238 – Day 3 of disappearance
Lichten Academy.
There has been a series of surprising news here recently.
The first story is that Ian Black Angus was captured and accused of being a witch.
It was not an official article, but simply a rumor, but combined with the provocative topic of ‘witch hunt’, the rumor spread quickly.
— “I knew that. He’s been really weird since the beginning of the semester.”
— “Hey, things have been a bit better these days though.”
— “That’s right. There was a rumor going around a while ago that an official of the Shaleam Church was captured.”
— “Honestly, isn’t Ian the best guy these days? It’s a shame I couldn’t catch him when he was attacked.”
It took a while for such a rumor to spread for a day or two.
Immediately after, the next surprising article swept through the Academy.
— 「Aria Lumines, a cadet from the Lichten Academy, selected as a saint 」—
Cadet Aria Lumines, a new student at the Faculty of Priests at the Lichten Academy, has passed her second sainthood ordeal and officially earned the title of saint. It was only the second time in the academy’s history that a saint was born while she was a student at the academy…
— — — —
An officially published article, ahead of rumors.
From Noble mtl dot com
It was definitely a surprising and great thing.
A situation where a student from the same school was chosen as a saint, the spiritual leader of the religious order.
The response was enthusiastic.
However, the topic did not last long.
Not only was it an extremely distant story, as Aria and her close friends were virtually non-existent…
— “Did you hear that? Ian’s missing!”
This is because a rumor began to spread quickly.
It was a rumor that could peak the heat of rumors that broke out one after another.
— “What do you mean? I heard you were acquitted in a witch trial the other day. I heard that this is the first time in history.”
— “It’s true that he escaped, but he was kidnapped on his way back.”
The rumor spread as fast as fire.
Just then, breaking news from the newspaper department poured in.
[Looking for missing people]
A newspaper with Ian’s image printed on one entire page.
It was enough to set the Academy on fire.
◆
Conference room of the Liechten branch of Laurent Sangdan.
In the brightly open conference room, all kinds of documents and letters were lined up.
A complex space with many people coming and going.
A man carefully headed to the head of the conference room.
Sitting there was a branch manager with dark circles.
Silvia, unaware that her man was approaching, was concentrating on the documents in front of her.
“Branch Manager, I have something to urgently report to you.”
“What’s going on?”
“A proposal has been made from Raymond’s headquarters that they would like to cooperate.’
“…At the top of Raymond?”
Sylvia hastily took her eyes off the document she was examining.
Then she looked at the letter her man held out.
It was full of dark circles, but its eyes were shining sharply.
“Is this a letter from Emilia Raymond?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
It has been three days since Ian went missing.
She was trying all kinds of methods and means to find him.
In such a situation, Emilia Raymond.
Why that woman?
Sylvia frowned.
It was not that I did not know the relationship between Emilia and Ian.
There were four female cadets that Ian didn’t get along with.
Lina Roswell.
Sharon Pierce.
Emilia Raymond.
And Aria Lumines.
‘My relationship with Lina got better right away.’
Honey drips from Lina’s eyes as she looks at Ian after the incident in her dormitory.
Lina was a clear competitor to Sylvia.
‘As for Miss Sharon Pierce… I don’t know.’
There are occasional reports that she is running circles around her Ian. However, she doesn’t seem to be on the bad side, so she’s watching. Since her Ian disappeared, no trace of her has been lost.
The problem is the other two.
Aria and Emilia.
Sylvia was confident that she was quick to notice.
And Ian definitely had something to do with those two.
Not on the good side, but on the bad side.
I have actually seen it a few times and observed it.
‘Maybe we’re enemies.’
That was Sylvia’s conclusion.
Of course, Sylvia also didn’t have much opportunity to meet Aria. I can only infer it from the rumors heard during the ether promotion battle and the attitude shown by her escort knight.
However, Emilia Raymond’s case was definitely different.
‘… He definitely has something up his sleeve.’
Emilia Raymond.
Not only Sylvia herself, but her sister-in-law of the Raymond family who has been tormenting her own family for a long time.
She wants to like that woman, but she can’t like Sylvia.
That is why Sylvia observes Emilia more thoroughly. She even knows Emilia’s habits to some extent.
However, this was the first time such a case had occurred.
Just as Sylvia hates Emilia, Emilia also hates Sylvia.
What did she send?
“… A letter saying you will cooperate?”
“Yes. Here I am.”
Sylvia read her letter quickly.
She was clear.
Emilia Raymond was offering cooperation in the search for Ian.
