Chapter 287

Chapter 287 – A Grueling Wait

The first rays of morning light began to bleed across the horizon.

Aster completed his meditative breathing cycle and parted his eyelids.

Chirp, chirp. Chiiiirp…

No. 1, having flown to the ledge in anticipation of its morning meal, blinked sleepily while smoothing out its plumage. Aster observed the creature briefly, then tightly balled his hand into a fist before letting it relax.

Physical capability was not directly tied to the condition of his internal mana pathways, yet checking it in this manner had become an ingrained routine.

And.

‘…It will suffice.’

The lingering effects of his internal trauma had not vanished entirely, but he possessed more than enough strength to utilize his techniques effectively.

Setting that aside.

“So that was the nature of the Second Prince’s plot.”

A handful of days had elapsed since he established his pact with the Third Princess.

She had deployed every available asset to trail the Second Prince’s operations, ultimately unearthing a pair of distinct targets.

The primary objective was the removal of Principal Schubertz, thereby fracturing the alliance connecting the Third Princess to Muspellun.

That aspect of the plan Aster had already foreseen.

However.

A solitary point of confusion had persisted throughout his calculations.

‘Toppling the Principal is logical. But… what follows? Is that not an incomplete strategy?’

In what manner did the Second Prince intend to shield himself from the retribution of Senior Muspellun?

This question had remained a prominent riddle for Aster, until the data delivered by the Third Princess shed light on the matter.

What, then, was the countermeasure engineered to offset Duke Muspellun’s wrath?

‘…Obern.’

Indeed. The answer lay with Obern.

By gaining total jurisdiction over the institution, he intended to seize authority over Obern, utilizing that influence to keep Muspellun Senior restrained.

Naturally, certain details remained vague.

Namely, the exact method by which he would anchor Obern to the academy, or how such confinement would yield leverage against Muspellun Senior.

Yet, after weighing these details briefly, Aster dismissed them from his mind.

He concluded that the Second Prince possessed his own calculated methods and deemed it unnecessary to investigate further.

Any complications beyond this point belonged solely to the Second Prince and would not alter Aster’s intended course of action.

The critical factor now was the impending escalation.

• The faction aligned with the Second Prince has altered their patterns. The moment is drawing near.

Bellrose had arrived at Aster’s quarters the previous evening to relay the latest intelligence on their operations, casually probing about his readiness during the exchange.

How much more time did he require before taking action?

Though Bellrose maintained a calm facade, her features betrayed a restless anxiety she was unable to completely mask.

Her concern was justified—Aster had refrained from making any significant gestures since the day their pact was sealed.

She harbored fears that their strategy had encountered an obstacle, particularly given the absolute certainty he had displayed when proposing the partnership.

But.

Unbeknownst to Bellrose, Aster’s foundational arrangements were moving forward without interruption.

He had thoroughly eliminated every remaining Salvatium operative embedded within the institution, and to safeguard against unforeseen variables, he had routinely journeyed to the second Black-White Slums to guarantee the support of dependable allies.

Concurrently, he dedicated himself to the restoration of his physical health.

‘The groundwork is virtually complete…’

The solitary task remaining was to bide his time until the optimal window appeared.

And yet.

“Ha. Truly…”

Aster let out a soft, amused grunt and shifted his head from side to side.

No matter how frequently he reviewed the situation, the cover identity adopted by that hidden Salvatium operative was profoundly ridiculous.

Still, because of that choice, his own path forward had been rendered far less complicated—perhaps gratitude was in order.

At any rate.

Aster allowed his eyes to drift shut, letting his thoughts wander through his past motivations.

‘I preferred tranquility.’

His true desire had been to navigate his remaining time as a scholar without drawing attention, continuing thus until his departure from the institution.

To involve himself only minimally, feign ignorance whenever it proved convenient, and slip away without fanfare.

Aster remained convinced that such a quiet existence was his sole aspiration regarding the academy.

It had been his only wish…

Even with Decullan demanding a vast portion of his focus, the royal line and Salvatium were now compounding the pressure—why were they so intent on forcing a confrontation?

“Perhaps this is the true meaning behind the phrase ‘the finest shield is an aggressive advance’?”

There remained a singular reality that the Second Prince and Salvatium failed to comprehend.

