Chapter 23: CHP 23

'I finally made it here.( ＾ω＾ )

All the trouble I had to go through is finally paying off.'

I was, intentionally, walking around and provoking everyone to my heart's content, in order to lure the big fish... it was all bait.

Dean Bert, who had the absolute authority over the Academy's Magic Department, summoned me to his office.

'They really look the same! Even the elegant way he shakes off the ashes from the pipe resembles Duke Seymour.'

While I was looking at his white hands, which were lined with blue veins, a fragment of an old memory flashed în my mind.

.........

"Deborah, you are starting to look more and more like Marien."

Dean Bert muttered in a bitter voice while gently stroking Deborah's hair.

Then, as a birthday present, he handed her a blue-colored ring.

............

'He probably had feelings towards the Duchess.

I wonder...did the previous generation also had a love triangle, like Rosad and Belreck?'

A whole makjang drama was unfolding in my head...the desperate love story of a man who is willing to give up the Duke position, in favor of his brother, for the woman he loves, in order for her to live happily.

One of them becomes the Lord of the Wizardry Association and one the head of the Seymour family, the other is relegated to the Academy to deal with a bunch of school kids like me.

'And that scar...makes my imagination go wild.'

Dean Bert, my uncle, gave off a chilling energy with a cold expression.

"This is a petition is because of you."

He handed me a piece of paper.

"Tell me, in detail, how things ended up  this way. There shouldn't be a single lie in what you say if you want to continue attending this academy."

'Just as I expected, I can't find a single trace of kindness in him.'

Dean Bert tapped the table with his fingers...he was interrogating me and kept his cold gaze on me waiting for my answer.

"The reason I let you enter the Department of Magic was because you are so obsessed with magic, and partly because I believed that you will bloom as a mage one day...

So I hope you will give me an answer that won't disappoint me."

"I don't know what kind of answer you want, but I am outraged by this situation."

"You are outraged?"

Just like Duke Seymour, his right eyebrow went up.

"Yes, I just did my best to solve the formulas, but everyone is accusing me of bribing Professor Kyle.

I will never forgive them for insulting me like this without any evidence."

I intentionally made the most offended and outraged expression that Deborah was capable of, I made use of Deborah's cold appearance in order to look really angry, and when Deborah was angry she looked like a

crazy person.

"So you are saying that you are innocent, and this situation is unfair?"

Dean Bert asked, surprised.

"Yes...so, please lead an open investigation to find out the truth.

It doesn't matter to me who bring up the formula problem, all I want is to prove in front of everyone that I didn't cheat."

'The bigger this situation is going to be, the better it will be for me.'

"Hmm."

Dean Bert, put the pipe in his mouth and looked at me with a serious expression.

"Are really telling the truth?"

The long scar on Dean Bert's right cheek throbbed.

"Yes, Dean Bert, this is the only way to restore my honor and the reputation that I lost."

'I now that I have no honor or reputation to lose, but I have to pretended that I am enduring the humiliation.'

"Haaa...alright, I hope that you will, succesuly, prove your innocence."

Dean Bert, opened an investigation, on my requests, in order to find out the truth behind the petition.

I was very delighted to hear that the Vice Dean, who was stricter and more inflexible than anyone else, was invited to judge the whole situation, objectively.

...................

'The meeting about the results of Princess Deborah's investigation is tomorrow at 5 o'clock.'

Isidor, was fiddling with a card and unconsciously glanced at his pocket watch.

'Perhaps because something fun is going to happen after a long time, that's why time is passing so slowly.

Everything else seems boring.'

"It looks like you don't have a lot of good cards today?"

"You're right, did something happen?"

Seeing that Isidor couldn't concentrate at all on the game, the members of Epsilon that gathered at the frat house grinned.

Epsilon is one of the most prestigious social clubs that exists since the establishment of the Academy, and Isidor who received the Crown Prince's baton was now the leader.

The male members were gathered at the frat house because they had to discuss  the issue of recruiting new members, while playing a fun game of poker.

"Did you hear?"

"Hear what?"

"About Philap, walking around the academy campus, holding Mia Vinoche in his arms like a Princess."

"That was ridiculous...But that is old news already."

The Epsilon members didn't like Philap at all, so when his name came out in the conversation, they instantly badmouthed him.

"Yes, true...but that is not the end."

"Is there more?"

"The fun part is that Mia Vinoche joined Omicron after that."

Gasps of surprise erupted from everyone.

"How...?!"

"Even if Philap is the leader of Omicron, how can a young lady from an unknown family enter a club where blood and rang is the most important thing?

It's amazing that more than three executives agreed to that."

The conditions for joining the four major social clubs, including Epsilon, were the same.

You have to obtain the consent of the majority of the seven executives, including the leader.

"Things are going to be fun."

'Philap used his head a little, unlike usual.'

Isidor fiddled with the cards while he listened to them.

"There are many vacant spots at Omicron this year, because many former members finished they're studies and went back to their lands."

"But...still, I've never heard of a family called Vinoche."

"It's the power of the Montez family. Philap is the only son in the third generation and she saved his life, so Mia is considered the savior of the Montez family."

"Hmm..."

"I also heard that she works hard to help the poor people.

It seems like some foolish people worship her and consider her the embodiment of a Saint."

"Maybe Philap thinks that Mia's good deeds would help Omicron's image."

"Ohh...so he went with the female Saint strategy. That's not a bad ideea."

"In any case, that woman, Mia, is quite unusual, she goes here and there to give a healing hand without getting tired, her divine power must be strong. Right?"

"I think Mia Vinoche's divine power will be revealed soon?

Before the Spring Flower Festival, the seminary invites high-ranking priests to measure, the new students, level of divine power."

"Aaa...the Spring Flower Festival is almost here. Time sure flys fast."

