Fanfic: Barberian

Chapter 105: Graduation Ceremony (1)

"Sister. Are you really, really going to do this?"

Vesta, the head of the Blues Clan, glared at the cadre who spoke in an uneasy voice.

There were ten people, including herself, who had infiltrated the noble section through the 'rat hole'.

Three clan officers and six elite fighters stood behind Vesta.

'You bastards, you couldn't even manage a slave correctly and created this whole mess.'

Vesta's mouth twitched as if she was about to spit out an expletive, but she held it together with superhuman patience.

Now was not the time to demoralize them.

Instead, they needed to be set straight with a false sense of purpose and illusion.

"The plan is perfect. One Academy student is worth dozens of common slaves, so if we kidnap ten of them, we'll have a reputation as outlaws who raided the Academy and a ton of gold in no time."

It was a poor plan. The idea of raiding the Academy in the first place was insane.

But the outlaws, driven by selfishness and greed for money, listened to Vesta's words with mesmerized fascination.

Vesta didn't say anything negative about the risk of the Academy coming after them for kidnapping students, or that they might end up in a battle with the faculty if things didn't go well.

She only told them what they wanted to hear, letting her clan mates dream big.

"Damn it, I was counting on you, Sister, you're really going against the Academy, you're going to be the worst outlaw ever, I'll follow you for life!"

Vesta looked at the one who called her sister.

'Iron Carlino.'

A former mid-level explorer who was cursed to turn into an orc.

She was once blessed with the [Blessing of Iron Fists] and [Blessing of Hardened Mills].

Her nature was so vicious that she was a natural outlaw, and she was the second strongest person in the clan after Vesta.

'A useful bitch.'

She's easy to control because she follows her so well.

If she used her well, she could kidnap a student and sneak out of the noble district without anyone noticing.

She'll use the same 'rat hole' she used to recruit Reichem, so she'll have no problem getting in and out of the Academy.

"It was fine for getting in, but if the academy is attacked, will the rat hole still be intact?"

"Ugh. As long as we have control over that kid's parents, she'll have no choice but to follow our lead."

"Kuuuuuu. I can't believe you threatened an Academy's assistant like this. You'll definitely be known as the worst outlaw in the Labyrinth City."

Having answered her subordinate's question, Vesta chuckled at her insinuation and stalked off into the darkness.

To hunt, you had to strike when your prey was least alert.

"When the party is ripe, we strike."

***

I had ridden in a carriage once before.

It was dirty and grimy inside, with dingy, sunken chairs that showed it had been ridden by many people.

Even at a slow pace, the carriage was uncomfortable, with the worst cushioning I've ever experienced, making my butt sore, but the carriage Diana had waiting for us had none of those flaws.

The cushions were as comfortable as sitting on a plush couch, and the ever-changing scenery outside made the ride almost fun.

-Thump, thump, thump

The carriage shook occasionally as we traveled over the dirt roads, but it wasn't so bad when I could see Diana's breasts bouncing wildly in her skimpy dress.

I took a moment to admire the magnificent view before I spoke.

"You said Ellie went to the Academy, didn't you?"

"Yep. She just came by to get her dress fitted... I'm guessing she's in the middle of rehearsals for graduation."

I was told that Ellie, who had gone to the royal court to pursue her career, had only seen Diana for a day or so to get her dress fitted and then left for the academy again on schedule.

So, I hadn't seen Ellie's face in over two weeks.

The carriage, which had been traveling for a while, slowed down. We were approaching the walls of the noble district.

-knock.

There was a knock on the door and the coachman's voice came through.

"The guards are demanding to know the purpose of your visit and your identity."

It was definitely the Noble Quarter, and the guards seemed to be stricter than in the Temple Quarter or the Explorers' Quarter.

"Give them this."

Diana dug into her bosom and pulled out a blue explorer's badge.

It took her a moment to scratch her head at the unfamiliarity of the plaque, which wasn't just a wooden low-level, silver intermediate, or gold high-level.

"Supreme Explorer...?"

"What the hell, it's real!"

"Hmph! I'm sorry, we don't know who you are, what are you doing, open the door!!!"

From outside came a voice, almost a scream, a mixture of panic and alarm.

The door opened again, and a stern-faced guard handed me a piece of paper through the crack.

"Ba, ba, ba, ba, guest book. The, the, the, signature."

I snatched the guest book out of the guard's hand, too stiff to speak.

The guest book contained entries and remarks.

At the top was a name I hadn't seen in a long time.

[Entry] [Remarks]

[Assistant Gelsia] [Bringing in 40 bottles of wine for the dinner party and 15 large oak barrels.]

Professor Mankostil's assistant, Gelsia.

40 bottles of wine and 15 oak barrels. It seemed like they were going to enjoy it to the fullest.

"Thank you!!"

I scribbled my name and Diana's in the guest book and handed it over, and the guard disappeared in a flash.

After a brief pause, the carriage resumed its journey toward the Academy.

I glanced out the window and saw a group of guards, including the captain of the Noble Quarter Guard platoon, saluting the carriage.

I don't know Diana's exact backstory, so it's not an accurate analogy, but at first glance, it looked like a new platoon leader greeting a visiting division commander.

'Well, the captain of the guard also bowed low in front of Diana, so that's not too strange.'

After getting her ID card back, Diana smiled warmly as if nothing had happened.

"It's your first time in the noble district, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"Hoo-hoo. It's not like you can just come here anytime, so take this opportunity to explore as much as you can."

I turned my attention to the window at Diana's words.

When I heard the word "noble district," I expected to see some sort of gorgeous landmark or capital city, but all I could see was dense forests and trees as we drove on.

"The outskirts of the Noble District, where the Academy is located, are surrounded by forests like this."

The enormity of the Labyrinth City of Valerus was suddenly realized, with such a dense forest in just one section of the city.

"If I came here by myself, I'd probably get lost."

"Yeah. It's complicated, isn't it? The city walls are supposed to be aesthetically pleasing..."

Diana often came up with interesting stories to keep me from getting bored.

"Still, if it's this complicated, don't you think we might miss our opponent if the security is breached?"

"For the nobles, erasing the unpleasant things in front of them is more important than practical gain. There have been a few incidents like this in the past, and they must have suffered damage, but instead, the number of trees has increased..."

I remembered the information Reichem had told me the other day.

There was ominous news that today the Academy might be attacked by the Blues Clan.

The nuanced way she mentioned that it had happened a few times before made it all the more troubling.

The Captain of the Explorers' Zone Guard Platoon had said she would communicate with the Academy, but somehow that didn't reassure me.

I mentioned the information to Diana, just in case, and her mood changed slightly.

"Did the Guard really communicate with the Academy about increasing the number of guards?"

"I've heard that they did, but I haven't heard anything definite."

"I see. I'll have to go check it out, just in case. If they're so sure, they might have an insider."

It was better to confide in Diana than to be complacent and trust the guards.

She had come purely to celebrate Ellie's graduation, but it couldn't hurt to be prepared, just in case.

