NOVEL NEXT Chapter 143
I picked up another chicken skewer and took a bite.
Om nom nom…
The texture and taste remain unchanged.
“It’s still the same flavor.”
“That’s right.”
The taste is just as it was. That part is strange.
Generally, Harpy meat starts to spoil after 20 hours once it’s dead, making it inedible. If you treat it with preservatives and all that, it could last up to 40 hours, but that makes it tough and the flavor becomes awful, so it’s generally not worth it.
However, this Harpy meat tastes just like before. Did they kill the Harpy and immediately butcher it in Gebihenum and bring it here? Impossible.
The distance from Gebihenum to the Academy, even if I sprinted at full power, would take a week—at least if measured in a straight line. Well, if it were a Beastman like Leona or a Mage like the Flame Sovereign, they might make it in a day, but by then the meat would already be spoiled.
If they traveled at that speed, the meat would be nothing but mush.
So, is it space teleportation magic? Even if they hired a high-circle mage for delivery, it would still be impossible. To my knowledge, even the highest-tier mage, Kaloso, claimed that kind of distance teleportation is absolutely out of the question. Continuously using it? Naturally impossible.
That means this meat was butchered within a 20-hour range. No, at least within 10 hours. Where did it come from?
A branch of the Cartel? Is the delivery person part of the Cartel’s underground network? Or could they be a human from the center?
I lifted my gaze to look at Adelia. She was still smiling sweetly. The only one left in this conversation was Yurasia.
Without thinking, I opened my mouth.
“Professor, haven’t you already followed the Cartel’s branches?”
“Exactly. It’s something I excel at.”
Even though an offhand remark popped out while eating a chicken skewer, Adelia answered my question nonchalantly. Yurasia wore an expression as if she didn’t understand what this conversation was about, but soon shut her mouth and silenced her presence.
“So you found out it’s not a minor branch of the Cartel but one closer to the core?”
“Precisely.”
Nodding, Adelia continued speaking.
“Are you not curious about where it comes from?”
“You said it’s a branch of the Cartel.”
“The location of that branch.”
“…No way?”
“That’s right. It’s a Cartel branch located in the Holy Kingdom.”
Adelia beamed, and I clicked my tongue. She even knows I’m searching for information on the Holy Kingdom.
Why? There’s no need to think; it’s surely because the information leaked from Ophelia. Of course, I don’t think Ophelia shared it directly. It’s probably just the result of her observation.
As for me… I’ve been cautious of the crows around lately, but Ophelia, who hasn’t experienced anything like this, likely isn’t aware.
That aside, if Harpy meat is delivered from the Holy Kingdom to here… it means there are Harpies somewhere in the Holy Kingdom.
Are they raising monsters in the Holy Kingdom? For consumption?
That’s insane. The Holy Kingdom despises and abhors all magic that exists under this sky.
In the first place, such an act would be impossible in the Holy Kingdom. The barrier. If anything related to magic enters, the barrier reacts immediately.
Because of that barrier, not even humans who stayed in Gebihenum for over half a year can easily enter the Holy Kingdom.
Yet they’re raising monsters in such a Holy Kingdom?
“I don’t know the reason either. I was just focused on following the Cartel and examining the Academy.”
Then, as if she read my thoughts, Adelia ingeniously replied.
I too set aside my complex thoughts and leaned back in my chair.
“Lately, I’ve been seeing a lot of crows… tsk.”
“The Academy must have a lot of pretty and cool crows. Judging by how they flock here from different neighborhoods.”
“Maybe they’re crows that look fine on the outside but are completely black on the inside. Do they come here just because they like that?”
“Who knows? Just because they appear black doesn’t mean they’re black inside.”
“The crows I’ve seen have both the outside and the inside dark.”
“Are you sure this isn’t because you’re wearing tinted glasses and can’t accept the truth, Lady Eliaernes?”
“Tinted glasses, my foot.”
“Still, you seem to have softened a bit since the first time I saw you, so that’s a relief.”
“Why say that? Are you hoping to have me back on guard like before?”
Hehehe—Adelia chuckled.
“Whatever it is, I’m fine with either. Both have their unique flavors.”
Twitch—A trembling Yurasia inched closer to me.
“Anyway, this is ultimately… it’s material for our Demon Realm Exploration Club’s performance report. What should we do with this?”
Just then, the three who went out to vomit returned, and the conversation naturally shifted.
“Ugh… can we really write a performance report based on Harpy meat?”
Stella, who still looked sick, flopped onto a chair.
“Of course. This chicken skewer… you can write a lot of reports with just one Harpy skewer.”
Adelia handed water to Stella.
“So, Miss Stella can write a performance report using this Harpy skewer. As a hint… Hoo, as expected, Lady Eliaernes will tell you, but I’ll mention it first. Harpy corpses spoil after 20 hours post-mortem.”
“…Huh? Then this skewer…”
“That’s right. Investigate how that happened, how long this meat lasts before spoiling, and where the delivery came from. Then you can write your report.”
With that, Adelia shifted her gaze to Ophelia.
“And Ophelia, it’s best you work hard from now on.”
“Me…? Why me?”
“Because a competitor has arisen, right? Or no, it might be more like the tyranny of a large corporation…? Hoo-hoo, anyway, by the time the report is prepared, you’ll understand what I meant.”
Ophelia’s trademark clueless expression opened her mouth slightly.
