The Shadow Organization Members Raised Through Pay-To-Win Are Too Strong

In “Isekai Conqueror,” strategy was key.

The method of conquest varied dramatically depending on the player’s choices.

The most primitive style was to overwhelm with pure force.

This meant mindlessly raising characters’ specs and waging war with other nations.

Conquering the continent by subjugating countries one by one.

However, this strategy had a fatal flaw.

‘The last surviving nation would be fully prepared.’

Far from surrendering, defeated remnants would join the final nation, dramatically increasing the difficulty.

Though easier at first, it became increasingly burdensome.

The second method was to lead with money rather than force.

The key was organizing merchant groups to pressure nobles and royalty with financial power.

In other words, they are bought off with money.

For a more underhanded approach, getting them addicted to drugs to gain leverage was another method.

However, this approach risked charges of insulting nobility or royalty.

Even if the money was earned legally, everything could be instantly lost at a powerful person’s whim.

There were other approaches, too, like entering kingdoms or empires as civil servants or attempting conquest through espionage or fame.

In my case, I used a delicate mixture of all these methods.

However, I focused on working secretly from behind rather than taking center stage.

This way, other nations couldn’t prepare against me.

So I dispatched members throughout the continent.

The Academy was one such target.

“So Albert is returning to the family estate?”

“Yes, Young Master.”

The subjugation party was heading back with the dark mage’s corpse.

Cael stopped the procession briefly to tell me.

The gist was that my eldest brother Albert, who was studying at the Academy, would be returning briefly.

‘Well, that makes sense.’

Of course, he’d return when his birth mother passed away.

But since it wasn’t vacation time, he couldn’t stay long.

‘Will he use teleportation then?’

The distance between the Hartwell territory and the Empire isn’t short.

Even pushing hard by carriage would take several days.

Given the time constraints, he’d likely use a Magic Tower’s teleportation.

‘Come to think of it, the Hartwell territory doesn’t have a Magic Tower.’

Since teleportation only works between Magic Towers, travel to the Hartwell territory without one was impossible.

Therefore, the standard practice was to teleport to a nearby territory and then travel by carriage.

‘Though I know we’re not poor, we seem to lack many things.’

Well, maintaining a Magic Tower would cost an absurd amount of money.

Thinking this, I studied Cael’s expression.

Though he seemed to want to say something, he ultimately remained silent.

Since I didn’t particularly want to probe either, the conversation naturally ended.

‘I wonder what his personality is like.’

Now, the important thing was understanding what kind of person Albert was.

Though I hadn’t gotten close to Bastel, I hoped at least Albert would be a proper person.

If the vassals supported him, he couldn’t be that bad, right?

‘I should try talking with him while he’s here.’

If I judged him to be a decent person, I planned to support him actively.

‘No need to keep being so cautious forever.’

The reason I’m cautious around the Count is entirely because the successor situation isn’t settled.

Though I had no interest in becoming the family head, I was careful to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings.

‘With Black Raven, I don’t need to take on troublesome responsibilities.’

But what if Albert formally becomes the heir?

Then I’d be much freer too.

So I planned to actively support Albert’s growth.

Of course, this was only if I judged him to have a decent character.

‘If he’s no good, there’s no choice.’

Then I’d either leave the family or make him into a proper person.

After the brief rest, the procession heading back to the estate began moving again.

It didn’t matter to me since I had to sit quietly in the carriage.

‘Speaking of the Academy…’

I closed my eyes and traced my memories.

I pride myself on knowing quite a bit about the Academy.

‘I wonder if they’re still there?’

How much effort did I spend trying to plant a member in the Imperial Academy?

Eventually, I managed to get one person employed.

Targeting the relatively easier Academy rather than appeasing nobles.

‘The Imperial Academy is famous for being strict.’

The Imperial Academy was where anyone could become a professor regardless of status if they had the ability.

That meant they demanded correspondingly rigorous standards.

Professors had to prove their ability in skill and teaching.

Planting a member there was no easy task.

I had to build qualifications through money, volunteer work, and completing various requests to enhance specs.

‘It was really troublesome.’

Yet the Academy’s threshold remained high.

Perhaps because imperial family members attended, the Imperial Academy’s qualification requirements were extremely strict.

After repeated failures, I finally decided to change my strategy.

That meant borrowing the power of the Elder Council.

If an elder with sufficient experience applied as a professor, wouldn’t they pass?

As an Elder Council member who had completed various game quests, they more than satisfied the requirements.

I chose the Fifth Elder, who had extensive experience in training members.

The result was a huge success.

Thanks to his various experiences and abilities, the Fifth Elder easily secured a professor position at the Imperial Academy.

‘By now, there must have been turnover?’

The Fifth Elder was only meant to lay the groundwork.

By now, surely another member had taken over the professor position?

Above all, his unique personality didn’t suit being a professor.

‘Even for a game, there couldn’t be a more unusual character.’

Rather than personality, his educational philosophy was different.

The Fifth Elder was fine except for one flaw.

He would impose hardships on those he cared about.

In other words, the more he liked a disciple, the more trials they would face instead of praise.

What was his reason again?

That one must face trials to improve?

Anyway, that’s why even members tried their hardest to avoid the Fifth Elder’s favor.

Earning his attention practically meant opening the door to hardship.

Ironically, he treated those he didn’t care for extremely well.

However, the Academy was ultimately a place to teach students knowledge.

How would it work to act the same way there?

‘It would be fortunate if he wasn’t fired.’

Ah, maybe he was already fired while I was away?

Having not seen him for 10 years, how could I know?