With the heavy talk out of the way, we talked about the day's schedule.

The main events of the day were twofold.

"There's the Dean's speech in the Academy's auditorium during the day, and a dinner party in the ballroom at night."

The speeches are the same old stuff at any graduation ceremony, and the biggest event is the dinner party in the ballroom.

Not only the graduates, but also their parents and relatives gathered. It was a kind of socializing.

And the students of the Academy are usually well-connected.

Children of nobles, relatives of the wealthy, sons and daughters of middle- and upper-class explorers, etc.

'It's a chance to make high-level connections.'

Explorers must keep in line.

Not only do they explore the labyrinth, but they often act as mercenaries, so the quality of the requests they receive depends on their connections and reputation...

I've overheard conversations in taverns of mid-level explorers bemoaning the fact that they can't get a job.

In that sense, the dinner party was an opportunity that would never come again.

'Explorers at my level, they don't get to do this.'

Again, Diana and Ellie were gracious, so I can only be grateful.

"We're almost there."

Diana's words made me glance out the window.

The view was majestic.

'Wow, it's almost as big as Hogwarts.'

The buildings loomed over the lush trees, awe-inspiring to behold.

Honestly, I don't know much about the aesthetics, but there was a sense of grandeur and overwhelming-ness that came from the huge building.

I gazed at the Royal Academy building like a country bumpkin on his first trip to the city.

Then, I looked at the long line of carriages in front of the Academy's main entrance.

"...What's all that?"

***

In front of the Academy's main entrance was a long line of carriages.

The line was so long that it reminded me of a holiday slowdown, and the tired people in it all complained in unison.

"Damn. How long are we going to have to wait?"

The entrance, too narrow for the sprawling grounds, was a traffic jam at this time of year.

Those who could afford to send their children to the Academy had no reason to travel by foot.

They were killing time in their ornately decorated carriages, but even that could only go so far.

"Do you know who I am to be kept waiting for an hour?! I'm the grandson of the famous Claudia Merchant Guild's leader from the Labyrinth City! The third daughter's second son, that's me!"

Impatient with the wait, he strode over and shouted at the Academy guards guarding the main entrance.

"Yes, sir, we are currently processing those who arrived first. Please wait."

The guards gave him a cold shoulder and muttered formalities.

This was due to the academy's operating policy.

It was more important to invest in cultivating talent than in the miscellaneous complaints that came in once or twice a year, so they didn't invest funds in unnecessary things like expanding the front gate.

"Ugh!"

The people who were arguing had sent their children to the academy because they believed in the academy's education policy, so in the end, they didn't say anything else and crawled back into their carriages.

As they were returning from their pointless expenditure of stamina, an unassuming carriage whizzed by them.

The appearance was not particularly flashy, the wheels were ordinary, and the horses that pulled the carriages were not famous horses, but rather a breed that was close to being the first to fail at crossbreeding.

"Are they crazy?"

He couldn't help but ask.

The carriages that were far more advanced than his own were lined up in front of him, but how could such an ugly carriage ignore him?

"What family are they from? Has anyone seen them?"

"The carriage doesn't seem to have a family seal on it... it looks like it's just a commoner."

"From the looks of the carriage."

The word "commoner" brought laughter from all around.

I had a rough idea of what was to come.

Noble blood, semi-noble blood, and their relatives were all standing in line, but a commoner with nothing was allowed to pass by without lining up?

"The guards must be really pissed off."

"Yeah. They'll just let us go, but they'll give the commoners a hard time about how they can't wait."

"Well, that's good, because waiting is boring, and we need something to keep us entertained."

"I agree."

Just as the boredom was reaching its peak, an interesting event happened.

They each stuck their heads out of the carriage windows, imagining what was about to happen.

And what they saw was.

"All hands!!! Salute!!!!!"

The Academy guards saluting at the top of their lungs.

-Thump-thump-thump

A rickety old carriage lumbered through the gates.

Their eyes widened at the sight, finally realizing the situation after a moment of silence.

"...What is this, the Academy guards reacting like that?"

"The Second Princess said she'd only show her face for the dinner party, so she shouldn't be here right now..."

"Hey, who are they? Who the hell are they? Didn't anyone even look through the window?!"

"I thought I saw a man in a helmet, but I didn't get a good look, so I didn't say so before."

"Why would he wear a helmet to a place like this, isn't he just an escort?"

The boredom and irritation that had been building up in their heads quickly subsided, and the void was filled with questions and even greater interest.

They had come to this graduation for many reasons, but the biggest one was to make connections.

If they wanted to get higher than they were now, they needed to make connections…and in front of them stood a figure that seemed vastly taller than them.

At the commotion behind them, the woman with her eyes closed muttered quietly.

"A man in a helmet."

The words that came out of her mouth had many meanings.

Chapter 106: Graduation Ceremony (2)

The carriage entered the Academy grounds and stopped near the main auditorium.

The area around the auditorium was already crowded with numerous carriages and people. Since the students were inside the auditorium, these were mostly parents.

Perhaps because of the dinner party that night, the parents were also dressed quite colorfully.

"I'll be right back, but you should go inside the auditorium first."

"Okay."

I stepped out of the carriage alone while Diana had excused herself and headed off somewhere.

Presumably to prepare for the Blues Clan raid I've told her about.

'I feel a little sorry for her.'

I wondered if I had said the wrong thing to a mother who had come to celebrate her daughter's graduation and caused her to worry.

I shrugged it off and walked into the auditorium.

As soon as I entered the auditorium, I saw a tired-looking assistant guiding parents around the room.

I recognized the face from memory.

"Ms. Gelsia?"

"...Ah. Mr. Balkan?"

I recognized her because she was the academy assistant who had accompanied me on the labyrinth the last time I received a request from the academy.

Gelsia remembered my appearance as well.

We weren't friends, but we were acquainted, so we exchanged formal greetings.

"I never thought I'd see you in a place like this. Are you a parent?"

I wasn't technically a parent, but I didn't want to bother explaining, so I nodded.

"Yeah. Something like that, by the way... are you okay?"

Assistant Gelsia's face was not in a good state even to say the least.

The dark circles were deeper than before, and she was on the verge of collapse.

Moreover, her unfocused, wobbly eyes reflected intense anxiety.

"...A slave on the verge of emancipation is always in this state..."

"Ah, congratulations."

"Haha..."

It seemed that Assistant Gelsia was able to escape from Professor Mankostil's arms. It was the fulfillment of every graduate student's wish.

However, after nodding, Gelsia's expression did not brighten.

"Is something wrong?"

I felt strangely cheap and unnecessarily intrusive.

"...No, nothing, it's just a personal matter."

I was dismissed as a prying question. There was nothing else to say about family matters.

But why?

The nape of my neck grew cold, and the feeling of cheapness intensified.

"When I came in today, I saw in the guest book that you brought in 15 oak barrels. I assume they're for the dinner party, and I was wondering if you could give me a hint as to what kind of wine they are?"

"...Yes?"

"Oh, I used to work in a liquor store, so I'm kind of interested in this stuff."

