249 – Final Chapter (2): Cult Leader’s Outing
More than a month has passed since Ian went missing.
“Is it right for so many people to be deployed just to find one cadet?”
A major forest in the central part of the continent.
A man who was conducting a search in the forest asked the woman next to him.
The golden badge on one side of his chest meant that he was a member of the ‘Golden Mole’, the best search guild on the continent.
The woman who was called senior by the man opened her mouth by hitting him on the back of the head.
“Stop talking nonsense and find it quickly. It’s rare for such large-scale requests to come.”
“No-.”
“No, what? Do you want to get hit again?”
“… Find it. Find it!”
The man quickly fell to the floor, clutching the back of his head.
It was difficult to say that it was an ordinary search posture, but it was a search method unique to the ‘Golden Mole’ guild, which is made up of people with a sense of smell.
If a man is lying on the floor and sniffling,
The way the woman called senior dragged him around.
After continuing the search for a while, the man spoke once again.
“No. Still, isn’t it funny that the entire Golden Mole Guild is deployed just to find one cadet?”
“Do you want to get hit?”
“No, it’s time. I got sand in my nose. I need to rest for a moment, Senpai!”
Food!
Every time he shouted, piles of sand poured out of his nose.
The senior frowned when he saw that.
“Oh, it’s dirty.”
“So you’re not funny?”
“What?”
“50 People from our guild alone, and other teams besides us, looking for one cadet. I think they are searching for at least 1,000 people.”
“So.”
“Honestly, if one person disappears, isn’t it usually the case that one or two people remain?”
“Right?”
“In that respect -.”
Sniff!
He continued speaking, once again spitting out a pile of sand from his nose.
“A cadet has gone missing, and searchers from almost the entire country are flocking to look for him. What can I say… I feel like I’ve given in to money? I don’t know how great of a family he is, but I guess it feels a bit strange.”
Bah!
In the end, the man was hit in the back of the head again.
“Whoa! Why are you hitting me?”
“Did you shake off the sand?”
Huddudduk.
Sand pouring in late.
“Kuoeook!”
“Did you and I tell you to study or not?”
“Uh…Yes?”
“As you said, the formation of a search party is too excessive to assume that only one person is missing. That means it’s not just a human problem.”
“Then?”
“I talked to the leader of the nearby search team, and there was a rumor going around. What we’re looking for is the headquarters of the Shale Bridge.”
“Tongue, this is the headquarters of the Shale Bridge, right?”
“Yes.”
“But that white, pure earth-type mana crystal… What does that have to do with the Shale Bridge’s headquarters?”
“I don’t know either.”
The senior woman tilted her head from side to side.
She continued her words as she relaxed her body.
“In the end, we work for money. We rarely get treated like this. The client is so urgent. Don’t think about nonsense and focus.”
“… Yes.”
“And even if we find evidence, our guild must discover it first. Since all the search guilds from all over the continent have gathered together, our performance here is ultimately proof of our skills. Above all, we cannot lose to the kids from that academy.”
A more serious atmosphere.
When they were about to begin the search again, a figure appeared.
“Thank you both for your hard work.”
Blonde hair close to silver.
An infinitely dignified gait even on dirt.
The senior hurriedly lowered his head.
“Silvia.”
“… If it’s Lady Silvia, then Laurent’s upper division is the top of the line?!”
“Shut up and bow your head quickly.”
Noticing his senior, the man quickly lowered his head.
“Ah. I’m sorry!”
Looking at that, Sylvia smiled faintly.
“No. Everyone, please work a little harder. Thank you.”
Nodding.
Silvia lowered her head and walked away.
“… It’s pretty.”
The man who mumbled received another punch to the back of his head.
◆
Sylvia took her steps and quickly ran through the forest.
Soon, Elena and Danya were held in her hands.
Lina was walking behind her.
“Really, I told everyone to take a break and search?”
“Shh, rest!”
“I did it while taking a break too, Sister Elena!”
Danya and Elena rebel while being held by Sylvia.
Sylvia scolded sternly.
“Where are you going? Danya, look at the dark circles under your eyes. Elena, you’ve lost all those plump cheeks.”
“This… It’s covered in black dust!”
From Noble mtl dot com
“I went on a diet!”
“Stop talking nonsense and follow me.”
Silvia headed to the barracks, smiling awkwardly and taking care of Lina who followed her.
Search bases spread throughout the central part of the continent.
Silvia washed her colleagues’ faces, put on their clothes, and had them sit down at the table.
