⋮

But wait, who even is Professor Eugene’s husband?

└ No one knows, lol

└ People were shocked when someone said he was pregnant. I didn’t even know he was married, fr

└ Wait, so he decided to go to the Empire while being pregnant? 😂

Who the hell stuck a donut on the nose of the Dean Shaman statue? LOL

└ I took it off, but someone stuck another one back on.

└ The dean was fuming earlier today, lol. Said someone wasted something valuable.

└ ?

└ Oh. He was mad about wasting the donut?

Kendreik ← Sure, he’s huge, but I bet he’d actually look kinda pretty crossdressing...

└ ngl true 222

└ ngl true 3333

└ ?? What the hell is wrong with you freaks.

⋮

......[AssassinTown] usually only posts the most useless trash in the world, but it has its perks.

It's fast with news.

⋮

Holy shit LOL. Dante’s assassination team took first place on their very first dungeon run in the Empire, at the Vincent Marquisate League LOL

⋮

With that, the board exploded.

That’s insane LOL

Wait, first place in the Marquisate League?

No way LOL

I just checked the Empire's site and it’s real LOL

Just reaching the Marquisate is already wild, but placing first with only cadets? Not even a professional martial artist? That's nuts

Seriously impressive LOL. Even Assassination Daily is blowing up

The long-awaited triumph of Professor Dante’s assassination team!

It was a major event across the entire Hiaka Academy—because this was the first piece of positive news to come out since the Empire cooperation pact was signed.

Honestly, I wasn’t sure we could even compete with the Empire...

People from weaker nations carry an unspoken feeling of inferiority in the face of a superpower. But Dante’s assassination team shattered that and took a giant step forward.

└ Same LOL. When the professor said we were more competitive than we thought, I wasn’t totally convinced. But maybe we are making waves now?

└ I’ve got a cadet league match at Baron Raven’s territory in the Empire next month. Think I’ll do okay?

└ You’ll do great.

One cadet clenched their fist tightly. In the end, people in the Empire are still just people. They don’t live twenty years in the span of two hundred. Not all of them are geniuses.

Then someone asked,

Hey, but doesn’t the Empire hate it when foreigners act up?

“Ah...”

That was true.

Imperials were not known for welcoming outsiders.

Even among domains that accepted foreigners, they expected them to act as footstools.

The psychology was simple: We are the great Empire! Scum from backwater nations aren’t even worth acknowledging...!

And in that atmosphere, Dante’s assassination team had claimed first place—on their very first commission.

└ All the others were pro martial artists, but Dante’s squad is just cadets lol

└ And it was an A-grade dungeon, too LOL

└ Bet the Imperials are pissed rn. They’re such underhanded bastards

└ Wouldn’t surprise me

Back in the day, high-ranking military officers from Hiaka suffered countless humiliations in the Empire. The people of Hiaka remembered every one of those incidents.

└ I saw the Bureau’s schedule—they’re in the weekly report session at the Marquisate right now. Dante’s probably suffering in there too lol

└ What kind of place is that?

└ You know how in the Empire, the powerful divvy up the adventures? The party leaders stand in front of the Marquis’ delegates and report their achievements like, “Please grant us more adventures...”

└ “Adventures” meaning dungeon or labyrinth entry tickets, right?

└ Yep.

└ Do they just hand them out if you ask?

└ You have to bet.

└ Bet?

└ Bro LMAO you seriously don’t know anything huh

└ fr...

└ So the Empire uses this unit called [Chips]. It’s basically the point system for party performance. Dante’s team hit first in an A-rank dungeon last time, so they got 100 Chips—the max.

└ What’s the point of collecting Chips?

└ It’s a universal point system. You can exchange them for money or equipment. You need about 2,000 if you want to reach the Duke League.

└ Ohhh.

└ If you bet big, you get access to better dungeons. But the bigger the bet, the higher the risk. If you bet 100 and flop, you could go negative—like -500 Chips.

└ How long does it take to collect 500 Chips?

└ Could take years if you're unlucky. It’s gambling.

└ No wonder everyone’s on edge 😱

└ Of course. People are putting months’ worth of points on the line to earn new adventures.

└ Think about it. Just a three- or five-rank difference can make or break someone. Then outta nowhere, some foreigner drops in and knocks everyone down a rank.

“Whew...”

The cadet imagined the scene.

A battleground of endless competition.