I honestly didn't know what the hell wine tasted like but assistant Gelsia stiffened sharply at the keyword "oak barrels," and then relaxed with relief when I added the word personal interest.

"It's ...Andrée Clouet Bleu Reuther Gold. It has a distinctive blue-apple scent."

"Is it? I'm already looking forward to the dinner party."

"...Haha. Yes... Parents' seats are upstairs on the second floor."

Ms. Gelsia told me to go to the second floor as if to dismiss me.

When I looked back, there was a line of people waiting to get in.

"If you are suffering from anything, please do not hesitate to tell me. I'm an explorer myself, so I can accept non-lethal requests."

"...I'll be in touch if that happens."

I received a polite refusal so I had no choice but to go up to the second floor.

Sitting down in a suitable seat, I sat still and thought.

"Something's wrong."

"What?"

I replied, unfazed by the words coming from right behind me.

"That assistant. She's got a weird vibe about her."

"..."

Ellie fell silent at my words.

"...Mister. Why are you not surprised when I suddenly talk to you from behind?"

Puffing out her cheeks, Ellie plopped down on the seat next to me, which was meant for Diana.

"There's been a little commotion around here, so I'm a little wary."

"Hmm."

Since it wasn't a place I usually went to, I had to keep my awareness on and be on constant alert, like in the labyrinth.

As a result, I can quickly detect any unfamiliar or familiar signs in the vicinity.

Ellie had been following me ever so slightly as I climbed the stairs to the second floor.

"Chi. I was trying to surprise you."

"Next time, try harder to hide your presence."

"Ugh."

Sighing, Ellie in her school uniform put her elbows on her knees and picked her chin.

She looked down at the students sitting in the auditorium on the first floor.

"I'm graduating with honors."

"That's great."

"Yeah, well, I guess it's kind of amazing, since I've been recommended to be a royal wizard."

"Speaking of which, how did it go?"

The reason Ellie went to the royal castle for a few days was to decide her next move.

Would she become a royal wizard and have a successful career or would she try something else and expand her horizons?

"...I'm still thinking about it. I'm not sure what I want to do."

Ellie clenched her jaw and sighed heavily.

Your life depends on the path you take so she must have a lot on her mind.

It was time to show her some adult acceptance.

I patted Ellie's back with my thick hand.

"You're smart, Ellie, and you'll do well in whatever path you choose. So my advice is, do what you want to do, and I'll be behind you no matter what you choose."

The sooner Ellie gains confidence and develops her skills, the sooner she can make progress on her research into the Portal.

Portals, a mysterious phenomenon that only exists in the Labyrinth, may have some connection to the Labyrinth's secrets.

And I believed that Ellie, the self-proclaimed genius mage, would one day uncover the secret.

"..."

Ellie's breath caught in his throat at my words, and he blushed, jaw clenched, and glared at me.

"Mister."

"Yeah."

Red hair, red eyes, and perky elf ears came into view one after the other, and then red lips parted cautiously.

"...You're so sweet to my foster mother, aren't you?"

This was not the reaction I expected.

I was expecting Ellie to go into her usual "Hmph! Of course, I'm a genius!" mode, which is how she usually responds to praise.

"...? Of course. Because she's my benefactor."

"...Benefactor..."

After a moment of mumbling, Ellie stared at me.

"Mister. I have something to say-"

Beep!

A sharp noise rang out, it was the sound of a microphone being set up before a broadcast.

-The Dean's speech is about to begin. Graduates and parents, please take your seats.

The announcement was indeed made. The students and parents who had been moving around in a hurry began to find their seats.

"...I have to go!"

Ellie said, jumping to her feet.

"What were you going to say?"

"... Heh heh. I'll tell you later. I'm graduating at the top of my class today, so I'll be giving a speech, so please listen carefully."

Smiling broadly, Ellie waved her hand wildly at me as she said that.

"Your daughter is so lively. I wish my daughter was like that."

"...Is that your daughter? She has a weird look in her eyes."

"Making a daughter through incest with a daughter-in-law..."

"That's low class! Don't denigrate sacred family love like that. How nice is it to see a father and daughter getting along?"

"No, she called him mister in the first place, is he family?"

The attention of the people around me increased.

The helmet and suit had drawn stares before, but now it was too much.

I smiled bitterly and gestured toward Ellie, then turned my attention back to the first floor.

"Ego… Ahem… Our Royal Academy…"

The Dean of the Royal Academy, a wiry old woman with a cane, was beginning her speech.

It was just as boring as you thought it would be.

Just as the Dean was about to finish, Diana returned.

"Haha. Thank goodness I'm not late!"

"I saved you a seat."

"Oh, thank you, Balkan."

Diana sat down somewhat uneasily, her purse on her lap.

"...? Ta, it's warm..."

"Ellie was in and out. Did you get your work done?"

"Uh, yeah. I told her we needed more guards, just in case, and she said she'd hire more. Professor Mankostil herself has taken matters into her own hands, and I'm a little relieved to hear that she's adding five more wizards at the assistant level."

Was it Professor Mankostil you met with?

'Come to think of it, Professor Mankostil was also an explorer.'

I thought maybe that was the connection.

Anyway, thanks to Diana's intervention, security was tightened.

I was relieved, but not completely relaxed.

–Next, we will have a speech from the valedictorian, Ellie Ordia.

As I turned my attention to the broadcast, Ellie was walking up to the podium.

"Valedictorian...or rather, Ordia, where have I heard that before?"

"No way, she...?"

"That's right. That's right, Ellie Ordia! Diana Ordia's daughter! My son told me!"

"If she has a daughter, does that mean... she's here, Diana Ordia?"

"But I only know her name, not what she looks like."

"I saw her at the retirement ceremony, her eyes are as piercing as a problem child, her body as lithe as an elf..."

There was a sudden uproar around him.

Their ears brushed the name 'Ellie' aside, remembering only the last name 'Ordia'.

'This is bad.'

Coincidentally, Ellie was the most uncomfortable.

Her feelings of inferiority and defeat over Diana's exalted name were the biggest source of her problems.

Sure enough, a stiff-faced Ellie stood in front of the podium.

'I thought things were getting better...'

I thought I had tried to come between Diana and Ellie and make them a good mother and daughter.

However, even that wasn't enough.

The emotional gap was gradually resolved through mother-daughter conversations.

The root cause of the conflict, Ellie's inferiority complex, needed a little more time to resolve.

In her clenched hands, she unfolded her speech paper.

Ellie stared at the paper for a long moment, her expression stony.

"..."

A hush fell over the huge auditorium.

"What the hell. Why is she still?"

"She's always so high-minded."

"Ouch. She's going to embarrass herself."

"Well, now we have something to talk about at the dinner party."

As I focused my hearing, a group of mean-looking graduates were gossiping and snickering at Ellie's stiffened form at the podium.

Ellie's elf ears pricked up impatiently and her hand clutching the paper trembled.

Ellie's hearing was very sensitive.

Perhaps all the chatter in this great hall was reaching her ears.

