232. Fox Hunting (3)
“How much free time is this?”
I tilted my head back and enjoyed the blue sky.
Northon is a place where gloomy weather is frequent.
Because the sun was warm today like a southern city.
――――――.
I looked around the square while eating a baguette.
Starting with Northern Academy students who have just left school.
From musicians busking on the streets.
After a long time, I enjoyed spending time alone.
But.
I guess the heavens envied my leisure, and a minor accident occurred.
Because the violin string of the street performer who was praising my peaceful rest broke.
―――Kikigeek….
“Well….”
The violinist sighed with an embarrassed expression, as if there were no spare strings.
It didn’t seem like there was enough money to make a new purchase.
A shabby dress shirt and a blazer worn on top.
Plus, these are cotton pants full of lint.
He was a man with a handsome face, but very simple attire.
“I’ve only been able to play two songs so far….”
The player glanced down at his violin case.
There were still only one or two silver coins in there.
“I can’t buy a new string with this money…” .”
He looked embarrassed and eventually gave up, putting the broken violin inside.
I looked at him pitifully and prepared to leave the street.
“I guess I should go back soon too.”
He turned his head, leaving the poor musician behind.
And then I cleaned up the used paper bags.
“Ha….”
The violinist also tried to return while holding the case.
But, at that moment.
Large men appeared in front of him.
“Who, who are you…” ?”
Dark skin, black uniform, and red cape.
The young man swallowed deeply at their appearance, which looked scary at first glance.
“How dare you play such a sloppy performance in front of the person who will be Your Majesty’s wife?”
“Now, he needs perfect music for absolute stability.”
The rugged eastern knights grabbed the man’s shoulders.
Among them was Bijou, Tau’s junior.
“If you want to continue performing, you must have the appropriate qualifications.”
The knights grabbed the violinist from both sides as if arresting a criminal.
Then, he covered his lips and dragged him into a dark alley.
“Wow… !!”
No matter how hard the man struggled, it was no use.
He disappeared into the darkness like a rabbit being dragged by wild beasts from the East.
“Huuu―. “It’s a shame, the music was good.”
I continued to stretch.
And then, I threw the paper bag in the trash can and was about to leave.
――――――.
I turned my head to see the beautiful melody returning.
“Uh, what is it?”
The melody is much more beautiful and luxurious than before.
Following that melody, we stopped at the square again.
Then, the young man with shabby clothes and a cheap violin came back.
With a new instrument and a suit that looks very expensive.
“Oh, did you buy something new with the money you earned?”
I smiled and put my hands on my waist.
And, I happily watched the man playing with a happy expression.
Suddenly, academy students followed his handsome appearance and music.
Many of them were girls.
“Oh my, isn’t that the guy who always plays here?”
“So-. I guess I finally got a sponsor. “Look at how cool it has become!”
They enjoyed playing while watching the handsome man.
But….
Among them, there were a few girls who seemed strangely interested in other things than music.
I naturally joined the crowd, as if trying to listen to music.
Because his eyes were turned towards me so intently that it was very burdensome.
“What…?” ?”
They were holding a notepad and pen in both hands.
And, he was quickly scribbling and writing something down.
‘Could it have been sent by the princesses…? ?’
I approached slowly to stop the children.
However, there was no need to do so.
When I noticed the girls, someone else gently grabbed my sleeve.
“Hello?”
Clear and clear voice.
I turned my head to follow the voice.
Then, beautiful silver hair caught my eye.
‘Irina… ?’
I met her face, thinking of her.
Then, unlike the second princess, her younger, softer body without muscles caught her eye.
“You are the Marquis of Vale, right?”
He was wearing a school uniform, as if he was attending Northern Academy.
She asked me repeatedly in a clear voice.
“We are the Northern Academy Reporters’ Club. “I came here because I wanted to do an interview.”
The silver-haired girl smiled brightly.
Then, the girls who had been diligently writing about me from afar also followed suit.
“Journalists’ club?”
“Yes. “Our name is just a club, but we are still a fairly historic group.”
I know about the Northern Academy.
It is the most famous private school in the northern part of the capital and has the highest employment rate.
The most popular among them was the journalist club ‘Turtle Pigeon’.
“Oh, I’ve heard of it. Someone I know is from there too….”
Victor, the imperial reporter, is probably also from here.
“hehehe…. It can happen. “We often call up the most productive members of our club.”
The silver-haired girl calmly held out her palm to me.
And then, she offered to shake hands.
“I am the club president, Silver Rain. “I’m a senior at Northern Academy.”
“Ah…. Well, nice to meet you. “This is Bale Mikhail.”
I suddenly shook hands with a 19-year-old girl.
Her juniors, who appeared to be her assistants with black hair covering their bangs, diligently took note of even her appearance.
“Chairman of the Turtle Dove, Silver Rain…. A dramatic meeting with the defender of the empire, Marquis Bail Mikhail….”
