Chapter 154
***
One Week into My Wise Prison Life.
I only then realized one thing.
‘Bored…….’
I was bored out of my mind.
The first day or two had been comfortable.
In the mornings, I saw patients; in the afternoons, lectured; and in the evenings, conducted research,
so after keeping up that routine, having my schedule suddenly clear for the first time in ages felt remarkably relaxing.
Thanks to that, it had also been a chance to work off the fatigue that had piled up without my realizing it.
The problem came after two days.
Apparently, the Korean spirit in my soul hadn't gone anywhere, because with no work to do, my body grew restless.
‘Now that we've confirmed a treatment for demon disease, there’s so much to do.’
As for Shun Isa's alibi, there was no problem.
Because with Simeon's help, it had been arranged that I had taken annual leave and was resting.
The problem was that things I needed to do kept popping into my head until I couldn't sit still.
To give you an idea, tasks I needed to do kept appearing in my dreams, and there were even nights when they disrupted my sleep.
On top of that, there was another source of anxiety.
‘They said they’d let me out, so why haven’t I heard anything? And now there’s a search and seizure, too.’
According to the emperor's message Pericia had delivered, I was definitely supposed to be released soon.
Trusting those words, I had been enjoying my vacation in peace,
yet a week had passed and I was still stuck behind these iron bars.
And just yesterday, I had received another deeply unsettling piece of news through the head butler who came to visit me.
That news was none other than that my detached residence had been subjected to a search and seizure.
‘If it’s the Inspectorate, they should be able to open that safe easily.’
As anxiety kept creeping over me, I rubbed my face with both hands and sprawled across the bed.
Inside the safe were the research notes recording the medicines Shun Isa had made so far, as well as those he would make in the future.
Those notes were meant to be shown to my descendants.
Just like da Vinci's notebooks.
The problem was that anyone who saw the contents of those notes would have no choice but to conclude that I was Shun Isa.
‘And right beside them are the recipes for my Three Divine Treasures.’
It was a crucial safe, and it had been raided.
In the midst of that growing agitation, I was just about to put a fingernail to my lips.
Click.
A familiar silhouette stopped in the corridor beyond the bars.
It was Pericia, one arm in a cast.
She was keeping her arm broken as part of the treatment.
She could have healed it immediately with Heal.
However, some curses struck after a time delay, so she was keeping her arm in its broken state.
“Ms. Pericia.”
I approached the bars and called out to her.
This was perfect timing.
“I heard my detached residence was searched.”
“……Is that so?”
“To be honest, I’m a little anxious. Some of those materials were rather sensitive, weren’t they?”
“Your concern is reasonable.”
Pericia nodded.
“But you needn’t worry. This investigation is being conducted by the Inspectorate. Your protective supervision also falls under the Inspectorate’s jurisdiction, so it seems unlikely that any of your secrets will leak out.”
Hearing her say that reassured me.
Come to think of it, that made sense.
The fact that I was the same person as Shun Isa was a secret the Inspectorate was concealing.
Since that same Inspectorate had conducted the search, they would have sorted through everything appropriately.
‘I got worked up over nothing.’
I relaxed the tension in my bunched-up shoulders.
“Thank you, Ms. Pericia. I feel a little relieved now.”
“……You’re welcome.”
Pericia dipped her head briefly, then moved back toward the wall and quietly resumed her post.
I, too, leaned back against the bed, feeling at ease.
But that peace did not last long.
Click, click, click!
A few minutes later.
Urgent footsteps rang out from the far end of the corridor.
Judging by the footsteps, there was more than one or two people.
At least three people were rushing toward us.
Since I was the only prisoner on this floor besides Freyja, it wasn't hard to guess they were visitors for me.
Before long, a group of people lined up in front of the bars.
At the front stood a middle-aged man.
He had a face that looked thoroughly terrified, with beads of sweat dotting his greasy forehead.