She then placed the warm tomato chicken stew in front of their seats.
Danya raises her hand as if she has something to say.
But Sylvia shook her head.
“Stop working today.”
“But-“
“There’s something more important than that. Everyone listen while you eat.”
Silvia dragged a map that was standing vertically nearby.
“I’ll mark the place where Ian’s traces were found.”
She left her check marks everywhere.
“And if we continue this…”
Silvia draws a huge circle in the center of the continent.
It matched to some extent the area of the central forest they were currently searching.
“Ian, there is a high possibility that the Shale Bridge’s stronghold exists within this area. Considering the information we have obtained so far, at least that is what the leadership has concluded.”
“The scope has definitely been narrowed?”
“Yes. Soon, all efforts will be focused on searching the forest.”
“Then we can find you faster!”
“Yes, probably.”
Silvia’s expression looked uncomfortable as she said that.
Danya asked.
“Why are you like that?”
“For some reason, I feel uneasy. The Great Forest. In theory, it is an appropriate place for the Shale Cultists to hide their base, and a perfect candidate… But I wonder if they are hiding in such an obvious place.”
Silvia, who had blurted out her words, shook her head.
“It’s just a feeling. It’s right to focus on evidence. Anyway, that’s why…”
Clatter.
Sylvia, who had moved Elena, who had fallen asleep while eating, to the bed, continued her words.
“Leave this place to me, and you three go back to the academy for a moment.”
“That doesn’t make sense.”
“We’re giving you two days’ rest. If the search force is concentrated here anyway, it’s not a big problem for the three of you to leave for a short time. And not only Miss Elena, but Lina and Danya also look quite tired.”
“… But.”
“Besides, it’s been quite a while since the dessert research club room was empty.”
“The club is insolvent?”
Silvia smiled at Danya, who suddenly asked her what she was talking about.
“I’ve been gone for a long time, so I need to clean it up once in a while. You’re all members of the club.”
“……”
Danya and Lina were silent for a moment.
Although it was Sylvia’s somewhat unexpected persuasion method, there was a part that somehow touched my emotions.
It’s been a really long time since I haven’t been to Busil.
Sylvia opened her mouth as if to drive a wedge into the hearts of those who were about to waver.
“I think this will escalate into something big.”
“… Louder?”
“Yes. Up to the level of war. Not only the Empire, but also Constantine’s side is moving. It is under the justification of revelation and the expulsion of the Shale Church.”
It was said that things would soon get bigger.
“If that happens, it’ll be busy, so everyone, please get organized.”
◆
Lichten Academy.
Downstairs of the Dessert Research Club.
Rufina, the manager of the Occult Research Institute, was particularly uneasy today.
Is it because the upstairs, which was always noisy, has been quiet for over a month?
Or is it because the atmosphere at the Academy has been particularly somber recently?
She is Rufinada, who likes gloom.
But her academy was filled with a heavy weight that made even her feel gloomy.
“It’s been like this since Ian disappeared.”
For some reason, Rufina sighed as she looked down at the gloomy street.
If only cadets passed by on the street, I would feel less depressed…
For some reason, there was no one today.
Even her faintly descending fog added to the gloom.
“Whoa…”
Luffy I touched her chin as she sighed.
Ian It would be great for her if that child was found safe.
It seemed like a sense of intimacy had developed.
“Is it inside?”
A small but clear voice came to Rufina’s ears. She got goosebumps because she thought someone was whispering in her ear. It was a man’s voice.
Luffy I quickly looked around her.
This is the office of an occult research institute.
Since Rufina was the only member of the club, it was unlikely that anyone would be there.
Rufina carefully approached the door.
A person was seen outside.
She opened the door as if possessed.
She wouldn’t have done that originally, but she felt like she had to.
I had an instinct that I shouldn’t leave customers standing outside for a long time.
And Luffy I stopped with her door open.
“Oh…?”
At a glance, there was a very handsome man standing there.
Her hair was pure white, and her jawline was sculpted.
Even the eyes that look somewhat bothered are beautiful.
However, she did not feel attracted.
She was rather afraid for some reason.
Every little action made me feel intimidated.
A person who seems to be on top of everything.
It was like that even though there was no spirit.
The man opened his mouth.
“I came to a place called the Dessert Research Club.”
“Up, upstairs.”
“Thank you.”
Great smile.
Watching him turn his back and walk away, Rufina unconsciously slumped down in her seat.
She felt like she had seen something she shouldn’t have seen.