I Became the Mastermind Who Betrays the Heroines
Chapter 136

[Translator - Peptobismol]

[Proofreader - Demon God]

Chapter 136 – Traitor (7)

Cadel had approached quietly, wearing a grim smile as he extended his hand.

—Judas.

—I have something I’d like to discuss seriously.

—It’ll only take a moment.

Just as he proposed, we exchanged brief words.

It was a conversation that had to be had.

To avoid any listening ears, we moved to a quiet place far from others. There, in that cold atmosphere, the professor and the snake faced each other.

The discussion lasted just under thirty minutes.

To get straight to the point:

—Then… I’ll trust that you understand.

—I hope you make the wise choice. After all, I’m showing you mercy, as a teacher to his student.

The conversation ended with a very clear outcome.

And with it, the identity of the traitor was firmly confirmed.

Leaving behind a warning that wasn’t quite a threat, I wrapped up the discussion.

I could feel his meaningful gaze trailing me from behind, but I simply walked on toward the path I needed to follow.

There was no reason to worry.

After all…

Everything was going according to plan.

There was no need to fret over a play that was unfolding on the palm of my hand.

All I had to do was watch from a few steps away.

With a calm heartbeat, I fell silent.

There’s no reaction yet... but once she’s cornered, who knows what will happen.

And so passed another day, filled with idle thoughts.

The following morning, we were given a break.

Between faculty meetings, testimonies, and writing reports… I figured we’d be bogged down by annoying work for a while. But most of it was handled by the professors.

Perhaps because the matter was so sensitive, the Academy seemed determined to be extra cautious.

Thanks to that, students in assistant professor positions were granted a short reprieve.

I was no exception.

“Hm.”

I spent my time holed up in the dorm.

A book in hand, seated in a room untouched by sunlight, I simply wanted to pass the time in peace.

Naturally, if I added “because I was hungry for peace” to the end of that sentence, it was because life had been too harsh to allow even that modest wish.

With a helpless smile, I lifted my head.

Within my familiar dorm room, a rather unusual scene unfolded—pink, blue, silver, red, and orange hair stood out among the scenery.

The girls stared at me, each with firm, unwavering eyes.

As if to say, no matter what I said, they weren’t going to let me off.

“Um… everyone? I did say earlier that I’m fine…”

I tried to speak, but—

“L-Lord Judas! When you're sick, you have to get plenty of rest!”

“Stop talking and just sit down.”

“Mmm… If you keep pushing yourself, even I’ll have to get angry.”

“Just accept it. It’s your fault anyway.”

Their stern scolding silenced me.

Shrinking under their pressure, I leaned back into the wheelchair and muttered.

“…It’s not like I feel sick.”

Yes.

I was essentially under house arrest in the dorms.

At the hands of none other than the heroines themselves.

Didn’t expect them to react this sensitively.

I repeated the thought to myself.

Just a few days ago, the Death Dragon had been slain.

Because the original plan had gone awry, I had been forced to take on a lot more than expected.

Not only had I used up my base output, but I’d also spent a great deal of my life force.

Thankfully, it hadn’t affected my remaining lifespan—but for the following few days, I had to endure muscle pain and a burning fever.

A minor affliction compared to the depths I’d once endured.

This is a bit much.

I didn’t want the others to worry.

That’s why I had intended to keep the overexertion a secret.

But betrayal came from an unexpected source.

Irene and Charlotte—my companions during the hunt—had spilled everything.

With serious expressions, they’d insisted I needed protection.

—Judas’s a patient now. You can’t push yourself until you’ve recovered.

—I knew I couldn’t stop you on my own… but I thought maybe you’d listen if the others got involved.

Since their actions were born of concern, I couldn’t fault them too much.

Especially with those tearful eyes—I couldn’t stay angry.

And so, the other girls found out what happened that day.

Regia, Emilia, Elise—each of their faces darkened with worry.

And when they heard I had coughed up blood, they all became visibly pale, constantly checking in to ask if I was okay.

This was the context behind the current situation.

The snake, the pilot, the vain noble, the fox, the little prince, and the rose—

Five girls crowding my dorm, with only me not included in that number.

The dorm was more spacious than most mansions, so it didn’t feel cramped or inconvenient.

But having them fuss over me still tugged at my conscience.

