I'll Smash Everything with Passive Skills-Chapter 79: 0. The Duke (1)

The city of Hessen, known as the city of flowers, is a famous honey-producing region.

As a city literally filled with flowers, the quality of honey, as well as its production volume, is among the best in the entire continent.

"Cecilia, do you like it? I had a hard time getting it!"

Maria said, looking at the bottle of liquor that the Saintess of Mercy was holding close.

The packaging exuded luxury. The shimmering golden liquor in the transparent bottle was enough to make anyone's mouth water just by looking at it.

"Can I really drink this? Isn't drinking prohibited for students within the

academy...?"

"Why not?"

"...."

Delia could only stare in shock at Cecilia, who answered so nonchalantly.

This was Vera Academy.

A place where young people, full of youth, come to learn.

Of course, there were those who occasionally preferred to stray from the path.

"Veris is also away from home for work."

Normally, Arwen would have scolded Cecilia. But for some reason, she was showing a keen interest in the honey liquor.

As she said, Veris had left the mansion with Yunafint, a prisoner of the Demon Cult.

She worried that something dangerous might happen, but Veris had firmly told her not to worry. So, there was no need to be anxious.

"Besides, we are... adults, aren't we?"

At Arwen's quiet opinion, Cecilia nodded vigorously.

"The church doesn't prohibit alcohol. In fact, it encourages moderate drinking."

Cecilia wet her lips with her tongue and then dashed to the kitchen, returning with several antique glasses.

"Ah, isn't drinking prohibited for students within the academy?"

"Delia, come on. If no one knows, nothing will happen."

"...!"

Delia looked at Maria with a dazed expression.

She was shocked to learn that the girl she had been friendly with was not just a nameless girl from Gallia, but a precious member of the great imperial family.

But something...

The Maria she met after a long time was the same girl Delia had known. There was no difference from Mari.

'Have I been a bit narrow-minded?'

In the midst of the girls laughing and sharing joyful stories, Delia thought so.

A duke is the highest rank among the nobles who support the empire.

Unlike the weak royal authority of the Gallia Kingdom, the title of Grand Duchess in the empire exists only in name, which is an obvious fact.

Thus, Delia had grown up without any lack since she was young, and she was well aware that her happiness stemmed entirely from her social class.

'Princess Maria is actually just a girl my age.'

Delia knew very well that Maria's behavior had changed significantly since the dormitory incident.

She wandered around the commercial district unusually, and during lectures, she often couldn't concentrate and would be lost in other thoughts.

'No need to be nervous, Delia.'

The golden liquid began to be poured into the glasses placed in the mansion's living room.

Contrary to Delia's worries, the soft atmosphere of the gathering had a way of naturally lifting spirits.

"This is my first time drinking."

"...Huh?"

At Delia's honest confession, all eyes turned to her.

As the sudden attention focused on her, Delia hurriedly began to make excuses.

"Ah, my father is quite strict, you see."

Her excuse was effective.

The reason was simple. Her father was the famous Sword Saint.

"Well, I suppose that makes sense for you, Delia."

Maria said, slowly raising her glass and taking a sip as if to wet her lips.

Perhaps no one expected Princess Maria to act first, as everyone stared at her with wide eyes.

"Oh my!"

Maria, who had taken a drink, looked surprised.

The liquor she knew usually boasted a bitter taste, but the honey liquor from Hessen felt sweet like a soft drink.

"It's delicious. You should try it!"

At Maria's urging, the girls hurriedly brought the glasses to their lips.

They didn't know.

That even if the liquor was sweet, if it had a high alcohol content, getting drunk would be no trouble at all.

*

The most uptodat𝓮 n𝒐vels are published on freёnovelkiss.com.

"You've arrived."

Veris, bringing the subdued Yunafint, headed to a place not far from home.

The outskirts of the commercial district. It was only a ten-minute walk from the mansion where Veris lived.

"I've thought about your proposal."

"What do you mean thought? You had no intention of refusing, did you?"

Surprisingly, there were two people present: Grand Duchess Evangeline and the academy's dean.

Veris suggested that they actively use Yunafint, the hostage, to their advantage.

After all, uprooting the Demon Cult, which was like a tumor spread throughout the world, would come with significant difficulties.

