Elite Instructor at a Third-Rate Academy

46 – Bishop and Pawn☆

I want to escape.

Visalle sat at the desk where Louis used to write, clutching her fists tightly. One day, she woke up to find her older brother dead from alcohol poisoning. And when she closed her eyes, her younger brother received a death sentence and disappeared. When she opened her eyes again, she was told she would become the lady of the house.

“You never taught me anything.”

Born as a servant, Visalle was only taught to be a woman.

A gentle tone, a feminine voice, proper manners, abundant knowledge of etiquette. She was no different from candy. Adorned with the most shining packaging, she became a wife with a sweet exterior and a gentle interior, focusing only on her importance to the family.

Because that was what her extended and immediate family wanted, she grew up to become a sweet fruit.

“I really haven’t learned anything.”

In his lifetime, Louis kept the documents related to the family’s business in a secret safe. Only he knew its location. Naturally, Visalle had to participate in the family council meetings and speak about the future of the family without any information. It was an impossible task from the start. Through two meetings, her self-esteem was torn to shreds.

“I’m like a monkey.”

A monkey, like one suffering from dementia, babbling nonsense in front of adults.

“Brother, I’m sorry.”

Today, I cannot tolerate self-deprecation. After only a few months, my competence as a royal has been proven to be inadequate and ignorant. They weren’t the adults who would wait for me to finish my successor lessons. At this rate, a historic event will occur when the court assembly approaches, with complications arising from my birth from a concubine.

“But I will try my best somehow.”

By firmly pressing on the trembling bags under his sleep-deprived eyes, Bisalle wrote down his thoughts and plans for the court business. When he meets Kannis in the future, he will have to apologize and explain that he did his best. However, as he wrote, the despair only grew, realizing that all these arguments had no basis and were merely fantasies transferred onto paper with a pen.

“Topics 1-3 on ship types and navigation methods for orders.”

The current discussion among the court adults is whether to use general ships or galleons for future maritime trade. Bisalle already knew the pros and cons of both. The former costs less but requires skilled sailors and favorable winds. The latter costs more but allows navigation even in calm seas, enabling specific delivery times.

“The problem lies in the evidence.”

Whichever option is chosen, there will be various side effects. Therefore, Bisalle had to present a comprehensive rationale for the decision. It was a simple topic, but it was such a sharp issue that it was divided into 1-7 stops, making it overwhelming for Bisalle, who had just joined the family business.

Knock knock──

“Bisalle, can you come in for a moment?”

It was his mother, Sharadis.

“Yes, please come in.”

Then his mother entered with light steps. Bisalle cursed his own fate while loving his mother. She would never be able to marry a commoner no matter what she did. She was a woman who displayed beauty wherever she went. Although she was naturally elegant, she seemed more like a noblewoman than her first wife, Janell.

“Did I do something wrong, by any chance?”

Bisalle denied it with the same meek tone as Sharadis.

“I never got into any accidents when I was young.”

“That’s right, our daughter wouldn’t do such a thing, right?”

To reassure her, Sharadis’s warm smile lowered. Soon, sounds of conversation with a young man could be heard, and Bisalle tidied up the room and prepared himself. Sharadis’s gentle voice soon echoed.

“Can you come up now?”

When he allowed it, the man, who was neatly dressed, respectfully bowed his head.

“I am Dias, the imperial physician.”

─You don’t look like a doctor?

Bisalle learned that expressing doubts was an uncultured attitude.

“I have come for a reason.”

Dias took out a scroll from his vest pocket.

“The reason why we must assemble the fleet with galleons despite all these unfavorable conditions.”

Bisalle was surprised and looked at Dias straight in the eye.

“I was appointed as the imperial physician.”

He awkwardly smiled and justified himself.

“I want to know why you gave this to me.”

“Well, would you like to take a look outside for a moment?”

Feeling suspicious, Dias remained still and Dias opened the window as if he were a high-ranking noble.

“You will understand when you see it.”

“Yes.”

Obediently, Sunjong approached the window and looked outside without saying a word.

-Bertfred!

Thousands of bright yellow flowers were arriving in waves below her room. The amount of flowers carried in carts was overwhelming to the point where it would be impossible to obtain with anything other than the Emperor’s power.

“Is it Your Majesty?”

-No, that can’t be.

Dias nodded his head, but Bissalle did not believe him. After asking her to leave, he closed the door and began to weep, once again becoming a pitiful girl who loved her bloodline, shedding sweet tears.

“Oppa…!”

Bissalle barely remembered the language of flowers and quickly muttered a sentimental soliloquy.

[#46 – Sacrificial Lamb]

Since arriving in Engellarr, Kennis had received extraordinary treatment.

He continued to attend parties without meeting alone with Golden, and for the past three days, he had fallen into a deep sleep as soon as he returned to his lodgings.

-Did they say Roman?

Van Cliff had no contact with the noble managed by his comrade.

“Of all people, he had to be Jenoa’s brother.”

So he became contemplative. The reason Golden did not assert himself was obvious. Like an old fox, he did not want to take responsibility for anything. Although the Northern Army had surrounded Engellarr, they had no intentions of attacking, and he himself, who held a important position in the military, was also here. Since a more certain defeat had come than the walls, all they could do was wait until the best compromise was presented.