A defensive barrier was fully capable of crushing an opponent’s skull.

• Aster, if one examines the sequence of events objectively, did you not instigate this entire chain reaction?

• …?

• Disregarding Salvatium for a moment, Duke Muspellun chose to intervene entirely on your behalf, did he not? Furthermore, the misfortune that befell Professor Pellina occurred as a consequence of…

…

Aster froze, recalling the exchange he had shared with Evelyn as he reinforced his internal determination.

After a brief pause.

“…No. That is entirely incorrect.”

Righteousness and malice.

The distinction between the two was transparent.

Evelyn possessed a voice as manipulative as a serpent’s, perpetually seeking to erode a person’s moral certainty—it was unworthy of further contemplation.

With that final thought, Aster opened his eyes.

‘My mental discipline requires refinement.’

To allow his convictions to waver over such trivial arguments.

“I represent deliverance.”

Precisely as he had served for the ethereal entities and the displaced residents of the Black-White Slums, he would now secure the safety of Professor Pellina and the Principal as well.

His knuckles tingled with anticipation.

Thus, Aster continued his vigil.

The anticipated shift manifested far quicker than anticipated.

The initial strike launched by the Second Prince took the form of a formal grievance penned by the junior faculty members.

To the respected educators and scholars of Jenion Academy. We extend our deepest regrets for the distressing circumstances that compel us to address you. Nevertheless, our allegiance belongs fundamentally to Jenion Academy…

The junior faculty, pushed to their limits by the ongoing inquiries, traversed the expansive campus grounds to affix broadsheets to the walls.

The text on these notices was packed with elaborate phrases designed to project academic integrity, yet the underlying message was straightforward.

1. Jenion Academy was plagued by deep-seated systemic malpractice.

2. The source of that malpractice was Principal Schubertz.

The documents also contained predictable expressions of self-pity, claiming they “possessed no alternative but to remain quiet despite their awareness, crushed beneath the weight of authority,” though they offered no concrete proof.

Setting validity aside, the allegations were volatile enough to destabilize the campus community.

Bellrose sought out Aster immediately following the appearance of the broadsheets.

“Aster, is our moment still distant? If this continues…”

Yet Aster simply shook his head in refusal.

The sole response Bellrose received was a brief declaration: “Not at this moment.”

An entire day passed under this tension.

The second strike arrived via a public admission of guilt from a long-serving faculty member.

Though I have been surrounded by corruption, the moral clarity of my younger peers has restored sight to these failing eyes. Burdened by my own disgrace, I offer this confession. This ancient frame…

A venerable scholar, professing to have been stirred by the junior faculty’s protest against institutional coercion.

It presented a heartwarming narrative of an academic who had surrendered the idealism of his youth to the cynicism of old age, only to reclaim it through the earnest declarations of his younger counterparts.

An undeniably moving spectacle.

Naturally, the actual truth shared no resemblance to this public display… but it proved sufficient to deeply sway the collective mindset of the populace.

For this reason, Bellrose returned to Aster’s side before the conclusion of the following day.

“…Aster.”

Once more, Aster gave a gentle, negative motion of his head. His declaration remained identical to his previous statement.

Left with no other recourse, Bellrose could only observe the worsening scenario while her inner composure crumbled to ash.

She felt a desperate urge to intervene independently if required, but because Aster retained the critical asset necessary for victory, she found herself entirely constrained.

Following the initial confession of the elder scholar, a succession of other educators stepped forward to offer their own emotional declarations in rapid succession.

The core of their assertions mirrored the elderly scholar’s account perfectly.

The intimidation exerted by Principal Schubertz…

…Principal Schubertz’s actions…

I recognized the injustice, yet his administrative power…

The collective sentiment of the campus erupted into outrage.

Even the factions that had maintained doubt during the publication of the initial grievance now altered their stance, openly directing vitriol at the name of Principal Schubertz.

Should the situation persist, public condemnation alone—independent of any formal verdict—could guarantee not merely his removal, but his absolute ruin.

As the waves of condemnation expanded beyond containment, Bellrose pressed her teeth against her lip, her internal dread multiplying.

“Your Highness, should we perhaps initiate our own response?”

In response to Altex’s inquiry, Bellrose closed her eyes tightly.

