I Obtained the Final Boss' Power

Chapter 78 : Four Years Later (4)

Four Years Later (4)

'Are you asking if I want to attend school?'

Upon hearing those words, the squad members all had question marks appear over their heads.

Of course, it wasn't because they didn't know what a school was.

Roughly, it was a place where kids of similar age received education together.

They'd imagined such a place called school since long ago.

But what did it mean to ask if they wanted to attend that place they'd always thought they'd never be able to go?

That was related to the information Louis had obtained from the casino this time.

"A school? Young master, is that really true?"

The one most excited upon hearing those words was Pram.

"We can really go there?"

Always hating anything gross and preferring to dress up, she was the most girlish among them.

With her highly extroverted personality, Pram, who enjoyed communicating with others, couldn't help but be interested in a place like school.

"According to the information Louis got, it's absolutely not a lie."

Sitting in the command room of the special task force, Kelian explained the information Louis had brought in.

The casino where rumors circulated of sightings of the Crown Prince and demonkin.

First, the intelligence squad infiltrated as customers and skimmed through visitor records and ledgers.

That place was not simply a gambling house for casino games.

It was a place that managed money obtained illegally by various nobles and helped them use it for shady dealings.

Thanks to that, there was a flood of lawbreakers entering as customers, and in exchange for their money, talented individuals were introduced to nobles.

'But they didn't just make introductions.'

The casino held countless artifacts.

The manager, Mond, had an artifact that manipulated gravity, so the other artifacts were likely to have various abilities as well.

According to the list the intelligence squad obtained, some artifacts bestowed blessings, not just for attacks.

Criminals would receive those blessings, then go to serve under the nobles.

'It's kind of like handing out buffs.'

And Louis was able to hear it directly from the manager, Mond.

He said the young man suspected to be the Crown Prince, along with several people accompanying him, had come to receive the artifact's buff.

According to Mond, he was convinced it was indeed the Crown Prince, but since he treated any paying customer the same, he didn't care about identities.

That was how he always ended up helping people he shouldn't get involved with.

"So the Crown Prince really was there. But what does this have to do with going to school?"

"Listen until the end."

Kelian continued his explanation.

The blessing the Crown Prince and his companions received was not simply an enhancement.

In fact, it was an effect far removed from the usual notion of a blessing.

What they gained was the ability to alter age and appearance.

"You mean they changed their faces? There are probably plenty of artifacts that could make them stronger, so why bother with that...."

"I know! They got tired of hiding all the time, so they wanted to change their looks and start over with a new life!"

Simon interjected, saying it was essentially cosmetic surgery and an identity reset.

Kelian nodded, as if agreeing the logic made sense.

"For a wanted man like the Crown Prince, that's certainly the best choice. But if he was going to do it, he should've done it from the start. I wonder why he waited four years to do it now."

If he was going to assume a new identity, he should have done so earlier.

If he'd prepared from the beginning, he wouldn't have had to live in hiding until now.

"But there's one more thing they created while changing their identities. That is: an admission certificate."

An admission certificate.

The moment they heard that, they instantly understood something.

"So, could it be...?"

"That's right. The reason they belatedly changed identities was in order to infiltrate a certain place as students."

To become students, it was essential to fake their ages.

Changing faces was a given, but all their physical characteristics had to be overhauled as well.

By the time they used an artifact at the casino to change their bodies, they would already be someone else entirely.

'That's why the rumors about seeing the Crown Prince were never confirmed—because the person had suddenly changed.'

Still, for Louis, the fact that those people were still alive was quite surprising.

Despite having lost that infamous Great Devil, they'd managed to keep running away.

He wondered if there was an organization supporting them from behind.

A group like a dark magic society, for example.

"But why is the Crown Prince trying to become a student now? He already graduated from the famous academy in the empire."

When Rozen asked, Louis answered.

"The manager didn't tell me that much. But do you want to know something funny? The place they're trying to enroll in under false identities—turns out it's that very academy."

In short, the Crown Prince was trying to attend the same school again.

Hearing that, the squad members all clicked their tongues in disbelief.

"That's petty. He already learned everything there is to learn, and now he wants more?"

"He'll hog the top spot in the whole school again."

"He was already rotten from the moment he made a pact with a demon."

As the squad members started chattering, Louis clapped her hands to bring order.

Then he raised another suspicious point.

"But apparently there are five people around the Crown Prince. Logically, they must be the 'Saber' who always follow him, but I killed one of them a while ago, so there should only be four left."

Was his name Garce?

Louis still remembered, as he was the one who stuffed him inside (killed him).

With him gone, there couldn't possibly be five Sabers.

"Maybe they found a new one?"

"Or maybe we shouldn't assume there are only Sabers in the Crown Prince's group."

Pram and Victor's words made sense.

But based on what was heard from Mond, there was no doubt—they were unmistakably the Sabers.

There were only four Sabers, but there was one more person with them.

Mond said that this last person was thoroughly disguised with a mask and a hood.

"And, besides, the Crown Prince can't even manifest magic or sword energy. Surely, he himself knows that a failure like that can't survive at the academy. Isn't that right, Silia?"

Kelian asked Silia, who was standing and listening nearby.

She was also a graduate of the academy and knew the environment well.

"I know it very well. Once it's revealed there that you have some shameful past or come from a poor family, your school life might as well be over."