“The meeting of black hair and white hair. Fits very well…. From first meeting to natural skinship….”
But the two assistants seemed to have very different personalities.
While one child wrote relatively truthfully, the other child exaggerated his writing.
“Can I interview you for a moment? “I am so honored to meet the defender of the empire.”
I felt like I was caught up in something troublesome, so I couldn’t reply for a moment.
However, they soon realized that their interview records were directly related to their grades, so they graciously responded.
“Well, of course. “What were you curious about?”
“Ah, thank you so much. “Then wait a moment-.”
When Silveraine heard my acceptance, she raised the corners of her mouth as if she thought this was the right time.
I didn’t have a good feeling because that smile seemed very mature for a simple girl.
Because it seemed like I was making an unreasonable request.
“Then, let’s start asking questions.”
She looked at her assistant and gestured.
Then, a girl with long black hair covering her bangs spoke to the chairman….
I took out a piece of paper filled with sample questions.
“How do you feel about facing multiple people on your own for the first time in the Imperial Best Sword Selection Competition?”
At first, these were pretty normal questions.
That’s why he answered skillfully.
“From the former leaders to the current leader, Sir Lin, they were all very strong. “It was a good experience for me.”
“Hmm-. “I see.”
But.
The intention of the question began to become increasingly impure.
“But-. “At the end, when she beat Senior Lin and asked to shake his hand, what was the look in her eyes when Director Lin looked at her?”
“Yes… ?”
When I was speechless for a moment, the silver-haired reporter Dream Tree smiled innocently.
Like a fox that meets in the wild and asks for food.
“Wasn’t it subtle?”
Blue pupils twinkled in the girl’s thin, crescent-moon-like eyes.
‘Look at this…’ ?’
“No, I’m not sure about that. “In the first place, this question can only be answered accurately if Director Lin is also present.”
“Hmm-. Okay. “It’s a shame that there was only one person involved, so we couldn’t ask for his opinion.”
Silver Rain slyly clasped her hands together.
However, at the same time, he sent a secret signal to his assistants.
Then, they began to cleverly rewrite my answer.
“Marquis Veil, I was disappointed with the handshake I had with Director Lin during this Imperial First Sword match. I’m curious about her exact thoughts….”
‘What is it, guys…? ?’
The guys you see in front of you now.
They were not just aspiring reporters.
They were prestigious aces in the world of reporters who competed with almost active-level propaganda and fabrication.
「….」
Two female students wearing masks watched from afar.
He was watching the reporters with deathly eyes.
“Okay, next question. “After I won, the princesses gathered by my side.”
I thought they were just cute babies.
As it turned out, they were wild beasts that had just entered the wild.
“Which of them were you happiest when they came?”
“… !!”
Among the repeated difficult questions, the scariest question of all time has arrived.
At this, cold sweat broke out on my forehead.
‘No, Victor, where on earth did you graduate from?’ ?!’
“Wait a minute, students…. “Is this question too explicit?”
“Huh? Is that so-? “I asked this question simply out of curiosity, but it seems like it was quite a burden for the Marquis.”
Silverrain put a finger to her lips and mocked.
This time, again, the two assistants started fabricating.
“Marquis Bail Mikhail, I am thinking very deeply about the princesses….”
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“Marquis Bail Mikhail, in happy contemplation. An attitude that seems to be evaluating which of the princesses to choose….”
The two female students wearing masks in the distance paused for a moment as if they were curious about that question.
“The 1st Princess is famous for her noble beauty that men adore-. The 2nd princess is famous for her beauty as neat as a flower. “She is famous for her cute yet fierce beauty that the 3rd princess wants to protect.”
Silver Rain put her back behind her and gently shook her head.
In her heart, she wanted to catch that insolent girl and drag her straight to her teacher’s office.
“Wait a minute…. The question is so perplexing that it gives me a headache….”
I put my hand on my forehead and complained of pain.
She stumbled and turned her head away from her, pretending to be dizzy.
Then, at that moment.
The eyes of the two masked female students who were waiting for an answer lost focus.
Their bloody eyes turned to the young foxes who had just come out into the wild and were excited.
As if targeting arrogant wild beasts that dare to set their sights on their prey.
“Can I go to the bathroom for a moment before answering?”
“Oh, of course-. “Have a nice stay-.”
The silver-haired female student said, putting her hands together.
Her assistants were still taking notes.
“The Marquis of Veil suddenly refused to answer, saying he had to go to the bathroom….”
I turned the corner to avoid the girls and headed to the bathroom.
Thanks to this, only the students of the Northern Academy remained in the square.
“This is a scoop I’ve been waiting for, but I can’t let it go easily. Isn’t that right, guys?”
“Yes, Chairman. “I know the route to the bathroom here, so if you don’t come out, I can chase you right away.”
