Chapter 358 |
Hugo gulped nervously.
There was only one reason he could think of why Rudger had come to find him.
‘He knows everything.’
His eyes darted around as he considered how to get out of this situation.
Should he deny it? Cut ties and blame someone else? Or say he had no choice due to Ranpartz’s threats?
Hugo’s mind was racing.
Rudger had already seen through Hugo’s inner thoughts.
Even when backed into a corner, he was still looking for ways to escape.
What a consistent man.
“That’s…”
“Or should I, as the Planning Department Head, spell it out? That you took money from Russell Ranpartz to act as an inside informant?”
“…”
When his actions were completely exposed, Hugo fell silent.
He had instinctively realized that anything he said here would only work against him.
Seeing this, Rudger laughed inwardly.
Indeed, when it came to situations involving his own safety, he had remarkably good instincts.
Just like a canary in a coal mine.
“Professor Hugo Burtag. Did you miss your old position of power that much? Enough to become a faithful dog, bowing your head to outsiders?”
“…Watch your mouth.”
“Watch my mouth? That’s what you should be doing. You don’t seem to understand your situation – you’re caught having committed a wrongdoing.”
“Evidence. Right, do you have evidence? Evidence that I made some kind of deal with Ranpartz!”
Hugo laughed inwardly.
There couldn’t be any. There’s no way they could find anything that could count as evidence, especially not at Theon.
Even if Rudger was the Planning Department Head, he didn’t have the authority to check his account transaction history.
It was all just speculation.
However, surprisingly, Rudger suddenly held out a single piece of paper in front of Hugo’s face.
“You might have thought there wasn’t any, but it seems Chairman Russell thought differently.”
Russell had kindly kept evidence of the money he had given to Hugo.
When Hugo saw this, he became as pale as if he’d seen a ghost.
“H-how, how is this…”
“You should have trusted the right person. Did you think Russell Ranpartz would just let you go after using you? You should have realized that from the moment you made a deal with him and agreed to become his faithful dog, you put on a leash you couldn’t escape.”
Or perhaps he knew this but wanted to live large within Theon anyway.
Perhaps he preferred being a king in a castle made of sand rather than being a powerless soldier in a fortress.
“I, I…”
Hugo trembled as he realized there was nowhere left to run.
Previously, he might have been able to cover things up by taking down the noble faction teachers himself but now, he couldn’t even do that.
“Professor Hugo Burtag. Why do you think the President and I left you alone all this time?”
At this unexpected question, Hugo looked at Rudger with an expression that seemed to ask what he meant.
“We didn’t leave you alone because you were someone difficult to deal with. In fact, we could have kicked you out anytime we wanted.”
“That’s impossible.”
“You don’t have to believe it if you don’t want to. But we deliberately left you alone. Do you know why? Because we needed someone with the brain to control the nobles.”
“What?”
“Hugo Burtag. You’re not particularly outstanding as a teacher or as a magician. But when it came to factional politics, you were a necessary evil that we couldn’t do without.”
Hugo was the focal point for the noble faction teachers.
If they had driven Hugo out in that situation, the noble teachers would have all risen up together.
As a result, Hugo had been able to keep his position not because he was exceptional.
It was simply because the President didn’t want to stir up a hornet’s nest.
“If it’s the same noble faction, they would try to cover up and keep quiet about any wrongdoing you might commit. Blood is thicker than water, after all.”
But this incident involving Russell Ranpartz was something that even fellow nobles couldn’t cover up.
“If you had just kept your head down and continued on, you might have had a chance someday. I don’t understand why you chose to bring trouble upon yourself.”
That sarcasm broke Hugo’s patience.
“What do you know! The position of a noble, having to watch commoners set foot in Theon!”
“Was that the problem?”
“Problem? Yes! It’s a problem! A damn big problem! In the past, they wouldn’t dare even make eye contact from outside, let alone enter! But at some point, they not only boldly came inside but even dared to try to match up to nobles!”
