Chapter 88: Volume 6 - CH 84

The High Mentor, accompanied by his chief secretary, ascended to the royal castle Strahltraun. The castle, which is famous as a symbol of Ares along with the Chalk Tower of the Academy of the Wise, stands on a small hill in the center of the city and commands a panoramic view of the vast cityscape. The many slopes are especially hard on an old man, but High Mentor Graham Coogan is able to walk well with a cane, despite his age. He is physically robust for his age, having made a name for himself as an adventurer in his younger days.

「Sorry for the delay.」

Stepping into the Senate chamber, the High Mentor first noticed that the nobles in the room were looking rather difficult. The discussion on how to deal with the heroes who had conquered the 『Labyrinth of No Return』 earlier had not yet reached a conclusion, and moreover, today's emergency summons had come at a time when the Senate was still amid its deliberations. They must have been exhausted.

「Ohhh, High Mentor. Have the academy been able to grasp what happened?」

He rubbed his chin and twisted his head at the question of one of the marquis.

「I can only guess. To what extent is the Senate aware of the situation?」

「All we know is that there was an explosion of a tremendous scale in the vicinity of the Dark Green Forest, west of Raid.」

The High Mentor sat down at the designated spot, grumbling to himself, "Is that about it".

Seated at the head of the throne are the current King of Ares, Faisel Kurt Ares, a mature man in his 40s with an imposing physique, a dignified face, and an intimidating presence befitting a king. Although he is recognized as a wise king by those around him, he is notorious in some circles for his cunning and somewhat narrow capacity, which do not match his appearance. He is also known for his unparalleled love of women and is said to have over 100 women in the palace.

Next to the king are the prime minister in charge of internal affairs and the army commander-in-chief, the two men who serve as the king's slaves. The position of High Mentor is next to that of the duke. If it were only in the Senate, the Count of Coogan's family would be even lower, but the position of High Mentor allows him to sit in that seat.

As soon as he took his seat, one of the marquis took a shot at the High Mentor.

「High Mentor! This is troubling, even if you were responsible for the magical tremor in the city the other day, on the Labyrinth of no Return and this time, and if it was the work of a sorcerer belonging to the Academy of the Wise, it would be a matter of responsibility for the Academy of the Wise!」

This marquis belongs to the military and is in a position to govern the security of the city. He would probably want to clarify where the blame lies, given the recent increase in civil unrest due to the frequent occurrence of magical tremors. The High Mentor is completely unperturbed by the accusations and growls as he rubs his luxurious beard.

「...... I have no definite proof, but I do have an idea who might have caused this incident. He is not a member of the academy, so we cannot be held responsible for his actions.」

「Well, what do you have in mind?」

The duke, the military commander-in-chief, shoots a sharp look at High Mentor.

The Academy of the Wise is an institution distinct from the royal family and the Senate of Ares. By its very nature, it is basically expected to remain neutral. Of course, since it is located in Ares, it cannot be completely neutral, and many in the military see it as a thorn in the side. Because of the nature of the Academy of the Wise, research and other activities are rarely made public, and this secrecy is criticized both at home and abroad.

「 An existence that could be a Demon King. Satoru, the "Foreigner," he said that.」

The Senate suddenly became noisy after the High Mentor's words, which he uttered openly and without concealment.

「...... Demon king? Now you're telling me such a fairy tale.」

「The High Mentor is getting old.」

「I wish you would take a hard look at reality.」

Many are mocking words.

You fools ― the High Mentor sighed one sigh. Of course, I'm not saying that I'm not all declining from age, but as far as my head is concerned, I don't intend to become an old geezer yet.

In fact, the High Mentor had not seen Satoru firsthand. He only saw him through the images in the Chalk Tower. However, the fact that Sheryl, who had stubbornly followed the rules since protecting him from trouble, ignored the rules and directly approached him about the matter made him believe that it was something worth believing in. And there is also the fact that Satoru had 【Immortal Family】 lurking in his shadows, as High Mentor founds out because he checked himself directly.

