Chapter 160: Disguise VS Disguise
In this academy, anything related to the Night Party is treated with the highest standards.
The Executive Committee is no exception. Whether it's the location or the decor, everything is top-tier.
In the ridiculously spacious room on the third floor of the main lecture hall, the floor was covered with a deep red, high-grade carpet. Wine-red curtains hung on the walls, and a large Victorian-style table and chairs were naturally placed in the center.
There were four seats in total.
And on the main seat, a triangular plaque carved from marble read, [Head of the Executive Committee, Cedric Granville].
A young man was sitting in the seat.
His short stature and slender lines were like a girl's, and his entire body exuded the aura of a high-ranking noble. At this moment, his legs were elegantly crossed, and he was drinking high-grade black tea from an expensive and luxurious porcelain cup. Just from his posture alone, one could feel his nobility.
At this moment, the ancient door was opened, and a girl with twin braids walked in.
Her face was rather plain, not the kind to leave a lasting impression. But on her shoulder perched a pure white dove, which made her somewhat eye-catching.
"You're back, Charlotte. I've been waiting for you for a long time."
Cedric Granville put down his teacup and beckoned to the girl.
She bit her lip, and after a moment's hesitation, she walked forward.
Seeing her so obedient, the young man was extremely pleased and said in a light tone, "I have some pleasant news to tell you. It's about the 'Goddess's Vicar.' It seems he's planning to go and find you."
"——!"
Charlotte's pupils dilated slightly.
Seeing this, the young man let out a light laugh.
Then, he lowered his voice and said with great pleasure, "What a tear-jerkingly beautiful story. The guy who was driven to his wits' end by the Promised Children siblings, and the enemy he will face in the future at the Night Party, are both running around for your sake. You're unexpectedly popular, Miss Tyrant Rex. It really surprises me."
"..."
Hearing such teasing, her shoulders stiffened, and she glared at him without a word.
However—
"You should go."
"...What?"
"You should understand, right? I mean that it's annoying to have those guys running all over the place. I'm sure you find it troublesome too, right? After all, there are less than forty hours left until the appointed time. Because of your foolish mistake, the conditions have become more and more harsh."
The young man's smile was filled with malice.
As expected, he wasn't that kind.
She bit her lip tightly, her gaze darting around, hesitating over what to do.
The young man snickered and helped her make a choice.
Snap—
With a light snap of his fingers, in that instant, the girl's body suddenly changed.
Her hair and skin withered like flower petals, revealing the brilliant colors hidden beneath. Her hair color turned a shining gold, and her skin became fair and dazzling. The white dove perched on her shoulder also turned into a small, steel-colored dragon.
A gorgeous transformation from Cinderella to a princess.
Unfortunately, only Cedric Granville (Alice) saw it.
After a pause, she leaped out of the window, and in mid-air, rode the now-giant dragon, disappearing into the night sky.
To solve Charlotte and Henriette's predicament, for Kobayashi, was a race against time. Although the mastermind behind the scenes (Alice) held the initiative, fortunately, the other party currently only saw him as an insignificant little bug, one that could even be taken out at a necessary moment to be used as another hostage to threaten Charlotte.
So the most urgent task was to find evidence as soon as possible.
—Evidence that the Kingsfort family was involved, or that Charlotte was actually being coerced.
He just hadn't expected the other party to make a move so quickly, and so ruthlessly, catching him somewhat off guard.
The next day, at the long-unvisited cafeteria.
It was still packed with people.
Unfortunately, of the trio that had once been so feared, only he remained. He missed them a little.
"Wait, wait. Don't talk about me as if I'm already dead, okay?"
The other Easterner sitting beside him complained in a low voice with a helpless expression.
Kobayashi looked at him and put on a feigned look of surprise. "Oh my, so you're still alive, Akabane-kun. I thought you had been targeted by someone in this chaotic academy, been taken out, and then thrown in some deserted corner to die quietly."
"...Did you learn that sharp tongue from Miss RyuZU? It's too hurtful."
The corner of Raishin's mouth twitched, and at the same time, he pushed away Yaya, who was saying, "That's right! Raishin can only use my tongue!"
He defended himself to Kobayashi, "Let me make one thing clear. I've been here the whole time. Whether it was the fight with Felix Kingsfort, or the battle with that brother and sister's father, Bronson, or even last night when you were being lovey-dovey with Frey, I was on the scene the whole time."
"A stalker?"
"Of course not!"
"As expected of a hired muscle. Such a good watchdog."
"Thank you for the compliment."
He stared with dead fish eyes, protesting that the other was being too sharp-tongued, his eyes protesting that even if he was angry, he shouldn't take it out on him.
Kobayashi wasn't trying to persecute him. After a few teases, he let him off the hook.
But he was still a little curious.
"Where have you been during this time? You, who are so conspicuous wherever you go, to have no news at all... no matter how I think about it, it's very strange."
