After a stream of pointless small talk—weather, international affairs, the inescapable power of genetics, the excellent efficacy of hair loss medication...

Kashan finally cut to the point.

“I’ll ask directly.”

He got to the core.

“Are you married, Professor?”

This was the man who once led the Assassin Eradication Unit. His words might’ve seemed casual, but every one of his senses was honed, sizing me up.

“I’m not married.”

“Really? That’s unexpected. Aren’t you about forty?”

I didn’t bother correcting him—I was just past thirty. With warriors, you can’t tell their age by appearance alone.

Even Kashan, who looked about my age, was in his fifties.

“Hm. A man like you must have people lining up. I guess your standards are high... But hey, that works out. Because, actually, the royal family’s thinking of arranging a marriage.”

“What connection does the royal family have with me?”

Kashan grinned.

“No need to play dumb. Everyone who’s in the know... knows. Who really killed Agion.”

“......”

“The Empire’s been desperately covering up everything about Agion’s death and the terrorist attack. That’s because Agion was one of the Empire’s Constellations. A Constellation represents a nation’s strength. If word spread that they lost control of theirs... it’d make the Empire look weak.”

Yeah. I knew.

Technically, I didn’t kill him. Eve, wielding the Holy Sword, did almost all the work. I just landed the final blow...

“The royal palace must’ve been buzzing for a while.”

“Hah! You think that’s all?”

Kashan laughed even louder.

“There are rumors going around that you might be the next Constellation!”

...That part wasn’t entirely wrong.

“So, we figured it might be good to join forces. Mutual benefit, you know?”

Ah. I see.

The royal family wants to anchor me down with marriage, so I don’t flee to another country. And on their end, having me join the royal lineage works out nicely...

“So, how about it? Just meet her once?”

Kashan pulled out a photo from inside his coat.

A smiling blonde princess.

“Princess Rebecca.”

Hmm.

You’ve got to be kidding me.

Taken out of context, this was lunacy.

Trying to set me up with that deranged serial killer?

“I heard you and Princess Rebecca have a special relationship.”

“...That’s a wildly misinformed claim.”

“Only the two of you would know for sure. But be honest—she’s beautiful, isn’t she? Back in the day, there were lines of knights hoping to get even a glimpse of her.”

“......”

“There’s no other marriage prospect like this. She’s wealthy, royal. And you—you don’t even have a title. Sure, you’ve got ability. But this fills in all your missing pieces.”

“......”

“She’s the same. Sure, she’s got a fierce personality, but think about it! A woman who shows thorns to the entire world—only in front of you does she soften up. With eyes like this, lips like thiiiis, all like... ㅇ3ㅇ♥”

While Kashan enthusiastically sold the pitch with his whole body...

...I tuned him out and thought for a moment.

Was this actually a good proposal?

It is.

A business-oriented engagement.

It was, objectively, a good offer.

Not because Rebecca’s good.

The only downside was Rebecca.

Of all the possible arrangements, why did it have to be with her—a serial killer, hornless demon, drama generator, royal-grade pain-in-the-ass?

But that was just my personal feeling. It wasn’t like I was actually planning to marry her for real.

This is the best way to get the mage of the Hero’s Party out of the Church.

All I needed was to extract Rebecca from the Church. That was the mission.

The problem—

“...Oddly enough, Princess might not have much experience with men, so she could be really romantic...”

“Stop.”

I cut off Kashan’s nonsense and asked,

“More importantly, did anyone ask for Princess Rebecca’s opinion on this?”

“Oh, that’s fine.”

“Fine?”

“As long as you agree to meet her, we’ll handle the rest.”

“How?”

“That’s... our job. No matter how wild the Princess is, she can’t disobey the royal will.”

“......”

I didn’t get it.

I hated Rebecca. And she hated me just as much.

She was also notoriously immune to pressure. So I checked the 【Script】 carefully—and I saw it.

【 Kashan: ‘That part’s up to Archbishop Ophelia.’ 】

Ah.

Archbishop Ophelia—the woman who supported Rebecca the most.

She’d been bought by the royal family.

***

Ophelia smiled benevolently.

“Rebecca, you once left for the Empire half a year ago, without informing anyone.”

Rebecca lowered her gaze without a change in expression, but something tugged at her heart.

In her otherwise spotless life in the Church, that was the one blemish.

The time she went to the casino... with that man, Dante.

“...I apologize. I was under stress, and sought a moment of rest...”

“Sister.”

Suddenly, something lifted Rebecca’s chin. It was Archbishop Ophelia, who had stepped forward and taken hold of her.

Rebecca widened her eyes as the Archbishop, with a gaze sharper than she’d ever shown before, stared down at her.