However, this is not a matter that should be spoken of just yet. The Senate will definitely shy away if they hear the name of the 【Immortal Family】. Because the 【Immortal Family】is such a heavy and feared presence.

Suddenly, Sheryl's face flashed through the High Mentor's mind. The girl had lost her fiancée because of this incident. Her father, who had orchestrated her fiancé, would probably be furious, although she didn't seem to care. It was not in the daughter's best interest to be pushed around anymore by her selfish father. The High Mentor looked around the Senate, which was in turmoil, calmly. Waiting for the murmurs to subside, he slowly opened his mouth.

「I will reveal one thing to all of you here.」

He glanced at the king, who had not said a word since the High Mentor entered the room, and then the High Mentor cleared his throat with a single cough.

「The other day, there was a magical tremor in the city, wasn't there? It was not actually me who caused it.」

「......Huh?」

「Perhaps that Satoru is the one who did it. And to add to that, even if I put all my magical power into it, I can't cause that many magical tremors, not by a long shot.」

The murmur grows louder again. It is clearly louder than the previous one.

And that's as it should be. The fact that the High Mentor of the Academy of the Wise, who is supposed to be one of the most powerful beings in this life, cannot cause the previous magical tremor.

「.....S-So you are saying that Satoru has a soul that surpasses that of you, High Mentor?」

The High Mentor nodded gravely with a somewhat reluctant expression at the Prime Minister, who raised a trembling voice.

「I'm having to do a lot of research right now. I can't do anything about it. Satoru's soul probably has higher than Four Holy Dragons...... No, he might have soul more than that Feather Dragons.」

The murmur grew even louder and overwhelmed the floor. There are various voices of skepticism, anger, and confusion.

「Why did you keep it quiet until now!」

「Or rather, why did the owner of that much soul appear so suddenly?」

「You think this Satoru or whatever he is caused the big explosion this time?」

「This is not the work of a human.」

「If he truly has that many soul, that alone will be enough to defeat an army of 10,000 men!」

「You fool!」

A loud exhortation that overwhelmed the others echoed throughout the assembly hall. The High Mentor used the sorcery of 【Echoing Sound】 to utter his voice. The use of sorcery is strictly forbidden in the Senate chamber, but no one would condemn his voice, which was filled with a sense of intimidation.

「That man has dangerous thoughts! If he has the soul to overpower the Feather Dragon, what if he turns against mankind!」

「...... Th-that's」

The military commander-in-chief was speechless. If Feather Dragon were hostile to humans, there would be no way for humans to oppose it. The same would be true even for the Four Holy Dragons, which are considered inferior to the Feather Dragon. What if Satoru really possessed a soul that could overpower the Feather Dragon? There is no chance of winning at all.

The High Mentor put down the heart stone, which had been left in Sheryl's care, and put in with magic power. The image of a tall man and woman appeared.

「This is the image of the man. The woman next to him is supposed to be his subordinate.」

「So the Supreme Imam saw him that way. Therefore, he is a demon king.」

「Indeed. Therefore, as the High Mentor of the Academy of the Wisen, I have decided that this cannot be overlooked, and while I am having the investigation conducted, I have also spoken to the 『Holy Sword Clan』.」

There was a stir in the room.

At the same time, the king, who had remained silent until now, raised his eyebrows.

「The 『Holy Sword Clan』?」

A question is raised by one of the counts. The High Mentor gives a small nod and spoke calmly.

「You all know the myth of creation. In ancient times, a person was said to have defeated the Demon King during a battle between humans and the Demon race. That clan still exists today. They are a clan that sits only when a vessel appears that cannot be dealt with by the nation, and they are not to be involved in any conflicts between nations. Their power is said to split the earth, shatter mountains, and split the sky.」

The assembly room begins to stir again.

「Oh my gosh ......」

「I've never heard of such a clan.」

Despite the commotion from the marquis and below, the King, the Prime Minister, and the three Dukes in command of the army stared at the High Mentor. Information on the Holy Sword's Clan is highly dangerous and is considered the highest secret in each nation, so it is not something that should be spoken of lightly. Nevertheless, the High Mentor spoke of it openly.

