Academy’s Undercover Professor-Chapter 334: The Lion in White (2)

A large reception hall prepared for the welcoming of foreign envoys.

Two groups stood on opposite sides of the vast space, staring each other down.

On one side were paladins and priests, clad in white ceremonial robes over their armor.

On the other stood the Imperial Royal Guard, arrayed in gleaming silver uniforms.

Despite being a room meant to host honored guests, the atmosphere inside was anything but welcoming—tense and hostile.

“Mmm. The tea is quite good.”

Amidst the heavy, oppressive silence, a man’s relaxed comment broke through as if the mood didn’t concern him in the slightest.

He was an unremarkable-looking man.

With dull brown hair and a few freckles, his expression was laced with blatant arrogance.

Sitting across from him, Aileen stared daggers at him through narrowed eyes.

“But I was under the impression the Empire had better tea leaves. Perhaps they weren’t properly prepared today. Ah, not that this tea tastes bad, of course. Just... a little below my usual standards, wouldn’t you say?”

That insolent remark made the Imperial Guard visibly bristle.

However, as well-trained as they were, none of them dared speak out of turn.

Instead, they bore down on the envoy with killing intent in their eyes.

The man, however, kept his chin lifted high—even under such pressure.

It wasn’t out of confidence in his own strength, but rather in the paladins behind him.

More than that, it was because of the woman seated beside him.

“She sits quietly, but her presence is the real reason he’s so bold,” Aileen thought, eyes fixed on the woman.

She was dressed entirely in white, a delicate tiara resting near her eyes.

She sat with impeccable composure, a soft smile gracing her lips—but something about her was unnerving, as if she were a mannequin crafted in the shape of a woman.

Aileen instantly recognized who she was.

“A Priestess of the homeland.”

The Theocracy of Bretus had established Lumenis Church branches in every nation, sending their own people to serve.

In each major city, a bishop—technically called a diocesan overseer—was always stationed.

These bishops held respectable power within their respective regions.

But once back in Bretus, even those bishops had to bow their heads to the person before her now.

A Priestess.

In the Lumenis Church, a Priestess was seen as the conduit between the divine and mankind—the sacred intermediary.

To humans, she was said to be “the closest being to God.”

It was a role that commanded immense reverence in Bretus.

“But for a Priestess to be so young...”

Traditionally, one would expect an old, dignified figure to hold such a position—but not in Bretus.

There, Priestesses all looked to be in their mid-twenties, as if by some unspoken agreement.

Their numbers were less than ten, and yet each one shared the same striking image—a tiara set by the eyes.

It was a not-so-secret secret known across the continent.

The unnamed Priestess, as if sensing Aileen’s sharp gaze, turned and met her eyes, her smile deepening.

It wasn’t mockery. It wasn’t provocation.

It was a smile seemingly born of genuine benevolence.

But Aileen found it distasteful.

Perhaps it was because she had seen too many dark dealings, or because she’d dealt with power structures like theirs in the shadows for too long—but people like this always made her uneasy.

Especially if they were from Bretus.

“And coming here with this kind of military escort, just days after the terrorist attack... as if they knew it would happen.”

Could it be they were onto something? Or just a well-timed coincidence?

As Aileen pondered the possibilities, the envoy seated next to the Priestess frowned, making no effort to hide his irritation.

“You’re being awfully rude. Do you not know who you’re sitting across from?”

Ah, right. This guy.

A foolish fox who believed that the Priestess’s authority made him untouchable.

“No, I think you don’t know who you’re speaking to.”

“You’re not the Emperor.”

“But I could become one. Unlike you, who will never be more than the Priestess’s substitute.”

Aileen’s cutting remark made the envoy’s face flush red.

He had always paraded around under borrowed authority, yet deep inside, he was painfully aware of the one thing he could never be—a Priestess himself.

Aileen, ever perceptive, had spotted that insecurity instantly.

The envoy tried to reply but instead pasted a crooked, smug smile across his face.

“Well. I’m quite satisfied with my position. And isn’t that beside the point, anyway?”

“Hmph. Enough pointless babbling. State the reason you came.”

“As I said—we’re here to express condolences over the recent tragedy.”

“So bringing priests, I can understand. But paladins too? It certainly looks like you’re ready to use force.”

“Well, of course we need force. Just not against the Empire.”

The envoy narrowed his eyes lazily and looked Aileen up and down.

“But depending on your answer, that could change.”

“......”

Such arrogance.

To speak like that inside the imperial palace, no less.

If it had been any other country’s envoy, Aileen would’ve drawn her sword and cut him down herself.

But this was Bretus.

Though the theocracy had lost some of its former shine, its power was still formidable.

“And their history of quietly infiltrating foreign leadership makes them even more troublesome.”

If they had been a more transparent, openly powerful nation, they’d be easier to deal with.

But instead, they possessed an ambiguous, intangible power—one that inspired unease.

That’s the problem with nations who wield asymmetric power.

Aileen sighed internally before speaking.

“I’m afraid I don’t understand what you’re implying. So tell me—what exactly is your ‘force’ meant for?”

“We’ve heard of the recent events here, as I mentioned. But there’s one peculiar report that caught our attention.”

“Peculiar?”

“They say a black storm—a very ominous one—erupted in the middle of the capital. Would you happen to know anything about that?”

The envoy’s eyes gleamed as if he were trying to read her every thought.

Aileen met his gaze without flinching.

So, it’s come to this.

He probably thought that a few high-level confrontations made him her equal.

But his skill level was laughable in comparison.