Wiping his forehead repeatedly with a handkerchief, he unlocked the barred door himself with trembling hands.
Creak. The barred door opened.
"S-Saint—no, Professor! I’m truly mortified that we’ve made you stay in such a wretched place!"
“?”
What had that man just been about to call me?
While I was wondering, the man bent almost in half and entered.
The guard standing beside him cautiously introduced him.
“He is the newly appointed Chief of Public Security.”
Chief of Public Security.
Apparently, he was the person who had newly filled the position left vacant after his predecessor was officially declared missing following the graduation exam incident.
But why would someone as important as the Chief of Public Security come all the way to a place like this?
Before I had time to guess the reason, the chief hurriedly began pouring out words.
“I—I truly believed from the very beginning that you were innocent, Professor! Absolutely. Of course I did. How could you possibly have committed such a heinous act? I was certain from the start that you must have had some profound reason.”
The chief defended me without a hint of hesitation.
It was so desperate that I couldn't even tell whether this counted as flattery.
“A-Actually, under normal circumstances, you should have been released several days ago, Professor. But, well, it took some time for communications to go back and forth between the capital’s Inspectorate and our Academy territory…… And release procedures are quite complicated, you see. Identity verification, document review, Council approval…….”
He listed the administrative procedures, counting them off on his fingers.
Only then did I notice the dark circles beneath his eyes.
Apparently, he had been up day and night handling that mountain of paperwork.
“Given the nature of the case, the administrative procedures involved were rather complicated…… Ahaha. I’m not making excuses; I simply wanted to say that I’m sorry it took so long because of my own inadequacy.”
Then he suddenly pounded his chest.
“Y-You have no idea how frustrated I was back then! I argued so forcefully in the Council that we should skip all these procedures and bring you out immediately, Professor! But those people kept stalling, going on about procedures, procedures…….”
I roughly understood his intent.
In short, he had tried to make things as easy for me as possible.
But administrative issues had made it take a whole week.
He had even tried to bypass those administrative procedures.
So if anyone tried to hold him responsible, they should blame the people who had made the paperwork so complicated…… That was more or less what he meant.
I understood his intent.
The problem was his attitude.
‘Is this really something to be so terrified of?’
Of course, Professor Yulian was someone the military had its eye on as well.
He was the prince’s close aide and a key member of the black-magic response team the military had been eagerly awaiting.
Still, he wasn't someone the chief needed to bow this deeply to.
After all, the Chief of Public Security of Academy territory could generally make an unpleasant incident disappear by trading a dinner and a modest token of goodwill.
So all I could do was watch, bewildered, as this desperate festival of passing the buck unfolded.
Then, in the next moment.
Only when I saw the necklace he pulled from inside his clothes did I understand why he was acting this way.
“Um, Professor…… This is an extremely apologetic and presumptuous request, but…….”
The chief carefully took something out from inside his clothes and held it out with both hands.
It was a brass-colored holy-emblem necklace.
Holding the emblem out to me, he whispered earnestly.
“Would you place your hand on the holy emblem and say that you will forgive me?”
“……”
The act of placing one's hand on another person's holy emblem and repeating words of forgiveness.
It was a ritual performed by a high-ranking priest when absolving a sinner.
Normally, this was done by a bishop or higher-ranking priest when baptizing someone or granting a special absolution,
so the fact that he was asking me to do it meant…….
‘No way.’
As though to confirm my unease, the chief spoke earnestly.
“I truly have never harbored an irreverent thought toward you, Professor, not even for a moment. I swear it before God. So…….”
His hands supporting the holy emblem were trembling so pitifully that it was painful to watch.
Then he furtively glanced behind him.
His gaze landed on several men standing quietly at the back of the group.
They were Inquisitors wearing pure-white robes embroidered with silver holy script.
The chief cast a sidelong glance at the Inquisitors and whispered in an almost tearful voice.
“Even if you don’t spare me, at least spare my family…… Please…….”
