Episode 115
The protesters, undeterred by the princess’s arrival, continued to shout.
“When are they going to repair the Theology Department building?!”
“The only building we have burned down during the break! It’s unacceptable that it’s still not fixed!”
“The Theology Department is already located in the most remote area! It’s difficult to even go to Garden Fleur for meals! Stop the discrimination!”
“Are you looking down on us because we’re a small department?! Is this what the Sibelius Oath means to you?!”
Elonia froze.
Not because she felt guilty about setting the building on fire, but because she couldn’t understand Valerian’s behavior.
The students in gold-embroidered capes continued their protest.
The onlookers murmured amongst themselves.
“I understand the building not being fixed, but they’re having self-study sessions, right? Isn’t that better?”
“Yeah, and what’s with the dining hall complaint? It’s far for everyone.”
“You’ve never been to the Theology Department, have you? It’s super far from Garden Fleur. It takes at least 30 minutes to walk there.”
“Seriously? So it’s an hour round trip? That’s insane…”
“Yeah, that’s why I never take Theology electives anymore.”
“Then why didn’t they fix the building during the break? The Magic Department professors could have done it in an instant.”
“I don’t know. Maybe they didn’t want to help because they don’t get along.”
“That’s so mean. The Theology Department only has one building besides the dormitory.”
Public opinion shifted towards the protesters.
Just as the commotion was escalating, Headmaster Endymion rushed out of the Central Building, his face pale with panic.
“What is the meaning of this?! Return to your dormitories immediately!”
But the onlookers weren’t going to leave, and Valerian, emboldened by their support, shouted back,
“We have nowhere to return to! Our building burned down!”
“But I told you the Theology Department classes would be replaced by self-study sessions in the dormitory!”
“The quality of our education is suffering. It’s unfair!”
“That’s right, it’s unfair! Is this what Lucid Academy stands for? Equality under learning?!”
“Retake the Sibelius Oath!”
The protesters booed, and Endymion, sweating profusely, was at a loss.
He hadn’t anticipated this. He had expected the parents to complain, not the students.
Just as he was about to break down and cry, a voice, filled with amusement, echoed from afar.
“Tsk, tsk, what’s all this commotion?”
“P-Professor Caroline!”
Endymion’s face lit up. He looked at Caroline with pleading eyes.
Caroline, though clicking her tongue in disapproval, stepped forward, facing the students.
The protesters, intimidated by the appearance of Lucid Academy’s most eccentric professor, the subject of countless legends and rumors, gasped.
Except for Valerian. He met Caroline’s gaze, his expression confident and unwavering. He seemed to have a plan.
Caroline, leaning on her staff, asked,
“I hear you have some complaints. Let’s hear them. What do you want, Theology students?”
“The Theology Department is currently in a deplorable state, unfit for learning. We demand the immediate restoration of the Theology building and the establishment of a separate dining hall for the Theology Department. Professor Caroline, you’re capable of both, aren’t you?”
Caroline’s eyebrow twitched at Valerian’s audacious demands. Garnethia, who had finally caught up, asked breathlessly,
“Elonia, what’s going on…?”
“Shh, quiet, Garnethia.”
Elonia covered Garnethia’s mouth and pointed at the center of the commotion.
Garnethia, seeing Caroline’s unusually angry expression, cowered slightly. She had never seen her like this before.
Caroline, her voice cold and sharp, said,
“I’ll accept the latter demand. The academy was indeed negligent in that regard. I apologize. But the former demand is outrageous.”
“Hic…”
Garnethia, though not the target of Caroline’s anger, started hiccuping. She had never seen Caroline this angry, not even in class.
Elonia was also surprised by Caroline’s demeanor.
Her usual playful and eccentric facade was gone, replaced by a cold and serious expression as she drew a clear line.
“The fire in the Theology building was caused by an unauthorized event held without the headmaster’s permission. It was entirely the Theology Department’s fault. And I was the one who extinguished the fire, if I recall correctly.”
“…”
The protesters fell silent.
The onlookers, realizing the truth, started murmuring amongst themselves, their sympathy shifting towards Caroline. Caroline continued her scolding.
“And now you’re demanding that I, the head of the Magic Department, repair the building you destroyed through your own negligence? How dare you? This is like asking for money after being rescued.”
Garnethia subtly glanced at Elonia. She had been at the academy during the prayer meeting, and as far as she remembered, Elonia was partly responsible for the fire.
Elonia, avoiding her gaze, pretended to be looking elsewhere.
Caroline, seeing the protesters’ deflated expressions, delivered the final blow.
“We’ll build a separate dining hall for the Theology Department. I apologize, on behalf of the faculty, for our oversight. But I’m already swamped with work, dealing with the Magic Department’s own messes. I won’t tolerate the Theology Department shifting their responsibilities onto us.”
The plaza fell silent.
They hadn’t expected Caroline to make such valid points, and some were even intimidated by her aura.
After a long silence, Valerian bowed his head.
