"Why, if I may ask, is my position terminated?"
"We will get to that part of the discussion." She giggles, "I only wanted to start with something that would keep you anxiously waiting."
This woman reminds me of that sadistic princess. It's unnerving.
"Nether energy," she says, catching Azrael's attention, "has not been seen used by a human before. May I ask, why are you able to use nether aura?"
"I don't—" Azrael tries lying; however, the words do not exit his mouth. He feels something - a hand-like object - invisible wrap around his neck, squeezing. Azrael retches as this invisible hand chokes him out. What... is this? he thinks as he loses feeling throughout his body.
When Azrael falls to his knees, the invisible hand lets go of his neck and he coughs. "How unsightly," says Pope Alexander, flaring his nostrils in disgust.
"Professor Azrael," says Marchioness Atalante, "let me be clear: within this room, no one can tell a lie—not even I can. So, I will ask again, how are you, a human capable of using nether aura?"
Is this her ability? And telling me that even she cannot lie—does that mean she conditioned her ability?
Conditioning—a pact magicians create between themselves and their mana to strengthen their magical abilities. This is not conventionally used as the negatives may outweigh the positives. However, in front of Azrael is someone who has considered the advantages and disadvantages of conditioning her abilities and appears to revel in her decision.
Conditioning may be the only way humans could close the gap between themselves and a god. For me to meet someone who dared to take such a leap of faith... has my luck run out?
Marchioness Atalante watches Azrael stand on his feet and sighs. "Professor Azrael, though I usually enjoy interrogations like these, I would like to say that I do not wish to sit—"
"I'm a half-human, half-succubus," he interjects. Marchioness Atalante, Pope Alexander and Marquis Snaek stare at him, shocked.
Marchioness Atalante is the first to recover from her shock. Her ability makes it so no lies can be told, so she knows what he said was the truth. "I see, well—"
"A what!?" yells Alexander, interrupting the marchioness. His outburst tips his glass, spilling his wine all over the desk. "How dare a half-breed like you walk your filthy legs into this mansion and corrupt its lustre!? GUA—"
"Alexander," interjects Marchioness Atalante, staring forward, indifferently. Her eyes roll to the side and stalks Pope Alexander. Her calm mana erupts with silent rage, sending chills down Pope Alexander's spine. "This is a questioning between Professor Azrael and myself. Shut your filthy mouth this instant." Her cold and violent tone sends Alexander back into his seat, nervous. She turns her gaze to Azrael once again. "I am sorry for his outburst. But I see now... you can use nether energy because you are a demi-human? Interesting." She goes silent momentarily, thinking, then asks, "Hmm... you cannot lie to me—that I understand. However," she says, tapping her finger against the desk, "I have a feeling you are not telling me everything. Is that the whole truth, Professor Azrael?"
Sweat rolls down Azrael's cheek. Of course, it's not. It's not like I am hiding the fact that I'm a Primordial God. I haven't said anything to anyone from the academy until recently. I could tell her everything now and be over with it but... Azrael glances at Pope Alexander, who is silently fuming. That man... His name is Alexander Samael—the same last name as Arthur. Is this man Arthur's father? Pope Alexander notices his glance and grits his teeth, unable to dismiss Azrael's stare without Marchioness Atalante chewing him out. If he is Arthur's father, I must be cautious around him. "No, it's not everything."
"Oh? You are being quite honest."
"It's not as though I could lie."
Marchioness Atalante laughs briefly. "Well, true, you cannot lie. So, could you tell me everything?"
"I don't want to."
"W—"
"WHAT!? How dare a demi-human speak out against—"
Marchioness Atalante's mana spikes, instantly silencing Pope Alexander. A wave of mana pressures Pope Alexander, who wastes no time sitting down, frightened. "Pope Alexander," she says, irate, "I told you to be silent, did I not?"
He rustily turns his head to Marchioness Atalante. "Uh... Marchioness A—"
"Silence. Need I remind you who is your church's largest donator, Pope Alexander?" He does not rebuke her words, instead, his expression is washed with more fear now than before.
