༺ Eyes of a Dragon and the Human Heart (24) ༻
The Great Temple at the academy bustled with visitors at all times.
It attracted not only devout believers seeking the prayer room or attending worship services but also the injured in need of treatment, a common sight in its halls.
The Great Temple, constantly teeming with hundreds of people, gained renown for its commitment to treating everyone equally. This principle originated from the religious values of the Church of the Heavenly God, emphasizing fairness and justice.
However, existing in the secular world, the Great Temple inevitably hosted a select few distinguished guests who received preferential treatment.
Among them was Cien, the fifth princess of the Empire.
Although the Empire and the Holy Nation were distinct entities, the leaders of the continent’s countries maintained close relationships. This held true for the Imperial Family of the Empire and the Holy See.
The relationship between the Empire, the uncontested powerhouse on the continent, and the Holy Nation, wielding formidable religious authority, was notably amicable.
It was a relationship where conflict would benefit neither party.
Therefore, it was only natural for Cien to be treated as a VIP, not only within the Empire but also in the Holy Nation. This dynamic held true within the Great Temple of the academy.
While outwardly appearing not to exploit her special privileges, Cien was cunning enough to subtly leverage her status when necessary.
Just as she was doing now.
The intensive care unit of the Great Temple was typically barred entry to visitors.
Access was limited to close friends or family of the patient, or the attending priest, unless the patient themselves consented.
The reason Cien was able to enter one of these rooms was solely due to her elevated status.
There were rumors that Young Lady Lupesia had been brutally wronged by Ian recently.
Since the incident, she has been confined to the intensive care unit, refusing all visitors. True to the rumors, Young Lady Lupesia sat there, appearing utterly lost.
Her exposed upper body was tightly wrapped in bandages, with faint traces of blood seeping through, attesting to the severity of her injuries.
Amputation.
All her limbs, except for one leg, had been severed—all because she had slapped a commoner girl.
Even the princess, having heard of the incident, couldn’t help but be internally shocked at the sight of the victim.
Isn’t he a complete lunatic?
The violence was excessively brutal.
Even if Young Lady Lupesia, who provoked the incident first, was at fault, the notion of amputating the limbs of an already subdued opponent was beyond the realm of sanity.
At this point, Cien felt somewhat grateful.
Hadn’t she managed to disentangle herself from that madman unscathed? The only cost was one of her cherished knights becoming a recluse.
Thinking of Irene made Cien feel melancholic again.
She had to find a way to rid herself of Ian Percus.
It wasn’t just for Cien; it was for the Academy. Before she realized it, she had come to brand Ian as an exceptionally evil figure.
-Ahem, a small, forced cough broke the silence in the room.
Young Lady Lupesia’s eyes stared vacantly at Cien, momentarily appearing dumbfounded, as if struggling to discern her identity.
She was evidently suffering from a severe mental shock.
Certainly, remaining unfazed after witnessing most of her limbs being severed would have been stranger. Understanding Young Lady Lupesia’s fragile state of mind, Cien approached with caution.
Only then did a faint glimmer of recognition appear in Young Lady Lupesia’s gaze.
“Your…High… ness?”
Cien nodded gently, a compassionate smile gracing her face as she naturally settled beside the bed.
“Senior Lupesia, are you alright? I’m sorry I couldn’t visit you sooner.”
In reality, Cien didn’t have a deep bond with Young Lady Lupesia.
Their interactions were limited to fleeting encounters and courteous exchanges, mainly involving Young Lady Lupesia’s transparent attempts at flattery.
Nevertheless, Cien’s current demeanor mimicked that of a close friend, convincing enough to deceive those unaware of their true relationship.
Indeed, the flattery shown by those in power could even distort the perceptions of those lower in the hierarchy.
Young Lady Lupesia slightly furrowed her brow but eventually accepted Cien’s cordiality.
That’s right, maybe we were close after all.
This thought crossed Lupesia’s mind, oblivious to the sharp glint in Cien’s eyes.
“…I heard you were tormented by Senior Ian?”
Her tone carried a subtly probing undertone.
While seemingly cautious, the directness of her words caused Young Lady Lupesia’s body to involuntarily shudder.
Her complexion drained, and her shoulders twitched, clearly indicating her extreme fear.
Cien’s eyes almost ached from the intensity of these emotions.
