My Students Regret It After I Retired

30 – The misery of experiencing the same

As Keltazar silently placed his hand on his sword, Bellin truly thought she might die here. So, she looked at the man and desperately tried to explain.

“K-Keltazar-nim, you know me, don’t you? I’ve always dedicated myself to the Empire. Why would I ever betray it? Please believe me.”

“Then why are you shaking so much? Why are you making me suspect you?”

If she said it was because she was afraid, Keltazar would surely ask what she was afraid of when she had done nothing wrong, and she would end up in the same position as the guy who had been dragged away earlier.

‘No… absolutely not…’

Bellin thought that, then shivered and smiled. She focused her emotions in a brief moment, preparing her act. Just like when she had tricked everyone to banish Leos. Now, she was beginning an act for Keltazar alone.

“Aren’t you glad, Keltazar? That a b*stard who might have leaked Imperial secrets is being dragged away, how could I not be glad? I’m so happy my body is trembling, how could I control that?”

“You were shaking with joy? Your eyes didn’t look so joyful.”

“It wasn’t you I saw. It was that trash being dragged away. I’ve suspected him for a while now, too. But I didn’t have proof, so I couldn’t report it. It was my gaze on him. I guess my position overlapped with yours, Keltazar, so you perceived it that way.”

Keltazar still glared at Belin. Belin, instead, approached him, whispering,

“Keltazar. It’s me, Belin. The Belin who turned Leos, who served the Empire with you for years, into a cripple in a moment. The Empire is all I have. Nothing else matters.”

“Then kill that b*stard yourself.”

“…What?”

As Belin asked, Keltazar handed him a sword, his expression unchanged. He gestured to the surrounding knights. Soon, Orothas, who had just been dragged away as a suspected spy, was forcibly led back, by the knights.

“Come to think of it, the fact that he didn’t run after getting the information must mean he’s confident he can keep the secret, no matter what, right? So, killing him shouldn’t matter. If you truly suspect him, if you’re prepared to do anything for the Empire, then you must kill Orothas, your comrade, now a suspected spy, with your own hands.”

As if this was his intention from the start, Keltazar threw the sword to Belin. Belin grasped it immediately and trudged forward.

‘He doesn’t believe a word I say. He was planning to kill me from the beginning. I have to prove myself. If I don’t prove myself here…’

Belin slowly approached Orothas. A comrade from the Imperial Shadow Unit. He’d had quite a few conversations with him. Belin knew. Orothas wasn’t the type to betray anyone. He’d been a member of the Shadow Unit since he was a young orphan, and he’d been completely brainwashed ever since. Orothas was just acting like a dog of the Empire. So, Belin knew he wasn’t the culprit, but still, he slowly raised the sword.

“I can prove myself, without a doubt. If it’s for the sake of the Empire.”

“Bel…Belin…you…you know, don’t you? How sincere I am to the Empire. It wasn’t me…it really wasn’t!”

Orothas screamed in terror, but Belin’s blade hurtled towards him.

-Thunk…

-Thunk…

Just as Belin’s sword was about to reach Orothas’s neck, Keltazar stopped it with his own hand.

“The test is passed. Belin, I’ll reserve my judgment of you. And the rest of you, watch your actions. Because the ones I suspect the most are those within our ranks.”

Keltazar finished those words, and without another word, took Orothas and headed outside. Whether he intended to kill him or make use of him, who knew.

However, Orotas wore a more resentful expression when looking at Belin than when looking at Keltazar. Even as he was being dragged away, the man shouted while staring at Belin.

“You trash of a woman. You know I’m not the culprit, and yet…!”

-Thwack!-

Keltazar struck him, and Orotas immediately fell unconscious. He glanced back before stepping completely outside.

Inside, only the Imperial Shadow Corps members remained. Here, the other Shadow Corps members looked at Belin as if she were trash.

“Belin, someone as perceptive as you must know, right? There’s no one in the Imperial Shadow Corps capable of betrayal. If someone had betrayed us, they would’ve already fled. It seems Lord Keltazar is not thinking straight, speaking harsh words to His Majesty, but why are you getting caught up in it too? We’re all comrades after all.”

