Ch.61Chapter 61. The Wrong Path (3)

I searched the underworld hoping to find something, but surprisingly, there was nothing.

I raided the two largest organizations in Crescen, but found no special information.

Just to be sure, I also visited other smaller organizations, but it was the same.

Despite thoroughly interrogating them, it seemed like no one was lying since they all couldn’t say anything.

‘I can’t believe there’s so little information.’

I had a feeling it wouldn’t be easy to find who was behind this, but I didn’t expect it to be this well hidden.

I thought I’d find at least some small clue.

‘Expecting results within 3 days was probably too ambitious.’

I did tell those guys yesterday to find something within 3 days, but I wasn’t really expecting anything.

They probably won’t find anything.

I just said that out of frustration because there was so little to go on.

“These guys are more thorough than I thought.”

“Hehe, who are you talking about?”

“Huh?”

I jumped in surprise at a voice that shouldn’t be here and turned around.

For a moment, I wondered if my eyes were deceiving me.

“Yuria?”

“Ryu, nice to see you?”

I looked around, wondering if I had unconsciously teleported back to the office without realizing it.

That wasn’t the case.

This was definitely inside the Academy, and standing in front of me was Yuria.

“What? How are you here?”

“Why are you so surprised?”

Yuria brushed back her mysteriously glowing blue hair with a smile.

Her sudden appearance left me momentarily speechless.

“Well, it is… surprising.”

“Hehe. I’m also a Crescen Academy graduate. I was the top student, you know.”

“Uh…”

I wasn’t sure what that had to do with her being here now, but I nodded anyway.

Yuria continued speaking without losing her smile.

“I came to see how our leader is doing at the Academy.”

“…”

Obviously, I couldn’t believe that.

Crescen Academy was a place with extremely tight security.

It was directly operated by the imperial government and gathered numerous noble children in one place.

In other words, not just anyone could enter.

For example, even during the entrance ceremony, they strictly controlled access so that no one except the students themselves could enter.

As far as I knew, only Erika and I could freely enter and exit the Academy without being affiliated with it.

Even for someone like Yuria, breaking through the barrier would not have been an easy task.

“What are you thinking? I entered through legitimate means.”

“Legitimate means…?”

What would be a legitimate way to enter the Academy?

“I was invited. By Professor Amillion.”

“Ah.”

That made more sense.

If Professor Amillion knew I worked under Yuria, she could certainly invite Yuria.

“…Isn’t that a bit risky?”

“Hehe.”

Of course, it seemed like a risky invitation.

They probably didn’t have any particular connection, so suddenly inviting Yuria into the Academy could raise suspicion.

Plus, the other party was the vice principal.

If she wanted to, she could easily find out what outsiders had entered the Academy.

So even if Yuria got in, there wasn’t much she could do.

“Don’t worry. I’m not here to do anything suspicious.”

Yuria nodded as if she already knew what I was worried about.

“Then…?”

“I told you. I came to see how our leader is doing at the Academy. Wow, nothing has changed here.”

Yuria looked at the dormitory building and murmured in a voice filled with nostalgia.

At this point, I was starting to think she might be telling the truth.

“Really?”

“Yes. Of course.”

“…Come on. What is it?”

“Hehe. You really don’t believe me easily.”

Yuria looked around and then shifted her gaze back to me.

She really did have a nostalgic look in her eyes.

“I came for work. Not the kind of work you’re thinking of, but real work.”

“Work?”

“Yes. I told you, didn’t I? I’m a graduate and former top student here. A special lecture by an alumna, something like that. You should come listen too, leader.”

“Ahhh.”

I finally felt relieved.

Right, even if Professor Amillion invited her, Yuria wouldn’t have come to the Academy recklessly without a reason.

‘Phew.’

“I see.”

“It’s killing two birds with one stone. I’ve always declined until now, but this year I specially accepted because our leader is here too.”

“Phew. When is the lecture?”

“Huh, you don’t know?”

“No, I haven’t heard anything about it.”

“…Hmm. It seems you’re not properly participating in Academy life.”

Yuria clicked her tongue with a disappointed expression and crossed her arms.

“During the festival period, there are always alumni lectures. They come to talk about various things and build connections.”

“Festival period?”

“I thought so. You didn’t know about the festival either?”

I didn’t want to admit it, but I didn’t know.

