Adult Time for Adult Crime

Just a few hours before…

Principal Mackenzie whistled, his disembodied mage hand idly spinning the quill in the air.

"Could a ‘goddess impersonator' really be that dangerous?"

The Duke paced around the room, his face deep in thought.

"As I said, she has enough to level the entirety of Illustria City,” the Duke replied. “Twice over. Stop giving me that look; I'm not exaggerating."

"But, Cunningham… surely some of those tribe members are exaggerating,” the principal countered. “Can we even be sure they've ever stepped foot inside civilized walls before?"

The Duke looked at him, stone-faced. "They are our primary supplier of fish and marine goods."

Mackenzie waved him off. "Oh, how should I know the goings-on of the city when I have far more pressing matters to attend to? You know… like improving the Academy Rankings?"

"Every day I'm surrounded by imbeciles, and I wonder why Illustria is the world's joke."

"Alas, pay me more, and the curriculum will improve overnight. As it stands, our classes simply won't have the budget."

"Does it look like I'm flush with gold at this stage?"

"I set a precedent, Cunningham. If I see myself stooping to your level, I'll be made the joke of Archmage circles."

Cain, sitting off to the side and taking all of this in, thought his father didn't have the heart to tell the Principal that he already was one.

“Enough,” the Duke said. “We could tarry like children or we could discuss how to deal with this civilisation-ending threat.” One which could easily reach the capital’s borders was left largely unsaid.

From one of his many pockets, Father produced a piece of brown fur.

"Surely not," Mackenzie muttered.

Soon, the principal rummaged through his desk drawer for a mana dating device. And when the old man’s eyes met the lenses of the device, his expression curled.

Softly, he muttered, "Impossible..."

“Yes,” his father confirmed grimly. “One of Illustria’s Great Predators lies dead, and the person responsible resides within our borders.”

Cain frowned.

By far the most concerning part was not whether they had a motivation to kill a Great Beast; it seemed like they didn’t have any motivation at all. Great Beasts never attacked anyone without provocation.

“I don’t see why we can’t send in the army? Hells, even hire some adventurers from the guild?” the principal said, interrupting Cain’s thoughts. “This is… too much for any one of us to bear alone.”

The Duke frowned. “Us? Who’s us?”

“S-Surely you are not suggesting sending the only thing preventing Illustria from falling apart to deal with this personally?”

“It’d be like sending the kingsguard to stop a child’s tantrum in the square. The rumor mill will kick off, the papers will print their libel as they always do, and Illustria’s position will further sink as it is.”

As soon as Mackenzie went pale without a response, Cain took his chance to get a word in. “Did the Lakelily People mention what the person looked like at least?”

The Duke looked like he wanted to say something else before stopping himself, biting his tongue. “By far the most unbelievable part of the tale, one that even gave me pause,” the Duke said. “That of an adolescent girl. Around your age.”

Cain’s face instantly twisted into a scowl. “Then let me come as well! Who is she to impersonate our Great Goddess? It’s sickening that this… hedge-mage wants attention so badly she’d desecrate Solveig’s name.”

“Son…” The Duke smiled faintly. “Respectfully, no.”

Cain’s shoulders slumped. Not again…

The principal smirked. “Looking for a little pre-semester escapism, Lord Cain? I suppose a rogue ‘goddess’ is a fantastic excuse to delay your insurmountable bid for Student Council President…”

“I need to try. Every other candidate... their policies are unthinkable. I have a good chance!”

"Your grades say otherwise..."

He felt his heart drop, knowing he can't say anything back.

But then Cain read between the lines.

“Father, you’re not going to fight her, are you?”

The Duke nodded gravely. “This girl could hypothetically kill us in an instant. I’m not taking that chance for her to do it to us first. She’s been shown to be a threat to everyone around her and without her being incapacitated, further destruction will be wrought.”

“You’re not answering my question.”

“...Look, when I get there, I’ll weigh my options.”

Everybody deserved due process, in Cain’s opinion. Even some obnoxious, blasphemous imposter. Choosing violence immediately was what got Illustria into this position in the first place, though he’d never tell it to his dad’s face. 

“Then let me be your third… no, your fourth option. You said it yourself, I am good at talking my way out of stuff.”

The Duke sighed.

“...Only as a last resort.”

“Yes!”

“Then I don’t suppose I am to be your first… resort, Cunningham?” the principal shuddered.

The Duke didn’t dignify that with a response.

“Cain, if things go pear-shaped, I need you to be brave enough to fight. Don’t run, don’t hide. Fight. You got that?”

Cain nodded. “Crystal.”

The Duke began to walk toward the exit. “Prepare your very best shielding scrolls. We ride soon.”

“And why is it that we cannot rely on our own shielding spells?” the principal questioned.

“Because the girl killed the Mother Bear with a single explosion.”

That silenced the room instantly.

The Duke's jaw tightened.

“We must hurry. Apparently the locals have found a way to pacify her… but who knows how much those efforts will last. They are probably suffering for our sakes right this instant.”

Cain had to agree. Quickly, he stood up and headed to the armory.

It was true this assignment came up suddenly, not to mention he had a whole speech to prepare for during the Grand Opening.

But this was certainly more important.

Leveling nature just to kill a predator, almost certainly unprovoked…

He wonders… was there any thought of humanity behind a Great Mother Bear’s killer?

\\

"Nyo, nyo, nyo! I don’t wanna go to jail! Not again!”

…

…Eh?

"You have the right to remain silent," Duke Cunningham said, guiding her forward by the shoulder as she trudged along in anti-magic rope. "Anything you say or do can be used against you in a court of Dukes."

“Aren’t you a Duke yourself?! We have a name for this, ya know?! It’s called corruption!!!”

Even the tribespeople here who once worshipped her could only watch in stunned silence.

Why did this supposed powerful goddess let herself be arrested? In fact, why wasn’t this girl fighting back at all?

“P-Plus, prison is just way too dirty for a pretty girl like me!” the girl tossed her hair back with an aggressive majesty. “The punishment is completely disproportionate to the crime! If our positions were switched around, I’d never do something this cruel to you! Can… can you at least give me my crown back, please…?”

“No.”

“Nyooooooooo!!!”

Just who was this crazy girl? And how could she possibly refer to herself as his favorite goddess?