Chapter 7: Rescue

Dozens of gazes in the classroom snapped onto Via in unison.

Even students who had been dozing opened their eyes wide, speechless with shock.

“Via, what did you just say?”

Anima pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses, his tone brimming with astonishment and confusion.

“I… just now…”

Via was stunned too.

Why have I been acting stranger and stranger lately, blurting out dangerously uncontrollable statements?

What on earth is happening to me?

“Via Shirleyford!!”

Anima’s volume spiked, his face darkening.

“Are you defending the evil Demon King?!”

“I’m not… no…”

Via’s mind went blank.

The students present realized the gravity.

“Has Via gone mad?”

“Such heretical words—she’d absolutely be arrested for investigation!”

“I never imagined someone defending that damned Demon King. A scourge within the Holy Land!”

Hearing the murmurs, Via’s blood nearly froze.

If branded a heretic and tried, she was finished.

Holy knights would purify all heretics with sacred flames.

“Sniff…”

Via wanted to explain, but crushing pressure silenced her; her social anxiety prevented facing their doubts—she only wanted to flee.

“Via, you’ve made a grave error. Your thoughts are corrupted. I must report—”

As Anima prepared to act, a voice interrupted.

“Please wait, Teacher Anima!”

A girl with braided pigtails raised her hand and stood.

“Mary?”

Anima’s gaze shifted to the student named Mary.

Mary’s grades were decent; though from an ordinary background, she was diligent, earning high praise from many teachers.

A student without notable lineage or family resources sitting among noble heirs was a genius in itself.

Thus, Anima, also of common origin, paid special attention to Mary and held high hopes.

“Teacher Anima, please listen,” Mary said earnestly. “Via is Lady Sylvia’s daughter, a current saintess candidate in the Holy Land… Given her upbringing and education, there’s no reason she’d side with the Demon King!”

“Hm, that’s true.”

Anima acknowledged this.

Other students agreed—even if Via performed poorly, such treasonous words shouldn’t come from the perfect saintess’s heir.

“So, please don’t jump to conclusions. Let Via explain first. Otherwise, today’s classroom incident could severely damage the Holy Land’s reputation.” Mary pleaded.

“…Fine. Via, I was hasty earlier. Do you have anything to add about your statement?”

Anima looked at Via again, his tone much softer.

Via glanced at Mary, seeing her smile, and felt deeply grateful.

She thought quickly and chose an excuse.

“Teacher Anima, I meant the Demon King Ville’s ambitions surely extended beyond humanity—he… wanted to destroy the entire world!”

“The entire world?”

“Exactly! An evil, damnable Demon King with unprecedented ambition and desire, never satisfied with just warring against humans—far more terrifying than we imagine!”

Via was clearly cursing the Demon King, yet felt incredibly uncomfortable.

“Teacher Anima, you know Via’s usual personality,” Mary reminded. “She’s not good with words; her intentions are good—we just misunderstood.”

“True enough.”

Anima didn’t want the Holy Land hauling Via away, or he’d become the teacher of a heretic.

After the masses judged Via, they’d question how he taught such a student—he wouldn’t fare well either.

“Sit down, Via, Mary. Next are crucial knowledge points, key to the assessment. Everyone listen carefully. Failing has consequences you all know!”

Anima barely restored classroom order.

Via sighed in relief, but she could feel the others’ gazes growing more distant.

…

…

“I messed up again…”

Back in the dorm, Via hugged her knees, slumped on the floor like a soft rice cake, dejected.

The classroom fiasco had drained all her strength and resolve.

Creak—

The dorm door opened.

The braided girl entered.

It was Mary, the student who had spoken for Via today.

“Mary!”

Via quickly stood, walked over, clutched her skirt, and smiled.

“Thank you for rescuing me in class today!”

“It’s not something worth special thanks.”

Mary replied.

She and Via were roommates, one of the few people Via could talk to at school.

Mary was like that—kind and friendly to all, taking on troublesome tasks others avoided.

At the start of term, no one wanted to room with the notoriously failing saintess candidate; Mary had volunteered.

“If not for Mary, I wouldn’t have known what to do,” Via said gratefully. “You’ve helped me so many times.”

“Others are just too harsh. No need to target you like that.”

Mary placed a hand on Via’s shoulder, gauging her mental state and health through the touch.

“Focus on the upcoming assessment. Don’t overthink—the exam is what matters.”

“Mhm, okay!”

Via nodded; her mood improved considerably.

“Via, are you using the bath next?” Mary asked.

“You go first, Mary. I’ll wait till you’re done.”

“Alright.”

Mary returned to her room, changed, and entered the bath.

She turned on the faucet, pulled a letter from her clothes, and read.

Amid the splashing water, her eyes changed—losing their usual warmth, turning cold as she scrutinized the contents.

Water splashed onto legs bearing old scars.

“…Heh.”

It was a secret order.

After reading, Mary dropped the letter; it dissolved upon touching water.

She approached the bath door and quietly cracked it open.

Through the gap, she watched Via’s back, lips curling into a dangerous arc.

“The operation can finally begin.”