Chapter 61
When I pried into the underworld, I thought something would come out, but surprisingly, there was nothing.
I raided the two largest organizations in Crescent, but there was no significant information.
Just in case, I stopped by other smaller organizations besides those two, but it was the same.
Even though I interrogated them quite seriously, no one seemed to be lying.
“This much lack of information…”
I had a hunch that finding the one behind this wouldn’t be easy, but I didn’t expect things to be this well-hidden.
No matter what, I thought at least a tiny clue would emerge.
“Expecting something to surface within three days might be too much.”
I had told the guys I met yesterday to find something within three days, but I wasn’t expecting much.
The chances of them finding anything were slim.
It was just something I said out of frustration because nothing was coming up.
“They’re more thorough than I thought.”
“Fufu, who are?”
“Huh?”
At the sound of a voice that shouldn’t have been here, I instinctively flinched and turned around.
For a moment, I thought I might be hallucinating.
“Yuria?”
“Ryu, it’s nice to see you again, isn’t it?”
For a second, I wondered if I had unconsciously used Spatial Movement to return to the office and looked around.
It wasn’t the case.
It was definitely inside the Academy, and standing before me was Yuria Prisis.
“What? How are you here?”
“You seem so surprised.”
Yuria brushed back her mystically glowing blue hair and smiled.
Her appearance was so unexpected that I was momentarily at a loss for words.
“Surprised… I guess.”
“Fufu. I’m also a Crescent Academy graduate, you know. I even graduated as the top student.”
“Uh…”
I couldn’t see how her being here now had anything to do with her graduation, but I nodded anyway.
Yuria continued, her smile never fading.
“Our commander seems to be doing well with his Academy life, so I came to check.”
“…”
Of course, it wasn’t a believable statement.
Crescent Academy, after all, was a highly secure place.
It was operated directly by the Imperial government and gathered numerous noble heirs in one location.
In other words, not just anyone could enter.
For example, during the entrance ceremony, even family members were strictly prohibited from entering.
As far as I knew, the only non-Academy personnel who could freely come and go were Erica and me.
Even for someone like Yuria, breaking through the wards and entering wouldn’t have been an easy task.
“What are you thinking? I came here through proper means.”
“Proper means…?”
What exactly were the proper means to enter the Academy?
“I was invited. By Professor Amilion.”
“Ah.”
That made some sense.
If it were Professor Amilion Stappen, who knew I worked under Yuria, it was plausible for her to invite Yuria.
“…Isn’t it risky?”
“Hehe.”
Of course, it seemed like a risky invitation.
Professor Amilion had no significant ties to Yuria, so suddenly inviting her into the Academy could raise suspicions.
Moreover, the Vice-Chancellor was involved.
If they wanted, they could easily find out about any outsiders entering the Academy.
So, even if she managed to enter, there wasn’t much she could actually do.
“Don’t worry. I didn’t come here to do anything suspicious.”
Yuria nodded, as if she already knew what I was worried about.
“Then…?”
“I told you. I came to check how the commander is managing his Academy life. Wow, this place hasn’t changed at all.”
Yuria looked at the dormitory building, her voice tinged with nostalgia.
At this point, I started to think it might actually be true.
“Really?”
“Yes. Of course.”
“…Come on. What’s the real reason?”
“Hehe. You’re really hard to convince.”
Yuria looked around the area before her gaze returned to me.
Yuria truly had a nostalgic look in her eyes.
“I’m here for work. Not the kind of work you’re thinking, but actual work.”
“Work?”
“Yes. Didn’t I mention it? I graduated as the top student here too. A special lecture for alumni, something like that. Would you like to attend?”
“Ahhh.”
Only then did I feel at ease.
Right, no matter how much Professor Amilion invited her, Yuria wouldn’t have recklessly come to the Academy without a good reason.
“Whew.”
“So that’s what it is.”
“It’s a bit of both. I’ve always declined until now, but since you’re here this year, I decided to accept.”
“Phew. When’s the lecture?”
“What, you don’t know?”
“No, I haven’t heard anything about it.”
“Hmm. It seems you’re not keeping up with Academy life properly.”
Yuria clicked her tongue in disappointment and crossed her arms.
“During the festival period, there are always alumni lectures. They come to share stories and build connections.”
“Festival period?”
“I knew it. You didn’t know about the festival either, did you?”
