Translator: Tsukii

Editor: Lilia

Read at Watashi wa Sugoi Desu!

Chapter 50 – Let’s Smash the Mastermind

After everyone returned from their training at the temple, the daily routine continued as usual.　

After I submitted the activity report to the vice principal, I found two letters placed on my desk.

“This is-?”　

“They arrived a few days after you guys departed.”

I nodded in understanding and checked the name of the first sender.　

It was Topgun Braveheart.

Uooooooooiiiii!　

Wasn’t that a super important letter?!

I hurriedly opened the seal and looked through the contents.

[“Hello, this is Topgun Braveheart, gowasu.”]　

“Your curse actually applies to the letter?!”

I was taken aback when I suddenly read such a strange line.　

[“I heard rumors, gowasu, and I was surprised to hear… that you are bringing your students to the Temple of Trials, gowasu. Did you manage to return safely, gowasu?”]　

So he was worried enough to send a letter.　

By the looks of it, he wrote the letter the moment he heard the rumor we were going there.

What a serious paladin.

[“Since then, Oidon has done a lot of investigation… and Oidon found out who instilled the idea of marriage in Sharon-dono’s parents’ minds. He seems to be trying hard to persuade them that it is for the sake of Oidon’s happiness.”]　

“…………”

[“However, he seems unaware that this marriage wasn’t something Oidon wished for, gowasu. Therefore, Oidon intends to persuade that person directly, gowasu. I’m sure that person will understand, gowasu.”]

I almost clicked my tongue.　

I refrained from telling him who it was back then since it would make me look suspicious, but that turned out to be a mistake.

I should have told him properly about who I thought to be the mastermind beforehand.

“Excuse me… ah, sensei. Erin and Kuyumi want to take a break from class to rest for today.”　

At that moment, Sharon came into the staff room and called out to me.　

She was wearing her uniform sloppily, as usual.

“Aah, Roger that. Kuyumi’s wounds might be healed, but fatigue needs prolonged rest to recover from. I will accept her request to take a break from class. What about Erin?”　

“She said she almost broke her arms from unleashing so many Vertical Flash Slashes.”

“Just how many times did she use it?”

That move was still considered a secret technique despite how simple it looked. ¹　

Well, if that was the case, I guess I shouldn’t force them to attend the class.

“So for today, I’ll attend the class alone, err… what’s that, letters?”　

The letter could be said to have something to do with her, I guess.　

I was wondering whether it was alright to show it to her, but I would just tell her the content for the time being.

“It’s from Sir Braveheart. He seemed worried when he heard we went to the Temple of Trials.”　

“Fu~hn.”

The moment she heard that name, her expression darkened.　

Hmm? What happened?

“Well, we were away for almost a week if we included the time to travel to the temple after all. I’m sure he was just worried. There’s also another thing that arrived in the meantime.”

I laughed lightly and picked up another letter that was placed on the desk.　

The sender was Cadenta Olheim.

In terms of importance, this one was the real deal.　

That said, since I requested it personally, I wasn’t that surprised.

“What about that one?”　

“I asked an acquaintance in the kingdom to investigate the orphanage where Sir Braveheart was raised.”

“……? Why?”

I cut through the seal in front of her.　

I glanced over the contents of the letter then sighed.

“Well, so it’s black after all.”　

“……?”

　

Seeing Sharon tilted her head, I replied with a wry smile.

“I’ve learned a lot of things about your engagement.”　

“Ah… I just wanted to consult you about that.”

Hearing the way her tone dropped, it seemed something had happened.　

I glanced at the vice principal, and she pointed to the conversation space in the corner of the staff room without looking up.

“Let’s go over there.”　

She nodded and I took her to a more private space where two sofas were facing each other.　

After each of us sat down on the sofa, I sighed.

“What’s wrong? Did something happen?”　

“I received a letter from my parents sent to the dormitory.”

Apparently, while we were holed up in the temple, a lot of things were happening outside.　

I picked up the letter she handed me and skimmed through it.

“It is said that Sir Braveheart is in favor of marriage…”　

“Uwaahhh…”

That was certainly what was written.　

H-hieee~~…! Wasn’t that the worst turn of events…!

“Unbelievable. Even after he said he was our ally before.”　

“……Don’t you think that’s weird?”

“Eh?”

As Sharon tilted her head, I showed her the letter that Sir Braveheart sent me.　

“Even though he was worried whether we were able to return properly, why did he agree to the engagement?”　

“That’s… isn’t it because I am his marriage partner?”

“No, he clearly stated he was trying to prevent the engagement from proceeding. In fact, he wrote that in his letter to me as well.”

In other words, he had to have a change of heart after he wrote the letter to me.　

No matter how one saw it, it was unnatural.

“Perhaps we should consider that he has fallen into the enemy’s hands.”　

