The Case of the Missing Snack

I guess I’d been overlooking just how important image is. Before the rumor Bella spread had even made its way around to every student in the Academy, I was already having to repeat a strange experience.

,Hey, you’re Roel’s little brother, right? Take this. It’s a handmade cookie baked by our club. Come hang out with your brother at the club sometime! It’s called Magical Cuisine, and it’s on the 3rd floor of the annex. You can join the club if you want!”

Starting with a 2nd-year senior I’d never seen before handing me a bag of cookies on my desk with a casual attitude, people wanting to build a friendship with Roel, the youngest Transcender on the continent, came without fail every break time. Thanks to that, my desk was piled high with things that were pretty much bribes.

Receiving favors from strangers was pretty exhausting, so even though it was the end of October and the traces of summer had disappeared, I had to force an awkward smile and say thank you, which made my forehead sweat.

If I hadn’t grabbed Lacar by the scruff of his neck as he was trying to sneak away, I definitely would have been surrounded by people all alone. That’s why it’s good to have friends. Sharing discomfort makes it a little less, after all.

After school.

After stopping by the training grounds with Lacar, I returned to the club room and decided to take a break. Lacar said he had a date with his fiancée, Elena, and left the club room right away.

Luna isn’t coming to the club room today. She decided to go to the library to study magic engineering in preparation for the promotion exam. Not only Luna, but the atmosphere in the Academy these days is a bit sensitive because of the promotion exam. I thought about studying with Luna, but I didn’t want to get in the way, so I didn’t follow her.

Without even changing out of my uniform, I flopped down on the soft sofa. Today, a light rain was falling on the ceiling of the club room. The soft sound of rain created a good atmosphere for reading. Reaching out to the side of the sofa, I took out Patouga’s magic book from the space warehouse and slowly read through the section on portals.

I had plenty of time to make an improved portal before the next Modiste meeting. I’d already asked Estelle for the materials in advance. As I was looking at the formula made up of countless runes and shapes, I suddenly heard a rustling sound from somewhere.

I thought I was alone in the club room, so I half-raised my body, and then I made eye contact with Aria, who had just woken up from the bed. She must have slept really well, because there were clear drool marks on her mouth and pillow marks on her face.

,What, you were here?”

I laid my upper body back down and said that. Aria wiped her mouth with her hand and made a V sign with her fingers as if she was showing off.

,Hehe, today the master is on a business trip, so there’s no training! It’s time to make up for all the laziness I’ve been lacking!”

I didn’t think it was worth replying, so I went back to reading the book. Then, Aria looked around the bed for a while, looking for something, and came to me.

,Ross!”

For some reason, Aria was shouting my name and flailing her arms and legs as if she was angry, so I looked up over the book. Aria put her hands on her hips and gave me a scary look.

Did I do something to deserve this look? I don’t think so yet. I hesitated for a moment and asked.

,…You’re not going to blame me for something I did in your dream, are you?”

Then Aria told me not to talk nonsense and pretended to flick my forehead. Then what the hell is it…? Aria met my eyes with a serious expression and opened her mouth with a heavy face.

,I definitely put the snack next to my pillow to eat when I woke up. But when I woke up, it was gone without a trace. It’s the case of the missing snack…!”

When I turned over to the other side without saying a word, Aria grabbed my arm and shook it. My vision was shaking back and forth.

,This is a case. It’s a case…!”

,Just buy another one.”

I waved my hand and said that, and suddenly Aria hit the back of my hand.

,Ross! Tell me honestly, even now. You secretly ate my snack while I was sleeping, didn’t you? Right now, the most likely suspect is you, the only one left at the scene! I demand Ross’s explanation! Ro-hae-yo! Ro-hae-yo! Ro-hae-yo!”

I sighed and put away the book that was covering my face. A case, huh? As the head of the club room, I can’t just stand by.

,Here, pick anything you want to eat. These are the snacks I got today. There are also handmade cookies.”

