Chapter 48
“……?!”
Wh-hat?
‘T-The Tower owner just cursed……?!’
Around the time when everyone in the meeting room was startled. Karlon let out the anger he had been holding back.
“Hey, you crazy bastard! Did you know that Leonard Rodellaine was the Prince’s son-in-law?!”
“……!”
Hickim felt the shock of being hit in the head.
‘What……? Who said what about the Prince……?’
He looked around, doubting his ears and his head, wondering if he had heard it properly. The elders, too, were speechless with their mouths wide open.
Hickey’s eyes widened in embarrassment.
“You’re not going to answer me, punk?! Did you know that?”
“Oh, no. I didn’t know……?”
Karlon did not hide his contempt for Hickim’s stupid reply. Only after receiving that bitter glance did Hikim’s head start working little by little.
‘So, the pushover Leonard Rodellaine’s is the Prince’s……Son-in-law……? Son-in-law? Son-in-law?!’
Hickim’s face turned white.
“I-Is that real?! Le-Leonard is the Prince’s son-in-law?!”
“Yes, you bastard! The one who you cursed for being a gold digger is the princess! The Prince is mad at you and is shaking the Tower because of it!”
He could hear the elders around him murmuring, ‘Is that what happened?’
Hickim felt the sweat glands all over his body being stimulated.
“Well, it’s…, That can’t be……. A guy like Leonard…….”
“You still don’t understand the situation? Are you escaping from reality? That’s understandable.”
It was then that Karlon’s tongue began to move like a sword dance.
“Hey, you crazy punk. Did you dare own the merits of all that research? I looked into everything! You’ve been exploiting the Prince’s son-in-law for the past 15 years!”
“……!”
Hickim wanted to run right away and shut Karlon’s mouth. However, the opponent is the Tower Chief and that was not an option. The truth that he had been trying to hide with all his might began to be revealed.
“The guy who couldn’t properly make even a single healing potion, all of a sudden, became an elder because he published the Prince’s son-in-law’s research as if it was his own.”
“Th-that……”
“It seems like you haven’t done anything since you framed and kicked him out. You only preserved your position by dividing the research left behind by the Prince’s son-in-law and publishing it sparingly.”
“I-It’s a misunderstanding……”
“Shut up! It seems like I have lived long, but it’s the first time I’ve seen a parasite like you. How can you think of sucking someone dry for a whopping 15 years? Even the Prince’s son-in-law on top of that?!”
“Ugh…….”
The public opinion that was laundered six years ago by pouring sacks and sacks of money was now overshadowed, and the conference hall was buzzing.
“D-Did Professor Hickim do such a thing……?”
“The scandal six years ago……does it means that what Professor Orca said was true……?”
“Then the elder who spoke the truth was dismissed, and the disciple who was a promising talent was kicked out……?”
“Oh My God!”
Gazes of looking at trash were poured on Hickim. Shaking and trembling, to avoid the situation from going even more south, he stood up and shouted loud enough to pop a vein on his neck.
“Pr-proof! Do you have any proof? There’s no evidence……!”
“Hey.”
“What?”
“Can you say those words in front of the Prince and his son-in-law? Then go ahead and try it.”
“……!”
Indeed. It was meaningless to mislead the involved people. The person holding the hilt was the Prince, the owner of this land, and the victim, Leonard, now had the Prince’s power on his back.
“Ah…….”
Dump!
Realizing that everything was meaningless, Hickim sat down.
Karlon calmly declared.
“For that reason, we have decided to dismiss Hickim Sarmatan from the elder’s seat and permanently remove him from the Ivory Tower. Anyone with an objection?”
“There is not!”
After shouting in agreement with the Tower Chief, the elders spit out swear words at Hickim.
“You bastard, how dare you to snatch and eat a golden disciple like a piece of crap?”
“It’s the bottom of all thrash in the world!”
“It’s not enough to throw you from the roof of this ivory tower!”
“Ah! If it wasn’t indoors, I’d spit!”
Sturdy alchemists, who looked stronger than usual, came running at Karlon’s call. They were the direct bodyguards, loyal only to the Tower’s Chief.
A stern command was issued.
“He is an unscrupulous thief who stole the success of others. Take him somewhere and lock him up.”
“Yes, Tower Chief!”
“Hey, let this go……! Who do you think I am!? I’m Hickim Sarmatan! The symbol of the Ivory Tower, the alchemist……Kwok!”
“It was noisy, so I made it quiet.”
“You did well. Go.”