The Prime Minister, seeing no choice, explained the situation.

「What I am about to tell you is strictly forbidden. This is a story that is essentially known only to the royal families and the Dukes who are associated with them. There are always those who try to take advantage of those who possess the power of another dimension. About 150 years ago, a kingdom called Yorkor was destroyed in the north.」

The Prime Minister looks around at the entire room.

「That was the work of that clan. The Kingdom broke an agreement and tried to involve the whole country in the conflict, so they were destroyed. A single clan alone can destroy a country that can be called a great power, and that is the 『Holy Sword's Clan』」

The Kingdom of Yorkor was a large nation with a long history, second only to Rothfort, which was dominant in the north. However, 150 years ago, a civil war broke out, and during the war, someone killed the royal family and all the influential nobles, causing chaos in the governance of the nation. The result was the division of the country into several smaller states, and the turmoil has not abated to this day. This is the dark side of history. The nobles are tense.

「So, High Mentor, what is the reply from over there?」

「Right now, the head of the clan is on his way here.」

Grunts of doubt leak out here and there as relief is breathed. Relief is that the existence that confronts the one with tremendous power, Satoru, has accepted it, and doubt is fear of a fearsome existence that once destroyed a great nation at a level that can exterminate such a thing.

There is skepticism among the various voices. That cannot be helped at this point.

Whether it is Satoru, who could be the Demon King or the 『Holy Sword's Clan』, it is a fairy tale level story. It is impossible to say that they should become reality. However, the High Mentor, the Prime Minister, the Commander-in-Chief of the army, and even the King were all looking seriously, so there was an atmosphere in the room that forced them to believe.

King Ares stroked his beard around his mouth. He cast a quizzical glance at the High Mentor.

「Only as an Academy of the Wise, right?」

「...... Indeed」

The High Mentor replied bitterly to the King's question, which had remained silent until now. He was not surprised, for he realized the intention behind the question he had just asked.

「Then, do as you please at the academy. We cannot help you.」

The High Mentor bowed his head deeply as if to spit in his voice. His guts are boiling, though. It is a threat that no matter what happens, the royal family of Ares will not lend a hand. If he was not in a position to owe the royal family personally, he would have expressed his bitterness on his face.

The nobles of the Senate sighed in unison at the King's interference. The King's decision to make such a ruling means that the battle between Satoru and the Academy of the Wise ― and by extension, the Holy Sword's Clan ― is a story that has nothing to do with the country of Ares.

The opportunists - the High Mentor was poisoned in his heart. If the Holy Sword's Clan were defeated, he doesn't think Satoru would be conscientious about the fact that the country of Ares has nothing to do with it. He didn't seem to be able to think about that.

The High Mentor took a deep breath and raised his head.

「There is only one irreversible mistake that I have made, which also concerns the members of the Senate.」

「What is that」

At the King's questioning glance, the High Mentor glanced toward the end of the senate.

「I had enlisted the help of the Baron Dantes' heir apparent, Raymond-sama, in this matter. ......」

A well-dressed middle-aged man sitting at the bottom of the senate chamber, who was out of the corner of his eye, stood up with a clatter. The High Mentor lowered his gaze and let out a somber, strangled voice.

「Probably died as a result of the explosion.」

A rustle and a murmur spread. The middle-aged man who stood up trembled, foam flying from the corners of his mouth, and pointed a finger at the High Mentor.

「What did you say!! You old man, no, this can't be!!」

This is inevitable―the High Mentor muttered to himself. He was probably one of the better ones among the nobles belonging to the Senate, but even so, his opinion of Raymond was not high. But even so, it was natural for a parent to be angry at the death of his own son who shared his blood. But this is the Senate chamber.

「Hold it back, Baron Dantes. It is indeed unfortunate that your son has died, but you cannot call the High Mentor an old man.」

Baron Dantes flinched at the sound of the Prime Minister's voice, then punched the desk in frustration.