Yet, she endured, maintaining her composed smile.
Young Lady Lupesia was an excellent ingredient. Cien was already excited about how she would ‘cook’ her.
“Tha-ah, um…”
“Don’t be afraid, Young Lady Lupesia. There’s no one else here. And that man certainly can’t enter this place.”
In the ear of Young Lady Lupesia, who emitted inarticulate sounds as if broken, Cien’s whispers wove like a serpent.
“I couldn’t bear hearing about that savage violence either. Honestly, what did Young Lady Lupesia do to deserve such cruelty? At most, she struck a commoner.”
As Cien’s words burrowed deeper into Lupesia’s ears, her frenzied breathing gradually subsided. Yet, the fear in her eyes remained unshaken.
The princess reassured her once more.
“…Let’s take it to the disciplinary committee.”
“No, we can’t!”
Lupesia exclaimed in alarm, her eyes once again violently shaking.
“Th-That lunatic doesn’t give a damn about such things… I realized when I met him, he’s like a rabid dog that latches on and never lets go the moment you provoke him!”
“You are right, he is indeed like that.”
Cien didn’t contradict Lupesia. She simply nodded slowly and then posed another question.
“…But can you continue to live in the same place as that lunatic?”
Lupesia’s eyes widened as if struck by lightning.
Cien smiled faintly, observing Lupesia’s blue eyes filled with bewilderment.
Yes, fear can be subdued with fear.
“Consider it, Senior Lupesia. You still have time left at the academy, right? Meanwhile, Senior Ian will be wandering the academy grounds, potentially always a threat to you.”
“Ah, uh, th-that…”
Watching Lupesia’s trembling form, Cien was convinced.
Just a bit more, and she would give in.
The greater the mental trauma, the more vulnerable one becomes to fear. Cien had always manipulated people this way.
“Let’s formally bring this to the disciplinary committee and have him expelled from the academy.”
“Th-Then, I-If that man comes after me…”
“We’ll keep it a secret.”
Cien smiled as if it were the only solution.
“I’ll help you. We can arrange a discreet disciplinary committee session, reveal only the final decision, and surprise him with expulsion… Naturally, I’ll guarantee your safety, Senior Lupesia.”
Still, Lupesia’s eyes were clouded with uncertainty.
As Lupesia wavered, unsure of what to decide, Cien whispered with finality.
“…Or would Senior Lupesia rather just leave the academy? Isn’t it unfair, it’s clear that man is the one at fault.”
Finally, Lupesia’s trembling seemed to subside a bit.
A different emotion, other than fear, flickered faintly in her eyes.
It was anger.
Of course, she wanted him gone, feeling not only fear but also anger and humiliation. She must have wished countless times for him to just disappear.
Cien was presenting her with that opportunity now, yet Lupesia still hesitated.
The scars Ian inflicted on her ran deep.
Lupesia stammered as she spoke.
“B-But I insulted his family… Wh-What if turns into a duel for a noble’s honor?”
“Then we have to just kill him cleanly. Why endure such torment? I can handle that much with my influence.”
Cien, reassuring her with a warm smile, gently took Lupesia’s trembling hand.
She whispered one last time.
“I’ll help you with your revenge, Senior Lupesia… It’s what I want too. The Imperial Family or a mad dog that doesn’t know its place. Which side will you choose?”
There wasn’t actually any need to ask such a question.
Having received the desired response, Cien exited the room with a satisfied smile. But as she stepped out, she accidentally collided with someone.
She felt a soft sensation, followed by a subtle rebound that gently pushed her back.
Bewildered, the princess turned to identify who she had bumped into.
To her surprise, it was the Saintess, staring back at Cien with wide eyes.
Cien quickly put on an awkward smile and bowed her head.
“I-I’m sorry, Saintess. I was momentarily distracted…”
“It is alright, Sister Cien. I also didn’t expect anyone to be in Sister Lupesia’s room.”
The Saintess, as always, maintained her benevolent smile, and Cien, with an embarrassed smile, stepped aside.
The curves of the Saintess’s figure were too overwhelming.
The soft cushioning she had felt during the collision turned out to be the Saintess’s breasts?
For a fleeting moment, doubt crossed Cien’s mind.
She recalled hearing rumors that the Saintess had gone to a field assignment with that man. There were also rumors suggesting that she was secretly concerned about him.
