All-Master Player Of The Academy [EN]: Chapter 97

◈ Episode 97

49. About Curses – 1

That wasn’t what I was asking, but it’s not exactly wrong either.

While Willis and Aute awkwardly chuckled, Ian tended to Myaane, who was dozing off.

“Then, I’ll be on my way.”

“Um, Saint Ian.”

“Yes?”

“This is not something we can simply overlook.”

“Indeed. If the gates of hell are already open, and demons are preparing to emerge…”

Willis, a priest of the Solar Order.

Aute, a priest of the Lunar Order.

Both recognized the gravity of the situation.

“We’re considering inviting high-ranking members of our orders to interrogate him again. Would you be willing to be present then?”

Aute was thinking along the same lines as Willis.

He needed to call his mentor, the High Priest, from the Lunar Order’s main branch to inform him of this matter.

But what if Beriswell resists again, mocks them, and spews only curses?

It would be far better to have Ian by their side.

At their earnest request, Ian opened his notebook.

“I can’t this week. I have academy classes.”

“Ah, you don’t need to worry about that. We’ll handle it on our end.”

“Yes, there’s no need for concern, Saint.”

As the two priests smiled and spoke, Ian nodded.

“Then, let’s do that. I’ll see you later during evening worship.”

After offering his farewell, he quickly departed.

Watching Ian walk away, Willis sighed.

“Demons…”

“But even demons are watching Saint Ian’s every move… wouldn’t that be a good thing?”

“I hope other demons are like that too.”

* * *

Returning to the dormitory, Ian went straight to his room.

Graegin was absent.

“Myaane, let’s eat.”

“Myaa~ Mya~.”

Myaane, who had been perched on Ian’s shoulder, jumped down.

While Myaane was burying her face in her food bowl, the door opened.

“I heard you rescued the kids and even healed them? Good job.”

Haroon entered with tea and cookies.

He brewed and poured Ian some precious tea sent from his family, then inquired.

“I heard about what happened in the village from Blanche. I also heard the results of the interrogation.”

“Why did you go there?”

“I was worried about the kids, so I went to check on them. Anyway, why did the demons appear?”

“Instead of worrying about that, let’s focus on the cooperative battle.”

At Ian’s words, Haroon was taken aback.

What was he saying, with demons being enemies of the world?

Confused, he became even more bewildered by Ian’s expression.

“Are you serious?”

“It’s more important for me to get everyone promoted to the advanced level. By the way, the cooperative battle is still scheduled, right? I heard they give extra points if we win against the Imperial Academy.”

“It probably is. If the kids recover as quickly as you said. The problem isn’t us; it’s the Imperial Academy.”

“Why?”

“Bill Frost and Osnen have taken leave.”

“Osnen is one thing, but can an instructor take leave during an exchange event?”

Especially an instructor who came as a supervisor. Was that even possible?

As Ian was surprised, Haroon shook his head.

“Actually, they usually wouldn’t allow it. But the matter is quite significant, isn’t it?”

As such, the Empire wouldn’t be able to take it lightly either.

Perhaps Osnen went to the Empire with Bill Frost to inform them of this matter and order them to capture No Face.

As Haroon offered his opinion, Kirke spoke up.

Then that’s settled.

Ian, who had been fiddling with his teacup, took a sip and asked.

“So, we’re not doing the cooperative battle?”

“Who knows? But the schedule hasn’t changed, so I guess we’ll just do it?”

As Haroon spoke, the door opened.

Graegin, who came in with a few books, placed them on the desk and said.

“What are you guys talking about so seriously?”

“About the cooperative battle.”

“Ah, that? They said they’re still doing it. Instructor Bill Frost and Osnen told Instructor Aranse when they left the academy.”

They said they would return by tomorrow morning, so let’s proceed with the schedule as is.

As Graegin repeated what he had heard, Haroon slumped his shoulders.

“I wonder if the cooperative battle is even meaningful. We’re going to win anyway.”

If Osnen and Ian were excluded, it could be considered a close match.

But if they were included, the situation would be entirely different. It was impossible to imagine Ian losing.

“Ah, and I saw Leila earlier.”

“Really? How is she doing these days?”

“She seemed to be in a serious mood, so I didn’t talk to her.”

Ian thought for a moment, then got up from his seat.

“Where are you going as soon as you get here?”

“To meet Leila. Let’s go together if you’re going.”

Myaane, who had finished eating, followed Ian, and Haroon and Graegin got up from their seats.

When they went to the abandoned building, there were quite a few people.

The Magic Tower and the Society of Relic Studies [organizations dedicated to magical research and ancient artifacts].

And even the academy’s management personnel were there.

As they passed through them and went inside, they saw a girl talking with Helid.

“Leila.”

“Oh?”

She, who had gained a little more weight than when they had last seen her at the mansion, smiled brightly.

Now able to walk skillfully on her own, she walked lightly and greeted Ian.

“It’s been a while.”

“Have you been well? Have you found anything?”

“Not yet, nothing significant.”

“Really? What’s lacking?”

“Everything. There’s too little data.”

“You should assume there is no recorded data. It would be better to investigate through exploration.”

If there were recorded data, it would have been detected by Kirke.

But the fact that Kirke couldn’t confirm it meant that they hadn’t left any evidence.

Seeing how thoroughly they were maintaining secrecy, they were definitely not ordinary people.

Leila seemed to think so too, as she sighed deeply.

“I wish there was any clue… Ah, but there is one thing I found out.”

“What is it?”

“The movement of wealth Hastings accumulated as an academy instructor.”

She opened a thick notebook she had received from Helid.

