Chapter 39
A morning like any other.
The same monotonous daily routine.
Today would flow by without any particular issues.
Or so thought Jagan, an administrative staff member at the Academy, as he rubbed his eyes with a blank expression.
'Am I seeing things from overwork?'
That thought crossed his mind, but no matter how much he rubbed his eyes, the scene before him remained unchanged.
Documents related to the Imperial Academy's budget.
Evidence that someone had tampered with the ledgers.
'Who would be crazy enough to mess with accounts that the Primordial Dragon manages directly?' Wondering this, he traced the trail, only to find a strange name.
'...Ryan? Why is that person's name showing up here?'
The newly appointed professor who was on a meteoric rise.
Even Jagan knew that name well.
These days, everyone was talking about Ryan.
Not only had he vanquished Marbas, the 5th of the 72 Great Evils known for being the most cunning and meticulous, but also Gamigin, the 4th ranked demon who could manipulate shadows to absorb any attack.
A genius professor who, not content with slaying countless demons, was now mass-producing Swordmasters.
It would be stranger not to know such a person.
But what bewildered him now was that this name had appeared in such circumstances.
'There's no reason for that professor to do something like this.'
If he needed money, he could just ask anyone.
From the Primordial Dragon to the Iron-Blood Duke.
If he just asked, there were plenty who would not only lend him gold coins but stuff his pockets with them for free.
'...But then again, the evidence is too clear.'
One of the security guards had witnessed Professor Ryan sneaking into the Academy's main building late at night.
The manipulated ledgers. The diverted funds were flowing into an account Ryan personally used. He'd already withdrawn the money and used it to purchase various magical items.
And above all, there was security camera footage of Professor Ryan breaking into the administrative office to tamper with the documents.
All circumstances pointed to one person.
Naturally, Jagan's head began to throb.
From his position, he should expose this corruption to the public. That much was clear, but Jagan knew the fate of those who had made enemies of Professor Ryan.
He might meet the same end.
While work was certainly important, could it be worth trading his one and only life for?
He had too many days left to live and too many things he wanted to accomplish to end his life here.
'Let's just pretend I didn't see this and bury it.'
Choosing peace over conscience.
Jagan decided to erase the traces of tampering and restore what Ryan had changed to its original state.
He should have regained his peaceful daily life this way, but...
"What do you think you're doing?"
Someone grabbed his hand.
Turning his head, he saw a familiar face.
Snow-white hair and golden eyes. The genius professor who was shaking the Empire. The source of all evil who had suddenly committed embezzlement and put Jagan in this difficult situation.
"An Academy employee trying to cover up a crime rather than report it. Are you in your right mind?"
The new professor scolded Jagan with a stern expression.
His confident tone and attitude naturally brought back a hypothesis Jagan had discarded.
Even though he'd been convinced Ryan was the culprit after seeing the diverted funds being used directly, could there be some circumstance he didn't know about? Was there a possibility of another true culprit?
"So you were framed after all. Let me share the evidence right away, and let's investigate who the real culprit is together."
Given how meticulously they'd forged not only the video evidence and witness testimony but even the unforgeable magic traces, catching them wouldn't be easy.
As Jagan said this while requesting cooperation, the response he received was bewilderingly unexpected.
"What do you mean framed? I just have kleptommania from growing up in the slums. No matter how much money I have, it's never satisfying unless it's stolen from others."
This was common sense in the slums.
The professor casually spouting such nonsense.
"Stop trying to muddy the waters. What's important right now is your rotten work ethic."
Ryan instead scolded Jagan as if he were the one who had committed a horrible act. It was getting hard to tell which of them had been caught embezzling.
"It's not too late if you act now, so come to your senses and make the right decision. If you don't stop here, you'll never be able to face yourself for the rest of your life."
A criminal advising me to report him.
The bizarre situation naturally left Jagan speechless.
But as if unwilling to tolerate even such hesitation, Ryan opened his mouth again with a fierce expression.
"If the decision is difficult, let me help you. If you don't expose all my crimes in front of everyone right now, you'll experience my Heart-Sword up close and personal."
Though he couldn't understand why Ryan was making such threats, he had no choice but to comply.
An irregular genius who, not satisfied with reaching the level of Archmage, had even attained the realm of the sword.
There was no way he could win against such a person.
...In the end, Jagan was dragged away by Ryan.
Not understanding why this was happening to him, tears unconsciously trickled down his face.
*****
Despite it being a rare holiday when students could freely go out, the area around the main building was packed with students.
The reason was quite simple.
That person had been at the center of every recent incident. This situation too involved Professor Ryan.
However, there was something unusual - rather than calling out an evil enemy and exposing their crimes, he was confessing to crimes he himself had committed.
"Blinded by momentary temptation, I did something I shouldn't have. If this staff member hadn't caught me, I probably would have continued embezzling funds."
The professor bowed his head, saying he couldn't face everyone.
The employee who reported him recited all the evidence of Professor Ryan's embezzlement in front of everyone.
Witness testimony, video evidence, matching handwriting and magic traces.
Physical evidence pointing to his actual crimes.
In truth, even with clear evidence, everyone here would trust the professor over physical evidence, so whatever that employee said wouldn't matter, but...
Professor Ryan himself admitted to the crime.
Since the Primordial Dragon personally confirmed he wasn't being mind-controlled, there was no room for doubt.
Professor Ryan had really embezzled funds.
...Naturally, chaos erupted at the scene.
Speculation ranged from theories that he must have been planning something important with the diverted funds, to suggestions that this was a test of the Academy's security.
Everyone was confused, but the most severely affected was the girl commanding the guard unit.
It wasn't because she was shocked that the professor she'd believed in had committed a crime, or disappointed by the ugly true face of her idol.
It was an issue from much earlier.
Karen's mind simply couldn't accept the fact that Professor Ryan had committed an evil act.
Pushed to the extreme, the girl finally acted out.
A mind broken by the denial of what should have been common sense.
It found a target to pour all its resentment upon.
Our professor would never do anything wrong, so this must all be that employee's fault. That evil person must have used underhanded methods to frame the professor.
Having reached this conclusion in her mind, the girl hurled a stone at the innocent employee.
...The thrown stone hit its mark.
Blood flowed freely from a direct hit to the face.
While everyone understood her actions were motivated by her feelings for Professor Ryan, Karen had gone far beyond acceptable bounds.
In a situation where he had confessed himself.
From any perspective, taking it out on an innocent employee was clearly wrong.
Medical staff rushed over to treat the employee.
The atmosphere instantly turns ice cold.
Karen received everyone's reproach, and students who learned that while it was good to care for Professor Ryan, they needed to maintain proper boundaries.
Finally, Ryan's embezzlement would become an established fact and receive appropriate punishment... or so it seemed, but that's not what happened.
The wound on the administrative employee's face.
The flowing blood clearly had a 'blue' tint.
Evidence proving the opponent was an evil being.
Naturally, everyone's gaze turns to Jagan.
His face suddenly turns pale.
Sweating profusely, the man shouts.
"W-wait. I really didn't do anything!"
A lie that wouldn't fool even a four-year-old.
Naturally, everyone's faces filled with anger.
...To make excuses with an innocent expression while even shedding fake tears - truly, what an audacious demon.