So, what if they made them head towards this academy instead?

The weight of the name 'Apostle' is not something to be taken lightly; anyone with at least a bit of sense would quickly realize that.

Veris was quick-witted. Therefore, he intended to use Yunafint not as a mere servant but as a hostage.

"The location is fine. But the surveillance is crucial."

"Hehe, what if it's already prepared?"

At Veris's voice, the dean chuckled softly.

With an air of confidence unlike usual, Veris tilted his head in curiosity.

He had heard that the dean was once renowned as an administrator.

However, he had thought that the dean lacked the ability to be the overall head of the academy, but perhaps he was finally showing his true worth.

"The Imperial Guard."

"Don't tell me?"

"The building right next to this villa is the barracks for the guard."

Veris turned his head to look at the old building.

There were no signs of maintenance. Moreover, the area around the building was densely filled with trees and lush grass; perhaps that was where the secret lay.

"Is there a guarantee that they won't kill this one?"

"Well, that depends on how they conduct themselves."

"...."

Veris was left speechless by the dean's confident demeanor.

Indeed, if one were to nitpick, the dean's words were not wrong at all.

"Dean, isn't it a bit too lighthearted to consider the value of this as a hostage?"

"...."

Evangeline, who could easily be twice the dean's age, spoke in such a tone. Veris looked at her with a bewildered expression, filled with disbelief.

"I dislike the Demon Cult. So, I have a strong desire to kill that one. But I know how much it could attract many Demon Cult followers."

Evangeline, who referred to the trembling Yunafint as 'this', 'that', and 'that one', suddenly turned away.

It seemed that just looking at it was enough to irritate her.

"I'm in favor. The skills of the Imperial Guard are well-known."

"...If you say so, I won't argue."

Veris nodded nonchalantly.

He couldn't keep the Demon Cult's minion in the mansion forever.

At any moment, they could turn violent, and the Demon Cult's group could launch a surprise attack at any time.

Of course, they would have to penetrate the mana that Veris had spread throughout the mansion first.

"Then, it's decided."

With Veris's consent, who effectively held the highest decision-making power among the three, the dean clapped his hands immediately.

The dean, the student, and the visiting professor.

The bizarre {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} combination of their meeting came to an end sooner than expected.

*

"Is this the place?"

"Yes, it is."

The Sword Saint, who had gone to the B-Class dormitory only to come up empty-handed, could not hide his feeling of disappointment.

He had intended to surprise his daughter with a visit to the academy. But having failed to get off on the right foot from the very beginning, it would be a lie to say he wasn't disheartened.

Given that the dormitory matron had not disclosed the destination, the Sword Saint decided to handle an urgent matter instead.

'Though I'm not sure if it's really urgent.'

His subordinate, wearing a wry smile, looked at his master.

The Sword Saint headed not to the western district where the dormitory was located, nor to the central district responsible for the academy's education and administration.

He was heading south, to the commercial district.

Among them, the place where they stood was a neighborhood filled with luxurious mansions.

"Ahem."

This was the house where that insufferable student lived, who had returned his letter without even reading it twice.

"...Isn't it too big for a student to live in?"

"I think so too. It seems likely that they are from a wealthy family."

"And the noise coming from inside the mansion is quite loud. It sounds like the chatter of drunken women."

The Sword Saint, whose senses were extremely developed compared to ordinary people, could faintly hear the voices coming from inside the mansion.

"What is it? What did you do?"

"Ah... I really want to see that person."

"Cecilia! You can't drink straight from the bottle!"

Drinking in the sacred academy.

At least it didn't seem like an impure gathering with male students present.

"Hmm? Wait a minute."

Thinking it was fortunate, the Sword Saint nodded, but suddenly a strange thought crossed his mind.

The student he had come to find, Veris, was definitely a male student.

And the voices coming from inside the mansion were all those of young girls in their prime.

"Hoho."

The Sword Saint, who had initially thought it was not an impure gathering, quickly changed his mind.

"Getting older makes many things uncomfortable; it's quite a problem."

With heavy footsteps, the Sword Saint moved forward.

He intended to give a stern word to the younger students of the academy.

"Hehehe."

"Look at Delia!"

"How did she get up on the chandelier?"

...He was oblivious to the fleeting sounds coming from inside the mansion.