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「Uooohhhhh ...... Reymoooonndd ......!」

Baron Dantes' wailing echoed through the chamber. This man, who has the reputation of having risen to power and obtained his title exclusively through the power of money, is not doing very well in the Senate. But, above all, he was probably in shock at the loss of his son, so the rudeness of his emotional outburst in the Senate chamber was overlooked.

「Of course, the academy will offer condolence money.」

That is the best the academy can do. No matter how the Academy of the Wise, the highest school of this world, cannot bring the dead back to life.

「...... the country will also be able to offer condolence money.」

This one was somewhat discouraged, and the King raised his voice. This is not a matter that the country should pay money for. However, if he did not offer condolence money under the circumstances, he would be accused of being stingy. He just avoided that.

Baron Dantes, whether he can hear it or not, is wailing incessantly. It is not a pleasant sight to see a well-dressed middle-aged man weeping in grief.

After a few words of condolence for Raymond and an apology to his father, the High Mentor turns his gaze proudly toward the head of the throne.

「If Satoru and the others are aware that Raymond is a member of the Ares nobility, then the matter will not be limited to the academy alone.」

The eyebrows of the king and his two magical slaves rose and a murmur spread through the senate chamber like a ripple for the umpteenth time. There seemed to be a few people trying to console Baron Dantes, but he wondered how many of them were truly sympathetic to him.

The three leaders of the country look at the High Mentor in a less than friendly manner. This inedible old man is making threats by flickering the possibility that the Demon King Satoru knows that the dead Raymond Dantes has ties to the Ares Senate.

「If I may further add, ......the recent conquer of the 『Labyrinth of No Return』 is believed to be the work of that person.」

Even more, murmurs become loud ripples.

The response to the heroes who conquered the 『Labyrinth of No Return』 had not yet seen its conclusion and was in dispute. If what the High Mentor says is true, this young big man named Satoru is truly a man like a bomb that could cause a tremendous explosion. Is it acceptable to welcome a hero who has achieved a breakthrough through the labyrinth? But if they did, they would have to deal with the Academy of the Wise, which was preparing to fight Satoru with the help of the Holy Sword Clan, a group of unknown and apparently powerful individuals.

The king, with a sullen look on his face, summoned his Prime Minister, the commander-in-chief of the army, and the three Dukes. The High Mentor sits silently and waits for the murmurs and intrigues to end. Not long after, the six men who were in charge of the country left the King's presence and returned to their seats. The Marquises and their subordinates also kept their voices down and turned their attention toward them.

「As a royal family, we cannot send out troops directly.」

「The same goes for the Senate.」

At the declaration of the Prime Minister and one of the Dukes, there was a bang and a loud thumping on the desk. It was coming from the lower part of the senate chamber. The culprit of the sound was Baron Dantes. A middle-aged man with red, swollen eyes shouts like a madman.

「You mean, you want to leave the man who killed my son alone!」

「Calm down, Baron Dantes. I understand your grief, but it is too dangerous for a country to be in the presence of such a dangerous man.」

Gnashing his teeth at the Prime Minister's pronouncement, Baron Dantes stood up from his seat.

「Well, then! I'll do my own thing! I will not be bothered by the Senate!」

「Baron! That doesn't make ......」

「...... No. Do as you please, Baron. But the Senate, not to mention the royal family, will not be able to help you.」

It was the king who interrupted the distressed Prime Minister's voice. Baron Dantes spit it out once and for all without a second thought.

「I don't care!」

「Suit yourself, then.」

The Prime Minister approached the King, casting a contemptuous glance at Baron Dantes, who sat down with a thud, his shoulders drooping, his face covered once again and wailing aloud without speaking.

「...... Your Majesty」

「I knew it. A man who has risen from the ashes is not qualified for a knighthood.」

After muttering a sigh, the King turned his attention to the High Mentor. I will not let a cunning fox do what he wants to the country of Ares, which has risen to be the leader of the 13 city-states. It is a natural thing for a royal family.

Of course, as the High Mentor, this is not the end he wanted. He did not intend to ask for direct help, but if he was told that they would not cooperate in this way, there would be no way to make up for the lack of manpower, and of course, he would not be able to expect any financial support. The High Mentor let out a long, thin sigh.

