Ch.55. Terrorist?

[Butler Skral, I have returned now.]

Unlike other ghosts, Skral enters carefully through the door.

He sees me, flinches slightly in surprise, then bows his head deeply.

[Master, you have dealt with the ruffians who were defiling this mansion.]

His immediate understanding of what I had done was somewhat surprising, but I answered calmly.

“I understand there are still many ghosts remaining in the mansion.”

[I apologize. It’s because I failed to manage properly.]

“Make sure to check their frequent locations and times of appearance for future reports. How is the war situation in the Norsweden mountains?”

I had instructed Skral to check on the battle situation with the foreign tribes coming across the Norsweden mountains.

He gently raised his head and began explaining what he had observed.

[The frontline against the foreign tribes pushing over the mountains is tense. Even Lord Darius, facing unexpected difficulties, has lost some of his imposing presence compared to when he first marched out.]

“Darius?”

Darius Verdi.

The warrior known as the Guardian of the Northern Mountains, the Giant of Verdi.

It was somewhat surprising that Darius was being pushed back.

Of course, he didn’t appear prominently in the game, but during my three months with the family, I clearly recognized his martial prowess.

He was an extraordinary man who could easily serve as the head of a knightly order.

‘Darius is being pushed back?’

It was both interesting and clearly a dangerous situation.

If foreign tribes cross the treacherous mountains into the kingdom’s territory, the Verdi family’s position would be shaken.

As a Margrave, they received more benefits than other counts, but failing in this duty would be problematic.

[I had thought these foreign tribes would be like mountain bandits, but their attire and weapons were all quite sophisticated.]

“That’s because they’re coming from the Republic of Clark across the border.”

The Republic of Clark borders our Griffin Kingdom.

Unlike Griffin, which uses mana as a primary resource under a monarchical system, Clark is a country that emphasizes science and technology under a military dictatorship led by a single leader.

The game didn’t place much emphasis on it, but Clark’s infamy was mentioned by several characters in the game.

A place also called the Land of Clockwork because it treats people like machines.

The foreign tribes crossing over are probably people illegally escaping from Clark.

[Their weapons called guns seemed inconvenient due to noise and recoil, but they were superior in power and range.]

Adding details as if he’d seen something rare, Skral continued his explanation.

[Currently, they have the geographical advantage by positioning themselves along the mountain ridge, but I expect that will soon be breached.]

“Why?”

I wasn’t sure how capable this ghost Skral was, but if he was that confident, he must have his reasons.

He began explaining as if he had been waiting for the question.

[There is an extraordinary woman among the foreign tribes.]

“An extraordinary woman?”

[Her snow-white hair is as wild as a running wolf’s mane, and her crimson eyes are deeply stained with blood.]

Someone from the Republic of Clark with white hair and red eyes?

My eyes trembled slightly as someone immediately came to mind.

[The axe she wields will easily crush Lord Darius’s soldiers and invade the kingdom’s territory.]

“Hmm.”

[Also, her followers are all worthy of being called warriors, so even Lord Darius cannot hold them back alone.]

Skral elaborated at length to convince me.

He probably thought I wouldn’t easily accept that the mountain defenses could be breached because of just one person.

But it was the opposite.

‘So Findenai is now crossing into the kingdom.’

Findenai, the leader of the resistance group “Junk Dealer” fighting to escape from the dictatorship of the Republic of Clark.

I didn’t know the details about her, but I knew that after being driven out of Clark, she came to the kingdom to seek support and growth for the resistance.

Because she was actually a boss for an entire chapter.

‘If Findenai is the opponent, we should applaud Darius for holding out this long.’

She was described as being like a beast that had become human, and once Findenai gets into her rhythm, she cannot be stopped.

She was the type of boss who gets stronger as the battle continues, so you had to quickly deplete her health with high damage at the beginning.

I remember countless users requesting strategy guides because the battle with Findenai was too difficult.

A boss with an attractive appearance, but with a difficulty level that completely negated that charm.

‘I can’t defeat Findenai right now.’

That was obvious.

Although necromancy had destructive power and versatile efficiency, I was just at the beginning stage.

I cross my legs and sink into thought.

The appearance of an unexpected threatening presence.

However.

I couldn’t see it as purely negative, so the corners of my mouth curl up slightly.

* * *

“The swordsman guarding the main entrance.”

Nurse Karen sits on the central staircase, tapping her chin and muttering.

Beside her, a sword leans against the stairs, ready for use at any moment.

Among the numerous disturbances currently happening within the Academy.

The swordsman at the main entrance had caused the biggest commotion and created many victims.

The reason for calling him a swordsman rather than a knight was because witnesses stated his attire resembled that of swordsmen from the east.

“A ghost, huh.”

Could it be a type of necromancy?

Wondering where such a monster suddenly appeared from, Karen rests her chin on her hand and taps the first-floor corridor with her foot.

She had heard it appears when you go down to the first floor, so she had gone up and down several times, but now it wasn’t showing up.

‘Does it appear at specific times? Should I come back tomorrow?’

As Karen was forming various hypotheses, a voice suddenly reached her ears.

“Professor Karen.”

Heavy, ponderous footsteps approaching from the end of the corridor.

A gentle and soft voice, with a thick belly reminiscent of a bear’s physique.

“Headmaster.”

One of the few people Karen shows respect to. She jumps up and gives a brief greeting.

“I heard there’s something strange happening at the first-floor main entrance.”

“That’s right. I’m investigating it first, but I haven’t found many clues yet.”

“Hmm, I’ve heard that incidents are occurring in other places besides the main entrance.”

“Unfortunately.”

If incidents were happening only at the first-floor main entrance, they could simply seal it off until the situation was properly understood.

But currently, incidents were occurring simultaneously in many locations throughout the Academy.

The headmaster looked around the corridor with his hands behind his back and spoke in a low voice.

“I don’t think this is a sudden phenomenon.”

“……”

Karen remained silent as she had been thinking the same thing. The headmaster declared with subtle anger.

“This is an act of terrorism.”

It would soon be March.

When the vacation ends, returning students and new students will once again bring vitality to the Academy.

With these accidents happening one after another before then, the headmaster wanted to find the perpetrator of the terrorism as quickly as possible.

“I understand Professor Karen used to work as a mercenary and traveled to various countries.”

“Umm, that’s true.”

She didn’t particularly want to talk about the old days. As Karen awkwardly replied, the headmaster asked with a voice filled with solemn anger.

“So I believe you have extensive experience. Could you take responsibility for solving this case?”

“……”

“Of course, I will do my best to cooperate and provide all necessary support to Professor Karen.”

“Wouldn’t it be better to make an official request to the royal court instead of me?”

Rotein Academy was one of the institutions enthusiastically supported by the Griffin Kingdom.

If they learned about this situation, they wouldn’t just stand by.

But the headmaster shook his head.

His plump, settled chin was impressive.

“No, if the Academy cannot properly resolve such matters on its own, the royal court will doubt our capabilities.”

“……”

“We haven’t had any notable achievements recently.”

Sensing a kind of political reason behind his answer, Karen swallowed bitterly.

‘Well, what can I do? I’m just a wage earner.’

Though grumbling inwardly, Karen bowed her head.

“I’ll do my best to resolve this.”

“I’m counting on you. We need to find the perpetrator of this terrorism within the next month, before the new and returning students come back.”