“…C-competitor? Wha… what do you mean?”
“Bars… are an outdated method in many ways. It’d be better to approach in a more novel and friendly manner towards the Academy citizens.”
“Eh… h-huh? A bar? In a friendly way? W-what?!”
Adelia merely smiled at Ophelia’s words. Then, she clapped her hands to draw attention.
“Well then, let’s end today’s club session here. Just because we finished early doesn’t mean you should slack off; work hard to finish the performance report over the remaining week, okay?”
With that, she turned swiftly and started walking out of the club room.
As she walked, she swayed her hips cheerfully in a way that seemed like she was really fond of the uniform she was wearing.
Do all adults act like that? Hmm… maybe not. My mother is… much more dignified and graceful.
On the other hand, Leona… hmm.
When you hit 400 years old… you can’t help it, can you?
I shifted my gaze from the door Adelia had exited.
Stella was already waving her fan, starting to write the report, and Ophelia still wore that clueless expression.
Blink blink—Pina, who fainted and foamed at the mouth upon hearing it was Harpy meat, was blinking back to consciousness in Yurasia’s arms, and Yurasia seemed quite curious about the conversation I had with Adelia.
How can all five of us, including myself, show completely different reactions in one room…?
Well, that was also the case 400 years ago.
Back then too… me, Paulo, Luna, Kaloso, Arisa.
All five of us had completely different personalities and tastes.
Comparing the past to the present, I snickered and slowly opened my mouth.
“Indeed, Ophelia-senpai. You need to work a bit harder from now on.”
“Uh, um…? Junior? What do you mean by that? Work? This senpai, I’m a student of Karela Academy, you know?!”
Ophelia replied with clenched teeth.
But hoping that I’ll not notice her acting like that is too selfish of her.
In the first place, if we follow the clues about where this Harpy meat came from, we will find out that it’s supplied by the Cartel.
So everyone here will recall Adelia’s words and start speculating about the relationship between Ophelia and the Cartel’s underground network.
Then it’ll be up to the kids to judge, but if they start judging in a weird direction, it could become troublesome.
Ophelia is under Uje’s surveillance. So, it’d be problematic if unnecessary discussions leak out.
And Ophelia, I need to keep her close for now.
The potion for transcendence.
They say rolling in a dung field is still better than dying in the world.
It’s better for Ophelia to live alongside me as if she’s a slave than becoming food for Uje.
So it’s easier for me to speak first.
“What if the information guild that senpai operates gets overshadowed by another company soon?”
Ophelia’s face turned pale.
*
As Ophelia seemed too shocked to breathe properly, I tried to calm her, while Stella and Yurasia were shocked to find out Ophelia was the head of the Information Guild.
I handed Pina a macaron.
And then I began my explanation.
The reason I revealed Ophelia’s secret.
Adding various explanations, I concluded it was best to disclose this ahead of time rather than have our relationship break apart over the final outcome.
During that process, I could feel Ophelia’s sharp gaze as if asking if I cared about such trivial matters, but I ignored it.
It was impossible to say everything due to Uje’s surveillance and eavesdropping, so I had no choice.
And I told Yurasia and Stella that I learned this when I visited the Information Guild.
Both listened obediently and quickly understood.
While Yurasia might not have been surprised, I thought Stella would be startled, but it seems she’s had enough shocking experiences to have gained some courage.
And Pina simply enjoyed the macaron.
I gave her another.
Once the discussion wrapped up, we headed to the restaurant to pack dinner. Yurasia, Stella, and Pina remained in the club room to write reports, while Ophelia and I stepped out together.
Originally, Yurasia was supposed to come out, but since I didn’t want to deal with that writing and theoretical stuff, I volunteered to come out instead.
“…Junior, I think you’re being too harsh… yo.”
“Just speak comfortably at the Academy.”
“Is that so? Then what about you, you cheeky brat? What’s with your way of speaking to your senpai?”
“Don’t get too comfortable.”
“I’m sorry, I won’t do it again.”
Pale-faced Ophelia bowed her head, attracting the attention of passing students in the hallway.
Today… it seems especially many eyes are on us. It was always like this, but today feels particularly intense.
“…What do you think people will say if you keep bowing your head like that?”
“Ah… s-sorry, junior.”
Is she doing this on purpose?
Is she trying to get back at me with some high-level trick?
Could she be a spy, tarnishing the reputation of the Eustetia household?
With endless thoughts racing through my mind, I quickened my pace.
So when we reached the entrance of the restaurant.
“Oh, isn’t that Eliaernes? Long time no see.”
“…Fabiana-senpai?”
“Yep. Are you here for dinner too?”
“Well, yes. I was thinking of eating in the club room today…”
I ran into Fabiana de Herman.
But now she was grabbing Silina by the nape…
“Um, what’s Silina doing like that?”
“Ah, she’s my little sister.”
Fabiana said with a sharp smile.
“My adorable sister did something quite cute without my knowledge, so I have no choice but to do this to her.”
“…Cute thing?”
Did she get caught doing something we planned with Silina?
I tried to hide my expression as best I could and met Fabiana’s gaze.
For a moment, her golden eyes, which had been staring at me, shifted to Ophelia, who was trembling and hiding behind me.
Seeing Ophelia like that made Fabiana chuckle and softly say,
“Since there are many eyes watching, let’s talk separately.”