Chapter 344 - Secrets Make You Want to Expose Them
After retrieving the ring with the tracker, I returned to my dormitory room first. Then, once I had put everything back and prepared, it was time to set out. There was no time to waste tonight.
Alright, time to switch gears. From here on out, I need to focus on stealth. It's not my strong suit, but with some handy tools, I'll give it my best shot.
I left the faculty dorm and headed straight for the Student Dormitory.
From the outside, it seemed like everyone was gathered in my sister's room. I threw a small stone at the window.
Immediately, there was a cautious response, and then the window opened, revealing Violante.
"...It's you, Yukari-san."
I stepped out from my hiding spot and spoke to her in a hushed voice, courtesy of wind magic.
"Sorry to startle you. I'm going to crash your party for a bit."
"Yes. Everyone, Yukari-san is coming in, so keep it down."
"Onee-sama!"
"Valeria, quiet down!"
"Roberta is being noisy too."
It's great to see them all getting along. With this, I'm sure my sister won't get bored during her protection detail.
I jumped in through the wide-open window.
"What brings you here, Onee-sama? I think it would be fine to come in through the front."
"Avoiding being seen can be quite troublesome, you know?"
Sadly, trouble tends to follow me wherever I go.
"True. Everything seems fine on my sister's end."
"Good to hear. No weird vibes so far, right? Your presence must be a great deterrent. Especially with Harriet always around."
"I wouldn't be able to relax if I wasn't here. I’m sorry I’ve made the club activities so inconvenient."
"Not at all. You're a huge help."
Harriet, a deputy in the Security Bureau, is a standout guard recommended by Director Zenobia. Her presence alone makes us feel much safer. However, drawing too much attention by being overly vigilant on campus isn't ideal. It's perfect that Harriet and my sister are friendly.
"I want to rejoin the Magic Doll Club too."
"No can do, Valeria. We can't just join and leave clubs on a whim."
"I didn’t expect you to become the advisor, Yukari-san. If we had known, we might have joined the club too..."
Valeria, Roberta, and Violante were recruited into the Drama Club as a group. They're all cute and well-trained, which is why they caught attention. Being exchange students also added to their popularity. Regardless, this kind of experience is invaluable and can't be had at Exembra.
"I encouraged you to be more active in student life, so feel free to enjoy club activities. You don’t have to leave the campus often for club activities. Plus, my appointment as advisor was sudden, so it's understandable. Enjoy the Drama Club. Speaking of which, I have a bit to do, so I’ll cut this short."
"What’s up? Planning an assault?"
"Something like that, but I’m going to sneak into the Student Council Building."
"That place? Layla mentioned that they have a very strict security system. Do you plan to force your way in?"
For them, who have been at the academy for a long time, this sudden move must seem odd. I need to explain. I told them about the events in the city earlier.
"Trailing, ambush, and the involvement of the Bluecoats, followed by a raid on the Phantom Thief Guild... They’re certainly keeping busy."
"This isn’t just about others, sister. Your enemies won’t stay quiet. There’s a chance Anastasia Union is involved with the ruffians. We don’t know how everything connects."
"That’s why we need to shake things up. We need to uncover the truth bit by bit."
"True, Onee-sama. You’re right. We can’t interrogate students, so the Student Council Building is a good target. If we get caught, they might keep it quiet if they’re hiding secrets. The security level is abnormal."
With everyone’s understanding, it’s time to move.
"Keep your communication earpieces on. Monitor the campus and any external intruders. I’m counting on you."
"Yes! We’ll report if anything happens."
"Roberta, use your illusion magic to make me invisible. I need to be completely hidden."
"Am I coming with you?"
"It’s easier to move alone. Plus, you wouldn't be able to bypass Layla’s traps, right?"
"Ah, I’ll pass."
I’ll use the information Layla gathered to help. Even if I get caught, I won’t be identified.
It might even be better to intentionally get caught after finding the secret and make a dramatic escape. It would put psychological pressure on them.
"Alright, let’s go. Roberta."
"Ready!"