In a place like this, hearing voices of inferiority and jealous mockery directed at her... naturally, she could not help but stiffen.

'...Those bitches...'

If I'm listening to this from afar, I can't help but wonder how Ellie feels.

I can't let them ruin her graduation like this.

"Cheer up."

Ellie's ears perked up at the muttered words.

Red eyes that had been darting around came into focus.

Ellie stood on the dais, her expression stoic, then gradually lifted her head and turned her gaze to the second floor.

Ruby-red eyes peeked out from behind the helmet and into my field of vision.

As she stared at me, I shouted in a loud voice.

"Be brave!!! Ellie!!!"

A thick, booming voice echoed through the silent auditorium.

"You can do it!!! Come on!!!"

The thunderous voice, which had been raised from a single battle and was only used to provoke large monsters, rang out, and the attention of the surrounding people poured in.

"Go, Ellie!"

Diana calls out, smiling broadly, and the positive vibe gradually spreads through the auditorium.

"Come on, Ellie!"

"You're going to give a great speech, what an experience!"

"If you were born a girl, you should be able to do things like this! Others can't even if they want to! Ellie! Ellie!"

It's possible that these are simply flattering remarks to Ellie, Ordia's daughter.

Regardless, there was no adult in the room to spew venomous words at the students who were about to finish their studies and face the world.

The atmosphere centered on the second floor eventually spread to the first floor and beyond, reaching Ellie.

"Ugh, ugh!"

Ellie's face flushed red, her ears pricked up, and he finally regained her composure.

Taking a deep breath and stepping away from the microphone for a moment, Ellie looks up at me on the second floor and quietly purses her lips.

– Thank you.

Her lips closed tightly as she tried to say 'me'.

– ...Brother.

A new title was formed in her mouth.

Ellie opened her lips, her face full of confidence and the valedictorian speech had been a success.

Chapter 107: Graduation Ceremony (3)

Teaching assistant Gelsia listened to Ellie's speech from the corner of the auditorium.

Ellie Ordia, the daughter of Diana Ordia, the leader of the party that once came closest to reaching the very heart of the Labyrinth, a party that is almost a legend among explorers.

Though the details of this story are not known to the outside world, Gelsia, who often hears about it among the professors, was even more interested in Ellie.

So, when she entered the Labyrinth, she volunteered to be an assistant to Ellie's group.

'Yeah. Come to think of it, it was from then.'

She and Ellie had been escorted by the man's party.

She turned her head to the second floor and saw a man looking down at Ellie with a smirk on his face.

Balkan, a man who had just killed a mutated minotaur with a skill beyond that of a novice explorer.

At the same time, he was strangely wary of her.

'I've been spotted...?'

Gelsia thought for a moment and shook her head. There was no way he would have noticed.

Right now, she was being blackmailed.

Or, more accurately, her mother was being threatened, not Gelsia.

Like many Academy graduates, Gelsia's family was well-off.

Her mother was a typical merchant but a few years ago, her mother's business began to go downhill.

The business went from bad to worse, and Gelsia's mother borrowed money here and there to make ends meet but it didn't make up for the losses.

Her mother eventually reached out for help where she shouldn't have and accepted black money from outlaws.

Still, the business spiraled out of control, and the helpers who didn't get their money back turned around and started showing malice.

-Hey. Your daughter is an academy assistant. You raised your children well. You may not know business, but you are good at raising children.

Gelsia still remembers clearly the moment when the outlaw named Vesta slapped her mother across the cheek and looked down at her.

-I'll pay you back, I'll pay you back slowly, I'll graduate in just a few years...

-Ha. Fuck. When are you going to pay back all that money, asshole.

Pfft!!!

With a single fist deeply embedded in her temple, Gelsia gave up all resistance.

-You know what's more valuable than money? People and information. Speaking of which, do you have any disgruntled teaching assistants or students? Introduce me to them. Preferably ones with a knack for manipulating magic.

Vesta was more interested in other things than money.

She seemed to have a strong preference for those who worked with magic.

Teaching assistants who were skeptical of the academy and life, tempted to pay off their debts by divulging information about their students.

TA Gelsia shook her head, understandably.

As a TA, she loved the Academy but her mother grabbed her leg.

-Daughter, it's not too much to ask, is it? Just once, just once, with your eyes closed. Do you think your mother will come to her senses if she becomes a slave to these outlaws, eh?!!!

-Ha, but...

-Daughter. My proud daughter. Please, just once, for mommy's sake, please...

– ...

For the first time in her life, Gelsia closed her eyes in silence as she watched her mother kneel before her and beg.

The first person she passed information about was a special slave named Reichem, who was widely known even within the academy.

A month after she gave Vesta the information, she was passing by Professor Arpo's lab and overheard that Reichem had disappeared.

-I heard that Reichem disappeared, where is she?

-Ah, her? She's doing fine, don't worry too much.

– ...

After several weeks of not being able to sleep due to the increasing anxiety and guilt, Vesta came back with a grim face.

-I want to get into the academy.

-Ha, but on this day...

It was the long-awaited graduation day.

-You don't like it? Your mother has been getting thinner and thinner lately. Do you miss seeing her for the rest of your life? Oh, if your mother dies, it's your father next. If you're unlucky, you might see your father in a brothel.

Gelsia couldn't refuse Vesta.

She ended up sneaking them into the academy in a large oak barrel under the guise of purchasing alcohol for a dinner party.

She hoped they'd be caught, but the guards didn't seem to suspect anything, since they saw teaching assistants doing odd jobs for years.

-Uh-oh.

Gelsia nervously picked at her thumb nails.

"Nothing's going to happen, nothing's going to happen..."

Repeating herself wouldn't change anything. She'd already let the outlaws in. She'd already made herself an accomplice to them.

She didn't know what they were up to at the academy, but she hoped it would end with nothing more than theft of documents and no casualties.

However, in the back of her mind, though, Gelsia knew that was not it.

If they were going to do something like that, they could have just made her do it.

The outlaws had obviously come to the Academy for human business and it was, most likely, a kidnapping, because that's how Reichem disappeared.

Feeling as though she was suffocating from the guilt that was weighing down her lungs, Assistant Gelsia lifted her head to let out a sigh.

"Hmph!"

And then she swallowed hard.

Balkan had been looking at Ellie, and now he was glaring at her over his helmet.

No, that wasn't it; she had been looking at him first, unconsciously.

Gelsia looked away from him, and for a moment, she felt a speculation flicker through her mind.

Ellie had dared to leave the safety of Barrier to help Balkan during the attack by the mutated minotaur.

Ellie and Balkan, who had seemed friendly since they left the labyrinth.

Balkan shouting at Ellie to be brave before her speech, and Ellie responding in kind.

And, crucially, Balkan nodded his head when asked if he was a parent.

"...What?"

It was a small suspicion, but when you put it in context, everything that had happened between them fits together neatly.

"Father and daughter?"

If they are, it means they have Diana Ordia by their side.

Assistant Gelsia began to formulate a hypothesis in her head.

'What if we could catch those outlaws… even now?'

