C248: Each person's choice (1)
A piece of good news was delivered to the students of Theon.
The third test will be conducted during the field trip but the reason it was good news was because the students will obtain points from the mentors based on the results of their tasks and won't have to solve difficult test questions.
"I heard you can get a B or higher if you are assigned to a good mentor".
"Some mentors know our situation, so they understand it."
In particular, the students, who were worried about how difficult the test would be, were happy and waited only for the upcoming field trip.
'What kind of mentor will I meet when I go, and where will I stop by when I go to the capital?'
Some people did not enjoy it when everyone thought positively and among them was Leo.
'It's a big deal.'
As the field trip period approached, Leo was starting to get nervous.
It was not long ago that he was ordered to announce the movement of the students of Theon in the capital.
Leo pretended not to hear it, but he couldn't ignore it forever so he finally made up his mind and sent a reply.
Most of the people here are students. There are many nobles, but the number of commoners is also not small and he didn't want them to get hurt.
Leo's reply was like this, but the Liberation Army was determined.
– Their sacrifice is heartbreaking for us, too. But their deaths will be a noble sacrifice, bringing the future that our Liberation Army wants.
Leo desperately tried not to swear when he saw the reply he received and managed to do so only because his patience far exceeded the average student.
"So, let the students who have done nothing wrong die?"
– They're not dying. It is a noble sacrifice.
'Why are you deciding that their sacrifice is noble?'
– It is for an equal world, free from the oppression of the nobles.
Whatever Leo said, the Liberation Army didn't accept it.
They had no intention of yielding, as their hatred for the nobles had penetrated them to the bone.
– And remember in whose care your family is now.
Leo had no choice but to gnash his teeth at those words.
As long as his sick mother and only brother were in their hands, Leo had no choice but to follow their orders, whether he liked it or not.
Leo clenched his fist in a surge of anger. However, there was no one in front of him to swing his fist at.
"Bloody hell."
He must hand over the information for his precious family but if the information is handed over, Theon's students will be caught up in a terrorist attack.
He didn't care if those hateful nobles died but there were many innocent people among them, including his friends. And when they find out the truth, how will they look at him…….?
"……I'm annoyed."
Leo was going to go back to the dormitory early and rest well today.
At that time, Aidan, Tracy, and Iona, who saw Leo from afar, approached, but Leo ignored them and left.
"What's wrong with him these days?"
Tracy grumbled at the sight of Leo leaving, while ignoring them.
"Leo. What's wrong with you these days?"
"It seems something happened."
Iona answered immediately.
"Recently, he seemed to have a lot of worries."
"Oh, really?"
Tracy asked back as if she didn't realize it and Iona nodded silently.
Leo's condition was so bad that even the dull Aidan noticed Leo was different from usual.
"What? Am I the only one who didn't know?"
Tracy glanced back at Aidan and Iona. As a self-respecting person, she was shocked by the current situation.
'I'm the only one who didn't know.'
Neither Aidan nor Iona would reprimand her for such things, but Tracy could not tolerate it.
"Then we can find out, right?"
"How can we find out?"
"Let's follow Leo."
Tracy brings a magnifying glass taken from who knows where to her eye.
"Uh," Aidan asked dumbfounded.
"Follow Leo?"
"Yes, we need to know why Leo is like that. To do that, we need to know more about Leo. This is the basis of investigation."
"Investigation…"
"Don't you know? That's something Detective Casey Selmore usually says. When something happens, investigate first. It's essential to catch the culprit."
"The culprit?"
"Oh, that's what she said."
Tessie waved her hand at Aidan, who was surprised and asked back, saying, "Don't worry."
At that time, Iona opened her mouth and asked.
"Who is Casey Selmore?"
"It's my first time hearing the name, too."
"What?"
When Aidan said he didn't know, Tracy opened her eyes wide.
"You guys don't know Casey Selmore?"
"Yes."
"I don't know."
"Oh, my God…"
Tracy's brain was muddled because of these two people who lack common sense.
Iona is a Suin and came from the place where her species lived, so it was not surprising if she didn't know, but Aidan?
"Casey Selmore is a genius detective and she's even a great wizard who used the magic of a single attribute element to get the title [Colour] from the Tower."
"Wow. Really?"
"Of course, she's even the hero that captured the famous villain, James Moriarty, in the Delica Kingdom three years ago."
"She is an amazing person."
"She's even humble, saying she wasn't the one who caught James Moriarty and a model that all wizards should emulate."
Tracy was a big fan of Casey Selmore. Sometimes she liked Casey so much that she took a strange pride in the fact that her name was similar in pronunciation to Casey's.
"How can you not know her!? She even came to Theon during the festival."
"Uh, um, sorry?"
"Aidan, I'll lend you a book full of her greatness, so try to read it all by next week!"
"All of a sudden?"
"Of course that's not the point, but anyway……."
As Tracy's words were about to be prolonged, Iona stepped out.
"Let's go after Leo first."
"Oh? Oh, right. Let's go, Aidan!"
"Yes……"
Aidan began to feel anxious about Tracy's strangely excited appearance.
* * *
Rudger, who finished his deal with Hugo Burtag, took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes at the fact that he had finished a big deal.