“During that time. Did you meet a man? Commit a sin?”

Rebecca wasn’t someone who shrank in front of people.

But the eyes of this seventy-year-old priestess—this leader of the Church—seemed to peer straight into her soul.

“...I did not.”

She answered calmly. It was a lie.

She had met a man. And she had committed a sin.

Not a grave one. And she didn’t really see him as a man, per se... Anyway, nothing had really happened.

“I see. During prayer, I’ve been feeling a strange anxiety from you lately.”

Ophelia withdrew her hand and turned away.

“If Sister Rebecca is harboring any thoughts behind the Church’s back, or is seeing a man... the Virgin Mother will be deeply disappointed.”

“......”

“I too would be greatly disappointed. I’ve supported you since the day you joined the Church, so I’d feel utterly betrayed.”

“......”

“And it’s not just me. There are people here in the Church, and even outside of it, who believe in Princess Rebecca. They’ll turn their backs as well.”

Rebecca’s young age was not the only reason she was being reviewed for bishop—her royal lineage and her relentless effort played a role too.

But things that grow quickly tend to break easily. Rebecca, too, could lose everything in an instant.

She understood this.

“...I will ensure there are no issues.”

She left with that heavy feeling. As she stepped outside—

Lady Layme of the Palace Guard asked her with concern,

“Princess...”

“There’s no problem.”

Rebecca answered calmly.

“There’s less than a week until the bishop review. I’ll behave until then.”

This was the beginning.

If she could just pass the review—

If she became a bishop—

Then, for the first time, I’ll be rewarded for my efforts.

A reward for her effort.

Something Rebecca had never received.

She hadn’t learned magic despite being the daughter of a mage. She hadn’t learned swordsmanship despite being a royal. She had entered the Academy to become an assassin, yet hadn’t gained anything there either.

Time and again, Rebecca had thought of herself as someone wandering through darkness. Wherever she went, whoever she met, whatever she did—she was always betrayed. And no matter how hard she tried, she gained nothing.

But if she became a bishop this time...

......?

A thought suddenly struck her.

Her sharp brows softened for the first time.

......

Now that she thought about it, there was one other time.

When she had received a reward equal to her effort.

No—

When she received rewards without even trying...?

Rebecca quickly pushed the thought away.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes, Princess.”

That was a sinful thought.

Because it was a thought # Nоvеlight # about that man.

***

Even thinking it over again—it really was a good proposal.

After all, due to the system, I can’t leave Hiaka Academy or the Hiaka Kingdom.

And in the midst of that, a chance to enter the royal family.

A firm connection to the royal bloodline.

And a way to extract the mage of the Hero’s Party.

But then...

The fact that it was such a good proposal began to raise questions in my mind.

On top of that—

【 Kashan: ‘Still can't believe it... Was giving up a national treasure really necessary just to sway that old hag?’ 】

Archbishop Ophelia hadn’t been bought by the royal family from the start. She had no initial ties to them, and had only recently been bribed.

And that bribe, it turned out, was a national treasure.

My suspicion deepened even more.

“I get why you want me. But...”

I decided to ask.

“I heard bishops aren’t allowed to marry.”

“That’s true.”

“Then, if Princess Rebecca gets engaged, her half-year of effort is wasted. It’s effectively a banishment from the Church.”

“Yeah... that’s also true.”

“And knowing that, why is the royal family trying to force her into this engagement?”

“......”

“If she became a bishop—and eventually a Cardinal—that would be incredibly beneficial for the royal family, wouldn’t it?”

Kashan’s expression calmed. He lowered his gaze and absently traced the armrest of his chair with his finger.

“...Beats me. I don’t really know.”

“You don’t?”

“I don’t. I’m just a tool of the royal family. I do what I’m told. Assassins are the same, aren’t they? Do they ever ask why their master wants someone dead?”

Hmph.

【 Kashan: ‘How do I dodge this cleanly...?’ 】

He was hiding something. That much was obvious.

“You said you’re with the Elder Council now. Then this order must’ve come from them.”

“That’s true. But really—I know nothing.”

“Then give me something. I can’t accept this proposal when I don’t know what’s going on. If I get engaged to Princess Rebecca and the royal family later claims that I ‘interfered with her path to Cardinal,’ I won’t have any way to defend myself.”

“What the—! That would never happen! Want me to write it down on paper?”

Kashan leapt up in protest.

“All I know is this: the engagement benefits both sides.”

“Then why did the Elder Council suddenly start pushing this marriage the moment Princess Rebecca’s bishop review began?”

“There’s no reason. She just reached marrying age, so we’re proposing.”

Even when I pressed him further, he kept dodging.

