Chapter 122
“Then.”
“Where have you been all this time?”
Emily and Cynthia asked, their eyes sparkling with genuine curiosity.
I knew this question would come up, and I’d already prepared an answer, but it still felt daunting.
Sip
I pretended to drink tea to calm myself down, avoiding their gazes.
We were at a café inside Crescent Academy, the four of us reunited after a long time.
Since today marked the start of the vacation, the café was almost empty.
This made their attention even more overwhelming.
“Well, I was assisting Lady Yuria.”
“Huh.”
“So, you’re part of the Black Shadow Corps, right?”
Cynthia and Emily looked intrigued as if they had always suspected this.
‘Well, it’s true.’
“Yes.”
“Oh!”
“I knew it!”
I never thought the day would come when I openly admitted to someone that I was part of the Black Shadow Corps.
This was only possible because Addy had worked so hard to improve the group’s reputation.
If not for that, saying “I’m with the Black Shadow Corps” would have been akin to self-destruction.
“Oh, by the way, we told Elaine a bit about you while you were away.”
Cynthia casually added, glancing between me and Elaine.
Nod.
Elaine briefly looked at me before nodding faintly.
“That’s correct. Cynthia explained everything that happened while you were gone.”
Now that I thought about it, before revealing my identity to Elaine in the O’Neill Kingdom, she had known nothing about me.
Judging by Cynthia’s words, it seemed Elaine hadn’t mentioned anything about my identity while I was away.
Before, Cynthia and Emily knew about me while Elaine didn’t. Now, the reverse was true.
Elaine was the only one who knew that I was, in fact, the leader of the Black Shadow Corps.
“Mm-hmm. So, Ryu, are you also working with the alliance that Miss Yuria formed?”
“Uh…”
Emily suddenly cut in as if it were an urgent matter.
I was well aware of the alliance that Yuria had established.
During my rest after narrowly missing Arte Flora, one of the Nameless Elders, Yuria had uncovered many truths.
First, she found significant information about the Nameless Organization at Arte Flora’s residence.
The Nameless Organization was surprisingly ancient.
While there were no official records of its founding, Yuria discovered that it had existed for at least several centuries with the same goal.
The organization’s purpose was to resurrect the Nameless Demon, who had been sealed away by the Crescent Empire’s First Emperor.
Although their influence had grown significantly in recent years, the goal of resurrecting the demon had been their mission for ages.
Yuria also uncovered the hierarchy of the Nameless Organization.
It had a simple structure.
At the top was the Founder, followed by three Elders.
That was it officially.
Of course, beneath them were countless subordinates loyal to the Founder, along with forces managed by each Elder.
Two of the Elders had already been captured.
Vice Principal Randgar from Crescent Academy and Kilbis, who had been apprehended in the O’Neill Kingdom.
The last remaining Elder was Arte Flora, the princess of the Flora Kingdom, who had narrowly escaped capture.
At first, it seemed as if the Nameless Organization was on the brink of collapse.
However, further investigation revealed that they were closer than ever to achieving their ultimate goal.
Information extracted from Kilbis’s mind revealed that the Founder had already completed preparations for the Nameless Demon’s resurrection and had begun the ritual.
The ritual required three months, after which the Nameless Demon would return to the world.
Upon learning this, Yuria mobilized every resource at her disposal to locate the Founder in the midst of the ritual, but so far, she hadn’t succeeded.
Yuria’s declaration of the alliance was a move to find the Founder, who was likely the last remnant of the Nameless Organization, conducting the ritual somewhere.
“Well, I do work with Yuria, or rather, Lady Yuria.”
“Wow! That’s great!”
Emily beamed, clenching her fists in delight.
I already knew that Yuria had accepted Emily into the alliance.
However, unlike Emily’s enthusiasm, I had no plans to actively participate in the alliance.
I intended to focus on my academy life instead.
I’d been away from the academy for a long time, and it felt like a new quest was due.
But it just had to be during the vacation.
“Really…? So, you’re active in the alliance, Ryu?”
“Well, uh, maybe?”
Since I wouldn’t completely ignore Yuria’s efforts, my answer wasn’t entirely wrong.
Cynthia asked again, half-doubting my response.
Even I wasn’t completely sure, to be honest.
“It seems Mr. Ryu is uncertain. Let’s not press him with difficult questions.”