I’m grateful, but still…

Putting me in a wheelchair might’ve been a bit much.

My life force was already steadily recovering, and I didn’t even feel particularly sick anymore.

Not that protesting changed anything.

“You say you’re fine, but you’ve already collapsed once. That’s hard to ignore.”

“You need rest! I went out of my way to come here with the commoner—stop complaining and focus on recovery!”

“L-Lord Judas… sniffle… you can’t leave us…”

“If Judas dies, everyone will be sad. Including me.”

A flood of nagging.

I had no choice but to shut my mouth.

Regia, especially, looked at me with teary eyes, like she would burst into sobs at the slightest provocation.

In the end, I surrendered to those innocent eyes and decided to play along.

It wasn’t that hard, really.

“Ha ha…”

As I let out a hollow laugh, the rose sitting beside me poked my cheek.

She was also in a wheelchair.

A playful smile curled at her lips.

She clearly seemed to be enjoying herself at my expense.

Wearing that rare, amused expression, she teased me.

“So… what’s your first impression of a wheelchair?”

“I think I can understand a bit of Your Highness’s frustration now.”

“Let’s get along as fellow patients. Of course, I won’t allow you to die before I do.”

“Well… mine’s only temporary.”

“Hmph.”

The princess looked unusually pleased.

Perhaps the ‘couple item’ of wheelchairs had grown on her.

She even hummed lightly with satisfaction.

“With that pale skin of yours… you really do look like a frail flower.”

“I’m not worthy of comparison to Your Highness.”

To be fair, this situation was partly my fault.

Motion sickness from life force depletion.

A few times, I’d stumbled or collapsed in front of the others—and now they were watching me like hawks.

Maybe I should’ve just stayed in bed until I fully recovered.

Besides…

If I’d properly taken care of the puppeteer, the Death Dragon wouldn’t have been resurrected in the first place.

And if that hadn’t happened, I wouldn’t have had to spend so much life force.

Though, to be fair, I had my own grievances.

I muttered quietly to myself.

Who could’ve guessed he’d say that name…?

That terrifyingly twisted grin.

The puppeteer’s eyes were full of madness and revelation.

I could still remember his barely-mouthed words.

—It was you… ■■■■.

How?

How did he know that name?

Only I—and the ones from that side—should’ve known it.

Uncontrollable variables were always the most troublesome.

As I mulled things over in silence, the familiar voices of the fox and the rose broke through the air with another argument.

“Lot of mouth for a pet.”

“At least a pet gets plenty of love from its master. A patient and her doctor? That’s just business.”

“Oh my, did you forget? I’ve already been promised happiness.”

“Bragging about some promise, how childish.”

“While being touched all over, no less.”

“How vulgar… Maybe it’s your brain that needs treating.”

“Think you can handle that? You just insulted a princess of the realm.”

“Your human titles mean nothing to me.”

“Such a rude beast.”

“And you’re just a nuisance of a woman.”

At this point, I had to admit—it was a familiar routine.

Every time they locked eyes, a fight would break out.

They didn’t seem to truly hate each other, but their strong personalities made frequent clashes inevitable.

To calm them down, I reached out and pinched both of their cheeks.

Their soft skin stopped the argument cold.

“I’m pretty sure I asked you to get along.”

“…She started it.”

“She’s the one who has something to say. Uppity beast.”

The fox and the rose both continued to grumble.

From the kitchen, the sounds of chaos echoed—tonight’s dinner preparations were underway.

“Milady…! T-The stew’s burning!”

“Eek—! W-What do I do?! It was fine when I practiced alone…!”

“First, turn off the heat!”

“I-I can’t! I’m scared of fire…!”

“I’ll do it!”

The vain noble, tearfully flustered by her failed plans.

And the pilot, stepping in with her surprisingly high domestic skills.

“Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves.”

And in the back, the little prince smiled gently.

It looked like the chaos in the dorm would continue for a while.

---

Five days had passed since the attack.

The situation among the faculty remained unchanged.

Despite ongoing investigations to uncover the traitor, no meaningful progress had been made.

As a result, a cold, tense atmosphere lingered among the adults.

Everyone watched everyone else with suspicion.

From my assistant professor position, I had limited access to information, so I couldn’t know the full extent of the tension.

