Chapter 17
"Was it you? The one who cleared the 70th Floor of Purgatory."
"...Excuse me?"
An unscheduled visit.
An unexpected question.
I couldn't help but be dumbfounded for a moment.
The first thought that came to mind was this.
'Fuck, how did she know?'
I was caught? How?
I deliberately moved only through the Guard's blind spots.
There wasn't even a trace of me left at the scene, right?
There was absolutely nothing to catch me on, so how is she confronting me like this?
"Hmm."
Countless questions flashed through my mind.
Putting aside everything else, asking this directly was the most baffling part.
'I see.'
It actually made me think.
A strong question means she doesn't know the answer.
The correct move here would be not to show any agitation.
"Purgatory, I don't know what you're talking about...."
I answered calmly.
There wasn't a hint of trembling or panic in my voice.
Just reacting like someone hearing about this topic for the first time.
"If it's Purgatory... isn't that the Underground Dungeon located within the Academy? Did something happen there?"
"...."
An extremely natural response.
Javert's brow furrowed, albeit slightly.
I smirked behind my invisible Mask.
'Looks like I got the right answer.'
The question itself was strange.
Nothing has been announced regarding the clear of the 70th Floor of Purgatory yet.
The Academy must be controlling the information.
Judging by the fact that Javert knows, it's highly likely that the information was only opened to the Faculty.
In other words, it means the Academy is taking this matter seriously.
'They must have held an emergency meeting at least.'
Clearing the 70th Floor for the first time in decades.
The man who killed the Dragon by splitting it in half.
On top of that, a scene with absolutely no traces left behind.
The Academy is probably considering me an extremely dangerous individual.
'Then... it shouldn't just end like this.'
If there was definitive proof that I was the culprit, that is.
Instead of merely throwing out a single question, the Faculty should have swarmed in.
Regardless of whether I'm hostile to the Academy or not, I'm a potentially dangerous target.
You know. They would have barged in like the FBI, arrested me, or done whatever else.
Even if they planned to hear the details later.
'However, her current reaction is too passive.'
Unlike the aggressive question, the actions leading up to it were not.
Instead of barging into my room, she visited politely following the established procedures, and even then, Javert was alone.
"Where were you last night? And what did you do?"
"Huh? W-Well, I was getting a good night's sleep in my room...."
"So you didn't do anything in particular."
"That's right. After all, I'm usually exhausted once the Academy schedule is over. I don't even dare to think about going out."
"Grandia Academy's schedule is indeed on the tight side."
"And... doesn't the Dormitory have a curfew to begin with? If I had gone out, the Manager would have a record of it. If you don't believe me, it's fine if you go and check right now."
"I see."
I realized it at this point.
It wasn't like the Faculty had noticed anything.
This current interrogation was just something Javert was doing on her own.
""....""
A silence filled with many meanings.
Neither Javert nor I hastily opened our mouths.
'She was just testing the waters after all.'
I became certain through that hesitant reaction.
The chilling tension faded, and the dynamic of the conversation reversed.
"Professor Javert?"
"Yes."
"More importantly, could you explain the situation in a bit more detail? Purgatory, clearing the 70th Floor... The Academy definitely hasn't made any announcements about this. Did some sort of accident happen? And what do you mean by that being me?"
"...."
An anxious reaction.
An anxious Student.
A perfectly reasonable development, the exact kind of response an ordinary Student would show.
Trying to scrutinize my reaction here is useless.
My voice acting is flawless, and she can't even read my expressions since I'm wearing a Mask.
"Professor?"
"...."
Honestly, I was curious.
Using me to test the waters meant she had me pinned as a suspect.
Why?
Just why?
Did she notice something?
She was the only one suspecting me.
'No, I guess it makes sense in a way.'
She was my watcher in the first place.
She was assigned as my Homeroom Teacher to figure out if I was associated with any wicked powers.
Among the Faculty, she would be the one keeping the closest eye on me.
So when this incident occurred, she couldn't help but pay attention.
'Especially since I actually did it.'
After a brief silence.
Javert parted her closed lips.
"I apologize for speaking in such an interrogating manner. It was simply part of the investigation."
"Ah, it's fine! Please, raise your head."
Javert backed down rather easily.
