All-Master Player Of The Academy [EN]: Chapter 147

147. Didn’t Recognize – 1

Ian always repays what he receives.

Whether it’s hostility or goodwill.

The story that he had claimed the Academy as his territory had already spread quickly.

Naturally, the Temple of the Moon knew about it, so Aout must have told her.

And having heard that, the Saintess must have stepped forward herself.

Ian, agreeing with Kirke’s judgment, looked at her and said,

“Just because you do this doesn’t mean I’ll become a Saint of the Moon.”

“Hehe, I know. But doesn’t it mean you can help the Moon Order that much more?”

“That’s true.”

“Then I’ll be satisfied with that.”

Celestia’s expression was firm.

Until now, no human had ever shown such favor to the Moon Order.

That’s why she couldn’t help but feel hopeful.

“What are you going to do if a real Saint appears?”

When Ian asked, Celestia smiled brightly.

“I’ll have to think about that when the time comes.”

‘Like a bulldozer.’

Once she thinks of something, she pushes it through.

She looks like a delicate girl, but her actions and thoughts are quite impressive.

“Well, I won’t stop you if that’s what you want to do.”

There’s nothing wrong with the Saintess giving such full support from the Moon Order.

When Ian nodded, she smiled brightly.

“You said Instructor Aranse, right? Where should I go?”

“Ah… um… yes. Let’s go to the instructor’s office first.”

He glanced at Ian.

A look asking if it was okay to go with the Saintess.

Worried that he might be held back by Ian by receiving her help, he looked at Ian, who nodded.

“Tch.”

It’s not a bad thing, but it’s still unsettling.

But since it was the Saintess, she would definitely be helpful, so Aranse took her away.

“Saintess, I’m sorry. Our Saintess is a bit headstrong…”

“Such a proactive attitude isn’t bad either.”

“Oh? Do you think so?”

Aout’s eyes sparkled.

He had hoped that Ian might join the Moon Order with this opportunity.

“Of course, that doesn’t mean I’m going to be baptized [converted to your religion].”

“Ahaha… I suppose not.”

Aout forced a dry smile, trying to hide his disappointment.

When they returned to the dormitory, the students who had prepared for the mission were waiting.

“Where have you been?”

“To the Temple of the Moon.”

“Why? Did you need a relic? Do you have one?”

When Blenche took out a relic from his chest, Ian shook his head.

“You can catch demons without relics. The Saintess is coming to hold a special prayer meeting.”

“Ah, then you’ve taken care of everything?”

“Yeah, I’ll just grab my bag. Wait for me.”

When he returned to his room, Graegin was reading a book.

He saw Ian packing his bag and chuckled.

“Busy, huh?”

“I always am.”

“Hey, take this.”

Graegin tossed a pouch from his drawer.

Ian tilted his head, and Graegin said seriously.

“You said it was the Seven Deadly Sins, but I’m a bit concerned about the act of taking only parts of the body.”

“Oh, what is it?”

“You’ve been in the Tower, so you know. They call them Yokai [supernatural monsters] there, right? There are Yokai among them that disguise themselves as people, right?”

“There are.”

“Like those Yokai, there are monsters that disguise themselves as people. Doppelgangers…”

“This isn’t about people. And aren’t Doppelgangers extinct monsters?”

“That’s true, but you never know.”

“Well, there’s the tiger incident too.”

“According to records left in artifacts found near the Predisian Territory in the past, Doppelgangers disguise themselves not only as people but also as animals or monsters.”

And there was one important clue.

“They need the organs of the target to maintain the disguise.”

In other words.

The reason why the livers of livestock disappear might be because the Doppelganger disguised itself as that animal and used the liver to maintain the disguise.

“Why are there no wounds on the livestock whose livers have been taken?”

“I don’t know about that part. Anyway, I prepared it just in case. If it’s related to Doppelgangers, use it.”

Inside the pouch was a small bead.

“They say the disguise will be broken if you hit them with it. It was used quite a bit in the Forgotten City’s Tower, so I can guarantee the effect.”

“I’ll use it well. What about the others?”

“I gave it to them all.”

Graegin likes artifacts.

But not as much as his classmates.

He smiled as he handed over his collection, his treasure, without any compensation.

“It’s okay if you lose it, so I hope you come back safe.”

“Ha, really.”

“If you feel burdened, let’s go to the ruins together later.”

After speaking, Graegin turned his eyes back to the book on his desk.

Ian glanced at him studying, put the pouch in his bag, and came out.

“Did Graegin give it to you too?”

“Yeah, this?”

“Yeah. We should get him something when we get back.”

Widia smiled and put the bead Graegin had given her into her bag.

It seemed like everything was ready now.

“Then let’s go.”

* * *

The place they arrived at through the gate was a dark mountain.

As soon as they came out of the gate, Wildy took the lead.

“Let’s go down the mountain and go a little further to the direct territory [area directly controlled by the Earl]. Let’s stop by there. Let’s have dinner there, check the information, and then move.”