【 Kashan: ‘Why does he keep digging?’ 】

【 Kashan: ‘I already told him I don’t know...’ 】

Even his inner thoughts refused to line up with his answers.

“So, can I report back that you’ve agreed to the engagement? I’ll keep you updated on the process.”

He tried to sneak it through casually.

Annoying.

I had to know why the royal family was trying to force Rebecca into this.

But Kashan wasn’t easy to crack. He was an ex-assassin and a master manipulator. No pressure would make him spill.

What to do, then?

“Alright. Should I just say I agreed, and report it like that?”

He threw out a final ultimatum.

A bluff—trying to walk off with just the results and none of the explanation.

I couldn’t let him leave like this.

As I racked my brain—

A thought flashed through my mind like lightning.

Right.

There was a time when that bastard let something slip a little too easily.

When was that...?

“...I won’t accept the engagement.”

“What??”

Kashan jumped up from his chair in shock.

“What are you talking about? Things were going so well just now!”

I lowered my head slightly and smiled wide enough to tear my lips.

Then raised my head again—with a dead serious face.

“You’re deluded. When were things ever going well?”

“Why are you being so cold all of a sudden?”

He was flustered.

“Come on, you were into it. You liked Princess Rebecca, didn’t you? That’s why we were talking, wasn’t it?”

“I’ve never once liked Rebecca.”

“Not even her looks?”

“No—she is beautiful. But you don’t understand what’s truly important in this engagement. Or you do and you’re pretending not to so you can deceive me.”

“......”

Kashan’s brow furrowed.

He felt the ground shifting under him.

He inhaled slowly, trying to regain composure.

“...Professor Dante. I don’t know what you’re getting at, but if you’re just trying to leverage more out of this, forget it. No matter how talented you are, you’re still dealing with royalty.”

“Sir Kashan. When are you going to be honest with me?”

“...What?”

“You know exactly what this engagement means for the Elder Council.”

“......!”

The Elder Council.

At that, the calm he’d just recovered shattered.

【 Kashan: ‘This is just like... that time back then...’ 】

Just as I expected—he was rattled.

【 Kashan: ‘That bastard... he’s said to be so good at information control that people mistake him for the Constellation of the System⧉...’ 】

【 Kashan: ‘Does he already know part of the truth...?’ 】

Kashan had lost his composure like this once before—when the alternate version of me pressed him with pure, blunt refutation.

He seemed like the type who panicked when hit with a counterpoint out of nowhere.

“...I can’t say. I really don’t know.”

Of course, Kashan wasn’t dumb enough to blurt out classified information just because I pushed a little.

But—he couldn’t hide the thoughts rising to the surface.

【 Kashan: ‘Yeah... it was sketchy.’ 】

【 Kashan: ‘The Elder Council Chair literally flipped out the moment he heard Princess Rebecca was getting a bishop review.’ 】

【 Kashan: ‘Why’d he react like that? It’s not like they didn’t already toss her out of the house. Why should it matter if she becomes a bishop now?’ 】

So he really didn’t know.

But then, the next key appeared:

The Elder Council Chair.

That, I did know.

The name was Setian Magrots. An old friend of the king. Ranked second in royal succession.

Once the Minister of State, a hero credited with reviving Hiaka during the war with Kreutz.

“Alright.”

“Huh?”

I turned off Alternate Dante mode.

“I’ll accept the engagement. For me too, getting engaged to Princess Rebecca would be an honor for my family. But—I’d like to meet the Elder Council directly and talk to them.”

“Ah, really? Got it...! I’ll go inform them right away!”

***

Three days later, in the morning—

For the first time, I stepped into the royal capital. I was with Ezekiel, head of the Department of Magical Theory.

“I’m disappointed, Golden Rat. Plenty of professors have gone down for fooling around with students—but you, too?”

“......”

“Were you always looking at my niece like that? Thinking she was pretty? Trying to seduce her every time you talked? I’m disappointed. You garbage. You sewer rat.”

“...Please stop mocking me, Department Head.”

Even as we walked, he kept teasing me relentlessly.

Eventually, we arrived at the Elder Council.

“The Grand Mage Ezekiel and Senior Professor Dante are entering.”

Led by Ezekiel, we stepped into the chamber of the Elder Council.

The men who stood alongside King Hiaka III and governed the kingdom.

Around a dozen elderly figures sat inside—

“Welcome.”

And at their center sat the Chair.

In that moment—

Ah.

The moment I saw the [●Nameplate] in front of the Chair, I instantly understood why the royal family was forcing Rebecca into this engagement, and why they were trying to sabotage her path to Cardinal.

He was second in the line of succession. The King’s closest friend.

And—

● Half-Demon, Elder Council Chair Setian

The liver-spotted old man smiled at me.

“Welcome, our dear groom.”