Would she really refrain from disclosing what she overheard?
However, Cien soon chuckled, dismissing the thought.
The Saintess, the favored daughter of the fair and just Heavenly God, was known for abhorring violence and maintaining a clear boundary between public and private matters.
Cien believed that she wasn’t one to disclose sensitive information like matters of the disciplinary committee.
Unless they were in a romantic relationship, which seemed improbable since Cien had never heard of the Saintess being in love. Even using her ‘eyes’, Cien sensed no clues, so she was almost certain.
That was why the princess failed to notice something.
The Saintess’s soft pink eyes subtly narrowing as she watched Cien walk away.
For a moment, the Saintess observed Cien’s retreating figure, then sighed deeply, shaking her head.
In any case, Ian Percus, that man, has been involved in far too many incidents.
Still, I’ll share what I know about the disciplinary committee.
With these thoughts, the Saintess entered the room to attend to Young Lady Lupesia.
For Lupesia, however, this reality was indeed unfortunate.
**
Cien was walking alongside Irene for the first time in a long while.
Irene’s face was exceptionally somber. Despite the outing being a rare occurrence, she displayed neither cheerfulness nor was she in high spirits.
Even so, it didn’t matter. Cien believed that with time, Irene would eventually recover.
However, Cien held some reservations about her chosen method of shock therapy.
The duo were wandering through a secluded part of the academy with the purpose of finding Ian.
Cien intended to delve into the means he had used to seize control of the Press Club.
Cien doubted anyone would ambush a princess out of the blue, even if it was ian. To be honest, recent rumors about him were slightly unsettling, but she Cien trusted in the limitations of human behavior.
Moreover, If Ian had indeed taken over the Press Club, his methods were bound to be connected to the Imperial Family,
The Imperial Intelligence Agency, after all, prioritized nothing above the Imperial Family except the Imperial Family itself.
Perhaps her less distasteful siblings had become entangled with Ian.
A snort of scornful laughter escaped Cien.
Unless one was First Prince Vilteon or Second Princess Iris, dealing with her would be difficult due to the Emperor’s favor towards her.
Since she had no desire for power, assassinating her was a dubious option, and the only thing that could be done against her was these petty checks.
Thus, it was likely Ian somehow clung to that thread and went begging to the Press Club.
Neris, the head of the Press Club, might have been slightly troubled but must have eventually agreed, unable to overcome the annoyance.
Then, that lower noble would have bowed his head in gratitude.
This should have been the chain of events. However, identifying that ‘thread’ was crucial, prompting the princess herself to investigate personally.
Following eyewitness accounts, the princess and Irene finally managed to locate Ian.
They found him in the clearing of the southern forest, a place untouched by anyone except the investigation team since the demonic beast’s appearance.
In that desolate setting, a nobleman with black hair stood, his back turned. However, the hatchet in his hand was evidence enough of his identity.
Ian Percus, a man who exuded such an aura of bloodshed merely by holding a hatchet.
At the sight of his back, Irene’s body stiffened, but Cien reassured her, holding her hand.
“It’s okay, Irene. It won’t be a big deal even if we meet him… as long as we don’t provoke him, there’s no reason for him to swing his hatchet…”
Suddenly, a sudden scream pierced the air.
“Ah, ugh, aaaaaaaah!”
Cien and Irene froze simultaneously at the sharp cry.
Cien turned to look at Ian in bewilderment and saw a woman slumped over with blood spattered on the ground.
It was Neris, the head of the Press Club.
A renowned expert and a promising agent of the Imperial Intelligence Agency.
Why on earth was she in this state?
Before Cien could think further, Neris, who was struck in the shoulder by the hatchet, looked up at the man with terror-filled eyes.
He quietly bent his knees and, locking eyes with Neris, uttered a single phrase.
“…Didn’t I tell you not to question me.”
Neris’s face paled as soon as she heard the words. She quickly composed herself and bowed her head.
“P-Please… forgive me…”
Cien’s eyes went blank as she observed the scene.
What is happening?
No, wait. Is this even real?
Instinctively, she turned to Irene. She wanted to confirm if what she was seeing was true.
However, Cien soon realized there was no need to ask.
Irene’s face had long since drained of color.
Unfortunately for Cien, this was reality. Unbelievable as it was.
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