Chapter 382 - Strength That Doesn't Fear the Unknown
Even if our situation had returned to near square one, changes still existed. And the changes were continuing.
Broadly speaking, this whole mess was a conflict between Berleeza and its enemies. The reality was a bit more complex than a simple binary split, but the traitors and those who held others back were particularly troublesome, and stabilizing our own foundation was essential for victory.
As it happened, we in Kikyou-kai were being dragged right into the thick of it.
Moreover, we were being targeted by internal factions in Berleeza due to power struggles, and we seemed to be targeted as enemies by forces from outside the continent as well. It's a real pain being so popular.
I didn't give a damn about who was in which faction or what they were thinking, but I was certain that those who had fought and lost against us were in for a rough time. The corrupt nobles would have it the worst. It was their own fault and they didn't deserve any sympathy. Those people would be chased down by the Evil Princess, who was famous for her villain-hunting, and Berleeza would see a period of purging and purification. Some would probably self-destruct even without a final push. Let them be cornered more and more.
However, from the reports I received, it seemed the purging of corrupt nobles entrusted to the Evil Princess hadn't been carried out yet, perhaps because they were still gathering evidence or making backroom deals. Even so, something must be progressing.
In such a situation, a letter was delivered to the hotel where Gradena was staying. It was from one of the corrupt nobles destined for a purge.
"What exactly does it say?"
"This."
Since I happened to be outside after school, I visited the hotel near the academy without asking for details beforehand. Predicting the contents from Gradena's attitude, I read through the letter. And I was completely exasperated.
"...An apology, now?"
"Yeah, exactly what I was thinking. What a joke. Should we just crush them ourselves before the Evil Princess gets her hands on them?"
It was from one of the nobles believed to have supported Badu Lot. Once that underworld organization was crushed, those who supported them would naturally have felt a lot of pressure. I didn't think the Berleeza Intelligence Department had made it public that they'd captured Badu Lot, but unless they were complete idiots, they'd always be aware of the situation around them. Especially if they had something to hide, they'd always keep an eye on dangerous organizations.
And if they knew our Kikyou-kai had fought Badu Lot and survived as if it were nothing, they'd be able to take a guess. They'd probably know that several nobles had been crushed in the struggle, too. Even if they didn't know the details of what had happened, they could imagine. No one would be naive enough to think they wouldn't be affected. Everyone must be desperately trying to save themselves in their own way.
The writer of the letter might not know that the Intelligence Department or the Evil Princess were closing in, but they must be afraid of when our Kikyou-kai would attack. Hence the apology. Our infamy had become quite well-known after the incident with the Medek-Legisarmo Empire.
"By the way, it was Count Cleados, right? You helped him once when he was attacked in this hotel."
"Yeah. What about it?"
"Apparently, that Count is spreading rumors about us. I heard it at the Mercenary Guild, but he's talking about Kikyou-kai's track record and your fighting style. I haven't confirmed it, but the mercenaries hired by the Cleados family are supposedly spreading the rumors. The idiot who sent the letter might have heard it."
"Heh, so there was a lead from that side, too."
Count Cleados had been attacked in this hotel. I didn't know the truth, but since an accident that seemed to be Badu Lot's curse had also occurred, the Count seemed to be making moves against hostile factions. One of them was likely to spread rumors about us and see how the enemy would move.
"In any case, an apology now? Like I'd ever forgive them."
"Maybe they think they can talk to fellow villains?"
Even the judgment of hell depends on money?
"If it were just a problem between us and that noble, we might have been able to settle it depending on the conditions... but in this case, even if we forgave them, it wouldn't mean anything."
"They're traitors to Berleeza. To this country, they're worse villains than we are. At least the death of the head of the family is unavoidable."
"Not just the head, but even their relatives won't be spared. They must understand that... which means..."
Why would someone who seemed to have no way to save themselves go to the trouble of apologizing to an evil organization? When I thought about the reason for doing so, only one thing came to mind—or rather, there was only one possibility. Gradena seemed to have thought the same thing.
"Hey now, do they want us to save them?"
