[Zandar's POV, a while ago]
Today marked the long-awaited opening of the Nasca Academia—its gates finally cast wide to welcome the young prodigies attending the inaugural ceremony.
I arrived at the place via a horse-drawn carriage, and on my way inside, my thoughts drifted back to the conversation I'd had with the king.
"Make sure the ceremony goes smoothly and orderly once you get there, Director."
"Don't worry, Your Highness. I'll have it under control."
"It better be true. Anyway, go forth and give it your best effort."
Those words echoed faintly in my mind as I stepped through the halls, only to be interrupted by the unmistakable sounds of commotion. The noise reverberated through the long corridor, sharp and restless.
Driven by curiosity—and a sense of responsibility—I followed it until I reached the courtyard.
There, students and guardians alike were already gathered, murmuring in restless gossip. At the far end of the open space, the source of the disturbance revealed itself.
On the stage stood a familiar small figure—Herta Wissenschaft—while in front of her lay the remains of a shattered crystal ball atop its pillar.
"What's the meaning of this?!"
My attention was drawn to the sight of Nyul, one of my colleagues, storming toward the little girl with barely restrained irritation. His temper was notorious, especially when he was used to scolding researchers in the workshop, but this wasn't the place for one of his outbursts.
If he intended to make a scene here, then I had no choice but to intervene.
As I moved along the side path towards the stage, I noticed Harald trying to calm Nyul down, but he was having no success. The board members then swapped the destroyed crystal ball with a new one, and Nyul urged Herta to place her hand on the sphere.
Given the situation, I deduce that the previous crystal ball was destroyed because the young lady's reading exceeded its maximum capacity, and my associate was determined to debunk it before the entire assembly.
Moving closer to the stage, I watched as the sphere's color shifted from grey to gold within a few seconds, followed by a sharp, echoing crack.
Just as I expected, Herta's existence value surpassed the limits of human potential. The only likely explanation I could think of was the numerous elemental-infused dolls she created and named in her home. This young lady is truly one of a kind.
"What trick are you using, brat?! Tell me!"
My thoughts were cut short by Nyul's furious shout. I froze for a breath when I saw him seize Herta by the shoulder and shake her violently.
This madness needs to stop.
I surged forward, intent on reaching the stage, but two armored knights blocked my path.
"Halt, citizen. Please stay here while the problem is being resolved."
You've got to be kidding me. Why now?
Taking a deep breath, I introduced myself. "My name is Zandar One Kuwabara, the director of this establishment. Please step aside this instant so I can handle this."
I expected them to move out of the way. Instead, one knight shook their head.
"No need to trouble yourself, Director. The board members will take care of the matter."
Dammit, I have no time for this.
I tried to force my way through them, but their hands grabbed my arms, holding me tight.
"Unhand me, you barbarians!" I snarled, struggling against their grip.
But then—
"That is enough."
A young male voice rang out, clear and commanding, slicing through the noise like a blade.
The knights froze. Slowly, I turned my head and found the origin of the voice.
Walking through the crowd of students were none other than Rudra Nasca and Lucia Nasca, the two royal children of the king and queen.
The princess met my gaze and offered a polite nod while the prince focused his attention on addressing the two knights.
"Release him," he commanded, prompting them to let go of my arms.
Princess Lucia stepped closer and leaned forward, lowering her voice just enough that only I could hear. "Stand proud, Director. The eyes of the court are upon you. Save that girl for me."
Her words struck like steel—meant not only as encouragement but also as a command.
I nodded as I walked past the two knights and climbed the stage with unhurried confidence.
-------------------------------------------------
[Third POV]
In the present moment, a serious tension permeated the stage as Zandar stood firmly before Nyul, who still had his hand gripping Herta's shoulder.
The grumpy old man froze briefly, startled to see the director standing before him.
"Zandar? What are you doing here?" Nyul asked anxiously, furrowing his eyebrows. "I thought you'd be somewhere else."
"I was at the royal castle a while ago," Zandar replied casually, "and the king instructed me to supervise the ceremony. Yet what greets me upon my arrival is you, causing an embarrassing scene in front of the children and their guardians."
Nyul winced at the director's explanation, though his grip on Herta did not fully relent.
Seeing that, Zandar glared at the old man dead in the eyes. "Let her go this instant."
"Hrgh... I can't," Nyul muttered, loosening his grip slightly. "I must expose this brat's—"
"Incredibly high existence value?" Zandar interrupted, his voice calm but laced with absolute authority. "I am already aware of that."
The grumpy old man reeled at his claim, and murmurs rippled through the crowd.
"What? You knew?" Nyul reacted with excitement, eager to hear it. "Quick, tell us! Share with everyone what this brat has done to achieve such a hideous amount of existence value."
