Chapter 36

Chapter 35

The Cheerful Fair - 2

The pristine, snow-white long hair fluttered in the wind, and the ruby-red eyes sparkled brightly. A smile that never left her face was also a notable feature. If you asked a passerby, ninety-nine out of a hundred would say she was beautiful.

And the last one out of ninety-nine is me. Knowing the truth inside that shell, I can never give a good review.

'Why is this brat here?'

If I were to write a suicide note right before dying of anger, this would be one of the three exaggerated figures I would definitely mention: the one who, with a smiling face, trolls without malice, making me want to grab my throat. The Chief Inspector of the 1st Department, who shouldn't be here, has appeared.

As I glared at the 1st Department Chief, who was casually walking, as if I were about to eat her, she looked at me, sensing my gaze. The grin on her face when our eyes met was extremely annoying.

"Chief!"

She rearranged the food in her arms and raised one arm to wave vigorously. Seeing her cheerful smile, I couldn't help but sigh. Don't shout so loudly; it's a bit embarrassing with people watching.

"I'll be right back."

Leaving the members' gazes behind, I approached the 1st Department Chief. I didn't want to talk to her in front of the booth because I couldn't predict what she might say in front of the members. The most terrifying thing in the world is an unpredictable troll.

"Long time no see, Chief! How have you been?"

"I was doing well until just now."

Now that I see you, I don't think I'll be doing well.

"Hehe, that's good to hear."

Regardless, the 1st Department Chief kept grinning. I really want to punch her sometimes, but I hold back because I'm afraid she won't get up again. However, I sometimes feel like giving her a good punch. But I'll hold back. It's hard to find a replacement if the 1st Department Chief disappears.

First, I need to confirm why she's here. I don't believe she came here just to play around while I'm working.

"What are you doing here?"

"Huh? Didn't the Minister tell you?"

The 1st Department Chief tilted her head in surprise at my question. The Minister? What did that guy say?

'Ah.'

- We'll send a few people from the administrative department, so don't be surprised.

The Minister did say that during the recent video report. But, damn, did he mean you? I thought he meant a few people would come to see my face for social reasons.

My expression twisted at the unexpected situation, but the 1st Department Chief continued without noticing.

"The Minister said there would be something for me to do here?"

"Something for you to do?"

After thinking for a moment, I got a rough idea. I think I know what the 1st Department Chief is here to do.

"A body will soon appear, and someone from the Special Affairs Bureau will come, so you just need to wait. But what does it mean that a body will appear? Are you talking about the undead?"

"Mind your own business. I'll tell you when the time comes."

"Sniff..."

What undead? The Dawn Sect has been suppressed, and the undead have been eradicated from the continent for a long time. I glared at the 1st Department Chief, who pouted at my words, and organized my thoughts.

'This is a perfect time to destroy the academy.'

One of the groups to watch, the Apels Revival Army, the Third Glory, has been given the codename "body" by the Information Department, filled with emotion.

The appearance of a body means that the Third Glory plans to attack during the fair, and I just need to wait for the Special Affairs Bureau's forces, as the Information Department Chief said. I didn't expect them to target the fair period.

'Their intelligence is really something.'

An obvious destination, an obvious time. It's so obvious that I'm worried it might be a counter-operation. With such intelligence, it's no wonder they're trying to revive a country that fell 300 years ago.

While organizing my thoughts, I heard the 1st Department Chief's voice from the side.

"By the way, Chief, is this a pastry booth?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Which is better, bread or cookies?"

Her words made my gaze unconsciously turn to the food in her arms. She already has more than enough for a meal, yet she wants to buy more? Sensing my gaze, the 1st Department Chief puffed out her chest and said confidently,

"I have a separate dessert stomach!"

It's not a particularly understandable statement, but if she says so, it must be true. Anyway, which is better, bread or cookies?

"Bread is good."

"Then I'll buy cookies."

I silently watched her choose the other option without hesitation, and she giggled, sticking out her tongue.

"I know all about your taste, Chief. Cookies are better than bread, right?"

Then she walked briskly toward the booth. That arrogant chief has reached the point of using the chief for her own benefit because of the long time they've spent together. How can such a world exist?

'So what.'

That's why I deliberately said bread was better. Kid, you still have a long way to go. As I walked calmly to the booth, I saw the 1st Department Chief pouting with a cookie in her mouth.

Sure enough, the 1st Department Chief looks prettier crying than smiling. I feel so much better.

Ignoring her gaze, full of betrayal, I entered the booth and came out with an apron.

"You have nothing to do, right?"

At my words, the 1st Department Chief rolled her eyes and awkwardly opened her mouth.

"I wanted to see the club members..."

"There are none."

I draped the apron around her neck, which was sealed by the food in her hands. She tried to refuse by turning her head, but it was a futile resistance.

I wondered if it was okay to leave this unpredictable person at the booth, but since she's not just visiting but staying at the academy, it's better to keep her close and watch her. It's better to be a little bothered than to let her wander around the academy out of my sight.

"Louis, if you need help, ask her."

"Ah, yes, brother."

Louis looked awkwardly at the 1st Department Chief, who had a dejected expression as if she had been captured by a slave hunter, and then turned to me.

