ยฉNovel Buddy
Memoirs of the Returnee-Chapter 214: Setup (1)
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Setup (1)
โShion.โ
In the campus cafeteria. Before the lecture started, it was breakfast time.
Soliette, sitting opposite me, crunched on her cereal and asked.
โWhat.โ
โโฆโฆ.โ
She called out but then said nothing.
I tore into my steak.
Truth be told, the food I make myself tastes better, but cooking first thing in the morning is just too much of a hassle.
Soliette cautiously began to speak.
โAbout Bethuneโฆ Iโve found a place I want to go.โ
โA place you want to go, you mean inside the glass bottle?โ
โYes.โ
โHmm.โ
I nodded. She must have noticed the existence of Jared living there. She must be contemplating it now.
Especially since sheโs got quite the dark circles under her eyes.
โIโll go with you.โ
โโฆIs that really okay?โ
โOf course.โ
Soliette plunged her spoon deep into her cereal. I pointed at her with my fork.
โI said weโd go through it together to the end.โ
โโฆโฆ.โ
She smiled belatedly and nodded.
โYes. Thereโs someone I want to show to Shion.โ
โAnytime.โ
I smiled slightly.
It felt somewhat gratifying. That we had become close enough to share each otherโs concernsโฆ
Then suddenly, over Solietteโs shoulder.
Three seats back.
My gaze drifted there.
โHuh?โ
It caught like a magnet. I quickly stood up.
โHey.โ
I strode over and called out to โthat guyโ. The guy eating pasta looked up at me with a start.
โโฆMe?โ
The surprised college student with black bobbed hair asked back. Androgynous in appearance, but the voice was that of a woman.
โUhโฆโ
I was suddenly confused.
A complete stranger.
She seemed to resemble โsomeoneโ, but on closer inspection, she didnโt. Only the distinctive black bobbed hair wasโฆ somewhat familiar. freeweb novel. com
But who does she resemble?
Who exactly is that โsomeoneโ?
โIโm sorry.โ
I returned and sat down at my place.
โโฆโฆShion. Is something wrong?โ
Soliette crunched on her cereal and asked.
โUhโฆ Iโm not sure.โ
I glanced over Solietteโs shoulder at the bobbed hair again.
Definitely, a stranger.
Butโฆ
โI feel like Iโve forgotten something.โ
โForgotten something?โ
โI canโt quite remember it well.โ
There was someone important.
No matter what lecture it was, always by my side. That person with the bashful smile that was so endearing.
โโฆโฆDid I have a friend?โ
* * *
The curriculum of the Knightโs Academy is straightforward. Itโs mostly practical training. Life-saving, VIP protection, monster hunting, monster combat, apprehension of criminals, and so onโฆ Everything one would do as a knight is experienced in advance.
In that regardโโ
โYou all might have heard about โteaming.'โ
Todayโs curriculum was about [teaming].
โKnights usually work in pairs with a mage. Of course, in various dramas and movies, the stories mainly revolve around knights and mages.โ
The professor continued with a wry smile.
โIn reality, not many knights get to team up with a mage. 70% of you will end up simply pairing up with an ordinary mage.โ
Naturally, this is because there are far fewer mages than knights.
When 100 knights are appointed, less than 20 mages enroll in the Magic Tower.
โTherefore, I want you to experience that competition today. It means to wake up from the illusion of being a knight.โ
The professor turned on the beam projector. The names of the first-year students from the Department of Magic were listed on the screen.
There were quite a few familiar faces. The top student was Elise Petra, after all.
โThe students from the Department of Magic are listed in order of their grades. Choose one student you would like to form a team with.โ
However, their number was significantly smaller compared to ours.
โIf the feelings are mutual, that is, if the student you choose also chooses you, then the teaming is successful. Knights who are not chosen will be grouped into the leftovers.โ
At this, the students began to tense up slightly. Their breathing became a bit rougher.
Itโs like some kind of romantic pairing.
โThose who form a team will wear this โbracelet.'โ
The professor held up a bracelet.
