Ch.264Exploding NPCs. (5)

During the academy’s break period, also known as vacation, everything began after the closing ceremony event.

“Hey, where the hell did Ragni go?”

“…Pardon?”

It had been over a week since Ragni said she would be away for a while, staying at the academy to make plans with the headmaster instead of coming home. But now…

“W-what do you mean? Ragni has been with the headmaster all this time…”

“What? What are you talking about? She hasn’t been coming to the academy for over a week, saying that with that golem just lying collapsed at home, the household chores weren’t getting done.”

My mind momentarily froze at the words suddenly spoken by the red-haired middle-aged woman—the headmaster who had conducted the closing ceremony—after she separated Ira and Gor and called only me. Wait, what is this about? Ragni hasn’t been home for over a week?

“…What the hell.”

The headmaster who immediately cursed disappeared somewhere, then promptly reappeared before me. With a deeply furrowed brow and gritted teeth, she began speaking as if genuinely angry.

“That kid went outside Neiti about a month ago. Did you know?”

“…Ah, yes. Why is that…”

“Do you know what she did then?”

“Well, she said she took down spies trying to infiltrate Neiti? For the security of the surrounding area.”

“…Is that all?”

“…Yes.”

Clicking her tongue loudly at my response, the headmaster began explaining what had happened then. She said Ragni had annihilated the spies outside, captured two enemies alive, and brought back one ally.

One was a man with communication skills called Yeomhwa. Another was a spy with considerable swordsmanship. And one person from an assassination squad who claimed to be on our side. But now, all three of them were missing from prison. What on earth is…

“B-but she definitely said she was going to move with you, Headmaster, to recruit anti-war factions from the Empire…”

“…That damn assistant, who’s moving with whom?”

“Then, could it be…”

“Damn it…!!”

*Thud!*

The headmaster, seemingly furious to the tips of her hair, stomped her foot and closed her eyes as if trying to think of something. I could hear my heart pounding loudly.

Could it be that Ragni went to the Empire alone? Why?! She clearly knew enemies were targeting her, so why would she make such a choice…!!

“…Grace Mueller.”

“Pardon?”

“The reason she acted on her own. Was Grace Mueller, Ira’s friend, the trigger for this…!!”

The headmaster, as if having realized something, explained the general situation. Grace Mueller, Ira’s friend, comes from a minor noble family belonging to the anti-war faction, and because of that, she submitted a leave of absence request after the final exams and returned to her territory. Huh? But Ira definitely said she wasn’t feeling well lately… that it was her “time of the month”?

“Does that even make sense? Why would a noble child who can handle magical power and has contracted with an intermediate spirit neglect her body’s pain for a week without even using potions? This is, no matter how you look at it…”

“…Master? What are you talking about?”

“Huh?!”

“Ah?! I-Ira?!”

Ira, who suddenly appeared behind us with Gor and spoke, surprised both the headmaster and me. She frowned her cute eyebrows, asking again as if she didn’t understand what we were talking about.

“Where did Grace and Sister Ragni go? Master? Sister Rey?”

“Ah, no. That’s… m-more importantly, when did you get here…”

[At the moment the headmaster teleported, Miss Ira approached without materializing Piyaki and overheard the subsequent conversation.]

No, you should have stopped her?!! When I glared at Gor, who boldly stated the facts, he countered with a look that said I should have noticed the approach and cut off the conversation. Ah, ah. My mind froze too, and I couldn’t sense anything!!

“My, even my too-excellent disciple is causing trouble. Since when? When did you learn to control Piyaki without materializing it?”

“Since the day after you taught me. So, what’s happening with Sister Ragni and Grace?”

“…It’s nothing.”

“If you say that, I’ll go to the Empire myself? It’s nothing serious, right?”

“……”

Wait, Ira? What are you saying? After hearing the headmaster’s words, Ira’s cheeks puffed up angrily, and she even raised her eyebrows, looking very cute despite her anger. The problem is the weight of her words. Going to the Empire? That’s completely a thre—

“Ira, do you understand what you’re saying?”

“Yes! This is a threat! I need to know what happened to my sister and Grace!!”