I took out the snacks and cookies from the space warehouse and put them on the table, and then I tried to lie back down on the sofa to read the book, but Aria screamed.

,No! This isn’t my snack!”

,Oh-ho, so you’re saying that these delicious-looking cookies aren’t yours either?”

I said in a theatrical tone, and Aria knelt down and shook her head as if she had been waiting for it. This is a great performance.

,No! My snack is the limited edition chestnut snack set from the Entourage Cafe that they only sell to 100 people a day! These delicious handmade cookies here aren’t mine!”

,You’re a good kid. Then just eat what’s here.”

,Bbaeeeeeeeeeng-!!!”

I guess it’s no use.

Because Aria kept grabbing my arm and shaking it, I had no choice but to sigh and get up from the sofa. I put Patouga’s magic book in the space warehouse and asked.

,Okay, I’ll solve the case for you. Did you check near the bed? Under the bed or the pillow?”

,Of course I checked there first! There’s nothing there!”

Aria lifted the blanket and pillow high as if to tell me to check myself. Just in case, I checked the gap between the bed and the mattress, but there was nothing there.

I put my hand on my chin and asked with a hmm sound.

,Then how big is the snack?”

,About half the size of the pillow?”

,What about the packaging of the snack?”

,A paper box!”

…….

If it’s half the size of the pillow, it’s big enough to be easily seen even if it falls somewhere. But there was nothing on the carpet in the club room. In that case, it was more convincing that someone had broken into the club room and stolen the snack.

,The security magic in the club room shouldn’t have been breached.”

Even Estelle can’t sneak into the club room. The assumption that a student broke in is discarded. Then the culprit is among the members…?

Aria seemed to have thought of something, too. She put her finger to her mouth and thought for a moment, then said with a helpless expression.

,Ross. I’ll forgive you if you give me back half.”

,…It wasn’t me.”

I can’t believe you don’t trust me like that. How many snacks have I given you so far…? I’m a little sad. Actually, I didn’t mind the price of the snack.

That’s because Aria’s parents heard that Aria was getting snacks from me, so they sent me a lot of money separately. I didn’t use it, but I got plenty of friend money, too. Of course, even if I didn’t get the money, I would have given Aria the snack. Because she’s my friend.

Okay, let’s think again. If someone wants to take the snack next to Aria’s pillow while she’s sleeping, they have to be able to open the door to the club room. All the members have the key.

If I use the process of elimination to narrow down the suspects, I’ll exclude the kind Luna first. Of course, I don’t remember eating the snack either, so I’m not a suspect. Lacar stopped by the club room for a while, but he didn’t go near the bed where Aria was sleeping, so he’s excluded. Then the only one left is Kane, who hasn’t shown up yet.

I can’t rashly conclude who the suspect is, but there’s a high probability that Kane is the culprit in the case of the missing snack. When I explained my reasoning, Aria stomped her foot on the carpet as if she knew it.

,That bad guy…! How many times have I shared my delicious snacks with him!”

While Aria was clenching her fists with a voice full of betrayal, Kane opened the door and came in at a good time. He had a nonchalant expression as if he didn’t know anything.

,What are you doing- Ack! Are you crazy!”

Kane, who was suddenly hit on the head, pushed Aria’s forehead and ran away behind the sofa. It’s a quick decision that doesn’t suit the Alchemy Department.

Aria, who was confronting Kane with the sofa in the middle, shouted as she ran to grab Kane.

,Give me back my snack!!!”

,Are you crazy! You’re nagging me as soon as I get here. Did you leave your snack with me!”

,You’re the only culprit!”

,No, what culprit…!!!”

I thought they would fight on their own as usual, so I slipped to the side, and then I stepped on something. It was a neatly folded paper box next to the trash can in the club room, which I had put next to the mobile whiteboard.

When Aria, who had climbed onto the sofa, threw herself at Kane with a scream, I picked up the paper box and checked it. The logo of the Entourage Cafe was clearly written on the paper.