If they were imprisoned by the Guards, the debt owed to them would naturally be lessened, and this terrible guilt would be relieved.

Any harm that might have been done would be eliminated.

-If you're suffering from anything, feel free to let me know. I'm an explorer myself, so I'm open to non-lethal requests.

Balkan's words echoed in her head as she ascended to the second floor.

After a moment's hesitation, Gelsia made her decision.

***

After Ellie's speech, Diana and I hurried down from the second floor.

"Is Ellie Ordia his daughter, by any chance?"

"No way. Then is the person next to him...?"

"No, but that's not quite right, how could that sleazy, lascivious, fleshy body be Diana Ordia, she looks like a total dud?"

"Hmm, is that so? No, she's retired, so maybe her body shape has changed over the years..."

"In the first place, Ellie called that guy mister. Isn't he just an acquaintance?"

"Even if it's just an acquaintance, it's worth it because they seem so intimate."

"Hmph, I'm the guy over there in the Explorers' District who owns a small crafting business-"

The parents who had seen Ellie and me chatting on the second floor rolled their eyes and tried to make conversation.

I was here to make connections, but I didn't need connections that were trying to poke straws into Diana's and my relationship.

In this respect, I vaguely understood Ellie's feelings.

I needed someone who would see Balkan as an explorer and invest in me.

That being said, I'm going to have to make the best of this situation until I've established some kind of a foothold.

I quickly left the great hall and entered the carriage, and only then did the surroundings fall silent.

"Fleshy body..."

A frowning Diana muttered to herself as she looked down at her body.

Apparently, what she had heard earlier had bothered her quite a bit.

"Balkan. Am I really fat?"

"No, you're not. Don't you remember the bodies of the people who said that earlier? They were just jealous, and you're looking your best right now."

There was not a hint of insincerity in my voice.

I honestly couldn't imagine Diana without her MILF body.

"...Hoo-hoo. So...?"

She suppressed the corners of her mouth that were about to curl up, but I could tell she was amused by my words.

After a while, Ellie, her face covered by a large wizard's hat, entered the carriage.

I had motioned for her to follow me to the carriage after her speech.

Ellie took off her hat and casually plopped down next to me.

"Fuuuu... They were more talkative than usual, so it was hard to get rid of them..."

"Hoo hoo. Good job. Ellie."

Diana, sitting across from Ellie, grinned and hugged her tightly as soon as she saw her.

"That was a great speech, you've been working so hard."

"Uhhhh."

Ellie squirmed in Diana's arms for a moment, then bowed her head, holding her breath at the word "hard".

Perhaps overwhelmed with emotion, Ellie quietly lifted her hand and wrapped it around Diana's back.

For a few seconds, I watched as the mother-daughter bond grew stronger.

Embarrassed, Ellie pulled away from Diana's embrace and glared at me.

"But mister, what the hell was that?! I was so embarrassed!"

Was it because she was feeling shy that she called me oppa?

However now the title reverted back to mister.

"Why? It was nice, wasn't it? People just yelling your name. It's so encouraging. I don't get many opportunities like this."

"But, yeah, it was embarrassing."

Ellie's voice got smaller and smaller.

It seemed that she was used to other people's comparisons and devaluation, but not to genuine support.

"...Well, it was still nice of you, though, hahaha-"

I put my hand on the redhead's head and stroked it, and Ellie let out an odd groan and laughed.

"Your bangs are all messed up. There's a dinner party coming up soon. Shouldn't you wear a dress?"

"Oh. I left my clothes at my old dorm in a hurry...I don't think I can put them on by myself."

"Hee hee, I'll help you. I'll get you a new haircut."

Diana and Ellie's conversation flowed well together.

'Ellie was a bit of a wreck before she went to the royal palace.'

They met up a few days ago to go dress shopping and talk, and it seemed to work.

"I think we have some free time, so why don't we go to the dormitory together, Balkan?"

I paused to consider Diana's suggestion, but then Ellie jumped in with a wave of her hand.

"Hey, an old man coming into my room?! T, that's a bit...!"

"What's wrong with that? I'm here, so it's not a problem."

"Well, it's just that. I've been at the academy for a few days...it's not a total mess...just a little unorganized..."

"Oh..."

Deanna heard Ellie's whisper and let out a short gasp.

Ellie's dorm room was a mess.

The thought of a room where she'd obviously thrown away her bra and other clothes, but had at least had the decency to keep her panties in order piqued my interest but for now, I was more concerned with the familiar figures milling around the carriage.

"I don't mind, there's a lot of interesting stuff in the Academy, I'll just look around a bit and then we'll make it to the ballroom in time."

"Sure, sure."

The ballroom was close to the Auditorium, but the dormitories were a bit farther away.

Diana and Ellie took the carriage and headed for the dormitories, and I got out of the carriage and started walking aimlessly through the Academy grounds.

I could feel a human figure following me.

I took a leisurely pace and headed for the least populated area I could find.

"...You noticed."

As soon as I was out of sight, the figure behind me spoke up.

I didn't bother to answer, turned around and saw Professor Mankostil assistant, Gelsia.

I had sensed something was amiss with her behavior, but it was a hunch, a gut feeling without any evidence.

It was only when I felt Gelsia's gaze on me, even during Ellie's speech, that my suspicions turned into doubts and now, here, the suspicion had turned to certainty.

-If you are so sure that there will be an attack by outlaws, there may be an informant ...

I remembered the conversation I had with Diana in the carriage, sharing information.

An informant…someone who would have let the outlaws into the Academy and given them the opportunity to attack.

Why would such a person seek me out?

The reason was clear from the look on Gelsia's face.

'I see. All of you assistants think alike.'

That's the same face I saw when Reichem betrayed the Blues Clan and leaked the information.

Chapter 108: Graduation Ceremony (4)

Gelsia followed Balkan with nervous steps.

Balkan was deliberately heading off the beaten path, which meant he knew he was being followed.

"So, you're the informant."

"...!"

As if on cue, he saw right through her as soon as she appeared.

'I see.'

Balkan had already realized that the outlaws were going to attack.

Not only that, but that he was communicating with them.

There was no point in hiding it any longer.

Unlike their encounter in the auditorium a few hours earlier, Gelsia had been forthright about the incident.

The situation she was in, what she had done, and the information that outlaws were now inside the Academy.

As she spoke, she often tried to analyze his reactions through his facial expressions, but was unsuccessful as his face was hidden by his helmet.

Eventually, her gaze fell on his eyes.

When she met those cold pupils, she instinctively shrank back.

"Why are you telling me all this?"

"...No matter what the situation is, if the outlaws commit a crime, I will also become an accomplice. All the efforts made at the Academy should not go down the drain. Also..."

Once she started confessing, she couldn't stop talking.

The anxiety of a ruined life, the guilt of sacrificing her fellow assistant, Reichem, to the outlaws, was overwhelming.

When she finally got it all out, she felt an unexplainable sense of relief.

Balkan, on the other hand, frowned as he looked at TA Gelsia, who continued her confession with a pleased expression.

