Diablo paid no heed to the polite bow of the guide who took her leave. His mind was already at work.
He understood Souei's reasoning, and he believed it was correct.
In short, Souei argued that if the academy was rotting from within, some hidden hand had to be behind it.
If that was the case, then Souei had been right to stop Diablo, who would have settled the matter with execution and called it done.
In place of their master, who sought to save everyone, Diablo considered it his role to pass judgment. But if the academy still retained the ability to purify itself, then simply watching over it was his true duty.
In politics and finance, research and culture, and military defense alike—Rimuru's ideal was to cultivate talent across every field.
An ideal environment where corruption was not tolerated, where no one sabotaged another, and where all could cooperate.
Rimuru himself had said that realizing that ideal society in its entirety was probably impossible. But he had also said that the true objective was to strive to eliminate the very soil in which people festered, to work toward that goal even if perfection lay forever out of reach.
Emperor Rudra had employed angels to manage civilization with an iron fist, hoping to eliminate conflict and compel human cooperation.
And Rimuru, the Great Demon Lord whom Diablo revered above all, had sought to improve the fundamental nature of people, to strengthen their own self-purifying capacity, and thereby reduce corruption at its source.
Letting the academy rot was a direct repudiation of Rimuru's philosophy, a hostile act of the most blatant kind.
It was a challenge to Diablo himself.
(Hmm. I thought the self-purification mechanism simply wasn't functioning, but perhaps the situation is different. If so, then I was indeed rash to jump to execution. But the idea that some fool would obstruct Lord Rimuru's policies—) Diablo shifted his line of thinking.
He had intended merely to dispose of incompetents on Rimuru's behalf, but that was a mistake.
If there were fools obstructing the Three Great Academy Initiative—one of Rimuru's most cherished projects—then failing to protect the academy would make Diablo himself the incompetent one.
—the enemy must be crushed.
With that clear resolve, Diablo turned his attention to the headmaster's words.
Seated across from the headmaster on a sofa, Diablo and Souei listened as the man laid out the situation.
The headmaster had been an original goblin who had evolved through Rimuru's naming, so there was never any worry of betrayal from the start. But he was clearly aware that he was being tested, and he was sweating profusely as he explained in earnest.
He apparently knew Souei as well, and with both Diablo and Souei appearing together, he was visibly on edge—convinced he had made some grave error.
Souei had already prepared an intelligence report from one of his informants. According to it, there was no major disruption caused by hierarchical consciousness or discrimination within the Tempest Human Resource Development Academy.
Souei went through the findings one by one, seeking to verify each point.
Diablo observed every detail, watching for any falsehood in the headmaster's words.
Souei's questions progressed smoothly.
But then— "One last question. Some of the teachers appear to adopt an arrogant attitude toward students. Why is that?"
The headmaster's expression grew more troubled at the question.
Diablo kept his smile fixed, continuing his own scrutiny of the man.
It seemed Souei had obtained a variety of information through independent channels.
(In times like these, he really is dependable. It's no surprise Lord Rimuru entrusted him with the role of "covert operations.") Admiring his colleague's thoroughness, Diablo watched the exchange unfold.
"That is… a rather vexing problem…"
The headmaster opened his mouth with a troubled air.
It appeared he had no intention of doubting Souei's words and was prepared to lay everything out in full.
Diablo and Souei listened to the details.
The headmaster's explanation was as follows.
Under the student-exchange program implemented across the three academies, teacher exchanges were also conducted. However, during those exchanges, the aristocratic-heritage teachers from the Inglassia Comprehensive Academy occasionally adopted a high-handed attitude toward students.
And the men in white robes who served as their escorts were the source of the issue.
"That's absurd. The three academies are equal in standing. And I cannot understand why a teacher would take a condescending attitude toward students," Souei said.
The headmaster's response was as follows: "Well, you see—they argue that students should learn how to deal with aristocrats before entering the world. As for NNU Academy of Magic Science Research, they receive financial support from those teachers' faction, so they backed their position. With two of the three schools in agreement and no clear grounds for objection, the principle of equal standing among the three academies was effectively overridden…"
The headmaster explained that, lacking a clear reason to oppose them and with the other schools presenting a united front, he had been effectively forced to let it slide.
He called them aristocrats, but all the teachers from the Inglassia Comprehensive Academy were *former* aristocrats. Still, many nations retained aristocratic systems, so their argument wasn't entirely without merit.
Learning polite and proper conduct—that in itself was not wrong.
The financial backing that influenced their opinions bordered on bribery, but there was no concrete evidence to prove it.
The headmaster had gritted his teeth and looked the other way, reasoning that since no major incidents had occurred, it was best to keep quiet for now.
Diablo considered the situation.
If this had been earlier, he would have judged that killing them and being done with it was sufficient. But now things were different.
If an enemy existed, he had to read their intentions, anticipate their moves, and eradicate them completely.
Merely snipping the buds while leaving the roots intact—that kind of half-measure was unacceptable.