She probably hadn't come here with the intent to do anything drastic anyway.
Because it was too vague to be certain, she likely just wanted to feel me out.
"As I mentioned earlier, the 70th Floor of Purgatory was cleared without authorization. The Faculty has stepped up to conduct an investigation regarding this matter."
"I-I see. So our previous conversation was also part of the investigation?"
"That's correct. It just so happens that Student Victor is the Top Student of the class I'm in charge of. I wanted to check if you knew anything. I apologize if it felt like an interrogation."
"It's really fine. I didn't feel too pressured by it anyway."
A polite apology.
Through this, Javert changed the subject and stepped back from the topic.
As expected of a Chief Investigator, her conversational skills were far from ordinary.
She had once again returned to her business-like tone.
"Then... please keep the matter regarding Purgatory a secret."
"It must be information currently being controlled by the Academy."
"It is to prevent confusion. We plan to inform the Cadets as soon as we finish assessing the situation."
"Of course, I will cooperate. I don't want an unsettled atmosphere either."
"Thank you for understanding."
A few words of formal conversation went back and forth after that.
As the topic wrapped up, Javert quietly rose from her seat.
It seemed she was about to leave.
"I'll be on my way now. I apologize for taking up your time."
"Not at all. I'm satisfied if I was of any help to the Academy."
"You are aware that the Freshman welcome exam is scheduled starting tomorrow, right? Please prepare well. After all, it will be quite a harsh trial for the Students of Class E."
"Yes, I'll keep that in mind."
Javert left the Dormitory after that.
Only then did I let out a breath.
'Well... Looks like I got through it safely.'
She might still be harboring suspicions inwardly, but....
This actually worked out well.
It's better for me if she keeps suspecting me.
In order to use the card known as Javert, a situation where she completely trusts me must not occur.
'For now, at least.'
Hehe-.
I fiddled with my Mask while giving a faint laugh.
As always, the black corners of its mouth were torn all the way to the ears.
***
A few hours later.
I was sitting in the Dormitory Bathroom.
"Victor? What are you doing in the Bathroom?"
"Ah, Princess."
As I rustled about alone, the Princess peeked over beside me.
In my hand was the [Dragon Scale] I obtained last night.
I continued my work and answered.
"It is what I told you about at dawn. The refinement of the Dragon Scale."
"You mean that corrupted scale? You are going to refine it right now?"
"It is better to act quickly."
"I wish to watch from the side as well."
"Of course. It is not particularly dangerous, so you can watch closely."
"Oho!"
Pitter-patter-.
Carmilla clung tightly to my side in excitement.
The girl's red eyes were sparkling with interest.
As expected, even as a Pureblood Vampire, are Dragon items fascinating to her?
'Inventory.'
I pulled the items out from my Robe.
They were things I obtained from Sub Quests after clearing the 70th Floor of Purgatory.
[Item]
-Holy Water ×8
-Thin Mist ×1
-Unrefined Scream ×4
My hands felt heavy.
13 Vials alone were placed on the floor.
Eight bottles containing sparkling water.
One bottle seeming to contain gas.
Four bottles of an ominous color.
Because they absolutely should not break, I carefully set them down.
"These must be the materials needed for the refinement."
"That is right. As long as I have these, the refinement itself is not particularly difficult. The problem is that the acquisition difficulty for each material is high."
"To have all those materials without missing a single one, as expected of my Retainer!"
"Hehe, of course."
A few words of idle chatter.
I placed the corrupted Dragon Scale into the large bathtub.
After that, I poured in all eight heavy bottles of Holy Water without leaving a drop.
Sizzle-!
A crackling sound as if something was burning.
Endad's scale was showing a reaction.
Burning away the wicked energy, it was slowly undergoing Purification.
'Like this, together with the four bottles of screams....'
Unrefined Scream.
Unlike a normal liquid, it had a sticky form like a solid.
A significantly ominous color. And a chill that seemed to bring out goosebumps.
I emptied the bottles, being careful not to get any on my hands.
"Phew...."
Whoosh-.
Immediately after, the Holy Water glowed and was dyed a murky color.
I popped the cork of the last remaining bottle.
A bottle of Thin Mist.
'This one is easy to leak, so I was told to just put it in bottle and all.'