โThis bracelet comes in pairs. The other pair is with the Department of Magic. The two bracelets are connected by a line of magical power. You will learn more details as you go alongโฆ Now, choose. Decide who you want to team up with.โ
Everyone looked thoughtful, but Asher quickly wrote down someoneโs name. It seems he already had a girl from the Department of Magic charmed.
Kain stroked his chin and then wrote down a name, and Gerkhen was surprisingly deep in thought.
โโฆโฆโ
I wrote down that personโs name.
There are only two names I know from the Department of Magic.
* * *
[Teaming]
For Elise, the curriculum was nothing but a nuisance, but for some reason, her heart was poundingโprobably because of him.
โElise, Iโm so envious~ Youโll get a ton of choices, wonโt you~?โ
Suddenly, a sly voice flowed in.
Elise disliked the way the students of the Department of Magic spoke more than anything else.
It was because the proportion of nobles in the Department of Magic was seriously high.
โDo you plan to accept anyone who comes to you~?โ
Almost 90% were of noble birth, and they all pretended to be cultured in an exaggerated way, which was incredibly annoying.
โWell, I donโt know.โ
Even when Elise replied curtly,
โPerhaps Mr. Gerkhen~?โ
They asked in an old-fashioned way, while their eyes darted around in rivalry.
Gerkhen was quite popular, after all.
โNo.โ
Elise shook her head.
โIs that so~โ
โHo ho ho.โ
Ignoring the laughing students, Elise pondered with her chin propped up.
She only had one concern.
Shion Ascal.
He would probably choose her.
They had teamed up before, and their coordination was excellent.
But if she accepted him again, those damn paparazzi would cling to them and be a nuisance.
โThe first selection of the Knightโs Department is complete.โ
The professor announced just in time.
Elise lifted her gaze slightly.
โCheck the results that have been sent to your personal tablet PCs.โ
On the desk lay the tablet PC.
Elise looked at it with somewhat mixed feelingsโฆ
โ?โ
She tilted her head in confusion.
โThe name that should be there is missing.โ
She scrolled up and down searching, but no matter how much she looked, it wasnโt there.
Of course, there were plenty of knights who had chosen her. A whopping 15, to be exact.
Butโ
โWhat theโโ
Next to her, Laylaโs eyes widened in surprise. Elise had no interest in that.
โShion chose me?โ
At that moment, her eyes flickered. She saw Laylaโs tablet screen.
[Shion Ascal]
It was Shion Ascal.
โโฆโฆโ
Elise clenched her mouth shut, and Layla glanced at her as if she was wary.
โUmโฆ Elly. Shion applied to me~?โ
No, she was teasing. Holding back laughter. Pretending to be considerate.
โโฆโฆGo ahead.โ
Elise waved her hand as if she wasnโt bothered.
โWhy~? I want to reject him~โ
โโฆโฆHe teams up well.โ
โAww~ But Shion, you match better with Ellyโโ
โShut up.โ
Elise extended her finger long. She swiftly shoved it into the giggling Laylaโs throat.
โGurk.โ
Layla clutched her throat.
โPlease make your decision within 48 hours. Thereโs no need to rush it now. Have sufficient conversations with the students from the Knightโs Department who have chosen you, and see how well you sync up with them before making your choice.โ
The professor continued with a smile.
โRemember, in teaming, you are the absolute priority. Now, letโs start todayโs lecture on the theory of teaming. There are some things you must know before we dive into practice, so please listen carefullyโฆโ
Somehow, Elise found the lesson hard to follow.
* * *
For the Libra family to punish a collateral memberโthat is, someone with Libra blood but not in the direct lineโa Disciplinary Committee is essential.
Of course, not all collateral members are the same, but Sonya has a rather high-ranking career even among them, and above all, the current head of Libra is โSherlockโ.
Significant decisions require the consensus of the heirs.
Anyway.
As soon as the lecture ended, I went to work at the Libra Intelligence Agency. There was a lot to do as an internal investigator.