"Furthermore… they are actually quite capable individuals. The men in white robes are overwhelmingly stronger than our combat-track instructors. I thought they might provide beneficial stimulation to the students…"
The headmaster supplemented his explanation with this addition.
Hmm, Diablo mused, progressing through his thoughts.
Having heard the headmaster's account, Diablo was now certain of the enemy's existence.
The group in white sacred vestments he had crossed paths with earlier must be the ones the headmaster was referring to. They clearly had considerable strength, and it was entirely plausible that they could surpass the instructors at the Tempest Human Resource Development Academy.
It was a good thing he had refrained from approaching them so casually earlier, Diablo reflected.
He was grateful to Souei for having stopped him, and he admonished himself: the times of peace had made him careless.
They were enemies.
If so, what was the enemy's objective?
By clarifying that, he could gauge the scale of the opposition and formulate countermeasures.
Were they trying to instill a sense of inferiority in students?
Or was the act of corrupting the students the objective itself?
And what profit would they ultimately gain from the outcome?
Diablo's mind raced at high speed.
He predicted their goals, weighed the outcomes and profits, selected the plans that appeared viable, and discarded the rest— Narrowing it down to several possibilities.
And then he arrived at one.
"Ku fu fu fu fu. Headmaster, if I may, I have one question?"
"Wh—yes, of course. What would you like to know?"
The headmaster had not expected to be addressed so politely by Diablo, and he turned to face him with a touch of panic.
"No need to be so formal. I simply wanted to ask—did you at any point receive any request for personnel, or anything resembling a staffing proposal, from the teachers dispatched by the Inglassia Comprehensive Academy?"
The headmaster pondered the question for a moment.
Then he raised his head, looked Diablo straight in the eye, and replied, "I have no recollection of receiving any such request."
But his words did not end there.
"It is true that the former-aristocrat teachers never made such a request directly. They only introduced me to the ones they called the Glory Guardians—a knightly order in white robes. However, I understand that several of their Glory Knights have also been dispatched to the NNU Academy of Magic Science Research, and it is possible that some form of request was made through that channel."
"Ku fu fu fu fu. Very well. That has been most helpful."
With a gentle smile, Diablo offered his thanks.
The fragments of his theory clicked into place, solidifying the possibility he had envisioned earlier into something far more concrete.
"Diablo, have you figured something out?"
"Yes. The enemy's objective, at least. But the scale of the enemy forces—and even the mastermind—remain unknown."
"…Heh. That's enough. Let's move."
The two exchanged brief, quiet words, careful not to let the headmaster notice, and rose swiftly from their seats.
"Well then, we'll take our leave."
"Keep this visit confidential."
With those parting words, Diablo and Souei departed.
The headmaster left behind had a vague sense that something was in motion. But all he could do was follow their instructions and keep silent.
—the headmaster was the only one thrown into confusion. The academy carried on as usual today.
◇◇◇ Diablo left the academy and headed for the airship port.
Souei followed without a word.
But once the port came into view, he finally spoke.
"You're going to explain, aren't you, Diablo?"
With a ku fu fu fu fu, Diablo nodded with a smile.
"Of course, Souei. But first, let's buy our tickets."
"The Empire?"
"…No. Inglassia, actually."
"Oh?"
After that, Souei fell silent once more, and the two purchased their airship tickets.
They used the time before departure to head to the upscale restaurant on the top floor of the port.
Entering a private room fully insulated against sound, the two settled in.
They were still exposed to the gazes of others even here, but by now neither cared in the slightest.
"Now then. Let's hear it."
Souei prompted.
Diablo let the fine inferno wine roll across his tongue, moistening his lips, then parted those crimson, glistening lips.
"Ku fu fu fu fu. Before that—may I ask you something first? Why did you stop me earlier?"
"Simple. Violence against anyone not engaged in clear hostile action is forbidden by Lord Rimuru. Every member of our nation abides by that rule."
Punishing traitors or delivering heavenly retribution against those who posed a genuine threat was a separate matter. But the basic rule of their monster nation applied to everyone, executives included.
The same applied to Souei. He had no intention of carrying out a purge without Rimuru's authorization. So, in Souei's view, the first priority was to gather irrefutable evidence.
"That seems like the right course of action. But you understand, don't you, that I have no intention of troubling Lord Rimuru over something of this magnitude?"
Diablo narrowed his eyes and fixed Souei with the full weight of his Intimidation, powered by his Demon Lord's Haki.
But Souei answered without so much as a flinch.
"Are you still carrying on like this? That is disrespectful and unacceptable."
Hearing Souei's reply, Diablo nodded with evident pleasure.
Yes—that was precisely the answer he had been waiting for.
And then, as if sweeping away all of his previous Intimidation in a single breath: "Well done, Souei. To think you would stand firm against my Intimidation and still stop me. I was rather serious about that threat just now, you know."