To Hugo, magic was a study that proved authority, something that only chosen people could use.
Learning magic was for nobles. Using magic was for nobles.
It was a privilege that could never be allowed to commoners.
From Hugo’s perspective, having to watch this privilege being taken away as time passed was like watching blood tears flow.
“…”
Rudger quietly watched Hugo shouting in anger.
He had no intention of humoring Hugo’s absurd arguments.
No matter what Rudger said here, Hugo wouldn’t accept it anyway.
The two men had lived very different lives from the start.
Hugo had grown up in a good family, receiving good treatment, being instilled with noble pride his entire life.
How could he understand if someone told him ‘the world has changed, and you need to change’?
It would mean denying the foundation of his entire life.
And usually, when people face such situations, they resist more violently rather than accepting change.
Claiming they are right, you are wrong, the world is wrong.
This extends beyond social class to become generational conflict.
“Damn it! It’s all because of you! If it weren’t for you and that President woman, this would never have happened to me! Why would you try to give away such privileges when you have them? Was public opinion that important to you? Did you want to boast about being such a generous, kind person?!”
Hugo shouted, spitting as he spoke.
Then, as if suddenly realizing his position, he slumped his violently shaking shoulders.
“Damn it. I, I didn’t come this far for this.”
What was the point of getting angry now?
Everything was already over.
“Hugo Burtag. I don’t know what you’ve lived for, or what efforts you’ve made for it. And I have no interest in knowing. It’s the same for you regarding us, isn’t it?”
“…”
“You don’t know what we’re trying to do, what we want to do. You never tried to know. What’s the point of arguing about it now? In the end, you and us, we’re the same. So let me make this simple.”
“What do you mean by making it simple?”
“You lost in your fight against us. This is the only clear truth. What could be more straightforward than this?”
“…”
“There was never any need for noble missions or appropriate reasons from the start. We fought, I won, and you lost.”
Hugo’s eyes widened at Rudger’s words.
“In the end, isn’t that how the world works? If you lose, it’s over. The simplest truth of the world, above all else.”
“Damn it.”
Even Hugo couldn’t deny that much.
He slumped down onto a nearby sofa with dragging steps.
“Ha. Damn it. Right. So it’s all over already, is it?”
Hugo, who had been staring at the ceiling listlessly, lowered his head to look at Rudger.
With eyes full of resignation and regret, he asked:
“So what are you going to do now? Submit me to the disciplinary committee and expel me from Theon?”
“That’s one option.”
“There’s probably no better way. But there will be quite a few who will resent this decision.”
“Your punishment has essentially been decided. I came here merely to inform you of the decision that’s already been made.”
Whatever it was, at minimum, being expelled from Theon seemed certain.
“Hugo Burtag. First, let me congratulate you.”
“Congratulate me? Are you mocking someone right now?”
“At least you will maintain your position as a Theon teacher.”
“What?”
Hugo’s cheek twitched as if asking what that meant.
He would have nothing to say even if he were fired immediately, but his position would remain the same?
“Of course, along with a pay cut, support for class expenses and research funding will be significantly reduced. And you’ll have to give up your full authority over other research facilities and club support.”
“Huh.”
It meant he would only maintain his position in name, while all his arms and legs would be cut off.
Even if he survives with just his head and torso, would that really be living?
But Rudger knows that a person like Hugo Burtag wants to survive even like this.
“…Is that the condition?”
“Why? Think it’s too generous?”
Hugo silently nodded.
This needed to be explained.
“At first, I considered completely expelling you at this opportunity. But I soon realized it would be meaningless.”
“Why?”
“Even if we expel you, someday a new Hugo Burtag will appear.”
Hugo didn’t argue about what that meant.
This was a very realistic matter.
Even if they expelled Hugo, and even if some teachers who opposed it left one by one, they couldn’t fill all those vacant positions with only commoner teachers.
If that happened, support from nobles would decrease, and noble students who wanted to come to Theon would also disappear.
