The Academy’s Ankle Reaper

Buckingham couldn’t understand why this was happening.

Just this morning, he thought it would be a splendid day.

He had come up with a brilliant idea during last night’s meeting, and as soon as he pitched it this morning, everyone responded positively.

If he could just proceed with his plan, everything would fall into place.

But what about now?

His mouth wouldn’t move.

That was because an assailant had his hand clamped over his mouth.

Just a moment ago, he could still force himself to move his jaw, but now that was impossible.

The grip was so strong that he felt bone-crushing pain in his jaw.

In what should have been a safe place—the academy—right in his office, he was ambushed.

Looking up, he saw the assailant was wrapped in an overwhelming Recognition Interference Magic that made him appear like a ghost swirling in black fog.

The assailant positioned a sword right in front of Buckingham’s face.

“Mm… mm…!!!!”

Was he really planning to slice his throat? Buckingham wanted to struggle, but he was held down by a force that was too powerful to budge.

It looked like the whole blade was coated in black paint so that it wouldn’t reflect any light, and it filled Buckingham’s vision.

Watching the slowly approaching sword filled him with terror that quickly morphed into another kind of fear.

‘W-what… is that????’

The sword that previously didn’t reflect a single ray of light was now glowing so brightly that he could barely see it.

The overwhelming light emanating from the pitch-black blade was fundamentally different from any tricks derived from Light Magic.

‘W-why is the Master here with me..??’

Buckingham remembered the Master who had visited his military academy before he even received his appointment.

The Aura Blade he wielded, belonging to Linda, the Empire’s top swordsman, was unforgettable.

‘A Master hiding his identity… Could it be??’

The heavily obscured armor and the extreme Aura Blade, which was a hallmark of the Master, were recognizable features he had heard of.

“Do you know what this means? If you do, blink twice.”

Buckingham slowly blinked twice.

The armored figure confirmed that and spoke slowly.

“I am the Shadow of the Empire, conducting a covert investigation under the Imperial Orders.”

He was breathless.

It was hard to breathe because his mouth was sealed, but the fact that a Master was in his office was terrifying.

The Shadow of the Empire refers to Masters under the Imperial royalty whose identities are not disclosed.

They are Masters recognized by the royal family and acknowledged by the church, but unlike the Empire’s top swordsmen who reveal themselves in the light, they are Masters that ordinary people would never see in their lifetime.

Many speculated about why such Masters would choose to remain hidden.

Some said they were Masters from other countries who should face extreme punishment for being defeated by the Empire’s top swordsman.

Others suggested they were cruel personalities who enjoyed killing indiscriminately, granted the convenience of remaining unrecognized.

To Buckingham, it was incomprehensible why these Shadows would give up the benefits and powers that came simply from being a Master.

The Shadow continued to speak quietly.

“I will now allow you to speak. But you understand what will happen if you suddenly scream or act foolishly, right?”

Buckingham quietly blinked twice.

Seeing that, the Shadow released his hold on him.

“Haah…!! Hah… Hah…”

As the restriction was lifted, he desperately inhaled fresh air.

“Buckingham Houston… You are accused of colluding with the Demon Church.”

Buckingham’s eyes widened in shock at those words.

The punishment for collusion with the Demon Church is the death penalty.

At that moment, he could be executed on the spot, and no one would have any problem with it.

He couldn’t understand where such an accusation came from, claiming he had any ties to the Demon Church.

“Colluding with the Demon Church..!! I-I am a former Imperial officer!! I would never, never do such a thing!!!”

No matter how rotten things may have seemed, Buckingham was a former Imperial officer and a faculty member at the Academy that nurtured the future.

He attended church every weekend, made offerings weekly, and even tithed.

While he might have a narrow mind, there was absolutely no way he’d ever collude with demons.

“Those deceived by the Demon Church all say that first… Do you think they approach you claiming to be demons from the start?”

But they wouldn’t believe him regardless of his protests.