Zandar's gaze flickered to Herta, who gave him the faintest nod of permission. He leaned his head in return before turning to face the restless audience.
"The answer is simple," he declared clearly. "This young lady has designed numerous devices and sold them to small businesses, using the profit to fund her research. I suspected that her contributions boosted her mana capacity and granted her skills to a level beyond her peers."
With that explanation, the crowd erupted in whispers—some voices laced with astonishment, others with skepticism or discontent.
"Ridiculous!" Nyul barked, his face twisting with scorn. "Such pathetic deeds alone could not explain such an absurd reading. You're hiding something, Zandar—I know it!"
For a moment, Zandar felt the sting of the accusation. His hands twitched at his side, but he composed himself with measured breath.
"I must admit," he replied calmly, "there is still much about her potential I wish to understand fully. However, it should be revealed through proper academic means, not violent exposure."
He then stepped closer, his shadow falling across Nyul as his voice sharpened. "Let her go... or else I will strip you of your position as vice principal before the entire assembly."
The threat struck like a hammer blow. The old man's face contorted, pride warring with fear, but at last, he relented, releasing Herta with a frustrated grunt.
At once, several board members hurried forward, guiding him off the stage before his temper could flare again.
"Herta!"
Theresia and Albrecht rushed toward their daughter's side, hugging her tightly.
"Are you alright, sweetie?" Theresia asked worriedly, touching her daughter's face.
Albrecht, on the other hand, inspected Herta's shoulder. "Did that bastard hurt you here?"
"Relax, I'm fine," she replied softly, brushing off her uniform. "Truly."
While the Wissenschaft family was talking, Zandar turned to the remaining board members.
"Allocate that young lady among the gold ranks," he instructed. "Then continue the ceremony as intended."
"Understood, Director."
Once that was done, he approached Herta and crouched to her level, meeting her gaze.
"Be careful, young lady," he cautioned. "More eyes will be on you than ever from now on."
Herta nodded, calm and unshaken. "I understand that."
Just as Zandar stood up and turned to leave, a sudden scream ripped through the crowd.
"GRRAAAAH!"
A ragged man jumped onto the stage, brandishing a knife in his hand.
"All—gone, all ruined—because of you! My life—my future—shattered! Yours, YOUR fault!"
His words were incoherent, wild ramblings as he lunged forward.
The board members tried to restrain the man, but he sliced them one by one until he bolted towards his intended target. Theresia hugged Herta tightly while Albrecht and Zandar stood before them with their arms spread wide.
"Knights, stop him! Now!"
Rudra's commanding voice echoed through the courtyard. Immediately, the two knights from earlier rushed forward, slamming the man to the ground and pulling the blade from his hand.
Gasp filled the air. Panic and fear stirred among the spectators.
More knights then arrived at the scene, checking the board member's condition and guiding the students away from danger.
----------------------------------------------
In the aftermath of the sudden attack by a violent man, the knights were ordered to evacuate the students and their guardians from the courtyard. At the same time, a team of healers had arrived to treat the wounds of several injured board members with cutting-edge magic.
Those who avoided harm, however, pressed on with grim resolve. They continued measuring the remaining students' existence value on their way out, unwilling to let the ceremony end in failure despite the disruption.
Meanwhile, Herta, her parents, and the director watched as the rest of the knights restrained the madman with ropes and confiscated his knife.
"This was such a disaster," Zandar remarked, shaking his head. "I should have come earlier to manage this ceremony better and prevent any trouble."
"Don't blame yourself, Director," Theresia reassured him gently. "This was beyond everyone's control. Besides, no one could have predicted this madness."
"I agree," Albrecht added, his voice firm. "That bastard appeared out of nowhere."
While the adults exchanged words, Herta's gaze remained on the restrained attacker, several questions weighing heavily in her mind. Why did he target me specifically? Was it because of my inventions? My existence value? Or was it something else entirely? Either way, I must get to the bottom of this mystery.
Just as the knights were about to take the fierce man away, Herta noticed a peculiar bump at the back of his collar. This piqued her curiosity, and without any second thought, she silently slipped away from her mother's side and went to investigate closely.
"Most of the people have already evacuated," Albrecht pointed out. "I assume Bellum had left without informing us, so we might as well catch up with him."
"I suppose you're right," Theresia agreed, turning—only to realize her daughter was no longer at her side. "Sweetie? Where did she go?"
Her gaze darted frantically before she spotted Herta striding straight to the restrained man.
"Sweetie! Don't go there!" she cried out in alarm.
The knights reacted quickly, stepping between her and the detainee.
One of them raised a hand to halt her. "Stay back, young lady! It's dangerous here!"
Unfazed, Herta leaned past the knight, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.
"There's something on the back of that man's neck," she asserted, pointing her finger at the detainee. "I would check that if I were you."
