Chapter 153: Chapter 154

I wasn’t sure how to take that, but... Hector’s expression was more serious than I’d expected.

I paused for a moment before asking, “Wait, no way. You were actually taking lessons from that guy?”

“Yes... but why the surprise?”

“Given your appearance, I thought he was beating you up out of anger.”

Hector sighed. “...Sir Barter can be a bit rough in spars, yes, but he takes the time to personally train me, so I can’t complain about that. A knight’s training should be harsh.”

I knew that. The Bednicker training camp’s curriculum had been based on the schedules of knight orders, after all.

“Sir Barter is an exceptional knight and an excellent instructor. His teaching is on par with that of a grand master.”

“Really? He’s that good?”

“Yes. The bruises looked a bit gnarly, but the wounds were not the type to leave scars or last long.” Hector touched his face. “See—my face is already back to normal.”

Sure enough.

“Then why were you like that back then?”

“Like what?”

“When your face was all swollen, you looked completely dejected.”

“That’s...” Hector hesitated for a moment, then sighed and replied, “I was... doubting myself. No matter how skilled Sir Barter is, I’d been sparring with him every single day since coming to the academy, yet I hadn’t even come close to grazing him. I was so persistent, kept pushing so hard, that he ended up going a bit overboard that day. He apologized, of course.”

“...”

Often, the only reward for uncovering a hidden truth was disappointment. This was, sadly, a prime example.

I felt almost deflated, honestly.

Hector narrowed his eyes at me and continued, “To begin with, the most brutal spar I ever had was with you. If I hadn’t been treated by a high-ranking priest, I'd have shown up to the training camp with my face completely bruised and swollen.”

I forced a cough. “...Ehem.”

I had given him his fair share of slaps and then a few more...

I was finding it hard to refute that, so I changed the subject instead. “All right, I get it. So we can trust Butter, yeah?”

“Sir Barter. And, for the record, he's the one who first told me that something is amiss within Kartell Academy. And I’ve seen him use his Blessing, so he can’t be one of those ‘puppets’ you mentioned either.”

“Who exactly is that guy?”

“...”

Hector hesitated for a moment before replying, “You've heard of the Imperial Special Forces, right?”

That was a surprise. Just to be sure, I asked, “Are you saying he's part of the Special Forces?”

“Yes.”

I finally understood.

The Imperial Special Forces was an organization that directly served the imperial family. It was a specialized unit composed of elite agents who handled highly specialized or covert missions, but...

Due to the nature of the organization, everything about it, from its size to the location of its headquarters to even the missions it undertook... it was all a mystery.

This led some to dismiss the Imperial Special Forces as nothing more than a myth...

However, as a Bednicker, I knew they were very real. One of the many roles of the Lord of Blood and Iron, Bednicker family head, was “Imperial Special Forces agent.”

So the imperial family is at least somewhat aware of what’s happening in the academy?

I was slightly relieved.

At least the empire wasn’t completely incompetent.

In any case, if Barter was part of the Imperial Special Forces, it made sense why Goodspring had suddenly joined us.

I had wondered why they would come here.

Hector was ostensibly the leader of the students from Bednicker’s training camp, so Barter had probably talked about it with him for that reason.

I thought for a moment, then said, “I don’t want to meet him yet.”

“Why not?”

“If more people join us, it’ll draw too much attention. We’ll be under close watch sooner than I planned. For now, don’t tell Barter about me.”

“What about the information you shared?”

“Feel free to pass that along. Just cover up the source however you want.”

“Mm... Understood.”

“And stick close to him for the time being.”

Hector looked at me and asked, “And you? What are you planning to do?”

“I’ll work with the other young heroes separately. Oh, and I’ll have Charon stay with you.”

Hector and Charon didn’t really need me watching their backs. They were more than capable of handling themselves.

“So you’ll move separately from Sir Barter? I’m sure there’s some information only his side knows.”

“I will meet him, just not now. And when I do, it will be on my terms. Where does he usually stay?”

“Near the swordsmanship department in the training center.”

“All right. Then I’ll go there in two... no, three days.”

Hector nodded. “Okay.”

* * * * *

* * * * *

The next day, I made my way to Your Mom’s Trumpet Sound early in the morning.

“Owner? I’d like to rent this place for maybe a week. And if you wouldn’t mind, I’d like you to clear out too.”

“...What the hell are you on about first thing in the morning?” the owner said as he threw his arms up in anger. “Losing some business is one thing, but where the hell am I supposed to stay for a whole week? Even—”

“One hundred gold.”