“…Using your own safety as blackmail material, how interesting.”

“I-Ira, that’s…”

[By completely blocking all talk of war, it’s become counterproductive.]

Ragni, along with me, the headmaster, and Gor—the four of us and one golem—had been completely blocking all war-related talk to keep Ira from hearing disturbing rumors. Even among her friends, we had the professors ensure no one mentioned taking leave due to the war, and we were desperately preventing even rumors from reaching her. But now…

“Grace going home. Sister Ragni going to the Empire. If there’s a war with the Empire, did Sister Ragni go to stop it because she’s a ‘princess’?”

“……”

When did she grow up so much? Connecting the scattered pieces she’d heard and deducing the result, Ira questioned us. When we didn’t answer, she let out a “Hmph!” of protest with an angry face, then turned around with a “Hmph!” and began walking away with Gor. Ah, aaah!! Really!!!

“Headmaster, what are we going to do?! Ira knows everything now!!!”

“What do you expect me to do? She’s just a child. It’s not like she can go just because she throws a tantrum. You’ll be with her, right? Persuade her well and keep her at home.”

“What about Ragni?!”

“Leave that to me. I’d like to say that, but I have no idea where she might have gone. If it’s the Mueller territory, I could somehow catch up…”

The headmaster explained that there are two territories of the opposition faction in the Neiti direction, and three if you include the slightly distant Mueller territory. She pulled out a map from thin air so I could see it too, looking as if she had a headache. Ugh, this isn’t the time for this!! Ira is angry…!!

“You’ve lived with her for a long time, right? Looking at this, can you guess where she might have gone?”

“Umm. Mueller territory. Fight territory. Tolmis territory… I-I don’t know. We didn’t pass through any major cities in the Empire.”

“…Tch. Then, I guess I’ll have to go to the Mueller territory.”

While the headmaster pointed to the farthest Mueller territory among the border territories on the map, saying she’d have to use process of elimination, I pointed to a much larger territory above it and asked:

“If these three territories are anti-war, is this large territory pro-war?”

“…I suppose so. A territory this large would have enough manpower to spare. And if the Empire becomes a battlefield, they can fight in the border territories without their own lands becoming devastated.”

Sigh, it’s clearly an enemy territory larger than the three territories below combined. How nice it would be if such a territory were part of the anti-war faction? If I had Jack’s level of combat ability, I could subdue that territory first, then go around the anti-war territories looking for Ragni…

“…That’s it.”

“Pardon?”

“You’re surprisingly smart.”

“W-what are you suddenly saying?”

When the headmaster heard my muttering and praised me with a raised corner of her mouth, I was taken aback. She put away the map and boldly opened her mouth.

“I’ll subdue that territory. Although the war is still more than a month away, once war is declared, we can freely conduct rear operations and surprise attacks. That way, my foolish secretary won’t get caught while going around the opposition territories.”

“Eh? W-wait a minute! This is only possible if you have Jack’s level of combat ability…!!!”

I shouted at the headmaster in shock, and she began to laugh as if finding my words ridiculous. What’s so funny?!!

“It’s true that your man is stronger than me as an individual. But that’s only in one-on-one combat. I am much stronger than him against large armies.”

With those words, the headmaster spread her deep blue magical power and smiled sinisterly.

*

[It’s been three days since Ira hasn’t come out of her room. Rey, do something about it.]

“…What can an old lady like me do?”

After Ira got angry that day, the headmaster headed straight for the Empire. And…

[I-Ira? I-I wasn’t trying to hide it. Honestly, I didn’t know about Grace either. So, let’s talk…]

[I hate old ladies!!]

*Slam!*

Ira, who had gone into Jack’s and her room, wouldn’t come out even when we prepared meals. In the end, we’d leave food at the entrance, and she’d just take it and slam the door shut again. At one point, I tried to talk to her while bringing food, but the result was just me being demoted back to “old lady” status. Hahaha, I’m back to being Old Lady Rey.

“Rather than an old lady like me, Gor, why don’t you try? If I hear ‘I hate old ladies’ one more time, I think I’ll just die.”

[…Sigh. With such a weak mind. At this rate, how will you be able to guard Ira?]

