Chapter 21: Look Before You Leap (2)

Inside the extravagantly decorated office.

Zion wore a rare serious expression.

While the Primordial Dragon hadn't even blinked when the Kingdom invaded, even she couldn't help but wear a grave face in this situation.

After all, this involved that new professor.

"...How is Ryan doing right now?"

Professor Scott, who had been called in for the emergency meeting, darkened as soon as Zion asked the question.

Just seeing that was enough to predict what kind of answer would follow.

"Though he's trying not to show it, he's a complete mess. It seems this incident has wounded him far more deeply than expected."

Sure enough, Professor Scott reported that Ryan had been severely shaken by this incident. His face grew even darker as he continued.

"He was drinking! That professor, on a day he had classes, drank himself into such a stupor he could barely stand! Just imagine how hurt he must have been..."

Even the Primordial Dragon was shaken by those words.

After all, she knew better than anyone how dedicated Ryan was to his students.

For such a responsible professor to act so erratically - just imagining how much emotional pain he must be in made her heart ache.

'The backlash must be proportional to how much he cared for the students.'

He was a professor who had given his all to those children.

The shock of being betrayed by them must have been devastating.

To have the students you poured your whole heart into whispering behind your back that "someone who grew up without parents and proper home training probably can't teach us properly"?

Of course he'd be crushed. It wouldn't be strange if this made him question his entire life.

The real villain was whoever posted such an inhumane statement publicly. Yet Ryan was the only one suffering this terrible pain alone.

"Have we found the culprit who dared wound our professor?"

The question burst forth from her rising anger.

Though she desperately hoped for a nod...

Scott's expression remained dark.

Shaking his head and grinding his teeth, he delivered even more shocking and horrifying news.

"That lunatic tampered with the evidence. Do you know what the tracking magic investigation showed? It claimed Ryan himself wrote and posted that paper!"

Even the Primordial Dragon had to click her tongue at those words.

To publicly post such an inhumane and insulting message, then try to pin it on the victim?

There are limits to toying with people.

Her face instinctively twisted in disgust at such persistent malice. This had gone far beyond any acceptable line.

"It seems I've been greatly underestimated. To think they believed they could lay hands on my professor and still walk this earth."

...Originally she had planned to stay out of it as much as possible.

After all, she understood that professor's personality.

Someone as upright and pure as him would surely not welcome her showing favoritism.

But she couldn't stay quiet in a situation like this.

Kindness should be repaid twofold, and grudges a hundredfold.

The culprit had overstepped by targeting her most precious treasure in her domain. A dragon who can't even punish thieves invading their nest doesn't deserve the title.

"I'll make sure they thoroughly understand what it means to make an enemy of the Empire."

...It was time to employ every means at her disposal.

*****

His head felt numb. None of this felt real.

Like he was trapped in some kind of dream.

'How did things escalate this far?'

Chrom felt like he might go mad at any moment.

When Class A and Ryan's students first declared they would catch the perpetrator, he hadn't thought it was anything to worry about.

"I might overlook insults directed at us, but I cannot stand idly by while our professor is insulted. We will find the devil who snuck in and take their head..."

The student named Karen spoke with fanatical eyes. Though her words were a bit chilling, it was expected that students who benefited from Ryan would defend him.

The second surprise came when the neighboring Academy's director and former Mercenary King showed up unexpectedly. Though more startling than before, he quickly regained his composure.

"Ryan's fingerprints were on the notice? Then didn't he just write it himself?"

"...Please be quiet, Director. You're embarrassing me. If you want to repay your debt, focus on your guard duties instead of playing detective."

With her ridiculous checkered cap and pipe.

It ended with just some squabbling as he confiscated her props.

His guard immediately dropped upon seeing Karin throwing a tantrum demanding her detective hat back.

"Confess your crimes. If you do, I shall at least grant you the mercy of a quick death."

The third surprise came when the Iron-Blood Duke appeared. Though his murderous tone was frightening, Chrom still thought this would work out somehow.

Surely they wouldn't actually kill someone.

While the tales were famous of the Sword Saint who dyed a nation red for revenge over his dead wife, Ryan had only met Professor Scott less than a month ago.