It felt like time had stopped for a moment. I couldn’t hear Aria’s screams as she was tearing at Kane’s hair, or Kane’s high-pitched screams.

If Kane was really the culprit, he wouldn’t have neatly folded the paper box and put it next to the trash can. If he was just planning to tease Aria, it would have been more effective to let her wake up and see the empty box.

If Kane isn’t the culprit… there’s only one person who could have folded the paper box and put it next to the trash can. A member who I didn’t meet after school and can’t prove their alibi.

Luna.

But I couldn’t believe that Luna would have stolen Aria’s snack. In that case, it’s right to hear the truth of the case from the person involved.

I pulled Aria away from Kane, who was screaming, and told her that there might be a clue to find the real culprit in the library.

,Then let’s go right away! I need solid evidence that Kane is the culprit to hit him more!”

,Yeah! Catch the real culprit! I’m really冤枉(wǒn wang)!”

I followed the two people who were running to the library.

***

The library was full of students preparing for the promotion exam. It was surprisingly easy to find Luna among the people filling the long table. I just looked around and Luna immediately caught my eye.

I quietly approached Luna and tapped her on the shoulder, and Luna looked at me with wide eyes as she was concentrating on studying. I felt sorry for disturbing her study, but I needed Luna’s help to solve the case.

I couldn’t be loud in the library, so I took Luna outside where Aria and Kane were waiting.

,What’s wrong…?”

In Luna’s worried eyes, I grabbed Aria’s head as she was trying to bite Kane’s arm and explained the situation simply.

,Aria woke up and found that the snack she was going to eat was gone. So I was looking for the snack. But someone cleaned up the box of that snack next to the trash can in the club room… Do you know anything about it?”

Luna, who heard my words, nodded with a flustered face.

,Yeah. I cleaned up the box.”

Aria, who was about to bite Kane, stopped her actions and looked up at Luna.

,The Luna I trusted betrayed, betrayed me…?!”

With a face full of betrayal, Aria’s eyes welled up with tears, and Luna shook her hands in embarrassment.

,B, but I didn’t eat the snack. I just cleaned up the empty box that was on the floor…?”

,Hey, hey! The evidence is out, so are you going to deny it!”

I lightly punched Kane, who was playfully shouting with his eyebrows raised, and asked Luna.

,Empty box?”

Luna nodded her head slightly with a flustered look at my words. Then, at Luna’s next words, Kane and I turned our heads to Aria at the same time.

,Aria was eating a snack while she was sleeping… So I thought she had eaten it all and cleaned it up.”

Aria, who received our gaze, said, ,Lies…!” and then suddenly closed her mouth. She must have remembered something now.

At that sight, Kane cracked his knuckles with a wooddeuk- sound, and Aria looked up at the sky and muttered in a bitter voice.

,Wasn’t eating the delicious snack a dream after all…?”

,Catch her.”

At my command, Kane ran to Aria, waving his head. Kane frantically followed Aria, who turned around and ran away.

That’s how the case of the missing snack was solved in vain. The culprit is the victim herself, so it feels like I saw an ending like, “It was all a dream!”

Luna, who understood the situation, let out a sigh of relief and smiled slightly. As expected, our Luna would never do that. Unless the world line changes, the innocent Luna, who doesn’t even know how to get angry, would never steal a snack.

Before Luna went back to the library. I remembered that I had received a call during lunch that the preparation of the product was finished.

,Luna, shall we go on a date outside tomorrow?”

,Tomorrow…?”

There’s a promotion exam soon, but it’s good for your mental health to take a break for a day. She seemed to be worried about what to do, pouting her lips slightly, so I gently reached out and wrapped my arm around her waist and met Luna’s eyes. I naturally pressed my lips against hers and whispered softly.

,I’ll dress up as nicely as possible tomorrow.”

At my seduction, Luna blushed slightly and nodded her head diligently.