The Ares royal family and the Senate have decided not to touch the person who caused this incident. The Senate also decided to remain silent on the matter of the hero who conquered the labyrinth, and the issues that had been disturbing the Senate recently were finally put to rest.

＊　＊　＊　＊　＊　＊　＊

After the meeting was safely dispersed, High Mentor Graham Coogan, who was the last one to remain in the chamber where the nobles had left, breathed heavily. His chief secretary stood next to him, looking concerned. After a small chuckle, the High Mentor spilled a small amount of information to his chief secretary as if he were troubled.

「Hmmm... ...... we've come to the end of the line. I wonder if we can expect any help from the state.」

「Some in the Senate are concerned that we, the Academy of the Wise, will become too powerful.」

The High Mentor holds his eyes and shakes his head from side to side.

「It's foolish. We are basically non-interventionists in our country's conflicts, yet we have helped Ares in its crises many times.」

The Academy of the Wise is, by its very nature, required to be neutral. Although it has never openly taken part in wars, it has on numerous occasions lent a hand by providing mercenaries and the like. In one instance, they helped restore the country of Ares, which was on the verge of collapse.

It is undeniable that the Academy of the Wise is the reason why Ares has the largest population and prosperity among the 13 city-states, but many royal families and senators treat the Academy of the Wise as a nuisance.

「So, what happened?」

The High Mentor glanced at the chief secretary, who voiced his concern. This secretary was also busy preparing a medal for a hero who had conquered the 『Labyrinth of No Return』, which was not supposed to appear.

「I cannot go into details. But a man with a soul that could destroy the country caused a huge explosion at the edge of the Dark Green Forest, and the heir apparent of Baron Dantes, who was working at my behest, is dead.」

「......!」

The High Mentor stood up slowly, lightly tapping the arm of the exclaiming chief secretary. His eyes were filled with power.

「We must also consider how to deal with neighboring countries. Call the head of the task force, Maylander, as soon as she returns. We will consider our response.」

The High Mentor left the Strahltraun with surprisingly strong legs, returned to his office in the Chalk Tower, and immediately began handing over his duties. Since things had come to this, he had to complete this matter even at the risk of his own career or death. I have made my way through the Mentors, the Senate, and the royal family of Ares. I will not let them complain.

He even made the chief secretary stop preparing for the commendation. The hero who has conquered the 『Labyrinth of No Return』 will not come forward, so he cannot afford to have them involved in unnecessary matters. He vigorously put together the documents for the handover, signed his own resignation letter at the end, sealed it with beeswax, and put it in the top drawer, at which point a knock sounded.

「Did you summon me?」

It was Sheryl who showed her face. He felts a prick of guilt at having this young, good-looking woman involved in this one incident, even though it was a bad turn of events.

Besides―

「Leave us alone」

「Y-Yes, sir.」

The High Mentor turned his soft gaze on Sheryl as he let the secretary who had called Sheryl down and left the two of them alone.

「I'm sorry to bother you at this busy time. Sheryl, you will stay here for a while.」

「Huh?」

Sheryl was puzzled by the High Mentor's unexpected offer. It is true that now that things have turned out this way, Sheryl's team will be busy, as she herself had announced to her team members, albeit grudgingly. However, it was highly unusual for the High Mentor to directly instruct one of the team leaders to stay overnight.

「I'll send a messenger to Maylander's house. It would be better for you not to return home now. Edward will bark.」

With a jolt, Sheryl's shoulders shook. She did not expect to hear her own father's name mentioned here. And yet, the High Mentor called Sheryl's father by his first name.

「......I'm sorry you had to go through all this trouble.」

「What. It's about my son. It's also about you, my grandchild.」

「...... Grandfather」

Sheryl's expression, which had been so stubborn, finally relaxed.

Yes, that's right. Sheryl's father, Edward, is the son of Graham Coogan. Sheryl is his grandchild. Both Sheryl and Graham knew that work and love were two separate things, so there had never been a problem, but it was an open secret at the academy.

