All-Master Player Of The Academy [EN]: Chapter 226

◈ Chapter 226

113. The Resistors – 2

Opening the dormitory door, I saw quite a few students.

Every one of them stared at Ian with a curious expression.

But no one approached to speak to him.

“Now, this way, please.”

We went up the stairs and entered an empty room on the second floor.

The room wasn’t much different from the dormitories at Fredon Academy.

“Normally, we provide rooms like this during the Academy Exchange, but frankly, it’s quite cramped for a Count. If you wish, we can arrange a better place.”

One of the instructors, eager to impress Ian and perhaps take him to the magic tower, said.

Ian glanced at him and shook his head.

“Ah… I see.”

Listening to the voice full of disappointment, he placed his bag on the bed.

The room wasn’t particularly small or uncomfortable.

And even if it was uncomfortable?

He could just use Warp and go to Fredon Academy.

“We prepared a welcoming party…”

“That sounds good too.”

Dejected.

The instructors lowered their heads, and Ian grabbed the door.

“I need to rest.”

At his dismissal, the instructors rushed out.

As soon as they left, Ian said to Kirke.

“Search for anything related to the Red Moon.”

The search range expanded, centered on Ian’s location.

Kirke, who had designated the entire Imperial Academy and its surroundings as the search area, quickly finished the investigation and reported.

“There’s no need to go right now. Designate them all as targets for tracking and report immediately if any problems arise.”

After assigning the task to Kirke, Ian sat cross-legged.

Just as he was about to start meditating, he heard a knock on the door.

“Come in.”

“You really came alone?”

It was May.

She smiled at Ian, who was using the room alone.

“Have you had dinner?”

“I had a sandwich earlier. But why?”

“If you don’t have any plans, I thought we could go out for a meal.”

“Sure.”

As he got up, Myane, who had been toasting bread on the bed, stood up.

May, who stroked Myane as she jumped onto his shoulder, went outside with Ian and said.

“Philoa is waiting outside.”

“Really? Is it just the three of us going?”

“Should there be more? Some kids showed interest, though. I can introduce you if you want.”

As they went down the stairs, some of the students in the lobby glanced at them.

Receiving gazes as if they wanted to be taken along, May stared back, and Ian shook his head.

“It’s too chaotic with too many people. Let’s take just one more person.”

He pointed to Charles, who was reading a book alone in the corner of the lobby.

“Charles, we’re going to have dinner. Want to join us?”

“……Hmph. Wait there.”

Even while huffing, she got up, gathering her things.

As she came up, May looked at Ian with a curious expression.

“What’s your relationship with Princess Charles?”

“There’s nothing between us.”

“Hmm… Princess Charles. She doesn’t seem like someone you’d like. It’s a bit unexpected, isn’t it?”

“Why?”

“Well, she’s arrogant. And… this might sound a bit harsh, but Princess Charles’s skills are, at best, at the intermediate level of Fredon Academy.”

To be cold, it is a lower level.

She wouldn’t be a match for a strong person like Ian.

To her curious question, Ian chuckled.

“From my perspective, you and Princess Charles are the same.”

“Wow. Saying that so openly.”

Since he was just stating the facts, May wasn’t particularly hurt.

In the meantime, Philoa, who had been waiting outside, came in.

“Hey. I thought you were bringing Ian. What took you so long?”

“Princess Charles decided to join us too.”

“Huh? Princess Charles?”

Philoa, also surprised, showed the same reaction as May.

When Ian said the same thing to him, Charles opened the door and came out.

“Where are we going?”

“A place called Troban. Their lamb is high-quality and delicious.”

“Hmph. If we’re talking about high-quality, it can’t compare to the Imperial Palace’s chef.”

Charles, who was behind them, spoke with arrogance.

Hearing that, Philoa said quietly to Ian.

“I don’t understand why you’d want to hang out with someone so arrogant.”

“Do you need to know? Let’s go.”

After leaving the Imperial Academy and walking a bit, they saw a rather fancy restaurant.

As they entered, a neatly dressed employee greeted them.

“Please guide us to the best seat in the house.”

The employee politely guided them.

Following him, they went up to the third floor, where a seat on the terrace was prepared.

“Bring us the most expensive items.”

“Um, Princess? I’m paying, so you don’t need to order like that…”

“This Princess will pay.”

“Then that’s a different story.”

Charles, who ordered with an arrogant expression, closed her mouth again as the employee left.

It seemed she didn’t have anything to say.

Not paying attention to her, who had suddenly become quiet, Ian opened his mouth.

“Do you guys know about the Red Moon faith?”

“What? That again.”

Philoa didn’t seem to know, but May was different.

As she was very interested in archeology, she told them about the Red Moon faith to the extent she knew.

“It’s the same as what Saintess Celestia said.”

“I guess so. Do you know anything about the Red Moon faith spreading within the Imperial Academy?”

She didn’t know about that.

As May shook her head, Charles glanced at Ian.

“Is this Princess’s information meaningless?”