Reporters need to be quick and know shortcuts to find scoops.
That’s why he was very relaxed even after sending his interviewee to the bathroom.
“If we improve our performance this time and sell it to the imperial press corps, we will also be hired as official reporters. hehehe….”
Silver Rain stretched out her flexible waist and relaxed.
“If I get in this time, I’ll let you in next year too.”
She spoke as if she was being generous to her members and waited for their response.
However, no answer came back from them.
“Why is there no answer?”
Silver Rain turned her head.
That moment.
“Uh… ?!”
At the sight of the Eastern knights approaching the two assistants in an instant, my entire body turned white.
“Meeting, president…. Run away… !!”
The assistant, who used to write relatively obediently, has already been captured by two Asian men a long time ago.
Thanks to this, only Silver Rain and the assistant who wrote the exaggerated content remained.
“Pipi, take the escape route written in our manual!!”
Silverlane and the rest of his assistants immediately started running away.
The two escaped into the back alley, skillfully crossing the crowd of students wearing the same school uniform as them.
“… !!”
The large eastern knights could not easily chase after them because they were as quick as foxes.
Because if they sped up, they could have hurt other students.
“Run away, you aspiring reporters.”
I watched it from afar with my back turned.
And then, I smiled, believing the two people who had been watching me earlier.
“Because life is a real battle.”
―――――.
“Oh my god, even the Eastern Knights are involved, isn’t this a complete scoop?!”
“That’s right, senior. “If you are good at this, I will definitely join the royal press corps as a special recruit!!”
The two girls crossed the back alleys of Northon at high speed.
It seemed like no one could stop the prospective reporters who had already figured out all the routes here.
But.
“Uh… ? “Sir, who is standing far away over there?”
“Where?”
At the end of the passage visible from afar.
A female student stood tall there.
“Ah…. “We’re the same students.”
Silverlane was relieved when he saw her outfit getting closer.
But she soon began to feel that something was strange.
“Student… This? That body… ?”
The closer the girl gets, the clearer her appearance becomes.
She was very young to be considered an immature girl.
Like seeing the alpha lioness.
“Wait a minute, something’s strange… “aaah!!”
When the female student stretched out her hand, the body of the assistant who was running alongside her floated up.
A powerful mana current flowed around her.
“Wizard… ?!”
Silver Rain was also startled by the appearance of a wizard that was difficult to see.
She hurriedly began to take a detour toward a dark corner.
“I’m sorry, Fifi!!”
“Hurry and run away, senior…” !!”
The beautiful chivalry of two seniors and juniors.
However, the moment I turned the corner, someone appeared in front of Silver Rain.
“Hey.”
It was clearly a shorter silhouette than her.
However, as you run, the moment gets closer and closer.
“Ugh… ?!”
The petite female student overpowered the prospective reporter who was taller than her with quick movements of her hands.
And she was pushed against the wall.
Thump―――!!
The female student flinched from the pain hitting her back.
Still, she somehow managed to hold on to her spirit like her president and tried to run away again.
But, then.
“Where are you going to run away?”
A petite female student with black hair parted into twin tails.
She stretched out her legs to show off and took a picture of the side of Silver Rain’s face.
With a unique oriental martial art.
“How dare you disturb the child who would become my husband…” ?”
Leopard-like red eyes flashed in the shadows.
The club president, who had been smirking at the murderous eyes he had never seen before, was speechless.
“Don’t push yourself too hard. “They’re still students.”
The sound of shoes as proud as a queen was heard from afar.
Afterwards, someone with a sensual body that made it hard to believe she was a student followed.
Waving the magic wand leisurely.
“Ugh…. Chairman….”
A sidekick floating in the air following the tip of Leia’s wand.
She blushed and was busy covering up the fluttering hem of her skirt.
“Of course, scouts are the first to catch and kill in war.”
Leah, like a victorious soldier, took away Jo Joo and Silver Lane’s documents.
And, she obtained information about the veil and other interesting Northon information written inside.
“Shall we check what information those scouts have?”
The first princess of the empire looked through the newspapers the girls had.
Most of it was trivial gossip, but there were some breaking news that caught my eye.
“How to know someone’s mind… How to hypnotize them…”
Among them, there was something called a ‘hypnotic bead’.
You can make the other person behave the way you want….
“Hi… Senpai, what happens to us now…?”
“I don’t know… Whether there were people like this in our academy…”
The two reporters swallowed deeply at the sight of the bloody princesses.
They bowed their heads side by side, weighed down by the momentum of the eastern knights who followed them.
“There’s some interesting loot?”
Leah paid attention to the hypnosis beads among them.
The same goes for Lydia.
The two people gradually raised their eyebrows at the information about the unusual object that could control the other person at will.
And, he secretly hid the document without me knowing.
“We helped out in a difficult situation, so we can take care of the reward, right?”