It was Graham who instructed the academy to hire Sheryl, who had nowhere else to go when Edward got into trouble, and this is the reason why Sheryl was able to skip several steps to bring Satoru to the position of High Mentor. When Sheryl was still a young child, Graham once told her a bedtime story about the Holy Sword Clan, and it was against this background that she knew the lore of the Holy Sword Clan, which should have been known only to a small percentage of the people who could run the country.

Not as the High Mentor and the leader of a team, but as grandfather and grandchild, Graham turned his gaze with tenderness toward his beloved grandchild.

「Even without the father-son relationship, Edward is a plague. For Sheryl and for me.」

「.........」

Sheryl looked troubled. Even though she actually thinks so, it is indeed distressing for her to blame her own father.

「I am sorry for the loss of Raymond-dono, but this is a good opportunity for me to break off my involvement with the Baron Dantes family. Edward will have no choice but to die a slow death. You should no longer have anything to do with him.」

「But ......」

Sheryl interjected with difficulty. If I could do that, I wouldn't be having a hard time, she said.

Graham shook his head from side to side and smiled gently at his sweet grandchild. Even though Sheryl was a child who had not yet come of age when Edward got into irreparable trouble and there was nothing he could do about it, she is now on her own. There is no reason why a daughter who is on her own should have to listen to her father.

「I'll take care of it myself. I have made a lot of moves because he is my son, and it may have been a mistake after all. As a parent, I take responsibility. If anything happens, you can blame the old man.」

Sheryl gasped at Graham's harsh words. She realizes that her grandfather is apparently serious about disengaging herself from her father.

If asked to choose between her grandfather or her father, her answer is clear. She chooses her grandfather. Even though her grandfather seems to be a bit obsessed with his own ideas these days, he is still better than her father, who only thinks of himself.

Graham looked at Sheryl and nodded. From the face of a good-natured old man watching over his grandchild, back to the face of a seamless High Mentor.

「Apart from that. Send one of your trusted team members to the explosion site. On the outer edge.」

「Haa ......」

Sheryl gave a small tilt of her head. Confronting Satoru directly was something she had avoided until now. She doesn't know if Raymond, who had included that in his statement, ignored these orders, but it seems that he made contact and called in that huge explosion. Despite this, what did he mean by asking us to go to the vicinity of the scene of the explosion?

With a grin, the High Mentor pulled out a wand-like object from his desk and placed it on the table.

「Here, hold this.」

「What's this?」

「It was found in a 『Labyrinth of No Return』, and it was called a 『Telescopic Tube』. It's just a tube for seeing things in the distance. It will destroy anything magical, but it is likely to be okay for anything non-magical. There is no magic power in it.」

Sheryl was convinced. The fact that the 【Distant View】 and 【Distant Hearing】 arts were destroyed just before contact was made, while 【Detection】 was not destroyed, suggests that even Satoru is omnipotent. Raymond was able to monitor Satoru's movements to some extent, even if he had to keep his distance. Raymond and his team could not have used surveillance sorcery, which means that if they did not use sorcery and kept a proper distance, there is a high possibility that they would not be noticed. However, there is another aspect to this: Rico's poor health due to her menstruation, and Minerva's nose was difficult to work due to Rico's menstrual bleeding, but there is no way Shery could have known that.

「I see. Then, let's give that person the tablet with the message again.」

「Don't need. I'll leave you a calling stone. I'll give you my prized possession.」

A calling stone is a precious commodity, and a portable type is quite expensive. Sheryl was surprised to learn that even though he was the High Mentor of the Academy of the Wise, he had such a valuable item in his personal possession. The High Mentor, who pulled out a blue stone from a drawer that was one size larger than a heart stone, muttered to himself with an air of heaviness on his face that had never been seen before.

「...... Failure is unforgivable」

For the first time, Sheryl felt fear in her grandfather's face. Graham Coogan, one of the greatest sorcerers living in this world. Appearance and drunkenness did not hold the title of High Mentor of the Academy of the Wise.

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