"We have no such obligation, and even if we did, it would be impossible. No matter how much influence we have with the Intelligence Department and how many favors we have to call in, there's no way a noble who betrayed the country could be saved. I don't think even if one of the royals intervened, it would be permitted."
It would be difficult even if they had achieved great things. To maintain order, rewards and punishments must be strictly administered. Berleeza wouldn't be soft in order to tighten up the messy situation. This was just my own guess as an outsider, but I didn't think it was far off.
"If they can't be saved even if they ask, their only choice is to run... ah, how about that?"
"Helping them escape... indeed, that would be a glimmer of hope. I don't think they'd think it would be easy, though."
"Land routes would be difficult, but this city is a port city. If they can stow away, wouldn't Rigaheim be an option? And Exembra is a perfect place to hide."
Rigaheim was the port town our Kikyou-kai had taken over. If they had us on their side and could reach that far, the probability of being saved would be higher. Once we escorted them to the chaotic and densely populated Exembra, it was as good as a success. We could not only provide a place to sleep, but we also had influence in the administrative districts, so we could provide them with a suitable identity and name, and their face and form could be changed with magic tools. Even if they were wanted in Berleeza, they probably wouldn't be found even with a simple disguise once they were as far as Exembra. They could even start over as a different person.
Truly, even the judgment of hell depends on money. They could redo their lives.
"If that's the case, they're being ridiculous. No, I'm probably overthinking it."
All the letter said was that they wanted to apologize. It didn't say anything about intervening or helping them escape. Well, the fact that they wanted to apologize was so out of place that it was creepy... If I were to guess, that noble might have just been dragged in or had only a slight involvement, or something like that. But from our perspective, we didn't care about their circumstances. Moreover, if we saved them, it would be an act of defiance against Berleeza. I couldn't think of any reason to save them that much, no matter how much I thought about it.
"What are you going to do, Yukari? It might be best to just ignore a letter like this, but I'm getting a bit curious."
It might be reasonable to ignore it, but you never know what someone who's cornered might do. It might be better to just listen to them face-to-face and if they say something stupid, just beat them up on the spot and hand them over to the Intelligence Department.
"I am curious. By the way, how are we supposed to reply?"
"The messenger said he'd come to pick me up tonight. He specified dinner time, so if I don't decline the invitation, it'll probably be over a meal."
"An invitation to dinner at a time like this? They seem to have some room to spare. Fine, I'm not going, but you go and see them."
"You're not going, Yukari? This might turn out to be an interesting development, though."
I knew that. It also felt like a trap. It's always fun to crush a meticulously prepared trap.
"I have club instruction at night, so I can't go. Besides, I don't want to be suspiciously doubted, so I'll tell the Intelligence Department about this. We have no obligation to them, and given the situation, I can't be worrying about being a snitch."
Since it wasn't a big deal yet, I intended to just tell them via communication and be done with it. If they asked for a face-to-face talk, I might have to go there.
"True, we don't owe them anything. Alright, then. I'm starting to look forward to seeing what kind of apology they'll offer."
The usual mood. Jumping into the enemy's den and crushing whatever happens to win. Usually, that would be fine, but I felt like my blind left eye was warning me to be cautious.
"Gradena, go fully equipped. Use a set of gear for extreme combat, and if something unexpected happens, prioritize escaping. Heidi and her team are busy, so I can't have them dragged into such trivial matters."
"It's not a big enough deal to have the Intelligence Bureau investigate, so that's fine, but you want me to bring extreme combat gear?"
"Look at me. If your combat power were to drop as well, that would be the worst. It doesn't hurt to be prepared."
"Got it. Fine, if that's what happens, it'll be interesting. If it turns out to be just an apology after all that, it'll be a real let-down."
It might turn out to be a funny story that we were fully equipped and on guard against someone who just wanted to apologize. But it was much better than regretting a lack of preparation. I left the rest to her and returned to the academy while telling the Intelligence Department about the situation via communication as I'd declared.
Fortunately, I didn't get a troublesome call-back, and when I returned to the academy where the club activities were still lively, I was struck by the high energy of the Magic Doll Club. The fact that they were working hard even without their advisor showed their commitment. I felt a great sense of satisfaction as an instructor. Seeing the timing, President Harmyra announced a break and approached me.
