Acting as a Slit-Eyed Villain Perfectly

Chapter 8. Adaptation (3)

I silently sighed and met the gaze of the woman in front of me.

Ordwin's light purple eyes were staring at me intently. Her slightly open eyes were filled with questions.

Moreover, a 'gray haze' appeared above her head.

Among the emotion colors seen as the 'Color of Negativity', this was 'doubt'.

I could guess what it stemmed from.

She must have been thinking I was different from the Yulian she usually knew.

'Too much talking... Is the problem my formal speech?'

No, that wasn't it.

For Yulian, 'formal speech' was both an expression of ego and part of his identity.

Rather, if I hadn't used formal speech, her suspicion would have grown even more.

I always spoke formally, even when talking to myself, so there was nothing I could do about it.

So what was the problem?

"Is there a problem?"

I couldn't figure out what the issue was.

I decided if I stayed silent any longer, her suspicion would only grow, so I chose to act brazenly.

In some sense, being brazen was one of Yulian's typical traits, so it wouldn't be a big problem.

"No, Yulian... Normally, you just submit the report and leave without saying much, right?"

Is that it...

I have no idea what this guy thought of his superiors.

But if that was the issue, then it was a relief.

I could get past this.

"Wasn't I resting from work for a long time due to an injury? It was just for the report."

"... Is that so?"

"Yes. Is there a problem?"

I let out a short chuckle and feigned ignorance.

As expected, her suspicion faded with Yulian's typical response.

"I heard you weren't in your right mind, but you haven't changed."

Upon hearing that I hadn't changed, I felt a sense of relief, but it also made me feel strangely unpleasant.

Even though I know Yulian isn't quite in his right mind and play that role faithfully, hearing such an evaluation upfront just doesn't sit well.

No one I had met before might have thought that but never said it aloud.

This woman named Ordwin is no ordinary person.

If she can make such remarks even with Yulian in front of her, she isn't ordinary.

"Then, please make your report. Were there any useful individuals in the recruitment test?"

She returned to her seat and asked with a serious expression.

The report was straightforward, so I answered immediately.

"There were none."

"Well, I expected you to say that. As the apprentice of the Sword Saint Hayden Reich, you must find average skills trivial."

Ordwin, who nodded, leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms.

"Still, there must have been a few with the skills to be used as apprentices, right?"

"There were none."

"Pardon?"

Startled─!

Ordwin uncrossed her arms and leaned forward in her chair.

"Are you saying you didn't select even one person?"

"Yes."

"Not a single one?"

I didn't know how many times she asked, but my answer remained unchanged.

I nodded.

Perhaps realizing the situation, Ordwin's mouth slowly began to open.

"Why did you do that? 'Blind Eyes' doesn't have many people right now, so we need to recruit even one person!"

"With a shortage of personnel, we can't just accept anyone. All this year's applicants were unsuited for 'Blind Eyes'."

"But even so! Who knows if they could be useful once they start as an apprentice!"

"It would be a waste of time. Even for the position of an apprentice, they were insufficient."

I let out a short laugh.

In truth, it was a laugh born out of embarrassment.

I had disqualified them all, but it wasn't due to the applicants' skills.

It was solely because of my own goals.

And yet, I claimed that they weren't even fit to be apprentices.

Even though it was an act, I felt shameless.

"Ha..."

Ordwin rubbed her temples as if she had a headache.

As she did, I approached her slowly and threw a piece of paper onto the desk.

Ordwin looked at it as if to ask what it was.

"What is this? Weren't we discussing the recruitment test?"

"Yes, this is related to the recruitment test as well."

"... What is it?"

"I have outlined the issues I found in the recruitment test."

"Issues?"

Ordwin asked with an annoyed expression.

"Applicants spar with an instructor to get recognition, then the final decision is made through an interview by the Imperial Palace Secretariat. What's the issue?"

"It's the method of the spar."

"The spar method?"

I began to explain the story I had prepared to Ordwin, who was tilting her head.

"It seems that the applicants lack a sense of urgency. They need to be aware of what kind of organization they are applying to even before the test."

"Well, it's the instructor's job to say so. But..."

Ordwin began reading through the 'Recruitment Test Improvement Plan' I handed over.

The lower her gaze fell, the more her expression twisted.

"... 'Blind Eyes' will not be held responsible for any accidents after applying for the recruitment test?"

"Yes."

"This means the spar severity would increase, doesn't it?"

"That is correct."

I nodded.

