All-Master Player Of The Academy [EN]: Chapter 93

93. Not Really – 1

After parting with Eldan, Ian immediately returned to the Academy.

It was around sunset, and he had already eaten dinner at the student cafeteria. As he entered the lobby on his way to the dormitory, Grajin was coming down the stairs.

“You’re back?”

“Yeah. Anything happen?”

“Happen, you say…”

Grajin scratched his cheek and shrugged.

“Park Bare and Widia became Experts while sparring.”

“That’s good news, at least.”

“And some students from Class C and D picked a fight with the Imperial Academy students?”

“Hmm.”

“Instructor Vilfrost and Instructor Pridion sparred and ended in a draw… Well, nothing else to worry about.”

“Anything from Blue Moon?”

“They didn’t come.”

Grajin answered from the lobby sofa, and Ian gave instructions to Kirke.

Kirke didn’t have any special information either, so there was no particular report.

“So, what about you? You went home. Nothing? Weren’t your family happy to see you?”

There was a grand welcome, and Ian responded in kind.

He grinned, and Grajin tilted his head.

“Something happen?”

Ian showed him the Brandon barony’s crest.

Grajin narrowed his eyes when he saw it.

“That’s the family head’s crest, isn’t it?”

“You see correctly. Count Eldan will apply to the Aristocratic Council, so I’ll be Baron Brandon in a month or two.”

“A month or two? Well, it’ll take that long to go through the Aristocratic Council’s review. But most of those cases pass, right?”

“Yeah. And Count Eldan will request it directly. So, there shouldn’t be any major problems.”

As Ian answered, the dormitory’s main door opened.

Students who had finished their personal training came in and spotted Ian.

“Oh? Ian?”

Wilde, wearing student light armor, ran over.

She smiled brightly, about to greet him, but saw the crest in Ian’s hand.

“Isn’t that the Scarlet Kingdom noble family’s head crest?”

“Yeah. How do you know?”

“I often meet Scarlet Kingdom nobles when I’m trading salt for my family. But why do you have it?”

That was like a stamp used to decide matters of the territory.

Only the family head could have it, so why did Ian have it?

Wilde stared at Ian and was taken aback.

“Uh… Could it be that you’re going to govern the Brandon territory?”

It wasn’t entirely unbelievable.

Considering Ian’s knowledge and power, it wouldn’t be a big deal for him to become the successor and govern the territory.

It was just a shame.

She thought she could still trade with him and asked, but Ian shook his head and told her what had happened in the territory.

“…So, I killed my father, stepmother, and half-siblings and just became Baron Brandon.”

The Class B students who heard everything were bewildered.

“…He’s too extreme.”

But if what Ian said was true, there wasn’t a big problem.

Blue Moon was the enemy of all the countries on the continent.

He had eliminated those who colluded with such enemies, and if the process was considered a succession battle, it wasn’t impossible to overlook.

Count Eldan had stepped in, and the Solar Church would testify.

Besides, it was common for blood to flow during succession battles.

Unless something special happened, this matter would pass without major issues.

If the Scarlet Kingdom’s Aristocratic Council was in its right mind.

“Well, if something goes wrong, come to my house.”

Haroon put his arm around Ian’s shoulder and said.

No matter how much the Scarlet Kingdom antagonized Ian, the Salt Marquis family could handle it.

“The Overwell Kingdom would also welcome you with open arms. But Blue Moon created such a monster… What on earth is going on?”

Blanche sighed, and the dormitory door opened.

“If you’re back, you should wash up and rest. Why are you all gathered in the lobby?”

It was Aranse.

He spotted Ian in the center of the Class B students and smirked.

“Did you have a good trip?”

“Yes.”

“That’s good. We’ll start training for the cooperative battle tomorrow, so keep that in mind.”

Aranse said simply and went inside.

After the others who had come in earlier left, Grajin went up to his room with Ian and said.

“By the way, Blue Moon brought in a demon… That’s a pretty dangerous enemy.”

“They were always the enemy, and I don’t think it’s a big problem. Hey, what’s Leila doing?”

“She’s with the Solar Church right now.”

The investigation of the abandoned building was to be a joint investigation by the Archaeological Society, the Academy, the Magic Tower, and the Solar Church.

And Leila had joined the Solar Church side on the recommendation of Haroon and Grajin, and Heliad was naturally by her side.

Grajin explained briefly, then opened the door. Ian went inside and sat on the bed.

“Will Leila do well?”

“She’ll do fine. Why? Are you worried?”

“Count Eldan was worried.”

“I don’t think there’ll be any problems on that side, but…”

Grajin crossed his arms and groaned briefly.

“But you never know in this world. And we can’t rule out the possibility that the guys who made it will move.”

Even as he said that, Ian looked quite relaxed.

As he sat cross-legged to meditate as he always did, Grajin opened a book.

-Thump!

The door opened roughly.

Ian and Grajin stopped concentrating and looked at the door.

“Ian, Grajin. Do you have time?”

It was May, an Imperial Academy student.

It wasn’t someone they usually saw, so they were puzzled.

“Why?”

“Ah. We decided to have a simple get-together outside.”

“Why are you telling us that?”