"That's because you were acting as my shield. And thanks to you, I've found some good intelligence. It should be of some help to you."
Hearing him say this, the way he looked at Raishin changed.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"No, how should I put it... Akabane-kun, you're like the protagonist's best friend in a gal game. You always disappear when you're not needed and appear when you are, and you always bring good news."
"Are you shameless enough to think of yourself as the protagonist? And this isn't a game. How about you face reality a little?"
"What a sharp retort, Akabane-kun. You're a natural at this."
"It's because I'm always surrounded by people like you."
His flippant attitude made Raishin feel mentally and physically exhausted. If Shouko Karyuusai hadn't commissioned him to gather intelligence and hand it over, he would definitely not have gotten involved in this mess.
"About the intelligence on the Kingsfort family, do you want to..."
"Shh—"
He held an index finger to his lips, interrupting him, and at the same time, signaled for him to prick up his ears and listen to the conversation of the students behind them.
"Hey, have you heard? The one who broke the clock tower was supposedly the Tyrant Rex."
Suddenly hearing this conversation, the two focused their attention on their hearing.
Then, their conversation became undisguised.
"This time, we can't just laugh it off. To provoke the authority of the academy... she should be tied to a stake and burned, right?"
"Even if the Headmaster forgives her, we won't!"
"In the end, the Tyrant Rex (Bellow) really is a villain! If I catch her, I'll definitely make her pay!"
There was no joking attitude in their words. On the contrary, they were filled with strong hostility and a tense atmosphere. A commotion began to stir in the cafeteria, and an indescribable air filled the room.
Someone even began to shout with righteous indignation, speaking up for the "good old boy" from before.
"That Felix would actually kill someone... I still can't quite believe it."
"Let me tell you a secret, but don't you tell anyone else... actually, I also think it's very strange. Didn't the academy refuse the investigation team sent from above before? In other words, this is all the Headmaster's own arbitrary decision."
"If the Tyrant Rex is a villain, then 'Second-to-Last' is also very suspicious..."
BANG!
The chair suddenly made a loud noise. The cafeteria fell silent, and everyone's gaze focused on the ill-mannered fellow.
It was Raishin.
And the people who had been talking about Charlotte all glared at him in silence.
The tense atmosphere gradually rose.
But after Kobayashi picked up his tray and took the initiative to get up and leave, Raishin also put on a nonchalant expression and followed him.
As soon as the two of them stepped out of the cafeteria, a burst of laughter came from inside.
Ignoring the ridicule from behind, he sighed and said, "You were too emotional, Akabane-kun. But I can also understand that you were angry at being misunderstood."
"Well, thank you very much for that."
After his brief outburst, Raishin returned to normal. After all, he was already used to being laughed at.
He, however, frowned slightly.
To deliberately guide the others, to let them know that Charlotte was going to assassinate the Headmaster, while at the same time reversing Felix's previous bad reputation... this was a standard operation that was bound to happen.
It was just that the speed at which it was pushed forward was too fast. It didn't give others time to think at all. It was as if they were forcing Charlotte to kill the Headmaster as soon as possible, while also forcing the other students of the academy to accept that she was the culprit.
—Even though it was the truth.
The two continued to walk.
"Getting back to what we were talking about. The intelligence on the Kingsfort family, do you want to hear it?" Raishin asked.
He said, "Are you trying to say that this matter was orchestrated by the Kingsfort family from behind the scenes, and that Charlotte was just a helpless pawn, a sacrifice?"
"Huh? You knew?"
"This kind of thing... you just have to find a few clues and use your brain a little to figure it out."
Actually, it was just the上帝's perspective.
It was just that he couldn't explain it clearly, so he could only say it this way. But normally, as long as you know who the mastermind is, you can figure out the reason for their actions.
"If you knew, you should have said so earlier! Why did I go through all that trouble to do the dirty work?"
"Don't say that. I appreciate your good intentions."
He soothed Raishin's complaint.
But to be honest, he really hadn't expected him to help. After all, Raishin was the army's hired muscle. He wouldn't help others without an order.
"Forget it." Hearing this, Raishin didn't pursue the matter. He said casually, "If there's anything I can help with, I'll do my part."
"...Wait. There is actually one thing I need your help with."
"What?"
"Accompany me to see someone."
"Who?"
"The Head of the Night Party's Executive Committee, Cedric Granville."
It was very difficult to see the Head of the Executive Committee. Not only because of his high position, but also because he was ranked 10th in the Night Party. As enemies in the Night Party, it was best to meet as little as possible.
However, after the request was made, Cedric had readily agreed to meet with them.
He pushed open the door of the lecture hall.
The slender young man sat with his legs crossed in the main seat. Although his expression was elegant and gentle, his aura was completely different from the barbaric Kobayashi and Raishin.
There was no one else in the room, and no automatons.
"Welcome, Mr. Kobayashi, the 100th-ranked 'Goddess's Vicar,' and Mr. Raishin Akabane, the 50th-ranked 'Second-to-Last'."
