HAVING finished our morning practice, everyone got changed and headed toward their classrooms. I split from the group and went not to the classroom but to Eric’s salon.
Eric’s maid and guard, Isha, prepared a cup of tea for me. Isha was on the tall side for a woman at around five and a half feet, had a slender build, and flaxen hair. She was a beautiful woman with a serious demeanor. She’d probably look good in a suit.
“I read your Message,” Eric said once I settled in my seat. “You were attacked by a member of the hero’s party? I knew the world wouldn’t leave you alone.”
His smile wasn’t his usual refreshing one; it was fierce. Apparently, he was going into serious mode starting today.
“You’re exaggerating the situation. I never saw the hero himself, only a man named Chris. He’s a member of the hero’s party. I sealed his mana and handed him over to the town guards, so he’s in prison now.”
Eric was aware I was the SSS-rank adventurer Arius, so I didn’t hide anything from him about what had happened in Carnell.
“You said you used a magic item for that. I presume that since it’s one you used, it won’t be that easy to remove,” Eric ventured.
“No, it won’t. But that doesn’t mean it can’t ever be removed.”
Since it was a magic item from an extreme-difficulty dungeon, it would be difficult for anyone but the person who activated it to remove it. There were probably some people equal in power to an SSS-rank adventurer who could get it off, however.
“You also mentioned someone was watching your fight, yes? I would expect some movement from that person if they were aware you defeated Chris.”
“Me too. After the situation had settled, I asked my information broker to look into any movement in the Ishtobal court.”
I used my connections to tap an information broker in Ishtobal, which cost a decent chunk of money. My source was a pro and only connected with other pros, so I got the impression this broker in Ishtobal was pretty good.
I’d also considered doing something myself, but I didn’t know exactly what the hero was after. It was too risky to show up at my potential enemy’s home base suddenly.
“You move quickly,” Eric observed. “But you should be careful. I’ve bribed people in Ishtobal and embedded spies several times, and they all disappeared before they could give me any information.”
Which meant Ishtobal’s defenses were so tight they caused even Eric trouble.
“It’s likely the person surveilling me was Alisa Kusunoki, second-in-command of the hero’s party and First Chief of the General Staff Office of Ishtobal’s military. The commanding officer of the Ishtobal soldiers who had been with Chris told me about her.”
“It does seem that Alisa Kusunoki is the real authority in the military. It’s been more difficult to gather information ever since she became the first chief. All I know about Alisa herself is that she’s an SS-rank adventurer and that most of the hero’s party were previously in a party with Alisa.”
I had looked into Alisa as an adventurer as well. Before joining the hero’s party, Alisa’s party was a normal SS-rank adventuring party. There wasn’t anything about them that stood out.
“I guess we just have to wait for a report—” Just then, I received a Message from my information broker, whom I’d asked to look into Ishtobal’s movements. “Eric, my information broker in Ishtobal’s been arrested.”
Did that mean they anticipated what I’d do?
“Is this Alisa Kusunoki’s doing as well?” Eric asked. “As expected, I suppose. She’s not easy to handle. This is getting interesting. Let me see what I can do.”
Eric had always liked his schemes, and now he was taking on the challenge.
“Sorry to bother you with this when you’re already busy with Duke Jordan.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I need to show my skills so you and I can have an equal relationship. Besides, I’d like to know what the hero is up to, for Ronaudia’s sake.”
I appreciated him saying that, but what had happened wouldn’t be all that big a deal if it hadn’t involved me.
“Thanks, Eric. I’m relying on you.”
“And I’m glad you have high expectations, but now you’re putting pressure on me.”
Despite saying that, he flashed a dauntless grin.
✦ ✦ ✦
I went to class starting with the second hour, then to the library during the lunch break. It was Wednesday, and I’d promised to meet Noelle that day.
Once there, I pulled the food I’d bought in advance from my Inventory and put it next to the milk and bread Noelle had purchased from the Academy’s student shop. There were no rules against eating in the library.
“A-Arius, um…thank you for inviting me to morning training. It’s thanks to you that I’ve made some new friends.”
“Sophia and Milia? Yeah, they’re good people.”
“They’re really nice.” Noelle sounded happy.
“Do you normally eat in the cafeteria, Noelle? I haven’t seen you there lately.”
“I always just end up eating alone if I eat in the cafeteria, so lately I’ve been buying food from the Academy shop and eating here.”
Noelle didn’t have many friends because she was shy, not that I had any right to comment on the number of a person’s friends.
“Why don’t you sit with Sophia and Milia in the cafeteria? They do sit with other girls, though. Would it be too hard on you being with people you don’t know?”
“Yeah…I get nervous around people I don’t know.”
“Then you could sit with me and Vern… Actually, I know Vern doesn’t care, but you probably wouldn’t like everyone staring at us.”
Vern and I drew loads of attention in the cafeteria.
“Yeah. I appreciate the invitation, but I’ve seen you and Prince Vern in the cafeteria. I don’t know if I could eat with everyone staring like that…”
“I guess we’ll only be able to have lunch together in the library… Wait a second. Why don’t we invite everyone to have lunch with us? We can’t have a big group in the library, but we could eat in the courtyard,” I suggested.
None of the Academy’s students were in the habit of eating lunch in the courtyard, so we wouldn’t have to worry about prying eyes.
“Arius, I’m glad that you’re thinking about me, but it’s not right to make others come spend time with me.”
“Well, it can be nice to eat outside every once in a while. I’ll see if Milia and Sophia are interested. I’m certain Vern would come.”
Sophia had to spend time with the noble girls in her family’s faction, but it shouldn’t be a big deal for her to slip away now and then.
“Thank you, Arius. It could be nice to have lunch with everyone. But, if possible, I’d like to still have lunch in the library on Wednesdays…just…j-just the t-two of us…”
She turned bright red. As shy as she was, maybe it was difficult for her to handle having lunch with everyone.