“It’s not the whole Imperial Academy, just people who get along. The Fredon Academy kids are going too, so come with us.”

Grajin turned his eyes back to his book as if he wasn’t interested.

May was disappointed, and Ian shook his head.

“Oh, well. I guess it can’t be helped.”

You couldn’t force it.

As she left, Ian continued his meditation.

And the next day.

The students who had gone to the get-together didn’t return.

* * *

“What’s going on?”

The Class B classroom was quite noisy.

Unauthorized absence.

If they weren’t careful, they could get a pretty big penalty, and their outings could be restricted for a while.

“On our side, it’s Widia and Park Bare. From the Imperial Academy, it’s three, including May, right?”

Haroon muttered with concern, and Blanche’s expression also hardened.

“I hope nothing happened.”

“Something must have happened. They’re not stupid, and there’s no reason for them not to return.”

The Imperial Academy side was also quite noisy because of the non-return.

Everyone seemed shocked that as many as three people hadn’t returned.

“Don’t you know anything?”

Blanche, who was sitting next to Ian, asked, but Grajin shook his head.

He didn’t seem to have heard anything either and was quite embarrassed.

“Shouldn’t we go look for them?”

“They already left the Academy.”

Hound and other hunters and instructors had left at dawn.

Oerina, who had come over while Ian was sunbathing with Myane, said, and the classroom’s front door burst open.

“Everyone, take your seats.”

“Instructor. Our kids…”

“I know. Instructor Hound and Instructor Vilfrost have left, so you guys should attend your classes. Well, maybe they just drank too much yesterday and passed out somewhere.”

Aranse said to reassure the students, but his expression was also hardened.

Meanwhile, Kirke reported to Ian, who was sunbathing with Myane.

‘Did they get caught for not paying their bar tab?’

‘Where’s Instructor Hound?’

‘Keep track of their location and tell me if the captured kids look like they’re moving.’

Just as he finished talking to Kirke, Aranse, who had been talking to the students, stopped chatting and announced the announcements.

“Everyone knows that there will be a cooperative battle soon. It’s a match between Class B and the Imperial Academy, so everyone should be prepared. That’s all.”

Aranse finished speaking and left.

There were no main classes this morning, so they had to go to liberal arts classes.

As the students moved, Valla lightly grabbed Ian’s shoulder.

“Are you going to class?”

Ian thought for a moment and shook his head.

“No. I’m skipping today.”

“Are you going to look for the kids? Then let’s go together.”

Blanche, who was listening from the side, spoke up.

He was going to do personal training because there were no liberal arts classes, but he seemed to be thinking of stepping in.

Other students also agreed and were about to get up, but Ian refused.

“You guys go to class.”

“Hey~ Something might have happened to our classmates, so it’s better to go together.”

“That’s right, Ian. It’s dangerous to go alone…”

Wilde, who was about to speak, closed her mouth.

Come to think of it, it didn’t seem like it would be dangerous for him to go alone.

“But wouldn’t it be better to have more people to investigate? Let’s have only those who don’t have classes participate. How about it?”

The students who had classes were disappointed, but Wilde’s suggestion wasn’t wrong either.

Besides, it was currently an exchange match, so it was better to participate in classes as much as possible.

In the end, all the students who had liberal arts classes went to class.

Except for Ian.

“Aren’t you going?”

“It’s advanced metallurgy class. I can get a perfect score even if I don’t go.”

So, the only ones participating in the search party this time were Ian, Blanche, and Wilde.

As they were about to go outside, one person approached.

It was Osnen.

He also had to participate in liberal arts classes.

Ian smirked at the sight of him trying to follow.

“Why?”

“Aren’t you going to look for the students? If so, I would like to go with you.”

“Does His Highness the Crown Prince do things like this too?”

“I am also the representative leading the Imperial Academy students. If a problem arises, it is natural to solve it.”

As he spoke, Wilde looked at Ian.

He was the one leading, so she was leaving the decision to him.

“What if this was caused by you? Maybe it was done to lure you in.”

“Then I should go even more. Besides, do you think I’ll be a hindrance?”

He was a Master, so would he be a hindrance?

Ian nodded and pointed behind him.

“Keep up.”

As soon as they left the Academy, Ian walked without hesitation.

Wilde was puzzled as she watched him.

“Blanche. Where is Ian going?”

“I don’t know. But he’s like that during monster hunting too, right?”

That was true.

He always found his way without any explanation and easily found monsters every time.

Blanche didn’t bother to ask, thinking that it would be the same this time.

The place they arrived at after walking like that was inside the back alley.

While Blanche, Wilde, and Myane covered their noses at the foul smell of the back alley,

Ian stopped in front of a small building that was his destination.

“What? Is it here?”

“The traces lead here…”

But Ian wasn’t going in.

Blanche and Wilde were puzzled by the sight.

“What’s wrong?”

Trusting Kirke’s report and his own senses, Ian said to Osnen.

“Protect the kids here and don’t let anyone in.”

“What…”

He also felt a sense of incongruity and grabbed his weapon.

The moment Blanche and Wilde tensed up at the sight of the two.

“Ugh… Ughaa…”

“Aah… Ugh…”

People who appeared to be residents of the back alley were approaching them with blank expressions as if they were possessed by something.