34 - The Victim of the Academy

**The Judge (2)** Emily Robin Hood doesn't quite grasp the emotions of ordinary people. Nevertheless, she acknowledges the difference between herself and others, attempting to learn how to be considerate of regular folks. Hence, her peculiar behavior is understandable. This must be the handiwork of Stan Robin Hood. Coddling his sister, calling everything 'cute' and 'pretty,' has led to this. Family upbringing is crucial. "......?" Emily tilted her head strangely, as if she felt no trace of shame, maintaining her finger heart gesture with resilience. At this point, it’s I who feel embarrassed. "You can stop now." "Okay." Emily obediently lowered her fingers from the heart gesture at my words and returned to sipping her bubble tea as if nothing had happened. Now, I understand how things reached this point. "Emily, why are you trying to impress me?" "......" Emily remained indifferent. Yet somehow, I could tell what she was thinking. She’s a rare anomaly these days. I’ve been suffocated by masters of psychological warfare all around, but she’s rather naive in comparison. "I want to earn your favor." "Why?" "......" Though she hadn’t said it, it seemed she had a favor to ask. And that request probably relates to the work I’m about to undertake. I have my suspicions. I couldn’t miss them thanks to her bizarre actions. Emily offered me relevant advice based on my research. That was her form of kindness. However, there was an aspect she didn't anticipate: I got closer to the truth much faster than she thought. My approach to Thillis likely made her rethink things. She probably never imagined me to be anything but a regular person. Let’s probe a bit, then. Her personality is transparent, so there's much to gain. "According to Professor Georg’s research, the metal comprising Ex Machina's mechanical device is concluded to be ordinary iron." "Yes." "I don't know much, but given the machine's structure, it's obvious ordinary iron wouldn’t withstand it. Other researchers must have badgered Professor Georg." "Correct." "But it's just iron, isn’t it?" "......" Her expression confirms it. "It’s likely the result of an external factor, not technology, affecting ordinary iron." "If it's magic engineering..." "If it were magic engineering, there would have been a corresponding device from the start. The material of the metal itself became suspect because that wasn't the case, right?" "......Yes." Before she could make any excuses, I preemptively blocked her, making Emily droop like a dog caught in the rain. Her expression remained impassive, but I could see her thoughts all too clearly. "What external factor could it be? Espers? No, esper phenomena arise around people. Applying it to an external device and maintaining it for a long time would be impossible." "......" It's neither magic nor esper powers. However, in this world, all sorts of abilities exist. There's magic, supernatural powers, and abilities that manifest when one reaches a certain level in martial arts. Currently, only certain priests and paladins, blessed by the cult, can wield divine powers. And then there's... "The power of demons." Some entities can even halt time. This premise alone answers most questions. An Ex Machina researcher bearing a grudge against Thillis. Faced with such despair, they likely summoned a demon in their negative emotions. In Thillis’s words, they summoned something 'unsavory.’ "Just because one is an Ex Machina researcher doesn’t mean they can’t make a pact with a demon." Between Ex Machina and Lemeghton. Given their size, it seemed unlikely someone would straddle both sides. However, strictly speaking, Lemeghton isn’t an organization. It’s more of a qualification. "Impressive, Johan." "I do try." Emily continued to gaze at me with an indifferent face. Of course, I could tell she was genuinely impressed. Naturally so. For others, they might deduce Ex Machina targets Thillis, but linking demons to it would be a stretch. But I’m different. I know Thillis’s true nature. Demons, while not commonly seen, are a different matter near Thillis. She attracts demons. Deliberately accelerating chains of hatred, she induces heinous criminals to contract with demons. So, I discovered that the Ex Machina seemingly targeting Thillis is a demon contractor. Now, who could it be? Uncovering this much is already satisfying, but astonishingly, I pinpointed the mastermind. "Koran Lechias. The Ex Machina scheming this is him, isn’t it?" "......!" For the first time, Emily’s perpetually indifferent expression broke. In truth, she had inadvertently provided the answer. Her carelessness gave it away. Why else would she want to earn my favor? She was the one to hand over the clue. Now, she's signaling for help. It wasn’t just to eliminate a traitor that she shared information. Simply put, she knew the person well due to their friendly connection. "You assumed I could assist Koran Lechias." "...Yes." Emily, initially staring at me in shock, soon admitted it. It seemed she realized her mistake born from impatience. Had she not informed me, I wouldn’t have identified Koran Lechias as Ex Machina. After all, isn’t he someone with the distinguished status as the director of the imperial technical research department? Thinking back, there certainly were suspicious parts. I just hadn’t noticed them sooner. "Hah! No wonder the timing of his appearance seemed too perfect." When Ariel was about to smash the mechanical device, Koran Lechias had been the first to arrive and halt her. Given Ariel’s capability, pulverizing the device wouldn’t have even taken a minute. Watching from the distance, he must have interceded. "You two must be quite close." Mentor and protégé. If that’s the relationship, there’s already ample reason. Though she might be detached from ordinary people's