Jonathan Kingfisher was a lower-ranked noble in his fifties.
He had worked a royal post for thirty years.
Given his years of service, it wouldn’t have been strange for him to have already secured a high-ranking position, but he had only recently escaped the bottom rungs.
That was because his performance evaluations had always been poor.
The reasons were many: lackluster achievements, questionable character, repeated failures in promotion exams.
But recently, Jonathan had been rising fast.
The so-called “lucky one who caught the wave.”
After acquiring an exceptional sponsor, Jonathan was on a clear fast track, expecting that within five years, he might even become a royal court official.
If only he hadn’t suddenly been assigned as dean of the Academy.
‘Tch. I was supposed to get a Director title this time, but instead they shoved me into this backwater post? Damn bastards. After all the money they pocketed from me, this is how they repay me?’
The Academy dean was treated ceremonially as equivalent to a government director, but in practice, his status was much lower.
A dean’s authority only extended within the Academy.
Outside, he had no real power, and naturally, no political voice.
So nobody was happy to be assigned to the Academy—except for the eccentric current chancellor.
‘I can’t let my career die in a place like this. I need to get back where I belong as soon as possible.’
And for that, he needed results.
Thus, from his very first day, Jonathan began summoning every professor of the Magic University to his office for individual interviews.
To establish dominance.
Jonathan knew well just how lazy subordinates could be.
To squeeze productivity out of them, one had to balance the carrot and the stick.
Some sprouts needed to be trampled early.
‘They’re as unimpressive as I thought—just babysitters for kids.’
So far, the interviews had been successful, every single professor pledging cooperation.
Only one remained.
Winter Winslet.
Jonathan felt a twinge of nervousness about meeting that man.
That was why he’d scheduled him last.
‘No matter how you look at it, this isn’t a man who belongs in a place like this.’
Winter Winslet’s position at the Royal Academy of Lorencia could be summed up in one phrase:
An invasive species.
Most Academy professors were either commoners who had graduated from the Academy or low-ranked nobles with neither ability nor connections.
Anyone with even slightly more talent usually held a position in some royal bureau.
But Winter Winslet—the eldest son of a count’s family with vast southern territories, a renowned mage even in Karaf—had joined the Academy willingly.
It was said Winter Winslet had severed ties with his family, but blood ties weren’t something you could simply cut.
Managing such a man under him irritated Jonathan.
But his ability was undeniable. If Jonathan could win him over, it would greatly help his return to the promotion track.
“So, what do you say? How about becoming my man?”
That was the first thing Jonathan said to Winter Winslet, born from that calculation.
A brief silence followed.
The tall, golden-haired man crossed his legs leisurely and replied,
“I’m a busy man.”
“…?”
“Meaning, I didn’t come here to listen to pointless crap.”
“Kegh… Just as I thought.”
Arrogant, just like the rumors said.
But Jonathan hadn’t come unprepared.
“You know, before I was assigned here, I heard something interesting.”
“Not interested.”
“Don’t be like that. It’s something that concerns you.”
“Concerns me?”
Jonathan smirked.
“The Magic University is known for burning through money like water, isn’t it? So the first thing I did after arriving was review the accounting records. And wouldn’t you know it—I found some suspicious fund transfers.”
“…”
“I suspect someone has been siphoning off state funds.”
It wasn’t suspicion. It was certainty.
Having earned plenty of side income during his time in the Royal Magic Department, Jonathan was practically an expert in embezzlement.
He could spot it instantly.
“So I thought you might have some insight about this.”
He already knew Winter Winslet was the culprit.
The implication was clear: If you don’t want me exposing your corruption, cooperate.
Jonathan watched Winter Winslet expectantly.
But the man’s icy expression didn’t change in the slightest.
He only said:
“A pathetic attempt at blackmail.”
“Now, now! Blackmail? You’ll make people misunderstand. I just don’t want any secrets between us. If I misunderstand something, I might accidentally interfere with your work as I run the University, you see.”
Accidentally—or not.
“To avoid such unfortunate incidents, I’m willing to make things convenient for you. All I ask is a little help in return. Isn’t that mutual benefit? I think this could be the start of a beautiful friendship. Don’t you agree?”
Winter Winslet’s expression stayed disinterested.
Jonathan’s leg bounced nervously. Finally, he decided to bring out what he had prepared.
“Kegh. I was saving this for after we reached an understanding, but given your reaction, I’ll show it now. Here, take this.”
Jonathan placed a small box, about the size of a jewelry case, on the table.
Winter Winslet frowned.
“Planning to bribe me?”
“Come now, bribes are for subordinates to give superiors. This is just a token of friendship. Go on, open it. Aren’t you curious? It’ll be the most surprising gift you’ve gotten lately.”
