Ch.44Chapter 44. Knight of the Iron Wall (4)

“What do you think?”

“This… it’s definitely not something that could be made within the Academy.”

“Which means?”

“Yes. It’s almost like…”

Addy quietly stared at the ghouls’ corpses lying on the floor while waiting for the next words.

The corpses of ghouls that the Captain had brought along, saying they might be helpful.

Swish-

As the blue hair swayed gracefully, Addy naturally took a step back.

A blue-haired woman was crouching in front of the ghoul’s corpse, examining it closely.

The woman, whose elegant and sophisticated appearance seemed too refined to be facing an undead corpse, touched various parts of the ghoul’s body without hesitation.

Not many people within the Black Shadow Corps knew her identity.

Black Shadow Corps 4th Division Captain, Yuria.

Though a captain, she was one who never participated in regular corps activities.

Because of this, many corps members, except for other captains, weren’t even aware that a 4th Division existed.

The 4th Division only moved in special situations.

And Yuria, the captain of the 4th Division, was visiting the Black Shadow Corps headquarters for the first time in a very long while.

“They’ve already reached this level…”

Black Shadow Corps 4th Division Captain, Yuria muttered to herself while tracing the ghoul’s corpse with her fingertips.

Addy waited calmly until Yuria finished her observation.

Thinking that Captain Yuria seemed to have become even more elegant in the meantime.

“Ah, I’m sorry. This is absolutely not something that could be created within the Academy. It’s probably an external force that infiltrated, and the Academy is trying to hide it.”

Yuria, who had been spacing out, suddenly seemed to remember Addy’s question and poured out her words.

“So black mages have appeared on the continent again?”

“I’m 99% certain. I had some suspicions, but their power seems stronger than I expected. But why is the Academy hiding this…”

Yuria stood up from the ghoul and made no attempt to hide her puzzled expression.

The news that undead had appeared during the Crescen Academy’s inter-grade competition hadn’t become an issue at all.

It was surprisingly quiet, enough to surprise even Addy, who had been through thick and thin with Ryuyeong, the Black Shadow Corps Captain.

Usually, with such a major issue, even if not publicly discussed, rumors would spread behind the scenes, but this time there were absolutely no rumors at all.

As if someone was perfectly blocking all related news.

And the fact that information was being controlled even in the underworld, where information was money, meant that this “someone” was likely an organization larger than one could imagine.

For example, the Crescen Empire government.

“So where’s our rookie captain? Between this and the hourglass incident last time, I should have a chat with him.”

Yuria asked Addy about Ryuyeong’s whereabouts with a playful smile.

As Yuria’s smile lightened the somewhat serious atmosphere, Addy faced her with a bitter smile.

“I don’t know either. Since he entered the Academy, I haven’t been able to schedule anything with him.”

“Hehe. He’s probably causing trouble somewhere again.”

At the word “trouble,” Addy suddenly remembered the undead that Ryuyeong had boasted about.

The Captain who had proudly named it “Green” and promised to show it burning later.

Come to think of it, capturing that thing was also a kind of trouble.

“Lady Yuria. Have you ever seen a skeletal horse?”

“A skeletal horse?”

“Yes. A horse made only of bones with legs wrapped in green flames.”

“…Is that also an undead that appeared this time?”

“Yes.”

“I haven’t seen that kind of undead before, but it sounds quite formidable just from the description.”

“So it’s a type of undead even you haven’t seen. Sigh.”

“Why?”

“The Captain captured one, saying he’s going to ride it from now on.”

“Oh? He captured it?”

“Yes. If you meet the Captain, please tell him that he absolutely shouldn’t ride that thing outside. He won’t even listen to me.”

“Hahaha. Thinking of capturing an undead—that’s just like the Captain. I’d like to see that too.”

“I know, right? He usually returns around this time, but he’s late today.”

Normally, the Captain would at least stop by the office around this time to say hello as a courtesy, but for some reason, he hadn’t shown up today.

If he had known Yuria was coming, he would have returned early, but Yuria had also come suddenly today.

After Ryuyeong handed over the ghoul corpse to Addy and told her to investigate, Addy did her best to learn about the undead.

But finding someone who knew about the undead was nearly impossible.

So, grasping at straws, she contacted Yuria, the Black Shadow Corps’ representative mage, and Yuria had rushed over within a day upon hearing the word “undead.”

