How to Survive at the Academy

[Aiden] Double-armed scales (3)
“The wages are here. It was a change.”

“Oh, thank you! The barrel is big! be well! Good luck~”

The scenery of this port town, which stretches along the coast of the western end of the empire, is reminiscent of the Age of Discovery. Watching the procession of sailing ships lined up along the wooden pier by the seaside, it is as if the age of the sea has arrived.

And the appearance of the main stores of large commercial stores along the Geumsaragi land close to the seashore exudes a different kind of magnificence from those of the Imperial Capital and Chengdu.

If you want to make money, go with the old deck.

The simple and clear proposition of one sentence has never been denied since the founding of the Empire.

[ Oh, indeed… This is the logistics and distribution center people are talking about… Not so lively, Master Ed! Just looking at this candle-lit mug makes me excited! ]

“There is nothing good about being so excited. Because the purpose is not to stand out.”

[ That’s right. It’s nice to be able to take care of the master by himself like this, because it reminds me of when I was on Aken Island. Kya, I lived really hard back then, but like now, I had to assist the master with my own strength. ]

The fluid mug flapped its wings and caught up with it, and started telling old tales to herself again.

[ When I was a low-spirit, I worked all night like the workers here, and in the morning I went to pick up a new schedule. At that time, it was so painful that I resented the world, but after seeing it, it all turned into blood and flesh. After all, they say that hardship is also something that people do, but it seems that everyone struggles in that way, gaining strength and establishing a position. So, Master Ed… I am really happy to have Master Ed. If I had to tell you about the hardships I had to go through before I joined Ed…. I have to start from when I just rose to my status as a physical spirit… What was my motto at that time… ]

It’s a new thing now, but Mug talks a lot.

There are so many things that are so thrilling, and they are sitting on my shoulder and continuing the long story with tears of emotion.

I swung my robes deeper and through the crowds, I traversed Old Deck’s market streets. Mug shed useless words to explain every word from one ear, and tried to gauge the significance of the letter from Lienna.

Chief Secretary Lienna is the best henchman who, no matter what, is fully loyal to Lortel Keheln.

The fact that she, who never appeared before, dared to write a letter instead of Lortel, was highly likely to have actually happened to Lortel’s life. This is because Lortel does most of the important work for some reason. He will never let me do it, let alone send me a letter.

Anyway, the period when I can move without any constant pressure is too short. Since it is not possible to come to the site and check it other than now, I arrived at the Old Deck after running for three days by grabbing a wagon myself.

The intelligence of merchants should not be viewed as water. There is nothing good about the story that Ed Roth Taylor personally went to the Old Deck. That’s why, for the first time, I hid her identity and moved while wearing the robe tightly.

After continuing to cross the market street that continued along the stone floor, I turned several times and entered the alley.

After leaving behind the babbling of mugs and going inside for a while, I came across a tavern that looked gloomy.

A wooden mug full of beer was hanging from a small sign. Seeing the noise inside, it seemed to be open for business at first.

As soon as I opened the door and entered, I saw the inside of the tavern full of nasty workers. All eyes focused on me for a moment, but soon everyone didn’t care and started talking again.

– ‘A small tavern that appears when you enter the second alley at 3-ga on the central market street of Old Deck and turn it three times. The name is Song of the Waves.’

– ‘Please sit alone in the back seat as much as possible, order a draft beer and two fists of peanuts, put on your robe hat, and stay still.’

The tangent method is quite stealthy.

I went into a corner seat as instructed, ordered a draft beer and two fists of peanuts, and sat still.

I sat there quietly for about 10 minutes, but no one spoke to me. In a noisy pub, I was strangely sitting alone drinking beer.

When I sat like that for another 10 minutes…

“Awesome master over there, would you like to go on a date?”

As if trying to do business, a woman at a bar spoke to me. A red-haired woman in a glamorous dress looked at me with alluring gaze, and then she continued.

“It seems a bit miserable to come to a pub alone in broad daylight like this, dare to sit in the innermost seat, order two fists of peanuts and a draft beer and sit alone for over 10 minutes…”

The tone seems to emphasize my current situation. It is a signal from this woman to say exactly what the tangential condition is.

I nodded and said.

“Yeah, let’s go out together. Do the math before coming.”

