128 – Dating Underground
“Kro. What are you worried about?”
I came to my senses at the sound of Yulia’s refreshing voice from next to me.
“Uh, no. Just because of the test.”
“I see. Well, it wasn’t an ordinary thing. But it’s in the past, so I don’t think you need to worry too much about it.”
I never thought such a kind answer would come back even with the excuses I made in moderation.
As expected, Yulia is definitely an angel. Maybe that’s why I felt guilty for cheating.
Strictly speaking, it wasn’t a lie. It’s true that I was disturbed by what actually happened in the exam.
It’s just that he didn’t tell me that the more specific reason was Sharon’s magic.
Anyway, no matter how much I think about it, the answer won’t come out. Because it was only Yulia and I walking down the quiet road back to school.
As for magic, you can talk about it later when you have a separate meeting with Sharon.
For now, it was time to focus on Yulia.
“Didn’t you say you had a meeting today?”
“Yes. I’ve only been there once.”
As we promised at the museum the other day, we decided to attend the Phantom Thief Followers’ Meeting as soon as we finished the exam.
The goal is to get Yulia out of her group. If that doesn’t work, the next best thing is to infiltrate the inside and remove the dangerous thoughts of the followers.
The easiest way is, of course, to realize that Yulia is in danger and get out of her way.
If it were her, she would be fully aware of her danger. If there is a problem, it is a situation where you are so absorbed in the idea that you take a risk.
I don’t believe that’s possible, but what if Yulia assimilated Drake’s radical ideas and became sincere in her group? That’s when it really hurts. We must somehow stop such a catastrophe before it happens.
“Then see you later!”
“Yes. See you later.”
Before going to the meeting, each of us decided to go home and change our clothes.
It’s a big deal if someone sees you wearing an academy uniform.
On top of that, there was a lot of work today, so you must be quite tired.
I needed to rest comfortably at home and replenish my stamina. Anyway, the meeting was held from late in the evening after sunset, so there was no problem.
A beautiful pearl that greets me with a sparkling light when I return home.
It was such a pretty jewel that I was amazed every time I saw it.
“How long has it been absorbed?”
[About three quarters.]
“Ugh…”
It’s still a long way off. Even though it’s been two days since I started absorbing pearls, it’s only about 30%.
If you think about it differently, it must mean that pearls have a lot of power.
As she lazily changed her clothes, the Goddess listened to her gossip.
“I never thought he would summon a dragon there.”
[That’s right. If they saw it, they would have salivated.]
“They?”
[Drakan.]
“Ah…”
The name I had erased from my head for a moment surfaced thanks to the goddess’s mention.
A villainous organization that appears every moment in the original work and interferes with the main character’s group.
As a small elite group, they are the ones to be careful of as the individual’s strength and danger are enormous.
The purpose of Drakan is none other than the creation of dragons. They had grand aspirations to create a legendary race called masters of magic themselves.
They use anything for their own ends without hesitation. Even if it means betraying humanity and becoming absolute evil.
Rachel almost got caught up in their conspiracy too. It would be more accurate to say that she was already caught up in it.
The fact that my actions in her came back to her butterfly effect and almost killed her was still deeply entrenched in her heart, giving her a reason to move carefully.
Thankfully, thanks to the help of the transcendental Goddess and the spirit of the lake, we succeeded in stopping Drakan’s activities, but even that is only a temporary measure and they will come back someday.
“Certainly, if they had seen it, they wouldn’t have let it go.”
A dragon created by Granger is, at best, nothing more than an imitated replica.
Compared to the real thing, the level of perfection that a child made with clay.
But is there another entity more attractive to Drakan’s goal?
If they had seen today’s scene, they would have immediately kidnapped Granger and tried to make the summoning magic their own. In the process, a mere academy student wouldn’t have blinked an eye no matter what.
[Even if you don’t know where they are and what they’re doing, you need to be careful.]
As the goddess said.