The young man held out his hand, gesturing for the two of them to sit wherever they liked.
He frowned inadvertently.
He didn't know if he was being overly sensitive, but Cedric had actually greeted him, who was ranked lower, first. Could it be because he had entered the door first just now?
The two sat down in the two seats on the left.
Cedric personally steeped a fragrant cup of black tea for the two of them. It had to be said that his skills were in no way inferior to those of Darkness, who was also a noble.
He didn't rush to speak, but savored the delicious black tea.
Kobayashi's etiquette had been learned through skill imitation, so it was passably good. But he hadn't expected Raishin to not be like a barbarian and gulp it down either.
As if sensing their gazes, Raishin shrugged and explained, "I have learned these things. I just don't use them much."
"Oh, I forgot you were from a famous and noble family," he said with a chuckle, at the same time secretly observing Cedric's expression.
The other party was also a person who knew of the name "Akabane" and was very interested in the "Blood of the Red Wing." It was impossible for him not to know Raishin... unfortunately, his expression was as perfect as his disguise, and it was impossible to see anything.
After a while longer.
Cedric was the first to speak. "I wonder what business the two of you have here today? If I can be of assistance, I will certainly do my best."
He was very gentle, with none of a strong person's aura, which matched his slender and delicate appearance.
"Actually, we came here today to ask something."
"What is it?"
"Would it cause a public outrage to be lovey-dovey in the Night Party?"
"...Eh?"
Cedric (Alice) was completely stunned. She had already imagined several scenarios, such as whether the Night Party could be postponed, about Charlotte's whereabouts, about who was spreading the rumors... and so on.
She had already thought about how to answer next to increase the fun and make herself more pleased.
She had never thought that he would ask this question, which was completely beyond her expectations.
She only heard him continue, "How should I put this... although the Night Party tacitly allows teaming up, it is a battle, after all. If we were to be lovey-dovey like last night, wouldn't the impression be not so good?"
"It's fine. As long as it complies with the rules of the Night Party, the Executive Committee will not interfere," Cedric said with a smile, giving a clear answer.
"Oh—, that's good, that's good. Then I'm relieved."
He patted his chest in an exaggerated manner, looking relieved, as if this matter was of great significance to him. Then he drank his black tea at his leisure, the smile on his face never leaving.
This appearance made Cedric raise an eyebrow, and at the same time, he probed, "Did you come here just for this, Mr. Kobayashi?"
"Yes! Is there anything else?" he asked strangely in return.
"...Is that so? I had thought you would ask me about Miss Charlotte, since she has committed such a vile act."
"She has committed too many vile acts. How can I possibly keep track of them all?"
"Oh? Then can I assume that you do not care about the vile acts that Miss Charlotte has committed?"
"Of course."
No matter what she said, he was completely indifferent. From his expression alone, it seemed that his relationship with Charlotte was very bad.
But they had been together all this time. How could their relationship be bad? In her eyes, it was a complete case of trying to hide something, a lie that would be broken with a single poke.
Daring to deceive her... he would make him pay the price—the slender young man's smile became wicked. The Kobayashi before her, who was pretending not to care, became a little anxious.
"Hehehe. Is that really the case?"
"...What do you mean?"
"It's nothing, I just wanted to say... look, Miss Charlotte is about to commit another vile act."
He pointed out the window.
ROAR—
As if in deliberate response to him, a very familiar dragon's roar came from the distance.
He turned his head to look. The sound was coming from the ruins of the clock tower.
Through his super-strong vision, he discovered Charlotte, who was riding on the giant dragon, and also saw her target—the Headmaster, who was investigating inside the clock tower, and her younger sister, Henriette, who was running quickly towards the clock tower to try and stop her!
Most importantly, it seemed Charlotte hadn't noticed Henriette's presence. Sigmund was in the posture of preparing to fire a powerful light cannon.
Seeing this, everyone couldn't help but feel a shiver.
Cedric's gloating voice followed, laughing, "Are you really not going to stop this tragedy from happening? That child will die if this goes on—ah, the drama of a sister accidentally killing her younger sister... it's truly sad, isn't it?"
"You...!"
His expression finally changed. Anxious and angry, he was about to make a move on him.
But the slender young man on the main seat was not flustered at all, and even provoked him. "You can make a move on me if you want. I won't fight back. But that child's life will be extinguished. Is that okay with you?"
Even if one pretended not to care, a few words were enough to break them.
Humans are such simple creatures.
"Tsk!"
He clicked his tongue fiercely and turned to step on the windowsill.
Looking at the back of the person who was preparing to go and save others, the girl revealed a triumphant smile. Everything was unfolding just as she had thought. After this, she would surely be even more pleased.
However—
What she didn't see was that he, who had turned his back, also had a triumphant smile on his face.
What you think is what I let you think.
Just like that, let everything be thought to develop just as you wish, and fall into the trap I have arranged.
(End of Chapter)