'So, it was for your own good in the end.'

She did what she did because she was blackmailed, but looking back, she feels scared.

She's worried that being honest with the professor will destroy her career so she asks Balkan to step in and help her.

That was Gelsia's motivation for confessing.

'It's a shame that her parents are in this mess, but honestly, it's none of my business.'

He put aside the distractions and focused on one truth.

What mattered was what he'd been told.

The appearance, demeanor, and power of the ten members of Clan Blues, including their leader, Vesta.

"In the end, you don't know that much, do you?"

"...Yes. They must have used disguise artifacts with illusion magic to change their appearance, since all ten of them are wanted outlaws."

Gelsia didn't know about the clan members' use of disguise artifacts.

There was no way to catch them by appearance but I had an idea.

"You don't even know the names of the outlaws?"

"I don't know all of them, but I know a few, including Vesta."

If I knew their names, I could run them against the status window.

This is apparently a perk that only I have in this world.

"Their purpose is most likely to kidnap students. Vesta seems to want human resources more than money, and she told me to have a carriage and a large oak barrel waiting for them to return around midnight...so given the timing, they'll do it at the dinner party. They're probably already infiltrating the ballroom by now."

I got some more information so I synthesized the information from Gelsia's confession.

First. The size and names of the Blues Clan members who infiltrated the Academy.

Second. The purpose of their attack, and the time they had to leave the Academy once they had accomplished their goal.

'Not a bad harvest.'

Up until now, I've only had vague information that the outlaws might be attacking, but now my speculation has turned into fact.

And now I have even more details.

"Are you okay with that?"

"..."

I glanced at Gelsia, who had been manipulated by Vesta into doing all this, but she still looked defeated.

"The outlaws haven't come forward yet. There's plenty of opportunity to turn back."

'But I'll end up in jail anyway.'

Gelsia cannot escape punishment for helping the outlaws, even if it was not of her own volition. but she can cleanse her tainted conscience.

"A chance to turn back..."

Gelsia's eyes light up for a moment as I offer her hope that she can redeem herself.

I watched her for a moment as she muttered quietly, and when her lips closed, I offered a suggestion.

"...You mean, you want me to do that?"

"Yes. If you want to prove that you really didn't mean it, you should take that risk."

"..."

Vesta must think she has Gelsia's leash tight, but now she's blurting out information in front of me.

'I need insurance in case things don't go well.'

This situation can be used to my advantage.

***

"So, you said you smuggled the Blues Clan into the oak barrels that held the wine?"

"Ah, yes."

"A person's scent can't be changed with a disguise artifact?"

"Yes."

Suddenly, I had an idea.

"Miao!"

As I thought about Shuding, a cat with a proud and elegant face popped out from my shadow.

It was the familiar left by Idelbert, Shuding.

This feline form could enter and exit the shadows at whim.

"What, what... in the shadows..."

A dumbfounded Gelsia glared at Shuding, but Shuding paid no attention and rubbed her face against my helmet.

Ever since Idelbert left Shuding in my care and went to the Labyrinth, I took her out often, fed her, trained her, played with her, and she quickly bonded with me.

She even understands me now.

"Shuding, do you know what green apple scent smells like?"

The scent of the wine is like a green apple and after hiding in the oak barrels that held it for days, the scent must have permeated their bodies.

"Meow-"

Smart Shuding nodded quickly.

"If there's anyone around here who has a strong green apple scent, and who has a bit of a rough or cheap vibe, can you come to me and let me know?"

"Miao-"

Shuding immediately nodded, though the order was probably too complicated and difficult for a mere cat.

"Right, right. Good job. Let's go!"

"Meow?!!"

When she was praised and spanked on the buttocks, Shuding was startled and her tail stood up and her body flinched.

"Myaooooong..."

Exhaling a sticky breath, Shuding began to stagger around the academy grounds, climbing the buildings with a shuffling gait.

It was now less than two hours until the dinner party started.

I finished talking to Assistant Gelsia and headed to the ballroom.

The ballroom was a stunning building, even for my not-so-aesthetic eyes.

As I walked through the wide-open doors, I was greeted by colorful chandeliers and long tables piled high with food.

"Haha. Mr. Jayden. Long time no see. How's business?"

"Well, my son was recommended as a vassal of the Copson family."

"Oh, look who it is, Professor Mankostil!"

It was still before opening time, and there were men in suits and women in dresses, each with a glass of champagne in their hand, chatting away.

There were a few professors among them.

'They're all old.'

I apologize for being so direct, but there was no hiding the truth.

Most of the people here are mothers or fathers of children.

They're at the age when wrinkles start to appear on their skin but it wasn't just old people.

"Do you feel sorry for me?"

"Aaaargh! Failed! Virgin confirmed!!…But I guess that's to be expected since they're my parents?"

"Crazy bitch... how could she do that in a place like this..."

"For her graduation project, she developed a virgin identification magic that can even see how many times she's mated. That's going to sell like hotcakes."

Graduates who had just shed their student t-shirts were milling around in their own attire.

I glanced around.

Diana and Ellie hadn't arrived yet.

"Heh! Look who it is, I haven't seen you in a while."

I turned at the sound of a voice beside me and saw an elderly woman with wrinkles on her face looking up at me.

"Professor Mankostil? Long time no see."

Professor Mankostil, the same face from my last escort assignment, smirked at me.

"How long has it been since I've seen you, and you're stronger than ever?"

"Haha. You flatter me."

"I'm not. You must be quite entertaining to watch, eh, if only you had more magic."

Professor Mankostil left it at that and laughed hysterically.

I laughed, too, sweating profusely.

If I had a talent for magic, I would have been Gelsia or Reichem No. 2.

I was terrified to think of the possibilities of my future as a graduate student.

"That offer still stands."

Professor Mankostil brought up the offer she had made the last time they parted ways.

-If you want to learn magic professionally, you can always come to me.

I had reserved that offer at the time.

I'm interested in magic, but it's too inefficient to delve into the subject in earnest now.

I'd rather find a mage I can trust.

"Haha... I appreciate the offer, but I'll have to think about it a bit more."

"Good. The door to learning is always open, and you're still young enough that you should learn more while you can."

I chatted with Professor Mankostil for a moment and looked around.

"...What's with that guy? Professor Mankostil with that kind smile..."

"If the professor is evaluating him like that, then I guess his skills are pretty good?"

"That helmet? No way. Is that the carriage I saw at the front gate?"

So many different reactions, so many different eyes.

"Professor. Excuse me."

"Okay. Okay. Got it."

As if reading my mood, Professor Mankostil tapped the floor with her cane.

A shallow wave of magic enveloped me and Professor Mankostil.

"Hut! Where's the Professor?"

"I don't know, did she disappear? Did she disappear with the man?"

The group around the professor scattered in panic.

"Silence and invisibility spells. No one can hear us, no one can see us. Oh, and don't move. It's a simple spell, and if you move, it will break. So, what do you have to say?"

As expected of a professor, she was quick to recognize.

