Academy’s New Guard is Unusual - Chapter 78

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 78
Elysium Academy operated with a strictly educational focus.
As a result, the institute lacked a steady revenue stream. Most of its finances depended on donations.
To attract more sponsors, Elysium Academy devised various strategies.
The Hall of Patronage was one of them.
The problem was that most of Elysium Academy’s sponsors came from outside the institution, and for outsiders, ascending to the Hall of Patronage offered little tangible benefit.
To draw in larger donations, they would need to offer outsiders something genuinely useful in return.
The catch was that this was an academy.
If the benefits were mishandled, the institution’s primary purpose—education—could easily become corrupted.
Out of that dilemma came the policy: “Patrons who ascend to the Hall of Patronage will not be attacked first by the Headmaster.”
It was a remarkably effective incentive.
The current Headmaster was a docile enough person, but in her younger years she’d been considerably volatile.
The Magic Towers and churches she’d leveled numbered well into the double digits.
The most famous incident was when she razed an entire mid-tier Magic Tower to the ground, claiming it was blocking the sun on her path.
She’d once ranked at the very top of the Imperial Merit List, but apparently struck some bargain with the emperor and was removed from it.
However, the Church still kept her at the top of their list of targets for elimination.
After becoming Headmaster, she’d kept quiet, but maintaining a “cordial” relationship with the woman who’d wreaked such havoc in her past was an enormously valuable guarantee.
So long as you didn’t provoke the Headmaster directly, you wouldn’t suddenly find yourself crushed by a meteor from a clear sky.
That was why the major Magic Towers and high-ranking nobles had sought spots in the Hall of Patronage.
It was also why I’d donated Magic Stones to the Administration Office.
A Witch is the embodiment of caprice—one moment laughing, the next hurling meteors. The Headmaster is the mother of all such Witches.
To meet with the Headmaster privately, the Hall of Patronage was essential.
“Here you are. Your Hall of Patronage Token.”
Bendel extended a small insignia—a golden Elysium crest.
Compared to the Magic Stones I’d just donated, it was truly inexpensive, but I promptly pocketed the token.
“Handle it immediately. James, expand Squad 42’s roster right now!”
“Yes, sir!”
At Bendel’s gesture, the man bolted from the room at full sprint.
“Would you care for some refreshments?”
Bendel asked me. The moment I nodded, exquisite pastries and beverages appeared.
Indeed, once you’d made a donation, no organization moved quite so swiftly.
I tossed a pastry behind me. Milo caught and ate it instantly.
“I’d also like to cover a student’s tuition in full for the next term.”
“Of course. Who is the student?”
“Evangeline.”
I pulled out gold coins and handed them to Bendel.
“Three years’ worth.”
“Precisely three years. Our Elysium Academy maintains an excellent scholarship system. Should this student qualify for one—”
“That won’t be necessary.”
I cut him off decisively.
Bendel didn’t press the matter and collected the coins.
“Receipt for full three-year tuition payment for student Evangeline.”
“Dispose of it.”
“Understood. Elysium Academy offers many sponsorship packages. We have both recurring and non-recurring options. Would you like me to explain our other products?”
Bendel pitched his wares politely.
Once the Magic Stone Vein was discovered, wealth would become too abundant to even count anyway.
“Let’s see how things develop first.”
“Very good.”
Bendel answered tersely. His eyes gleamed with a sharp, icy light.
It was like a darker version of Hanswell.
“Is there anything else I might do for you?”
Anything else I might do—
A rather amusing thought suddenly occurred to me.
“Among the Security Corps squad leaders, there’s one named Bedrick. He’s been somewhat bothersome.”
“How dare you! I’ll have his head immediately!”
Bendel’s gleaming bald head flushed red.
He seemed genuinely furious.
Milo, standing behind me, actually looked alarmed, staring at Bendel. His fists were trembling.
“A reassignment would probably be best.”
“An excellent judgment. To which position shall I transfer him?”
“The Outer Fortress Security Corps.”
“A wise observation indeed. The rotation between the Outer Fortress and the elite Security Corps should be properly managed. Truly remarkable insight.”
Bendel rubbed his hands together eagerly.
Soon the man who’d just left returned, opening the door.
“It’s done. By the way, Squad Leader Bedrick has been reassigned to the Outer Fortress Security Corps.”
The man said it matter-of-factly, sweat beading on his forehead.
“Efficient.”
“You are an important patron, after all.”
Bendel cackled like a goblin.
I tossed the remaining pastry behind me. Milo caught it with an impressive motion and devoured it.
“Please visit anytime. We’ll be waiting for you.”
Bendel bowed respectfully.
It wasn’t just Bendel. As I left the office, all the staff came out and bowed.
Was there ever an organization quite this transparent?
I laughed to myself as I departed the Administration Office.
“I had no idea you were keeping something against Bedrick.”
Milo mumbled as he walked beside me.
“Keeping something against him?”
“Yes? Didn’t you give him a taste of his own medicine?”
“He gave me trouble, so I returned the favor. That’s all.”
There was no real emotion behind it.
Compared to what I’d endured on the battlefield, Bedrick’s pettiness barely registered.
“……Isn’t that what keeping something against someone means?”
“Quiet.”
“Either way, it works out. Bedrick’s been throwing his weight around for so long. More than a few security corps members quit because of him. The way he’s been treating the Outer Fortress like some kind of garbage dump—”
Milo chattered along as we walked, clearly delighted.
He seemed positively excited.
It seemed Bedrick’s troubles were actually something Milo had been waiting for.
Soon we arrived at Security Corps Headquarters.