"Whether it was serious or not, my actions wouldn't change. If a comrade is about to go down the wrong path, I stop them. That's all there is to it."
"…That is exactly what I wanted to hear. That kind of mutual self-purification among comrades—that is what matters, and it's what I believe Lord Rimuru intends. And when a comrade steps out of line, a clear boundary must be drawn. That was my thinking."
And so Diablo explained his reasoning to Souei.
The reason the headmaster of the Tempest Human Resource Development Academy had been unable to act was that there was no clear evidence.
Even if suspicious actions were taken by the other academies, it was impossible to determine whether those actions stemmed from goodwill or malice—and that judgment would be left entirely to individual subjective opinion.
If that was the case, one could not simply declare others to be evil based on instinct alone.
That was precisely why the system of majority vote existed, and ignoring it was simply not acceptable.
Therefore, blaming the headmaster alone was misguided.
The real problem was the absence of an oversight mechanism.
Whether it was called financial support or bribery, the name differed but the result was the same. What was needed was to secure evidence that such activity was taking place.
What was called for was the establishment of an auditing body to which suspicions could be formally reported.
"On that point, I accept the blame. I had my agents investigating, but the detailed reports hadn't come through yet."
"I was letting my guard down in peacetime as well, so we're equally at fault. Though the informants could use a little discipline—"
"That's my department. Now, about this 'boundary' of yours—what exactly are you referring to?"
Souei's eyes said, *It's about time we got to the point.* Still wearing his smile, Diablo cut to the heart of the matter.
"Simply put, the enemy struck at precisely that boundary."
"What did you say—?"
"A question. Do you think agents from another country could interfere in our nation's politics?"
To Diablo's question, Souei replied, "Impossible."
And that was the truth.
The political structure of their monster nation was divided into an Upper House and a Lower House. Even a bill passed by the Lower House could be vetoed and killed by the Upper House.
The Upper House consisted of only a handful of senior executives, and only those approved by Rimuru could participate.
Administration itself was carried out by
And during wartime, all institutions would be subordinated under the Upper House.
With that system in place, even if foreign agents obtained citizenship, it would be nearly impossible for them to influence politics.
Even if they infiltrated the Lower House, they could never hold the ultimate decision-making authority.
"Exactly. Then what about commerce? Or infiltrating important research institutions?"
Souei's answer did not change.
It was still "Impossible."
Rimuru, surprisingly shrewd about money, had preemptively secured every vested interest. There was not a sliver of room for anyone to squeeze in afterward.
And as for research institutions, key national figures like
"Precisely! Which means, if someone from another country wanted to infiltrate one of our key institutions, their only option would be to place their hopes on the next generation. And if they were to target—"
"So that's how it connects to the academy…"
Yes, Diablo nodded.
The enemy had enough sense not to force agents into the country through crude methods like smuggling people in. That much was evident.
Which meant they were not thinking short-term—they were working from a long-term strategy.
That made them opponents not to be underestimated.
—the enemy would corrupt the students and create disparities in ability.
Once that happened, the most talented individuals would naturally gravitate toward Tempest.
Tempest's students faithfully followed Rimuru's teachings and never engaged in overt hostility toward humans. That was precisely why the enemy intended to suppress them now, while they still could.
And so the enemy would come to control Tempest and claim new interests for themselves.
A long-term plan envisioned with that goal in mind— But this time, Rimuru's distrust of the academy students had allowed them to catch the tail of the enemy's plan.
"As expected of Lord Rimuru. He saw through everything, didn't he?"
Diablo praised Rimuru with genuine admiration.
*Did he, though?* Souei thought with some doubt, but he kept quiet, not wanting to provoke Diablo's ire. The reasoning Diablo had laid out wasn't contradictory, and the objective he had identified seemed to be the only plausible one.
So Souei set that point aside and posed another question.
"Then why Inglassia? Wouldn't it be simpler to go to the Empire and secure evidence of the bribery?"
Diablo smiled as he answered.
"I did consider that. But one thing occurred to me."
"A question, you say?"
"Yes. A rather simple one, in fact: how exactly did the people who had been stripped of their noble status obtain their funding?"
"…I see. That will need to be investigated."
"Precisely. Even if evidence of bribery were found, how could we verify its authenticity? You can't very well pull off bribery without money. The Kingdom of Inglassia exists only through Lord Rimuru's benevolence. They cannot expect aid from the Western Nations, so we need to trace the flow of money and make it absolutely clear."
"Understood. Your reasoning is most likely correct."
Souei said that and fell silent.
As if to say, all that remained was to identify the mastermind.
Diablo's thinking was clear.
The scale of the enemy forces and the identity of the mastermind remained uncertain. That was true. But there was no doubt they were involved with the academy.
There was no need to rush. He would simply pursue them methodically, one step at a time, with painstaking care.
Eventually, the enemy would be forced to reveal themselves.
That was the conclusion Diablo reached, and so he simply sat in silence, calmly waiting for the boarding time to arrive.