“I investigated where his funds flowed. He hid it quite well, but he couldn’t completely block the flow of vouchers [a type of currency or financial instrument] itself.”

She had suffered for days investigating this.

Helid gave a bitter smile at her boasting.

“How long has it been since your body recovered, and you’re already overdoing it like that.”

“I’m doing it because I like it. Anyway, it’s here.”

Ian, who had received the paper she had written on, tilted his head.

“This is…”

“It’s a bar called ‘Farkhad’s Leftovers’ in the capital of the Scarlet Kingdom. There’s a story that one of the vouchers Hastings had was used there.”

“Oh, was there such a record?”

If there was a record, Kirke wouldn’t have missed it.

When Ian asked, Leila waved her hand.

“Ah, not that… It’s just that the person who received it remembered it because of the bloodstains left on the voucher.”

But that’s all.

Just in case, she investigated the flow of that voucher.

But other than the fact that the voucher was passed on from Hastings and used there shortly after, there was nothing special she could find out.

“It seems like they failed to launder the voucher. Well, no one would have known if it wasn’t for me.”

“You’ve worked hard.”

“But I couldn’t even find out what’s going on there because there’s not a single piece of data, no matter how much I search.”

But there was one thing she suspected.

“I think that place is related to those connected to Hastings. Related to Pandemonium [likely a reference to a demonic or underworld organization].”

Ian read the contents of the notebook Leila had investigated and said.

“Then I’ll tell you what I found out.”

He told her what had happened on Mount Kiledi.

Leila’s expression gradually hardened as she listened.

“The leader of Blue Moon goes there regularly? This smells fishy. We need to investigate that place further.”

“Don’t stir things up unnecessarily. The Sword Flower Unit Leader and I will look into that side.”

“Ahaha, I understand. Then let’s see each other again next time. I’ll let you know as soon as I find out more.”

Leila leaves with Helid.

Haroon, who had been watching her, grabbed Ian.

“Hey, what are you talking about?”

“Didn’t you hear what I said earlier?”

“No, I heard it. I’m just doubting my ears. Goodness. Blue Moon was a bunch of guys related to demons. As expected, they’re the kind of guys who should all be killed.”

Not only No Face but also Blue Moon was related to demons.

And Hastings may have been involved as well.

It was all a bunch of complicated things.

He sighed heavily and ran to Leila, who was walking away.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going to help with the investigation since you’re investigating anyway!”

Blue Moon is an organization that the Salt Marquis family doesn’t look kindly upon either.

Their assassinations had shaken their business several times because their trading partners had died.

So, wouldn’t it be better to help with the preparations to get rid of them?

As he walked away, Graegin nudged Ian’s back.

“Things seem to be getting quite complicated. Can you handle it?”

“What do you take me for? You guys should worry about preparing for training instead of this.”

* * *

The next day, Widia and Park Bare came into the classroom with awkward smiles.

The students, led by Oerina, pointed at them and teased them.

“Ahaha! They’re the ones who got beaten!”

“Eolleli Kkolleli~ [a taunting chant].”

“They were showing off so much because they became experts!”

“Ugh… I’m already embarrassed, so stop teasing me.”

Widia and Park Bare approached Ian with reddened faces.

Standing in front of him as he took out his book, they couldn’t hide their awkwardness.

“Hey, thanks, Ian.”

“I heard you saved us and healed us?”

As the two thanked him, Ian said bluntly, as he always did.

“You know what I’m going to say, right?”

“Of course. I’m going to visit home next month, and I’ll bring you a Lunar Order relic then.”

“Would a Solar Order relic be okay for me? Or should I give you an artifact?”

“Just give me a marble like last time. I need to make one because there’s a Solar Order request.”

“Okay.”

They couldn’t just let it go since their lives had been saved.

As they expressed their gratitude and stepped back, Mei approached as the representative of the Imperial Academy.

“Ian, thanks for saving us. I heard you get relics or artifacts when something like this happens? We’ll send you something good too.”

“I got paid by Osnen for saving you guys?”

“That’s that, and this is this. We’ll send it as soon as the exchange event is over.”

There was no reason to refuse since they were giving it to him.

As Ian nodded, Mei expressed her gratitude once more and sat down.

While everyone was sitting and waiting, the classroom door opened.

“Class starts. Everyone come out to the training ground.”

Today was the day for training in preparation for the cooperative battle.

There was no reason to change the class schedule even though Bill Frost and Osnen were gone.

As everyone was taking their weapons and leaving, Aranse grabbed Ian.

“Ian, you’re out.”

If there was at least Osnen, it would be different, but what would he do with Ian when he wasn’t there?

Instead, Aranse entrusted him with another task.

“The Solar Temple is looking for you.”

“What for?”

“I heard someone came from the Solar Order’s main branch. They want to interrogate Beriswell, and they want you to be there. I’ll mark you as having attended the class, so go. Or are you going to participate in the training?”

If that was the case, Aranse could have told them.

Ian was a student of the academy, and the Solar Order had only ended at the level of a request.

As Aranse asked, Ian picked up his bag as if there was nothing to think about.

“Let’s go to the temple.”

Aranse sighed heavily at those words.

There were more people in the Solar Temple than usual.

As Ian, who was observing the unfamiliar holy knights and priests gathered, came in, Willis greeted him.

“Saint, I’m sorry to call you during class.”

“It’s okay. But what about the Lunar Order…?”

“They will come as soon as they finish preparing. Now, let’s go to the Shining Star Unit.”

When they arrived at the Shining Star Unit, preparations for the interrogation had already been made.

While Beriswell was rolling his eyes around, looking around, a boy who looked about Aute’s age approached Ian.