“A surprising gift? What is it, a finger?”
“A finger? Hahaha, who gives something like that? You’re funnier than you look, for a young man.”
Worried Winslet might refuse, Jonathan opened the box himself.
Inside was a jewel-encrusted spider ornament.
“Ah, still gorgeous. Platinum base, tiny diamonds on each leg, and the body? A top-grade, 140-carat royal blue sapphire. Just the gems alone are worth three luxury villas.”
Winter stared silently at the piece, frowning, then tilted his head and muttered,
“…Certainly rare.”
“Right? I knew you’d appreciate it. A precious item should belong to someone who knows its worth. Take it, no need to hold back.”
Winter reached out toward the table.
Jonathan smirked inwardly.
‘As expected—nobody in the world hates money.’
No matter how aloof he acted, Winter Winslet was just another materialistic fool.
Or so Jonathan thought.
Until a moment later.
Instead of taking the ornament, Winter’s hand shot across the table—grabbing the dean’s head.
Specifically, what little hair was left on the crown of his head.
“Gah!”
Jonathan froze, not understanding what had just happened.
“W-What are you doing!”
“Don’t get cocky, Dean Kingfisher.”
“What—”
Jonathan’s outrage died instantly as he met those cold, arrogant eyes.
Just looking into Winter Winslet’s gaze sent a chill down his spine.
Then the man spoke, voice controlled but filled with anger.
“You thought I’d fall for such an obvious trick?”
***
I grabbed the dean’s hair with one hand and picked up the spider ornament with the other.
A collection of expensive-looking jewels.
I pinched the “sapphire” body between thumb and forefinger and squeezed hard.
At first, the blue stone resisted firmly, but then—
Crack!
With a sound like a biscuit breaking, the jewel’s center caved in.
At the same time, the spider legs began to move.
Screee!
The jewel-encrusted ornament revealed its true nature: a living spider.
[Gem Spider – (Monster)]
(Automatically identified via B-rank Black Magic)
- A spider that disguises itself as jewelry, living in areas dense with magical energy.
- (Hidden) Specialized in concealment to hide from predators.
- (Bound) Currently enslaved to someone.
- (Enchanted) A low-level black magic spell is detected.
Gem Spiders were mimic-type monsters, usually found in dungeons or Ground Zero zones.
There’s even a famous story: an adventurer returned from a Ground Zero expedition with a cart full of treasure from a fallen kingdom—only for all the “treasure” to crawl away after reaching home.
Trained as familiars, these monsters were so well-disguised that without 「S-rank」 Perception, a human couldn’t detect them.
But whether it was bad luck or karma, Jonathan Kingfisher had been exposed because of the black magic embedded in the spider.
After all, Winter Winslet possessed a 「B-rank」 talent in 「Black Magic」.
And Black Magic could only be learned by characters of an evil alignment.
“You’ve got guts, trying to pull a stunt like this on me, Dean Kingfisher. Are you so tired of living?”
“N-no, wait… H-how—”
“There’s something you should be saying before asking that.”
Crunch, crunch.
The sound of frost forming underfoot.
Powerful mages are like magnets; sometimes the surrounding mana responds to their emotions.
And Winter Winslet’s anger was as cold as his name.
The dean, face pale, made a quick decision.
“P-please, spare me.”
Moments later, Jonathan Kingfisher knelt before me, confessing everything.
His attitude was far more polite than at the beginning.
His plan, in summary:
“So you wanted to gift me a tamed spider familiar, use it to find leverage on me, then manipulate me?”
“Y-yes… That’s correct.”
Tch.
“Quite a cute trick for someone who looks like you.”
The black magic embedded in the spider was a weakening curse.
Left long enough, it could kill by exhaustion.
The dean sweated profusely, making excuses.
“O-of course, I never intended to kill anyone! I’ve never done that! I just made people fall ill, then showed up as their ‘savior’ with fake medicine, making them owe me favors.”
I recalled something.
Jonathan Kingfisher had been known for great results but terrible morale under his command at the Royal Magic Department.
So this was his method of controlling people.
“You’ve been turning people into puppets like this.”
But something in his explanation seemed odd.
“When someone falls ill, they usually go to a healer. And every healer is a priest of the church. Wouldn’t that risk exposing your black magic?”
Jonathan shook his head.
“None of the victims would have gone to a healer. The body part I targeted with black magic was something healers couldn’t fix.”
What part?
Avoiding my gaze, Jonathan answered.
“The scalp.”
“The scalp?”
“Yes. I made them lose hair… Basically, I cursed them with baldness.”
Smack!
I struck him without thinking.
Not his cheek—his shiny, bald crown.
“Trash.”