“E-enemy…?!”

As Sharon’s eyes widened, I showed her the letter from Cadenta.　

“Do you remember Lord Arkwright? That aristocrat we met at that time.”　

“Yes, I remember.”

“The orphanage he ran has a stable rate of children being adopted over to foster parents.”

According to the data that Cadenta sent me, it was about three children every half year.　

Three people every six months was just an average, as there were times when nobody was sent for four months and there were also times that four to five children were adopted in a month.

“That’s a good thing, isn’t it?”　

“Aah. I guess this is a better choice than the research institute whose collaboration with the guild was discontinued… if those children were really handed over to foster parents, that is.”

It was really a cunning act.　

As I frowned, Sharon’s expression gradually darkened.

“Does sensei think that claim is a lie?”　

“See the names of people the children were handed over to.”

Sharon leaned forward and paid close attention.　

I traced the handover list with my finger.

“There are some dummy names mixed in. They probably bribed the official to make the claim legal.”　

“…………”

　

The children never really met their foster parents.

Just by thinking that, Sharon’s lips trembled and her face turned pale, as if she realized the worst possible outcome.

“Such a thing really happens…?”　

“There is a lot of research that requires living humans. Most of them are forbidden research, though.” 

That was why it was easy to guess why a man who did such a thing was pushing the marriage between Sharon and Braveheart.　

“It’s because of my physical constitution, isn’t it?”　

Sharon, who was born with immense magic power, would be highly desired both as research material and as a way to gain more research material, to put it crudely.　

Having his partnership with the guild terminated might have been a huge loss to him.

“Then Sir Braveheart was probably persuaded by Lord Arkwright… no, I guess persuaded isn’t the correct term in this case.”　

“Aah. There’s a high possibility that he has been brainwashed.”

Perhaps Arkwright already had a method to control Sir Braveheart.　

As long as Sir Braveheart married Sharon, she would automatically become Arkwright’s property.

I was impressed that he managed to do that to someone who was a paladin, though.　

That being said, it was an act that violated the freedom of my students, and I couldn’t overlook that.

I sighed and stood up from the sofa.　

I turned to the vice principal, who was just barely visible through the pile of documents.

“Sorry for asking the day after I returned, but can I take Sharon for an outdoor lesson?”　

“I don’t mind. The lesson is about watching a serious clash against a paladin, is it?” ²

“I doubt a brainwashed paladin can demonstrate his full potential, though.”

I shrugged and the vice principal seemed to agree with me and gave a wry smile.　

As the conversation progressed at a rapid pace, Sharon, who was left behind, widened her eyes.

“Eh, um?”　

“I think it should be at Arkwright’s research facility. We’re going there, to get Sir Braveheart back, and break this engagement. This silly matchmaking will be over by today.”

“Eeh?!”

Sharon jumped and made a frantic noise.　

“D-does that mean I’m coming along?”　

“Of course you are. And we’ll head there as soon as you are ready; we have to seize the initiative to win after all.”

“U-u~hn, it sounds logical, but also not at the same time…”

The sooner one charged on the enemy formation, the better.　

Leaving aside case-by-case exceptions, delaying actions basically gave the opponent more choices and reduced one’s advantage.

We would rush in as soon as possible and annihilate the adversary.　

There was no other choice.

“But wouldn’t I become a hindrance to sensei…?”　

“You overcame the Temple of Trials, right? Now is the time to show off the result of your training.”

“I only just overcame it the other day, though?”

Sharon looked at me uncertainly, but I shook my head.　

“I will ensure your safety. The most effective way to feel the fruits of your training is by putting it into practice in a real battle.”　

“That… might be true, but…”

“And above all… you should grasp your future with your own hands.”

“!!”

I was a teacher.　

Taking students to dangerous places was originally out of the question.

However, simply growing in a safe zone wouldn’t be good for those girls.　

In order to raise them to be truly strong, it would be better for them to have more exposure to the important events in their lives.

“As your teacher, I will protect your life, your body, and your potential. However, you shouldn’t just stay protected, as choosing your own fate is something only you can do.”　

“……Gh.”

　

Sharon clenched her fist tightly and her eyes wandered.

At the moment, the two friends she usually relied on weren’t here.

That was why it was the best time for her to break out of her shell.

After a few seconds of silence, she stared at me.　

There was a light of determination in her eyes.

“──I understand. I’ll get ready, so wait.”

“Aah.”

Sharon ran off with great force.　

After looking at her back, I took a deep breath.

……Was this a scenario I should jump into when the tutorial of the sequel hadn’t even begun yet?

Such doubt ran in my mind, but I was smart enough to ignore it.

Wasn’t it already too late for that after all this time? Now it came to this, I would do my all so Sharon could earn her maximum happiness! 

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