Chapter 30: Beep, Executioner Card

An undisguised malice poured out, causing the temperature in the entire classroom to drop slightly.

Violet’s furrowed brow slowly relaxed, like spring snow melting under the gentle touch of the warm sun.
She raised the corners of her mouth slightly, seeming somewhat surprised, and also somewhat expectant.

“As expected of Dounia-chan, they’re about to fight.”

‘Why is Miss Violet so happy for me… and what’s with that expectant look?’ Dounia silently observed their expressions, grumbling to herself.

‘Could it be that Miss Violet is actually the type who says, “Gentlemen, I love war”? A pink-haired character who is secretly black-hearted, is that it!’

Dounia’s heart went cold, but she felt Violet probably didn’t have such a severe tendency… yet.

‘Even beautiful girls enjoy watching a good show.’

Her gaze slowly shifted to Adelle.
Adelle stared at the tense Latifah, a deep sense of incomprehension in her eyes.

As someone who believed in the side of “Order,” it was obvious that such behavior was not something she approved of.

“Aren’t you taking this a bit too far?” Holt’s face, now stern, was even more like a king from a deck of cards, or a stone statue.

“So what if I am?” Latifah’s lips curled into a disdainful smile. “If you have an issue, then let’s duel.”

The young Instructor Maeve sat in the middle, looking somewhat helpless.

“You two… please calm down first…”

“Instructor Holt never intended to snatch your student, nor does he have any other issues with you…” Maeve tried her best to play the role of a peacemaker.

Holt’s gaze grew colder, a hint of disgust faintly showing.

But then he sighed lightly and did not pursue the matter further.

“Just as Ms. Maeve said.”

“Very good.” Latifah, with the air of a victor, put one hand on her hip and held her hat with the other as she walked down from the podium.

“Dounia, my office is in the instructor’s area on the second floor. Come by in a little while.”

After giving her instructions, she left immediately, not giving anyone else any face at all.

“She’s so arrogant…” Dounia exclaimed. “That Instructor Holt’s face is about to turn green.”

“Of course. After all, she is the most outstanding and youngest psychology instructor in our branch,” Violet said.

“Yes, but her achievements are limited to theory. Currently, there are no tangible results, nor has she helped cure your Soul-Loss, Miss,” Adelle sighed.

Adelle looked Dounia up and down. “I hope putting two powder kegs together won’t just add more trouble.”

“Eh? What do you mean? Don’t you trust your Executioner?” Dounia puffed out her cheeks.

Adelle’s sharp gaze seemed to say, ‘I’d be a ghost to trust you.’

The assessment ended, and the three of them also left one after another.

“Uhm… Student Dounia, please wait a moment,” Maeve called out to Dounia, who was about to leave.

“?” A question mark appeared above Dounia’s head.

Violet timely pushed Adelle’s shoulder and waved at Dounia.

“We’ll wait for you outside the door.”

Only Dounia and Instructor Maeve were left in the empty classroom.

“Sorry, Student Dounia,” Maeve said apologetically. “I wasn’t targeting you.”

She didn’t have the typical air of an instructor.
Perhaps because she wasn’t that old, she instead had an inexplicable sense of affinity.

“It’s okay, Instructor Maeve. You don’t have to apologize.”

Dounia responded politely.

“Actually… your talent is plain for all to see. For the discipline of [Psychology], this first test determines more than ninety percent of one’s growth potential,” Maeve explained.

Dounia blinked.

“Most people feel extremely unwell after coming into contact with forbidden knowledge, finding it difficult to even read normally. This means they may not be suited for this discipline at all.”

“But I saw that when you finished receiving the forbidden knowledge, a purple rune flew toward your forehead. This is a manifestation of accepting a part of the ‘complete’ forbidden knowledge, and also a manifestation of your ‘mental fortitude’.”

Maeve seemed to have suddenly thought of something and waved her hands repeatedly.

“I will not ask what ability you have obtained. That is your personal privacy.”

‘Mmm… Instructor Maeve is quite a gentle teacher.’

Dounia couldn’t help but relax a lot.

“The real reason Instructor Holt and I rejected you is because the discipline of ‘Psychology’ is more suited for students with a purer mind… or rather, dumber students,” Maeve said cautiously.

Dounia grew even more puzzled.

‘Dumber?’

‘What does that have to do with psychology?’

“Suppose there is a forbidden-level magic powerful enough to destroy a city, and it can be used freely by a newborn baby. What do you think the result would be?” Maeve guided her patiently.

“The entire city would be blown to smithereens,” Dounia answered bluntly.

‘If this were the modern world, she would use “a gorilla with a machine gun” as the analogy.’

“Yes. The discipline of ‘Psychology’ is like a forbidden-level magic powerful enough to destroy a city,” Maeve said. “I must also apologize to you, because I took the liberty of influencing you, in a ‘gentle and silent’ manner.”

Dounia was slightly taken aback, then felt a chill run through her body.

‘That’s right. From the very beginning, the affinity and influence that Instructor Maeve displayed was…’

“You should now be able to clearly feel the danger of the ‘Psychology’ discipline,” Maeve said. “If you are outstanding enough, you can subtly influence and guide the actions of others.”

“Speaking of which, although we said ‘all methods are allowed,’ in fact, that was the second test question.”

“The Anomaly Bureau hopes for people who are more conservative in their actions to control this knowledge, just like Miss Adelle by your side.”

‘So the rules set by the instructors were used to remove the candidates’ moral and psychological restrictions… letting them unconsciously expose their own problems… brilliant.’

Dounia praised it in her heart.

But at that time, the arrow was already on the bowstring, and she had to release it.

“Thank you, Instructor Maeve, for telling me this,” Dounia said her thanks and prepared to leave.

“Actually… we wanted to let you settle for a year or so, and then observe further,” Maeve said with some regret. “I personally like Student Dounia very much. If it weren’t for Instructor Latifah asking for you…”

A hint of approval appeared in Dounia’s eyes.

“Thank you.”

She appreciated Instructor Maeve’s honesty and humility, even if this might also be a psychological influence she was exerting.

“If you have any problems in your studies in the future, Student Dounia can also come to my office to ask me,” Maeve said with a slight smile.

“Why were you so long?” Violet blinked her big eyes and asked curiously.

“Instructor Maeve explained to me why she didn’t recruit me. Actually, she wanted me to settle down a bit before taking me on as an apprentice,” Dounia explained.

“I told you Dounia-chan was in high demand, didn’t I~?” Violet said proudly.

“If you followed Instructor Maeve, perhaps the probability of me killing you would be a little lower,” Adelle said coldly.

“Eh? Why are you still saying things like that~” Dounia’s lips curled up, a hint of a wicked smile showing. “Miss Adelle, you wouldn’t want…”

“I have something to report to the Chief. I’m leaving first.”

Adelle shot Dounia a glare and quickly fled.

“Ara.” Violet leaned in with a smile. “Dounia-chan and Adelle seem to have a very good relationship? Could it be that something happened between you two that I should know about, but don’t…?”

Dounia inexplicably felt a sense of crisis, especially around her lower back, a feeling of an impending critical hit from a kitchen knife.

‘Not a kitchen knife, please!’

“N-no, not really.”

“Is that so.” Violet’s tone was somewhat suspicious, but it gradually calmed down.

The two of them chatted nonchalantly, then parted ways at the stairwell.

Dounia walked up to the second floor alone, confidently puffing out her not-yet-so-endowed chest under the suspicious gaze of the guard.

“Beep, Executioner card.”

Dounia looked nervously at the name on the doorplate.

Latifah Silvela.