The Spring Flower Festival was the second most popular event in the whole Empire, after Thanksgiving of course.

That is why everyone is contemplating in advance what kind of clothes to wear at the Spring Flower Festival and who to partner with.

"Who should I choose as my partner for the ball?"

"Guys lets be serious...do you remember what the purpose of today's meeting is?"

Isidor, who was silent, suddenly, knocked on the table and reminded them what the purpose of the meeting was.

"The game was so fun I almost forgot."

"Yes, yes...we all gathered here to talk about the new recruits."

"Sir Isidor? Did you hear that Lady Syril is spreading rumors that our club has no plans to accept new members this year?"

When the question was asked, Thierry Orgo, an executive who was only focused only on poker, suddenly snickered.

Thierry Orgo, was the third son of Duke Orgo, a founding family known for their talent in swordsmanship, he was born a year apart from Diera Orgo, who is known as a sword master, but unlike Diera, who has a straightforward personality, Thierry is thoughtless and frivolous.

"Well, our gentle leader indirectly told Lady Syril to get lost, he said that we aren't thinking of accepting new members."

"It was like that, but now things have changed, we have a member who suddenly left, so we have no choice but to talk about recruitment, Sir Thierry."

Isidor refuted Thierry's words with a smile on his face.

'Left? Kicked out would be a better description…'

Miguel, who was eating a piece of cake from a snack bar in the corner of the room, stared dumbfounded at his Master, who had a friendly smile on his face.

Isidor recently threatened one of the members of Epsilon members to withdraw from the club, with the pretext that he copied his classmate's thesis.

'It is obvious why he used that as a pretext to kick that member out, it wasn't because the member's behavior was not to Master's liking, but because he wanted to create a vacancy to attract Lady Deborah to Epsilon.

Haaaa, Master you are spending too much time on Princess Deborah lately.'

Isidor worked hard to fulfill Princess Deborah's and the Crown Prince's requests at the same time, he was extremely busy.

'I must admit that Princess Deborah's personality is quite likable ...requesting my Master to investigate himself.'

The smile button was pressed yet again, and Miguel hat to close his lips tight and to pinche his thighs in order to stop himself from laughing out loud.

He rememberd how his Master was worring about the details he wanted to put in his 'investigation' on Isidor, 'I want to emphasize the good-looking part of myself...but it's not easy to find a word that describes my looks.'...every time his Master revised the research data about himself with a serious look, Miguel had to face the ultimate challenge of holding back his laughter.

"If there is a talented person you guys have in mind, tell me now."

One of the executives raised his hand.

"Sir Isidor, let's let the person with the best hand in this game choose someone.

There are four executives gathered here, including you, so it's the majority of us, so there won't be a problem."

Because it was an interesting proposal, everyone agreed.

"Who is going first?"

"I will reveal it first."

The one who spoked had a two-pair and recommended the son of a Marquis from the northern territory.

After that, everyone continued to  reveale they’re cards.

"I'm sure that I have the best cards."

Thierry proudly revealed his hand full house.

Everyone wanted to win, because it was a great opportunity for they’re close acquaintances to join Epsilon.

So, everyone was jealous of Thierry, and Thierry enjoyed their gazes full of jealousy to the fullest.

"I recommend Lady Seirin Belluge, a remarkable young lady with excellent mana sensitivity.

Doesn't she fit well in our club that values ability?"

"Seirin Belluge is a talented person that even the 5th Princess likes."

The 5th Princess is the only younger sister of the Crown Prince, and the main pillar in the Sorority, the women's group in Epsilon.

All the members were nodding their heads in agreement, thinking that it was a good recommendation...but then Isidor tapped on the table.

"There is still a person here that hasn't revealed his hand yet."

So he flipped the cards in front of him at a slow pace.

"Royal flush!"

Everyone was astonished when a top hand, which had a 1 in 650,000 chance to appear, appeared.

"Is this real? I can't believe it, even though I am looking at it with my own eyes."

"Wow! It is the first time I have seen this hand in real life, I only heard stories about it."

"How is this possible?"

Thierry, who lost the game even with a full house, was so shocked that he wanted to pull his hair out.

"I guess I won."

Isidor grinned, pointing his chin at the cards, of course it was all a scam.

Since the male members of Epsilon were all particularly fond of betting and gambling, Isidor considered that this situation might arrise and swapped all the cards with a movement magic.

Because everyone considered Isidor a gentleman with a chivalrous spirit, they could never imagine even in their dreams, that won by cheating.

It was all because he worked hard to maintain a good image.

"You're showing off...so who do you recommend?"

Thierry asked feeling frustrated.

"Unfortunately, I don't have a recommendation for now.

There are some talented individuals that I have in mind, but I have not yet managed to talk with them properly."

"Isidor, do you think there is a man or a lady in this world that would refuse your request?"

"Hm…why are you so nosy?"

Isidor smiled vaguely as he remembered Princess Deborah, cold eyes, and opened his mouth.

"For now. The prize for winning the game is that we must go to this place and observe what happens."

Isidor wrote the place and time on a note.

"What's this? A fact finding meeting?"

"Ahh, I heard about this!

It's the incident that William Lemont has been making a fuss about lately...it seems that Princess Deborah has gotten in trouble again."

"Princess Deborah is really hard to deal with."

"She is the same as ever."

"Well, it's not for nothing that she is Seymour's black sheep."

"Hahaha...apparently we have a drama unfolding here, between one that uses her divine powers to help others without payment and one that makes a mess and gets in trouble. They are both Philap's women, so we can compare them."

As Isidor listened to their conversation he smiled coldly.

"Don't be so quick to judge something. No one knows what is really going on until it's all revealed, right?"

He said in a low voice, while his emerald-like eyes shined coldly.

................................