'It seems like she has a connection with Diana, and she is someone who entered the 8th floor of the labyrinth alone for the students, so she is trustworthy.'

I quickly explained the situation.

The outlaws had infiltrated the academy and were trying to kidnap students.

"Hmmm. We'll have to stop them from leaving, then. We'll have to rally the scattered teaching assistants and guards."

As soon as Professor Mankostil heard me, she suggested the next move.

"...You believe me?"

"What's not to believe? You risked your life protecting my students from a mutated minotaur, and I don't think you'd deliberately lie to me."

My head snapped up as if I've been hit with a punch to the gut.

"Even if you did lie to me, it wouldn't matter much, because you'd have been incapable of lying for the rest of your life."

Professor Mankostil smiled, her forehead full of wrinkles, and a chill ran down my spine.

"That's not going to happen."

"So, what do you want me to do, and from the way you've been talking, I'm guessing you have something in mind?"

"We must stop the banquet immediately and use the disguise artifact to weed out the outlaws who have infiltrated the banquet hall before they kidnap the students and leave."

At my words, Professor Mankostil frowned.

"I'm afraid that's not possible. It's beyond my jurisdiction, and even if I could talk to the Dean, she'd refuse, the old woman's so stuck up she can't be guided. She's not about to show the Academy's weaknesses in front of the Second Princess."

I questioned Professor Mangosteel's words for a moment.

"You mean the 2nd Princess?"

"Yes. The 2nd Princess is attending the dinner party tonight. The Dean is hell-bent on making the party perfect at all costs, so she won't even mention stopping the banquet."

In short, she wants the event to go off without too much fuss and without offending anyone in high places.

"...That won't work, will it?"

"Yes. To prevent kidnapping, there will inevitably be a disturbance. But we can keep the noise down. Do you have any means of filtering out the outlaws?"

"Not all ten, but I can weed out about seven of them."

"That's good enough for me. Do you think you could help me with that?"

"Sure."

I didn't want any harm to come to the students or Ellie, and most of all.

'This is my chance.'

This was my chance to make the professor and the Academy owe me big debt, which would help me immensely in the future.

I had gotten myself into a lot of trouble, but the prospect of a reward was invigorating.

Professor Mankostil's wand gathered energy.

As the magic from the staff touched my body, a huge and strange flow of magic enveloped my body.

"Hmm. It's been a while since I've used magic, so it's a bit too much..."

"What is this?"

"It's the magic I just used. It's a silence and invisibility spell, but I put a little too much energy into it, so it should last for at least two months."

What, crazy?

"You're telling me I'm going to be invisible for two months?!"

"No, no. You can remove it at any time at your will. Well, consider it a temporary blessing."

I hope that Professor Mangosteel's words are right.

"Ugh…! What, what's going on all of a sudden?!"

The graduating student who was walking around the room stumbled back in surprise at my sudden appearance and wine spilled all over her dress.

Upon closer inspection, I saw that it was the punk graduate who had been gossiping about Ellie and my feelings of guilt immediately disappeared.

I stared down at the asshole for a moment before turning away.

"What, what was that? I swear, there was a person just now...?"

"Keep your eyes open. You know where you are. Always be on your guard."

"No, Mom. There really was!"

"Stupid!!!"

Sure enough, there was a person right in front of her, and then he was gone, leaving only the victim dumbfounded.

"...That's a lot of magic."

"With a little more effort, you can now move a few steps in a transparent state. However, be careful, because if you make any sudden movements, the effect will be released immediately. Those with excellent senses may notice."

For all of its drawbacks, it was a great spell and now I had the blessing of stealth for two months.

'You really made a mistake when using such sophisticated magic?'

It couldn't be.

My opponent was not a mere academy student, and a professor-level mage would make such a mistake.

This was a reward of sorts, a handout from Professor Mankostil herself.

"Now we can be quiet about this. I will certainly repay you for your help with the Academy. I'll do what I can to make sure the saboteurs don't get away with it."

"If the outlaws do withdraw, they'll be riding in Assistant Gelsia's carriage."

"...She's a good girl, how could she do this?"

Professor Mankostil seemed to realize that my short comment had revealed that Gelsia had been an informant.

I leaned down, leaving Professor Mankostil smiling bitterly.

"Miao-"

I hadn't even removed my invisibility before Shuding was crying at my feet.

"Did you find the target?"

"Miao!"

"Good."

As I patted its round black fur-covered buttocks, the black cat's tail wagged uncontrollably.

Obviously, my first impression was of an aggressive, edgy animal, but here she was, a pure pet.

I followed Shuding, who was walking in front of me with excitement, to an eerie balcony on the fourth floor of the ballroom.

"Uu…"

"Ugh. This guy is so drunk, he can't even speak properly. He's a fresh graduate."

"He's just asking to be fucked. Bitch. Fuck."

Two women in suits were harassing a drunken, half-masked male graduate who could barely control himself.

Up to this point, the scene was familiar enough to be seen on the street.

It's an aristocratic area, but aristocrats are no different, and what they do when they're drunk and horny is similar.

No, maybe they had harder and more eccentric tastes than everyone else because they were noble but the women before you were not of high standing.

Rather, the very bottom of the Labyrinth City.

"Hah. I want to have my way with him right now, but I have to put up with this."

"Just a little longer. When this is all over, I'll have enough money to hug these bastards until I'm sick of them. Isn't that what sister said?"

"Yeah. I have to endure it. But Sister is really bold. Even if she needs a slave who can handle magic, how can she raid the academy?"

"I don't know exactly, but it's not like she's dealing with a slave trade...no, I mean, it's not a normal organization. There must be a reason."

It was a line that made me cringe.

[Kepson Zillier LV.25]

[◆Curse of the 4112th Puppet]

[Valterri LV.27]

[◆Curse of the 3812th Puppet]

Their names matched the ones assistant Gelsia told me, along with the bizarre curse that seems to be a given.

I've cross-checked with the status window, so it's a sure thing that those two are outlaws from Clan Blues.

I cast the invisibility spell and placed my hands on the skulls of two women who hadn't even noticed my presence when I walked right up to them.

I grabbed one by the hair with my left hand and the other with my right.

"...whoa?"

"What, like someone's stroking my head-"

-Bam!

There was a crunching sound as the two women's skulls slammed together.

"Grrrr-"

Both of them were foaming at the mouth. They weren't dead, but they would probably retire for the night.

Covering the man's drunken, passed-out eyes, I pinned the two outlaws down and muttered.

"This is the taste of assassination."

Eight prey left.

Chapter 109: Graduation Ceremony (5)

I stripped the two female outlaws naked and tried to tie them up together, to subdue them more completely.

-poof

As I peeled off their clothes and the chain mail they were wearing, the brooches on their breastplates fell off.

The outlaws' faces were instantly transformed into different people and their body shapes changed slightly.

'So this brooch is a disguise artifact.'

Curious, I pinned the disguise artifact to my chest and looked at myself in a nearby mirror.

I'm slightly shorter, around 190, and my visible muscles have shrunk.