Greedy pig, thinks Azrael, noticing the motif behind his fear. Azrael looks at Marquis Snaek, who has been silent since entering the room. Is he frightened? I can sense how docile he's become since entering the room. That means... Azrael turns his gaze to Marchioness Atalante, she has the most power in this room right now.
"Well, if you do not want to answer that question, I will not force you to. I do not wish to sit behind this desk all day, so I want to finish business here as soon as possible. That said, we have several issues to attend to. Firstly, there is the matter of Professor... or ex-Professor Albert Stein's sudden disappearance."
"Ex-Professor?"
"Yes, after attacking several students and staff," she says, running her finger across a document in front of her, "we have decided to terminate his position as a professor at Magus Academy. We also decided he deserves judgment from the highest order, the Imperial Court of Justice. They will likely have him executed, which is of no concern to us; however, we cannot judge him without his presence inside the court. Which leads me to my question—Where is Mr Albert Stein?"
"I don't know."
"You don't know?" she asks, suspicious.
"A third party transported him away during our fight."
"I see. And did this third party reveal themselves?"
"No."
"I see. Do you think this third party was working with Mr Stein?"
"No."
"Why so?"
"Because I recognised the voice."
"You recognised the voice? Elaborate?"
"No."
"No?"
"Yes."
Marchioness Atalante goes silent for a second. The tension within the room rises. What are you doing, brat? thinks Marquis Snaek. Why would you egg Marchioness Atalante on like this? She is the most frightening interrogator in the Sapphire Kingdom. As one of the twenty-five judges in the Imperial Court, Marchioness Atalante is one of the most powerful women... no, she's one of this continent's most powerful and influential people. Refusing to speak to her is hope—
"I see. Well then, we can move on."
"WHAT!?" yells Marquis Snaek, slamming his hand against the desk. His outburst tips Pope Alexander's glass over once again. After doing this, he is overcome with regret and takes his seat. "I... I'm... sorry..." he says, mimicking Pope Alexander and lowering his head, fearfully hiding himself.
Marchioness Atalante sighs. "I apologise for all the ruckus my colleagues have made. Let's get on to the questioning."
What is Marchioness Atalante thinking? She's never been this docile in questioning before. Marquis Snaek stares at Azrael. Is it because of him?
"The second topic is the matter involving your former student, Seat Rank Four, Amanda Vlad. She was captured correct?"
"Yes."
"Would you hand her over to us?"
"I..." Azrael goes silent and lowers his head. After thinking it through, he says, "I will not."
"Professor Azrael, I understand this may be difficult for you, as you were her former homeroom teacher; however, Amanda Vlad attacked the academy and put the lives of hundreds of students and staff in great peril. She is no better than a criminal. If you protect her now, you will be putting the lives of your students and the lives of other students within the academy in danger for your selfish hero act."
"It's far from a heroic act. As per the agreement, I will not hand her over to be executed without ensuring she is a threat to Magus Academy."
"She attacked the academy."
"And no student or staff member was injured in her initial attack."
"There are students and staff in a deep slumber because of her. An attack is an attack, whether it is a physical detriment or not. I will not argue with you on this matter, Professor Azrael. As your superior I—"
"I want to speak to her one last time," he interjects. "If she turns out to be a danger, I will kill her myself."
Atalante says nothing in response, after witnessing the determination in Azrael's eyes. After momentarily thinking his words through, she says, "I see. I will allow you to hold onto her if you are willing to go that far. However, this goes without saying, if you deem her a threat, kill her."
She allowed it!? What is going on? Why is Marchioness Atalante letting this brat do as he pleases?
"The next matter we must discuss is the disappearance of Seat Rank Twenty, Tyson Fury and Magus Academy's Headmaster, Ubel Zagan." Atalante sighs, "While I do not care much for Headmaster Zagan, he is necessary for peace within the kingdom. That said, Mr Stein sent these two individuals someplace, per your report; however, you never stated their whereabouts. Do you know where they might be?"
"They were sent... to the Zostrel Aeoub Mountains."