Dante Hiakapo, the only representative from Hiaka, surrounded by Empire martial artists, was undoubtedly being swarmed by jealousy and resistance.

The professor was enduring unimaginable trials and hostility—

All for the sake of the Hiaka Kingdom...

└ But like, who cares? lol Let him get gatekept or whatever

Someone laughed scornfully.

└ ?

└ ??

└ The hell’s your problem?

└ No like LOL y’all are ridiculous

└ Why wouldn’t we care if the professor’s getting suppressed?

└ God you’re all such idiots LOL. Think for a second.

So what?

└ We’re talking about Professor Dante here LOL

Ah.

Yeah... If it’s Professor Dante...

The cadet tacked on one last flourish to their daydream.

During the weekly report, he’d calmly state the results. And when it came time to place the bet, with all eyes on him...

He’d declare—

“All in. 100 Chips.”

‘Tch.’ Someone sneers. Faces shift. 【SCRIPT】 blares across the interface. Cocky bastard. Who does he think he is? Thinks this world’s easy or something?

Meanwhile, the Bureau Director simply asked:

“Assassination ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) Party Leader Dante Hiakapo. Are you placing all 100 Chips on the next labyrinth?”

“Yes.”

“...This is an extremely risky choice.”

He said, voice serious.

“In the Marquisate, failure to conquer is treated severely. If penalties reach the maximum x30 multiplier, then a 500-chip failure could be calculated as minus 15,000 Chips.”

If that happened, other martial artists from Hiaka would have to repay that debt just to step foot in the Marquisate again. Fifteen thousand Chips.

“I’ll ask again. Your bet?”

My cheeks burn from the stares.

They say haste makes waste, but whatever. Who hasn’t sprinted for a train before? Sometimes, you do have to run.

I replied calmly.

“...All in.”

Thanks to that, I walked out with an [A+] ticket for the next labyrinth.

And just as I exited the weekly report chamber, Elize called out to me.

“Professor! Professor!”

I’d planned to come alone. But she insisted on tagging along, so I brought her.

“I thought I was gonna die from not breathing.”

“Was it the smell?”

“No? It was everyone’s eyes looking like this.”

Elize lifted her mask, perched it on her head, and pulled her eyes into vicious slits, glaring at me. Was it really that bad?

“Oh, and Professor. That thing you did? It was awesome.”

“What thing?”

Elize lowered her voice, dead serious.

“All. In.”

...When did I ever.

“Let’s just eat.”

“Okay!”

That was when someone stepped diagonally into my path and stood in front of me. A man wearing violet-metal epaulets. His name was [●Enrico].

Without preamble, he held out his hand to me.

“Your reputation precedes you, Professor Dante.”

“Who are you.”

“I’m Enrico Fuirma. Leader of a ranked mercenary unit in the Marquisate League. Pleased to meet you.”

I didn’t take his hand.

He gave a short laugh, then turned to Elize and offered his hand to her.

“You must be the daughter of the Shadowless Star○.”

Elize was already wearing her mask, but she lit up and reached to shake his hand.

“Elize.”

“Mm?”

“Your hand.”

“...Ah.”

At my words, Elize quietly pulled her hand back.

“Enrico Fuirma. Pleased to meet you. However, assassins do not shake hands with strangers.”

“Is that a Hiaka thing? Eh, fine!”

“State your business.”

“As you can see, I’m from the Khan Federation too. A fellow foreigner leading a mercenary unit.”

Now that I looked closely, it made sense. The Khan Federation had a signature style of eye makeup—both men and women wore it. They painted the corners of their eyes red.

“The Marquisate, like the rest of the Empire, is full of xenophobic bastards. They look down on foreigners like us. When you’re alone, you go through some real nasty shit.”

“......”

“So? We’re in the same boat. Shouldn’t we work together? Let’s resist the Marquisate cartel, side by side.”

As he said that, he handed me a business card. It said [Marquisate Foreign Adventurer Alliance]...

If I had a tail, it would’ve wagged.

【 Elize: ‘Whoa.’ 】

【 Elize: ‘He wants us on the same team!’ 】

【 Elize: ‘Let’s take it, Professor.’ 】

No.

Absolutely not.

The Foreign Adventurer Alliance that claims to resist the Marquisate League cartel... sounds noble enough, but in truth, it’s owned by none other than the Marquis of Vincent himself.

