The new Head of the Council had obviously got to be Councillor Verita.
Everybody else had agreed upon it, and she was to be the first female Head in the Academy's history. Yet no one could go against her, not when she had proven.....
That out of everyone in this Academy, she was the one they could trust the most and could be trusted to speak for the truth, and nothing but the truth.
She was unafraid of going against Perdrix Blanc D'Argent himself, who could have taken away her Mage Focus from her.... or worse.
"I vow with the honor vested by the Grand Headmaster, and all my fellow Councillors...."
She pledged with her right hand raised. "To always keep the Academy's welfare first than myself and others."
"To oversee this prestigious institution with fairness and greatness in mind."
"And to have it soar to the stars as close as it can. Per Aspera Ad Astra."
Ronin narrowed his eyes at two things in the pledge.
The first was the Grand Headmaster. So this person really does exist, and was known by others as well.
But where is he? He was nowhere to be found during the inauguration of the new Council Head.
The second was that slogan again. Per Aspera Ad Astra.
Through aspirations... Through hardships to the stars.
It was a very common and ordinary slogan.....
Yet it still gave him that twinge in his gut whenever he heard it.
He focused on the first one. Now that he heard it out loud, he can bring up the topic to Professor Espinella.
But the moment he turned back to speak with the professor during this speech, he had also leaned in to whisper to him.
"The Headmaster would like to meet you during Week's End." He said.
Ronin frowned. "Who is this Headmaster, Professor? How come we have only heard of him now?"
"Shh..." Espinella smiled at him with a finger to his lips, looking around nervously. "All in due time, Ronin."
And so, Ronin had no choice but to wait until the weekend. The only day without school, signifying another week of rigorous studying had been over.
Pavone Blanc D'Argent, as well as his half-brother Sordido Palladium... Had been expelled.
The Crown was currently studying their case and if the Blanc D'Argents would have to be punished with either a fine or imprisonment for the money they have stolen.
But there was no use in imprisoning Lord Blanc D'Argent, as it seemed that after the incident...
He had completely lost his sanity.
He was now imprisoned inside his own mind, too scared of even the night itself, insisting that he must be near the light at all times.
Seeing dark shadows when there's nothing there.
Ronin had gained much Flame from him, but also lost his opportunity to use the research to take more.
The scientific society had now taken the resurrecting machine from them, studying its side effects.
But so far, it was only Lord Blanc D'Argent that showed signs of malfunctioning after ressurection.
The scientists themselves had tested with other subjects, and they all turned up to be just fine.
The first human subject also seemed to be fine..... Well, as long as Ronin's not around.
'Could it be that the more Flame I received from someone, the greater the damage in their mind?' He theorized.
Well, it was not really much of a problem, and was more of a bonus, in fact.
Pavone lost his school, his high status, and his father's support of him. He was irrevocably ruined, just like his other friends.
And before he left with his half-brother crying over his shoulder, the last thought that Ronin could hear in his mind was:
(I will forever regret being associated with you, Cermin Drychspiel. And whatever force that lurks over him like his shadow.)
(That daemon hiding in the body of a Commoner. There is no hope against him.)
Ronin felt that Pavone glanced at his hidden figure for a millisecond, and he also gritted his teeth yet his eyes were now full of fear and despair.
Ronin just relished it.
"You have gained 2,500 V-points."
Kai has appeared beside him.
"Not only did you ruin Cermin's ties with Pavone, you have also ruined his image with his harem member, Edelweiss Iridice. He was still being accused as an assaulter."
"Mn. I think I saw the King and Queen of Scirocco arrive earlier this morning too." Ronin just raised the cloak up to his face.
"You know have 5,000 V-points total. That's 0.5% now of what you need. You're welcome." Kai said in its usual neutral tone.
"Thank you. I could not have done it without your help---"
"This is the last time I will help you with your plans, Ronin. I need to be impartial."
It looked at Ronin with a blank expression. It sounded more like an uncaring robot that made a mistake and malfunctioned, and fixed the bug by rebooting itself.
"I am not just your system. I am Cermin's too. It's not fair to him."
Ronin sneered. "Was it because of the HTM's programming? Are you scared of facing consequences for helping me?"
It shook its head, not showing a little sign of being human in its conflicted tone.
"No.... It just felt wrong for me. For my own judgment. Not the system's."
He shrugged. "You must be different than me, then. You still have some morality left in you."
"But you still have too. Otherwise, you wouldn't have gone so far as to saving this school from the---"
"That was not my intention. I knew I would receive that result, but my goal had always been to gain V-points."
Ronin grabbed the system's collar. "Do not lump me in with you and your hypocritical righteousness. Does killing a lesser evil make you good? No."
"It just makes you a greater evil. Something no one had anticipated, because you appear so good. That's all it is, Kai. Appearances."
He let go, rushing off with clenched fists under the rain.
He passed by the open window of the Council office, where golden people were arguing with the stern new Council Head.
Lady Verita calmly shook her head, as they seemed to have presented money to bribe her.
So much for the kindest King and Queen at the current time.
"See? Everyone is a hypocrite."
He looked at Cermin Drychspiel with wide innocent eyes trying to stop his parents from bribing the Council Head and apologizing for their behavior.
He never claims to be something he was not. He never goes against what he claimed to be.
He was aware of his own faults, and does not hide them with bravado.
He was not a hypocrite.
Yet, Ronin would not accept that.
He kept on waiting for the day that he will be one. He will be one.
And when that day comes, Ronin will laugh at his hypocrisy. Proving that he had always been right.
That his viewpoint of this world full of hypocrisy, lies, and violence was the right one.