emotions, it's not that Emily lacks feelings altogether—she might even feel pity. Even if it's not sympathy, she likely had a purpose in being Koran Lechias's disciple. "My mentor sees me overlapping with his deceased granddaughter. He's a pitiful person, which makes me want to help him." "......So it's sympathy." "Is that strange?" "No, it's not." A reasonable explanation. Wanting to support my research or feeling sorry for Koran Lechias shows how genuine her nature is, even if she seems emotionally distant from the average person. Sure, her approach might be somewhat clumsy, perhaps due to being secluded and focused solely on research. If she had planned more meticulously, she might not have been caught by me. "I'll say it upfront—there's not much I can do to help." "Isn't there anything you can do?" Emily seems to have higher expectations of me than I anticipated. But isn't she trusting people too easily? What does she think I can do? "If your mentor dies, it will be hard for your experiment to succeed, Johan." "That's true." Well, she did put some thought into it. It seems I'm in a situation where I have to cooperate for my own sake as well. If Koran Lechias dies, then borrowing the power from the demon he contracted with will become impossible. Yet, I can't make a pact with that demon myself... "Still, if I'm going to give something, I should receive something in return, right? For a smooth plan." You know, that thing. Emily is, after all, a high-ranking officer in Ex Machina. There might be a powerful device a fool like me can use. Can’t she throw in a nifty self-defense device while she's at it? "......" Emily tilted her head in confusion. Was what I said too difficult? Or does she want to keep hiding that she's part of Ex Machina even now? "Ah!" A bit slow to catch on, Emily nodded belatedly. Then, she said... "Please help me, Johan♡" "I’ve been meaning to ask—what on earth are you doing?" "Being cute." "Wow, you’re really something else." Again, like before, Emily forms a heart with her fingers. At this point, I understand the Robin Hood family’s situation. If the household's education method resembles Stan Robin Hood’s, then even if Rovellia becomes the emperor, the empire’s state won’t improve much. * * * In the end, I broached Emily's true identity while making my request. Yes, I bluntly demanded something beneficial for combat. Emily didn’t seem particularly shocked upon discovering her identity was revealed; she just looked at me with eyes that seemed to ask why I needed it. Once more, I get why the Robin Hood family is the way it is. It seemed she wasn’t even aware that being part of Ex Machina could be an issue. I can’t tell if it's because she’s a genius or simply naive. "Sigh... Well, now that we've agreed to cooperate, should I start gathering information?" Honestly, no matter what plan I devise, the likelihood of success is slim. Unless Koran Lechias decides to abandon the attack, surviving under the premise of confronting Thillis is improbable. She is genuinely monstrous. The only way to handle her is to avoid drawing attention. Still, I've agreed to cooperate, and if Koran Lechias dies, my experiments would have no future. I’ve got to do something. "Yuna." I called out to Yuna as usual. First, I needed to extract information. With her abilities, she could unearth some worthwhile data. "Yuna?" Unlike usual, she didn't respond no matter how often I called. I didn't expect her to always be nearby, but she usually answers promptly, so this feels off. "Should I try calling later?" I eventually moved on to other tasks. Throughout, I occasionally searched for Yuna, but not once did she reply today. Hence, I couldn't help but feel that something was wrong. "Ah..." Today had been like a whirlwind. I realized that I’d overlooked a significant issue in the aftermath. "Am I being watched now?" Thillis had implanted suggestions in me and would be hovering nearby to observe the outcomes. She must be eagerly hoping to see me fall into the pit of malevolence. I displayed desperation, after all. "I’ve shot myself in the foot." If Thillis is lingering around me, calling Yuna is futile. Since Thillis has already caught her once, Yuna wouldn’t venture near her proximity. Therefore, she can't be near me either. "Hmm..." Thillis might be targeting me, but she won't act until my nature becomes clear as black or white. She contrasts sharply with the cult, which is cunning and adaptable. Thillis isn't like that; she destroys evil and aids good. She won’t intervene until I teeter to one side from my precarious gray standing. For now, she’ll probably just watch. "If I can utilize this somehow..." Thillis is circling around me. Koran Lechias is waiting for a chance to exploit Thillis's vulnerability. Which means I might be able to position their confrontation. Ha! What an opportunity... It’s a perfect scenario for stirring the pot. * * * In my past life, there was a proverb: "When whales fight, the shrimp's back gets broken." It essentially means getting caught in the crossfire between troublesome parties. That's exactly what's been happening to me until now. I was just an innocent bystander, a regular citizen, who could only weep and plead for mercy amidst all the unfounded accusations. However, now? As a mere "shrimp," I've found myself in a position to make the "whales" clash. And just when I was beginning to feel the sting of these baseless accusations. "Ah! Senior! Long time no see! How have you been?" "Yeah, Dietrich. I heard you're close with a guy from the cult who visited before?" "Oh! Yes! He's my proud friend!" "Could you help set up a meeting? I have some things I want to discuss, and I think his perspective would be really helpful." "Of course! I'm sure he'll agree without hesitation!" "Thanks, I appreciate it." Let's add another whale to the mix.