Chapter 397
The five days Simon spent unconscious.
A lot had happened in that time.
The Blood Heaven Cult had interfered in Keyzen’s advancement exam. It was shocking enough that they had targeted students, but the real blow was learning that the archbishop—a core figure—had spent nearly 20 years undercover as a professor at Keyzen for this plan.
And around the same time, a strange wave erupted in the far east of the Kingdom of Shahed.
Necromancer agents dispatched to the site discovered the Dark Alliance headquarters of the Blood Heaven Cult at the very location the wave had originated.
The barrier had been torn apart by some unknown force, and even more shocking, the entire headquarters building had been split in half, then exploded into a sea of fire.
A corpse believed to be Sillage was even discovered inside.
The agents, acting quickly before the fire could destroy everything, retrieved vital data and used it to uncover the locations of the Blood Heaven Cult’s branches and allied facilities across the continent. Then they launched a simultaneous air raid.
A full-scale purge operation against the Blood Heaven Cult had begun.
“……Ah.”
Simon sat blankly, listening to the story.
“More important than that is your story, Simon.”
Neftis, lightly perched on the edge of Simon’s bed, smiled brightly.
“What happened in the dungeon?”
“Ah, well……”
At some point, a Keyzen HQ staff member had joined Neftis. With so many ears around, Simon calmly gathered his memories and began to speak.
The Ring of Blood had been cast, and the students had been frozen in place. Simon had dashed to where the dungeon master was, where he battled Sillage. Using Herseba’s third authority, he dragged him into the World of Sand and raised an army of mummies to fight.
Sillage responded by summoning Blood Heaven Cult followers into the dungeon, but he had a critical weakness in his heart.
The Ring of Blood, the dungeon master hunt, the construction of the Bloodstone Castle, large-scale portal magic, and the mummy army battle—all of it drained Sillage’s blood magic. Eventually, he coughed up blood and self-destructed, fleeing through a portal.
Moments later, Herseba’s dungeon dissolved, and the remaining cultists were subdued by Loraine and Serne, who had been waiting outside.
‘That should be enough, right?’
Naturally, Simon left out anything involving the Legion or the fusion of Darkness and Holiness.
The Keyzen staffer nodded and took notes on Simon’s statement.
“So, Simon, you weren’t aware that Sillage had died?”
“Ah, yes. That’s right.”
Simon answered while nervously sweating, and Neftis simply gazed at him with a soft smile.
“Thank you for your cooperation, student.”
Soon, all the staff and doctors left the room, leaving only Neftis and Simon.
“Mmmmmm! Chaaaah!”
She stretched with a yawn, puffed cheeks and all, and gave a lazy smile.
Simon cautiously asked,
“Um, you’re not going to ask?”
“Hmm? About what?”
“What really happened inside the barrier.”
Neftis chuckled.
“It’s fine. The result is what matters most.”
Her tone suggested she already knew everything anyway.
“But more importantly, don’t you have questions, Simon? You must be confused, waking up like this.”
He had a mountain of questions.
“Are the other students really okay?”
“Yep, totally fine. Not a single one was hurt.”
Simon sighed in relief and asked again,
“Then what about our advancement exam?”
“Oh, that~”
According to Neftis, the exam had of course been canceled.
Fortunately, none of the students were harmed.
The last thing they remembered was a red ring in the sky. When they awoke, they were outside the dungeon.
The students were informed that the exam had been canceled due to a Blood Heaven Cult attack, and that a simplified alternative exam would be conducted instead. Naturally, rewards and incentives were promised as well.
The students actually seemed pleased with the whole ordeal.
After all, dungeon life had been excruciating, and the exam could’ve dragged on for one or two more months. But now, they woke up, found the test replaced with something easier, and were even getting rewarded for it.
The new test involved a dungeon evaluation using the abilities of the Necromancer of the Cards, Endolas Vaudeville, and the virtual combat simulation system Avalon.
Rather than dragging things out by living in a dungeon, the students were presented with only the core incidents that typically occurred in a dungeon, one by one, to which they had to react and respond. Their grades would be determined based on those reactions.
So after a two-day break, the students were moved to take the new exam.
That’s why there were no first-years currently at Keyzen—they had gone to take the test.
“W-Wait a minute!”
Simon shot up and shouted.
“Shouldn’t I be taking that test too?”
“Oh, don’t worry.”
Neftis smiled again.
“You’ve already secured first place.”
“W-What?”
“While the other students were immobilized, you rushed to the dungeon master’s chamber, bravely confronted and suppressed the Blood Heaven Cult invaders. Thanks to your actions, the others were able to stay safe. The students themselves agreed you deserve first place.”
So it wasn’t a total exam replacement. Simon was granted first place, and the rest would be selected starting from second.
Simon finally let out a deep breath of relief.
“And!”
Neftis placed her hands on her hips and furrowed her brows.
“Worrying about exams in your condition? You need rest!”
“Haha, got it. Then……”
Simon scratched the side of his head.
Of course, students who were desperate to pass the advancement exam could accept this alternative and the rewards. But the real issue was outside.
“Isn’t it really noisy out there right now? With the Blood Heaven Cult incident at Keyzen……”
“Oh, that?”