-He looks like someone planning to deceive a fox.

Kennis wrote down clear facts in an attempt to find a solution that would satisfy everyone.

Golden: Hopes for the revival and continuation of the gauze contract.

This was a call to revert to the previous system, allowing the Engellarr clan to continue to reap unfair advantages by sacrificing Roman.

“If you were going to listen to that, you wouldn’t have surrounded this place.”

When Barus received the order to deploy as soon as the inadequate fulfillment of the military supply contract was discovered, there was a reason for it.

Panatee: Responsible for the military supply contract and the decision to terminate the previous contract was a rational choice.

To anyone, the Northern Army’s gauze supply contract was problematic.

Well, since it was an agreement made between Golden and himself, and even received the Emperor’s approval, but now the owner of the throne has changed. Even if his father did not know, his son wants the contract to be terminated rather than maintained. That’s why Panatee did not receive any special treatment and only issued orders to Barus, causing this commotion. His will was clear.

“It means it must be terminated unconditionally.”

Lavender is a skilled task manager. Regardless of whether Fanatie was hurt or not, the priority was to push her away and help her grow. As someone who has taught students, I understand why she does this. However, it is wrong. Kenneth hitting his disciples is nothing more than personal violence, and while the parties involved may reconcile, this is not the case.

– Fanatie must have lost all her confidence.

Her rational actions have resulted in something equivalent to a war. She can no longer perform her duties as the chief strategist of the Northern Army.

“What will we gain from killing Roman?”

– Did the rise of Ban Cliff bother her?

So, the Imperial Family arranged this inconvenient affair and did not provide any information so that Fanatie would have no choice but to interfere with the military procurement contract. If they sent her now to prevent Gauldin’s defection and even neatly conclude the existing contract, it would be abhorrent. Lavender is that kind of person. He always does his best, but there is always his fair share of benefits at the end of his scheme.

“Not everything in the world goes according to your will.”

Lavender must have known how to manipulate this situation, and Gauldin knows how to disrupt it. That’s what a fight between people with interests is like. The one who manipulates the scheme, the one who rises, the one who holds it, none of them are absolute winners because they are all used to silently taking care of their own shares.

“We need to ask Roman.”

So as the one who holds the scheme, I wanted to end it without anyone dying if possible.

Tap tap──

As I sensed the presence, a man who seemed to be a guard appeared.

“Northern Army, former chief strategist.”

Kenneth didn’t know whether to call him Roman or Moore. Lord, Roman, Gauldin’s son-in-law. He seemed to belong nowhere. Because of that, after a short contemplation, he decided to address him by the only title he had.

“I would like to meet Viscount Ban Cliff.”

He couldn’t bring himself to call him a traitor.

“Please wait a moment.”

The door opened. Roman looked like he hadn’t slept. His eyes were bloodshot and filled with confusion, not knowing who to blame. What he should have hated was his own belief that he could handle the scheming foxes here, but he hadn’t realized it yet.

“Why have you come?”

“I have something to tell you.”

“Did my father-in-law say something?”

Kenneth nodded and asked if there was a chessboard in the room.

“Do you want to play a game on this ambitious night?”

Roman laughed bitterly and ordered his guard to bring the chessboard. Black and white pieces were placed on the table. Looking at the countless pieces, Kenneth chose one while contemplating how to convince the author of his own situation.

“Do you see this?”

“It’s a queen.”

“Yes, this is currently our Empire’s Emperor.”

Roman jokingly asked if the Emperor was a woman.

“The rook I have in hand is Lord Engelar, the head of the Engeler family.”

Kenneth then chose the knight and said it represented Barus, who was surrounding the castle.

“Then, tell me what I am.”

In response to Roman’s demand, Kennis chose the bishop.

“Well, have you ever thought that I am inferior to Barus?”

“No, this bishop is me.”

As he said so, he diagonally moved his finger and sent a pawn flying over the chessboard.

“The one who just fell is you.”

He vents his frustration on the pawn, the least valuable piece.

“Have you come here to insult me?”

Still, as if he were a von Cliff, he did not overturn the chessboard in anger.

“If you have played chess, you would know that the bishop is such a piece. It doesn’t seem to know where it is and suddenly captures pawns, knights, and rooks. So rather than calling this bishop a secret weapon, it would be better to call it a flaw in thinking, luck, or misfortune. Doesn’t someone who was invisible suddenly pop out and turn the board upside down? That’s exactly what it means. If you still think you’re not a pawn here, I’m sorry but it means you’ve never sat at a chessboard.”

Roman was about to say something in response to an incomprehensible metaphor.

“Roman von Cliff.”

When Kennis stared at him, Roman was overwhelmed with a gaze that was not due to his power, but because he felt overly sympathetic. This person understands better than anyone else how to intimidate his opponent with warm eyes.

“Whether you like it or not, now is the time to go to the extreme as a pawn.”

Roman stopped showing off and fell silent.

“It’s not like you were the only exception to Engelar’s atmosphere, right?”

Kennis picked up the fallen pawn from the floor and placed it back on the chessboard. Roman finally realizes. What a real fight is for those who know how to use their heads. Although no one said anything aloud, he had already suffered a bitter defeat. On the day when Barus brought his troops to surround the castle, the game was already decided and there was nothing he could do.