Infiltration

Luna absorbed the atmosphere for the first time in a while, feeling the sand beneath her shoes and the unique scent of the sea.

Luna smiled without realizing it at the sight of the wide, emerald-shimmering beach and her friends splashing in the water.

All of this was unfamiliar.

The fact that there was a beautiful island beyond the closet like in a fairy tale, and that she was doing club activities with her friends every day.

It was unfamiliar, and therefore even more joyful.

When Luna was young, whenever she couldn’t fall asleep because of the eerie fear that the night gave, Luna’s mother would lie next to her and tell her stories until she fell asleep.

Among them, Luna’s favorite story was about how Luna’s mother met her father at Transcendence Academy before she got married.

,Miracles come to those who dream. Transcendence Academy is such a place.’

In the gentle touch of her mother stroking her hair with a warm smile, one dream grew in young Luna’s heart.

After suffering a head injury in a horse accident and losing the use of her left side. Luna, who had been confined to her room and suffering from depression, was able to take a difficult step forward.

It was because she couldn’t give up her childhood dream.

After years of effort, her stiff left hand was able to open with difficulty, and despite her peculiar duck-like waddling gait due to her stiff left foot, Luna achieved her dream of entering the Academy.

Luna entered Transcendence Academy, but miracles did not come easily.

Luna, whose personality had become introverted due to depression, had not made any friends for several years, and she also felt inferior about her physical discomfort.

Because of that, it was difficult for her to approach someone first, and even continuing a conversation was difficult.

It wasn’t that there weren’t people who approached her first, but perhaps they felt frustrated with Luna or thought that her shyness was a burden. After a few conversations, Luna became alone as always.

As a result, naturally, Luna’s day became going to the library after class to spend time.

But as Luna’s mother said, the miracle Luna had dreamed of as a child came.

She made friends and joined a club. She had someone to talk to every day, and she didn’t have to go to the library to kill time.

Luna glanced sideways at Ross, who was walking silently, matching her small steps.

His bangs, which had grown long enough to cover his eyes, made him look even more depressed, but Luna knew from the first time she met him how warm Ross’s eyes were.

Unlike other people, Ross didn’t force himself to say something to break the silence. He just walked with her, matching her pace, with a faint smile as always.

His blond hair, shining brightly in the sunlight, fluttered in the sea breeze. As a result, his stuffy-looking bangs were swept back, revealing Ross’s face completely.

Unlike Ross’s brother, who was famous among the first years for his aristocratic appearance, Ross was not exactly handsome, strictly speaking.

He didn’t have a high nose like his brother, nor did he have attractive, wolf-like eyes.

Yet, for some reason, Luna couldn’t take her eyes off Ross’s face.

Ross may not remember, but when their shoulders brushed in the library. Luna could see in Ross the deep depression that she had seen in the mirror when she was a child.

She wanted to help him, but she couldn’t approach him because of her shy personality. No, rather, Ross approached Luna instead.

When she met Ross again, the deep depression she had seen on his face at their first meeting had disappeared. At first, she was curious about the change, and during the practical training, Luna found herself unconsciously drawn to Ross.

Every time she saw Ross, she wanted to hide her left hand, and every time she felt that way, she resented her uncontrollable left hand.

,Good.’

At the one word that suddenly popped out of Ross’s mouth. Luna turned dumb and stopped walking and forgot how to breathe.

As he took a step and looked up at the sky without saying a word, he realized that Luna was not by his side. Ross stopped walking and turned his gaze to Luna.

Their eyes met. Again, an unknown emotion stirred in Luna’s heart. She couldn’t tell whether it was because of the beautiful island or because of the blue sea-like eyes that were looking at her.

As Luna, who had come to her senses at the sight of Ross looking at her with a faint smile, approached him.

Ross brought his face so close that she could feel his breath.

Luna’s face turned bright red and her heart pounded as she felt his gaze on her face as if he were observing her expression.

,Shall we take a break for a bit?’

At Ross’s sudden words, Luna realized that he was saying it out of consideration for her physical discomfort.

,S-Shall we?’

As she answered, Ross took out a towel from his space storage and spread it on the sandy beach.

Luna and Ross, sitting with their shoulders touching because the area of the towel was small, silently watched the waves that rolled in regularly.

,Doesn’t it feel like a dream?’

As Ross said that, looking at the pink-tinged sky with a slightly emotional voice.

Feeling the warmth from their touching shoulders seeping into her heart. Luna answered in a small voice that Ross couldn’t hear.

,It feels like a miracle.’

***

The next day. After class, Professor Leora came and handed me an outing pass.

Professor Leora, who was looking at me as if she had something to say, sighed and left after only telling me to follow the school rules.