“…Haha. That’s why I’m saying you should do it.”

[Are you stupid? If I go, there will just be two old ladies.]

Yes, good for you for being so smart. I’m the only old lady here. Hahaha. Still, I should be glad that I was able to prevent Ira from running out of the house, even if it meant becoming an old lady. Honestly, I understand Ira’s concern for Ragni and Grace, but we can’t take her to the Empire right now. I stared blankly at a stain on the wall, trying my best to maintain my sanity, while Gor prepared lunch and took Ira’s portion upstairs…

*Crash! Shatter!!!*

“G-Gor?”

[……]

As Gor was climbing the stairs, he suddenly collapsed again, spilling all the dishes he was carrying and lying face-down on the stairs with his eyes open, saying nothing. My frozen mind starts spinning again. Wait, Gor hasn’t collapsed while Ira was in the house…?!!

*Tap tap tap tap!!*

“Ira!! Ira?!!”

I knock hard on the siblings’ door, calling for Ira, but there’s no response from inside. Could she have gone through the window?! It’s possible for Ira now, but there’s no reason for her to leave so forcefully. Besides, there’s no reason she wouldn’t be caught by me…!!

“Ira!! I know you’re not behind the door!! I’m going to cut it down!!!”

Feeling no presence behind the door, I swing my sword and cut the door in half. As expected. Only an empty room meets my eyes. But…

“…The window is closed too? Ira. Ira!”

I rush to the window to find her, and ah, found her!!

“Ira?! Why are you down below!! You can’t leave like this!!”

*Glare*

When I open the window and call out to Ira, who is carrying a bag below the house, she glares at me with a still pouty expression and starts running away. Aah! I said you can’t!!

*Whoosh!!*

“Ira!! There’s no way you can escape from m—!!”

“Nyeh!! Stupid old lady!!!”

“Urgh?!! U-uwaah!! T-this much won’t bring me down!!!”

Her words hurt more than any battle with formidable enemies I’ve fought, but I can’t let her escape like this. Besides, no matter how much Ira has grown, there’s no reason I should lose her!!

With the sword I had inadvertently used to cut the door, I activate my skills to track Ira, quickly closing the distance until I’m within reach of her long red hair. Hah, now I’ll take her back home and have a proper conversation…

*Swish!!*

“Huh?”

Just as I was about to grab Ira’s bag right in front of me, she completely disappeared from my sight.

Wait, I can’t even sense her presence? I-Ira?!!

“W-where?! Where did she go?!! Ira!! Ira!!!”

*Crash!!*

“Huh?!!”

[She’s here!!!]

Gor, who had extended one hand in front of our house’s second-floor window and written large letters, collapses like a puppet with cut strings and falls to the first floor. Just now, he said she’s there?!

I dash at full speed again, kicking off the ground, and jump into the second floor, leaving the collapsed Gor behind. There, galaxy-like purple eyes glisten with tears as they glare at me hostilely.

“I-Ira, how did you…? No, more importantly, let’s talk!! You can’t leave like this!! I understand you’re worried about Grace, but even if you go…!!”

“Grace is my best friend, and Sister Ragni isn’t just some princess of the Empire, she’s my sister!! I…!!!”

Ira, who spoke rapidly, took a deep breath and then:

“I thought you were my sister too, Rey!!!”

“Ugh…!!!”

Ira’s voice, almost like a scream, was filled with sadness as if she had been betrayed. Ah, it was a mistake to try to hide everything just because she’s young. We should have told her something, at least tried to have a minimal conversation. The reason Ira doesn’t want to talk to us now is because we’re trying to exclude her and not tell her anything. But…

“Wrong is wrong. I’ll fix that later. Ira. Please calm down first and don’t run away…?!!”

Again?! She disappeared again?!! That’s impossible, no matter how fast she is, she can’t move like this… Huh?!

*Whoosh!!*

I instinctively threw myself toward the window, and sure enough!!

“[Swift Blade], [Steel Swordsman], [Wind Riding Form 4: Tracking Wind]!!!”

Using all my skills and abilities, I charged at full speed toward Ira, who had started running from “that” position again.