It meant one of two things if the Fifth Elder was still at the Academy.

Either the Academy had gone crazy, or the Fifth Elder had changed his ways.

*  *  *

A cold atmosphere lingered in the Imperial Academy Director’s office.

Professor Jade shifted restlessly in anxiety, his eyes darting around.

This was natural.

Hadn’t he just handed over a student’s personal information to someone else?

‘To think the Director would be there of all places…’

He had been caught by the Academy Director, no less.

Regret was pointless now.

All that remained for him was despair.

He would surely be expelled from the Academy and might even face trial.

Jade’s gaze turned to Director Dietrich.

Though it was too late, he confessed everything without hesitation.

About selling students’ personal information because he needed money, and who the buyer was.

Lies would be useless.

The Director before him was a monster in terms of ability.

If his lies were discovered, it would only make things worse.

Being honest and hoping for leniency was the best option now.

“Hmm.”

Dietrich slowly took a sip of tea, then wordlessly handed over an envelope.

‘So it’s finally come to this.’

Jade received the envelope with trembling hands.

“Huh?”

However, inside the envelope was not a resignation letter but an unexpected check.

Surprised, he looked at the Director, who slowly spoke.

“If such things were happening, you should have told me sooner.”

What was this situation?

Jade, who had been preparing for the worst, tilted his head in confusion.

He had sold students’ personal information, yet the Director gave him money instead.

“Actually, I don’t think that’s such a bad thing.”

The Director continued.

“In a way, it provides them with trials.”

Trials?

Though he didn’t understand the Director’s meaning, Jade simply listened silently.

“My philosophy is simple. Strong trials are the source of strong power. The same applies to students. If something happens to student Albert due to the information you leaked, that will become a stepping stone for growth.”

“…?”

Horror flashed across Jade’s face.

“Of course, it would be unfortunate if he lost his life. However, if he survives even such trials, I have no doubt he will grow into a remarkable talent.”

Jade wondered if he was hearing things correctly.

Could they really dismiss students’ safety so easily?

Even though he had sold personal information, these weren’t words that should come from a Director’s mouth.

The Director’s shocking words continued.

“You’ll continue selling information as you have been for now. I’ll select the list of students to be traded.”

“…Pardon?”

Jade asked with a blank expression.

Director Dietrich clicked his tongue in irritation.

“You’re so short-sighted. This way, we can identify who the buyers are, can’t we?”

“Ah… You’re right.”

Why sell specific students’ information to identify the buyers?

Though the process seemed strange, the result wasn’t bad.

Jade was relieved at least that he hadn’t been fired from the Academy.

“Ah, by the way, you said the buyer called themselves ‘Raven’?”

For a moment, the Director’s eyes changed slightly.

Jade hesitated before carefully nodding.

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Good, you may go now.”

Jade quickly left the Director’s office, worried the Director might change his mind.

Left alone, Director Dietrich stared into space.

While giving trials to favored students was good, he was displeased by those impersonating Ravens.

“The High Council, they’re so slow with their work.”

They said they would deploy Purge, but there has been no news.

But the Director didn’t mind.

The slower the High Council moved, the more crisis would approach Albert.

And he was already excited to see how much this promising student would grow through such trials.

Suddenly, Dietrich’s eerie laughter echoed through the room.

Only a chilling madness remained on his face.

*  *  *

Upon arriving at the estate, the Count greeted us first.

“So, I heard what happened. It was the work of a dark mage?”

The soldier we sent ahead had already informed the family of the situation.

The Count’s voice clearly showed his brightened mood.

He had only sent us to subjugate a dungeon, yet we had caught a big fish like a dark mage.

Moreover, Cael, the family’s knight, had caught the mage.

What could be more glorious for the Count?

“Well done indeed! You’ve raised our family’s prestige! Especially you, Cael, catching a dark mage is truly remarkable!”

Count Benedict laughed heartily while patting Cael’s shoulder.

“You’re too kind, Your Excellency!”

Cael bowed his head humbly.

We were then called to the Count’s office to discuss the details.

Cael handled most of the responses while I just nodded along beside him.

Watching Cael answer, I smiled slightly.

‘Fortunately, he’s covering well.’

Though Celestia actually dealt with the mage, we gave Cael the credit.

If I claimed I did it, troublesome situations would surely arise.

‘They probably wouldn’t believe me anyway.’

Moreover, showing too much ability would surely make them wary of me.

In the worst case, they might use this as an excuse to make me join the military.

‘That absolutely cannot happen.’

Bastel needs to be the one to join the military.

So, giving the credit to Cael was the best option.

‘If I can win Cael’s heart too, that would be perfect.’

That would increase my influence within the family.

After talking with Cael for a while longer, the Count addressed me.

“Come to think of it, this must be your first time. Your brother Albert has returned from the Empire, so go meet him. Siblings should get along well, you know.”

“I will do so.”

I answered appropriately while quietly rising from my seat.

Though I was nominally in charge of this subjugation party, that was just for show.

Cael was the actual commander, and they would discuss various matters related to the dark mage’s defeat.

I left the Count’s office.

Walking down the corridor, I saw a man in the distance.

I recognized him as Albert at first glance.

‘He definitely looks more presentable than Bastel.’

Not quite handsome, but a style that seemed both playful and studious?

I quickly approached and bowed politely.

“Pleased to meet you for the first time, Brother Albert. I’m Ethan.”

Making a brief self-introduction, I tried my best to show a warm smile.

First impressions being everything, I was prepared to maintain a friendly relationship with Albert.

In response to my bright greeting, Albert passed by without a word.

“…”

This wasn’t the reaction I had expected?