“Go straight to the site?”

“To go to the site, you have to pass through the direct territory anyway. And we need to hear about that place. It’s faster to borrow a horse after hearing the story.”

This is Wildy’s hometown.

So she knows the way better.

She said confidently and asked for agreement.

“How is it?”

“The leader decides these things.”

Ian, who naturally became the leader, closed his eyes.

There was no particular malice felt around him.

‘Where is Gust?’

“Let’s go to the direct territory first. We need to join up with Gust too.”

“Wow! Is the Tyrant really going with us? Wow……”

“Why are you so impressed? Hey, we’re traveling with the strongest person on the continent.”

The Tyrant is famous, but is he as good as Ian?

Widia scolded Blenche, who was admiring, and grabbed Wildy.

“We can eat dinner while listening to the story, right? I’m going to have a delicious dinner tonight?”

“Of course!”

Guided by Wildy, Ian and his party entered the castle and headed straight to the Earl’s mansion.

As expected of a wealthy Earl, the mansion was quite large and nice.

“Welcome! Miss!”

The butler, who had been waiting at the entrance of the mansion, smiled brightly at the group.

The well-dressed elderly butler bowed, and Wildy smiled.

“Have you been well, Hanson?”

“Yes, I’ve been well. Come in. The Earl is waiting for you.”

As they entered the mansion, Blenche was impressed.

From the lobby of the mansion, it was clear that they were rich.

“Wow, Widia, look at that. It’s all marble.”

“You’re from an Earl family, why are you so surprised?”

“Our house is a military family, so we don’t decorate it so luxuriously.”

While Blenche was wide-eyed and looking around, Ian asked Hanson.

“Where is Gust?”

“You must be the student Ian Brandon. Gust is in the guest room now. And please, speak comfortably.”

“I will. Tell Gust I’m here.”

“I understand.”

He ordered a nearby maid and led the group to the dining room.

The dining room was also quite luxurious, as befitting a wealthy Earl.

After waiting there for a while, a sturdy middle-aged man and a priest from the Sun Order walked in smiling.

“Welcome. I didn’t know it would be so hard to see my daughter’s face.”

“Father! Uncle!”

Wildy smiled and hugged them both.

He hugged her and patted her on the back, then approached Ian, Blenche, and Widia.

“Welcome. Welcome to the Predisian Earl Territory. I am the head of the family, Crom Predisian.”

“I am Crom Earl’s brother and a priest of the Sun Order dispatched to this territory, Torombe.”

As they introduced themselves, Ian bowed first.

“I am Ian Brandon.”

“I am Blenche Auden.”

“It’s been a while, Earl. Have you been well?”

Ian and Blenche, who were there for the first time, and Widia, who had been there several times, greeted them, and they smiled warmly.

“I sincerely apologize for not being able to come out to greet you because we had guests.”

“No, it’s okay. And please, speak comfortably.”

“Okay.”

“I’ve known Wildy for a long time, so you’re like a father to us.”

Ian said, and Blenche and Widia agreed.

Crom smiled brightly at their words.

“No, but……”

“It’s okay.”

“Then shall we speak a little more comfortably? You’ve had a hard time coming from afar. Let’s have a meal first. It’ll be ready soon, so please wait a moment.”

He nodded to the servant, and the dishes came out after a while.

Was it because it was famous for rock salt and commerce?

Most of the dishes were quite expensive and luxurious.

“This is salt-grilled, right? Wow, I didn’t think I’d get to eat this.”

To use the expensive Predisian rock salt to make salt-grilled dishes.

I knew I would get something good to eat, but I didn’t know it would be this much.

While Widia and Blenche were admiring, Ian said calmly.

“Can we talk about what happened in the Earl Territory now?”

Crom, who had stopped cutting the meat, sighed.

“Gust said so. This incident may be related to Gluttony, one of the Seven Deadly Sins.”

“Graegin said it might be a Doppelganger……”

A demon. Or the monster Doppelganger, which was said to have gone extinct a long time ago. Both are quite difficult to deal with.

Crom nodded and continued.

“It started in Tokioel Village. There, an incident occurred where the livers of livestock were taken, and they died.”

At first, it was just one.

But as time went by, the number was gradually increasing.

“That place is also famous for its ranches. It’s a place where horses and cows used for the Earl’s commerce are raised. The damage has been so severe in just a few days that it’s a headache.”

“If it were the work of a demon, as Gust said, I would have felt it. But I didn’t feel anything like that… I don’t think it’s a demon.”

When Torombe judged that it was not related to a demon, Ian recited a spell inwardly.

Crawley, drawn by the Gingo Tree, is coming in.

Ian stopped the spell and asked.

“Did you feel it?”

“Yes? What do you mean……?”

The Great Demon had come, but Torombe didn’t seem to know anything, perhaps because he had deliberately hidden his malice.

That meant that he might miss it if another Great Demon was hiding.

Ian smiled at him, who was puzzled.

“Let’s go to the site as soon as we finish eating.”