Chapter 360 - A Noble Girl's Fight
A few days have passed since my meeting with the intelligence officer in the underground bar, and things remain quiet. It is a brief moment of peace in the shadows of Berlyza.
However, small troubles always find a way to manifest.
In the high-security Student Council building, I found myself in the same meeting room as before, listening to a student’s problems. This, too, was part of my job as a life guidance instructor.
"Extorted by a former member of the Blue Coats? Isn't that just you getting what you deserved?"
"That may be true, but it is in the past!"
"The past? You mean the bad things you were doing until just the other day, right? The other side doesn't think it's in the past."
What’s done cannot be undone. It follows you everywhere. That is exactly why one shouldn't engage in bad deeds so lightly.
Though, I’m hardly one to talk.
"Could you not at least help us?!"
She was a piece of work, acting so high and mighty despite asking for help, especially since she’d looked down on me as an enemy until recently. She was apparently the Student Council Treasurer.
The other council members gathered there seemed equally worried about the threat, as it could easily happen to any of them. Yeah, they’re right; it’s definitely not someone else’s problem.
"He’s a former member, right? That means he’s currently separated from power. Why not just threaten him back? President Cleados-san, you should use your influence."
If the opponent was a former Blue Coat, the current ones might still feel a sense of camaraderie, so they weren't ideal for consultation.
Furthermore, because the cause was their own wrongdoing, it was hard to talk to their parents or relatives. Their only hope was to use the connections they usually bought with money. They’d have to be careful, but they should just do what they’d always done.
"Did you not say it yourself, Instructor? We have severed ties with such scoundrels. We no longer have those connections."
"Don't play with me, Ruth Cleados-san. You aren't serious, are you?"
"...However, I believe that if we use connections that move for money, we will simply repeat the same cycle."
Villains always want to have leverage over the wealthy and powerful.
It seemed they’d learned that even if they intended to use scoundrels for their own convenience, that itself could become a weakness, or they could get dragged into unexpected trouble. Their consultation with me was the result of that lesson.
Indeed, as a great villain myself, I had nothing to gain by threatening these kids. If I truly wanted to threaten someone, I’d go directly for their wealthy and powerful parents. I might use the children as a point of entry, but I had no use for the children themselves.
I’d told the President to consult me if she had trouble, and she’d apparently taken me at my word.
"At least you're making progress by not trying to solve the problem through short-sighted means. Fine, I’ll help, but it won't be for free. I’ll do it on the condition that you steer the academy toward being more law-abiding."
"On a condition?"
"If it were an internal academy matter, that would be one thing, but this is me cleaning up your mess. My goal is the restoration of public discipline in the academy. If you cooperate with that, I’ll lend you my strength."
The Student Council’s influence was even larger than I’d initially thought. To achieve Mission One—the restoration of discipline—their cooperation was essential.
I already had a significant favor owed to me, so I’d add this incident’s resolution as a condition for a formal promise. Yes, this is the perfect opportunity to bring it up.
"Restoration of discipline... If the Student Council takes the lead, it is certainly possible."
"A slogan in name only won't satisfy me. Create the systems and structures for it. With the Student Council’s power, you can do it, right? If you promise that much, I’ll help."
The students held a discussion for several minutes right in front of me before reaching a conclusion.
"The St. Esmeralda’s Girls' Academy Student Council promises to build a system aimed at the restoration of public discipline."
"I won't forgive you if you lie."
"We understand that we cannot deceive Instructor Evilbanshee."
"Lord Ruth, the direction is good, but how exactly do you intend to proceed?"
"We shall think of that now."
I couldn't quite shake the feeling that this President was shady. I wondered what she was thinking.
Well, as long as she promised.
"Good. As members of the Student Council, I expect you to create a good system. Just be prepared for the consequences if you betray me. Now, give me the details on the guy threatening you. And specifically, what is he using as leverage?"
"Well, it’s regarding connections with gangs and the minor cover-up of some small misdeeds..."
"How petty. You should just ignore something like that."
"We cannot do that! Even if it spreads only as a rumor, there’s no telling how deep people will dig!"
What a hopeless bunch. Still, it really was a petty threat.
It might be worth considering a different approach. It would be a pain if they came to me every time something happened, and it wouldn't be good for them either. Perhaps I should try something that also serves as instruction.
"...Hmm. I could solve this easily, but if you're noble daughters, you should be able to handle this kind of trouble yourselves. I’ll teach you how, so try doing it on your own. I’ll personally have your backs this time."
"Have our backs... and what is this method?"
"Your way of doing things is too simple. That’s why you fail. Normally your families would teach you this, but... perhaps you're meant to learn for yourselves while at the academy."
Come to think of it, normal families wouldn't usually teach their children how to clean up after their own misdeeds from such a young age.
"If you would teach us, then by all means."
"I am very interested in seeing Instructor Evilbanshee’s methods."
One by one, positive voices rose from the council members.
Good, I like the enthusiasm. Then, as an academy instructor, I shall teach you. I leaned back in my chair and began the lecture.
"Listen up. First, the absolute basic: you must know your enemy well. Is he truly acting alone? Is there someone he’s working with? Or is there someone pulling the strings from behind? You must prepare so you can respond even if the enemy isn't alone."
The Treasurer, who was being threatened, looked as if she’d been caught off guard. An ex-Blue Coat extorting a girl was a petty crime, but it was premature to assume it was a solo act. Starting with a small provocation and then using it for something else was a common tactic for villains.
