Merle's POV

"Great sage I unfortunately have bad news. The Queen has declined to meet up with you."

"Well, I expected as much. I am nothing more than a figurehead."

"Don't be too dismayed Great sage. I am sure everything will be alright."

"Yeah, yeah I will take my leave now."

"Have a safe journey, great sage."

Well I tried, I wanted to actually try and do something as a leader but that doesn't seem like it will work out so I should just continue perfecting my plan so that I could save my father. First, let me get back to the academy and see if the Elemental Association is ready to enter the final phase of the project. 

There it is again. Immediately after I entered the Academy I felt that all too familiar energy. It brings back memories of the demon realm. This thing has been haunting me ever since I met up with Rae in my dreams.

"Master. Master!"

I had a suspicion that it was coming from him that was why I was avoiding him but why is it? Is he a demon in disguise? Maybe, I have to try my best to evade him it is not my business as too...

"Don't turn me away master. Master, I know you can hear me. Don't act like you can't."

I suppose I can't avoid him anymore.

"Oh, Ivan I didn't see you there."

"Stop lying to me, master. I know you have been avoiding me I just wanted to..."

"Shshsh... Lower your voice, there are too many people watching. Okay, come to the research room at noon. I will explain everything to you then."

"But..."

"Shhh. See you at noon."

"Okay master, you better have a good explanation for me."

Well, that got him off me for a while. Now off to the office. I need to finalize the grandest of magic circuits ever created by a human for this plan to truly work.

As I walked back to the principal's office. I saw that same face full of anger, jealousy, and disappointment. 

"Well hello Vice Principal, what can I do you for?"

"What can you do me for? Did you forget about our appointment?"

Wait did I have an appointment with her?

"So you did. I figured. I have been waiting here for you since Morning but I was just informed that you went to meet with her Royal Highness. I wish you could have at least rescheduled the meeting."

"I am sorry about that vice principal thank you for being so patient with me. Well, I am not so good when it comes to things of a formal nature."

"Fine as long as you are here let's go in and get straight to the matter."

"Sure thing, please come in vice principal."

"Okay so to begin with, I would like you to ban student use of the dungeon."

"Wait, what?"

"That thing is dangerous, and is costing most of the students who go in their lives."

"Well, the dungeon is new and young so the monsters spawned within should not be that big of a deal."

"Madam Principal aren't you hearing a word of what I am saying? The fatality rate of the students who are going into that thing is eighty percent. Aren't you in the least worried? Yes, the dungeon might be only nine years old but the damage it is bringing about is horrendous. Don't tell me you already forgot what happened six years ago."

"Yes I suppose that is true but the benefits are also good like people get to improve their skills and gain powerful weapons."

"But at what cost."

"High risk high reward?"

"Madam Principal does this sound like a joke to you."

"Sorry about that maybe I am being too casual with the topic. Anyway this is all out of my hands as I have no control over the Dungeon. Maybe you could find a way to convince the Dungeons and Labyrinth guild as it is under their jurisdiction."

"Isn't that part of your duty? Principal do you not care for any of your students?"

"Well, I don't I am just here for the resources."

"Miss Merle!... How could you? I mean... Wouldn't you love to continue your father's good work?"

"My father's good work? What is that, sitting back and wasting time on these simpletons."

"Madam principal!!."

"You see vice principal. Many of these students truly don't grasp the simplest of concepts. They don't understand the value of the knowledge they receive. All they want is to have certification to pursue simple livelihood. As for me, I loathe their simple-mindedness. All they want to do is to get stronger, get more powerful so as too have a better standing against their weaker counterparts and by doing so have the power to rule over them. Is that what knowledge is to them? Just a tool to fulfil their desires? I would rather be hulled up researching than deal with this band of idiots who don't want to improve the world they just want to control the people in it."

"Is that how you truly feel Madam Principal?"

"..."

"If it is then why are you a teacher in the first place?"

"I... I told you that I am only here for the resources."

"...Ok, that is fine and all, I get that you feel as if the students don't appreciate the beauty of studying magic but please put your personal feelings aside and just do what is good for the students."

"What is good for the students? I don't think you can truly understand what is good for the students."