"Teacher, are you very tired?"
Sedina asked worriedly but she also looked very tired and was slightly dark under her eyes.
"No. I'm fine. Above all, the most annoying thing is over."
"Do you mean Mr. Hugo?"
"Yes. It will be difficult for aristocratic teachers to exercise their power within Theon after this incident. Of course, as time passes, they will raise their heads again as before."
At that time, it was enough for Rudger, who had the position of the planning director, to press them with moderate force so that they could not raise their heads.
Now he had the power to do so within Theon.
At that thought, Rudger laughed in vain.
'It's funny to be a teacher at an academy that I didn't plan to come to, but to be in an important position inside this academy.'
It was also the result of his desperate struggle to survive, but even considering that, it was very interesting.
A new teacher rose to the top of Theon and even though the president knew that he hid his identity she still handed the position over to him.
It was the result of Rudger's confidence in what he has shown so far, but Rudger, the person involved, still felt dumbfounded.
"We've finished all the urgent work so you should rest too."
"Yes. Are you going to the capital, too?"
"Are you talking about the field trip?"
"Yes."
"That's right. First of all, since I'm a teacher, I have to go as a mentor. However, it is necessary to sort out the list before then."
The upcoming mentor application period for field trips was still ongoing.
Now that Rudger has become the planning director it was also his job to select people by looking at the list of mentor applicants.
"Most mentors have been selected in advance, so there will be few additional people coming. You never know when a new person will suddenly appear."
Especially after Rudger published the research theory that shows how to increase mana emission in the Arcane Chamber the number of wizards sending applications to Theon as mentors has increased exponentially in relation to the upcoming field trip.
"Then isn't your work not finished yet?"
"What are you talking about? My work is done."
"What? But you have to sort out the list……."
"That's not my job."
Sedina realized something and nodded.
Rudger, the planning director, did not have to do everything himself. That kind of miscellaneous work was done by subordinates. And of course, the subordinates were employees of Theon, who belonged to the planning office.
Because of that, the people in the planning office were working all night to select the right people from countless lists.
"I just have to sign the approval documents that come up."
"Ah……"
Sedina prayed for repose to the people in the planning office who had doubled their work because of Rudger.
* * *
Casey Selmore subdued all the assassins who attacked her and handed them over to the city of Leathervelk.
Before that, she tried to question them personally, but the assassins never spoke.
'Well, I didn't expect it in the first place.'
Casey gave up neatly since she had an idea who was behind the assassins.
'They must have been sent by the Black Dawn Society.'
They must have tried to get rid of her because they were annoyed by the news that she was investigating them these days.
The fact that it was Rudger who warned her in advance was also a sufficient clue.
'More than that, the letter.'
Casey saw Rudger's letter in the trash can and picked it up.
"Be careful?"
As soon as she saw the concise letter, Casey felt a complicated emotion that was hard to express in words.
'Why should I be careful? Did he send the letter to make fun of me?'
No, he wouldn't have even deceived her by sending such a letter in the first place.
'He's definitely a bad person, but he isn't that kind of shamelessly broken person.'
Nevertheless, he sent a letter and gave a direct warning.
'Cause you're really worried about me.'
Casey crumpled the letter in her hand.
'Do you think I'd be happy about this?'
That's what she thought, but Casey's eyes were weak.
Of course, this warning letter was of little use to her in the first place.
It started raining outside just in time, and Casey noticed the assassins hiding in the room. Even without the letter, she could have prevented the surprise attack by herself.
Nevertheless, she couldn't get rid of the fact that she was helped by Rudger from her head.
The fact that a man who should always look bad, worried about her made Casey not know whether she should be happy or angry.
Three years ago he was the criminal of the century who threatened a nation, cheating, deceiving and trying to start a war but now he was different. Thinking of students, teaching magic and even revealing the discovery of the century to everyone.
James Moriarty and Rudger Chelici moves were simply the opposite.
'No. Was it really the opposite?'
In Rudger's past that I read the other day he stayed in the Delica Kingdom and taught a boy to study. His appearance at that time seemed much softer and more kind than he was now a teacher.
There was no need to wear a mask and he didn't teach a child to write to show it to anyone.
"……."
Casey took out a piece of paper containing Rudger's mana from her pocket. She didn't have time to see his past because she was busy but in fact that was just an excuse since she always had the chance to see but she hesitated.
Casey closed her eyes.
She is a member of the Selmore family, and is a [Colour] wizard who uses a single attribute but if anyone asks what's her job, Casey will proudly call say detective.
Casey was not ashamed that she was a detective and was even proud because people should never turn a blind eye to the truth.
Casey opened her eyes with determination and lay on the bed immediately to face the truth that she had been avoiding so far.
Casey took a deep breath and closed her eyes and Betty, who came into the room just in time, saw Casey and shouted in surprise.
"Casey, what time is it now that you're sleeping?"
"Oh, come on!"
Casey threw a pillow at Betty's face.
"If you're tired, say it with words. Why throw a pillow?"
Betty took the flying pillow with one hand and left with a grunt while Casey stared at Betty and then fell back on the bed.
It was time to see the truth.