"But, brother, who is this person?"

"She's my subordinate, so you can be casual with her."

"This is outrageous..."

Mouth.

I grabbed the 1st Department Chief's shoulder with a slight force, and she twisted her body and collapsed.

***

Ainter watched the woman, whom Karl called a subordinate, bickering quietly.

"Inspector, I didn't expect you to be so informal with your subordinates."

"Is that so? I'm really surprised."

Hearing the amused voice of Ruitis beside him, Ainter gave an appropriate response and closed his mouth again.

Ruitis, who was sitting on the ground and focusing on the woman whimpering, didn't pay much attention to Ainter. To an outsider, it might look like a naive girl complaining.

'1st Department Chief, huh.'

Karl didn't say who she was, but a woman with white hair could only be the 1st Department Chief. Ainter's expression darkened as he confirmed her identity.

While the departments in the Inspectorate share common tasks, each department has its specialized field. The 1st Department is specialized in interrogation, or more bluntly, torture.

It's so notorious that it's said that it's better to die than to be taken to the 1st Department. It's a place where you can never walk out on your own, known as a "corpse factory." There's even a joke that the top reason for the retirement of Inspectorate officials in the 1st Department is the trauma from watching various tortures.

While it might just be a joke, it's certain that no matter how bad you imagine it, the worst is what unfolds in the 1st Department.

'This is quite a contrast.'

Yet, the woman in front of him is the chief of that 1st Department. While he knew that the average age of the current Inspectorate officers is quite young, he didn't expect her to be so casual in private.

A witch, a woman who bathes in blood, or a lady who enjoys personally torturing prisoners and listening to their screams as a hobby. These were the rumors about Erzsebet Maszlo, the 1st Department Chief of the Inspectorate.

Of course, due to the Inspectorate's notorious reputation and the rarity of encounters in normal times, various bizarre rumors stick to its officers, so they need to be filtered.

"Chief! That's the one I bought!"

"Thank you. You have a good subordinate, so you can talk freely."

"Ah! Don't eat it!"

"Louis, do you want to eat it too?"

"Ah!"

No matter how you look at it, this is really unexpected. Even if you dismiss all the rumors, the fact that the 1st Department is specialized in torture is true. Although it was decades ago, there was a time when it was called the "top 1st Department" and was superior to other departments.

'Has it changed recently?'

The latest news about the Inspectorate is always slow. It's a department that is tightly sealed. Even if it now handles tasks other than torture, you wouldn't know unless the Inspectorate announces it. Especially for a prince with no real power like me.

Ainter's thoughts extended to the 1st Department Chief, and their gazes accidentally met.

'...No, it hasn't.'

What change?

Meeting her ruby-like red eyes, the beautiful red color instantly turned into a sticky blood color. The 1st Department Chief, who had scanned Ainter so quickly that he wouldn't have noticed if he weren't the one receiving it, turned her gaze as if nothing had happened.

Ainter barely suppressed a hollow laugh. He was surprised at himself for thinking the Inspectorate had changed from its previous notorious reputation. The look in the 1st Department Chief's eyes was very familiar and terrifying to Ainter.

'The look of someone planning how to handle you.'

The look he received from the victorious crown prince in the succession dispute, the 2nd prince who had the upper hand during the peak of the dispute, and from Karl two years ago.

Perhaps the 1st Department Chief's visit to the academy is related to him. Reaching this conclusion, Ainter felt his blood run cold.

***

"Chief, Chief."

"Why."

The 1st Department Chief, who had been whining almost to the point of tears, suddenly whispered in my ear.

"Are you planning to deal with the 3rd Prince, Your Highness?"

Hearing this, I urgently grabbed her ear.

"Ah, it hurts!"

"Absolutely not, so don't go around creating that kind of atmosphere."

It's creepy to hear this from the 1st Department Chief. Two years ago, she subtly hinted at the 2nd Prince, asking, "When are you going to deal with the 2nd Prince?" At first, I ignored it, but as she became more overt, I was shocked. Before the huge scandal of a prince being tortured broke out, I had to hurriedly execute the assassination of the 2nd Prince (no sightings reported) and suffered a lot.

"You have your own job, so behave yourself."

"Y-yes..."

She rubbed her ear after I let go. This kid really seems normal on the surface.

I have to bring her along and stay during the fair? In the academy, which is crowded and open on all sides?

'I'll go crazy.'

If a chief has to come, I wish it was the 5th Department Chief. Of all people, the 1st Department Chief is the best at torture.

I miss the 5th Department Chief...

Author's Note

Today is the first time I've posted at midnight, and I'm very happy. I hope I can continue to post at midnight in the future.

There has been a second revision regarding the point of view. For more details, please check the announcement.

This is a side note, but I made a Pokémon joke yesterday and ended up with a severe internal injury. It's shocking to be treated as an older generation just because I enjoyed Pokémon Gold. I didn't even know that the remake is called Gold, not Gold, and I have no idea when the remake was released.

It was even more shocking to hear that someone started with the 4th generation Pokémon games. I, on the other hand, last played the 4th generation. That person doesn't seem particularly old, so why...?

Anyway, thank you for reading this chapter!