*Unedited

” There is no need to use unusable chess pieces. ”

Guta grinned.
Spinel nodded, controlling his face to not reveal any confusion at Guta’s words. Satisfied, Guta smirked as he slowly said.

” Well then, your last job. I’m relying on you. ”
” As you command. ”

With that sentence, mana swirled around Spinel and he disappeared from the room. Within the next few minutes, even the remaining mana had dispersed and the only one left in the Emperor’s private room was Guta. Adjusting his posture, he reached for the bell and shook it violently.

Things to throw, things to remain and things to add to his hand. Looking at everything, he wondered which how would he gain a profit and how would he make a loss. This all depend on his ability. Guta smirked to himself and looked outside the window. Another 2 months and the scenery would be dyed white. Even the forest and the the gra.s.s-covered plains.

What Guta wished for was for the country and his people to thrive and only that.

Spinel felt like cursing and yet despite that, felt refreshed.

What should he do. It was his dream to die while while on a mission. That was what it meant to be a Shadow. It was a job that rob people of their lives so he should lay his own life on the line as well.

He had came a long way by doing that. He knew what he was doing and his logic was deemed wrong by the common sense of this world. Having said that, he had never once thought he was wrong. Which was why he place his life for this mission too. Rather, he was happy he got to live and die as a Shadow.

But, what about Spinel himself?
He had never hold his life dear but he had this out-of-place feeling that he could never erased and it had acc.u.mulated into irritation. He wondered why he felt that way.

As a chess piece for his owner, he think that the best way was to used his life as a smokescreen to keep the enemy away from his owner. If that will make his owner happy, he had fulfilled his job perfectly.

But then why?

In the end, he can’t accept it.
Was this really the best way? Was there no other methods?
Had the enemy already knew this much?

No, that’s not it. It’s simpler.

He could not comprehend it. Even if he did saw it with his own eyes.
………..The enemy’s power.
He could not accept Williams Beryl’s power. He do not believed it. It shouldn’t be like this.

He swallowed his words. If he were to say it out loud, his pride as a Shadow would be totally lost.

” How troublesome…. ”

…..Even if he died, it might not work against the enemy. He gave a small laugh and stood up to prepare. The human that the perfect Shadow (human) was about to confront was a monster unimaginable.

His owner should know about it.

In the dark room, only Spinel’s mocking laughed remained.

” …..Is the development for the Demon Forest is prohibited? ”

The long black hair. The strangely s.e.xy sigh.

” That’s right. I haven’t taught you about that, did I? ”

Yes, the one standing in front of us was John-Sensei. Possessing a muscular body despite being a scholar, a super ikemen despite his level of intellect, long silky hair and gla.s.ses, a super ‘S’ person.

He was the enemy of all men.
By the way, me included. But his only saving grace was that he was married to his research.

That hidden meaning of ‘you knew about it despite me not teaching you’ in his words only made it difficult to answer. Of course I knew about it. I learned about geography in the previous world. But even so, John-Sensei should be fired for ‘neglect of duty’ for not teaching me!

….. Was something I could never say out loud so I only glared at the map, mumbling under my breath.

I am currently at the research lab in the castle. Why am I here?

It’s a long story but by some twist and turns I ended up here. Eh? You won’t understand if I don’t explain the twist and turns? Hmm. it can’t be help. I’ll explain so listen up.

….ah, who the heck am I talking to.

On the day Caralsdoni was captured, I was extremely irritated at myself after hearing Buu-san’s story.

So I had decided. Attacking is the best defense.

If I stayed like this, waiting for the enemy to attack, it just look like I am inviting them to come. They had the upper-hand.

The point I am making was, I am going to crush them. For Zirco, he was worried about civilians being injured.
For me……..yep.

I shall show them the consequences for raising a hand against the people I loved. Eh? No matter the reason, a murder is a crime you say? I said nothing about killing. Although I don’t agree with your reason, I did not particularly thought about killing.

Shall I do it then?

And my smile when I was thinking about these things made Buu-san shiver.

……Tee-hee.

Okay, enough with the jokes. The enemy was someone who used the Shadows and even summoned beast like Abi and, even if the security was laxer at the May festival, managed to released them at the heavily guarded Academy and caused people to get injured. There was no need to stay silent and watch them throw their weight around any longer.

Get them before they do anything. For the nation’s sake, we could only move!
……Although I am bearing a personal grudge as well.

Which was why I am investigating along with with Black Knights-san. I shall a.s.sume it’s my imagination that I heard someone saying I am abusing my social status. Yep. It was not like the rest saw it as the son of Beryl hopping on to the investigation just to play at being a detective. Nope, no one saw it that way.

Oh well.

I too, asked Zirco-san’s for his authority and name and got myself approved for having top-notch spy-techniques as ascertained by former Shadows, Buu-san and Bibinyaru-san. This is the result of all the sneaking around I did when I was young. Wonderful.

