The next day, I started visiting professors after class to ask about the school’s past.
“What? You’re asking what the school was like in the old days? Why are you asking that? Are you a spy? What, five years ago? I’ve only been working here for about three years. Stop asking pointless questions and just study!”
“Oh, you’re curious, huh? Well, four years ago when I joined this school… accordingly, the spirit of our students…”
“Ah, Miss Rugilinn, is it? You’re asking about the school’s history? Haha… Unfortunately, I’ve only been here since last year, so I don’t know much about it.”
Some avoided answering, while others provided what they could, but there was a common thread.
“There’s no one among the professors or instructors who has been here long-term!”
“We looked into the records of the other professors we don’t take classes with, too. Almost all of them were hired within the last three or four years.”
“It seems this school doesn’t operate any kind of tenure system for professors.”
It seemed like I was wasting my time.
“Yes! Tons!”
No. 3, wearing a cap and mask pulled down to conceal her face, answered while roaming the campus.
“I found three buildings not mentioned in the school’s official brochure or maps. Want to see?”
She pulled up a satellite map on her smartphone and zoomed in on a corner of the screen with her finger.
Three white buildings of varying sizes were cleverly nestled between the woods and other structures.
At first glance, they looked like abandoned buildings.
“See here? They’re behind the school, near the woods we explored when searching for the crystalline flower. They’re hidden pretty well, or so they think.”
“Aren’t they just unused buildings?”
“No, I went near them. They’re fenced off, and the school’s security guards patrol around them. Something must be there.”
The word “security” alone isn’t enough to conjure images of a flashlight-wielding night guard.
This is an academy of importance.
Armed private guards dressed in black occasionally patrolled the school grounds, much like those at most Awakener academies.
“We’ve talked to almost everyone who could give us answers. Let’s stop now.”
“No, there’s one more person left. Instructor Frederick from the weaponry class! He’s been working here for 15 years.”
That was good news.
The weaponry class was still ahead.
“Alright. Since we’re going there anyway, let’s ask.”
Ending the conversation, we entered the gymnasium, which doubled as a classroom.
The instructor’s scarred face greeted students again today, as if he were a predator seeking prey.
“You idiots! Start with 100 jumping jacks today!”
“Ugh!”
“Louder!”
Amidst the harsh training, I noticed a familiar face.
It was Levi, whom I’d seen at the freshman welcoming ceremony.
Next to her stood the large male student I’d seen then as well.
What was his name again?
“Granite. I think it was Granite.”
“So they have the same class schedule as me? I didn’t know.”
Perhaps because they were from the same department, we were closer than I’d realized.
I was glad I’d remembered their faces.
“Hey, stuttering idiot! Why don’t you get it yet? Huh? Your main weapon is ranged, and your practice is a mess! Try again. Relax your left hand, and stop shaking your legs!”
“I-I’ll try… harder!”
“Hey, big guy! Are you trying to show off your strength? How many times do I have to tell you that weaponry isn’t about brute force?”
“…I’ll fix it.”
“‘I’ll fix it’ isn’t good enough! Fix it now!”
Unfortunately, both of them were being berated in their own ways.
When Instructor Frederick turned toward me, I quickly looked away.
“You! Where are you looking?”
“Uh!”
After what felt like an eternity of sweat-drenched drills, class ended, leaving a window for questions.
While the other students were heading out, I lingered and approached Frederick.
“Well, look who it is. What do you want? Are you here to ask for tips on winning duels or developing a killer move?”
“Duels?”
What was he talking about?
“Why, the board announced it, didn’t they? From now on, minor disputes must be resolved through regulated duels. Everyone’s suddenly looking for tips on one-on-one combat. Lazy fools who never trained properly before! Then again, they always were.”
“No, I’ve been practicing diligently. I’m not here about duels.”
Frederick folded his arms and snorted after hearing my reply.
“Well, you should be! Otherwise, you’d embarrass your family or relatives.”
“I… don’t have parents…”
Frederick looked at me, taken aback.
That’s when I realized I’d made a mistake.
My mouth was the problem.
“Ahem… what I meant was, once you’re here, it’s important to give it your all…”
Frederick soon masked his unease, though his gray eyes, scarred and rugged, scrutinized me.
“So, if not duels, why are you here?”
“Oh, it’s nothing serious! I was just curious about something. How long have you worked here?”
“Worked here? Let me think… Since I was drilling the idiots before your seniors, about 15 years, I’d say.”
Fifteen years—just as the records stated.
“Then, how was it in the old days?”
“What? How was it before? The students were much sharper, quicker, and more polite than the likes of you. Model students everywhere. Sometimes, they’d even stay in touch after graduation. Why?”
Despite his brusque tone, he gave an answer.
Time to take it a step further.
“Well, you’ve been here since before the current director. How did the school change after they came?”
“Huh? Old stories, huh? I don’t mind sharing.”
His gaze drifted somewhere distant, as if recalling memories from the past.
“Yeah, it was better back then. There were fewer students, and most of them were well-mannered. The school had order. Although, I guess it’s not all that different now…”
He trailed off and glanced around.
“But why are you asking about this, kid?”
His gray eyes scanned me sharply, like a bird of prey assessing its target.
“Oh? No reason, just curious! There’s an assignment, too.”
“Don’t lie, kid. You’re too simple-minded; your thoughts are written all over your face. You’re curious about this school. What’s your goal?”
As expected, I wasn’t skilled enough to maintain my cover.
A direct approach would be better.
“I think this school is strange. I want to find out why. Haven’t you noticed anything odd in your 15 years here?”
“…Are you acquainted with that purple-haired girl? The Spearman’s daughter?”
Why was Irene suddenly mentioned here?
“No, I don’t know her.”
“Really? Must’ve been my mistake.”
Frederick shook his head.