They couldn't have built such a close relationship in that short time. Thinking of it that way, he could somewhat calm his panicked heart. This must be just a show of force to find the culprit.

But when the Primordial Dragon appeared fourth...

When she declared with an enraged face that she would absolutely not let this matter slide, Chrom realized something had gone terribly wrong.

Wanted notices went up across the Empire. Thirty Imperial Knight squadrons descended upon the Imperial Academy.

Seven court mages who had reached the level of Archmage gathered to investigate. Even national treasure artifacts were fully mobilized for the investigation.

All he'd done was badmouth a professor he disliked.

Yet somehow Chrom found himself being hunted more intensely than the leader of the anti-Empire resistance.

The investigation net drew tighter. Despite his desperate struggles, he was soon caught.

"Resist and you'll be beheaded immediately. Choose wisely."

Captured with both arms bound by an Imperial Swordmaster, one of the royal family's personal guard knights, Chrom felt like he might go mad at any moment.

He knew objectively that his actions had been wrong, but wasn't this far too extreme?

'I never even wrote that notice in the first place!'

During the investigation he had learned that Ryan was an orphan from the slums, and what he had done to make a name for himself there, but that was all.

Chrom had no connection to that strange notice.

But at this point, no one would believe him no matter what he said. That stoic knight would probably interpret any excuse as resistance and behead him on the spot.

So he had to stay quiet even though it was unfair.

He needed to stay quiet even though it was unfair, and yet...

"Stop this. This child is not the culprit."

A voice called out from somewhere. He wondered if stress had driven him mad, but no.

Snow-white hair and golden eyes.

Looking somehow more haggard than usual, the young new professor Ryan stood before him.

"I'm the one who posted the notice in the hallway."

But those words made no sense.

The tone was so serious that Chrom briefly wondered if this was actually a self-orchestrated plot, but that was impossible.

"It was a ploy to create justification for a large investigation, to find the one spreading rumors."

If this was really a plan to punish the culprit, there would be no reason to shield him now.

The notice must have been posted by one of the students Chrom had incited, stupidly crossing a line. In a way, it could be considered Chrom's responsibility.

But Ryan continued making impossible excuses.

His face was deathly pale, and even as he dry heaved, the professor kept defending Chrom.

'What have I done...'

A twisted person who could never admit their wrongs. A villain who, even after being defeated and driven out by the protagonist, feels no shame and becomes a Demonkin seeking revenge.

Yet even Chrom felt guilt now.

That nobility of trying to save even someone who had tried to slander and frame him - what person could hold back tears in the face of such grace?

How could one not feel ashamed of their own ugliness when faced with this?

Tears flowed endlessly, blurring his vision.

But it was now, when he could see nothing, that he saw more clearly than ever what the right thing to do was.

"Please stop defending me, Professor. I... I'm not someone worthy of your salvation."

The Academy would surely expel him.

With things having escalated this far, his family would disown him too.

He would lose everything and end up on the streets.

If he relied on the professor's kindness, if he shamelessly accepted that goodwill and played the role of a reformed person... He might be able to avoid such a terrible future.

But he couldn't do that.

Crime must be followed by punishment.

"This incident happened entirely because of my wrongdoing, so I'll accept whatever punishment is given."

One must take responsibility for their mistakes. What use is success if you're not even human first?

So he had no thoughts of defending himself or resisting.

If there was one thing left to do, it was to repay even a fraction of the kindness that professor had shown.

"I spread false rumors about hiring corruption because I held a grudge against you. Yet you still try to protect even someone like me as your student."

I truly have no right to face the professor.

Speaking thus, he bowed his head publicly.

This should quickly put an end to the rumors about hiring corruption. Now no one would dare speak ill of Ryan.

As proof, the other students who had badmouthed Ryan with Chrom were all blushing with shame.

The complaint that they didn't want to be taught by an inferior commoner.

But between someone who badmouthed others behind their back and someone who would forgive and try to help even that person, it was crystal clear who was more noble. None of them could say a word even with two mouths.

'Though it's a pitiful help compared to my mistakes.'

Hoping this would be of some aid to him, Chrom managed a small final smile.

...Was it his imagination?

Ryan too seemed to be shedding tears of emotion.