"But the fatality rate..."

"Ok let's say that we successfully ban all students from entering. Do you think that will help in any way?"

"Yes, they will be safe and protected."

"Do you truly believe that? If you do then you are a fool. Safe and protected? They will be in even more danger as they will try to sneak in the premises without any supervisors."

"But the deaths? Won't they be worried about the deaths?"

"I think you don't understand the greed for power in people. Well yes, the deaths might be a little scary for them but the thought of getting cool powerful weapons or skills will instantly nullify that."

"So what do we do?"

"I don't know you tell me."

"What if we find a way to make it possible to hinder them without banning their entry."

"Like what, holding an examination."

"You are exactly right madam principal. We could implement such a system to barr the weaker students from entering."

"Great you do that."

"But that is not within my jurisdiction."

"It is now."

"Wh... Ok I will."

"... Is there anything else? Because I think we have resolved that issue."

"No, I will take my leave now."

"Ok have a nice day."

"Oh wait, I almost forgot. There was a partition to introduce a summoning curriculum to the academy. As you know in recent years summoners have started to crop up so we should do our best to integrate them into the program."

"Yes, I know. So you should also take care of that."

"I should also take care of that? Madam Principal I am greatly honored to have you delegate your duties to me but don't you think you should do a little more of your duties? I mean someone might think that I am the principal."

"Isn't that what you want?"

"No not at all."

"You can drop the act, I know that you loathe me for taking your job so let me ask you this. Do you want to be the principal?"

"I wouldn't dare, I know I am inexperienced as a mage so..."

"Stop all that, just answer the question, do you want to be the principal?"

"...Well..."

"Don't worry about anything I will not hold you in contempt. Frankly, I respect you and your passion for doing what is best for your students and think you would make a much better principal. So do you want to be the principal?"

"Of course yes. I have dreamed of succeeding your father and having that seat but I think he knew how much I was lacking so that is why he chose you over me to take over."

"Are you sure you don't think that Nepotism had anything to do with this?"

"Of course not."

"Okay, then I will continue with my duties as the principal and pass this title to another person as you feel that you are not good enough to be the principal."

"Are you serious right now?"

"As serious as I could be."

"... Do you know how hard I have struggled to get to where I am currently? I gave up my place in the Harlsehide family. My father no longer thinks of me as his daughter, my mother avoids having any contact with me and my brothers blame me for embarrassing the Counts family. I essentially lost my family to be here and you out of nowhere came and swooped in and took the job I was working towards. How unfair is this world? Does hard work mean nothing? I mean every one of my colleagues treated me as if I was not worthy of my place here but I worked to prove them all wrong and finally, when all my hard work was about to pay off, you suddenly appeared, and the great sage named you his succesor. Was I not enough for him? I have been there for him, doing each and everything and supporting him at his side while you were who god-knows where and then after all that you swoop in at the last moments and he names you his successor and retires. Was I that insignificant to him? Was my dedication to him that worthless?..."

"... I am sorry, I understand how you feel."

"Understand how I feel? You who is the genius of the century. How could you Merle? Everything comes easy to you. I see your inventions and envy your talent. How can you a shining star understand how difficult it is to be a normal human being aspiring for greatness? You literary got a job I dream of having like it is nothing, No work put in, you just exist and the job falls onto your lap like it is nothing. You are treating the job itself like it is a game. To you, it is nothing more than a gateway to better research facilities but for me this job means everything."

"I am sorry and thank you. You finally told me how you truly feel. And with that, I would like to give you this present."

"What is this?"

"It is the letter of succession that names you my successor if anything happens to you know, me. So don't worry too much, you will finally get to sit in this office as much as you desire."

"Why are you giving me this? You have barely been principal for 5 years."

"Well, we never know what will happen so it is better to prepare for anything. Don't look at me like that, you are still stuck with me for a bit so enjoy my overshadowing presence while it lasts. One day you will also get to know how it feels to be a shining star like me."

"Ok."

"Now clean up those tears, it is not really dignified for a vice principal to walk around with teary eyes."

"Yeah you are right, I wouldn't want anyone to think less of me."