“Anyway, I get what you’re looking for, but this isn’t something I can talk about.”
He waved his hand dismissively, signaling me to leave.
“But I just want to know how the school has changed.”
Frederick yelled.
“Hey, kid! If weird rumors reach the higher-ups, do you think they’ll leave me alone? I have to earn my living too! Now get out!”
I kept my mouth shut.
Frederick carefully scanned the surroundings again, then walked over to a desk on one side of the gymnasium and tore a small piece of paper before scribbling something with a pen.
“Anyway, I’ve been living off swordsmanship all my life, so I can’t explain things properly even if I try. But there’s this… insufferable bookworm outside.”
He wrote down the necessary information. “If you say ‘Vulture’ sent you, they’ll answer your questions.”
Before leaving, I thought of something to ask.
“Um… If you’re not going to answer me, why are you giving me this?”
Frederick looked at me with a peculiar expression.
After hesitating as if he had something to say, he suddenly snapped.
“…If I don’t do this, you’ll just keep pestering me, won’t you? It’s almost my time to leave work! Annoying brat. Get out already!”
Well, that’s harsh!
Once outside, I noticed that the note had a phone number and a home address written on it.
I put the note in my pocket and was about to leave when a text message arrived.
<Violet. You don’t have any classes this afternoon, right? If you’re free, could you meet me at the school gate around 5 PM? There’s someone I want you to meet. Dress casually, and let me know if you can come. – Irene>
<Sure, I’ll come!>
I sent my reply.
I spent my time leisurely and arrived outside the school about ten minutes before the scheduled time.
Someone tapped me on the shoulder from behind.
“It’s me, Violet.”
“Whoa! You startled me. I didn’t recognize you without your uniform.”
The studious girl I knew was gone, replaced by a suspicious-looking woman wearing a cap and a hoodie pulled low over her head.
“What’s this about? I just got an interesting lead from the weapons instructor.”
“Are you talking about Instructor Frederick? I actually wanted to see you because of that.”
Irene pulled out a note.
“I got this too. Quite the coincidence, huh? He didn’t want to answer and just handed me this instead.”
“So you asked him too, huh, Violet? I looked into who has the longest tenure at this school, and he was the only one.”
“Did you call him yet?”
“I told him I had questions about the school, and he tried to hang up at first. Then I mentioned Vulture, and he told me to come right away. That’s why I called you. Can we go?”
“Anytime! Let’s go!”
We immediately hailed a taxi and headed downtown.
It took over two and a half hours by taxi to reach the address.
By the time we arrived near the destination, we were in a quiet suburban area lined with small two-story houses surrounded by fences.
The amount displayed on the taxi meter was no joke.
While I had money, it still felt a bit steep.
“Uh… Irene, we should probably split the fare, right?”
“What are you talking about? I invited you, so I’ll pay. Here’s the card.”
Irene promptly handed over her card and paid.
“Isn’t the fare a bit much? Are you sure it’s okay?”
She glanced back at me with a puzzled expression.
“Isn’t this amount normal for everyone?… Oh, sorry. I guess I assumed wrong.”
Right. Irene was a rich girl.
We walked to the address, which corresponded to an ordinary two-story house.
“Excuse me? Hello? We’re here because Vulture sent us…”
I pressed the doorbell, and an angry voice sounded from inside.
“Stop, freeze, just stay right where you are.”
The lights from the streetlamps and the area around the entrance suddenly disappeared into pitch darkness.
Then, colorful, dazzling magic circles surrounded us, shimmering as they pulsed up and down.
This is bad. Could this be a trap?
“Ahhh! Run!”
“Calm down, Violet! I know what this is. It’s a magical security scan. It’s harmless!”
As I panicked, the darkness soon lifted, and the magic circles disappeared.
The door swung open, revealing a dimly lit interior.
A voice echoed from beyond the hallway.
“Alright, come in. Don’t forget to wipe your feet.”
As we stepped inside, the door shut itself with a loud thud!
I wondered if we’d just walked into a haunted house.
Feeling uneasy, I followed behind Irene.
“Stop right there.”
The voice gave another command.
“Okay. Now sit.”
“There’s no chair, so how do we even sit—”
The scene before us suddenly shifted.
The dark hallway vanished, replaced by a brightly lit, cozy room.
Irene and I landed softly on a plush sofa.
“So, Vulture sent you? You must be from Polaris.”
A middle-aged man with shaggy gray hair and a rather irritable expression sat in a chair, scrutinizing us.
Caught off guard by the sudden encounter, Irene and I were flustered.
The man adjusted his glasses and continued to study us.
“Yes, that’s correct. But, excuse me, who are you—”
“Such rude brats.”
The man snapped his fingers.
-Beeeeeeeeep!
A piercing noise rang out, stabbing into our ears.
“Ahh! What’s the meaning of this?!”
“Arghhh!! My ears!!”
The sound stopped.
By the time we recovered, the gray-haired, bespectacled man was standing, glaring down at us fiercely.
“Now, are you paying attention?”
“Ow…”
“You kids are unbelievably rude! Where are your manners? Don’t you know how to introduce yourselves?”
“Uh…?”
“And who the hell are you, old man?”
When I protested, the man looked at me as if I’d said something incomprehensible.
“What? You’re asking who I am? Do you think it’s normal not to recognize me? You ignorant little punks…”
He adjusted his glasses and raised a hand. A document bordered in white with gold embellishments appeared in his grasp.
“Let’s hope your eyes aren’t just for decoration.”
The document read:
<…Having completed the First-Class Educational Curriculum, this diploma is hereby awarded – Polaris Comprehensive Academy.>
“Now do you understand, you insolent whelps? Your great senior is before you.”
I was speechless, blinking like a bewildered cow.
We had stumbled upon a supreme elder.