I’d been preoccupied with various incidents recently, and after the Cain Hover incident, the overall mood among my classmates had been depressed.

No one was bringing up topics like festivals or events.

I think I vaguely heard something about a festival event at the beginning of the semester.

“Well, you might not know. There’s still quite some time until the festival.”

“A festival, huh.”

“It’s probably the biggest event during the first semester. Usually, the festival officially begins with the inter-grade competition, but that’s already over, right?”

“That’s right.”

“Then they’ll probably start with something else. I’m not sure. Hehe.”

Yuria smiled with an expectant expression.

Somehow, even though I’m the student, Yuria seems to know more about what’s happening inside the Academy.

“But who’s being thorough? Those guys?”

“Yeah. I’m not certain, but they might be.”

“Hmm. What’s with that ambiguous answer?”

“I’m not sure myself.”

I wasn’t certain whether the people Yuria was chasing and the people who made the drug were the same.

I had suspicions but no concrete evidence.

It felt like if I could just find one piece, all the incidents would connect.

“Did something else happen?”

“Yes. Something quite big.”

“Oh?”

Yuria tilted her head with interest.

I briefly told the curious Yuria about Cain Hover and Cynthia.

“Hmm.”

Yuria’s expression immediately turned serious after hearing my story.

Even I found it suspicious, so someone smarter like Yuria would find it even more so.

As a result, I was also starting to get serious.

“Ms. Yuria Phrysis. Here you are.”

“Ah.”

Professor Amillion somehow found where we were.

“Pleased to meet you. I’m Amillion Starpen, professor at Crescen Academy.”

“Hello, I’m Yuria Phrysis. You’re much more beautiful than I imagined from your voice.”

With Professor Amillion’s appearance, Yuria’s expression changed back to a smile.

The speed at which her expression changed was quite fast.

“It must have been difficult for you to come. Thank you for making the trip.”

“Not at all. The honor is mine. Hehe.”

“Shall we go to my office to discuss in detail? How about Ryu comes along…?”

“Oh, no. The student doesn’t need to join us.”

Yuria rejected Professor Amillion’s cautious suggestion with a bright smile.

“T-Then let’s go.”

“Hehe. Ryu, let’s talk more later.”

Professor Amillion seemed flustered by Yuria’s outright rejection and stammered as she guided Yuria.

Yuria slightly bowed her head toward me with a bright smile.

‘Right, it would be strange if I joined them.’

Even I thought it would be odd for me to suddenly join these two people’s business conversation.

If someone saw us, it might raise unnecessary suspicion.

“It feels nice coming back to the Academy after so long. Almost nothing has changed from before.”

“That’s right. I’ve been here for 10 years, and it’s stayed almost the same.”

“There was a student I wanted to see, but it seems I won’t be able to because it’s getting late. Hehe. What a shame.”

“Oh, who…?”

“I know a student personally.”

After listening to the conversation of the two people as they walked away, I turned around.

It was disappointing that I couldn’t talk more with Yuria, but I could do that anytime later.

After Yuria disappeared, my earlier concerns naturally continued.

Where should I start looking for clues?

The most certain way would be for Erika to follow Cynthia and witness a transaction scene like last time.

After talking to Yuria, my desire to uncover the mastermind as soon as possible grew stronger.

<Leader.>

‘Huh?’

Speak of the devil.

Just as I was thinking that something might work out with Erika, I heard her voice.

A technique that transmitted her voice directly into my mind without the help of magical tools.

It was a technique only Erika could use.

<Can you hear me?>

‘Yeah. Did you find something?’

<Nothing yet, but our Miss Cynthia is acting suspicious today.>

‘Suspicious?’

<Yes. Usually, she goes straight home after class if she has nothing to do, but today she hasn’t left the Academy. But she doesn’t seem to be doing anything either.>

As soon as I heard Erika’s words, I had a hunch.

Come to think of it, the last time Cynthia received candy from an unknown person was also inside the Academy.

And it was late at night.

<It’s obviously suspicious, so how about we watch together?>

‘Okay. I’ll join you.’

<Let’s meet at your dormitory first.>

‘Got it.’

Nothing has happened yet, but somehow I had a feeling something was about to happen.

Erika must have felt it was suspicious too, which is why she contacted me.

‘Are we finally going to catch something?’

I had no evidence, but I had a good feeling about this.

First, I need to go home and get my clothes and mask.