โPlease stamp your seal here.โ
The face offering me a stack of documents, including the [Secret Oath] and [Duty of Content Contract], was Belingham Kantar.
Surprisingly, it was a pleasant encounter.
โItโs nice to see you like this.โ
Belingham said in my stead.
โIndeed. It seems Iโm climbing the ranks quite quickly. Soon, weโll be within reach of each other.โ
โHa ha.โ
Belingham just laughed, as if to say not to be mistaken.
โItโs nothing serious. These days, such occurrences are frequent. Especially in cases like the Disciplinary Committee where sibling agreement is necessary, Lord Derekโs proposals are always rejected by Lady Johanna.โ
โโฆSo, whatever I do, it wonโt change anything?โ
โUsually, thatโs the case? The evidence in this case is clear, so thereโs no need to worry too much. Even if the outcome doesnโt change, Lady Johanna is essentially rejecting for the sake of rejecting. She will understand.โ
โYes, well.โ
I stamped my seal on the documents.
โReceived. These documents will be maintained for one month, and destroyed after the internal investigation is concluded. Internal Investigator Shion Ascal. Now, please discuss with your superior.โ
Belingham gave a broad smile and stepped aside. Then, a woman wearing a veil entered.
Her shoulders were delicate, and she exuded a light, pure fragrance.
Zia.
She spoke first.
โBrother and sister decided to entrust the investigation to a third partyโฆ so it ended up being assigned to meโฆโ
I nodded.
โDo you have any messages for me?โ
Thereโs no recording or eavesdropping in this space. Zia, being the youngest and outside the succession structure, was under remarkably lax surveillance.
โIโฆโ
She slightly lifted her veil.
Looking me directly in the eyes, she said,
โI donโt think it was Sonyaโs doingโฆโ
โโฆโ
It was somewhat unexpected, but I did not show it.
Above all, there was no chance that I would be discovered.
โIf it wasnโt Sonyaโs doing, then?โ
โSheโs been framedโฆ If things stay as they are, Sonya will be permanently exiledโฆ My brother will probably have someone take her lifeโฆโ
I looked at Zia. It seemed clear why she had sought me out, what she was about to ask.
โCan youโฆ protect Sonya?โ
Sonya was Ziaโs second in command. Initially, she managed her proxy corporations, and later on, she was involved in all political aspects.
She could definitely become my competitor, butโฆ
โYes.โ
Zia had asked me for the impossible.
โI will follow Miss Ziaโs wishes.โ
If I could accomplish the impossible, I would certainly be able to get closer to her than anyone else.
* * *
In the interrogation room of the Intelligence Agency.
I was facing Sonya. She looked utterly worn out. Her hair was brittle like a broomโs bristles, and her eyes flickered with both rage and despair.
โHereโs a letter.โ
I handed her a letter.
A letter I had forged, imitating Sonyaโs handwriting.
โItโs a fake.โ
Sonya said. She looked up at me, her eyes wavering as if she recognized who I was.
โYou were there that timeโฆโ
โYes. Thatโs correct.โ
โYouโre the investigator?โ
โYes.โ
โโฆBecause youโre not aligned with the eldest son or daughter?โ
Typical of Sonya, she quickly caught on to the reason.
I nodded. Sonya let out a hollow laugh.
โHa.โ
โIโve read the statement.โ
I handed her the statement.
The content pre-investigated by Libraโs Chasers. Sonyaโs testimony was nothing more than repeating โThe letter is forged, and I have never done such a thing.โ
โDo you have anything else to say?โ
โThatโs it. Nothing. Someone has set me up. Definitely.โ
โThen. Do you suspect anyone?โ
I asked her that.
โโฆSuspect?โ
Sonya furrowed her brow. I held a fountain pen.
โYes. It means someone is trying to trap you by forging your handwriting.โ
โโฆโ
Sonya fell silent for a moment. I tapped the table with the tip of the fountain pen and asked again.
โIs there no one?โ
โโฆI worked under Lord Derek. There were countless who were jealous of me.โ
As I listened to her without much thought, suddenly.
The face of a certain bastard flashed in my mind.
