Chapter 35

Chapter 35

The condition required for membership in Epsilon and the other three major social clubs was simple—the majority of the seven administrators must be in favor of a new member’s acceptance, including the leader.

“That’s quite interesting.”

Pilav actually used his wits for a change. Isidor fiddled with a playing card and listened to the others gossip about information he’d already gathered.

“There are a lot of vacancies in Omicron this year since many of its members left to return to their homes.”

“But even so! I’ve never even heard of House Binoche!”

“This is a Montes we’re talking about. That family had only one son each for the past three generations. No doubt they’re grateful to Mia for saving their precious heir.”

“Hmm...”

“What’s more, I heard that she’s been very active in taking part in charitable works for the commoners. Some foolish citizens are even singing her praises, claiming that she is the Saintess herself, returned in the flesh. Pilav apparently convinced them that Mia’s charitable work would be of benefit to Omicron’s public image.”

“Ah. So he painted her as a saint. Not a bad strategy.”

“Hmm. By the way, that Mia woman is quite interesting. As you mentioned, she seems to be very involved in charity work like healing people on the streets. She must have a lot of divine power in her if she’s able to handle that level of healing.”

“I have a feeling Mia Binoche’s divine power will be revealed to the general public soon enough. Prior to the Spring Flower Festival, the theology building invites high-ranking priests and has the purity and size of the students’ divine power measured.”

“It will soon be the Spring Flower Festival! Time really flies, doesn’t it?”

The festival was a highly popular, massive event within the empire, second only to the harvest festival. Everyone was already contemplating what they would wear and who to ask to be their partner.

“Who should I go with to the ball this year, I wonder?”

“Now, now. You all recall the real reason we’re meeting today, I trust?” Isidor said, tapping the table to catch everyone’s attention.

“I was having so much fun playing, I nearly forgot.”

“We’re here to discuss recruiting a new member,” Isidor said.

“But Lord Isidor. Lady Cyril has been going about telling everyone that our club has no intention of accepting any new members this year.” Tieri Orgo, one of the club’s administrators, who’d been entirely focused on the game, suddenly snickered.

He was the third son of the house of Duke Orgo, another founding house known for producing excellent swordsmen. He and Dieron Orgo, who was known as the Sword Saint, were only one year apart in age. Unlike the inflexible Dieron, Tieri was easy-going and frivolous in character.

“Our leader’s a gentleman and he couldn’t bring himself to tell her to her face that she’s not wanted,” Tieri said. “I’ll bet that’s why he told her we weren’t accepting new members. You don’t really believe that to be the case, do you, men?”

“There was a slight change in the situation, that’s all. One of our members suddenly left, so we must discuss bringing in someone new, Lord Tieri,” Isidor responded with a smile.

Left? You basically kicked her out... Miguel, who was eating a slice of cake at the snack bar located in the corner of the room, regarded Isidor dryly. He’d found out recently that one of the members had copied another student’s term paper and had threatened to expose her unless she left herself. The reason he’d done so was obvious. There was no doubt he hadn’t liked the woman very much in the first place, but his intention was probably to create a vacancy so he could bring Lady Deborah in.

He’s been spending too much time on her recently. With jobs from both Lady Deborah and the crown prince, his liege’s schedule was completely packed. Though I’ll admit, there is something quite charming about her. Who’d have thought she’d ask him to investigate himself...

Feeling another case of the giggles coming on, Miguel bit his lip and pinched his thigh.

“First of all, I’d like to emphasize how handsome I am. It’s hard to find the right words, though.”

Miguel was hard-pressed to contain his laughter whenever his liege pored over documents about himself, making endless corrections with a grim look on his face.

“If you have anyone in mind, put forth their name now,” Isidor said.

One of the administrators immediately raised his hand. “Lord Isidor. Why don’t we let the person with the best hand among us choose, with our unanimous agreement? There are four of us here, including you, so that would secure the majority vote.”

It was an interesting suggestion—everyone agreed easily.

“So, who shall we start with?”

“I’ll show my hand first,” one of the men offered, revealing that he had a pair. The others took their turns, one by one.

