“There’s…… no way a Holy Grail exists. That only appears in creative works.”
Unlike Jay who laughed awkwardly, Chung laughed sharply as if a cold wind was blowing and said.
“Professor. So you’re saying you know nothing about the Holy Grail, and nothing about that man either?”
“……Right. Even if you tell me like this, I don’t know anything.”
At those words, Chung slowly took a sip of tea. At that sight, Jay suddenly felt a strong sense of unfamiliarity.
Jay remained silent as if opening his mouth would make him say something stupid to Chung. At first, the tea had been hot enough to steam, but now it had cooled somewhat and was lukewarm.
As he savored and swallowed the tea, the original pure and clean flower-like Chung had returned to her seat. But that appearance gave off an even more dangerous atmosphere.
Chung, who would have originally looked just like a peony elegantly holding dew, now seemed like a monkshood flower holding deadly poison. It was because of the change in perception he held toward Chung.
“I see. I understand well, Professor.”
“Right. Still, today was pleasant. The tea is good, and these refreshments are delicious too.”
Since it was the ending he’d been waiting for, Jay hastily finished speaking to hurriedly conclude the tea time. He wanted to escape this suffocating space. Chung didn’t stop Jay and said with a small smile.
“Professor. I’ll trust you.”
“Wh-what?”
“You won’t report me, will you?”
It was a somehow pitiful-looking smile. Even though she clearly understood Jay well, asking like this must be to drive in the wedge. Even though Jay had already seen Chung’s other side, seeing her pitiful face softened his heart.
“I won’t do that, so don’t worry. I don’t really know what you want, but……”
“……”
“Still, I’m your teacher, or rather, your professor, right? If there’s a problem, please tell me.”
Even after hearing Jay’s naive words, Chung said nothing. Chung, who quietly rose from her seat, spoke kindly with her original modest face.
“A professor in Connubium…… is different from what you think, Professor.”
It was a much slower and softer tone than usual, but Jay felt sharpness in those words. What lay at the foundation was anger, but Chung had skillfully tidied it away so the dull Jay couldn’t notice.
But Jay also understood those words to some degree. A normal professor wouldn’t oppress and correct students while monitoring their every move.
“Then goodbye.”
Chung gave a final greeting and left the spot lightly like a butterfly. At that moment, the air around them shook faintly again. Jay couldn’t notice that either. Left alone, Jay scratched the back of his neck and moved his feet to return to his room.
* * *
After the uncomfortable holiday meeting with Chung, Jay’s worries piled up little by little until they finally became a hill. The man spreading seditious thoughts. The Holy Grail. He couldn’t stop thinking about those things.
My head being completely filled with those things was the same. Because I had never heard of something called the Holy Grail existing in Connubium. However, unlike me who was full of curiosity, Jay was thinking completely different thoughts.
“What if someone else finds out Jin is thinking such things?”
Jay didn’t properly know how cruel Connubium’s methods were. But when you see students being force-fed food they can’t eat, or students suffering after receiving certain classes, you’re bound to make some predictions.
Moreover, Chung had blatantly used the word “report” to him. If you couldn’t predict the circumstances after hearing that, it was no different from lacking intelligence.
Whatever worries Jay had, it was very quiet for a while. Octopus didn’t appear in the meals, and transfer classes to Nokeum Hall also quieted down. But the accumulated anxiety didn’t disappear and gradually swelled up.
It was when Jay had been anxious with unease for quite a while. During a reporting time that was the same as usual, Vinoshu said to Jay.
“These days, an unseemly rumor is spreading around campus.”
“Unseemly……?”
Jay hid his anxiety and asked with a puzzled face. His heart pounded at his worry about Chung. Vinoshu showed her unpleasant emotions directly, which was rare. Her furrowed eyebrows vividly conveyed the displeasure she felt.
“A truly terrible rumor. Something that cannot happen in this Connubium.”
“……”
“If the students hadn’t talked about it first, perhaps the professors might not have noticed.”
It was a report.
Vinoshu sighed silently and stared at Jay. Just as Chung had, one could easily tell they also suspected Jay. It was natural since there were no outsiders besides him.
