "...It's been a while, sir." "Your expression... looks much better." "I've escaped overwork, after all." "I see. The reason you look different must be because your dark circles are gone." It's not due to any special circumstance or anything. My appearance genuinely changed because the dark circles disappeared. That's understandable since the most commonly made item here is a recovery potion. A large number of potions are needed to tame these insatiable killing machines. In a way, you could say it's even busier than the hospital. "Ugh! Sorry to ask right after seeing you again, Johann, but could you make me a cup of coffee?" "It's in the usual spot, right?" "Yeah." Mr. Georg directs me straight away without hesitation. I don't mind. I remember him grinding his body and mind to save students and even helping with my research in between. I don't know if I can call him a mentor... but I think of him as such. "Here you go." "Thanks." After taking the coffee I made, he looked at me with his weary eyes. Those deep, murky eyes were unnervingly reminiscent of the abyss. If I hadn't escaped from here, I might have worn the same expression. "Is that you, Johann?" "Yes, sir." His mind seems to wander back and forth as he expresses surprise, despite having greeted me already. Regrettably, it seemed he wasn't in his right mind. "What brings you here?" "...Well, what else would bring me here but to make medicine in the alchemy workshop?" "Medicine? What kind?" "That's..." "Ah, never mind. I'll find out soon enough once you start working. Do as you wish." I nodded politely and began looking for a suitable empty space. As I wandered among the desks cluttered with various chemicals, I suddenly stopped. "Did you leave this as it was?" "Yeah, I figured you'd come back someday. Oh, and the equipment's been maintained regularly, so it's fine." "Why did you...?" An overwhelming sense of gratitude. I held back the tears threatening to fall and shook my head. And at that moment, I noticed another space. A spot retaining the scent of its former owner, just like my old station. "Sir." "Huaaahm... Huh? Yeah, what?" "Is this perhaps Senior Xavier's desk?" "Yes, it shows you were close to him since you recognized it right away." "Why did you keep this?" Seeing my old desk preserved made me think Mr. Georg was just a good teacher. But this... this is different. "Senior Xavier is already..." "Left? Are you going to bring up such a cliché topic?" This is attachment. Unable to let go of someone who's gone. And that's not surprising because Xavier, the head of the alchemy club, has already... "Graduated, sir. Please, it's time to let him go." "......" Why hold onto someone who doesn't want to be here anymore? It's unsettling. "Yes, Xavier graduated. But Johann, there's something you don't know." Holding his coffee cup, Mr. Georg still wore that weary expression as he dragged his white coat along. He shuffled over to the door and said, "The Cradle has a university. Going further, there’s even a graduate program." "Don't talk nonsense. Senior Xavier said he wouldn't look back after graduating." And in a school that's turned into such a mess within a year, who in their right mind would pursue a college course here? Senior Xavier is smart enough not to make such a choice. "Ahaha!" Yet, Mr. Georg laughed aloud like a mad scientist. "Xavier said the same thing at first. Claimed it was nonsense too." "Wait, what did you just say...?" "Xavier 'also'?" Not just Xavier? Then who else have they trapped in this pit of despair? No, I’m missing something. -Yes, I thought you'd come back someday. It feels like insects are crawling all over my skin in disgust. "...Sir. Let me ask again. Why did you keep my place as it was?" "Haha... Our workshop needs someone perceptive like you." Click! Mr. Georg locked the workshop door after shuffling over to it. I immediately shifted into a defensive stance. This was an emergency.