Roberta’s illusion magic took effect, making me nearly invisible. Even if I stood still, I could blend into the scenery. With my presence and mana suppressed, only someone with a very sharp sense or special abilities would notice me.
"Good. Contact me immediately if anything changes. I’ll be back."
"Safe travels, Onee-sama."
With my sister’s encouragement, I leaped out the window and headed straight for the Student Council Building.
It’s a relief not to have to divide my attention. Allies are essential.
---
I’m looking for secrets.
If there’s something truly hidden, the best way is to make it seem like there’s nothing to hide.
If there’s nothing suspicious, no one will be interested.
Some might suspect that something is off because everything seems too perfect, but without a clear starting point, pinpointing the exact issue is quite difficult.
I could openly declare that there are no secrets or deliberately place obvious secrets. I could even place misleading secrets that turn out to be irrelevant.
Or, I could use a decoy to hide the real secrets.
In our Kikyo Society, we often have spies within, and these traps are set up in multiple layers. Sometimes, even as the president, I’m not sure what’s true and what’s not.
Even if you uncover a secret, if it’s unclear whether it’s true or false, it’s no better than a rumor or a tabloid article.
Especially for someone like me, who is often the subject of rumors, I’m used to them. If a scandal were to break, people wouldn’t take it seriously.
If someone points out a real issue, I can always deny it and brush it off as just another rumor.
For a villain like me, doing evil is normal, so any accusations wouldn’t surprise me.
In such a situation, no matter what is said, it wouldn’t cause damage.
Even if the real issue were pointed out, I could always deny it and shrug it off as just another rumor.
Turning to the Student Council of Saint Emeralda Girls' Academy.
The elite academy, where daughters of nobles and major merchants gather, should have no scandals. As a prestigious organization, they should maintain a good public image.
For the noble daughters attending the top academy in the continent, a scandal would be a major event. Normally, power figures would come and crush it.
But I’m not a journalist. I’m more on the side of the authorities, tasked with disciplining the misbehaving students. Even if I uncover their secrets, I don’t plan to do anything about it. If I tried to expose student misconduct, it would be crushed by higher powers. Using it for guidance is sufficient.
"Just because you’re the daughter of a powerful figure, don’t get too cocky. I’m here to teach you a lesson and give you a taste of the real world."
Success in a coddled environment won’t help in the cutthroat world of power struggles. I want to teach them that failure is also a learning experience.
Breaking into the Student Council Building, even for a teacher, would be a daunting task. We’re quite strict, and it’s no joke.
Using illusion magic, I remained invisible as I approached the Student Council Building.
Since the last time Layla tried to break in, the security has been heightened.
Specifically, an additional security device has been installed, and two guards now stand at the entrance at night. The addition of a security device is one thing, but having students patrol the campus at night is unusual.
I’ll show them that all this effort is futile. I’ll teach them a lesson by breaking in and causing a defeat.
I already have a good understanding of the location and effects of the security devices placed in the Student Council Building. Based on Layla’s observations, subsequent investigations, and my own mana sensing, I’m confident I understand about 80% of the setup. It’s impossible to know everything, but this is enough. The rest is a matter of improvisation.
To confirm the invisibility effect, I casually walked past the guards. It worked, so I confidently walked around, observing and sensing mana to gather more information.
I already have a good idea of where things are suspicious. The building is large, like a skyscraper, so searching every corner would be time-consuming. I’ll focus on the areas with the strictest security.
According to rumors, the President’s office is on the top floor, and it’s heavily guarded. However, it seems too obvious to hide secrets there. It might be a trap. Some people might feel insecure unless they can see their secrets, but it’s a tricky situation. This time, I’ll rely on my intuition and target another heavily guarded room.
A quick inspection showed that breaking in anywhere was difficult.
The main entrance is heavily guarded, and there are no other entrances or exits. The windows and walls are fitted with various sensors. If I were to break in, it would trigger an alarm.
The security is so tight that it would be impossible to breach it secretly with just my magic.
However, when people are involved, there’s always a gap. Always.
I gathered as much information as possible from the building’s surroundings and tried to predict the internal situation. Then, I noticed movement.