“Oh, you speak very well. Shall we cross our arms~?”

The bar girl, who smiled skillfully, clasped my arms in such a bewitching state and walked out of the tavern.

Since this is a common sight on the floor of a tavern like this, the workers in the tavern show no signs of paying attention to their stories.

I went out on the street with a woman and walked with my arms crossed for a while. Then the woman put her lips to her ear and whispered.

“Since there are a lot of eyes to see, I will mix with the crowd a few times. I will walk as much as possible to the 2nd market street in the most crowded direction, and if there is no sign of being followed, I will go out to a remote place as much as possible.”

“Yes.”

I had to walk along the road for almost 30 minutes like that. We had time to go back and forth between the lively markets of Old Deck, checking out the buildings above. The sight of the famous commercial buildings that everyone knows the name of stretching along the road was quite magnificent.

I roamed the streets for a while until I was convinced that there was no such thing as a follow-up, and finally a woman took my arm and dragged me into the gloomy alley around me.

After turning the corner a few more times like that, I was able to push through the gap between the building and the building without passing by.

“You have committed a disrespect, Master Ed.”

“No, don’t worry. By the way, your impression has changed quite a bit…”

Ringing tools for disguise from her face, the red-haired woman shaved her face.

That face is… the face I saw often in the office of the deputy governor of the Sylvania branch of the Elte Chamber of Commerce.

It was Lortel Keheln’s chief secretary, Lienna Clemson.

“This… I’m not familiar with this kind of thing… I’ll have to do it if I need to…”

The clever bar girl was gone, and she had returned to the indecisive secretary she had seen back then.

Lienna Clemson is the only henchman who sided with Lortel in the Dunn Grex-led takeover of Elte Company.

With that opportunity, she completely entered Lortel’s power, effectively becoming her right arm.

I still have an indecisive and timid temperament, but seeing me so cleverly dragging me to an empty place makes the work itself feel refreshed.

“I was acting as a woman in a bar that didn’t suit me…. I was sweating so much that my makeup almost came off…”

“So, let’s get straight to the point. Why did you send such a strange letter?”

Lienna dared to look around once more, put her hair back, tied it back, and took out her glasses.

After that, he slowly lowered his voice and spoke.

“The Lord Lortel fell under the curse magic prepared by Slog Keldrux.”

I spoke with my forehead narrow.

“You used such violent means?”

“Whether it’s violent or not… it’s actually a bit vague… you have to look at it… But if you ask me, yes… it’s violent…”

“I don’t think Lortel will easily fall victim to an openly executed terrorist act. As much as Slog is, he’s also a lortel and a suspect, and his magic skills are superior to most wizards.”

“That’s right. But… the circumstances are a bit special…”

“No, no matter how special the circumstances… Do you really think you can usurp the seat of the company in such a ruthless way…?”

Slog Kel’Drox looks like a sincere and thoughtful merchant, but I’ve heard that he’s a sly human with hundreds of serpents.

This kind of dead end doesn’t fit well with the human image of the slog. On the contrary, it looks good to face the headwind.

“When you say curse magic, what kind of curse is it? Instant death magic, such as obstruction of breathing or stopping blood flow, is not enough…”

“Yes… In the first place, Deputy Director Hoeju has no health problems right now… However, he was incapacitated…”

“Then… is it a suppressor curse?”

“That… it’s similar…”

Secretary Rienna didn’t know how to explain it, so she spoke while muffled.

“First, it will be easier to understand if you meet the deputy director of Hoeju in person…”

After that, I had to go to the market street for a while.

The scene that will be seen from now on is a top secret among the top secrets inside Elte Company, and he repeatedly explained its importance along the way.

I did just that. The fact that an important person like Lortel was incapacitated is, in and of itself, confusing.

And yet, Lienna added a story. At this point, I am the only one who can safely take the deputy lord of Lortel from this old deck at no cost and protect them well.

It seems that Lortel always told Lienna’s secretary about me whenever he had the chance. I don’t know how deep he talked, but if he’s really cornered and in a crisis, this person will surely reach out to him without any reward…

You are right.

I am confident that Lortel will surely help me if I am in trouble.

So, it makes sense to guarantee the opposite.

A double-armed scale should always be level.