“……”
Faced with such desperate pleading, I couldn't bring myself to ask where he'd heard that rumor, so I silently placed my hand on the holy emblem.
Then the other guards who had accompanied the chief quietly took out their holy emblems one by one.
The Inquisitors stared at them with grim expressions.
Only then did I think I understood what misconception they were laboring under.
‘It wasn't me who made the former Chief of Public Security and his family disappear…….’
The former chief and his family had merely been quietly taken care of because they were shapeshifters……
Unable to explain since it was classified information, I silently placed my hand on each of the guards' holy emblems in turn.
As I did so, I silently protested with a look toward Pericia, who was hiding at the back of the group, blending into the wall.
‘……Ms. Pericia. You said no secrets would leak outside the Inspectorate.’
The Chief of Public Security was clearly not part of the Inspectorate.
Yet he knew full well that I was the Saint.
That could only mean one thing.
The rumor had already spread all over town—to the point that everyone who needed to know already knew. At this rate, it would probably make the newspapers before long.
Pericia, having read my look, met my eyes for a moment.
Then.
Swoosh.
She turned her gaze toward the window with perfect naturalness.
Soon, a dry line of telepathy flew into my head.
─ [I am responsible for escorting important persons. I had no knowledge of matters under the jurisdiction of the Inspectorate or the Public Security Bureau. I was not informed of His Majesty’s intentions either.]
Ah.
So her earlier reassurance had just been a bluff.
As expected.
‘A civil servant really does keep these things strictly separate.’
That day, my double life came to a complete end.
*
My dual identity had been exposed in a way I had never intended.
Looking back, the reason I had kept Shun Isa and Yulian's identities separate was that I lacked the power to deal with the aggro those identities would attract.
But that was no longer necessary.
My guards, Pericia and Gregor, were Fourth-Circle.
They just barely met the condition my master had described for guards who made it safe to reveal one's identity.
On top of that, my current assets were on par with those of a ducal house.
Even if my personal strength was lacking, I could use money to turn the army maintained by a ducal house into a private force. (Of course, if I did that, the imperial family would chew me out.)
For that reason, I did not feel threatened by my identity being exposed.
I merely felt disappointed.
‘I wanted to reveal it at a press conference.’
Aren't there scenes like that in superhero movies?
The kind where, instead of denying the allegations at a press conference, the protagonist confronts them head-on.
I wanted to do that, too.
Rather than evade the rumors, I wanted to declare right to their faces, ‘I am Doctor Schnabel.’
But unfortunately, the world never went according to my plans.
“Ohhh……. I had no idea that Professor Yulian was the Saint.”
The moment I left the detention center, a shirtless, muscular paladin greeted me with those words.
Only then did I become certain.
This wasn't classified information anymore; the whole neighborhood was simply gossiping about it.
“Hmm. The order has issued new instructions. From this moment on, I will guard both the Saint and Professor Yulian, and I plan to take care of my lodging and meals at the estate as well.”
Gregor flicked his springy mustache once.
“I know you enjoy cooking, Professor, but you needn’t prepare my meals. I’m managing my diet, so I’ll handle that myself.”
With a sharp grunt, Gregor struck a side-chest pose.
Just as I was wondering what was wrong with him, he glared at the elven guard Pericia and said,
“Unlike someone who failed to protect the Saint from that vile dark mage.”
His gaze locked onto Pericia.
“Had I been there, I would have exorcised that wicked dark mage without difficulty and protected the Saint without so much as a scratch.”
Flex!
His biceps bounced once, as if to show off how sturdy he was.
Pericia calmly looked at Gregor and replied.
“I will not deny it.”
Unexpectedly, Pericia accepted his words with equanimity.
“Given our respective matchups, it is true that Sir Gregor is better suited than I am to face a dark mage. It is self-evident that a paladin who wields holy power is strong against black magic.”
Pericia acknowledged her own shortcomings with an expressionless face.
At that clean admission, Gregor shrugged and stroked his mustache.