However, what was certain was that they had no evidence. Even if they had attached spies to Jay, I had Belly. Belly was protecting me securely, and Jay was also receiving that protection.
Their frustration was felt clearly.
“It’s a truly terrible thing. Someone is inciting Connubium’s students to encourage rebellion. There are already students who have been influenced. It’s fortunate we found out before something big happened……”
Jay was so surprised that such a strange false rumor about something like a Holy Grail was taken this seriously by them. Both I and Jay, being outsiders, couldn’t properly understand them. It struck me anew that Connubium was a different place from the world I was familiar with.
At the same time, Jay was worried about Chung. Because of that, his face hardened stiffly. The acting that usually worked well was useless at this moment.
Vinoshu closely observed that reaction. There was no physical evidence toward Jay, but there was plenty of circumstantial evidence. Jay belatedly composed his emotions and managed his expression. Vinoshu continued speaking as if nothing had happened.
“Professor Doe should also closely observe the students. And report immediately if they do anything foolish.”
“I understand.”
“Then you may leave.”
The moment Jay was about to leave, the worry for Chung that he thought he had tidied away popped out. He stopped his steps without realizing it. Jay wanted to ask right now whether Chung had also been caught by their hands.
Vinoshu, catching that hesitation, asked sharply.
“What is it?”
“Ah, it’s nothing.”
But Jay swallowed all those worries into his mouth. The worries that had gone down his throat seethed to burst out, but he forced himself to hold back.
It was a wise choice. If he thoughtlessly let it out now, it could be even more dangerous. He had become somewhat more cautious from his experience with Vittorio.
Jay forced himself to control himself and hurriedly went outside. Behind him, Connubium’s surveillance agents with flashing sharp teeth attached themselves. They weren’t masters who had reached high levels, but Jay couldn’t even notice that. Belly in his pocket flicked his tongue.
* * *
“Damn……”
Late at night. I stood blankly in the secluded garden with bloodshot eyes. I knew that appearance would look strange, but now wasn’t the time to think about that.
The nightmare tormenting me rushed at me like a mad dog and bit my neck without letting go. I fled as if my tail was on fire, but the white palace as pale as white snow continued to chase me. Someone might endlessly long for and long for their hometown, but to me it was only the subject of insomnia.
To me, there was no difference between Connubium and my hometown Varno Kingdom’s imperial palace. No, there were times when Connubium was more comfortable.
Since lights-out time had passed, I shouldn’t have left the dormitory. But I was someone who suffered from insomnia even normally. With such short sleep time and even suffering from nightmares, if I didn’t at least get some air, it was hard to endure the agony.
The guys who shared a room with me would surely report my leaving the dormitory, but it didn’t matter. I would receive reformation class again later, but I needed comfort right now. I needed to feel that I was alive. I wanted to feel that I was far from those pale hands.
“Haa……”
The cold air filled my lungs. It was lukewarm compared to my hometown Varno Kingdom, but that gave me more relief. I took deep breaths and calmed my completely overturned heart.
Just then, a man wearing a black robe appeared standing tall before me. His appearance, suddenly appearing at a place where there was nothing as if he had been an original tombstone, aroused fear.
“Loser.”
“……”
Loser, he said. There wouldn’t be anyone who’d be pleased to hear such words. I glared at the suspicious figure. Anger welled up from deep in my heart, but soon subsided. My mind and body, exhausted from nightmares, diluted all intense emotions.
“How long will you have everything of yours stolen and wither and die like this?”
The provocative voice was detestable, but I was too exhausted to react. My entire mind and body, filled with defeat and helplessness, couldn’t attempt anything. To such a me, the man instantly approached close, thrust his face forward, made eye contact, and said.
“Find the Holy Grail.”
“……”
“That will be the fastest way to find your place.”
The man disappeared suddenly just as when he appeared. Only I remained alone in the dark garden without even moonlight. While wrapped in indescribably complicated emotions, blankly.
A cold north wind as if descending from Varno Kingdom’s snowy mountains made me chilly.
“……Never mind.”
My voice that reached nowhere disappeared suddenly like a ghost.
The man could say such things because he knew nothing about me. The place he spoke of was surely the emperor’s seat. In truth, that seat was rightfully my place. Because I was the First Prince of Varno Kingdom.