“I refuse.”

The “ally” froze. And not just him—everyone nearby who had been pretending to spectate stiffened as well.

“...What? Professor Dante. That’s a little harsh...”

“Not interested.”

Rejection must be firm. As soon as I turned away, those who had been loitering nearby started mouthing off.

“Hey, Professor Dante. You get one high placement and now you think you’re untouchable?”

“Here’s a bit of advice. How far do you think you’ll make it alone?”

“The Imperials are already out for your head. You didn’t even bring seasoned warriors—just cadets. Shouldn’t you at least set up some safety nets?”

“In your first dungeon run, it was us who absorbed all the heat and pressure. That’s the only reason your team got to play it easy. You think we’re gonna be the only ones getting target-marked next time, too?”

Advice. Or nagging. Or an effort to knock the wind out of a rising rookie.

Whatever you call it—

“Professor Dante Hiakapo. No one climbs alone. No adventuring party goes far solo.”

I ignored them and kept walking. Though I did spare a glance for one person standing in the crowd.

● Party Leader Avec⁺₊⋆

A man marked by a [Stigma]... in other words, an assassin directly under Agion⁺₊⋆.

Which meant the [Constellations] tied to the Marquisate had begun watching me too.

As our gazes crossed, Avec spoke like an NPC.

“...We’ll see, Professor Dante.”

Good.

⋮

As we were leaving, Elize dropped her voice again and mimicked me with an intense face.

“I. Re. Fuse.”

...When did I ever.

.

.

.

.

.

“――.”

Jolt.

Rebecca sat bolt upright in her bed. It was around 3 a.m.

She clutched the blanket, breathing rapidly.

It had been almost a full month since she began living cleanly and devoutly as a Cardinal nominee of the Church of the Virgin.

With dawn prayer set for 4 a.m., 3 was far too early to be awake.

But it couldn’t be helped. For the past week, she had been waking like this nearly every day.

“......”

Today was the day.

Thirty days since the contract of Eternity∞ had been broken and the punishment clock started ticking.

The day Professor Dante would die.

She hadn’t been able to sleep properly because of it.

Rebecca thought deeply.

‘...Why am I like this?’

Professor Dante wasn’t special.

Sure, he was the one who believed in her until the very end—but that wasn’t reason enough to make him special.

So then why did the death of someone not special bother her?

‘...So what if he dies?’

People die.

Many who were once around her are dead now.

She’s killed many people herself.

In fact—

Isn’t death a blessing?

Blessed are the dead over the living,

And more blessed are those not yet born, who have not seen the evil under the sun.

So Professor Dante’s death would be his greatest rest. A painless passing. A blessing.

...That’s what she told herself.

“......”

Yet before she realized it, Rebecca was on her feet.

She ran out of the dorms barefoot.

To the lodging of Dame Layme—whom she hadn’t met face-to-face since becoming a cardinal nominee.

“Huh? P-Princess...?”

When she flung the door open, Dame Layme, sharp of senses, quickly rose to meet her.

“It’s been a while. But... what brings you here at this hour...?”

“......”

Rebecca was a master of acting. Her expressions. Her gestures. She could control them all. She knew exactly how she appeared to others.

Which meant—coming out barefoot like this, she needed an excuse.

But her mouth moved on its own.

“...Go find Professor Dante.”

“You mean Professor Dante?”

“It’s urgent. Now.”

When dawn prayer ended—

Layme returned, out of breath.

“Princess. I found him.”

“...Already?”

“There’s a report. An article about Professor Dante.”

“......”

Rebecca’s heart dropped.

An article? About him?

“Professor Dante’s assassination team entered the A+-grade labyrinth ‘Ruins of the Reaper’s Domain’ in the Marquisate League and wagered 100 Chips. They achieved a dominant first place finish.”

“...?”

“His team’s contribution rate was 51.5%, the highest ever recorded in Marquisate League assassination history. Out of 31 teams, Dante’s team alone produced results comparable to 16. It’s the highest achievement in the history of Hiakan parties...”

“...??”

A sudden flood of accolades.

Rebecca scowled.

Layme chuckled.

“Wow. He’s seriously doing amazing. I mean, I knew Dormant Dragon Cadets were good, but getting this much recognition in the Empire...? Can’t stand him, but I gotta give credit.”

Rebecca looked completely dumbfounded.

“......”

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