Neftis grinned broadly.
“I buried it.”
Simon flinched with a chill down his spine.
“……B-Buried it?”
“Ah! I mean I buried the topic, not the truth. Right now, everyone’s attention is on the war.”
Neftis began to explain the situation.
The Holy Federation’s provocations along the border had been intensifying. Neftis seized this opportunity to unleash everything that had been quietly buried for the sake of peace.
Border invasions by Saints, the Federation’s military expansion, and a string of skirmishes.
The media picked up on all of it and sensationalized it. Dark Alliance citizens were now convinced that war could break out any moment.
And more importantly—
“Hey, by any chance, have you heard of someone named Leight, the head inquisitor of the Heresy Tribunal?”
“Ah, yes. I’ve heard of him.”
In truth, he hadn’t just heard—Simon had met him in person in the Holy Federation.
Leight was a hardline war extremist. He stood in opposition to Simon’s aunt, Israfil, the Saint.
When the Blood Heaven Cult tried to spark a global war between the Holy Federation and the Dark Alliance, Leight had attempted to exploit the situation and launch a full-scale conflict.
He was the priest known for killing the most necromancers in the world.
“The voice recording of that Inquisitor-General Leight—the one that makes every Dark Alliance citizen shudder—I've got it.”
Neftis waved a recording artifact in her hand.
“I tied him to the Blood Heaven Cult. You know, like suggesting he’s actually the one behind it all~”
“Ah……”
“This war we’re waging against the Blood Heaven Cult right now, it all stems from that. Every single one of their bases—Dark Alliance, Holy Federation, doesn’t matter—they’re all being bombarded.”
Neftis swung her legs playfully, but her eyes turned calm and serious.
“With the world teetering on the edge of war, who’s going to care about what happened at a school? This’ll just be remembered as one of many heinous acts committed by the Blood Heaven Cult. Or maybe it’ll go more like—‘As expected of Keyzen! They stopped an attack from the Blood Heaven Cult targeting students without a single casualty!’”
“B-But what if we really go to war with the Holy Federation?”
Neftis shook her head.
“Mmm-mm, don’t worry. I know Pontifex Efnelle’s tendencies like the back of my hand. It’s not like Leight actually allied with the cult. He’ll just walk a tightrope for a bit, then get swept away.”
“......Ah.”
A chill ran down Simon’s spine.
There was a time when the anti-Keyzen faction, and the groups arguing for Keyzen’s dissolution, couldn’t even make a peep.
It was when the issue of war with the Holy Federation started spreading.
Everyone knew—even five-year-olds in the street—that Keyzen was the only force capable of standing against Efnelle, who had seven Saints and countless Priests.
On the day of the incident, Neftis retaliated against the Blood Heaven Cult and used the rising war sentiment to suppress anti-Keyzen opposition. But she was careful not to cross the line into outright war with the Holy Federation.
It was an incredibly swift and clever response.
If you’re someone who practically rules half the continent—the de facto sovereign of the Dark Alliance—then maybe it’s not just brute force you need, but a shrewd eye for global affairs too.
“......Hehe, disappointed in me?”
Neftis drew her knees together and gently rested her forehead on them.
“Because I’m just as petty and underhanded as all the other adults.”
“Ah, no.”
Simon gently shook his head.
“......As the head of an organization, I think you made the best possible choice.”
She hadn’t covered up the truth. The students—the ones who’d been targeted—were safe and had no complaints.
Still, Simon saw Neftis in a slightly new light. He felt like he’d caught a glimpse of another side hidden behind that wide, innocent smile.
“Well, anyway, what really matters is you, who went through so much.”
Neftis smiled warmly.
“You earned merit, so you should be rewarded, right? Go ahead, ask for anything. If it’s within my power, I’ll grant it.”
“Ah……!”
A chance to ask for something from the ruler of the Dark Alliance.
Not something that comes around often.
No—this might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
“How about this?”
Neftis’ eyes sparkled mischievously like a child’s.
“Free ice cream for life across the entire Dark Alliance! Ice cream bomb!”
‘That just sounds like something you want, Lady Neftis.’
Simon gave a troubled smile and took a sip of water from the glass at his side.
“If not that……”
Neftis suddenly gave a sly grin.
“How about this? ‘Give me your daughter!’”
Pfffft!
Simon spat out the water, his face turning bright red as he coughed violently.
“L-Lady Neftis!”
“Come on, wouldn’t our Loraine be a great match? Hmm? She takes after me—cute! Talented! A great fighter!”
Excited, she bounced on the bed.
“She was a precious child I had late in life and raised with care, but if you want her that badly, I guess I have no choice~ Hehe!”
That wily smile—clearly the kind used by adults who enjoy teasing kids—made Simon break into a cold sweat.
“Uh, would a different kind of request be okay?”
“You want something more than our Loraine? Spill it!”
“Ahem.”
He really wished she’d stop bringing up Loraine. His face was burning.
“The cause behind the Traitor Legion. The crimes of the Seventh Legion who killed their comrades.”
Simon, now composed, looked Neftis straight in the eye.
“A pardon for those crimes. Would that be possible?”
Superb.
When are we getting more free chapters?
Thanks for the new chapters