All-Master Player Of The Academy [EN]: Chapter 45

23. It Will Quiet Down – 1

“What do you mean? Only once?”

Ha-ryun asked, dumbfounded, and Graejin replied with a serious expression.

“Things are a bit complicated.”

They sell goods using the permission of the Adventurer’s Guild and the Academy.

What happens if someone realizes they’ve been scammed and complains?

“They just deny it like last time.”

About half of the protesters back down when they bring up the Adventurer’s Guild, gnashing their teeth.

And about half back down with a bitter expression when they bring up the Academy.

They say that they end up giving a little extra compensation to the few who don’t back down.

“That’s amazing. There must be nobles among those who are scammed. They just let it go?”

“Normally, it’s not something they would let go. But the problem is that these guys have the Adventurer’s Guild and the Academy backing them.”

Nobles are reluctant to cause a commotion during the Hero Festival.

They are afraid of alienating the Academy for a few pennies and not being able to request quests [tasks or missions] later.

“Besides, those who realize they’ve been scammed after the Hero Festival have nowhere to turn.”

“What about the Adventurer’s Guild?”

Graejin shook his head at Ha-ryun’s question.

“It’s even worse there. The reason the Adventurer’s Guild was created is to protect adventurers from clients.”

“Ah. I heard about that. There are cases where nobles request quests and then don’t pay the quest fee with various excuses or pressure after the quest is completed, right?”

“That’s right. They reduce the quest fee by finding fault with the item or claiming that monsters are still left.”

“Right. That’s why the Adventurer’s Guild was created. According to its founding ideology, the Adventurer’s Guild protects adventurers first in these situations.”

So, they can’t tell the Adventurer’s Guild either.

All they would do is fight with them.

Considering the commotion that would arise from that fight, those who were scammed just consider it a case of stepping in poop if it’s not a lot of money and move on.

The device to protect adventurers has instead led to the adventurers’ licentiousness [unprincipled, immoral, or unrestrained behavior].

“Smart. If they get caught on the spot, they give some money to silence them. If they don’t get caught, they just eat it [get away with it].”

“There were hardly any who came out like us. Those guys were unlucky.”

If they had been caught by the regular guards, they might have gotten away with mentioning the Academy and the Adventurer’s Guild.

It was a big deal because B班 [Class B] happened to be on patrol.

And they got caught by Ian.

“You said a report came in? When was it?”

“The year before last. Some students discovered this and reported it… but they didn’t make a big deal out of it like us. Then it was quietly covered up and the report was withdrawn.”

“Who was it?”

“It wasn’t in the record.”

“Was it never there from the beginning? Or was it hidden?”

Ian shook his head at Ha-ryun’s question.

“It must have been hidden. Now. Are there any victims among the Academy students? Like Arian?”

“There are some, but they must have just let it go while watching the situation. Because it goes all the way to the senior instructor.”

Intermediate or higher students or nobles of Baron rank or higher don’t buy things from these stalls.

Most of the people who buy things in these places are lower-class students or lower-class nobles who come to see the sights, so they can’t argue much.

That’s how this has been going on at the Hero Festival for several years.

“Any other victims?”

“Well? I haven’t been able to figure that out yet. Because it’s sold at stalls, the ledgers aren’t detailed.”

After hearing everything, Ian tapped the table and continued thinking.

“Then that means we need to investigate Senior Instructor Romentle.”

Ha-ryun muttered, and Ian, who had been silent, finally opened his mouth.

“Is Senior Instructor Romentle the only one involved in this at the Academy? He wouldn’t have done it alone, since he’s dealing with nobles too.”

“It’s rumored that he’s like Hastings’ right-hand man.”

‘That guy is involved everywhere. Good. Kirke. Who is the reporter?’

Kirke connected to Truth and answered immediately.

After hearing Kirke’s report, he got up from his seat.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going to meet a guy who might know more details.”

“Who is it?”

“There’s someone. A really good guy.”

After finishing their patrol, Ian headed to the Class C dormitory with the two.

Seiren was sitting alone in the lobby of the Class C dormitory entrance, reading a book.

“Oh? Isn’t that Ian? Oh~ all the talented people from Class B are here?”

After greeting Ha-ryun and Graejin, she put the book she was reading aside.

Ian asked her calmly with a grin.

“Do you happen to know Helid Beridan?”

“Helid? Why? Oh… is there something wrong with him? Then I’ll apologize. He’s always been like that.”

“What’s he like?”

“He’s interested in strange things, poking around and causing trouble. That whatchamacallit.”

She scratched her white cheek and was embarrassed.

“He calls himself a detective or something. Gray Brain Society or something…”

“It’s probably Gray Brain. It’s a story that Detective Columbo said in the book ‘The Searcher of Columbo’s Crossroads’.”

Ha-ryun flinched for a moment as Graejin and Seiren looked at him.

“You read those kinds of novels too?”

“It’s my taste! Respect it!”

As he burst out, Ian pulled Ha-ryun.

“That’s not important right now. Where is he?”

“Room 309 is his room. Shall I guide you?”

Ian shook his head as Seiren smiled brightly.

“No. You don’t have to go that far. Anyway, thanks.”

After parting with her, Ian went up to the 3rd floor of the dormitory and stood in front of room 9.