"Welcome back, Professor. How was it?"
"Your prediction seems to have been correct. Those people from the powerhouse schools knew about the rule changes. Their level of proficiency didn't look like something they'd just started practicing recently."
I'd gone scouting other schools before stopping by Gradena's.
"If that's your assessment, then there's no doubt. But even if we've found that out..."
"Right, there's nothing we can do. The side that makes the rules is just that strong. Remember that."
"I don't like it, but I understand. Besides, no matter how the situation changes, I don't intend to lose."
"You've got the right idea. There's no reason to be discouraged."
I'd be disappointed if they were dejected by this. You can't be a champion unless you have a mentality that can enjoy adversity. If the President who leads the club is like this, then it's fine.
"But Professor. I can handle the matches at the training ground and the increase in numbers, but I still really don't like the format of four teams fighting at once."
"What about it?"
"If they make an agreement beforehand, wouldn't it be possible for three teams to gang up on the strongest one?"
That's something anyone would think of first. The rulebook didn't say you couldn't cooperate, and even if it did, there's no way to know if they'd made an agreement beforehand. Coincidences can happen, and it's a standard tactic to use the movements of other teams. Even without an agreement, you could easily be pincered. If you were to call every such thing 'unfair,' you wouldn't be able to have a match. That's probably why it's not in the rulebook, and a joint operation must be quite difficult to pull off. It's definitely not an easy option.
"Coordination between different teams is possible, but even if you think they're your allies, they might betray you during the match. Surely. Imagine every possible situation and devise countermeasures and offensive strategies. I'll give you advice later, but first, think for yourselves. Well, Curly is good at scheming, so you can spend a day on a strategy meeting with her at the center. If you're going to do it, think of a strategy so wicked that students from other schools can't even imagine it."
If the members think of a strategy using their own heads, they'll have a high level of understanding and it'll be easy to pass on to future generations. As an advisor, I thought it was just right to point out the weak points and make them think again and again. After all, I'm more of a muscle-brain type, so I'm not good at thinking of detailed strategies. If I make them think, they'll come up with something better.
"I'll think about it, but I can't help but imagine the worst-case scenario. If three teams gang up on us, we might end up in a numerical disadvantage of one hundred and fifty against twenty-five..."
Our club members hadn't increased yet, and there were still twenty-five. I heard there was a prospect of a few more joining, but it seemed difficult to increase to the maximum of fifty.
A strategy is usually devised to avoid the worst-case scenario beforehand, but you have to think of what to do if you do fall into it. If you don't have the power to overwhelm an overwhelming majority head-on, you have to think of a way to move using the terrain and make use of the one magic tool you can bring in. There must be a strategy that uses the numbers against them.
"Harmyra, you're being soft. The true worst-case scenario is falling into an even worse situation that you hadn't even imagined. There are other elements that can make things worse besides numbers, aren't there? But if you can think of those, you can also use them against the enemy. Heh, you could say that the victory will be decided by how wicked a strategy you can think of and whether you can put it into practice. It's interesting."
No, the more I thought about it, the more interesting it was. The Magic Doll battles on the indoor stage weren't bad, but the new version seemed like it could lead to unexpected developments. It seemed like there could be a lot of drama with the agreements and betrayals between schools. I was starting to want to know who had proposed such a bold rule change and with what intent. Maybe the resurgence of St. Emeralda Girls' Academy had triggered this, and I'd like to investigate when I get the chance.
"...The worst beyond the worst, huh?"
"Everyone, think about it. Now, strategy is important, but individual skill is also crucial. Get back to practice."
"Yes, ma'am! Everyone, the break is over! Next—"
Perhaps because of their youth and enthusiasm, they were improving at a tremendous rate. I wondered if their individual skills were already at a level where they could be the main players even in a powerhouse school. After that, it was indeed strategy. Strategy would be the key to victory and defeat. Think, think; just attacking or just defending is no good. Being passive is even worse. Ideally, you should have several strategies that are both proactive and involve both offense and defense, depending on the situation. Maybe I'm aiming too high.