“It looks like I’ll be the one choosing, my friends,” Tieri said proudly, showing them his hand—it was a full house.

The others murmured in agreement quietly, since it was unlikely anyone would have a better hand. Not only was he going to win a considerable amount of money on the table, but he would also get to invite a close friend into Epsilon. Everyone stared at Tieri enviously, and he smiled triumphantly, chest puffing up.

“I recommend Lady Seirin Beluge. She is a talented woman with a uniquely refined sensitivity to mana. A perfect match for a club such as ours, since we prize ability above all else, don’t you agree?”

“Hmm.”

“She isn’t here, but even the fifth princess favors Seirin Beluge.”

The fifth princess was the crown prince’s sole younger sister and she held considerable sway among the female members of the Epsilon sorority. Those gathered were all nodding, finding his recommendation suitable, when Isidor tapped the table once more.

“You seem to forget that I haven’t shown my hand yet.” He slowly lay the cards down in front of him—it was a royal flush. The best hand possible to have in the game, a royal flush occurred with a probability of only six hundred and fifty thousand to one.

“Are you serious? I can’t believe it!”

“Impossible! I’ve never seen that hand in my entire life.”

“How is that even possible!” Tieri tore at his hair, finding he had lost the game despite having a full house.

“I guess I’m just lucky,” Isidor said with a grin, tilting his head back cockily. He hadn’t come by his hand honestly, of course. The male members of Epsilon had a penchant for bets and gambling, and Isidor had rigged the cards in advance using magic with this precise situation in mind.

Everyone thought Isidor to be the perfect gentleman and knight, and none would ever suspect that he would resort to such an underhanded trick. This was thanks to how meticulously he maintained his public persona.

“Don’t be smug about it. Who will you be recommending, then?” Tieri asked, visibly upset.

“I’m sorry to say, I don’t have anyone to recommend at the moment. I do have a talented individual in mind, but I don’t have their agreement yet.”

“Isidor, what lady or gentleman would refuse an invitation from you?”

“Hmm...”

“Why are you meddling in my business?”

Isidor smiled an odd little grin as he recalled Lady Deborah’s cold eyes. “Since I won, I’d like to ask that you all attend this event.” He wrote the location and time on a sheet of paper.

“What’s this? An inquiry?”

“Oh, I’ve heard about this! It’s what William Lemont has been frothing at the mouth about recently. Lady Deborah has been up to no good again, it seems.”

“Really? Will she never learn?”

“She never changes.”

“No wonder people call her the pariah of the Seymour family.”

“One lady goes about healing people at no cost, while the other causes problems without end. They’re both Pilav’s women, but how different they are!”

A cool smile appeared on Isidor’s face as he listened. “Don’t jump to conclusions just yet, friends. Sometimes it’s necessary to wait and see how things unfold,” he growled, emerald eyes gleaming.

* * *

At five in the afternoon, the inquiry I’d requested from the dean was held in the Department of Magic’s assembly hall. It was originally meant to be in the lecture room where the formula theory classes were taught, but the location had been changed to the grand hall at William Lemont’s request.

He had suggested a wide-open space so that I couldn’t cheat. He was probably hoping to humiliate me in front of everyone since he was certain that Kyle was being bribed to give me the answers in secret.

But things have gotten a bit out of hand, haven’t they? Not only were the dean and vice-dean present, but four of the magic professors including Kyle were here as well—plus Lemont’s gossip-mongering had attracted a formidable crowd of students.

Why the hell are they here? My palms grew sweaty upon spotting a handful of visitors I hadn’t been expecting to see. Their arrival elicited a wild response from the observers.

“That’s Lord Isidor!”

“I’ve never seen him in person, but gosh, the rumors don’t do him justice. How can any mortal man be that handsome?”

“Lord Isidor should be training with the knights. What’s he doing here?”

“My goodness, that’s Lord Tieri next to him!”

“Even the House of Orgo is here?”

“Isn’t that the fifth princess in the back?”

“Goodness, gracious. A member of the imperial family...”

“Come to think of it, they’re all part of the leadership of Epsilon, aren’t they?”

“Surely they are incredibly busy people! What are they doing here?”

My thinking precisely. Why in the world are they here?