Madam Cassandra couldn't accept this result.
"I want to see His Majesty. I want to see His Majesty…"
"Levi, I'm warning you, even if I no longer bear the name Sol, I am still the Emperor's own sister!"
Madam Cassandra was clearly angry, and she continued, "You have no reason to stop me from entering the capital. I will find a way to see His Majesty eventually."
"If you don't let me pass right now, then when I do, I will make sure to accuse you before His Majesty! You're deliberately blocking my way, what are you up to!?"
Hearing her accusations, Duke Levi instead smiled, sly as an old fox, speaking in a tone that sounded as though it was all for her own good.
"Madam Cassandra, the capital is very dangerous right now. I'm only stopping you for your safety. Even if you complain later, His Majesty knows how to tell right from wrong, he won't blindly blame me…"
Before a smooth-talking politician, every word Cassandra said seemed powerless.
"Danger!? My son is the one in danger right now, he could lose his life any moment!"
Her voice suddenly rose several tones higher. She was furious, anxious, and helpless.
Even so, she could only sit here, waiting for Duke Levi to let her through.
But the next second, Levi's words made her freeze in place.
Her eyes widened. She went quiet.
"Madam Cassandra, I'm not joking with you…"
"There's been demonic activity inside the academy."
"Your son, Devon Lesser, very likely made contact with a demon."
———
[Last Night]
"You're saying… a demon?"
Last night, Viktor was casually chatting with Liya in the study.
"The filthy thing Kefra mentioned, it's that."
Liya listened, finding it hard to believe, standing there in stunned silence.
She had once read about demons in books, the stench, the slimy skin, the bulging eyes, and a tongue full of countless sharp teeth…
A body like a shadow of ink, a heart full of greed.
Like a walking, reeking swamp that ordinary people would avoid at all costs.
The book even recorded that such a thing once lived for a while in an outhouse in a small, remote kingdom.
The power it granted made the whole town prosper for a time.
But afterward, the townspeople began to disappear one after another.
No one could ever find them, and that once-thriving town fell into ruin and desolation, eventually erased from history.
Liya stopped reminiscing. Just the description in the book was enough to make her nauseous.
Of course, whether in appearance or in deed, it was only what the records said.
It was common for those in power to rewrite facts to reinforce their rule.
But that only proved one thing, no one liked demons.
"You found it?"
Liya asked carefully.
She was surprised. The news had only reached Viktor from Kefra yesterday, yet today he'd already tracked down its traces?
'Was Viktor's efficiency always this terrifying?'
Viktor nodded expressionlessly.
"That thing is inside the academy."
Liya grew more curious. "Do you have confidence you can catch or kill it?"
Viktor answered plainly and honestly, "Not necessarily."
If that demon was indeed what Viktor thought it was, a mid-game boss-level demon, then even a fourth-tier mage might not be a match for its complete form.
As he always said, if your stats aren't enough, you make up for it with skill.
Viktor Clavenna's stats couldn't compare.
But Viktor Clavenna would still defeat it.
And if not, he still had his "cheat."
"However, I need to lure that filthy thing out, and make sure I'm the one who kills it."
Viktor told Liya.
But Liya found it strange.
"Didn't you just say you're not sure you can kill it? Why, "
"Even if the success rate is ninety-nine percent, I won't assume it's foolproof."
Viktor's voice sounded calm, yet Liya could feel the incredible confidence within it.
But now she had another doubt.
Normally, Viktor wouldn't tell her this much.
Because she couldn't help him anyway, and Viktor never bothered explaining unnecessary things.
He would simply handle everything himself.
Just like at the volcano, if she hadn't heard the news later, she wouldn't even have known he'd done something so shocking.
Liya blinked, as if realizing something.
"…Don't tell me, you need me to do something?"
"Viktor, let me say first, I'm not a mage, and I'm definitely not a knight like Kefra. I can't even lift a few bricks properly…"
"This is something only you can do."
Viktor's firm tone almost made Liya wonder if she secretly had some special ability.
What was this about?
"Devon Lesser, you know him, right?"
"The fat guy you beat up today?"
Liya thought for a moment, then couldn't help but laugh.
"How funny, you know, this has almost gone viral by now!"
Just thinking about it made her laugh. Even knowing that that fat pig was the Emperor's own nephew, she wasn't the least bit afraid.
In fact, she thought Viktor did perfectly.
She didn't know what grudge existed between the two, but…
Viktor represented the Clavenna family. If someone wronged them and he still had to swallow his anger, worrying about this or that,
Then if Viktor had done that, Liya would have immediately stripped him of his authority.
If he shamed the Clavenna name, he had no right to lead it.
"So? What do you want me to do?"
"Don't tell me you want me to go south and sabotage their business? I can't. Their factories are everywhere."