I also had long hair spilling out from under my helmet.

I checked my surroundings and removed my helmet, only to find that my face had been replaced by the face of Valterri, the outlaw I had just stunned.

Of course, only my appearance had changed, and touching my body revealed that I was still the same height and muscular body with the same masculine features.

"Ah."

I said out loud, and a female voice came out. I don't know how this works.

'I don't know, but I'm guessing it's the same illusionary magic Reichem used to deal with.'

Suddenly, an idea flashed through my mind.

'Maybe this would make things easier.'

Another outlaw named Copson also wore a disguise artifact brooch on her chest.

It's a mark of identification among outlaws, which means I can pretend to be a member of the Blues Clan.

'Invisibility magic isn't everything, so it's nice to have something like this.'

Invisibility spells are convenient, but they have some limitations.

If I activate invisibility and walk more than 15 steps, the invisibility will be removed, and those who are sensitive to movement detection may notice.

The Disguise Artifact, however, has none of those drawbacks.

'It's more useful if I'm trying to get closer to the outlaws and lower their guard.'

I hid the helm in the corner of the balcony for a while.

There were quite a few people who recognized it now, and it would attract unnecessary attention.

"I'll borrow it for a while."

I peeled off the half-mask worn by the drunken, unintelligible male graduate and placed it over my face, just in case the disguise artifact came undone.

"Miao-ong!"

Shuding perched on my shoulder and I stroked her toned stomach, and said.

"That's right. Lead the way. Let's go."

It's time to become Assassin's Creed of the Labyrinth City.

***

"Grrrr-"

The eyes of the guy I was strangling rolled back.

I've captured my fifth target.

Grrrr-

"Ouch."

This time it was a little dangerous. I almost broke my invisibility by exceeding my step limit, but I managed to subdue them quickly.

Five naked outlaws were bundled up like oysters and locked in a storage room beneath the ballroom roof.

I had originally planned to put them on the roof.

"Slurp – haa – honey..."

"Uh, sleep, sleep, sleep."

It was still an hour until the dinner party was scheduled to start, and already the wine-drunk, bleary-eyed couple was making out on the roof.

"Fuck. Some people can't even enjoy themselves properly and they are like this..."

I felt a rush of frustration, but it was the path I chose, so my complaints were short-lived.

The hardships I was going through now would definitely pay off later.

For now, it was time to struggle a little more.

"Miao-"

I set the route according to Shuding's cries, which had become my navigation system.

Our destination was a corner of a dingy garden outside the banquet hall where two women in suits were having a secret meeting.

I stared at their chests and like the five I had already captured, they had disguise artifacts on their chests.

[James LV.34]

[◆Blessing of Detection]

[◆Blessing of the 3312th Puppet]

[Bones Ahil LV.23]

[◆Blessing of the 4919th Puppet

The status window confirms his name, confirming that he is an outlaw.

'Good interrogation.'

While capturing five outlaws, I lightly tortured two of them while they were still conscious and I was able to get names out of them that Assistant Gelsia didn't recognize.

In fact, that James guy was a name I hadn't heard before.

'He's not a Gurmimi, but he's high level. Is he an officer?'

I needed to be a little more cautious.

I scanned my surroundings, waiting for the right moment.

"They're about to report that they're done kidnapping a couple people."

"Something's going on, don't you think, or have you already noticed?"

"...No, of course not. There are no holes for the information to leak out, and the TA is being squeezed by sister."

James shook his head with conviction.

"Are you sure they're not just playing around?"

"...No matter what, they're not the kind of people who would go to such lengths."

"Hmm… Okay. Sister, Kalino, and Dray went to target the big game, so we'll take care of the rest…"

I captured five outlaws so far, which only left the two in front of me, and the leader, Vesta, who seems to have headed elsewhere with the other two.

I've gotten all the information I can get so I activated my invisibility spell and approached them.

With a fifteen-step limit, I maximize my stride with each step, but at the same time, I stalk my prey with careful steps.

One step, two steps.

Five steps, six steps.

I'm within striking distance in the remaining nine steps. If only the last six steps had been enough.

"Who is it?!"

James, the one with the [Blessing of Detection], whipped his head in my direction. I immediately disengaged my invisibility.

"James...!"

I called out to him in my best, most desperate voice.

"What's up?"

Bones Ahil shook her head at my mask, but James recognized me.

"No. The voice, the brooch, the disguised face... is that Valterri?"

"Yes. Ugh."

I strode toward them, holding my arm as if it would break and with a pained expression on my face.

I immediately dropped to one knee and cowered.

Sure enough, they reacted as expected.

Panicked, they leaned in close to me.

"What the hell happened? Where's Copson, who went with you? What happened to your arm?!"

"It looks like the plan was blown, all the others were caught, I was the only one who managed to escape-"

"What? Is that true?!"

"Uh, the professors are scouring the ballroom like crazy. Uh, we have to run away...!"

If I put a huge virtual enemy in front of their eyes, their eyes will be turned elsewhere and not at me, who is continuing my awkward acting in disguise.

"Then, then sister who is still at the banquet hall–"

Vesta is still in the ballroom?

"I already told sister. I was told to prepare the carriage first, so I'm on my way there...!"

This was also a lie.

"Really?! Good!"

Seeing the look in their eyes it seems my plan worked.

"I'm sorry about the other five, but it can't be helped. I'm sure you and Kalino will land the big one. You should do as sister says and have the assistant get the carriage ready. Let's go!"

James and Bones Ahil, who had shared a look and turned away.

I, too, rose cautiously, keeping my weight forward.

The moment they looked away from me to signal a threat other than me and check their next objective…

'Now.'

I seized the opportunity, put all my weight on my front foot and tensed my lower body.

With their backs to me, I lunged at them like a tiger pouncing on its prey and immediately grabbed the back of the woman's head.

James, who had noticed my sudden change in demeanor, looked back, but it was too late.

-Koooooow!

Bones Ahil, who had fallen face first to the ground, instantly, lost consciousness.

"Ughhhh!"

James, who had been pinned from down, struggled to get up, but I immediately crushed his neck.

"Grrrrrrrr!"

James, unable to even breathe properly, slammed his fist into my shoe.

"Pole-keh-ek-?!"

Fear-filled eyes turned to my face.

Looking up, they seemed to be asking, "Who are you? Who the hell are you?"

I was not obligated to tell.

-Tsk.

I choked him, and he spat foam from his mouth and tilted his head.

Three outlaws remained, including the leader, Vesta.

I dragged the two unconscious outlaws to the back of the garden.

Again, stripping them naked and tying them together. I did it five times, and they were tied up nicely.

-Whoosh.

I looked up at the sky, frowning at the sudden gust of wind.

"...What was that?"

Ellie, dressed in a black dress, was flying through the air.

'No, no.'

I rubbed my eyes and looked at the sky again.

The colors overlapped with the night sky.

Ellie wasn't flying, she was being kidnapped by three women in black suits.

"Holy shit."

Those assholes had touched the bomb.

A strategic nuclear bomb, named Diana.