episode_0042

[Dark magic is detected. Would you like to absorb it?]

I wanted to think I was mistaken, but the status window flashing before my eyes confirmed that this wallet contained dark magic.

‘What the hell is this…’

Why on earth was dark magic detected? This means… there is a warlock inside the academy.

Are you saying that they couldn’t find a warlock even in the academy?

‘No, I guess I couldn’t do it.’

Black magic cannot even be sensed unless you have magical eyes like me or someone who also uses black magic.

That’s probably why Ariel still didn’t know that I was a warlock.

In that case, they say that we need to invent a technology that can precisely detect only dark magic. It seems like that hasn’t been realized yet.

“Just wondering what to do with this…”

I started to think about the current situation.

The reason that Ariel and I have been able to easily find and kill warlocks is because they all did not hide that they were warlocks.

He wore a black robe with a suspicious pattern that made it obvious to anyone that he was a black magician, and he used black magic without hiding it. Kidnapping and confining people was also one of the methods of recognition.

However, the bully just now was clearly wearing an academy cadet uniform. This means that authenticity cannot be judged based on simple clothing alone.

Also, if you are sober, no one will be stupid enough to openly cause harm in a place where the empire’s most talented and valuable people gather.

….It doesn’t seem like the warlock has a proper mental head. anyway.

‘Hmm… I don’t think that gangster is a warlock.’

Not even a trace of dark magic was detected in him. The original warlocks possessed wicked dark magic instead of pure magic, so if he was a warlock, you would probably have recognized him as soon as you met him.

Then, it means that there is definitely someone involved in black magic at this academy…

“Hey…. What’s going on?”

“Oh, no. It’s not like that.”

“Thank you for today. As you said… I’ll do my best.”

“Yes. I wish you success.”

After shaking the dust off his clothes, the cadet got up and headed toward the academy.

“…Ah! By any chance, that cadet just now. Do you know what your name is?”

“Huh? If it was just now… Brothers Copson and Jade. They are both from the Western Jelq family.”

Copson and Jade Jelq. I have to remember this. After thanking the cadet, I followed Ariel’s orders and headed inside the academy to find her classroom.

***

-Who is that? It’s my first time seeing this face.

-Ah… that person? Hey… don’t be surprised when you hear this. They say you’re Ariel’s servant…!

-….what? Ariel? Amazing, Great…!

-yes? It’s a pity… If it was just an unheard of border noble or his servant, I would have snatched it up.

-….Tsk.

Somehow, I asked directions from passing cadets and staff, and waited in front of class 3-A, which Ariel told me about. Cadets passing by looked at me and whispered something, but whatever. I guess it’s not that big of a deal.

Dang-dang-dang-

That time when I was waiting in the hallway outside the classroom, trying to ignore the stares of people around me. The long-awaited bell rings.

Grumble-

As soon as the bell stops ringing, the back door opens, and cadets start pouring out. Among the waves of cadets, Ariel, wearing a white cadet uniform, is by far the most conspicuous woman.

“You were waiting. Venice. Have you waited long?”

“No. I just arrived too. Haha.”

“Really? Well then, that’s a relief. Because it’s almost lunch time. Let’s go eat.”

Ariel, who looked tired, seemed to be happy about eating, but her expression stood out despite her expression, and she tried to lead me to the dining area.

“Oh…. What is it? Ariel, did you have a boyfriend?”

“Wow…! Such incredible information…!”

Until Ariel sighed as the women followed her out the back door and let out incomprehensible exclamations.

“What are you talking about? If I had a boyfriend this handsome, I should at least tell my friends!”

“That’s right…! How can you hide someone like this..!”

“…..I don’t have any friends.”

A woman with golden hair that shined like the sun and a woman with short brown hair continued talking as if they had not heard anything Ariel said. The more this happened, the more veins started to appear between Ariel’s eyebrows.

“Hey, what’s your name? Where did you find out about Ariel? What is the progress?”

“Yes? yes?? No, I…”

“This is really rare information…! Come on, come on, let’s talk!!”

“Ah…no, I just-”

“What is it? Are you embarrassed? He too. Trust this sister and talk to her.”

Wrong. These people just don’t want to listen. I sent Ariel a desperate look asking for help. Ariel just sighed even louder.

If it had been Ariel as usual, she would have passed by without even interacting with her, but for some reason, she didn’t show any action.

“Ha. Kale, Priah. stop. He’s just my butler. And I’m not your friend.”

“Ah… what is it? All the seaweed leaked. Boy. I should have said it sooner. Are you making your sisters exhausted?”

“Yes? No, I…”

“….What is it! It was nothing!”

“No…”

I’ll be amazed. My words don’t get through. I felt dizzy from the one-sided criticism.

“Do it in moderation. Venice? Come on, let’s go eat. Ignore these guys.”

“Yes….”

Ariel was leading the stumbling me and tried to quickly leave the place, ignoring them, but she couldn’t stop the girls following her.

-Ho…? Look at this.

-Eriel has never been like this… right?

-Yep. It was a joke earlier… but this is going to be fun, right?