"And those are royal money pits. You might dare offend the Emperor, but I don't."
Viktor stopped her wild guessing.
"Before the Emperor steps in, we need to smear Devon Lesser's name as much as possible."
He didn't even raise an eyebrow, speaking calmly.
But Liya instantly caught on, her eyes wide in disbelief.
"You want to throw the demon's filth on the Lesser family? That's impossible!"
It was just too absurd.
"Even if we had enough people in the capital, no sane person would believe that."
"Or are you saying, you're already strong enough to control a demon?"
Viktor looked up at her, replying faintly, "The demon will cooperate with you."
Liya gave him a horrified look, her whole body trembling with a chill.
"No one would dare be your enemy, Viktor. You're a bastard who even schemes against demons. You're the real devil."
Viktor stood up. Vega fluttered its wings, landing on his shoulder.
"If manpower isn't enough, borrow from the Duke."
"After all, he owes me a big favor."
With that, he left the study with Vega.
———
"Miss Liya Clavenna, I can only help you keep Madam Cassandra at the city gate."
Duke Levi looked a bit troubled, smiling wryly.
"It's not that I don't want to help Viktor, but that's all I can do."
Liya sat opposite him, smiling gracefully.
"That's already enough, Duke."
"All we need is time, time for my brother to prove his innocence."
Levi was silent for a while, then asked tentatively, "So… Devon Lesser really did make contact with a demon, didn't he?"
Liya sighed softly.
"Duke, I don't want to deceive you. But think about it, why would my brother attack an ordinary second-tier mage for no reason?"
Using what little useful information she had, Liya spun her story with elegant precision.
Levi, caught like prey in a spider's web, was trapped in her web of beautiful lies.
"Don't forget, Duke Levi, our Clavenna family's ties with the Derlin family are not ordinary."
"Miss Kefra, after all, could be considered my sister."
Levi nodded.
After all, the news about the demon's appearance in the capital had come from Kefra. So if Viktor knew a few details, it wasn't unreasonable.
But Liya knew, Levi didn't really believe her.
Between Viktor and that useless Devon Lesser, any politician would know whom to side with.
Still, Levi had to consider whether his own Duchy could bear the cost of such a choice.
So Liya added one more piece to the deal.
"If you still don't believe me…"
She tapped her finger on the table.
"Viktor will have Devon Lesser tied up in the academy plaza today. After that, something unpredictable will happen, exactly what, I can't say."
"But what I can confirm is that the 'demon' will appear then, to rescue Devon Lesser."
Levi straightened, his expression grave.
"But how will that prove this isn't Viktor's own performance?"
Liya smiled again.
"You're truly suspicious, Duke, but I don't mind that. Otherwise, all my preparation would've gone to waste."
"I'll have Captain Gwyn lead the Royal Knights to the academy. Then, hundreds of knights will be there, witnessing everything with their own eyes."
"The Royal Knights serve directly under His Majesty, they'll judge fairly."
———
Viktor stood in the academy plaza. Everywhere his eyes looked, silver-armored knights surrounded the place.
In an instant, Vega analyzed the magic's effects.
This powerful magic barrier weakened all "mana" within its range, making people fall into a state of "fatigue."
"Mana" also included certain special abilities, like Gwyn's Heart of Justice.
At that moment, Viktor was one of the few mages still standing.
Most students had already collapsed on the ground, half the lecturers were barely upright, and even a few third-tier mages frowned deeply, their mana drained, unable to cast spells.
The knights, meanwhile, though slightly weak and weary, still stood firm.
"What on earth is happening?"
Everyone was confused. No one but Viktor knew what kind of formation they were trapped in.
Suddenly, countless black tentacles sprouted from the edges of the barrier, like crazed serpents, rushing toward Professor Devon.
Vega cooperated perfectly, flapping its wings and acting terrified.
Every knight and conscious mage immediately focused their eyes on the scene before them.
Gasps filled the air.
"What the hell is that disgusting thing!?"
Viktor extended his still-movable molten giant hand, clashing violently with the writhing tentacles.
Both sides fought to seize Devon.
The tentacles gradually wrapped around Viktor's molten arm, the darkness licking wildly like tongues, trying to swallow him whole.
Even under "fatigue," Viktor struggled fiercely, forcing back the countless serpentine shadows.
But in the end, Viktor was defeated. His grip loosened, and Devon was lifted into the air by the tentacles.
The dark barrier opened into a massive maw, swallowing Devon whole, then vanished.
For a moment, the entire place was silent, filled only with horror.
Viktor's face was frighteningly grim, his voice weak but steady.
"Filthy demon…"
"Even now, I couldn't stop you from saving him…"
'????'
Everyone who heard that froze like lost, helpless sheep.
'What?'
'A demon?'
'Saved Devon Lesser?'
'Do you even hear yourself right now!?'
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