I really do have the talent for spying.

Th, things like society….. like school….hm, yea… I don’t know. I am not worried about being seen like I am playing truant just because I cannot revealed the reason. I am not afraid of Selphy’s scornful eyes. I am also not sad about missing the lesson today on how to handle summoned beasts. My summoned beast Shiro had experience so all I need to do was to ask Senpai. I am not afraid of Varino-Sensei icy att.i.tude too. Not a bit. No, I am not trembling.

…..Actually, all I need was to take the test at August for grade-skipping and all thanks to a certain someone, there was no worry about the contents of the test.

Hm? ……I kinda feel cold….

” Will? ”

Lost in my thoughts, a kind and gentle smiling face appeared right in front of me.

” No, nothing. I am sorry, please continue. ”

This person could definitely read my mind. John-Sensei, after so long, I still fear you.

” But why the sudden topic about the Demon Forest? ”

As if he could sense my feelings of regret, John-Sensei returned back to the topic without skipping a beat.

” I am looking for a remote, isolated place. Since we are certain that the Shadows were involved, we are looking for their base. ”
” Sorry for not being of use. ”

Buu-san said sorrowfully, looking like he shrank in front of Zirco-san. Looking at the 2 of them, John-Sensei folded his arms.

” I see. ”

Oh yes, you should had know it by now but this is John-Sensei’s research lab. During the 2 years when I am in the Academy, John-Sensei went back to the court and continued his research. After being recognized as a scholar of the Duke cla.s.s, he got promoted from the professor’s a.s.sistant to a professor at once. Ah, congratulations on your promotion.

Anyway, the King should have his reason for doing do. But the main reason should be that he was a well-rounded scholar well-versed in magic circles, mathematics, history, geography and also 1 of the people who knew the truth about the incident 3 year ago.

Head of the Intelligence Corps, Ziroco-san, wanted advice on the recent information as well as the history and geography of it and also about the Shadows. But as the information about the incident 3 years ago was cla.s.sified, it can’t be told to normal court scholars. The only one that fulfilled all conditions was John-Sensei.

Of course, we would need the help of the 2 former Shadows too. By the way, Bibinyaru-san was being introduced as a normal merchant just in case if there were complains, at least one of them would not be affected. The populace was terrifying at times.

” I got the gist of it. The Academy was under attack and although Will defeated Abi, it caused Caralsdoni-San and even his girl friend to be pulled into the mess and got injured. Which is why he is looking for the Shadow’s base. I see.. ”

You definitely was not ‘seeing’! The words ‘why is Will poking his nose into this?’ written all over your face! But I won’t back down on this. I am a man too, I do have my pride!

Staring at Sensei timidly, he then gave a snort of laughter.

Uuuuuhhh…..This super ‘S’!

It had been some time since we met so I had forgotten about it but this was the kind of person he was. Thankfully, in the presence of Zirco, he did tone it down a bit. But his next sentence caught me.

” I am kidding, Will. You must be asked along by that person over there. He is a person that would use anyone that could be used. ”

He called Zirco ‘that person’…! Shocking! Too shocking! Could it be they knew each other? Do they? Do they??

Noticing my gaze, Zirco laughed wryly.

” …….I had his help a couple of times. ”

….Ohhh.

My face at that time should be showing a dumbfounded expression. It seem like there was no ‘normal’ with John-Sensei.

” You think the the Demon Forest of the East had the best place for the Shadows to build their base, am I right? ”

John-Sensei put his gla.s.ses on. I admired how he looked like he just transformed. For normal people like me, we would simply looking like we’re wearing gla.s.ses.

” …..Will. ”

Ah, somehow his gaze was warm.

” Yes… ”
” Only you would say such crazy things. ”
” Yes… ”

Sighing for some reason, John-Sensei looked around the bookshelves before pulling a volume out. The book was locked with a mana-recognizing lock.

Woah, cla.s.sified indeed!

The lock opened easily when John-Sensei poured his mana in. If anyone other then John-Sensei tried to open it, the pages would then stick together and the book can’t be opened. On the spine of the book, 《ジョーン魔力認証式開閉》[TN: John Maryoku ninshoshiki kaihen, open and close by John’s mana/magic] was written.
……It was me who taught him how to write that though.

So he was using it in this manner. I am impressed by his way of thinking. As expected of a scholar. Once again, I am reminded of how amazing John-Sensei was.

――――If you raise a hand against the Demon Forests, calamity would befall you――――

This was a superst.i.tion known not only in Elzmu, but throughout the whole world. I interpreted it as a huge disaster had once happened in the past, maybe like a landslide, and this was pa.s.s down to prevent it from happening again. But even so, with that ominous sounding warning, no one in their right mind would want to developed the forest. Plus, magic exist in this world so it was normal to believe that warning.

Which was why it would make a perfect hiding place. John-Sensei then looked at me with that warm gaze again.

” Impossible. ”

…..Ah, okay.