The owner’s flailing arms froze midair.

“—Even a month away is too short! Haha! Feel free to make yourself at home. Heck, you can even smash the furniture if you get bored!”

I could almost see the dollar signs replacing his eyeballs, hilariously.

Anyway, my plan was to buyout the shop from the owner and use it as a temporary hideout.

If I had to guess, I’d bet that the most poorly monitored and managed place in this academy was the shopping district. Moreover, this shop was located in a fairly secluded area of the shopping district, making it perfect for secret talks.

Next, I called over Sellen.

Sellen showed up early in the morning, sat across from me, and after listening to what I had to say, looked completely dumbfounded.

“Seriously?”

“Yeah.”

Seren was speechless.

Her eyebrows furrowed and unfurrowed a couple of times, and she twirled her hair and fidgeted with her fingers.

Finally, she let out a sigh and said, “...This is at least five times worse than I thought.”

“Is that so?”

Since it was relative, I couldn’t tell how serious she’d thought the situation was.

Sellen said, “...For now, we need to get a better idea of the state of the academy.”

“How?” I asked.

“There’s an Introduction to Mana class this afternoon, fortunately. It’s the most popular lecture at the academy; there are 102 students enrolled in it.”

“Cool.”

It was definitely a popular subject.

If it had 102 students, that meant nearly a tenth of the academy’s entire student body was taking the class.

“I’ll use the method you suggested to find out how many of the 100 students are puppets.”

“How?” I asked. “It’ll take all night to check each one individually.”

“I’ll use my blessing to lower the temperature in the classroom a bit, just enough to make breaths visible. It’s February, so it won’t be that strange if it’s a little chilly.”

“Ah.” I nodded in understanding.

That was a clever approach.

“Sounds good. Then let’s meet here again after class, around dinner. Bring Mir, Sharyl, and Pam with you.”

“Got it.”

I left the restaurant and headed toward the next train stop. I didn’t have class, but I had an extra stop to make.

I actually had two allies who were far stronger, far more trustworthy, and far more loyal than the young heroes who were still growing.

Kayan and Arzan.

I planned to share the situation with them as well.

Not only would it boost our side’s strength, but they were not clumsy enough to have gotten caught.

They'd be a great help with surveillance and information gathering.

Plus, since servants were monitored less closely than the actual students, there was a chance I would be able to send them outside the academy.

They said they were staying in Azure Hall.

As I sat on the tram, picturing the academy map in my mind, someone suddenly sat across from me.

“H-hi.”

That stilted voice and awkward tone... I looked over and saw Glenn Scarlet.

I felt a sense of déjà vu as I waved my hand.

“Mornin’.”

“Er, y-yeah. Are you heading to class?”

“No.”

“I see...”

Glenn fell silent. He glanced at me with a look that suggested he had something to say but was hesitant to speak up, but...

Before he could work up the courage, a group of cadets boarded the carriage.

I naturally shifted my attention to them and instinctively scanned to see if any were puppets.

A wry laugh escaped me. Of the twenty who boarded, three were puppets.

“Did you see Professor Ron’s assignment? It’s so bad. I’m telling you, he’s crazy. No wonder my hair is falling out...”

A student gasped. “Professor Ron! Hello!”

“...!?”

“Just kidding.”

“You...!”

A female cadet burst into giggles as the girl with brown hair in the middle was teased.

Though the brown-haired girl in the middle acted like she was annoyed, her expression was playful as she lightly nudged her friend's shoulder.

A natural human reaction with a natural expression.

But that brown-haired girl? She was a puppet.

Neither her friends nor herself were aware of the truth, but that was the reality.

“Ha...” I leaned my head back against the headrest and closed my eyes.

It felt as though the dignity of being human was being trampled on.

Was that too grand a thought for someone like me?

Glenn called out to me again. “Um, Luan.”

I turned my head slightly to look at him.

“Well, uh, if you don’t have anything else to do and haven’t had breakfast yet, would you like to go to the shopping district with me?”

“Shopping district?”

“Yeah... I know a place with really good food...” Glenn ducked his head as if to hide behind his big hat.

I didn’t say anything for a couple of seconds, then nodded coolly. “Sure,” I said.

I didn’t necessarily need to meet Arzan and Kayan right now.

I was more curious about Glenn's intentions.

“R-really? Thank you!" Glenn lifted his head, his face lighting up with a bright smile.

A moment later, the train arrived at the shopping district.