The knights hesitated, exchanging uneasy looks. However, the certainty in her tone left little room for doubt. Slowly, they pulled back the collar of the ragged clothes.
Gasp!
A collective gasp escaped the knights' mouths as they discovered a small, ominous-looking device firmly attached to the man's nape. Thin, vein-like tendrils burrowed beneath the skin, pulsating faintly with unnatural rhythm.
"What in the world...?" a knight muttered in horror.
Zandar approached the group and leaned forward to check, raising his eyebrow in curiosity.
"Hmm, interesting," he remarked casually. "Knights, could you take that device out and give it to me? I want to inspect it up close."
The knights, annoyed yet resigned, obeyed his order, wincing as they removed the grotesque object from the man's nape. Its tendrils wriggled slightly before falling limp in their hand, then they swiftly handed it to the director. After that, they quickly dragged the man away.
As Zandar turned the device over in his palm, he felt unsettled by its complicated and almost foreign design. The crooked structure hummed faintly as if it were alive.
"Young lady," he finally spoke, showing the object to Herta. "What do you make of this?"
She observed the device without flinching, her gaze tracing every contour as her unique skill [High Intelligence] processed its design. Within a few seconds, Herta deciphered its function and looked at Zandar to report it.
"This is some kind of mind-stimulating device," she began to explain. "It drives its victim into blind madness and controls their mind to target specific individuals. My deduction, someone manipulated this man into attacking me."
A chilling silence followed, the air tainted by her explanation.
Theresia, horrified, covered her mouth with both hands. "Who could do such an awful thing?"
"It must be that bastard Nyul," Albrecht snapped, clenching his fist. "He clearly has a grudge against our daughter ever since the publication of the Solitary Particle Theory. I just knew it."
"That's quite unlikely," Zandar argued, shaking his head. "For all his bitterness, Nyul wouldn't stoop so low as to murder someone, let alone a child like Herta."
Both Theresia and Albrecht exchanged skeptical glances at the director's affirmation.
Noticing their reaction, Zandar reconsidered his words.
"However, I wouldn't dismiss such a possibility, so I'll try to interrogate him later," he added.
Albrecht, still unconvinced, turned to his daughter. "What do you think, dear?"
Herta paused for a moment, her expression calm and thoughtful.
"Whoever designed this device is smarter and more resourceful than that bitter old man," she speculated. "To top it off, they have a great understanding of the human mind and know how to manipulate it. In conclusion, this isn't the work of a lunatic, but the design of a strategist."
Worried by the mystery around the culprit's identity, Theresia turned to Zandar. "What should we do, Director? The person responsible for this device might still be out there."
"There's no need to panic," he reassured. "I will tighten the academy's security and notify the king to deploy knights to patrol the streets for suspicious activities."
Before Herta and the others could continue their discussion, multiple presences caught their attention. They turned to see the royal siblings making their way towards them with a couple of knights following behind.
"Those were wise suggestions, Director," Rudra remarked as he strolled closer with his sister, Lucia, by his side. "However, increasing security and vigilance will not be enough. We need to lure out whoever is behind this mystery and set a trap to capture them."
"Well spoken, Lord Rudra," Zandar replied, grasping the prince's strategy. "If you shall excuse me, I will begin the necessary preparations at once."
The director turned his heel and walked away, leaving the courtyard in quiet resolve. After he departed, the princess stepped forward and smiled warmly at Herta.
"We met at last, Herta Wissenschaft," she said, bowing with graceful courtesy. "I am Princess Lucia of the Nasca Kingdom, and you've caught my attention for quite some time."
Herta returned the bow with calm pleasantry. "I see... May I ask why you have been keeping an eye on me?"
Lucia's lips curved into a knowing smile, her eyes shimmering with amusement.
"Because I know you're not an ordinary person," she responded lightly. "Within my gaze, your existence burns brighter than most people, and I cannot ignore that kind of brilliance."
"My sister has been talking about this young lady ever since we entered the school building," Rudra grumbled, crossing his arms. "Although I am a bit curious about what she is capable of, given the events that occurred earlier."
Lucia playfully pouted at her brother before moving on. "Anyway, we've been keeping an eye on Herta, making sure to protect her from harm."
"Protecting her? From what?" Albrecht asked, furrowing his brow slightly.
"That's a good question, Sir," Rudra acknowledged. "But this is not a suitable place to discuss such a matter, so please come with us."
As the Wissenschaft family and the royal siblings prepared to leave with the knights, none of them noticed a shadowed figure lingering among the dispersing crowd. Hidden underneath a hood, the stranger quietly crushed something with their foot—a small transmitter responsible for driving the attacker mad.
The faint hum of the device died with a whisper, but a sinister smile spread across their face.
"What a failure... Oh well, it's merely a test," the figure muttered as they disappeared into the evacuating crowd.