"Okay have a good day Melissa."

"...That was the first time you called me by my name"

"Same here it was the first time you called me Merle, not great sage or madam principal so I thought I should reciprocate."

"Yeah, sorry about that I was too emotional. Carry on with your day madam principal."

"You too vice principal"

I am still not sure if I made the right choice though. I know I do have the power to appoint the next principal but will Melissa understand? Will she keep on doing what is best for the students even if it will mean she is going against the church? Yes, I think she can, she is not as selfish as I am to bend over to their every whim just to protect my father. I hope she will one day understand that I had no other choice. Hopefully, her beautiful bright soul will not be dulled. 

Now on to the research room so that I can finalize the ultimate antimagic circle I have incorporated into the magic powerline system.

"Master, is what I am seeing correct?"

Oh no, I forgot about him.

"Ivan, you are already here? Don't worry about anything it is just some weird schematics for the lamp delivery magic powerlines you know how it is very inefficient to..."

"Stop taking me for a fool. I can clearly see that this is a large-scale antimagic circuit."

"... Well it might seem that way but..."

"Don't try to lie to me I can see the position of the gates and the path of the lines this is an antimagic circuit."

"Well, not completely it can be modified to do other things depending on the way you open and close the gates."

"So you do agree it is an antimagic circuit."

"Yes."

"Ok, then what is it for? Did the church force you to build it... Wait by the way you have positioned the flow of mana it seems that the holy church is the target of the circuit. Wait are you planning on taking on the church."

"..."

"You are, so you have finally decided to break out of their clutches, then count me in."

"No! You are not coming. This is something that I have to do alone."

"So this is why you have been hiding away and avoiding me. You were working on a plan to finally save your father. Don't worry I won't be a hindrance. I will definitely help you."

"I said no."

"I don't care what you say, I am not letting this go. I also have a bone to pick with the church."

"It is too dangerous. You might die."

"Who cares as long as I finally get my revenge for what they did to my mother, father, and brother."

"...Brother? I thought you said, sister."

"...Well to be honest with you... I am the sister. My real name is Aurora and Ivan was my brother. He died protecting me from them. So it is time they got what they deserved for killing my adopted family and my real family."

"Right, you said that you were half-elf. But you never told me much more than that."

"You are right. I suppose now that I can sense a true dark signature from you I know that you will not be harmed by my true presence. Okay, this is my true form...

My name is Aurora and I am a Dark elven witch and I was born as an experiment for the church well that was at least until I was discarded for being a harbinger of misfortune. The church deemed me too high of a risk and threw me away. I only survived because a peasant family took me in and cared for me even when all the others couldn't. This act was then repaid by their death. The church killed them for keeping me in their care."

"Wait so you are a dark elf and a witch. Whoa, this is some fascinating stuff, but unfortunately, I have no time to delve much into your existence. Anyway, how were you able to look so human-like? I couldn't even tell you were a dark elf as you initially had fair skin."

"That is because of this ring."

"Wait is this a moon crystal? I think they used a similar thing like this when I was captured by the demon realm but this seems to be doing the opposite as the other one blocked all magic apart from dark magic while this one blocks dark magic only."

"Well yes, wait have you been to the demon realm?"

"Yeah, but it was a long time ago. Anyway, what type of witch are you?"

"I am not sure. The miasma I emit always seems to affect all those around me so I have never tried to learn what type of witch I am. All I know is a drop of my blood is enough to neutralize an adult and even kill a child."

"Whoa so is your blood some kind of poison?"

"I wouldn't call it a poison, it is more of curse-inducing as when people get into contact with it they become cursed."

"What did you say, cursed?"

"Yes."

Is she maybe the daughter of that evil woman. No it can't be. But she does have cursed magic and she is a dark elf. If I do remember correctly I think that woman was obsessed with grey so maybe she is their child? That would explain why her energy felt so familiar. Now that I am looking at her closely she does resemble him a bit. Anyway, no time for these hypotheticals let me work towards saving my dad.

"Okay, you can come Iv- I mean Aurora. But don't hold me back for this is a very dangerous and important mission and if I fail, that would mean the death of all of us."