Of course, who would admit to being a collaborator when asked…

But Buckingham felt wronged.

He had never had anything to do with demons in his life; how could he be entangled like this?

“Your fate will be determined by you. Prove that you are not involved with the Demon Church and that you are a victim.

Otherwise, I’ll have to take you to the ‘Inquisitioner.’”

“T-the Inquisitioner…!!!”

His face turned pale at the mention of the Inquisitioner.

“Pl-please… not the Inquisitioner…!! What can I possibly prove??”

The Inquisitioner is a purger of corrupted souls who have abandoned God to grasp demons’ hands, a returner of those enticed by demons back to the hands of the Divine, an overseer who raises songs for God using sinners as instruments,

and among the public, the Inquisitioner is a figure of fear.

To ordinary believers, they show angelic faces, but for those worshiping demons, summoning them is akin to a death sentence.

He had to do everything in his power to avoid getting dragged before the Inquisitioner.

“Over the past month… has anyone approached you with an oddly good offer?”

“G-great offer…??”

Desperately, Buckingham began searching for anyone who might fit the description.

In the past month, who had made him a good offer… he couldn’t recall anyone since he was stressed out.

‘That’s right… there was something last night!’

In the midst of this, one particular memory rose to the forefront of his mind.

But just as he was about to speak, his thoughts hit a mental roadblock.

‘Can I… say this…?’

He didn’t need to show loyalty to the professor whose name he didn’t even fully remember, but sharing any details about him would also reveal his plans regarding the Hunting Festival.

That had absolutely nothing to do with legality.

If he disclosed this, it might lead to him being caught as a criminal, right?

But while he hesitated, the Shadow grabbed him by the collar and lifted him up.

“You don’t seem to remember anything. I’ll take you directly to the church.”

“Y-you mean we’re going to the church like this…??”

In the context of the Academy, the church referred to the one next to the hospital that students and faculty used.

Going to the church meant he would have to pass through the hallway where everyone could see him leaving his office.

It was clear that the church was primarily used for conducting services, and he had heard that an Holy Knight was always waiting to counter any potential threats from demons.

Going to the church like this would mean everyone at the Academy would witness him being taken away by a Shadow.

It wasn’t just any thug who had grabbed him; it was a ‘Master.’

No one would listen to what he had to say.

Even if he shouted out of frustration, the moment the Master branded him as a pawn of the Demon Church, he would inherently become that very thing.

Even the Principal responsible for the Academy would be helpless to shield him from the Master.

‘If rumors spread that I’m a pawn of the Demon Church… I won’t be able to stay as a professor at the Academy any longer!!’

It wouldn’t simply end with being expelled from the Academy.

The power of such an accusation would essentially erase Buckingham’s existence from every community he was part of.

He had to do everything he could to prevent that.

“Last night… there was one person!!”

“… Who was it?”

“It was a professor teaching Introduction to Administrative Studies… I don’t remember their name clearly…”

“What did that person promise you, and what did you agree to give them?”

“I… I wanted to hold an event to invigorate the stagnant atmosphere of the Academy… Cough??!!”

Buckingham couldn’t finish his thought.

Because mid-sentence, the Shadow had unexpectedly struck him hard in the abdomen.

Seeing Buckingham bend over in pain, the Shadow coldly remarked.

“There’s no way someone with such a wholesome reason would have been approached by them. Speak the truth.”

“Cough… the truth is… I was planning to…

eliminate… the eyesore at the Academy naturally…”

“Alright, that’s how you should say it. What did he promise to help you with?”

“He… promised me two S-Class Materials that could lure out monsters from the depths of the Black Forest…”

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Atlas couldn’t believe what he was hearing from Buckingham.

Was the big plan he had prepared just to summon a monster from the depths of the Black Forest?

Did he think he could take down such legendary monsters without any issues if he summoned them?

It was ridiculous.

It would have been no issue to leave them alone.