Bedrick came rushing out to meet us, absolutely furious.
“You! What the hell have you done?!”
Bedrick screamed, pointing a finger at me, his face purple with rage.
It seemed the Administration Office had already notified him. Efficient organization indeed.
I smiled wryly, and Bedrick’s neck veins bulged as he spoke.
“I heard you made a bet with Rudrick to expand Squad 42’s roster. And now that Squad 42’s been expanded, my position’s been changed—clearly you’re behind this!”
The quick deduction was surprising; his mind actually worked rather well.
Not that it mattered.
“It wasn’t me.”
“……What?”
“I said it wasn’t me.”
“You’re just trying to dodge responsibility—”
“I’m a new recruit in the Security Corps. You’re saying I expanded Squad 42’s roster and had you, a squad leader, transferred to the Outer Fortress?”
Bedrick couldn’t respond. Even he could see the logic didn’t hold.
“Then who the hell—”
“You’d know better than I would.”
Bedrick’s face crumpled.
If I pushed just a bit more, he’d snap—
“I did it!”
Milo grinned wickedly. His expression was so infuriating, my own fists were itching.
“You bastard!!”
Bedrick lost his composure and lunged at Milo.
Milo was ready. In an instant, he threw a punch straight at Bedrick’s jaw with crisp precision.
The arc of it was far cleaner than before.
“Ugh—”
Milo grabbed Bedrick’s collar as he collapsed, grinning widely. For a moment, his thug-like appearance was undeniable.
“You picked the right fight. I’ve been dying for this rematch.”
“Wait—”
Milo happily pummeled Bedrick.
He’d built up so much resentment that his face glowed with satisfaction.
After watching long enough, I called out to Milo.
“Milo.”
“Want a turn, sir?”
Milo offered the bruised Bedrick to me.
Want a turn—I clicked my tongue and shook my head.
“That’s enough. Let him go.”
“Yes, sir. Ptui!”
Milo spat in Bedrick’s face and dropped him. Bedrick sprawled out limply on the ground.
As we stepped back, several security corps members moved toward Bedrick. The atmosphere turned ugly.
“Bedrick’s been hopeless for so long. There are quite a few who’ve been itching for a shot at him.”
Even before Milo finished speaking, they started beating Bedrick. Some of them had even been his own subordinates.
I watched for a moment, then headed toward the Squad 42 office.
The office was empty.
It was strange. Usually, either Scarlet or Rudrick was always there.
But now there was no one—
‘They’re hiding.’
I clicked my tongue and scanned the surroundings.
A faint smell of tobacco drifted from somewhere.
Following the smell, I reached a room at the far end. The tobacco scent seeped from under the door.
“That’s Lieutenant Rudrick and Lieutenant Scarlet’s room.”
At Milo’s words, I knocked gently, but there was no response.
“Shouldn’t they still be working during work hours?”
“Right. Then I can go in.”
“……Does that logic actually work?”
Milo scratched his head with a bewildered expression.
I grabbed the doorknob and felt it was locked solid.
“It’s open.”
“What? Isn’t it locked?”
“It’s open.”
I pushed the door demonstratively. It swung open, releasing a sweet aroma.
The layout matched the room Milo and I shared, but the atmosphere was subtly different. There was only one bed.
‘They’ve set up a newlyweds’ quarters.’
There was an ashtray on the desk covered with countless tobacco butts. I touched it.
“The ashtray’s still warm.”
I slowly examined the room. There were only two possible hiding places.
The wardrobe and under the bed.
I knocked on the wardrobe first.
Knock-knock.
“Why are you knocking on the wardrobe, sir?”
“They might be hiding there.”
I opened the wardrobe, but there was nothing unusual inside.
Next was under the bed.
The edge of a shoe poked out from under it—they couldn’t fit completely, being so tall.
“Sir, Lieutenant Rudrick isn’t the type to hide just because he lost a bet.”
Milo waved dismissively. The shoe twitched slightly.
“Right?”
“Yes, absolutely not. Lieutenant Rudrick may be hopeless in some ways, but he always honors his word. He’d rather die than sneak away from a bet.”
“You’re right. Hiding over a lost bet would be too pathetic.”
“Exactly. Lieutenant Rudrick wouldn’t do something so pathetic and stupid.”
Thud. The bed shifted slightly.
A long leg extended from underneath. It was so elongated it looked like a spider crawling out.
Soon a long-haired man emerged from under the bed.
It was Rudrick.
Seeing Rudrick, Milo’s eyes narrowed.
“……Why did you come out from under there?”
“I was sleeping.”
“Under the bed?”
“It’s dark here. Sleep comes easier.”
Rudrick answered in his characteristic deadpan tone.
Under normal circumstances, that would have sounded weighty, but the dust clinging to his shoulders undermined it entirely.
Moreover, his ears were bright red.
“I heard. You expanded Squad 42’s roster. I concede. I lost.”
“Your words are short.”
Rudrick’s pupils trembled roughly, but he maintained his deadpan expression.
“I promised to call you ‘brother,’ not to use formal speech. But there are many varieties of how one addresses a younger brother. Generally, most people don’t use formal honorifics—”
“Your tongue’s as long as your legs.”
Rudrick’s ears turned even redder.
He seemed genuinely embarrassed.
Still, Rudrick didn’t give up.
“Of course, I’ll keep my promise.”
“Right?”
“Yes. Just—wait—”
Rudrick worked his lips silently.
After considerable effort, his mouth finally opened.
“Brother.”
Rudrick spat the word out like a curse.
It was the most terrible “brother” I’d ever heard in my life.
“Bleeegh!”
Milo actually threw up.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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