The Imperial Shadow Corps. A group of people who became the shadow of the empire, working for it. They fanatically worshipped the emperor but also had deep camaraderie amongst themselves. It was because those who had been selected for the Shadow Corps had to go through a hellish process, and those who were selected often stayed together for a long time without dying.

“Then…then should I have been dragged away to die too? You people…you didn’t do anything either! Why are you all blaming me? I…I need to live.”

Imperial Shadow Corps member Chesiren looked at Belin with the gaze of someone looking at an insect.

“Well, you’ve lived your whole life that way, so why would comrades be any different? Belin. You’ve betrayed countless people. At first, I thought you were forced to act like that for the Empire. But now I know you’re just that kind of person. You were born that way. You’re trash, someone who would do anything to survive, someone who would push their comrades to their deaths for your own gain.”

As Chesiren turned and walked away, the remaining Shadow Corps members began to leave one by one. Chesiren added as he headed outside.

“I’m not saying your actions are wrong. But remember this one thing. Everyone here will treat you exactly as much as you deserve.”

Belin slumped down, muttering.

“Why…why is everyone….”

Abandoned even by the Shadow Corps, she was completely alone. Darkness loomed over Belin’s future.

*

Leos entered the bunker and checked with his eyes to make sure Herisia and Bendict were safe. Bendict was exercising in a corner, and Herisia was fiddling with artifacts.

“Both of you, come over here for a moment.”

Leos slowly explained to them everything that had happened so far. From encountering the Empire’s execution squad to making a temporary deal with them.

“W-Wouldn’t that be… dangerous?”

“So, we didn’t reveal our position to them. Only we know the bunker’s interior location, and they’re only operating at the edge of the safe zone, so there’s no chance they’ll encounter you guys in the center. I’ll keep a constant watch, so don’t worry.”

“No. It’s not because of us, but isn’t Leo-nim in danger…?”

Leo, caught off guard by the unexpected reply, stared blankly at Herisia for a moment before responding.

“You’re worried about me?”

“Of course! They’re the Assassin Squad, they must be terrifying!”

At that, Benedict roared with laughter.

“Herisia! You’re an idiot! No human can pose a threat to Leo-nim!”

“Still, you should be careful, just in case, Leo-nim.”

Herisia ignored Benedict’s words and spoke to Leo, who nodded in response.

“It doesn’t seem like there’ll be any real danger, but I will.”

Soon after, Leo began instructing Herisia on how to use the spiral. In case Leo had to rush elsewhere, they would be able to use the spiral to respond to external enemies, even from inside the bunker.

“You need to react faster. It’s controlled with mana, so even if you move a beat faster than you think, the spiral will move according to your will.”

“It’s not easy…”

Leo’s intense training went on for several hours, and Herisia was dripping with sweat as she learned how to use the spiral. She was now able to make it fly, and even have it circle in the air.

‘For now, practice using the spiral. It’s the only way for these guys to protect themselves.’

Unless someone physically opens the door, the bunker is practically impenetrable. But things are different if artifacts or other tools are used.

If they have the spiral, even if someone tries to open the bunker door, they can intercept from a distance, drastically increasing their chances of survival. With the single-minded determination to teach her, Leo pushed Herisia hard.

“You can do it. Concentrate more!”

Several days passed, and Herisia reached a point where she could handle the spiral quite comfortably.

“Now… Now I think I’ve got a feel for it! Thank you, Leo-nim!”

“Leo, brother! Am I learning too, now!”

Bendict asked, his eyes lit up, but Leo only quietly replied.

“Bendict, you’re too stupid to learn.”

“No… How could you say such harsh words…!”

“I’ll get you a different artifact later. One that’s right for you.”

“ooo! Great! I don’t need anything like a Spirale!”

Leaving Bendict, who was hopping with excitement, Leo walked out of the bunker door. He walked slowly, and only after reaching the edge of the safe zone, did Leo whisper.

“Ready?”

Then, Lacart stepped out from the bushes and answered.

“Everything’s ready. We’ve finished pinpointing the positions of the guys sent by the Empire. I thought they’d be a little more cautious, but they’re openly sending troops. They’ve even already secretly snuck up near here. What are we going to do?”

As a matter of course, Leo wrapped the chain sword around his hand and replied.

“They came looking for us, so we have to kill them all.”