He knocked lightly on the door, and a voice was heard from inside.

“Come in.”

“Myaaa…”

Maybe he didn’t like the arrogant voice.

Myaena growled lowly, and Ha-ryun burst open the door.

The room was very dark because the curtains were drawn.

The serious face of a silver-haired pretty boy was illuminated by the light coming through the slightly open gap.

“Something’s wrong.”

“Who is he again?”

Helid raised his head slightly as Graejin and Ha-ryun stepped forward.

He adjusted his glasses slightly and said to Graejin.

“You. You ate a sandwich for lunch today. Something must have been urgent? Also, you went somewhere. Where could it be? Hmm… yes. The classroom. You must have gone to the classroom.”

“Huh…”

“You must have taken something out of there in a hurry. And you spilled ink while taking it. What were you trying to take? A test paper? Or a book? Maybe it’s a love letter.”

“Are you Helid Beridan?”

A handsome silver-haired boy.

Helid quickly scanned Ha-ryun and continued calmly.

“Looking at your physique, you’re a wizard [magic user]. Looking at the fact that you tied up the hair that you would normally let loose, you went out today. Looking at your shoes, you went to the village… was there something urgent? And…”

Graejin frowned at him as he continued to talk.

“Stop talking nonsense. I ate a hot dog for lunch today, not a sandwich. And this ink stain was spilled a long time ago. And I didn’t go to the classroom.”

“…I, is that so? Then wasn’t that blonde friend right?”

“Is there anyone in the Academy who doesn’t know that I, Ha-ryun Salt, am a wizard? And everyone knows that I went out to the village when they see this patrol armband.”

“…Ah.”

While Helid was fumbling for words, Ian, who was behind him, stepped forward.

“Then guess this.”

He was overjoyed and started sweating as soon as he saw Ian.

“You… you…”

“Do I have to have another interview with you?”

Helid sweated even more and said with difficulty.

“I, is there really a need for that? Ha, hahaha.”

After speaking, he quickly tied up the curtains and brightened the room, asking.

“What’s going on at the Helid Detective Agency?”

“I think you should find another job.”

Graejin said with a look of pity and scanned the brightened room.

He was using the room alone, and the other beds were also full of books.

They were all mystery novels.

“What a taste…”

“What’s wrong with mystery novels?!”

Ian raised his hand to stop Ha-ryun from growling at Graejin.

He has no intention of arguing about taste right now.

“Helid.”

“Y, yes?”

Helid, who had been arrogant to Graejin until just now, flinched at Ian’s call.

“Have you ever investigated the scammers during the Hero Festival?”

His eyes sharpened for a moment.

“…Why?”

“I saw in the notebook you readily handed over before that there were quite a few investigations into these kinds of incidents.”

Ian held up his notebook that he had obtained before.

Inside, there were quite a few investigations into major and minor problems that occurred inside and outside the Academy.

“You know something, don’t you?”

“There are two problems first.”

He was quite reluctant.

“First, I never readily handed it over.”

“Isn’t that readily enough? And you promised to help me later if I have any problems in return for receiving this.”

Graejin and Ha-ryun were very envious when they heard those words.

That Ian said that.

They wished he had told them too.

But Helid had a dissatisfied face as if he didn’t know the value.

“You’re my problem… Anyway, let’s skip that part. Just don’t be interested in the Hero Festival scammers.”

“Is it because it’s related to Hastings?”

Helid nodded at Ian’s question.

“As you said, I investigated it and quit.”

“Why?”

“Because a friend who investigated the matter with me was seriously injured and left the Academy.”

Helid recalled the events of two years ago.

The girl who approached him, who was born as the second son of the Beridan baronial family, famous for armor production, and was always insecure.

The smart girl with snow-white hair like snow falling in winter.

He recalled his friend and object of admiration, Leila Baradis.

“Baradis. It must be one of the Scarlet Kingdom’s baronial families.”

“Yes. The reason I met her was…”

“Tell me simply who, when, where, what, how, and why.”

Helid closed his mouth at Ian’s cold words.

While he was thinking hard about what to say, Ha-ryun picked up a book on the bed.

“Columbo’s Black Murder.”

“Do you know the book?”

“I’ve seen it once.”

He opened the thick book.

The quality of the paper was not very good, as it was a novel that was circulated in the marketplace and rented out by commoners.

“This is a series. It’s about a profligate [recklessly extravagant or wasteful person] from the Columbo noble family solving cases with his genius mind.”

Ha-ryun shook the book lightly.

The books on the bed were all series centered on a noble detective named Columbo.

“Columbo has an excellent warrior and informant named Erhidi by his side.”

Columbo, who can’t fight, leaves his family and runs a small office.

Erhidi, a master, is always by his side, and she is in charge of information investigation, evidence collection, and even subduing the culprit when she discovers him.

“Leila loved that series so much. And… she was as wise as Columbo.”

Ha-ryun smiled bitterly as he muttered.

“So you guys wanted to experience the things that come out in the novel.”

Just like he wanted to join in on Rakid’s case.

Helid lowered his head with difficulty when he heard those words.

“I shouldn’t have done that… I should have known that novels are novels because they don’t happen in reality…”