I have received something, so I am just giving this and that.

“You have to go back to the basement from here.”

“You want to go underground again? It’s already the third time.”

“It is necessary.”

After entering, exiting, and entering and exiting the sewer several times through such a shaggy back road, we reached the back door of a gloomy brick building.

Lienna quietly knocked a couple of times and spoke lines like an unknown foreign language to the person across the door. She seemed to be a cipher.

After passing the code like that, the back door of the old brick building slowly opened. A dark counter inside. On one side of it sat a strong man. Looking at the pattern on her cloak, she is a merchant belonging to the Elte Company.

He bowed his head to greet Lienna’s chief secretary, and then bowed his head politely to me as well.

“It is an honor to meet you.”

I kept my manners to that extent and made a move that seemed to guide me inward.

Lienna’s chief secretary raised her arm to stop the man’s movements, and gave the order simply by turning her head and turning her gaze back. I will guide you directly, so keep guarding the entrance.

The man nodded and closed the door. Lienna just led me into the dark hallway.

“This is a remodeled old inn that used to be used secretly. In the innermost room, there is a representative of Hoeju.”

“Yeah… I wonder if it’s something to hide so deeply.”

After reaching the front door of the last room, Secretary Lienna turned her head once more and pleaded with me.

“It’s a duty of confidentiality. Saying more would only hurt your mouth. But… don’t be too embarrassed…”

“Embarrassed…?”

“That… no, let’s go inside.”

After saying that, Secretary Lienna opened the door.

The scenery in the room was quite bloody.

Like an abandoned inn that is no longer in business, there are only old and shabby wooden furniture here and there. The scene in the dark room with no lights on, at the round table in the middle… A familiar reddish-brown haired girl was sitting with her back turned.

Lortel Keheln. It was the back of the colossus that anyone could see. However, I feel a strange sense of incongruity…

“Representative Hoeju.”

The moment Lienna’s secretary called Lortel as she entered, Lortel shook her head and turned around.

The momentary sense of incongruity rose from that lively gesture… Does it mean that my intuition is still alive?

“Lienna!”

Lortel jumped out of the chair with a colorful expression on her face and ran to the front door as if she were embracing Lienna.

It’s so lively that it feels unnatural.

While I’m still speechless, Lortel talks while crying.

“I didn’t go anywhere, just like Lienna said, I just sat there! She was bored, but she said that Lienna complimented her, so she endured it hard! She was chewing the cud from her memories as she read the journal diligently! Hmmm~, I didn’t really think of anything…”

“Yeah… Vice President Hoeju… Well…”

“Yes! ruler! Will you stroke my hair?!”

Saying that, with a humming hum, he grabbed Lienna’s hand, put it on my head, and smiled.

Something… Isn’t your height a little shorter? About the time I was thinking… Secretary Lienna spoke.

“Here… that… this is… Master Ed Roth-Taylor…”

“Ah, hey!”

Lortel was startled, then quickly hid behind Secretary Lienna’s back, only sticking her head out.

She looked up at me anxiously as a girl with her face covered, and spoke with the sound of mosquitoes crawling.

“Ahh… well, it was written in the journal… Master… hey… I didn’t expect to see you… but… so suddenly…”

“Come on, Vice President Hoeju. It is not polite to hide behind me like this.”

“Ah, umm, wait… Yeah, I hate it…”

The way he hides his face with shame is not appropriate for his age.

I stared at Lienna for a moment with a hardened face.

Is this a new hidden camera? Even if you try to escape reality… it doesn’t make any sense…

But… I definitely had to listen to the explanation.

“…He didn’t lose as much as he thought he would, but the most important mental age…that…as you can see…”

Lienna finished her speech with difficulty.

“This is… so… it’s done…”

“……”

“…………”

I stood still for a while, then stepped backwards to the center of the room, pulled out a wooden chair and sat down.

He just kept his chin up and wiped the area around his mouth with his hand. With such a troubled look… I had no choice but to sit for a while.

The reason why I was groaning and sweating was because I didn’t expect this to happen.

“Why, why are you all silent…? Whoa, I’m scared…”

Lortel trembles as she grabs Lienna’s collar and puts her head on her back.

Savagely, for a while, only the rustling of the collar filled the room.