All I could do was infer from the sharpness in the air.

I let go of any deeper interest.

After all, I was walking a different path than they were.

Getting involved would only complicate things.

I just have to hope the plan stays on track.

Leaning back in the wheelchair, I dwelled on my thoughts.

As I did, the fox pushing my chair posed a question.

“So… do we really need to go out first thing in the morning?”

“My mentor is waiting.”

“She didn’t look particularly happy to see you last time.”

“She’s always disliked people. But in her own way, she’s a kind person.”

“You trust her a lot.”

“She’s helped me more than anyone.”

I answered lightly.

The wheelchair rolled quietly through the hallway, heading toward the infirmary.

I was going to visit the drunkard.

Selena was currently resting in the Academy’s medical ward.

—You can’t go. I can’t let you help in a dangerous situation.

Back during the attack—

She’d blocked our path toward the underground passage.

After I put her to sleep with a touch of hypnosis, she had collapsed and was later found by another professor.

She had been admitted naturally.

There were no lingering side effects, and her consciousness had returned quickly—but for some reason, she hadn’t regained her strength since.

As a result, she hadn’t attended any of the faculty meetings over the past several days.

That was why I visited her daily.

I need to update her on the meetings.

I wanted her perspective on the traitor as well.

She was technically under my command.

It was also my job to pass on smaller details she’d missed—and the general atmosphere within the Academy.

…Though a part of me just wanted to see her face.

Anyway—

“Professor.”

I rolled the wheelchair into the room.

A pale white room lay beyond.

A dreamlike space, completely devoid of presence.

I told the fox to wait outside and wheeled myself in alone.

Then, our eyes met.

She sat on the bed, lost in thought as usual.

“…You’ve come, Judas.”

She forced a warm greeting, but the worry on her face was unmistakable.

The gloom that had always clung to her seemed darker than ever.

Her eyes, usually hazy from drink, looked just as clouded.

Her purple hair lay scattered across the sheets.

The deep shadows beneath her eyes showed how poor her condition was.

Had she had another sleepless night?

“You look even more worn out than before.”

“I’m fine… More importantly, let’s talk about work.”

Her voice was unusually flat.

She took a sip from a bottle she’d been fidgeting with.

I had taken it from her just days ago, saying patients shouldn’t drink…

But she must’ve found and emptied another bottle in the meantime.

Because of the mood, I didn’t bring it up.

Instead, I complied and updated her on today’s meeting.

“The atmosphere at the Academy seems to be settling, for now.”

“I see… That should’ve been my responsibility. I’ve been a burden to you.”

“Not at all.”

We talked for a while.

Throughout it, she couldn’t tear her eyes away from my wheelchair.

It seemed the sight of her wounded student pained her.

And I was visibly worse for wear.

I hadn’t expected the life-force injury from the calamity hunt to become useful in this way.

I smiled faintly.

“Professor.”

Yes.

This was the time.

It had been five days since the attack.

She had surely drawn her own conclusions by now.

The question I had long waited to ask—I finally voiced it.

“I’d like to ask what you think.”

“Yes?”

“You haven’t shared any thoughts until now.”

“What exactly do you want to ask me?”

“The identity of the traitor… I want to know who you suspect.”

“The traitor, huh.”

“It’s an important matter.”

Selena Drunkard.

The headmaster’s prized disciple.

A senior assistant with a high rank—and a veteran who had long served the Academy.

Surely, she had figured out who the traitor was.

Perhaps the inept headmaster.

Perhaps the most suspicious, Cadel.

Or perhaps someone else entirely, whom we’d never considered.

And if not even that—

“What do you think, Professor… or rather.”

In truth—

“…the traitor.”

That is, herself.

I looked her squarely in the eye with slowly opened, white pupils.

The silence stretched.

“……”

A quiet room soaked in tension.

The snake stared her down.

His mentor.

The born educator.

A wounded adult.

And—

The Academy’s traitor.

I was finally facing her.

After a long silence, her lips parted.

A voice clearer than any drunken mumble.

“…So you knew.”

Selena Drunkard.

The traitor.

According to the original story, a seed of ruin planted by the cult.

She whispered—

“…It’s all my fault.”

A confession of the sins she had carried for so long.

[Translator - Peptobismol]

[Proofreader - Demon God]