Splash-.
The bottle dropped into the Dragon scale stew.
Afterwards, as I was stirring it with a ladle, a Status Window message popped up before my eyes.
Ding-!
[Would you like to refine the Exclusive Weapon Dragon Scale?]
-Estimated time required: 48 hours
-Result obtainable through this process: ???
[Yes/No]
I clicked Yes without hesitation.
Afterwards, the Dragon stew boiled and bubbled.
I quietly covered it with a lid to prevent the contents from splashing.
[Time remaining until refinement complete: 47 hours, 59 minutes, 12 seconds]
Is it a success.
If I leave it like this, it will finish on its own.
As I was cleaning up the surroundings, the Princess peeked her head over.
"Hmm? Is this the end?"
"Yes, it will be done just by waiting like this."
"It is more anticlimactic than I thought. I expected it to be a bit flashier."
"Hehe, you can look forward to the result. It will be flashy enough to meet your expectations."
"For Victor to say that, expectations I didn't even have are springing up!"
I covered the bathtub like that.
It will probably be done by the time the Freshman welcome exam is roughly over.
'I guess I've handled all the urgent matters.'
I sat on the sofa with a light heart.
The schedule had already approached tomorrow.
I took out my Crystal Ball and scrolled through the screen.
'Freshman welcome exam.'
It was an event that also occurred exactly like this in the original work.
As I operated the Crystal Ball, a message that arrived from the Academy popped up.
[Freshman Welcome Exam Notice]
-Tomorrow's scheduled exam will be conducted as a 1-on-1 sparring match between Students.
-Detailed instructions will be provided at the Examination Hall on the day.
-Below is the match opponent for the user who received this message.
-Grandia Academy looks forward to the excellent performance of all Students.
[41st Match]
-Victor (Class E Top Student)
-Sharien Labriel (Class C Top Student)
"Hmm...."
The Top Student of Class C.
So this is how it turns out, as expected.
"Victor? Isn't the bracket a bit strange?"
"It seems so even to the Princess's eyes."
"Right! Victor is definitely in the lowest class... Isn't Class C two levels higher? Moreover, a 1-on-1 against the Top Student of such a class, it doesn't look like a great balance."
"You saw it correctly. It is a completely messed up balance."
Of course.
Because it's an exam meant for that from the very beginning.
Tomorrow's [Freshman welcome exam], that is.
-You are aware that the Freshman welcome exam is scheduled starting tomorrow, right?
-After all, it will be quite a harsh trial for the Students of Class E.
The few words Javert let slip flickered in my mind.
My gaze looking at the Crystal Ball grew slightly cold.
"This kind of matchup... Putting Victor aside, if it were an ordinary Class E Student, wouldn't it be a match where defeat is guaranteed? It seems like it would be nothing but a one-sided trampling."
"That is right. In this exam, the lower classes are used for that kind of role. At least in this exam, that is."
"That means it is something the Academy has also acknowledged. They intentionally set up the bracket this way."
"That is right. They are provoking conflict between classes, and managing it so that the Lower Class Students harbor more malice."
"And the upper class Students will be intoxicated by the special treatment, trying their best not to lose their spots."
"It is truly the extreme of survival of the fittest."
"How cruel...."
Carmilla frowned.
Her reaction wasn't incomprehensible.
Humans are a race that is especially obsessed with competition.
Because sometimes, those Human aspects often feel extremely inhuman.
"What are you going to do?"
The girl asked implicitly.
"What do you mean?"
"This sparring match, I mean."
"Well. I don't really plan to avoid a match that rolled right into my lap."
"You plan to do it. You intend to show the power you possess, Victor, in front of everyone."
"Haha... It's nothing that grand. I'm just going to play along to their tune appropriately."
I laughed.
The Mask laughed as well, the corners of its mouth tearing all the way to the ears.
My gaze was fixed solely on the bracket on the screen.
"Don't worry."
I'm getting excited.
A prelude of chaos, by chaos, for chaos.
I was beaming, only thinking about smashing the board.
"I have no intention of going easy on them, after all."
If the Academy graciously set up a shitty bracket for me, I just have to do my best to trample them.
"I'm looking forward to tomorrow."
Tap, tap-.
I fiddled with my Mask.
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