Fortunately, nothing like that ever happened to Silia during her school years.

The problem was, after she graduated, it did happen to her younger brother.

"So does that mean only nobles can go to that school?"

"No, it wasn't always like that. Even back when I attended, anyone with enough talent could get in, even commoners."

If one's talent was recognized, there were no legal issues with admission.

The problem was the nobles, who looked down on those of lower status having the same rights as them as students.

"Students of lower family rank have to be porters for those of higher rank. Somewhere along the way, that strange culture took root in the academy. And surprise, surprise—that started during the Crown Prince's years there."

If he hadn't made a pact with a demon, the Crown Prince would never have stood out.

Talented people were destined to be objects of his envy.

Especially poor, yet gifted types.

The Crown Prince was said—according to His Majesty—to harbor a pathological hatred for such talents.

That's likely why he fostered that culture.

"No one can sneak in carelessly to a place with that kind of culture. Raise your hand if you want to volunteer."

They needed to uncover the Crown Prince and his subordinates hiding in the academy.

That meant some squad members had to slip in as students.

"Squad leader, how about me?"

Pram raised her hand meekly.

She seemed to be making a polite request, but actually, she was overflowing with curiosity to experience school at least once.

Silia noticed this right away and drew a line.

"No. That's not a place for you to indulge your interests."

"But do we really have to enroll undercover? Why not just show our tattoo, declare the academy seized, and search everything outright?"

Just as Louis bulldozed his way through at the casino—why not do the same here?

Pram argued there was no need to infiltrate, but that was impossible.

"If we storm in like that, the Crown Prince will sense danger and flee. Or worse, he might use the situation against us."

"...."

"Besides, that's not just a place for the empire's heirs—people from the neighboring Holy Nation often enroll there as well. And naturally, there are many teachers dispatched from there too. If we rashly reveal our tattoo in front of them, it could develop into a diplomatic issue."

The special task force's authority was virtually identical to His Majesty's word.

It was ultimate power, but they needed to wield it with regard to time and place.

"When you draw your sword and charge, your prey always runs away. If you want to catch your target, you have to act covertly."

When Silia said this, Pram and the squad members fell quiet.

In the end, they had to select members to infiltrate.

"First, Pram. The only magic you can use is dark magic, right? Like I said, there are also students from the Holy Nation there."

"Yes...."

Pram was out.

Having a dark mage like Pram enroll would be like a moth plunging into fire.

"And you guys too..."

"...."

Victor, Simon, and Rozen were also eliminated.

The powers they used would be considered unpleasant in the Holy Nation as well.

"So that means..."

Rio was the only one left.

In truth, Rio was the biggest problem.

Among the squad members, she used the most obviously heretical Blood Sword Technique.

At that moment, Rio suddenly drew her sword and cloaked it in aura.

Normally, the Blood Sword Technique's aura would be red, but surprisingly, this time it was a gray aura.

Silia was shocked and asked,

"How did you do that?"

"I finally managed to control my strength."

Rio had spent the last four years in repeated battles and effort.

Unlike before, when she recklessly used the Blood Sword Technique in every fight, she could now completely conceal it.

So Rio alone had passed.

"Will the young master be going with you?"

When Rio asked, Silia confirmed it.

As long as he didn't use the power of the Chaos Dragon, Louis was in the same situation as Rio.

"And I'll be infiltrating too. I have to be by your young master's side to keep him from going on a rampage."

Silia was also part of the infiltration group.

Without her, Louis's infiltration wouldn't have been possible.

"Lucky Rio. You get to experience school life."

Envious, the rejected Pram voiced her regrets, while Rio tilted her head.

"What's school life?"

Not knowing anything, Rio received a friendly explanation about school from Pram.

As Rio finally understood what school was, an uncharacteristic brightness appeared on her previously calm face.

School was a place full of friends. And those friends would be rivals to fight.

Realizing this, Rio's sword trembled with excitement.

"Looking forward to it?"

"Yes!"

Pram, not knowing what Rio was really thinking, gazed at her fondly.

****

In the empire's southeastern region, near the demon realm, there was a village managed by a young lord.

Lord Permann Dexter looked coldly at a maid collapsed on the floor.

"Clean it up quickly."

"I'm sorry...."

The maid began wiping up the spilled tea on the floor with a cloth.

From the maid outfit, anyone could tell she was a maid, but her voice was strangely out of place.

At the moment when Permann Dexter was about to burst out laughing at that voice—

"A guest has arrived, my lord."

With a knock, a knight entered with the guest.

As soon as he saw the guest, Permann broke into a broad smile and approached him.

"Have you been well?"

"Lord Louis! What brings you here...?"

Permann Dexter.

He was a young lord who had once been manipulated by the demon Armon.

After Louis purged Armon and his followers that day, they had maintained an amicable relationship for the past four years.

"If you'd told me in advance you were coming, I'd have prepared a more proper welcome."

"That's all right. I actually have a special favor to ask."

"Please, anything—just say the word."

To enroll in the academy, a noble status was required.

In the end, Louis would have to be listed as the heir of some family.

There was no one for that except the Dexter family.

"Eek!"

At that moment, the maid wiping the floor glanced shyly at Louis.

Louis smiled gently as she looked at the maid.

"How's life as a maid treating you, Rejir?"

At those words, the maid burst into tears.

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=

Oh, it was Rejir who became a eunuch.

【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】