Leaving behind the club members who had finished preparing to enjoy swimming today, I quickly finished my meal in the cafeteria and went out to the capital city.

In order to obtain information about the Thornwood Disease, I had to use the Information Guild.

Most Information Guilds are operated openly like detective agencies, telling people to come and find them, but the place I was going was ,Modest’, the Information Guild created by the best assassin group in this world that operates in secret.

Because it operates in secret, only high-ranking nobles or people with positions use it, and even Bella was a secret customer here.

Because of its thorough confidentiality and reliable information, Bella, who became emperor, coveted this place and tried to put it under her control, but Modest, who found out about this in advance, disappeared from the capital.

I bought a mask and cloak to cover my face from a nearby store and wore them, then headed to a pub called ,Hover’s Brewery’.

When I opened the door and went inside, the owner looked at me with an indifferent expression.

,A cold potion, please.’

The method of contacting Modest was in the novel, so I just had to follow it.

,Hey, who’s the crazy bastard looking for a potion at a pub? Get your head out of your ass and go to a potion shop.’

The owner pointed to the back door with an absurd look on his face. His face was so absurd that I almost fell for it for a moment.

When I went out the back door and into the alley, I saw a slightly old potion shop.

When I opened the door of the potion shop and went inside. The owner, who was nodding off, raised his head and looked at me.

,Do you sell hot honey beer?’

At my words, the owner silently pointed to the back door. When I opened the door and went inside, there was a small room.

I sat down at an empty table and muttered to myself.

,The moon has risen deliciously.’

As soon as those words were finished, as if she had been waiting, the wall flipped over and a woman wearing a cat mask greeted me.

,Hello. Customer-nim. Thank you for visiting our Modest.’

The woman, who sat down at the empty table opposite me, got straight to the point as soon as she sat down.

,Selling and buying. Which one will you be doing?’

There’s no need to be polite. Most of the customers who use this place are only familiar with speaking informally.

,Both.’

As I answered immediately. The woman nodded and explained.

,The value of information is determined according to the grade we set. Do you understand?’

,Yeah.’

For me, who can see the novel’s setting book at any time. The Information Guild could be a useful way to make money.

,We will proceed with the sale first.’

At the woman’s words, I recalled the things I had organized in my head in advance.

I was thinking of getting rid of things that were not helpful and annoying this time.

I narrowed down the things that would not have a big impact or loss in the future even if they disappeared now.

,The recent kidnapping case in a village near the capital was committed by the Sixth Prince.’

The woman, who wrote down my words on paper, asked.

,Do you have any evidence?’

,Every night, a sacrificial ritual is held in the basement of the Sixth Prince’s villa on the outskirts of the capital.’

If there was no evidence, no matter how true what I said was. It would only be worth a simple rumor. Because the Information Guild would say that they proved it was true and would undercut the price.

But, if I mentioned a specific place or time like now, it could be evidence.

In fact, even now, the Sixth Prince was being seduced by the followers of the Demon King in his desire to become emperor, and was performing sacrificial rituals every day, offering the hearts of kidnapped children as sacrifices to summon Demon King army executives.

The Sixth Prince, who enjoyed abusing, raping, and tormenting the kidnapped children before tearing out their hearts, was destined to have his head cut off by the enraged Roel a year later.

There was no point in keeping such a guy alive for a year.

,Once the information is confirmed, the price will be determined. What information are you trying to purchase?’

,I want to get information about the Thornwood Disease that the Green Magic Tower Master is researching and information about the Green Magic Tower Master.’

The Thornwood Disease that Roel would solve a year later was actually Bella’s work.

Half a year later. Thornwood plants suddenly grow all over the continent, and as a result, Thornwood Disease spreads like an epidemic.

Watching their families and friends slowly turn to stone, the Empire was plunged into fear. Bella finds a cure for Thornwood Disease and learns that the Green Magic Tower Master has the cure and makes a deal with him.

In exchange for naturally making Roel find the cure for Thornwood Disease, the Green Magic Tower receives massive support from the Imperial Family.

It was a story of Roel becoming a ,hero’ praised by everyone as Bella planned.

,Well, let’s calculate it when the pricing of the sold information is completed.’

At the woman’s words, I nodded and asked.

,Will it take long?’

At those words, I could hear laughter behind the woman’s mask.

,Of course not. Three days is enough.’

,Then, I’ll come again on the weekend.’

I left the store, leaving the woman nodding behind me.

I headed to a secluded alley and checked that no one was following me, then put the cloak and mask into my space storage.

Satisfied that I had taken a step towards finding a cure for Thornwood Disease, I bought some snacks and returned to the Academy.