‘Huh?’
Elaine interjected into the conversation between me and Cynthia.
Her tone was serious, and Cynthia seemed ready to retort but ultimately closed her mouth.
It hadn’t felt like such a difficult question.
“Anyway, if you’re back.”
Elaine’s serious gaze stayed locked on me.
“Does that mean you’ll continue attending the academy?”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
“Then that’s a relief.”
“That said.”
Elaine’s lips subtly but unmistakably curved upwards, clearly pleased.
“This doesn’t seem like such a difficult question, does it?”
Elaine’s smile was short-lived as Cynthia puffed out her cheeks in mild annoyance and butted in.
“It’s a difficult question. It might be hard for Mr. Ryu to say where he’s active.”
Elaine, unwilling to back down, countered Cynthia’s words.
“That might be true, but… is that right, Ryu?”
“Well, uh…”
I need to steer the conversation away quickly.
Avoiding the two women’s direct gazes, I tried to think of a way to divert the topic. A good idea suddenly came to mind.
“By the way, Elaine.”
“Yes?”
When I called her name, Elaine responded with a smile as if expecting me to take her side.
“You’ve started speaking casually with the others now?”
“Oh.”
I had noticed earlier but hadn’t mentioned it, and now seemed like the perfect time.
Elaine, who always maintained a formal demeanor and polite speech, was now speaking casually with Cynthia and Emily.
She had once insisted that speaking formally was more comfortable for her and had vowed never to switch.
Elaine’s head lowered slightly, whether out of embarrassment or surprise at my remark, and she couldn’t find the words to respond.
“After that field trip to the O’Neill Knight Order, we all decided to speak casually. Honestly, it’s so much better this way.”
Cynthia answered cheerfully on Elaine’s behalf, her voice full of mischief.
Emily nodded enthusiastically beside her.
Elaine, utterly flustered, fumbled her words and struggled to respond.
“Why did you suddenly bring that up…”
Elaine muttered softly, her voice tinged with mild dissatisfaction.
“Hmm? It’s just nice to see. Before, no matter how much I suggested you speak casually, you wouldn’t.”
“…”
Elaine couldn’t respond to my not-so-subtle comment.
Taking advantage of the situation, Cynthia and Emily began playfully teasing Elaine.
Watching the three of them bicker lightheartedly brought a smile to my face.
Since when had they become so close?
“But why do you still use formal speech with me?”
“Pardon?”
The topic of conversation, which had been about the Black Shadow Corps and Yuria’s alliance just moments ago, took an abrupt turn.
Elaine, looking flustered, avoided making eye contact with me.
Success in changing the subject.
“Tsk. You speak casually with them but still talk so stiffly to me. That’s a little disappointing.”
“T-that’s because… it’s different with you, Mr. Ryu!”
“How’s it different?”
“Well, um…”
Elaine flinched at my question and furrowed her brows, clearly pondering how to answer.
“I-it’s just that calling you a fellow student…”
“We’re fellow students, aren’t we? Right, Cynthia? Emily?”
“Well, it’s a bit odd, but yeah, we are.”
“Mm-hmm. That’s right.”
“Oh…”
Elaine’s attempt to rebut was immediately shot down.
She sent Cynthia and Emily pleading looks for help, but the two just smiled back at her.
“So, from now on, you’ll speak casually with me too?”
“What? How could I!”
“Huh? So you’re saying I’m not your peer?”
“No, that’s not it. I mean, Mr. Ryu, please think about it.”
“Aw, I feel hurt now.”
Elaine, looking on the verge of tears at my teasing, hurriedly tried to explain herself.
Cynthia and Emily, meanwhile, could hardly contain their laughter.
‘This is amusing.’
Even I couldn’t suppress my grin.
Though I wasn’t laughing outright, seeing Elaine so flustered and at a loss for words naturally brought a smile to my face.
It was rare to see Elaine this disconcerted.
“Sigh. I feel a distance between us. Guess I’ll take my leave.”
“Ryu! Mr. Ryu!”
Pretending not to hear Elaine’s panicked voice, I casually stood up.
Cynthia and Emily, aware that I was just messing around, merely chuckled, but Elaine wasn’t in on the joke.
Flustered, she quickly stood up and followed me, visibly anxious.
Snicker
I couldn’t hold back a laugh.
—
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