“No. It has meaning.”

“Then…”

“Originally, information has to be gathered from various sources.”

As the short conversation continued, the food came out.

As soon as the dishes were placed on the table, Ian handed a plate to Myane as well.

“Myaaa~.”

“By the way, how’s the investigation going? I heard there was a commotion in the Great Plains?”

“The investigation there is roughly finished.”

“Roughly?”

“There was something related here too.”

“Is that the Red Moon faith?”

“Yes.”

Philoa and May’s expressions hardened.

If Ian had to investigate it himself, it was quite a big problem.

In particular, the Red Moon faith is a faith based on human sacrifice.

It could be quite a big problem, and the fact that it occurred in the capital made them worried.

Regardless, Ian ate the food that came out and Myane quietly munched on the meat.

As the meal ended, Philoa and May looked at Charles.

“Thank you, Princess. It was delicious.”

“Me too.”

“It was nothing.”

“Still. I heard that the Princess only receives support from the Imperial family without any support from her maternal family…”

“This much is not a problem.”

However, her expression wasn’t good when paying, so the meal must have been quite expensive.

She will probably have to eat at the student cafeteria for the time being.

“I ate well, so I should go take care of my business now. Let’s break up.”

“Where are you going?”

“The place where the Red Moon faith’s gathering was held. There are a few places in the central district of the capital, so I’m going to go and check them out.”

“Can I come with you?”

“No.”

“You’re new to the capital. Shouldn’t there be someone to guide you?”

Ian looked at Charles.

As the flustered Charles tried to shake her head, Philoa exclaimed.

“Wow! Ian, are you perhaps…?”

“It’s not what you think.”

Philoa, who thought he was trying to seduce Charles to enter the power center of the Empire, was embarrassed.

And Charles stared intently at Ian.

“Are you approaching this Princess with such intentions?”

“You approached me first? And I’m not interested in things like power.”

Ian denied it firmly, and Philoa was embarrassed.

“If you had such intentions, I was going to help you a little. Anyway, if Princess Charles is going to guide you… well, there shouldn’t be any problems. Then we’ll go in.”

As Philoa and May left, Charles looked at Ian with a serious expression.

“If you’re thinking of gaining power by using this Princess, you should give up. This body has nothing to do with power.”

“I’m telling you again, I’m not interested in that. And you don’t have to come with me either.”

As Ian, who was planning to go alone anyway, turned around and walked away, Charles hesitated and followed him.

Ian glanced at her but didn’t say anything.

The place they arrived at was a small building in the central district.

“Senon Music Classroom. Instrument performance is one of the qualities of the nobility, so many students learn it separately from outside.”

“Does the Imperial Academy teach it poorly?”

“It’s not that, but it’s a place only those who want to learn more properly go to. But for this place to be related to the Red Moon faith… It’s surprising.”

Charles, who muttered while standing in front of the building, looked at Ian.

As he tried to go inside, a burly man who appeared to be the manager blocked his way.

“Please show your membership card.”

“Do you need a membership card to enter?”

“This is a place where high-ranking nobles come. Not just anyone can enter.”

Charles frowned at the gaze that seemed to look down on them slightly.

“Do you know who this Princess is! This Princess is Charles de Vlad! The Princess of the Empire!!”

“…Ah. I see. I’m sorry for not recognizing you. But even if you are a Princess, I have to stop you.”

He seemed momentarily flustered, but he was calm.

Just as she was about to say another word, Ian tilted his head.

“What kind of place is it that even a princess is blocked from entering? That makes it even more suspicious.”

“I’ll say it again, you cannot enter without a membership card.”

“What if I refuse?”

“…Then we have no choice.”

He blew the whistle he was wearing around his neck.

Then, large men rushed down from the building.

“What is it?”

“I don’t know who the Princess is with… but these people are trying to enter without a membership card.”

The large men who heard that grinned.

“We don’t want to lay hands on noble people. Please go back.”

“It seems you guys aren’t nobles. But for you to act so recklessly, there must be someone quite high up behind you…”

Ian smiled, revealing his teeth.

“Iron Blood Duke?” [A powerful and influential noble title]

The expressions changed as soon as they heard that name.

As they slowly began to surround them, Charles flinched.

“Ian, is it okay?”

“It’s okay.”

Ian raised his hand.

At that moment, dozens of magic circles appeared, and the burly men tried to jump at the sight of them, but…

“Bind.”

Ian’s magic was faster.

As the bound men stiffened, Ian strode into the building.

Following him, Charles asked worriedly.

“Is it okay? What on earth is in this building…?”

“In this building?”

Ian, who went up the stairs, kicked down the tightly closed door and said.

“A chapel for the Red Moon.”

What was revealed inside was an ordinary practice room.

Charles, who looked around, asked with a puzzled expression.

“It’s not here.”

“It is here.”

He confidently went to the wall and punched it.

The wall cracked from the impact, revealing the inside.

Charles was shocked to see it.

On the altar inside.

A human corpse was lying there.