Quite a few people know the real me, but those people are not in this world.

It means that no one in this world knows ‘me.’

I don’t think violence is a good means of conversation. Violence only breeds more violence, and in the end, both the person who inflicted violence and the innocent people get hurt.

But–

Thump…!!

“Kuagh!”

I grabbed the student by the neck and pushed him against the wall. While letting his agonizing scream flow into one ear, I glared at him with indifferent eyes.

–It didn’t mean that I always tried to resolve every situation through words.

Behind the academy, in a dark place where neither students nor professors often come, I stared into his wavering eyes.

“Speak.”

“What… what should I…!”

As he pretends to be ignorant while his throat is being strangled, I stare intensely into his eyes and tighten my grip on his throat.

“Kuh… hah…!”

Of course, I have no intention of killing him.

He probably knows that, too, so he’s acting bold, but an academy student like him has no real boldness to flaunt.

“Who’s backing you up.”

At my low voice, his pupils tremble. Without loosening my grip on his throat, I continue to push him strongly against the wall, naturally turning his cheek a bright red.

“……”

Unable to breathe, he struggles to break free, but the difference in strength makes it impossible for him to escape.

I easily dodge his flailing hand aimed at my face by tilting my head slightly and curling my lips into a slight smirk.

…Of course, it wasn’t because I truly enjoyed it. It was simply an act to intimidate my opponent.

Even though he knows I won’t really kill him, he’ll slowly lose his ability to judge normally due to the lack of oxygen reaching his brain from the strangulation.

At the same time, his attempts to break free from me keep failing, so fear gradually takes root in his mind.

The fear that he might actually die.

That’s why I opened my mouth first, looking into his dimming eyes.

“Leonhardt Philippe Hamel Urlas.”

His dimming pupils suddenly regain their light and tremble more strongly than ever.

“So it is him?”

I stare at him as he struggles to shake his head in denial. At the same time, I smile at his easily readable actions and slowly release him.

“Can’t… the… huup!”

As soon as I release his throat, he grabs his own neck and gasps for air. I watch him impassively and continue speaking without giving him a chance to regain his composure.

“Your reaction tells me it’s true.”

“Wh-what nonsense…!”

Despite being choked for so long that even breathing is a struggle, he defiantly tries to refute my words, which is quite amusing.

However, if you want to lie to someone, you should learn not to stutter in tense situations.

“You were instructed by the prince, weren’t you.”

“…I already said no.”

“But your reaction tells me it’s true.”

I laugh leisurely and take a few steps back from him.

I brought him here to find out who was behind this, but that wasn’t my only goal. After all, if there was a mastermind, it could only be Leonhardt who ordered such petty acts.

…Well, there’s one more person, but he’s not the kind to carry out such underhanded deeds from the shadows.

Anyway, there’s only one piece of information I want from him.

“Tell me in detail why the prince ordered you to do this.”

“You crazy bastard… Why would I tell you that?”

“So you admit the prince ordered you to do it.”

Heh.

He fell for it.

Or rather, he’s now caught in the trap I set. As I curl my lips into a vile smirk, he finally seems to realize my intention, his face turning deathly pale.

“……”

“Veren Fell Negullus… The son of the Viscount Negullus, am I right?”

I read the name on his nametag but received no response. Veren must have realized that not responding to my words is the best way to prevent the situation from worsening further.

But the moment he reacted to my words, the moment he tacitly admitted that the prince was involved, he had already stepped into my plan.

“Speak honestly. What did the prince instruct you to do? And what did he want?”

“……”

As expected, there is still no answer. But I calmly continue speaking, not caring at all.

“If you don’t say anything, I’ll go straight to Leonhardt. And I’ll tell him you told me everything.”

“Do you really think the prince will believe that?”

“Who knows, he might deny giving any such instructions.”

Although I said he might deny it, it was obvious that he would make excuses.

Veren, who knew this well, waited for me to continue with a feigned calm expression.

“But does that erase your crime?”

“……”

He looks at me defiantly, as if bullying some commoners is hardly a crime.

“You don’t seem to know who’s by Sylvia’s side?”

“……”

“Cain is there. And so am I.”

Helena Fell Degreff, Felix von Astria, Cain von Geyrus.

As soon as he hears this, Veren’s face, slightly recovered, starts turning deathly pale again.

“The prince won’t help you, and what happened to you will become public knowledge due to pressure from a baron, earl, and duke.”

A viscount’s son bullied a commoner.

That wouldn’t be an issue in this world at all. But if that commoner is under the protection of nobles, it’s a different story.

Even if Cain and I claim to have no interest in becoming the next head of the family, it doesn’t mean we can’t borrow the power of the heads.

It was ridiculous for an earl and baron, let alone a duke, to get involved in such a petty matter. Still, if that unlikely event happened, a viscount’s power could never stop it.

“Then you will, I guarantee, be expelled from the academy. And you know well what will happen after that.”

“…What do you want?”

“Tell me what Leonhardt instructed you to do and how he told you to do it.”

It was a very simple task.

Just that would make everything come to naught. As if giving up on everything, Veren mutters under his breath. I walked up to him and whispered into his ear.

“Then, you can continue living as if nothing happened.”

Like a devil deceiving a human.

At my words, Veren’s eyes tremble violently. I leisurely watch his wavering eyes, waiting for his answer.

“So… you really will let it go just like that?”

“If you speak honestly.”

At my calm response, Veren finally seems to make up his mind, biting his lower lip and nodding.

“And you’ll keep it a secret from the prince, too?”

“Of course.”

He seemed less foolish than I thought.

I guess Leonhardt can get lucky once in a while.

Veren slowly opens his mouth after receiving my assurance that I won’t tell Leonhardt about him.

“The prince told me……”

Of course, like any story,
Devils do not keep their promises.

***

Leonhardt is simple-minded and foolish.

Being a prince doesn’t automatically make one smart and clever. If Ashillya is cunning and intelligent, Leonhardt has the opposite personality.

As such, the plan he devised was also very simple yet full of flaws.

To put it bluntly, it was a nonsensical plan from the moment it involved me.

“Is that all?”

“… That’s really everything.”

Seeing Veren’s fear-stricken eyes, I couldn’t help but let out a derisive laugh.

“Get lost.”

Naturally, no kind words could come from my mouth. Veren glanced at me uneasily and slowly walked away.

I roughly ran my hand through my hair without even looking at his retreating figure.

Leonhardt’s plan was very simple.
To isolate Sylvia from those around her.
In other words, he instigated her ostracization.

He must have thought that she would naturally come back to him once she was isolated from her peers.

And the students who didn’t particularly like her seem to have grabbed the rotten bait Leonhardt dangled.

The problem wasn’t just the five I saw earlier. According to Veren, Leonhardt had encouraged most of the students to take part in this. Although he didn’t directly order them, he tacitly ignored their actions, making the other students accomplices.

‘Anyway, I’ll set that aside for now.’

That issue should be resolved gradually. For now, it was right to deal with the immediate problem first.

Leonhardt was definitely not the type to give up after just this. At the same time, once he realized his plan had gone awry……

‘He won’t just meekly plot from the shadows.’

As I said, Leonhardt is foolish and simple-minded. Yet he also has a fiery and impatient temperament.
Just like the magic he wields.

It was time to cut the rotten sprouts.

Translator’s Corner

It’s me, your favorite translator who can’t seem to follow the schedule. It’s my finals and projects week(amazing they’re at the same time), and it’s hard to find the energy to read more than I already have to. With how my other novel is going also, I’ve decided to switch to 4-5 chapters per week. I don’t have exact days; I’ll just post them when I can.

-Ruminas