In truth, Bonai and the others themselves had never expected to uproot the entire Glenfiddy family so quickly.
Aside from the powerful support sent by the new Dean, the most decisive factor was that they happened to encounter the Inspectors during the operation.
Yes—those same Inspectors who had previously come down from the Royal Capital.
They did not, as their public announcement claimed, return to the Capital immediately after a single round of inspection. Instead, they secretly stayed in this city, not only slipping past the remaining forces of those [Ghost] members, but even managing to fool the few academy representatives like themselves.
Bonai knew that, in the eyes of those Inspectors, the suspicion lingering over him and his companions had not truly been cleared.
However... those Inspectors from the Royal Capital placed great trust in the new Dean. The moment they saw the maids under her command, they didn’t say a single extra word. They directly shared the intelligence they had been collecting while lying in ambush for half a month—handing the credit to them without hesitation.
With such solid evidence, they chose to carry out the arrests through force.
But that mysterious maid under the new Dean—no one knew what method she used. Merely by releasing a faint red mist, she rendered every member of the Glenfiddy family completely unable to move.
That one maid alone was terrifying to such a degree. In a single night, Bonai’s view of the new Dean—this person who held the title of Swordmaster—completely changed. Never mind that she looked like some kind of academy mascot, and that she herself was still an underage monster girl who looked like she’d collapse after a single punch—yet the power hidden behind her was utterly real.
After the mission, the four of them summarized everything into one sentence:
This new Dean had simply been far too low-key before.
Usually one only heard her name but never saw her in person—but now that they had, she completely shattered their preconceptions about monster girls.
“...Dean, that is how we uprooted the Glenfiddy family.” Bonai said respectfully.
“You’re saying the Inspectors from the Royal Capital were also investigating them?” Vieya asked.
She was familiar enough with Royal Capital Inspectors. Back in the Arbitration Bureau headquarters, she had dealt with that group plenty of times.
“Yes, Dean. Their leader even said she was an old friend of yours and wanted to see you.” Bonai replied.
Old friend.
Vieya blinked in surprise. “What’s their leader called?”
“That I don’t know.” Bonai frowned, thinking hard. “But from the accent, they sounded like they were from the Eastern Region. Surname Hua... the other Inspectors called her ‘Boss Hua.’ Short, wearing expensive custom magi-crystal armor all over her body.”
“Magi-crystal armor is new tech only equipped by the frontline northern spearhead squads. Her background shouldn’t be simple.” freēwebnovel.com
“Surname Hua...” Vieya thought for a moment, then looked up. “Where are they now?”
“Oh, in our academy’s VIP reception room! Their leader said you would definitely come to see her, so they came straight here.”
“Tch. Take me to them.” Vieya said, annoyed.
With the four leading the way, they left the Hero Office and took the elevator toward the VIP reception hall.
Clack.
The elevator doors opened. Following behind Bonai, Vieya stepped into the enormous reception room—spacious enough to rival a basketball court.
The long corridor was lined with green plants; the white porcelain tiles beneath their feet gleamed spotless. Large panes of skylight glass spread across the ceiling, and on a sunny day like this, even without lamps, the space remained bright and comfortably warm.
Corruption.
Vieya muttered under her breath, deliberately stepping harder so that the soles of her strappy sandals echoed sharply against the tiles—tap, tap.
In the distance, the Inspectors gathered around a round table turned to look at them.
“Boss Hua, is that little brat the monster girl who ‘broke your heart’? She does look pretty normal at first glance, but who would’ve thought she’s a despicable little creature who fakes being cute.”
“Aiya, Xiao Mo. Don’t bring the attitude you use against monsters on the battlefield into this place. Cough, everyone here is a compatriot. Be polite to her later—otherwise, if she ends up beating you, don’t expect me to stand up for you.” free𝑤ebnovel.com
“But that kid looks so young... seems even younger than Boss herself... mm, to think the wielder of the Holy Sword this generation isn’t a Hero but a monster girl?”
At this point, Bonai and the others slowed down so that their short-legged Dean could walk ahead.
And when Vieya spotted the person waving at her among the Inspectors, she immediately recognized the old acquaintance.
Well—acquaintance was a strong word.
They had indeed met several years ago, and there had been some minor conflict.
But at the same time, a brand-new question surfaced in Vieya’s mind.
Wasn’t this woman a department head in the Human Alliance Armory? And incredibly weak. Vieya doubted she could even beat a goblin. Someone this much of a pushover wasn’t staying obediently in the rear doing logistics—why on earth was she here leading a team?
“Long time no see, Little White.”
“Don’t call me that.”
Vieya swept her gaze across the Inspectors, finally fixing her eyes on the pink-haired girl whose appearance hadn’t changed at all over the years. Confused, she asked:
“Hua Shiyu... why are you here? The Glenfiddy family members all have pink hair—don’t tell me you’re related to them?”
“So sharp, Little White. My mom ran away from this family, but it’s actually my first time visiting here.” Hua Shiyu removed her armor helmet, her tone tinged with emotion as she looked at Vieya.
“It’s been so many years since we last met, and you’ve changed so much... you even grew a bit taller than me. Sigh... what do you usually eat? When do you sleep? Do you do high jumps before bed?”
“...You still talk just as much as before.”
Vieya didn’t answer the “height” question directly; she only glanced at the Inspectors around Hua Shiyu, each wearing a different expression.
“These are your new subordinates? I remember you used to work a desk job at the Arbitration Bureau. When did you switch careers?”
“Sigh, all the real fighters went to the frontlines. Someone like me who can’t fight can only shine in places that are relatively peaceful.” Hua Shiyu let out a small sigh, but soon brightened again and introduced the surrounding Inspectors to Vieya one by one.
After their reunion chatter and introductions came to an end, they finally returned to the real topic.
“You came all the way here just to shut down the Glenfiddy family?” Vieya sat down in an empty seat beside her. “Mm? Also to avenge your tragic childhood?”
“Avenge? Little White, do you really think I’m the type to hold grudges like some naughty villain?” Hua Shiyu clutched her flat chest dramatically. “I mainly came to see you, you know.”
“Don’t talk nonsense. If you wanted to see me, you’d have come long ago.” Vieya sipped her tea; the bitterness made her frown slightly. “How’s Rania on the frontlines? So many years and she didn’t even bother sending a single letter.”
“Eh? We’re old friends too, yet the moment we meet you talk about Senior Purple instead of me?”
Hua Shiyu widened her eyes, sounding even more hurt. “Am I less important to you than that ungrateful Senior Purple? You helped her break through Tier Seven, and all these years, I’m still the only one who actually came to visit you.”
“Enough. Save that nonsense for those little rabbits you trick. It doesn’t work on me.” Vieya leaned back lazily in the chair, her voice drifting faintly.
“You—!”
“Xiao Mo, hush.”
Hua Shiyu gently warned the subordinate before turning back to answer.
“Rania is fighting beside Her Holiness the Saint. She travels year-round through the icy, uninhabited northern frontier. Even if she wanted to write you, she probably doesn’t dare trouble the Saint with something like sending a letter.”
“Of course, it’s also possible she’s just gotten addicted to killing monsters out there and forgot both me and you entirely. But Little White, I’m very, very interested in what you’ve been up to these past years! Not only did you become a Swordmaster, you also managed to provoke the infamous [Ghost].”
Hua Shiyu stared at the white-haired loli across from her—smiling happily, and wickedly.
“Do you know how much ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ the Ghost organization is offering as a bounty for you right now?
One hundred million.
A full one hundred million!
That’s enough money to buy several small countries and crown yourself king!”