Chapter 15
Yodalla was sitting on my lap.
“The more I look at your face, the more I like it. I feel like I could stare at you all day without getting tired.”
She acted as if I were her lover, wrapping her arms around my neck and gazing at me with overflowing affection.
[Mental Strength EX Rank calms your agitation.]
I didn’t understand why she was here.
‘The executives shouldn’t be able to enter Garam Academy grounds because of the headmaster.’
The headmaster of Garam Academy had the ability to see through anyone above level 80 instantly.
Because of that, executives like Yodalla and Reaper, who were over level 80, couldn’t set foot in the academy.
‘Is it because the headmaster is away? No… his absence doesn’t really mean he’s “absent.”’
The headmaster could freely travel through space.
Even if he was away now, he could appear back here in a minute.
So Yodalla wouldn’t have come just because he was away.
‘Then why…?’
While I was wondering, Yodalla spoke as if she read my mind.
“The headmaster won’t be back for at least three days.”
“He’s currently at Endrich’s Sanctuary.”
Endrich’s Sanctuary was a place where the laws of time and space were broken.
Even with his abilities, the headmaster couldn’t cross space from there.
‘Why would he go there?’
The headmaster wasn’t the type to leave without a reason.
Something must have happened.
Then I noticed Yodalla’s intense gaze — half-lidded eyes, like a snake watching prey.
‘…Is she suspicious of me?’
It felt like she suspected something. Why now?
Was it because I seemed unaware of the situation?
That would mean she expected me to know…
Which would mean I was supposed to have caused it.
‘A butterfly effect from something I did earlier.’
I retraced my past actions — and then it hit me.
“So the headmaster moved just as I planned, huh.”
Her eyes narrowed slightly… then softened again into that sweet look.
“Of course he would. The headmaster loves the academy and its students. If Endrich planned to send a Death Knight to kill a student, there’s no way he’d forgive that.”
So the headmaster went to Endrich’s Sanctuary because of me.
I had contacted Endrich and replaced the doppelgänger’s corpse with a Death Knight without knowing the full consequences — and that set everything in motion.
“Using a traitor’s corpse to lure the headmaster away, creating the perfect chance for us to act quickly… Such a sexy plan, Master.”
Yodalla smiled, clearly impressed.
I let out a small sigh of relief inside.
‘I guess I managed to bluff my way through…’
[Mental Strength EX Rank recovers your mental fatigue.]
It felt like I had just lost a year off my life.
Later, Yodalla stood up.
“Then, Master, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
She left the room, and as soon as she stepped into the hall, her expression changed completely — now cold and professional, like a maid.
“Sir Jian Bellomata, I’ll be in touch.”
Students in the hall stared, surprised.
Most were shocked to see a maid leaving my room, but one student looked surprised for a different reason.
“Clothes from the Genek Merchant Guild…?”
Genek Merchant Guild — one of the top three trading guilds in the world, and the family of Rozarin.
Not many knew, but Rozarin had been cut off from her family because she refused to become a merchant and became a mage instead.
‘Why is Yodalla disguised as a Genek Guild maid?’
It didn’t make sense.
If she said the headmaster wouldn’t return for three days, that meant the plan would begin within two days — tomorrow or the next day — to be safe.
A top executive personally moving meant it was a big operation.
‘What are they planning…?’
Next morning.
I went to school early again.
My head felt foggy — probably from not sleeping well.
“The weather’s annoyingly nice…”
I grumbled at the bright, cloudless sky.
Then I heard a familiar voice.
“Jian!”
It was Rozarin, running toward me, looking serious.
“Is it true someone from the Genek Guild came to see you yesterday?”
…The rumor had already reached the second-years? That was fast.
“Why aren’t you answering? Is it true?”
“Ah… yes, it’s true.”
Her face twisted.
“What did they say? Offer to give you living expenses as a scholarship or something?”
I didn’t answer — because no such offer had been made.
“Listen, normally keeping secrets is good, but in this case you should talk. The Genek Guild only sees magic as a way to make money—”
“Young lady.”
Yodalla — in her maid disguise — appeared.
“…Lea. So you were the one yesterday.”
“It’s been a while.”
Apparently, Rozarin knew this “Lea” from before.
“The guild master has a message for you. May I have a moment?”
“From him? To me?”
Rozarin frowned even more.
“Fine. Let’s go.”
She turned to me.
“Sorry, Jian. We’ll talk later.”
And they left together.
‘…What the hell is going on?’
Class that day was “Monster Subjugation Training” — a live combat exercise.
The instructor, smiling kindly, reassured everyone.
“Don’t worry. All the monsters are weakened, and you’ll only face goblins or orcs with crippled legs.”
The students relaxed — except for a few who seemed disappointed.
“Goblins? Too weak for me.”
“Yeah, at least give us a troll.”
The instructor’s eyes lit up.
“Oh? You want to fight a troll? We have one available as teaching material.”
The students who had bragged turned pale and backed down quickly.
“Just kidding! I’ll fight the goblin and orc!”
“A mage’s words are like gold,” the instructor said with a smile. “I hope you’ve learned to watch your mouth.”
Then the instructor looked right at me.
It was obvious — You’re not satisfied with goblins and orcs, are you?
I considered it. Even a weakened troll was still a troll — and worth good experience.
“Then I’ll take the troll, please.”
“As I expected from you, Jian.”
She smiled approvingly.
But before we could start…
BOOM! BOOM!
Explosions shook the colosseum.
The ground trembled violently.
The instructor’s expression turned serious.
“Everyone, evacuate immediately!”
She pulled out her staff — but then—
CRASH!
The entrance shattered, debris flying everywhere.
Monsters poured in, roaring and bellowing.
“Did they escape from the holding pens!?”
“Run!”
While everyone ran in panic, I stayed and watched.
‘This…’
They all had a familiar aura.
[Charm Aura spreads around you.]
[Mental Strength EX Rank nullifies “Fear Spread.”]
Someone had used charm and fear auras to heal, strengthen, and drive the monsters into a frenzy — then unleashed them inside the academy as a distraction.
I knew this scenario. I’d seen it many times in the game.
‘Main Story – Act 2, Chapter 7.’
So that’s what Yodalla was doing.
Now I understood perfectly.
