Necromancer Academy's Summoning Genius Chapter 86 Fun. Simon thought many things in a short time. Is playing with people like that truly fun? Or is it to shake me? "Why did you call me here? Serene Eindark." At his words, the girl sitting on the tree gracefully descended. Her movements, as if less affected by gravity, were slow even as she fell. Platinum blonde hair, ideally placed features, and a unique aura that intimidated people, just like Lorraine. The aura of a monarch. She was still the same. Just like when they met at the teleportation magic circle, she was still a person difficult to deal with. "I wanted to talk to you." A gentle voice. Simon thought it was the most pleasant voice he had ever heard in his life. But unlike his ears, which were enjoying the sound, his brain was frantically flashing warning lights. Goosebumps rose on his skin. "Get to the point." Simon said with a sharp voice. "This is our third meeting~ They say if you meet three times, it's destiny." "......." "You don't seem to agree? Well, fine." The atmosphere was different from their first meeting. If she had seemed like a cultured, polite rich young lady then, now she felt like a cunning little devil. Simon thought this was closer to her true nature. She turned her back, her hands clasped behind her. "Simon Pollentia, no, should I call you this?" A chilling smile played on her lips. "Seventh Legion Commander." "......!!" Thump. Thump. Thump. His heart began to pound wildly. "Is Pier doing well? Erzebet doesn't seem to have come with you. Or perhaps she's transformed into someone else on this island?" "......." Simon's crucial secrets, which should never be revealed, were being laid bare by her lips. "You......!" "Ah- don't worry. This is within the barrier I created, so there's no chance of Observers peeking or eavesdropping." "How do you know such things?" With an opponent who already knew too much information, denial wouldn't work. She gave a soft, eye-smiling glance, as if telling him not to rush. "Since you're admitting it so readily, I'll tell you. Do you remember the second place we met?" "It was on the teleportation magic circle before we departed for the mission." "At that time, only you and I, first-years, were going to the Kalos Kingdom." She lightly clapped her hands together. "Don't you think something was strange?" Simon bit his lip. "You've been watching me since then." "Yes, actually, even before that." She closed her eyes and tapped the air with her finger. "Kizen's top-secret. The Ivory Tower was closely monitoring the ruins Neptis sealed. I personally installed an alarm magic that activates when the ruins open, and a few days later, the alarm sounded. I rushed there and, lo and behold." She smiled. "You had become a Legion Commander." "......." So that's when it started. Simon's mind raced breathlessly. "Then, how did you find out about Erzebet?" "Isn't that obvious too? When we teleported together, I also stopped by Arnish to monitor you. I read the memories of Arnish's lord, the guard captain, soldiers, Thieves' Guild members, and dancers. And." She parted her lips. "Even Ellen Zyle, whom you released. Do you know that's quite a dangerous crime? Intentionally letting a Priest live." The pressure slowly tightened, as if choking him. Simon forced a smile. "......At the time, Ellen was an individual with no affiliation. And it's currently a truce. Rather than causing trouble by deliberately killing an innocent Divine Federation resident, it was a magnanimous decision to release her according to the prisoner treaty. I don't think it's a serious crime." "Hmm- you're quite eloquent. Well, I suppose there's no need to bring up such minor issues with you, is there?" She laughed. "Because you are a criminal who committed first-degree treason." "......." "Did you know that the moment you contracted with Pier's Legion, which rebelled against the Dark Alliance, you would also be branded with treason? It's a serious matter where it wouldn't be strange if the exam were immediately suspended and Kizen's Crows, spread across the continent, stormed this island." Simon slowly rubbed his forehead. "......This is absurd." "Do you have any more excuses?" "If you know such facts, why don't you inform Kizen and have me tried? Why are you specifically spouting such nonsense to me, the person involved?" "It seems like the atmosphere is right to get to the main point now." She gave a sweet eye-smile. "Join the Ivory Tower, Simon." "......." An sudden recruitment offer from the Ivory Tower, here. Simon felt the situation was flowing strangely. Just a little more. Just pull a little more out of her. "If you want to recruit me, then formally enter the recruitment battle after I graduate. I don't think the Ivory Tower's wealth and power would lose in a recruitment battle." "I don't want a Kizen person who comes out of Kizen." "......What does that mean?" She smiled faintly. "Aren't you curious? Kizen is, at best, just a school. So why does a mere school organization rule half the continent?" "......." Of course, he had wondered about that. "Let's take the nearby Dresden Kingdom as an example." She spread her fingers. "Four out of Dresden's five great generals are Kizen graduates. Seventeen out of twenty royal knights are Kizen graduates. The Minister of General Affairs, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Defense. Even." She folded all her fingers and clasped her hands behind her back. "The second-in-command, the Prime Minister, is