In the recruitment test for 'Blind Eyes', there were a lot of constraints.

One of them was the provision that instructors must guarantee the safety of applicants during the test.

Of course, applicants shouldn't be injured or die. If such an incident occurred, the instructor would be held responsible.

'Those who took the test at Bayer Academy that day must have been aware of this provision.'

Despite this, the reason they were frightened when I said, 'I'll kill you', and gave up the test was simple.

It was because the person who uttered those words was me, 'Yulian Cryphart Frason'.

Who would dare break the rules?

Even if they initially thought so, upon recalling how many corpses had piled up under the name 'Yulian', they could only doubt again.

That crazy man might actually do it.

It was like that.

It was a gamble I could only make because I made use of this.

Ordwin frowned as she perused the proposal line by line.

Eventually, she picked up the paper with her fingertips and waved it.

"Alright, I understand. I will submit it to the council."

"Thank you, commander Ordwin."

"But, you didn't select anyone for the recruitment test because of this, did you?"

"Of course not. Any talent appointed through flawed tests is utterly useless. Aren't we an exclusive agency of the Imperial family? I cannot forgive the tarnishing of that noble name..."

"Alright, alright!"

I lightly shrugged my shoulders as I looked at the disgruntled expression on her face.

Talking incessantly whenever matters related to the 'Imperial family' came up.

This too was 'Yulian'.

***

After Yulian left, silence settled in the commander's office.

Commander Ordwin, the current head of 'Blind Eyes', who had been leaning back in her chair, turned her gaze back to the document Yulian had left behind.

The document contained the Improvement Plan for the 'Blind Eyes' recruitment test.

Ordinarily, an ordinary member would not have this level of authority, but Yulian's position in 'Blind Eyes' was incomparable to that of an ordinary member.

If she had to say, it was just below the commander.

That's why submitting improvement proposals like these was permissible.

Moreover, he was of noble lineage, albeit from a branch family.

"Still, he wasn't the type to interfere with regulations like this."

Ordwin examined the document with a curious eye.

Yulian's script filled the page densely.

But all that content was merely smoke to conceal one important measure.

Ultimately, the core message was one.

"No matter what accident occurs, 'Blind Eyes' is not responsible... huh."

If these new rules were implemented, the instructor would not be liable for anything happening during the recruitment test.

Even if someone died, they would be 'acquitted' under the protection of the Imperial family.

Of course, this wouldn't change the essence of the recruitment tests that have been conducted so far.

Those applying to 'Blind Eyes' most often include fallen nobles and commoners who could maintain political neutrality.

They lack power, or to be accurate, authority.

Discontent from such individuals could be easily brushed aside.

"Yulian must know that too. So, it is safe to assume the real objective of this improvement plan is elsewhere."

Ordwin closed her eyes briefly to organize her thoughts.

Why did someone who usually wasn't interested in regulations suddenly submit such a document?

"Oh!"

A fact suddenly came to mind.

It was about a certain 'scheme' that took place during the recruitment test.

The Elder Council and the Torso family colluded to meddle in this recruitment test.

She was broadly aware of this situation.

As the head of the intelligence agency of the Imperial family, 'Blind Eyes', info from all around invariably trickled in, even when she didn't want it to.

With that thought, the puzzle pieces in her mind came together to form a picture.

"It's a warning."

Indeed, it's a warning.

A warning from Yulian to the Torso family and the Elder Council.

'I saw through your schemes. If you attempt the same tricks again, I won't let it slide like this.'

Upon realizing Yulian's true(?) intentions, Ordwin immediately summoned the attendant waiting outside.

Before long, the door to the commander's office swung open, and a hurried attendant entered.

Ordwin handed them the proposal Yulian had written.

"Can you submit this to the council?"

"To the council, ma'am?"

"Yes."

"Understood, commander Ordwin."

The attendant respectfully bowed and left the commander's office with the document.

Watching them intently, Ordwin placed her hand on her chin, lost in thought.

"After a severe injury, he really has changed."

The 'Yulian Cryphart Frason' she knew was ruthlessly brutal, wielding a sword with fitting strength.

Nothing more, nothing less.

A chilling smile and slit-eyes that revealed nothing.

Because of that, reading his emotions was nearly impossible, but it didn't matter till now.

He was just a hollow sword loyal to the orders of the Imperial family.

He was a cold blade executing commands from above without harboring dissatisfaction.

But the problem is... this dog has started to have its own thoughts.

Clacky's Corner:
Will the commander be an enemy or an ally?