One of the two guards walked away from his post and headed into the Student Council Building.
An opportunity. I cut off my mana and presence, clinging to the guard from behind like a ghost. It’s amusing that they didn’t notice me, even though I was so close. Oh well.
When the guard used a mana key to open the door, it slid open sideways.
I slipped in unnoticed. Once inside, it’s much easier. The first-floor corridor is used by the guards for various purposes, so there are no restrictions on my movements.
I’ll wait until the guard returns before proceeding.
Alright, now it’s time to head to the basement. If there’s something to hide, it’s often in the basement. I can sense a significant number of security devices there, which makes it clear that something is there.
I found a secret door that seemed to be the entrance to the basement. The poorly disguised magic drew my attention. The wall disguised as a door was the entrance to the basement. It was fortified like a vault, making it highly suspicious.
"A heavily guarded door with a lock... How troublesome."
This door requires both a mana key and a physical key. If I tried to force it open, the internal alarms and traps would likely activate. I’ll spend a bit of time investigating the mechanism.
"Hmm, it seems the internal alarm is deactivated when the lock is properly opened. Forcing it would be a bad idea."
No matter how sturdy the door, I could break it with brute force. However, without considering the consequences, it would be pointless. If I can unlock it carefully, I can obtain the secret covertly. That would be more satisfying. By breaking in this way, I might even create a situation where they wonder how I knew and who betrayed them. It would be a more effective lesson for the spoiled noble girls.
"Fine. It’ll cost me, but I’ll use a tool."
I decided on a plan and took out a large, needle-like magic device from my pouch. By inserting it into the narrow keyhole and channeling mana, the needle would change shape to fit the lock. No matter how complex the lock, this expensive device would do its job. However, once used, it can’t be reused and is essentially disposable. It’s a luxury item that a petty thief couldn’t afford.
The advantage of this device is that I just need to channel mana without thinking. This allows me to focus on bypassing the mana key and the security devices.
This type of door likely requires both a physical key and a mana key. The mana key is similar to the one used at the entrance. This is a weak point. If they used a completely different mechanism, it would be more secure, but they didn’t. I’ve already seen it.
If I understand the flow of mana and the authentication process, I can bypass the authentication and unlock the door with just mana manipulation. With precise mana sensing and manipulation, it’s a straightforward process.
After some time, the physical key was ready, and the mana manipulation was set. It was time to unlock the door.
The lock clicked loudly, but the guards didn’t notice.
"Alright, I’m in."
I gently opened the door and it was smooth sailing from there.
The security devices were deactivated in sync with the lock. I maintained my vigilance as I entered the basement.
A quick inspection revealed that the security devices in the secret room were extraordinary. If they were activated, they could be lethal. They’re far too powerful to be part of the academy’s standard security. They’re highly suspicious.
After descending a spiral staircase to the second basement level, I found myself in a single room.
"This isn’t just a room; it’s a vault."
Shelves along the walls were filled with documents, jewelry, and precious items. Gold bars and coins were piled carelessly on the floor, worth a fortune. Artifacts and powerful magic devices were scattered around.
As expected of the Student Council of the prestigious academy. The variety of treasures here surpasses even our Kikyo Society’s vault.
It’s hard to imagine how they acquired some of these items. The Student Council’s budget is substantial, and they’ve been converting it into tangible assets. Given the wealth of the students, it’s not entirely surprising.
"Heh, you’re still naive."
There’s not enough ingenuity to fool a thief. One of the shelves was frequently moved, leaving marks on the floor.
When I moved the shelf, I found another hidden compartment.
"Of course. You’re hiding something like this."
I picked up a block-shaped, wrapped object. There were several of these blocks pushed into the hidden compartment.
I didn’t need to unwrap it to know what was inside. It was a powder, something I’ve recently been involved with—Ecstasy.
"But that’s not all, is it?"
There were several types of block-shaped, wrapped objects. Not just Ecstasy, but a variety of drugs.
Wait. Didn’t the ruffians Jienko Nigi have their drugs stolen? They might have bought it from someone, but it’s also possible that it was taken from here.
What are these students up to? The Student Council, of all people?