“To my knowledge, a dark storm did indeed appear suddenly. But it didn’t last long.”

“Short or not, its occurrence is what matters. Do you know what caused it?”

“That horrifying incident only ended two days ago. That’s far too little time to determine anything.”

“Are you simply ignoring it, even though you know the truth?”

The envoy’s insinuation was clear—he was accusing the Empire of being involved in the black storm.

The Royal Guard didn’t respond with outrage—they were too stunned.

The accusation crossed far too many lines.

Shhhk.

And then, Aileen’s expression turned glacial.

Even the envoy, who hadn’t flinched in the face of the Royal Guard’s pressure, felt a chill crawl down his spine when their eyes met.

Her gaze seemed to carry physical force—like invisible blades piercing through his skin.

Despite the layers of clothing, he felt icy needles prickling at his flesh.

Even someone as brazen as this envoy couldn’t bear that stare.

“Just once.”

“......”

“I’ll let that rudeness slide—just this once. But remember: there won’t be a second time.”

It wasn’t a bluff.

There was a genuine threat in her voice, as if she really would take action next time.

The envoy calmly nodded, trying to hide the fact that he had been thoroughly intimidated.

Of course, that was merely the envoy’s own attempt at self-assurance—his pale ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) complexion, beads of cold sweat, and trembling gaze made it painfully obvious that he was scared out of his wits.

“In any case, we do not know what caused the black storm. The Liberation Army worked with black mages, so maybe they pulled something.”

“You really think black mages are capable of such dangerous magic?”

“I should be asking the opposite—aren’t you underestimating them far too much?”

“...Ha. So you just have to get the last word in.”

“Of course. I’m the next Emperor. How could I possibly lose to a mere deputy of a Priestess?”

At Aileen’s razor-sharp remark, the deputy’s face twisted before he muttered in a low, bitter voice.

“Understood. Since the Empire is being so uncooperative, we’ll simply conduct our own investigation.”

“Feel free. Just allowing you inside these walls is already a generous mercy on our part.”

“...Do you think our homeland will stay silent after hearing of this?”

“Our homeland?” Aileen scoffed. “You’re a Priestess’s deputy—not a delegate of Bretus. And yet you dare invoke the name of your nation? How arrogant.”

The deputy paled.

He had meant it as a threat—but Aileen effortlessly spun it back on him as if he had committed an offense.

In a panic, he glanced sideways at the Priestess beside him.

His eyes begged for her to understand that he hadn’t meant it that way.

“Truly... they say the next Empress is fierce, brilliant, and beautiful. It seems none of that was an exaggeration.”

To everyone’s surprise, the one who finally spoke was the Priestess herself—who until now had remained silent.

“I thought you were incapable of speech.”

“I merely saw no reason to. But it seems this time, the situation calls for it.”

“Hah.”

Aileen let out a quiet laugh at her response.

Now that the Priestess herself was stepping in, she knew things weren’t going to be easy.

They must not have trusted that idiot envoy enough to let him handle it alone.

Pity. She’d hoped to toy with him a little longer.

But contrary to Aileen’s thoughts, the Priestess calmly rose to her feet.

“We’ll be taking our leave for now. Even as we speak, somewhere in the world, wicked forces are no doubt plotting in the shadows.”

As if there were a more wicked force than you.

Aileen bit her tongue to hold back the words.

If these unpleasant guests were leaving on their own, all the better.

She clicked her tongue as she watched the Lumenis Church members file out after the Priestess.

“Well, that should put out the worst of the fires for now. But judging by their reactions, they’re still suspicious of us.”

They’d done their best to hide everything—but if the Church began an investigation, they might still uncover traces of the truth.

And if that happened, the trail would inevitably lead to Ludger.

Judging by Ludger’s reaction, he absolutely loathed the Lumenis Church.

Not just like oil and water, but like fire and gunpowder—dangerously explosive upon contact.

There was no telling what could happen if they collided.

“I already sent Mandelina to warn him to stay alert...”

He was perceptive. He’d surely find a way to stay clear of trouble.

* * *

Ludger silently watched a group of people walking toward him.

As soon as he recognized who they were, he felt a wave of annoyance.

“So these are the envoys from Bretus Mandelina mentioned. And of all places, we meet here.”

How absurd.

He had deliberately avoided routes where they were likely to appear—and still ran into them.

The envoys hadn’t meant to cross paths either—it was just an unlucky coincidence.

“Let’s just ignore them and walk past.”

That was Ludger’s plan... until the woman at the front, wearing a tiara, turned her head toward him.

He couldn’t see her eyes beneath the tiara, but he knew without a doubt—she was staring right at him.

“You. Who are you?”

“......”

He had hoped to slip past without incident, but she had spoken directly to him.

Ludger stared at the tiara-wearing woman in silence.

It was obvious she held the highest rank in the group.

Anyone walking around with that level of escort from the homeland...

“A Priestess, huh.”

While he was mulling over that, the Priestess’s deputy stormed toward him.

“Hey! The Lady asked you a question. Are you deaf?”

The deputy wasn’t in a good mood.

He had just been humiliated in front of Aileen and failed to do his job properly.

And now this random man had the gall to ignore the Priestess herself?

His irritation boiled over.

“Oi! You deaf or something? Or is your tongue broken? Lady Priestess, it seems this fool is mute.”

“A Priestess, is it.”

Ludger spoke at last, eyes fixed on the woman with the tiara.

The deputy blinked, startled that Ludger had suddenly replied.

“You certainly keep company that suits you,” Ludger said coldly.