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Chapter 09 …
After the “black magic rampage incident,” the department tour for new officials was suspended.
All new recruits were ordered to remain at home until the situation was understood.
But Seimous Finley (grape-head) and I were summoned into the imperial palace…….
We were called to the First Conference Room of the Imperial Palace.
Not only the high-ranking officials from the new recruit orientation, but even higher-ranking people were present.
In other words, ministers…….
‘There’s a bottom-feeder of the ecosystem mixed into a place where all the big shots are gathered?’
I want to run away immediately!
‘More importantly, this didn’t happen in the original story, right?’
The heroine going berserk?
The three of us were detained in the palace for inspection.
Finley and I were questioned about the incident details, while the heroine was being examined for her physical condition.
‘Director Theodore must be with the heroine giving her medicine.’
At this point, they were probably checking whether any remnants of black magic remained, or whether there would be any aftereffects.
‘……Is the heroine okay?’
She hates black magic—what if she was affected by it herself?
Wouldn’t her pride be cracked and she’d be suffering?
‘I should go visit her afterward.’
But why has Finley been staring at me so intensely since earlier?
“Pinley.”
“…….”
“You’ve got something to say to me?”
“You’re the one who has something to say to me, don’t you?”
Damn it.
After discovering the “black magic core,” Finley looked like he wanted to crush me with his gaze alone.
Given the situation, I avoided answering on the spot.
‘I don’t even know the answer—how am I supposed to explain it?’
But I needed to avoid that gaze, so I decided to change the subject.
“That’s right. I do have something to say to you.”
“Then how—”
“Thanks for helping me back then.”
“……What?”
“You know, you grabbed me and saved me.”
To be precise, he grabbed my collar and saved me.
My neck still felt sore, but thanks to him, my face didn’t get crushed.
So take my gratitude and leave me alone, you bastard.
“I should’ve thanked you earlier. Sorry, Finley. It’s all thanks to you!”
“I’m not trying to hear that—”
“Oh, you’re quite modest.”
“You—!”
Just as his voice rose—
A person of even higher authority than anyone else in the room spoke.
“It is truly regrettable that we have gathered for such an unfortunate incident.”
It was Prime Minister Ruella Halifax.
Looking at the middle-aged female official with her snow-white hair neatly styled, I realized something again.
‘The imperial family really has weak authority here…….’
Not a single imperial faction member was present.
The Prime Minister Halifax spoke to Director Theodore.
“Sir Wordsworth, what is the condition of Yuriana Crosswell now?”
“Neither of them have external injuries. However, we judged it difficult to bring her to a place like this.”
“I see. But to think she used black magic…… What kind of resentment could she possibly have?”
“Ahem. According to Crosswell’s testimony—”
The director cleared his throat.
“She said it may have been due to the heavy pressure she felt from the second inspection team.”
“Which team is that?”
At that moment, Allison Capless stood up.
Her face was pale, but her expression was firm.
“I deeply regret Crosswell’s testimony, Your Excellency. However, I only taught her the basics and did nothing beyond that.”
The director looked troubled at her confident rebuttal.
“Team Leader Capless, excuse me, but Crosswell’s testimony states that your verbal abuse was quite—”
“I also find Crosswell’s testimony regrettable. However, that recruit was unstable from the very beginning.”
What.
‘What is she even talking about?’
Allison continued shamelessly.
“And just because a superior makes remarks, does it make sense to develop malicious intent strong enough to be tempted by black magic?”
Murmurs spread through the room.
“She’s right.”
“I heard Crosswell was top-ranked—what a disappointment.”
“Did she falsify her psychological evaluation?”
“Was she involved with black magic from the beginning……?”
The room grew eerily silent.
If involvement with black magic was confirmed, it was grounds for execution.
‘That damn bitch.’
I gritted my teeth.
No matter how unfavorable things were, was she seriously trying to get someone killed?
‘I have to speak up.’
I had to say that Allison’s statements had crossed the line.
‘Ah, but I have zero evidence!’
Finley was watching me clutch my forehead and groan.
Then he suddenly stood up without making a sound and raised his hand boldly.
All eyes in the room turned toward us.
“May I speak?”
“You are……?”
“Seimous Finley, from the same group as Crosswell.”
“Hm. Finley. What do you want to say?”
“Team Leader Capless’s statements are not reasonable.”
“Hmm? What do you mean?”
“It is not valid to claim she was unstable from the beginning.”
“Haha, I understand your desire to defend a colleague, but—”
Finley raised a skull bracelet.
“My artifact can be used for attack…… and for recording.”
He pressed the skull, and a clear recording echoed through the room.
—“I can’t believe you even complain about desk costs. Oh? Are you hurt? Then I’m sorry.”
—“Ah, no.”
—“Right? You people only understand if you’re told directly.”
From the first day we began the inspection team training.
—“You joined the civil service just to marry well and live comfortably, pretending to be kind……”
From right before today’s incident exploded……
All of Allison’s verbal abuse filled the conference room.
An uncomfortable silence fell over the room.
The insults were not only directed at Yuriana.
‘Some of them were directed at me too.’
—“Trying to show off your work experience, huh?”
—“Thank you for the compliment.”
—“Well, you probably did a lot of odd jobs since you’re from an orphanage.”
I had only responded casually, but from a third-party perspective, the comments were horrific.
Coughs echoed from all around.
“Cough.”
“Oh my goodness.”
“I’ve heard rumors, but…… hm.”
Allison’s lips trembled with rage.
She probably never expected Finley—the one she left alone—to strike back with magic.
But I didn’t expect it either.
‘Seriously, Finley.’
No, from now on I should call him properly.
‘Seimous! You really are a male lead candidate!’
I stood up, fueled by the atmosphere.
Allison glared at me, shaking with anger.
“I am also Layla Lowell, from the same team as Crosswell. Everything Finley presented here is true!”
“You—!”
“Crosswell was not unstable from the beginning! From the very first day of the inspection training, she was subjected to verbal abuse—”
“This is slander! That artifact is fake too!”
Allison shouted at the crowd, her face red.
“Which testimony will you believe?! Even if I lack power, I am still in charge of protocol—!”
But a deep male voice cut in.
As the male lead sitting in front of us stood up, all attention immediately shifted toward him.
“Team Leader Capless’s testimony lacks credibility.”
“Lord Lupesque?! What are you saying—”
“When the black magic went out of control, Team Leader Capless shoved Lowell, who was trying to take shelter inside the building.”
“That… that was an accident!”
“However, she made no attempt to open the door again to rescue him.”
“……!”
“I personally witnessed and testify to that.”
The gazes toward Allison turned as cold as Siberia.
Prime Minister Halifax sighed and tapped the armrest.
“Sigh… enough. This discussion has strayed too far from the agenda.”
“Excuse me, Your Excellency.”
“Enough, Lord Lupesque. More importantly, where is your superior……?”
At that moment, the conference room door opened.
“I apologize for being late.”
Who is the owner of that voice, dripping with elegance and ease?
‘Huh? Could that person be……?’
Isn’t that the mastermind from the original story?