Ho-hmm-? Ariel, who couldn’t stand it anymore, said something to the girls who were running away from the place, saying the same thing.

“No. Why don’t you follow your friend? Let’s go~”

Ariel was about to say something more when the blonde-haired female cadet spoke rather confidently, but then seemed to give up and quietly continued walking.

***

“Wow… I see the sun of the empire…!”

“Uh, okay. Don’t bother doing that next time.”

“….Hello, Pria..! Our family is a regular at the Gold Rush family where Pria lives…”

“Ah, yes. I understand.”

I arrived at the restaurant. I saw a crowd of cadets trying to talk to the girls without stopping for even a moment.

‘….from the royal family. ‘She’s the daughter of the continent’s top intelligence official?’

I give a business-like smile to those who approach me again and look at them as they sigh tiredly.

The girl with brilliant blonde hair is the third daughter of the current imperial family, the Sunrise family. Kale Sunrise.

The girl with brown short hair who looks quite ordinary is the only daughter of an information merchant who is considered the best in the entire empire. Fria.

These people, who I thought were just Ariel’s slightly unusual friends, turned out to be so big that I couldn’t even make eye contact with them.

In addition, the Grand Princess of the North, Ariel, is gathered in one place. I couldn’t even eat a proper meal. They couldn’t even lift a spoon to receive greetings from people who changed every three seconds.

Of course, most people looked at me with questions like, ‘What is that bastard doing here?’

In the end, they started heading somewhere as if it always happened without even having a proper meal. I too, pushed by the waves of people, finished work and hurried to follow them.

***

They moved so quickly as if they disappeared at any moment, and the place where they were finally found by following the traces of magic was a small garden behind the academy.

It was so small that unless you were someone who looked around the academy and remembered it, you wouldn’t even know it existed, but that was why they sat down on the bench and sighed in a quiet place with no one around.

“Venice. You’re here.”

“….Oh? How did you manage to follow this? Looks like you have some skills?”

“Hmm… I haven’t noticed anyone yet.”

They were smiling and speaking as if they were joking (of course, Ariel had no expression), but there was a hint of fatigue in those smiles.

“I… do I need to have some manners?”

“No no. Please don’t do that. If I do that, my sister might get angry?”

“Please don’t do that to yourself either. Because I’m sick of it now…”

“Okay. Mr. Kale, Mr. Pria.”

“….You are much better than those who rush at you just for their status. If it wasn’t just Ariel, definitely-!”

“…..What?”

“Ah, just a joke. You know that I don’t take what belongs to others, Ariel?”

When Ariel asked back with a straight face at the joking remark, Cale waved his hand and patted Ariel. Nevertheless, the fatigue in that expression does not disappear.

“I would agree with that. No matter how many times I tell them to stop… most people don’t listen.”

“……Hmm.”

Ariel also let out a small breath as if agreeing with those words. Although they have a position and power that everyone envies, they often suffer a lot of damage because of that position.

However, in a situation where they could not be removed from their positions and the cadets did not listen to them, it seemed like they were already very tired.

“I… will try my best not to do that.”

“Haha… what I said earlier. I’m trying to be real.”

“I said it before. Doing something like that…”

“It’s a joke!”

“You seem to have a pretty good person. Ariel.”

“That’s-!”

They talk to me like normal friends. Ariel also said she wasn’t a friend, but she seemed quite happy.

In my eyes, it seemed a little pitiful that these women, who had a higher status than anyone else, were happy with such little things in their daily lives.

“So, so. How did you meet Ariel?”

“Oh, about that. While passing by on the street -”

I smiled and answered their questions as if I were talking to close friends. I laugh for no reason, really. I also joke around.

“…Really? That warlock…?”

“Hoo… He was a better person than I thought. So, what next?”

They both laugh and get angry at my words. But since they seemed happy while talking, I felt like I was also having fun.

Dang-dang-dang-

“….Ah. this. The time has already come.”

“I guess I should go back to the classroom. Let’s go quickly.”

“Ha… I don’t want to go.”

Kale and Fria looked disappointed, and Ariel seemed really disgusted.

“Venice. From now on, you can move around as you please. Because I have a schedule today. See you tomorrow then.”

“Did you say Venice? Little brother, today was fun! See you tomorrow~”

“I’ll see you tomorrow. Hello!”

‘…ah. right. Warlock…’

I tried to tell Ariel about the wallet with dark magic, but Ariel grumbled but didn’t stop talking, so I didn’t say anything and just said hello.

Now that I think about it, if I tell Ariel this… I should tell her that I feel dark magic, and if I tell her that, Ariel, who is smart, will quickly deduce that I am a dark magician. And… I don’t really want to end that conversation.

Hmm… Did I say it’s my free time from now on?

From now on… I need to find out what on earth is going on in this academy.

“This… could be a very dangerous situation.”

Because the group called warlocks never fight at a disadvantage. Because they are willing to endure any process as long as they get results.

They have no humanity left, and they don’t care what damage is caused.

I can’t even imagine what the warlocks are planning. Because they are people who act outside of common sense.

First of all… let’s learn about the cadets called Copson and Jade.