While Hickim was dragged along like a pack of meat, Karlon gave instructions to the youngest disciple.
“Reinstate Orca to the office of elders, clean up Hickim’s lab and empty it. Don’t forget to tell the Prince he can come to take Hickim at once.”
“Do you want me to write a letter to the Prince?”
“No, write it in the newspaper. Make it loud. Then he will naturally find out.”
“As expected of Master! Then I will contact all the newspapers.”
Hickim’s downfall proceeded steadily and a villain’s scream echoed through the door.
“Ah……no……! No way, noo!”
From the next day, daily newspapers in Peronsa, the capital, started pouring out articles about the incident.
[Shock & Breaking News] Hickim Sarmatan, the master of regeneration potions, was expelled from the Golden Ivory Tower!
Today, the Golden Ivory Tower elders committee unanimously decided to expel Hickim Sarmatan, 50, Ivory Tower Elder Alchemist.
According to the official announcement, Hickim is accused of taking the research work of his immediate disciple over the past 15 years and publishing it as his own, and is accused of framing his disciple and expelling him from the ivory tower when his crimes were in danger of being exposed six years ago.
Hickim denies all charges, but he will soon be sentenced to a final trial in the presence of witnesses who tried to accuse him six years ago…….
[Exclusive] Hickim becomes an astronomical debtor!
While the supporters of Hickim Sarmatan (50, unemployed) had been protesting in front of the Ivory Tower for the third day, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the supporters, demanding that Hickim return the money he had unfairly obtained by the end of the year.
In addition, the Golden Ivory Tower also decided to collect all of the research expenses and special prize money that Hickim had received, and a movement to take away his influence started in earnest.
Since Hickim, who usually spends a lot, does not have the ability to repay, it seems that it will be difficult for him to escape from prison.
Meanwhile, Prince Hispenril described the case as a ‘felony that disturbs the social order’, and he plans to detain Hickim for interrogation by the end of today…….
✠
The media outlets of the Principality made headlines about the ugly teacher, who scrambled to steal his student’s life, falling into the abyss.
It has been the third day since he was fired from the Ivory Tower, his entire property was confiscated, and he was criticized by public opinion.
Hickim, unable to withstand the speed of his fall, lost his mind.
“H-H-Here is……?”
When Hickim woke up, the place in his eyes was a gloomy, dark prison.
He immediately remembered being imprisoned in the Ivory Tower warehouse and then put on a convoy, and while on his way somewhere, being baptized with eggs and tomatoes and fainting.
Then, is this the Karma prison where criminals who are about to go to trial go?
However, an unexpected voice rang out from nearby.
“Hmm! Did you wake up, Professor Hickim?”
“Oh, D-Duke……sir?”
A middle-aged man with muscular, artistically lumpy muscles appeared in his vision. Can’t be wrong, he was the Prince. It seems he was in place for quite some time, sitting on a chair right next to the grate and reading a book.
The small book about half the size of his chest muscle was the Bible. The Prince smiled kindly when he saw that Hickim’s gaze reached the Bible.
“I recently entered religion. Isn’t it all God’s blessing to find a daughter and get a son-in-law and grandchildren after 13 years?”
Hiccup!
The word ‘son-in-law’ made Hickim jolt. He couldn’t drink a sip of water properly, but sweat was pouring down like rain.
“So I started reading the Bible, and I really liked the verse about loving your enemies.”
“En-Enemies……”
It was a strong word that stuck in his heart. Seeing Hickim trembling, the Prince put down his bible.
“My son-in-law must have studied about the hardships of life a lot, all thanks to you. Let me pay you back.”
“……!”
Whoops!
The sound of cracking knuckles savagely reverberated through the basement air.
“Hi-Hick! I-I-I didn’t know that h-h-h-he was the son-in-law of your grace, I didn’t know…! Oh, no! Don’t do this……!”
“What’s so scary? I was just stretching.”
“Huh?”
“Well, would I ever be able to beat you? You still have a public trial, it would be difficult to hear that the Prince of the Principality had personally tortured criminals.”
“T-That’s right. As expected, right? I didn’t kill anyone, and even sinners have human rights……. Whew….”
“However.”
“What?”
“As a believer, I want to love you, who is my enemy.”
“……!”
It’s crazy!
The Prince opened the bars and entered the prison. Hickim, who stepped back in fear, sat down with his back against the wall. A huge shadow fell over Hickim’s body, and the Prince’s hand moved closer to his eyes.
Pin-.
The Prince’s index finger slightly touched his forehead. That was all.
“Huh?”