It was not limited to the top of Raymond. She offered help from the entire Upper Alliance, led by her family.
Even with full power handed over to Sylvia herself.
“… What on earth are you thinking?”
Silvia muttered without realizing it.
Emilia’s neck is stiff.
She doesn’t give in to anything.
Even if it is related to profit.
But now it seemed like Emilia was coming in with her head lowered even more.
What kind of case is this?
It’s hard to believe, but I can only think of one plausible interpretation.
‘Is Ian so important to Emilia that she bows her head…?’
It was hard to believe.
However, it was the only interpretation for now.
“……”
Sylvia frowned.
Concerns inevitably arise.
Could it be that Emilia Raymond is expressing her apology for her attitude toward Ian?
It was certainly a reasonable thing to do for a woman who could not put an apology in her mouth.
“… Whatever it is.”
There was no reason not to receive it.
This was the cooperation we needed right now.
Since Sylvia herself had the authority to command her, she had no reason to avoid it.
Even if Emilia had a plan, she could control the amount of information given to her.
“Please tell me you understand.”
“Yes.”
Silvia’s subordinate quickly ran out.
Perhaps within an hour, the Raymond Upper Alliance will also join in support.
Sylvia crossed her arms for a moment, lost in her thoughts.
“I need to enlarge the board a little.”
Her eyes became sharp.
The scale of the organizations currently working on this situation is considerable.
Academy student council and school.
Principality of Liechten.
Laurent top.
In addition, Raymond and his allies.
We also received intelligence that Aria, who had recently become a saint, immediately formed a search party.
‘… If you contact Princess Asteria here.’
The relationship between the Third Princess and her Ian is clearly strong.
She will also not spare any support.
That is.
In fact, it was as if the entire continent was moving.
‘Of course, it’s only a part of it.’
Significantly larger scale.
It has to be like this.
It was clear that Shaleam Bridge was the one who captured Ian.
We had to assume a situation where the opponent was our worst enemy.
Shale Bridge, the people at the top.
— Kuuk.
Sylvia pressed the bridge of her nose and played with her pen.
The empty letter was filled with elegant handwriting.
◆
“Sniff!”
In the mountains where darkness is falling.
Every time a dull light shines through the trees, cherry-colored hair appears here and there and then disappears.
The girl who was hurriedly walking around her stopped her steps sullenly.
“The smell has stopped coming from here again…”
The identity of the girl who lowered her head is Danya.
Her colleagues gathered around her.
“No, thank you for your hard work. Let’s take a break and move again.”
“That’s right! If it weren’t for Sister Danya, it would have been difficult to even take her steps!”
The three gathered under a large tree.
Their only rest was to take a short break every time the trail broke like this.
“It’s clear that it’s related to the Shaleam cultists.”
Danya felt Ian’s body odor while tracing it.
The path was filled with the smell of various blood.
I don’t know if it’s a place where a lot of people pass by, but this is a mountain with no proper roads.
It is highly likely that it belongs to Shaleam Christians.
‘The fact that Ian disappeared in an instant…’
Ian disappeared as soon as he closed and opened his eyes.
She couldn’t feel anything.
It was the same for everyone.
— “Uh… I have a piece of paper in my hand.”
If it weren’t for the note Elena took out, everyone would have thought Ian was joking.
— Kidnapping. Don’t chase after me.
It was written like that in hasty handwriting.
The opponent will definitely be extremely strong.
Because no one felt Ian disappearing or the process.
It was as if it had evaporated in an instant.
“Still, I’m glad I have Danya. If it weren’t for Danya, it would have been so difficult.”
Lina smiled brightly and brightened the mood of the gloomy party members.
In fact, Danya’s sense of smell was the hope.
All traces of Ian had disappeared, but only Danya could smell Ian’s very faint body odor.
It was thanks to Danya’s sense of smell, which had become sharper day by day after receiving help from Ian.
Since she touched his skin directly, Danya was able to trace even the faintest scent of him.
At that time.
Danya’s ears perked up.
“Wait a minute. I hear something.”
Pababat.
She climbed up her tree and pointed to a place with her finger.
“They’re Shale Cultists over there.”
I met the Shale Cultists several times while tracing Ian’s traces.
The frequency of encountering them was increasing.
Is the place where they gather nearby?
One thing is certain, they cannot communicate.
“Let’s go, Elena. Danya, please give me a rain of arrows.”
Lina’s flame exploded.
A long pillar of fire.
Night never came for them.