Glenn got off the train with an air of excitement before turning to me with a question. “What kind of food do you like?”

“I’ll eat anything as long as it tastes good.”

“Really? Then I hope it's to your liking...”

It seemed like Glenn frequented this place, whatever it was.

Glenn led the way, and I followed closely behind him.

Does he come to the shopping district regularly?

He moved with familiarity through the streets, and before long, he was heading toward a darker, more secluded area.

I recognized the direction... we were heading toward an alley near Your Mom's Trumpet Sound, the very spot I had rented as my hideout.

I continued to silently follow behind him, feeling a little uneasy... but to my relief, Glenn passed my hideout and walked deeper into the alley.

“This is it,” he said.

"...Hmm."

When we arrived, the sign outside the shop read “To Die For Tomatoes.”

Are all these back-alley restaurants named in the Southern style? I wondered as I entered behind Glenn.

“Welcome in,” I heard a smooth voice say.

The inside was quiet; there was only one rugged-looking man inside.

Was he the owner, perhaps?

Judging by his clothes, that seemed to be the case, but he didn’t look past his thirties—very young for the owner of a restaurant.

And judging by his build, he was quite strong.

“Do you drink?” Glenn asked.

“I’ve been drinking a lot lately.”

“Then...! Two tomato beers, a tomato stew, and a tomato salad, please!”

...The menu surely lived up to the name.

The tomato beer arrived before the food, and its faint red color was characteristic. When I took a sip, I was surprised by the rich flavor.

“How is it?”

“I usually can’t stand the smell of tomatoes, but this is good,” I admitted.

“I’m glad to hear that...” Glenn flashed me a quick grin, then downed the entire glass in one go. Quite the drinker, he was.

The owner reappeared with more food and set down a mug of fresh beer. “Just make sure not to go over five glasses today,” he said, sounding familiar with Glenn's habits. It seemed Glenn really was a regular here.

Glenn nodded absent-mindedly, then lifted the new glass.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

“You really can hold your liquor,” I said.

“Mhm... I like alcohol. Helps me forget everything...”

A brief silence settled over us.

Glenn was a really good drinker.

By the time I was halfway through my first beer, he had already downed four glasses.

“...I hate the imperial family,” he said suddenly, his cheeks tinted red.

Normally, most people started losing focus in their eyes and slurring their words after a few drinks.

But not Glenn. His voice, usually soft and timid, was now clear and steady. Aside from the slight flush, he looked more alert and intense than normal.

“Do you know what I hate almost as much as the imperial family?” Glenn chuckled. He didn’t wait for me to answer, though. “The Goodspring and Bednicker bloodlines.”

“...”

“The loyal fucking dogs of the imperial family.”

I sensed multiple presences begin filtering into the bar.

A dozen or so academy students streamed in from the front and back doors and circled our table. Some were familiar faces, others were not.

“You,” said one of the students. “It’s been a while.”

I looked over and saw Talis, who was sporting a bandage across his nose. Evidently, he hadn’t fully recovered from his run-in with Evan.

“Luan Bednecker,” Glenn said, his voice colder and harder than usual. “You have slowly been getting under my skin.”

He probably assumed I’d hidden my family name on purpose, but the truth was that I’d just been too busy to bring it up. But I knew that that excuse wouldn’t get me anywhere.

I gave the room a quick once-over.

Talis, his lackeys, and some academy students who seemed like upperclassmen.

Judging by their builds, these guys were likely all from departments that required they hone their bodies. Even at a glance, I could see muscles bulging beneath their clothes.

“Hmm.”

It was an unexpected turn, but hardly a shocking one. Honestly, I wasn’t particularly impressed.

Whether this was the real Glenn or a drunken, off-the-rails version, his current state wasn’t much of a surprise.

After all, I had learned the headmaster's true identity just last night. For Glenn to shock me now, he would need to reveal some hidden card—like secretly being the demon lord.

Which, of course, was not going to happen. I snorted at my own thoughts.

“You still have the guts to laugh?” said Talis. Maybe my attitude was rubbing him the wrong way? He sneered as he approached me. “You still don’t get it, do you? Right now, you’re—”

Crack.

Talis's voice cut off as I slammed his face into the table.

But I might have slammed his head a bit too hard because I heard the sound of wood splitting.

“...!”

This development was clearly unexpected. The students around me stirred and started to make some noise, but I wasn’t paying them any attention. All I could think was that this was working out perfectly.

If things go well today...

I would finally uncover the true identity of Glenn Scarlet.

____