Originally, I wouldn’t have to worry about this. It was a long time ago when Granger used Dragon Breath when he was much stronger than he is now. If he had followed the original story, he wouldn’t have summoned an imperfect dragon like he does today.
Fortunately, at present, only a few examiners know about it, but if information about this incident spreads and reaches Drakan’s ears, there is a good chance that it will become a real danger. Of course, since the academy keeps the exam process completely private, the odds of such a disaster are low.
“Think about that later. For now, let’s deal with the phantom thief followers first.”
I changed my clothes completely and looked at my watch. If I started slowly, I thought I would arrive on time for my appointment.
Okay. Let’s set off
***
“Crow!”
Yulia calls my name and runs at speed.
Her plain clothes were so pretty that I lost my gaze for a moment without even realizing it.
The fresh yet not excessive one-piece suits her so well.
“You came early. Have you been waiting long?”
“No. I just came.”
“Really? I’m glad!”
It feels like we’re on a date because we’re just the two of us in plain clothes and talking.
Except for the fact that dating sites are underground places that propagate extreme ideologies.
When I thought that way, all the emotions that were slightly thrilling died.
I realized that this meeting is not a date, but an undercover action to save her friend.
“Then shall we go right away?”
“Okay. Guide me.”
I had already visited once, but I calmly hid that fact and moved to the underground space with Yulia’s guidance.
Like the last time, a hulking figure blocking the entrance.
Unexpectedly, however, as soon as he glanced at us, perhaps because he had learned Yulia’s face, he opened the way for us to get out of her body.
Hey, looks like Yulia’s aren’t common, so it would be even weirder if you forgot her face.
Anyway, we were able to descend into the underground space without any blockage.
The scenery there was no different from the last time. It felt as if no time had passed here.
Rainy voices coming from all directions accompanied by loud music that pierces your eardrums.
If anyone gets used to living in a space like this, the tension will inevitably rise.
“Hello? They are a cute couple.”
At that time, a woman gently came up to us and greeted us with a bewitching voice.
At a glance, I recognized who she was. She was Blanca, the one who had talked to me the other day.
“Ah, hello…”
Blanca, who responded to Yulia’s shy greeting with a smile, soon began to stare at her. Yulia was trying hard to avoid her gaze, as if the gaze was burdensome.
“I remembered. Is she the girl who came last time?”
“Do you remember me…?”
“Then, of course. It stood out in so many ways. In a good way, of course.”
“Ah, thank you.”
Normally, Yulia was always full of confidence, but now she seemed to be intimidated by her environment and Blanca’s momentum.
After a while, her gaze shifted to the side and this time she stared at me.
“Is this your first friend?”
“I am a friend. I was begging because I heard the story and wanted to follow.”
“Good choice. Once you get a taste of this, you will feel boring wherever you go.”
I agree with the words themselves to some extent. It is likely that most of them were simply fascinated by the exciting atmosphere of this underground space rather than being interested in Drake’s ideas from the beginning. Then, slowly, whenever Drake spoke, he naturally accepted it and assimilated it.
“Hmm. By the way···.”
Blanca, who had been looking at me for a moment with her lips licking and looking at me with a quizzical gaze, soon thrust her head in and whispered in my ear.
“Have you seen us somewhere?”
“·······.”
I was so surprised that I flinched. I almost screamed for real.
Her nose seemed to go numb at the faint scent of her perfume that wafted from her.
[Tsk. It’s really not frivolous.]
She managed to come to her senses at the goddess’s complaint, took a step behind her, and calmly replied.
“Okay. I think I’m seeing you for the first time…”
“Really? Then it must have been my mistake.”
Showing off her alluring smile, Blanca waved her hand and bid her farewell.
“I’ll go. Because the girlfriend next to her seems to be quite jealous. She can come over to my table anytime if she wants to ask anything. Bye then.”
“…A girlfriend?”
In the midst of being confused, I felt an intense gaze from the side.
Turning her head, Yulia was glaring at me with her disgruntled eyes.