"The... Zostrel Aeoub Mountains?" Even Marchioness Atalante could not hold in her surprise. "Well, that is... unfortunate."
"Unfortunate?"
"As much as I despise that man, finding a replacement for him will prove challenging."
"A replacement? Wait, you're not going to search for them?"
"Search?" she asks, surprised. Marchioness Atalante bursts into uncontrollable laughter. "Search, he says. You are quite the comedy act, Professor Azrael." As she wipes the tears from her eyes, she says, "No, I nor anyone from the academy will be searching for Ubel Zagan or Tyson Fury."
"That—"
"Was what I was going to say. However, after speaking to you for the last twenty minutes, I realised you would never let your students die if you could prevent it. So, I will allow you to go rescue Tyson and Ubel."
I... impossible... For Marchioness Atalante to give in this easily... I do not doubt that Professor Azrael is why she is behaving uncannily. But—
"Why?" asks Azrael, sharing Marquis Snaek's curiosity.
"Hmm?"
"Throughout this questioning, you have allowed me to say as I please. When I didn't want to answer you, you did not probe. Why?" It's weird. Despite only knowing her for the last twenty minutes, I can tell she is an intelligent human. And when her mana spiked, I could tell, Marchioness Atalante is much more powerful than Elizabeth. I don't think I could defeat her in my current state. She could have asked questions that would give her the answers she wanted but she didn't. Why?
Atalante only stares at Azrael without saying anything. After a few seconds of silence, she says, "You, Professor Azrael, have caught my interest."
The marchioness'...
Her...
"Your... interest?" he asks, confused.
"Yes. I am quite interested in you now that I have seen you in person. You could say it was a feeling akin to love at first sight."
What? thinks Marquis Snaek and Pope Alexander simultaneously.
Azrael stands idle, unable to respond to Atalante's confession. Atalante, on the other hand...
"Anyway, let's get onto the last topic of discussion."
...has nonchalantly changed the topic.
"The last topic of discussion is your 'dismissal'. Professor Azrael, I have decided that you will take a leave of absence until further notice."
"A leave of absence? So, you are not firing me?"
"Of course, I am not firing you. I would never dare think of something so abhorrent."
"I... I see. But why am I taking a leave of absence?"
"Professor Azrael, do you know someone called, 'The Magic Killer'?"
"The... Magic Killer?" Azrael thinks momentarily before shaking his head. "No, I don't think I've heard that name before."
"He is a magician known for destroying his opponent's magic."
"Destroying magic?" That sounds like something Aridam would do. "But what does this have to do with my leave of absence?"
"We want you to deal with The Magic Killer. Keeping his ability to destroy his opponent's magic in mind, we have deduced that it is much too risky to send a troop of magicians without knowing the scope of his abilities. Information is a tactician's greatest asset. So, we want you to confront the Magic Killer. With your control over nether energy, the risk lowers... slightly."
I see. She wants me to fight against the Magic Killer because their ability might not work against me. "It's still risky, though."
"It shows the amount of faith I have in you, Professor Azrael."
She looks so optimistic but will this work out as simply as she makes it sound?
After wrapping up their discussions, Azrael was escorted from the mansion.
"Marchioness Atalante, are you seriously considering that thing as the one to confront the Magic Killer?" asks Pope Alexander. "Despite being a half-breed, that thing has immense power. If we conduct tests on it, we may finally find a way to manipulate the cursed energy."
"I agree with Pope Alexander. Marchioness Atalante, you were acting unlike yourself today. Is it true?"
"Is what true?" she asks, staring at Azrael leave from the room's window.
"Do you... love that boy?"
"Do I love him?" she repeats, bursting into uncontrolled laughter. After calming down, she says, "Who knows? It may be love. It may not be love. What I do know is that he was wary of you, Pope Alexander."
"Hmph! As he should be."
"Not wary of your measly power, you corrupt pope. He spoke to us all in such a condescending tone. Whether politically or spiritually, that boy does not see us as threats. Instead, he was wary of telling the truth in your presence."
"The truth? What truth?"
Marchioness Atalante smiles, "That he is a Primordial God."