Ch.216216 …Tell the Foundation Representative to Come Out.

<216 – …Tell the Foundation Representative to Come Out>

Academy external activities were surprisingly profitable.

The Clown Mask Group was a mid-tier organization among evil organizations.

They had many strong members, and the organizational quests they performed were inherently challenging.

“Show me the most difficult ones you have here!”

Taking it a step further, I increased the difficulty to suit a veteran player’s taste.

Normally, NPCs wouldn’t readily show high-level quests regardless of one’s skill unless they achieved a certain level of organizational contribution and built trust.

“Our organization requires contribution achievements before we can—GAAACK!”

“Oh my. You suddenly seem unwell! Someone else will have to help me. You can show me the most difficult quests here, right?”

Seeing the previous manager spewing black smoke from his mouth after being poisoned by dark mana, the new executive handed over the quest parchment with a completely stiff face.

Dark mana has the risk of causing magic to mutate in strange ways when used carelessly, making it difficult to use, but it’s quite convenient in criminal organizations.

Just injecting some mana automatically incapacitates them with dark mana poisoning, making everyone tremble in fear!

[Your repeated threats using dark mana have terrified the organization <Clown Mask Group>.]

[Fear Inducement experience +5]

[Intimidation experience +5]

[Mana Technique experience +5]

[Bad Kid experience +1]

[You have successfully completed the Circus Beast Capture (Highest Grade) mission.]

[Clown Mask Group contribution increases by 10 million.]

[Taming experience +50]

[Dark Thorn Vine Root Creation experience +20]

[Hanging experience +10]

[Crying Sound experience +10]

[Strategy Planning experience +5]

[Tracking experience +5]

[Detection experience +5]

[Intimidation experience +5]

[Bad Kid experience +3]

[You have successfully completed the Elimination of Organization Fugitive mission.]

[Clown Mask Group contribution increases by 8.5 million.]

[Intimidation experience +50]

[Mana Technique experience +20]

[Thinking Ability experience +20]

[Psychological Prediction experience +10]

[Strategy Planning experience +10]

[Bad Kid experience +5]

I went to the location of the fugitive I already knew about, took a hostage to threaten them, then quickly finished the job, and also captured a magical beast for the organization to use as a front for infiltrating high-level areas.

The rapidly accumulated contribution points serve as proof of trust.

Now I can use them to hire organization members for personal activities, mobilize the organization for my operations, or assign them missions.

[You have continuously consumed different rare dishes for ten days.]

[<Collection Appraisal Eye> that identifies uncollected dishes in the compendium has been activated for a certain period.]

This is truly 200% customer satisfaction.

I’m so happy.

I wish I could stay here for two more weeks and eat all the rare dishes.

If I earn just a bit more contribution, I could control the entire <Clown Mask Group> after becoming an upperclassman or graduating.

You might wonder what use these trash who kidnap children could be, but this is where thinking outside the box comes in.

Conversely, if I give them different missions to prevent them from carrying out their evil tasks, it reduces the number of children falling victim to kidnapping and forced education during that period.

‘I’m sure there was a list of derivative events caused by these guys around this time.’

An event where orphans collectively disappear from the territory and the orphanage requests an investigation.

An event where you obtain information that the orphanage director sold children to a man wearing a clown mask and follow him.

An event where you infiltrate the clown masks’ circus hideout to directly observe the condition of the abducted children through undercover or infiltration investigation.

An event where you team up with the local lord or mercenaries to rescue children asking for help.

An event where you survive the Clown Mask Group’s retaliation and engage in all-out war.

If the lord you asked for help is their protector, an event where you report the crimes in the territory to other territories and receive guild assistance.

There are truly numerous events lined up waiting, and if runaway teenagers are mixed among the kidnapped children, the number of events multiplies several times depending on their background.

However, this chain of quests is a trap because preventing the situation in advance and using them for gain is more beneficial than following the quest route for rewards.

‘The rewards aren’t great for the time invested. The final rewards aren’t even that good.’

Savior of Orphans title.

Guild Certificate of Appreciation.

Lord’s Recognition.

None of these are better than friendship with Arcadia Ceviche.

This is why the game is called <Graduating from Academy with Luck>.

The core of the game is graduating from the Academy.

The further you get from the Academy or students, the less important the events and rewards become.

The Clown Mask Group chain quest is something you’d only activate when you have no NPCs with deep relationships by vacation or when you urgently need to improve your specs.