I hated to admit it, but I didn’t know.
There had been so many incidents recently, and after the Kane Hover case, the atmosphere in my class had been overall gloomy.
No one had brought up anything about festivals or events.
I vaguely remembered hearing something at the start of the semester about a festival among the events.
“Well, it’s understandable. There’s still quite a bit of time left before the festival.”
“A festival, huh.”
“It’s probably the biggest event in the first semester. Usually, it kicks off with the inter-class competition, but that’s already over, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Then they might open it in a different way. I’m not sure. Hehe.”
Yuria smiled with an expectant expression.
Somehow, even though I was the student, Yuria seemed to know more about what was going on inside the Academy.
“So, who’s thorough? Those guys?”
“Yeah. I’m not entirely sure, but maybe.”
“Hmm. What’s with that ambiguous answer?”
“I’m not confident either.”
I wasn’t certain if the ones Yuria was chasing were the same ones making the drugs.
It felt like there was circumstantial evidence but no solid proof.
If I could just grab hold of one thing, it seemed like everything would connect.
“Has something else happened?”
“There has. Something pretty big.”
“Oh?”
Yuria tilted her head, showing interest.
I briefly told her about the Kane Hover and Cynthia incidents.
“Hmm.”
Yuria’s expression turned serious upon hearing my story.
Even I found it suspicious, so someone as smart as Yuria would find it even more so.
Just as I was getting serious myself, something happened.
“Yuria Prisis, there you are.”
“Ah.”
Professor Amilion Stappen had somehow found where we were.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Amilion Stappen, a professor at Crescent Academy.”
“Hello, I’m Yuria Prisis. You’re even more stunning than your voice suggested.”
As Professor Amilion appeared, Yuria’s expression turned back into a smiling one.
Her ability to switch expressions was remarkably fast.
“It must’ve been hard to come. Thank you for making the effort.”
“No, it’s my honor. Haha.”
“Shall we head to my office to discuss further? Would Ryu Yeong like to join us?”
“Ah, no. There’s no need for a student to join.”
Yuria politely declined Professor Amilion’s cautious suggestion with a smile.
“Then, let’s go.”
“Haha. Ryu Yeong, let’s talk more later.”
Professor Amilion seemed flustered by Yuria’s firm refusal and stumbled over her words as she guided Yuria.
Yuria gave me a slight nod and a smile as she followed.
“Well, it would’ve been strange for me to join anyway.”
Even I thought it would be odd for me to join their business discussion out of nowhere.
If someone else saw it, it might even arouse unnecessary suspicion.
“It’s nice to be back at the Academy after so long. Not much has changed.”
“Right. I’ve been here for ten years, and it’s mostly the same.”
“There’s a student I wanted to see, but it looks like it’s too late now. Such a shame.”
“Oh, who?”
“Just a student I know personally.”
As the two of them walked further away, I turned back.
It was a shame I couldn’t talk to Yuria more, but that could happen anytime.
As Yuria disappeared, my previous worries naturally resurfaced.
Where should I start looking for clues?
The most reliable way would be for Erica to follow Cynthia again and catch a deal in progress, like last time.
Talking with Yuria made me even more eager to uncover the mastermind as soon as possible.
<Commander.>
“Huh?”
They say if you speak of the tiger, it’ll appear.
Just as I thought Erica might resolve something, her voice rang in my head.
A technique that allowed her to send her voice directly into my mind without the help of magical artifacts.
It was something only Erica could do.
<Can you hear me?>
“Yeah. Did you find something?”
<Not yet, but Cynthia’s behavior is suspicious today.>
“Suspicious?”
<Yeah. Usually, she goes straight home after class if she has nothing else to do, but today, she hasn’t left the Academy. She doesn’t seem to be doing anything in particular either.>
As soon as I heard Erica’s words, I had a hunch.
Come to think of it, the last time Cynthia had received candy from an unknown figure, it had also been within the Academy.
Late at night, too.
<It’s clearly suspicious, so why don’t we watch her together?>
“Okay, I’ll join you.”
<Meet me at your dorm first.>
“Got it.”
Nothing had happened yet, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was about to.
Erica must’ve found it suspicious too, which is why she told me.
“Is something finally about to happen?”
I had no evidence, but I had a good feeling.
First, I needed to hurry back home and grab my clothes and mask.
—
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