“Oh-ho. So you know.”
“However.”
At that moment, Pericia cut him off.
“I am a guard prepared not only for dark mages, but also for attacks by demonfolk, superhumans, and even magical beasts.”
Still speaking in her dry tone, she shifted her gaze toward Gregor.
“Allow me to ask you, Sir Gregor. You seem well prepared to deal with dark mages, but─ how prepared are you for attacks by magical beasts and demonfolk, or even superhumans?”
“Guh……!”
Gregor's mustache twitched.
……I chose not to point out why it had twitched there of all places.
“O-Of course I can handle demonfolk! I, Gregor, can handle any number of demonfolk! All I need to do is purify them with holy fire……!”
His voice was booming.
Yet for some reason, the end of that booming voice grew strangely faint.
“……As for anything beyond that. Well, depending on the situation……. Ahem.”
Even the hand stroking his mustache lacked its earlier vigor.
Apparently, Gregor was not at all confident against opponents on the level of magical beasts or superhumans.
That was only natural.
Against a dark mage who used profane symbols, an Old Testament-style paladin, holiness incarnate, was practically their designated counter.
But against someone who charged in with pure physical force, holy power was relatively lacking in firepower.
He wouldn't lose instantly, but would mostly just get pummeled one-sidedly until it was over.
At least demonfolk, whose origins lay in black magic, could make for a good match, but against magical beasts, other nobles, or superhumans, he was completely outmatched.
Of course, matchups were never absolute.
One could overpower an opponent through a higher Circle or overcome the disadvantage with combat instincts.
But matchups were an element that could not be ignored in battle.
For that reason, paladins tended to avoid fighting ordinary superhumans of the same Circle.
“Um……. In that case…… I would ask that you lend me your strength, young lady…….”
Where had all his earlier imposing vigor gone? Gregor fidgeted with his fingers.
Pericia did not answer.
Instead, keeping her face expressionless, she raised her chin ever so slightly.
She placed her uninjured hand on her hip and subtly squared her shoulders.
Her expression was clearly as dry and emotionless as ever,
yet from somewhere in that utterly still face, an indescribable sense of victory was slowly seeping out.
“……!”
Gregor tried to retort with an aggrieved expression, but apparently couldn't think of anything suitable to say.
In the end, he bounced only his hapless biceps once more with a flex.
I watched the scene with interest.
‘Oh, Pericia can make expressions like that, too.’
No, wait.
Since her expression hadn't changed, should I call it a gesture?
In any case.
After thoroughly enjoying Pericia's smugness, we got into the car.
Now that distinguishing between my identities was meaningless,
I openly boarded Shun Isa's limousine and headed for the estate.
‘We wouldn’t need that bothersome procedure of switching back and forth every time anymore, either.’
If there was one consolation, it was that commuting to and from work had become much easier.
Oh, and I no longer needed to explain why Shun Isa had taken a week of annual leave.
I really lucked out.
As expected, this is a misunderstanding story!
‘……As if.’
That was the end of my self-serving rationalization to deny reality.
That was how I was returning to my sweet home after being released.
Freyja, who had been sitting quietly beside me, spoke up cautiously.
“Older Brother.”
“Hmm?”
“By the way, what are you going to do about registering for the second semester?”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s going to get quite chaotic…….”
At the time, I couldn't understand what she meant.
But a week later.
As summer vacation drew to a close and the course-registration period arrived before the start of the second semester, I understood what she had meant.
— “Why are only students in the Hero Department being given preferential treatment, while students in the Healing Department aren't allowed to take that class!”
— “Tickets for the Black Magic Defense lecture! I’m selling scalped tickets!”
— “Notes! Show me the notes of anyone who managed to register!”
The day course registration opened.
On my way to work at the clinic.
It was only when I saw the line that had started at the reception desk and grown long enough to block the road that I understood.
‘Oh, so that’s what she meant.’
The reason Freyja had been worried.