“Still, it’s fortunate in a way.”

“What is?”

“That the rookie captain is in the Crescen Empire.”

“Hmm? Why is that fortunate?”

“Because if something happens, Lady Yuria can somehow help.”

“Come on. That’s not the case anymore. Besides, if something happens, the Captain will manage to escape on his own. There’s no way to hold that person down.”

“Still, there’s such a thing as psychological comfort.”

Addy naturally poured a cup of tea and handed it to Yuria.

Yuria accepted the teacup with a gentle smile.

Few people knew that Yuria was the captain of the Black Shadow Corps 4th Division, but that wasn’t the only thing Yuria was hiding.

Her name was Yuria, and her family name was Phrysis.

Together, Yuria Phrysis.

Yuria was a member of the Phrysis Family, one of the Empire’s six great families.

Although she had left her family and was now working independently, the influence of the “Phrysis” name in the Crescen Empire was enormous.

“Hehe. I once told the Captain something.”

“What did you tell him?”

“It was when I was still with my family, but I told him that if he ever got into trouble in Crescen, using my name would get him out of most situations.”

“That’s true.”

“At that time, the Captain firmly declared that would never happen.”

Yuria took a sip of tea while slightly raising the corner of her mouth.

Remembering the old memory after a long time made her smile naturally.

“Now I’m not sure if mentioning my name in the Empire would still work…”

Yuria’s smile ended with somewhat bitter words.

Addy, who roughly knew Yuria’s circumstances, remained quiet without adding anything.

‘When is this person coming anyway?’

Blaming the absent Ryuyeong.

**

“Lady Yuria Phrysis!”

“…”

“You know? From the Phrysis Family, one of the six great families.”

“Yuria…?”

Lois was still maintaining his stance with his sword while looking at me with a suspicious expression.

I instinctively knew that simply claiming innocence would be useless against Lois, who had already firmly misunderstood—or perhaps accurately perceived—the situation.

This was all because I got too excited.

I was too eager to test my magic and experience the Iron Wall’s sword, so I showed too much of my power.

Lois naturally thought I wasn’t an ordinary student, and there seemed to be no room for excuses.

In this crisis, what suddenly came to mind was someone I hadn’t thought of in a very long time.

Our 4th Division Captain, Yuria.

Perhaps the only breakthrough that could resolve the current situation.

“Yes, yes. Yuria Phrysis. Actually, I work under her.”

“Hmm?”

Lois frowned and glared at me more sharply.

Clank-

“It’s true. Otherwise, you can cut me down right now.”

To show my sincerity, I threw the sword I was holding onto the floor and raised both hands.

Despite me discarding my weapon, Lois still remained vigilant.

He truly deserved the nickname “Iron Wall.”

“You work for the Phrysis Family?”

“Yes, yes. The Phrysis Family noticed something suspicious at the Academy and sent me in as a student.”

“As far as I know…”

‘What now?’

Even though I’m not particularly interested in worldly affairs, I knew about the reputation and influence of the six great families.

In the Crescen Empire, using the name of one of the six great families without permission would never go unpunished.

It was common knowledge in the Empire that if you misused the name of one of the six great families, even for something trivial, you could never escape their pursuit.

Lois, the head of the Sinclair Family, knew this very well, which is probably why he was somewhat believing my words.

Suspicious points at the Academy? Nonsense.

I just had to enter because of a quest.

“I heard Yuria left her family.”

“Ah, yes. She left the family, but that doesn’t mean she stopped working. Lady Yuria is doing her own work outside the family.”

“Hmm.”

Lois seemed to be gradually convinced by my sincere explanation.

It started with his white-glowing wooden sword returning to its deep brown color.

After retrieving the mana surrounding his sword, Lois lowered it.

‘Phew.’

“This will require confirmation from her directly.”

“Yes, yes. If you mention my name to Lady Yuria, she’ll recognize it immediately.”

It was fortunate that I knew where Yuria lived.

No matter how quickly Lois contacted Yuria, it couldn’t be faster than my teleportation.

“There are quite a few things I don’t understand.”

“Ahem.”

I couldn’t help but clear my throat at Lois’s muttering.

“If you entered as a student for an undercover investigation, why are you acting so conspicuously?”

“…”

I have nothing to say to that.