also a Kizen graduate." "......." "Do you understand now? All the power holders of the Alliance are seniors and juniors, all in the same boat. They are most proud of having graduated from Kizen, and they form a kind of cartel. They are more loyal to Kizen than to the nations or institutions that pay them salaries and give them power." Not only Dresden, but most of the Dark Alliance nations were like this. Aside from royal-side talents brought in to check the 'Kizen Cartel', it was no exaggeration to say that Kizen graduates or their cronies dominated almost all key positions. Kizen held the talent in its hands. However, it wasn't just anyone they put in key positions; the abilities and work capacity of Kizen graduates were transcendent. From the perspective of the nations, possessing Kizen-trained talent was essential to gain stronger leverage within the Dark Alliance. "Alright. The reason you're bringing this up is." Simon raised his head and looked at her. "You need someone who can escape Kizen's influence and be completely loyal only to the Ivory Tower." "As expected, you're a smart one. It's good that our conversation is quick." She wanted a pure member of the Ivory Tower, not a Kizen graduate affiliated with the Ivory Tower. It made sense. "Do you think you have no choice?" Serene gave a soft eye-smile. "Either be executed for treason, or join the Ivory Tower." "......." "Still, it's a top-tier workplace here, and quite nice, you know? Your classmate Mei-rin is here too, and as much money or power as you want......." "I'll ask just one thing." Simon said in a serious voice. "Do you need my pure strength? Or do you need the Legion's strength?" She smiled faintly. "Let's say both. Out of courtesy." "......What I'm worried about is." Simon bit his lip. "I can't trust you yet. How can you prove that I won't lose the Legion if I go to the Ivory Tower?" She blinked. "You have lower self-esteem than I thought~ I believe you wouldn't need to worry if you showed your abilities." "......." "Well, fine. If you join the Ivory Tower, I, as the successor, promise that you can maintain the Legion. Now, please answer. Simon Pollentia." Whoosh. Simon exhaled a long breath. He was being excessively swept away by her pace. He needed to regain his own pace. As he took a deep breath and circulated his Jet Black, the trembling in his body gradually stopped, and distracting thoughts flew away. Finally, with a cool head, Simon looked at her with cold eyes. 'The atmosphere has changed.' She also sensed Simon's change. But calming down wouldn't solve the situation. "Serene. You......." Simon's lips twisted. "You're bad at politics, aren't you?" She furrowed her brows. "What do you mean by that?" "Threatening people by openly showing all your cards like that. It's not a good habit." Serene had been strong since birth. There was no need to overthink. Yes or No to her demands. Life or death. No one could be free from her binary choice. Hiding one's cards was an act of the weak. Therefore. "You can never tell Kizen that I'm a Legion Commander." This time, she made a mistake. "Oh my. Why do you think that?" "Because you want to escape Kizen by any means necessary." "......." For the first time, she didn't answer. "Actually, I've heard something like that before. That the Ivory Tower is divided into pro-Kizen and anti-Kizen factions." "Oh my, discussing internal Tower matters. You have a good information network~ Mei-rin isn't foolish enough to spill internal stories." In truth, it was just idle chatter Dick had made while eating. "You and the current Ivory Tower head are representative anti-Kizen factions. Your gathering of Legion Commanders, your accumulation of power." Simon put his hand on his hip. "It's because you want to become independent from Kizen, isn't it?" "......." "But if you tell Kizen that I'm a Legion Commander and have me executed? Then who would my Legion go to?" Simon's lips curved upwards. "A more powerful Necromancer, absolutely loyal to Kizen, would become the Legion Commander. If that happens, your independence would be even further away. And you can't kidnap me and transplant the Legion to an Ivory Tower Necromancer either." Simon crossed his arms and continued. "That would be a true declaration of war against Kizen." Kidnapping Special Case #1, and that Special Case #1 turns out to be a Legion Commander, and killing him to extract the Legion. If such a thing happened, Neptis would leave not a speck of dust in the Ivory Tower. Historically, she had been quite ruthless on such matters. "You only know one thing and not the other." Serene smiled faintly. "Wouldn't there be another option like this? Eliminate you and bury the Legion so no one can obtain it." "Aha." Simon grinned. "I'm sorry, but that option isn't valid." Simon pulled an imaginary lever, opening a subspace. [Kwahahahahahahaha!] Serene flinched and took a step back. A tall skeleton draped in a shadow cloak. The Ancient Undead Pier appeared from the subspace. Following him, skeletons with dark blue flames in their eye sockets and Erzebet's Corpse Spiders poured out from another dimension like demons. 'Why is Pier here?' Serene bit her lip. 'They must have conducted subspace checks in Kizen.' "You just said that Observers couldn't see inside your barrier, right?" Simon grinned. "That was also a mistake." Clack! Thwack! Screech! The Legion, surrounding Serene, roared wildly, burning with fighting spirit.
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