To advance this strategy to its current stage, Bellrose had surrendered an immense toll.

She had concealed the extent of the damage from Aster, but the majority of the covert assets she had cultivated beyond the Second Prince’s awareness had been neutralized.

…And after such losses, was it all destined to culminate in total failure?

What of the individuals who had willingly surrendered their existence to secure her position?

• For Your Highness, I offer this solitary existence without hesitation.

• I have anticipated an occasion such as this. If this minor life can provide assistance, I give it freely…

The final statements they composed prior to embarking on their final directives remained nestled securely against her chest. Altex had attempted to shield her from the documents, but she had demanded to hold them.

And yet, despite everything…

“…Your Highness?”

Bellrose gradually parted her eyelids as Altex spoke her title.

“This form of mine… remains fundamentally helpless.”

In that precise moment, a sudden clarity washed over Bellrose.

She had harbored the belief that she had independently raised her weapon, but in reality, it was Aster who commanded the blade.

She had merely assumed ownership because the trajectory of the weapon corresponded with her own objectives.

But.

“…We will maintain our vigil.”

“However…”

“This is not an act of surrendering control to Aster. It is simply a matter of remaining steadfast in our initial determination.”

The ultimate consequence of taking action would mirror this choice regardless.

Yet the internal transformation would be completely distinct.

Rather than passively permitting another to dictate her path, she would assert her own agency by embracing this course as a destiny she had deliberately selected.

Acknowledging the heavy bundle of correspondence resting against her chest, a piercing clarity returned to Bellrose’s eyes.

“I state this definitively for the final time. We will wait. Sir Altex, verify the status of our assets. I will hear no further debate.”

Altex blinked in surprise at the uncompromising authority displayed by the Third Princess.

‘In what manner…’

The quality of the light within her gaze had shifted entirely.

The vulnerable, gentle demeanor of her past self had vanished—replaced by an unyielding, authoritative presence.

It was faint, yet it was undeniably the gaze of a true ruler.

“…According to your will.”

Adhering to his obligations as a loyal subordinate, Altex offered a deep bow and exited the space.

Left entirely to herself within the chamber.

Bellrose drifted into deep contemplation.

‘Maintain faith.’

This was not a matter of placing her confidence in Aster.

It was a matter of maintaining confidence in her own judgment—the judgment that had led her to select Aster.

Yet it was more than simple confidence.

“…”

Bellrose analyzed the situation in silence. The details of Aster’s strategy paraded through her mind.

Along with its projected resolution.

“…A singular component remains absent.”

This endeavor extended far beyond the basic salvation of Schubertz.

It concerned the method by which she would permanently shatter the restriction the Second Prince had maintained over her existence for an eternity.

In that very heartbeat, the dormant inheritance of her Aderian bloodline stirred to life.

And so the hours marched forward.

The administrative inquiry reached its termination.

The final declarations were devastating.

Twenty-seven educators faced immediate termination after their illicit activities were validated.

Every individual among them had preserved alliances with Principal Schubertz, counting Professor Pellina and Parun among their ranks.

The final judgments regarding their fates remained undecided, but having been stripped of office under such profound public ignominy, their prospects within the scholarly community were shattered.

Furthermore, precisely as anticipated, Principal Schubertz was declared culpable.

His mandated sentence…

• Confinement and labor at Kuhulon Fortress.

Frontline penal service along the western boundary plagued by monsters.

Naturally, considering the magnitude of his capabilities, his internal mana would not be suppressed. The state derived far greater utility from his power under those terms.

Consequently, a fragile, worn carriage bore the diminished figure of Principal Schubertz away toward Kuhulon Fortress.

At that identical juncture.

Within the expansive courtyard fronting Sage’s Hall, where the institutional staff and the entire student body had assembled.

[…We shall now commence the installation ceremony for the 103rd Principal of Jenion Academy.]

Yorbi, the junior faculty member from the M3 division who had aligned himself earliest with the Second Prince, spoke the proclamation with a countenance flush with triumph.

Third Princess Bellrose directed her gaze toward the raised platform with eyes that had grown frigid and detached.

It was in that precise instant that a whisper brushed against her ear.

“Begin your preparations.”

The agonizing period of waiting had reached its conclusion.