Moreover, expelling him would be like announcing to the outside world that there were internal problems at Theon.
The cost would be too high.
“Then…”
Hope and relief began to show on Hugo’s face, which had been filled with despair.
Rudger lightly rebuked Hugo with such an expression.
“Don’t be too happy. It’s not because you did well that you get to stay.”
“…But, would there really be someone who could replace me?”
“It’s not impossible.”
Rudger smiled slightly and signaled toward the outside.
“You can come in now.”
As the office door opened, a new person entered.
Hugo’s eyes widened when he saw that man.
“P-Professor Chris Benimore?”
Chris ignored Hugo’s gaze that seemed to ask why on earth he was here.
Instead, it was Rudger who answered.
“Hugo Burtag. From now on, Professor Chris Benimore will take over your position.”
“W-what?”
“He’s also a noble, from a family no less prestigious than yours, and generally closer to the moderate faction, so he’s most suitable.”
When Hugo looked at Chris as if asking if this was true, Chris nodded.
“That’s how it is.”
“Professor Chris. Why, why…”
“We can’t continue this meaningless internal fight forever, can we?”
“Meaningless fight…”
Hugo was considerably shocked by the fact that Chris, a fellow noble, had denied his struggle.
However, Chris had no intention of withdrawing his words.
He had experienced what dangers lurked outside during that fight in the underground waterway that day.
How dangerous the world is.
And how weak the students would be if they got caught up in it.
This was also why Rudger put Chris forward.
There was no coercion. Rather, it was Chris Benimore who actively accepted the proposal.
Hugo finally left the place, staggering like someone whose soul had departed.
From now on, he would live a life no different from a scarecrow at Theon, let alone past glory.
However, he couldn’t blame anyone.
All these results were what Hugo himself had chosen.
“Is it okay to leave him like that? He might make an extreme choice.”
“He’s someone who takes self-preservation more seriously than anyone else, so he definitely won’t do anything like that.”
“You understand your opponent frighteningly well.”
“Thank you for the compliment. And congratulations. You’ve now become the master of this place.”
Chris is now the master of the spacious office that Hugo had occupied.
“Hmph. I never wanted something like this in the first place.”
“Are you still uncomfortable with this matter?”
“It would be a lie to say I’m not. But I don’t intend to cling to it like before. Professor Hugo crossed the line, and I agree with this outcome itself.”
However, while he could understand it with his head, his emotions couldn’t.
There must have been times when they got along well as fellow nobles, even if that relationship was formed purely by calculation.
“Still, with this, I’ve repaid my debt.”
“What debt are you talking about?”
“For letting me meet her again. I’ll say thank you once more.”
His behavior itself still clearly showed signs of displeasure towards this side but he couldn’t hide the joy that subtly showed in his voice.
“…Ah, yes.”
To volunteer for such troublesome work just because he was allowed to meet Bellaruna again.
Rudger shook his head as if he couldn’t understand Chris.
* * *
Soon, [Night of Mystery] will be held.
Although he would only be away for a few days, Rudger went out for a final inspection of Royal Street in preparation for any possibilities.
They said no suspicious people had been seen since dealing with the Pablo family people last time.
Rather, after swallowing up Ranpartz, there was only good news that more people were becoming wary of them and seeking alliances.
‘Not bad.’
Refusing Hans’s offer to see him off, Rudger walked out into the night street.
A few blocks away from here, the streets are shining brilliantly despite the dark weather.
Perhaps because of that, the street where Rudger was standing felt darker and deeper in comparison.
“…Oh my.”
No. It wasn’t an illusion.
It wasn’t just feeling dark; this area alone was particularly dark.
At some point, there were no longer any passersby to be seen in the vicinity.
Late-night visitors?
Rudger turned his head to look at the uninvited guests in green robes who had somehow surrounded him.
What was carried on the faintly blowing wind was the smell of grass with a deep fragrance.
“Visitors have come from far away.”
The elf assassins, who he thought surely wouldn’t still have room to spare, had come after all.