Academy's Gumiho is a Magic Genius

Chapter 27: Efnell's Garden [2]

There are statuses and positions between people.

I am the family head. They are the elders.

In terms of hierarchy, the elders cannot treat me recklessly.

But it seems they've thrown such etiquette out the window.

Their blatant display of negative emotions made me chuckle.

"Ah, I just came to visit for a bit, so don't worry. Besides, there's something I wanted to show you."

"What on earth do you want to show...?"

Haha, I smirked and moved the muscles in my tail.

A tail I usually paid no attention to.

As the tail slowly swayed in the wind, standing upright and then gently waving, it captivated everyone's gaze. The elders' faces stiffened at the strange charm of the movement.

"Wh-What is that...?"

"I-Is it an illusion? Am I seeing things...?"

"Elder Seven, shut up. If that's an illusion, then we're all blind."

The surprised elders.

They weren't shocked because the tail's movement was charming. Well, except for Elder Eight, who blushed, but most weren't.

The spiritual power imbued in the tail.

A soul's power, distinct from mana. The spiritual power required to transcend a Gumiho and become a Cheonho (Heavenly Fox) was on a completely different level from that of an ordinary one-tailed fox.

And another reason was that, after being stuck at the level of an Ilmiho (one-tailed fox) for 20 years, I had become an Imoogi (two-tailed fox) less than a month after being exiled. Regardless of why they were surprised.

Their expressions were priceless.

This is fun. Should I provoke them a bit more?

I rested my elbow on the armrest of the throne and propped my chin on my hand.

A gaze and posture that clearly looked down on those below.

Behind me, two fox tails swayed gently as if rippling.

"How does it look, does it suit me...? No, that's not the right tone."

I twisted my lips into a sneer, making a despicable expression.

To make as many elders as possible hold a grudge against me.

The insolent tone was just a bonus.

"How about it? I recently had a breakthrough, so my tail grew."

"Family Head, please maintain the dignity befitting your position..."

"Hey, Elder Eight."

A tone clearly used for subordinates.

The elderly Elder Eight, angered by the disrespect, opened his mouth to speak.

But I cut him off.

"Ahaha, are you expecting me to respect the elderly?"

"Family Head!"

"Watch your mouth. Not 'Family Head,' but 'Family Head-sama.' Elder Eight, maintain the hierarchy properly."

Whoooooosh!

As soon as the words ended, mana descended upon the area.

Mana armed with pressure and killing intent pressed down on the nine elders and two siblings seated at the round table. They weren't the type to be suppressed by this level of mana, but...

"Where do you think you're going?"

I stretched out my left hand.

As I slowly lowered my hand, the mana pressing down on the area grew heavier. In truth, everyone here had a way to escape.

By taking down the caster—me.

Everyone here possessed combat power at least on par with Yuren's.

A living corpse like me couldn't handle that. But I invoked hierarchy.

Unless they wanted to start a rebellion, no one could escape from me. No, they shouldn't escape.@@@@

"You're all pretty angry, right?"

Red eyes scanned the room.

Some held curiosity, others confused.

Some harboured killing intent. That last one is really dangerous.

'Did it go according to plan?'

This is the best I can do for now.

Crushing them with authority.

To justify their status as elders and the council, they have no choice but to follow my lead.

Of course, there will be those who don't want to follow.

The one who showed killing intent is likely one of them.

'Until I grow stronger, I'll have to test the waters like this.'

What I want is the Cheonho Baek Family in its complete form.

Not a family divided between the council and power, but one entirely in my grasp. If I can get this much under my control, most episodes and scenarios can be easily overcome.

Then I can minimize all damage.

'To take control of the Cheonho Baek Family, I'll have to chip away at it bit by bit.'

From what I've seen, the power of the Cheonho Baek Family is split into many branches.

Nine elders and my two sisters.

***

Meanwhile, the lights in the meeting room were still on.

Though many seats were empty, some still remained.

"Who would have thought the family head would become an Imoogi?"

"The late family head and his wife would be pleased."

"Haha, if only the family head's training had started two years earlier, we would have been happy too──"

"──But it's too late now."

The elders exchanged words.

Their topic of conversation was the change in the incompetent family head, Baek Seung-woo.

Just a few days ago, he burned his own body at the Seven Stars Academy incident and was hailed as a hero in the news and newspapers. Suddenly, his tail grew to two, and he began to act differently than before.

Most of all, his confident demeanour earlier was enough to stir nostalgia in the elderly elders.

"Before he got a job as an assistant at the academy, he was quite prickly."

"Perhaps his late start in society helped."

"Hmm, but it's still hard to understand. That clueless family head suddenly becomes mature. Even when the external propaganda painted him as a troublemaker, he didn't seem to care."

"Regardless, it's going to be a hindrance to our plans."

A sudden silence fell.

Certainly, the family head's change was more of a loss than a gain for them.

The proxy regency planned under Elder Five's leadership was likely to fall through. Moreover, the neutral elders would firmly maintain their neutrality like upright pine trees.

"We need to change our plans."

"A coup is impossible with Elder One around."

"Then the best course of action for us is..."

The elders spoke in unison.

Having protected the family and lived together for decades, they could now roughly read each other's thoughts.

"Threats."

"Or assassination and silencing."

"That's the most effective."

"And the most realistic method."

Hostage situations are meaningless.

The family head isn't the type to show affection to others.

Isolating him is also impossible.

We've already exiled him to the academy as a lowly assistant.

The Seven Stars Academy is almost like an extraterritorial zone, beyond the influence of the Cheonho Baek Family.

Cutting off his funds is also tricky.

Even a family head without real power has ways to earn money.

He probably has enough to live comfortably.

Then there's only one method left.

"Send assassins."

"We'll have to threaten him with his life."

"That's definitely the most reliable method. Of course, if Elder One finds out, we're all dead."

"But to get rid of that ominous presence, this is the best way."

When faced with a threat to their life, anyone would cower.

The family head is no exception.

The elders decided to send three assassins to track Baek Seung-woo and wait for the optimal moment. They were talents raised by the family and guild, so there was no chance of failure or being caught by the family head.

Meanwhile, one elder remained silent throughout.

He left the meeting and thought to himself.

"...That was definitely not the aura of an Imoogi."

Elder Five didn't consider Baek Seung-woo the family head.

The current family is nothing more than a facade.

That's why they exiled Baek Seung-woo to the academy.

"This time, we'll crush him completely."

Before he grows any stronger, we'll kill him.

Swallowing his words, Elder Five changed into his armor and went to attend to his duties.

His position was not only an elder of the Cheonho Baek Family but also the head of a guild.

Burying one person isn't a difficult task.

Even if that person is his master.

He can do it anytime.

He just hasn't done it yet.

***

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