Chapter 163
A few days later, at Astro headquarters.
I was attending a meeting with my close associates.
The summoned personnel were all key figures within the organization.
Only Irene wasn't sitting in the prepared seat.
It was because of my request for her to remain at the academy.
-I'll be waiting.
-I hope you return as soon as possible.
Because it was a time needing stability.
Moreover, as she had now become a professor-level powerhouse, I felt reassured if she stayed at the academy.
Even if it was brief, the academy without me present was anxious in many ways.
At moments like this, I felt the fox had become quite reliable.
Anyway.
'That's not the important thing.'
I shook off idle thoughts.
As I returned my gaze to the opposite side, my eyes met with the silver hair briefing the content.
Eyes covered in burn scars were looking at this side obediently.
It was the vice leader.
"The part we were worried about has returned as reality."
I had asked Neria to investigate matters related to House Beniti.
As I had just received a meaningful warning from Rusca, I thought I should exchange opinions with my close associates at least once.
Various documents were neatly arranged on the round table.
They were results submitted as reports.
I skimmed the recorded contents with my eyes.
"Leader, the collusion between House Beniti and the heretics seems certain."
"Betrayal... It seems they're plotting treason on that side."
"With this, the enemy forces have united three large axes... Baob, Beniti, and the businessman."
"So it's come to this after all."
I lamented quietly.
Well... though House Beniti's corruption was foreseen in the original work, so it wasn't particularly shocking, I couldn't help but feel concerned.
Because it was the house Emilia belonged to.
I flipped through the documents one by one with complicated feelings.
Rustle, rustle-.
"......"
As I furrowed my brow like that, suddenly someone threw a question.
It was a middle-aged man with red hair and bushy beard.
Red Sword Star, Kyle.
"I can't believe it."
"Chef."
"What happened to Beniti? I remember them as loyal people."
"Come to think of it... Sir Kyle, you said you knew the previous heads of house."
"We fought on the battlefield together. They were the best ice mages I had seen."
"They must have been excellent. For a star to acknowledge them."
"Their frost was truly comparable to stars."
A voice sinking quietly.
Was he reminiscing about the past?
Kyle's pupils were calmer than ever.
I tapped the documents I was flipping through.
"Malice and schemes erase even brilliant seasons."
"Leader... do you know what happened to them?"
"Roughly. Of course, I'll have to find out the detailed circumstances directly."
"I see..."
Kyle with a rare serious expression.
I added one reality as if answering him.
"Soon a storm will loom over the world too."
"It will truly be a great war."
Kyle smiling bitterly.
He was a person who knew the sorrow of war better than anyone.
Because he was a murderous demon who always commanded the front lines.
The red-maned lion recited as if dejected.
"Perhaps 6 years ago... a bloodier wind might blow than then."
"I declare there will be no such tragedy. Because we will stop it."
"Do you mean you'll strike them first?"
"Is there reason to fear?"
"But... what do you intend to do about House Beniti?"
The star asked quietly.
The light settled in his pupils was closer to pure doubt than suspicion.
It was a part that had been a concern for a while anyway.
Though it was cleanly resolved now.
"Aren't they one of the empire's three great ducal houses?"
"That's right."
"Though extermination wouldn't be difficult if Astro intervenes... it would be like turning the whole empire into an enemy."
"You can ease your worries about that part. The empire's emperor will take our side. If we just finish minimum preparations to convince the situation, it means we can turn even that great house into traitors."
"If the board allows, we could even draw in imperial support."
"Because the empire has already fallen into my grasp."
"I'll believe in you, Leader."
"Those are glad words to hear."
Kyle withdrawing while understanding.
The meeting topic naturally moved to the next.
It was an agenda about Galimar Academy's security.
Because it had been targeted by heretics and Beniti for a while.
My gaze turned to the vice leader opposite.
"Galimar... we need someone to take charge of that fence."
The academy wasn't safe.
I was also aware of the danger of the underground labyrinth.
The complexly tangled maze would be used as the heretics' infiltration route.
But we couldn't close the symbol of peace that had become meaningful to the empire's people.
This was a battle of nerves between the empire's position and the detestable evil sprouts.
Therefore, instead of closure, I had to seek a way to block off the labyrinth.
The right person chosen after long deliberation.
"Miss Neria."
It was none other than the vice leader.
I asked quietly.
"Will you go to the academy together?"
The role I wanted from her was one.
Gatekeeper guarding Galimar's labyrinth.
Though the faculty side was watching now too, the enemies to face later would clearly be stronger than them.
As we were now facing the final chapter, core executives would appear on that side too.
Especially when top forces like the conductor, dreamer, tombkeeper etc. moved... it would be overwhelming for the faculty.
Because in a fight, the defending side is always at a disadvantage.
'I need someone trustworthy.'
Neria is strong.
Chosen by stars from birth, she contained unprecedented radiance in her vessel.
She was the strongest among Astro's members after Kyle.
Though most of her starlight was sealed now, she was not lacking to be entrusted with protecting the academy.
I made a request to the girl.
"If your star illuminates hardship, there would be nothing more joyous."
"Everything is as you wish."
The girl didn't add any words after.
She just expressed her intent to obey.
I responded with a faint smile.
"Thank you."
The agenda being wrapped up.
The unusually long meeting today ended like that.
I shook off fatigue along with a faint sigh.
Until then, I hadn't expected at all.
That the day's problem was only beginning then.
"Leader!"
Bang-!
Following an urgent voice, the meeting room door opened roughly.
Beyond that, a member was calling me.
It was none other than Lena.
"Miss Lena...?"
Space magician.
An executive who helped members' movement with [Portal] ability during every operation.
The black-haired woman had a rarely flustered expression.
She spoke while even lowering the mask covering her lower face.
"Leader! An attack at the academy...!"
Urgently conveyed news.
I sprang up from my seat before that sentence could be finished.
It was the only day I had left the academy empty in the past two weeks.
At a time when I was absent like today of all times.
'Damn it.'
It seemed something had happened.
***
About 30 minutes ago.
Thugs wrapped in blood-red robes were walking a shadowy path.
The tombkeeper leading the group at the front shook off his hands.
Thud thud-.
Dark red spots stamped on the floor.
Drenched blood was falling from the man's sleeves.
The thugs all looked like they were wrapped in evil.
"Hmm."
The tombkeeper humming shortly.
Several corpses were rolling at his feet.
As if bitten by something, the chunks of meat were damaged in miserable states.
I could only tell they were Galimar faculty through the patterns on their collars.
Four skulls were scattered on the floor.
"Pitiful. Young. Lambs."
They were professors standing guard.
The exit leading to the academy.
Seeing them blocking that side, it seemed the faculty side was wary of the labyrinth too.
Because 4 faculty members were waiting at that point alone.
The tombkeeper fiddled with the squishy pieces.
"Fleeting. Life. Return. To primordial. Form."
Though they were called the continent's best educators, life crumbled fleetingly before the funeral song.
The thugs who hadn't stopped walking for a while soon reached a dead end.
More precisely, the labyrinth's exit was waiting for them.
The tombkeeper quietly extended his hand.
Creak-.
The exit opening as if responding to the signal.
The sunken darkness was withdrawn.
"......"
The scenery shining outside was the academy area.
The tombkeeper spread a barrier around and killed the group's presence as much as possible.
He recited while slowly setting foot in the academy.
It was words handed to the subordinates assisting behind.
"Everyone. Fulfill. Your mission."