Chapter 13: The Eldritch Godness Wishes to Be Harmless

The witch Claudia appeared in the hallway.

Dressed, as before, in a black dress and a gray military coat, she slowly walked toward me from the far end of the corridor.

"So, you too have finally found pleasure in bending others to your will? How delightful that must be."

"What do you mean?"

She shouldn’t have seen anything. I had sealed off the classroom—with my tentacles.

"There’s no need to wear that false mask around me. I know what squirms beneath your skin. I know what horrors lurk beneath that lovely girl’s façade."

Claudia spoke as she approached, then leaned against the window frame.

"Human will is nothing more than chemical reactions and electrical impulses. There is no mystery to it. To higher beings, they are no different from wind-up toys. You’ve felt it, haven’t you? As you tampered with his brain, rewriting his memories and thoughts as you pleased."

Perhaps I couldn’t deny it. I had meddled with Leonhardt’s brain, reshaping his very nature. I knew the so-called "self" humans believed in was nothing but an illusion.

I—this identity of me—was nothing more than a phantom conjured by electrical pulses and chemicals between neurons.

"You will drive multitudes to madness. Whether by intent or accident, you will warp them according to your desires. And that is magnificent."

"Magnificent?"

"Indeed. A dull world like this could use an eldritch godness like you to liven things up."

Chuckling softly, Claudia turned her back to me.

"But beware, Iris—or should I say, Ililith? Those who know your true nature are not limited to witches like me."

The next instant, Claudia vanished, and the stagnant air in the hallway dissipated.

But then—hurried footsteps echoed up the staircase.

"Miss Iris!"

Felix appeared, his breath slightly uneven.

"Lord Felix? What’s the matter?"

"...What was here just now?"

"'What'?"

Not who, but what. He already knew it wasn’t human.

"There was no one else here. Did you think you saw a ghost?"

I smiled faintly as I asked.

"If there was nothing, then fine."

Ignoring my teasing, Felix scanned the surroundings.

Claudia had prophesied it—those who knew my true nature weren’t just fanatics and witches. And right after she said it, Felix appeared, asking if something—not someone—had been here.

Given Felix’s behavior until now, it was clear he suspected me.

So, was this it? Did Felix know what I truly was?

But without confirmation, probing carelessly would be unwise. Better to act normal for now. And I had resolved to keep my eldritch antics to a minimum.

"Lord Felix. Here, thank you."

I tried to return the magical artifact he had entrusted to me.

"Keep it. You never know what might happen."

"But—"

"I have spares. Losing that one won’t inconvenience me."

Instead of taking it back, Felix fixed me with an intense stare. Scary~.

"More importantly, the student council. They’ve already started. Come at once."

"Y-yes!"

Urged on by Felix, we hurried toward the student council room. The distance from the old building to the second building where the council was held wasn’t short, and Felix’s long strides forced me to scramble to keep up.

"Ah. You’re back, Felix, Miss Iris."

When we finally arrived, Klaus, the student council president, was sprawled in his chair, lazily welcoming us.

"Miss Iris. I heard you went to the old building to speak with His Highness Leonhardt?"

"Yes. Just a brief conversation."

I smiled as Klaus questioned me, half-curious, half-concerned.

"No wonder Felix was worried. As long as nothing happened, it’s fine."

Klaus glanced at Felix.

"Klaus. And what about your work? Have you made any progress?"

"Still working on it!"

"'Still working on it' isn’t an answer. Review the documents and sign them. That’s all you have to do."

Most of Klaus’s duties as president involved reviewing and signing submitted paperwork. Beyond that, he oversaw school events, but with none currently scheduled, his only real task was signing things.

"Still, it’s a relief to have Miss Iris in the student council. This place was getting too stuffy with just men around. A little beauty brightens the heart, doesn’t it?"

"I’m glad to hear that. But was the previous secretary also male?"

"Ah, yeah. You know Johann von Oldenstein, the Central Party legislator? Former Minister of Education? His son was the secretary. Unfortunately, he took a leave of absence..."

"I see."

So Klaus really was here to build connections. Felix, the son of a duke. The son of a prominent politician. If I dug deeper, I’d probably find ties to even more influential figures.

"Come to think of it, Miss Iris, your father is also a legislator, isn’t he? A member of the Imperial Senate?"

"Yes. My father serves in the Senate."

The Imperial Diet was a bicameral system, consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate. The Senate was effectively composed solely of aristocratic legislators, and my father, as a nobleman, held a seat there.

"Enough idle chatter. Klaus, hurry up and sign those documents. And Miss Iris, please transcribe these neatly on the typewriter."

Felix stepped in, shoving a stack of papers at both Klaus and me.

A considerable pile landed on my desk as the secretary, and I reluctantly began typing. As always, the typewriter was a hassle.

"Ah, the class social event paperwork is here too."

"A class social event?"

"Yeah. Since there’ve been some changes in classmates, it’s a chance to get to know everyone and bond. I like this kind of thing—perfect for networking for the future."

"I see."

If I wanted to fit in with the class, I’d have to make an impression at events like this.

"You just came back from leave, Miss Iris, so it’d be good to make some proper friends. My old man always said, ‘Make as many friends as possible—then cherish them while exploiting them ruthlessly.’"

"Your father really is the worst…"

Klaus cracked his usual joke, Felix sighed, and I gave a wry smile.

"Lord Felix, does this look acceptable?"

Having finished typing, I showed the documents to Felix.

"...Yes. This will do. Good work."

Felix skimmed through them with practiced efficiency and nodded.

"No point staying late. Since your work’s done, you can head home for today, Miss Iris. See you tomorrow!"

"Yes. Until tomorrow, then."

I bowed politely and left the student council room.

After Iris departed, the student council room fell silent.

"...I didn’t bring it up earlier to avoid worrying Miss Iris, but it seems both Mr. Theodor from art and Mr. Isaac from music have been admitted to the psychiatric hospital on the outskirts of the capital. Both for attempted suicide."

"I see. Anything else, Klaus?"

"The Interior Ministry’s security police found no ties to cults or fanaticism. That’s all we know for now. I tried using my father’s connections to dig deeper, but all I got was a scolding: ‘Quit playing detective like some nosy amateur.’"

Felix’s question was met with a shrug from Klaus.

"Sorry for making you go that far."

"Don’t worry about it. Politics is all about give and take. A good politician’s skill lies in how well they can call in favors. Just back me politically when you inherit your title, and we’re even."

"I’ll do my best."

Felix answered earnestly despite Klaus’s joking tone.

"Still, this makes six faculty members and thirty-six students sent to psychiatric hospitals before the term even started. And that’s not counting the families too ashamed to report their children’s confinement—the real number’s probably higher."

"You think this is unrelated to that cult mass suicide?"

"There shouldn’t be any cultists in our school. We screen for that before enrollment. But the students who withdrew or went on leave do share one trait."

"High sensitivity?"

"Exactly. Those excelling in arts, music, literature, or philosophy. That’s the common thread. Not that the ones left behind are dull, mind you."

The teachers and students who had resigned, taken leave, or dropped out all shared one thing—they were the sensitive types. The ones gifted in music, art, literature, or philosophical thought were the ones being sent away en masse.

"So, Felix."

Klaus fixed him with a look.

"What’s your read on Miss Iris?"

……………………