“Found you. Oknodie, have you been well?”

“Ah, Professor Destroyer!”

Meeting an acquaintance in an unexpected place feels much more pleasant than usual.

Like meeting someone from your country while abroad or running into a friend while traveling, Professor Destroyer’s appearance was surprising.

“Please give my regards to Isabelle. I still have things to collect outside, so I’ll be back soon!”

That’s that and this is this.

I’ve come out to be efficient, and I won’t feel satisfied until I finish my collection work and organization quests.

But the professor was quite stubborn too.

“…Tell the Foundation representative to come out.”

* * *

The supervisor appeared again with a smiling face.

“Let’s talk. I think we have a lot to discuss about Oknodie.”

“You’re most welcome.”

The supervisor felt completely relieved, like a painful tooth had been pulled.

Oknodie’s presence had been burdensome anyway.

Because the Clown Mask Group had grabbed an unmanageably strong magical beast from somewhere, tremendous attention was now focused on the area.

Luring orphans? Human trafficking?

They couldn’t even dream of it.

If they boldly committed crimes while all this attention was on them, mercenaries and territorial soldiers would swarm in until not a trace of the organization remained.

“The deadline to return Oknodie to the Foundation was three days ago. We’ve been considerate of the Foundation’s position, but it’s troubling when you respond like this.”

“I do feel sorry about it. But what can we do when it’s what the child wants?”

The supervisor thought to himself.

It wasn’t his will keeping her at the branch, but Oknodie’s own desire.

Please, just persuade Oknodie and take her away.

As an Academy professor, surely you can do that?

He wanted to exclude himself from all troublesome problems and pass the responsibility to the student-teacher relationship.

Call it the cowardly tactics of an adult avoiding responsibility if you want.

He would welcome anything if it meant freedom from Oknodie.

“…Oknodie. Is what he’s saying true?”

“Yes! Can’t I stay just a little longer? Please? I’m begging you.”

Oknodie was pleading like a child who went on a picnic and doesn’t want to go home.

To someone unaware of the situation, she might look endearing and cute, but to Destroyer, who knew he needed to be firm and scold her, this came as a shock.

‘It was only ten days. What on earth did they do to Oknodie in just ten days?’

He knew better than anyone how strong-willed that child was, having taught her himself.

He had personally witnessed the strength of the Foundation’s “master” by entering her nightmares.

That’s why he had his own conviction about how important they considered Oknodie’s “graduation.”

But the policy had changed.

The Foundation was trying to delay Oknodie’s graduation.

‘Their intentions have diverged. There are different factions.’

A faction that wants Oknodie to grow.

And conversely, a faction that wants her identity.

The man before him belonged to the faction wanting her identity.

He avoids responsibility by claiming it’s Oknodie’s wish.

But what would a child know to be so stubborn?

The Clown Mask Group.

In that den of filthy criminals.

What joy and pleasure could a child find helping with their work?

They are notorious human traffickers.

They’re also infamous for their harsh child abuse education.

An early assassin training institution.

The Thief Guild had thoroughly investigated their true nature.

And confirmed it.

The training methods Oknodie often showed at the Academy.

The techniques she used to teach students.

The acrobatic training all originated from here.

Yes.

The Clown Mask Group was the educational institution that taught Oknodie the basics of assassination.

She was forced to stop her studies by the Foundation’s will and now works for the human trafficking organization that abused and tormented her.

Yet the reason this man in a tailcoat mentions Oknodie’s own will can only be one thing.

Mockery.

-We already control Oknodie’s body and mind. Do you think a mere Academy teacher can take this child away from our Foundation’s influence?

Though he wears a smiling face and looks like he’s shed all worries, behind it lies only cruel pleasure mocking that they can do nothing.

The way he loosens his tie with his hand, the way he pleasantly taps the table with his fingers—all urging how long will you continue this waste of time.

You can’t do anything.

Give up.

Go back.

Oknodie will continue to stay with us.

‘Arrogant bastard.’

Though retired, he was once a member of a hero party that traveled the world.

He had witnessed firsthand what happens to villages and people who don’t receive help when facing injustice, what results from turning a blind eye to justice being trampled.

He couldn’t repeat such a mistake again.

“If words don’t work, I could take her by force. Would you still be smiling then?”

The smiles of both the Foundation supervisor and Oknodie disappeared simultaneously.