One of the team leaders under Derek in the Intelligence Agency.
That damned mongrel who dared to talk to me about orphans.
A piece of shit named โBenedict.โ
โHave you sent any other letters?โ
I asked Sonya.
โโฆOther letters?โ
โYes.โ
Sonya sighed heavily, almost as if she had given up on life, and muttered with a venomous look on her face.
โSo you suspect me in the end.โ
โI do not suspect.โ
I shook my head.
โTo forge handwriting, one needs to study. Itโs easy to forge a simple signature, but to forge dozens of sentences in a letter this naturally requires study and effort.โ
โHmmโฆ indeedโฆโ
Sonya fell into thought, her gaze on the desk, her expression turning base.
โโฆThere is someone.โ
โIs that so?โ
โBut, I had no way to obtain it. I only wrote personal letters to Lord Jade.โ
โNo. There are plenty of ways.โ
I scribbled a word on the report with a fountain pen, showing it to her in a way that the camera couldnโt see.
[Intelligence Agency]
This was not a lie. The culprit was certainly in the Intelligence Agency.
I would make it so.
โโฆโ
Sonyaโs face hardened. She looked up at me with a face that had been struck by shock.
โDefinitely-โ
โI will investigate as thoroughly as possible. For now, keep silent.โ
โโฆUnderstood.โ
I stood up and walked out of the interrogation room.
* * *
โIs it over?โ
Outside the interrogation room, a male Chaser asked me. I shook my head.
โThereโs more to investigate.โ
โWhat? Thereโs more to investigate?โ
The Chaser frowned, probably one of Benedictโs underlings.
โYes.โ
I answered briefly, and the Chaser let out a snort of laughter.
โHey rookie, just wrap it up quickly. Donโt make everyone tired for nothing.โ
โIโll do it on my own.โ
โOn your own? Youโre crazy.โ
The Chaserโs face creased with anger. I wasnโt scared at all. He pressed his finger hard against my shoulder.
โYouโre not wearing a badge. Stop fucking around.โ
โโฆโ
I looked down at him quietly. He became quite angry.
โRookie. You got big eyes. Just be a good boy and fill it out.โ
A document stuck to my chest.
[Internal Investigation Closure Report]
I had just been appointed as an internal investigator today, and they were telling me to finish it immediately.
I folded it neatly and put it in my pocket.
โPlease wait just one more week. Even if I donโt want to then, Iโll make sure to hand it over.โ
โHey, you little shit. Do you want to get beaten up by the team leader? Stop talking nonsense and- Ack!โ
I pushed him away with my shoulder.
Crash!
The guy almost flew away, grabbing onto a cabinet to steady himself, and I walked down the corridor.
โHey, hey you, stop. Rookie! Fucking rookie!
I ignored the shouts echoing from behind me.
I conveyed my voice to R-elix.
โGrawl.โ
โYes?โ
Grawl responded promptly.
โLetโs do some background checks on someone.โ
The creature, which had grown day by day, was now fully capable of acting independently.
โYes, Master! Who is it?!โ
โBenedict.โ
As far as I knew, there wasnโt a single team leader in the Intelligence Agency without a shady background. Especially those under Derek were the worst. Given Derekโs penchant for flattery, his subordinates were inevitably filled with sycophants steeped in corruption and malfeasance.
Certainly, Benedict would be one of them.
โHeโs a team leader at the Libra Intelligence Agency. Dig into his background.โ
I can fabricate evidence with ใNotepadใ, I could easily create perjury that โIntelligence Agency team leader Benedict manipulated Sonyaโs letters.โ
However, that alone wouldnโt convince anyone.
On the contrary, I could be the one to receive a counterattack.
Therefore, before striking the opponent, I must first diminish their credibility.
I need to drag them through filthiest piles of shit, to the point where no one would want to lay a finger on them.
Only then would my fabricated evidence wield its power as if it were real.
โYes, Master!โ
I liked Grawlโs enthusiastic response.
My mood was quite good.
Because burying a piece of shit like that bastard,
How could it not be?