“Yes, Professor. I apologize for our unreasonable demands.”
The other protesters, their fear evident, also bowed their heads.
But they were backing down too easily. Elonia wondered what Valerian’s true motive was, when Caroline, glancing at Elonia, grinned mischievously.
‘No way.’
Elonia, understanding Caroline’s silent message, realized,
They were working together.
To isolate the Theology Department, which was filled with brainwashed individuals!
With a separate dining hall, the Theology students wouldn’t have to go to Garden Fleur, where the other students ate.
And the Theology building hadn’t been repaired to prevent students from other departments from approaching the Theology Department.
And the self-study sessions in their individual dormitory rooms were meant to minimize interaction between the brainwashed students.
‘…But I didn’t expect the dining hall strategy.’
The protesters dispersed, and the onlookers followed suit.
Caroline winked at Elonia, then led Headmaster Endymion, who was still trembling like a newborn fawn, away.
Garnethia reached out to Elonia.
“Shall we go, Elonia?”
“…Yes.”
Elonia took her hand.
She knew one person couldn’t do everything. But with Heilan involved, she had felt like she had to handle everything herself.
But seeing her allies’ accomplishments, she felt a sense of relief and gratitude.
Having comrades was reassuring.
A new dining hall for the Theology Department, Garden Madicte, was established.
The bizarre name, if anyone was curious, had been Julietta’s idea, not Caroline’s or Elonia’s.
Regardless of its name, the Theology students were no longer seen in Garden Fleur. They weren’t completely absent, but their presence was significantly reduced.
Elonia diligently searched the Magic, Academic, and Swordsmanship Departments. The brainwashing detection devices were installed everywhere, seamlessly blended into the surroundings.
The large grandfather clock in the Central Building, the back of the portraits of former headmasters, the soil beneath the grass in the Magic Department training grounds, the flowerpots in the Academic Department library, even the flowerbed the Swordsmanship Department had been meticulously tending for decades – they were all hiding the devices.
Caroline had initially planned to use only grandfather clocks, but Garnethia’s craftsmanship was truly impressive.
The devices, strategically placed throughout the academy, sent a signal to Elonia’s ring whenever a brainwashed individual was nearby.
She had initially planned to use her rapier as the receiver, but a smaller device was less conspicuous, so they had settled on a ring.
Elonia would discreetly inform Julietta, who would then offer the brainwashed students a transfer to the Theology Department, where they would be isolated and slowly deprogrammed.
It was a tedious process, but since Lucius and Julietta were the source of the prayer altars, they wanted to handle it themselves.
Elonia, lying on the floor of the training grounds, attending Gunnar’s “Lying Down Meditation for 60 Minutes” class, thought,
‘Professor Gunnar isn’t brainwashed, and the students here are still safe.’
Thanks to Count Rossi and Noah’s cooperation, the supply of prayer altars had been cut off. Artius was keeping an eye on them, having charged them with tax evasion, but the prayer altars weren’t single-use.
If the remaining altars were distributed, it would be a disaster.
‘Felix will realize something’s wrong and try to find another supplier.’
The rate of deprogramming was currently equal to the rate of brainwashing.
They had to find a more efficient method, a way to deprogram multiple individuals at once, before Felix took action.
That way, they could gather all the brainwashed individuals in the Theology Department and deprogram them together.
‘The power struggle method worked before. But I can’t just brute-force it, not after what happened to Natalie.’
Elonia’s mind was a mess. Just then, Gunnar announced the end of the class.
“That concludes today’s meditation session. Class dismissed.”
“Yawn… Class dismissed…”
It was more of a nap class than a meditation class. The students, their faces creased with sleep, slowly got up.
Elonia, who hadn’t slept a wink, stretched, her body stiff.
Alberich, who had been meditating beside her, approached her and whispered,
“You seem troubled, Your Highness. Is everything alright?”
“…Honestly, no. My head is about to explode.”
“I doubt there’s anything I can do to help…”
Alberich was well aware of his limitations. He was probably just a burden to her right now.
Elonia, seeing his dejected expression, patted his back reassuringly.
“Just stay safe for now. I’ll ask for your help when I need it.”
“…Yes, Your Highness.”
Alberich, his cheeks flushing slightly, smiled at her words. Elonia smiled back, then suddenly,
“…!”
She turned her head, her gaze fixed on a clump of trees.
“Your Highness?”
Alberich followed her gaze, but there was nothing there.
Elonia pushed him gently.
“Sorry, something came up. I have to go!”
“Your Highness!”
“Don’t follow me, no matter what anyone says!”
Elonia, treating the nineteen-year-old, who was almost as tall as Artius, like a child, left the Swordsmanship Department.
She stopped walking when she reached a secluded area, hidden among the trees.
A figure emerged from behind a large tree.
“Your Highness, I’ve been waiting for you.”
It was Lucius, his voice strangely excited.
He spoke, getting straight to the point,
“I’ve found another way to break the brainwashing.”