Eleanor let out a sigh inwardly.

 

In her head, she was replaying something that happened not too long ago.

 

A certain event that happened in her territory before she came back to Elfante.

 

 

“Nice to meet you, Viscount Campbell.”

 

“...”

 

“I believe we’ve met once before. How are you?”

 

 

Anyone seeing a middle-aged man being unable to respond properly as their face turned pale would assume that the man was being bullied, but Eleanor only bowed her head politely in accordance with noble etiquette.

 

She was bowing so deeply to the point that the man could clearly see the top of her head.

 

Though this kind of treatment was generous, it was also burdensome at the same time. Normally, someone on Lady Tristan’s level would only do this to the Empress herself. In the first place, the title Lady Tristan itself was an extremely distinguished title.

…So, in one way, this could be taken as her bullying him…

 

 

“P-Please raise your head… I-I’m unworthy…”

 

 

Viscount Armin Campbell said so, clearly restless. To that, Eleanor nodded before fixing her posture.

 

This gave him the impression that she’d listen to him well.

 

Still, the atmosphere around them did feel like ‘a newlywed bride wanting to leave a good impression on the groom’s family’ and it gave Armin the chills.

 

“I want to ask you a straightforward question, Sir Viscount.”

 

 

Her words got Armin to clear his throat several times as he started to think. Then, the lady in front of him continued calmly.

 

 

“What should I do in order to sleep with Dowd?”

 

 

Almost instantly, he spit out the tea he was drinking and coughed for a while.

 

Then, he stared at the woman in front of him with blank eyes.

 

His expression suggested that he failed to understand what exactly he had just heard.

 

 

“...If you need me to prove that I’m qualified, please tell me. I will do anything.”

 

 

Eleanor said before taking out her sword with a cold gaze.

 

This unexpected action of hers startled Armin as he took a step back.

 

Obviously she wasn’t trying to cut him, but the fact that Lady Tristan herself was holding a sword, was enough to make the countryside Viscount who lived worlds away from the battlefield to react in that way.

 

 

“If you wish, I could give you one of my arm—”

 

“I-I won't accept it even if you give me! P-Put your sword back in!”

 

 

Armin freaked out as he said so. Eleanor nodded calmly and put her sword back in.

 

It really looked as if she’d cut her arm if he told her to. That realization creeped him up quite a bit, prompting him to swallow dryly.

 

 

“L-Lady Tristan, m-may I ask you something?”

 

“Anything.”

 

“...Could I possibly receive an explanation on why you asked that question?”

 

 

Hearing that, Eleanor tilted her head, as if Armin had asked a weird question.

 

 

“Considering our relationship, isn’t it more strange if I don’t do it with him?”

 

“...”

 

 

At her firm answer, Armin promptly closed his mouth. Eleanor then let out a breath through her nose, making a hmph sound before continuing.

 

 

“The problem here is that I don’t know how, since that man has always been hardhearted. Even after I had set the mood, he still refused to embrace me…”

 

“...”

 

 

Ah, she's tried to do it before.

 

That’s why she’s asking me. She tried to seduce him and failed.

 

“...”

 

 

Is this right…?

 

Such thoughts crossed Armin's mind, but he chased them away while clearing his throat.

 

He didn’t have the guts to speak carelessly to a major noble whose status was just right below the Empress.

 

Also, when it came to his punk of a son, he didn’t care who was the woman he was entangling himself with—since that punk would flirt with any woman he laid his eyes on—as long as that woman could hold onto him tightly, it was all good.

 

 

“...I think…you need to spend more time with him first.”

 

 

So, he decided to give her the only ‘clean’ advice that he could think of.

 

And his words instantly brought a big reaction out of her.

 

Her eyes seemed like they were burning in fighting spirit after hearing that, which made him feel burdensome, but he managed to continue his words somehow.

 

 

“Although he doesn’t seem like he does, he’s always reading the atmosphere. It isn’t like he failed to notice your efforts because he was hardhearted, Miady… Rather, there’s a high chance that he’s just ‘avoiding’ you intentionally…”

 

“...”

 

 

Hearing that, Elanor’s eyes widened.

 

It was a natural reaction since she had never thought that way about it.

 

 

“...Avoiding me? Why—”

 

“Before you’re misunderstanding something, Milady, you’re probably not the only one he’s avoiding. Ever since he was a kid, there were many times where he avoided getting involved with girls.”

 

 

To be exact, he kept running away from them because he didn’t know how to handle them.

 

The problem here was, even if he did that, he still ended up seducing those girls anyway.

 

Armin was sure that Dowd's trouble with women started from way back then.

 

 

“Then how—”

 

“It’s simple. If a tree stands firm even after you chop it ten times, then you just need to chop it a hundred, or a thousand times more.”

 

“...”

 

“That was how I managed to get my wife to fall for me, Milady. He doesn’t hate you, he’s just being passive.”

 

“...Oh.”

 

“If you hit on him more actively from now on, I believe that it will work out somehow.”

 

 

If Dowd were to hear this advice, he would definitely scream at him, telling him that it was horrible advice. But, Eleanor’s expression turned bright when she heard this, as if she had reached some kind of enlightenment.

 

 

“For example… Let’s see, isn’t it time for the club activities in Elfante to start?”