"Next, discover their true objective. Even if they demand money, that might not be the real goal. If it’s an amount you can cover with your pocket money, that’s one thing, but if the demand is large, you'll have to find a way to get it, right? Whether it’s through debt or selling your belongings, there’s a possibility that making you do that is the real aim. Or perhaps they offer a solution other than money, dragging you into some terrible crime. Anything is possible."
Even if it truly was a petty threat for petty cash, if they succeeded once, they’d repeat it indefinitely. It would never end after just one time.
Giving in to a threat means committing to endless demands. It’s a swamp. You have to reject it firmly from the start.
At worst, the enemy might brag to others that they’ve found a good cash cow. If that happens, villains will swarm all over you, and your secrets will be common knowledge.
Even if it’s a petty demand from a petty person, you must refuse to accept it and thoroughly crush them into a specific pattern.
People with standing must fight back to prevent others from taking advantage of them. To do that, you must know your enemy intimately.
"A record of the enemy’s relationships and financial status is essential. You should be able to investigate everything with your pocket money and connections, right?"
"Yes. But wouldn't the act of investigating itself be suspicious?"
Naturally. It seemed that after getting burned, they were finally able to think things through.
"It is suspicious. Anyone you hire to investigate will also want insurance. They'll always be curious about why they're investigating, whether for their own future leverage or for their business. That’s why you must prevent them from narrowing down the target. If you're hiring someone random to investigate, give them multiple names, including some irrelevant ones. And of course, don't request it yourselves or through someone close; have it done through a different intermediary."
Someone who threatens a noble isn't afraid of nobles, so ideally, you’d want a backer other than your family. A backer that makes the enemy realize, If I threaten this person, this terrifying individual will come after me.
In short, it would be easiest to hire someone like me, but finding a backer who can be a deterrent and is also willing to talk isn't easy. That’s why things get complicated.
Even for gathering information, it’s troublesome if you don't have someone you can trust.
There’s a risk in using someone hired with money, and it costs a lot to do a thorough investigation. But for these wealthy girls, money isn't an issue, and they have to accept some degree of risk.
"Once you have information, the next step is action. Again, you cannot move directly."
"We hire other people to do it, then."
"If you don't want it traced back to you, be more thorough. If you investigate the enemy well, you should find plenty of new information. If they're a habitual criminal, whether an individual or an organization, you can imagine they have many enemies, right? Or even if they don't have enemies now, there should be someone who could be their enemy. Always."
"The enemy of my enemy is my friend, then?"
Not exactly. Making them an ally brings the potential for more trouble.
It’s best if you can eliminate the enemy without anyone knowing and without ever appearing on the surface yourself.
"No, you move the enemy’s enemy to finish them off. You set it up that way. If there isn't anyone you can easily manipulate, then grab someone else’s weakness and feed it to your enemy. The important thing is to have someone else whose weakness you hold do the work. The setup is a pain, but that’s why it’s hard to get caught. If you're truly serious about being cautious, don't skimp on money or effort. Be so roundabout that others can't even imagine it."
Because you are people of standing, you must be cautious in your fights. Noble daughters have no need for tales of bravado.
"Your weakness is that you start fights with people you barely know, looking down on them and jumping the gun. That might work against small fry, but you won't be able to compete with equals or superiors if you're unprepared. Unless you have some kind of 'power' to recover, you should focus on staying ahead in terms of information. Well, I’ll praise you for consulting me before doing anything reckless this time."
They’d apparently made progress after suffering once.
Besides, there’s no point in fighting someone you can't beat. They don't fight just for the sake of it, and these girls aren't running a business where their reputation is on the line. Learning when to retreat is also important. There shouldn't be many situations where students have to fight a battle they can't back down from.
That’s why gathering information is critical. It determines if you can win or not, and you must determine from the start how to end the extortion. If you can envision the end, you just have to make a plan to get there.
The council members began a serious discussion about which of their respective connections they should use.
Now then, I’ll just pray they do it well.
As I stood up, the formerly aggressive girls gave me looks of uncertainty.
"I told you I’d have your backs. If it doesn't go well, tell me. I’ll delete them."
The world wouldn't care if a scoundrel extorting a girl and a few of his associates vanished. Even if someone was curious, I wouldn't leave any traces that could lead to the truth.
"How would you do that?"
"It’s none of your business. But consider it a last resort. I’ll be watching to see if you can solve it yourselves."
I spoke casually and finally left.
'Deleting' was a word with a very literal, ominous meaning. Making a human being vanish without a trace was different from simply killing them, and it wasn't easy even in a world with magic. It had to be done without anyone knowing.
By speaking coldly, I could make these kids imagine the terror of an existence like mine. It would be a good lesson for them to know that there are people they must never make an enemy of.
I’d say the chances of it being my turn were fifty-fifty. They were the Student Council, which until recently had been doing whatever they wanted as pseudo-villains. If I provoked them, they should show some backbone.
Like noble daughters, reject the problem with dignity. I’ll expect at least that much from them.
--- A few days later. I received word from the Student Council that the problem had been resolved.
Fortunately, the enemy had no allies or background connections, so things proceeded easily.
The former Blue Coat was drowning in debt and had been desperately extorting people all over, earning him a fair share of resentment. He was a typically pathetic criminal and an easy target. If they struggled with someone like that, they’d have a hard time for the rest of their lives.
Be more cautious, more malicious, and more shrouded in darkness. Have multiple layers of insurance, anticipate unexpected failures, and prepare multiple plans for any situation.
If you want to survive power struggles in noble society, that should be second nature. Especially if you're getting your hands dirty, you need even more caution and preparation.
I suspect the struggle to eat or be eaten is even more intense than in the underworld. Being a noble really is hard work.