 

“...Yes, I believe so.”

 

“Then, why don’t you take this opportunity to be alone with him there? It should be easier for you since everyone is required to attend clubs after school.”

 

“...I see!”

 

“He’s weak against pressure. If you push against him enough, he’ll give way and listen to anything that you want.”

 

 

Eleanor clenched her fists.

 

 

“...Father, no, Teacher.”

 

 

Then, she heartily shouted in a serious voice.

 

 

“I will repay this favor with all my life…!”

 

“...”

 

 

Huh?

 

Isn’t she exaggerating this a little?

 

Armin’s expression looked as if he said so.

 

 

●

 

 

Such was the advice that Eleanor had received.

 

And that was the reason why she came here.

 

Of course, before that, she had to suffer through a hellish back-and-forth argument with Headmistress Atalante.

 

‘Lady Tristan, this is a serious violation of school regulations. I can’t let this pass even if you were to bring your family’s authority—’

 

‘The Exorcism Club.’

 

‘...Please reconsider it. As a Headmistress, if I were to approve this, I’ll be caught up in allegations of giving preferential treatment—’

 

‘The Exorcism Club.’

 

‘Eleanor, you brat! You’re the Student Council President now! You’ve been here for years, why the hell are you even trying to join your junior’s club—?!’

 

‘The Exorcism Club.’

 

‘That bastard Down alone is already making me feel like dying! Why are you also doing this to me—?! My life is already hard enough—!’

 

‘The Exorcism Club.’

 

 

…Though, she wasn’t sure if the argument really was a hellish one, but she felt that it probably was hellish for one of them.

 

In any case, after going through all that trouble, she came here to spend more time with that man.

 

But, these people…

 

She looked at the person who sat next to her sulkily. Then, with a displeased expression, she called out to her.

 

 

“...Your Imperial Majesty, what brings you—”

 

 

She was about to finish her words, but she promptly shut her mouth up.

 

Because Cecilia the 11th’s eyes, which were usually squinted, were slightly opened.

 

Her irises—which reminded Eleanor of reptiles’ slit-like pupils—were glistening playfully. The Empress soon put a finger over her lips, making a shushing motion.

 

Then, befitting such a sight, Cecilia the 11th declared.

 

 

“Nice to meet you, ‘Senior’. I am Cecil.”

 

“...”

 

 

Oh my God.

 

Just from that, Eleanor understood the implications behind her words and pressed her forehead.

 

Normally, Eleanor was the one who’d do something like this to someone else, but now, the roles were reversed. She couldn’t do anything to the other person, considering who she was.

 

 

“...What kind of tricks did you use to enter the Academy, Your Imp—”

 

 

Seeing Cecilia the 11th made another shushing motion, Eleanor sighed and changed the words she was about to say.

 

 

“...Junior Cecil.”

 

“Tricks? I’m not sure I understand that, Senior. I’m just a new student who grew up in a rural area and got accepted through special admission.”

 

“...”

 

 

You couldn’t make any more terrible character setting than that…

 

As Eleanor let out a frown, Dowd, who was sitting in the judges’ seat also made a similar expression.

 

It was clear that he wanted this whole mess to end quickly and take a rest.

 

 

“...May I ask some questions, starting from candidate number 1? Can you tell me the reason why do you wish to join our club—”

 

“I want to join the club and crush all the people in it.”

 

“...Why?”

 

“So that I can destroy this club and bring you to the Student Council.”

 

“...”

 

 

Dowd thought of how to respond to that for a while before giving up and turning his head to the other person.

 

 

“Your Imp—”

 

 

No, that’s not it.

 

Seeing Cecilia the 11th— no, Cecil’s expression, Dowd stopped what he was about to say.

 

 

“...Candidate number 2, what brings you to our club?”

 

“I want to experience school life.”

 

“...”

 

“I applied to join because I heard the Club President is a nice person. I'm pleased to be here, Senior Dowd.”

 

 

Dowd turned his head away. His expression seemed like he was begging to be taken out from this hell, then he skipped Faenol’s turn, not even bothering to ask her.

 

Just like the previous two cases, he didn’t know what kind of nonsense would come out of her mouth if he were to ask the wrong question.

 

So, Dowd faced Victoria, clearing his throat before asking his question.

 

Well, to be exact, he was about to ask his question.

 

But, he got the answer before the question could even leave his mouth.

 

 

“I want to kill my sister.”

 

“...”

 

“While also obtaining information regarding the Devils that are filling this place.”

 

“What do you—”

 

“Because it will be helpful for me.”

 

 

Victoria replied casually.

 

As Dowd and Iliya looked at her in bewilderment, Victoria looked around as if confirming what she said.

 

There was a piercing glint in her subdued eyes as she made eye contact with everyone here.

 

And Dowd could see clearly…

 

The deep ‘purple’ light in those subdued eyes…

 

And the exact same feeling that he had seen from Seras.

 

 

“…!”

 

 

This was definitely…

 

The sign of a ‘Vessel’.

 

Just like Seras, she had the same Devil in her body.

 

 

“And I'd like you guys to cooperate with me to accomplish that.”

 

“...”

 

 

After that, Dowd facepalmed himself in the judges’ seat.

 

Should I just quit? Fuck this shit…

 

From his gestures, that felt like what he wanted to say.