The Academy's Deceased Ate It All

“Double spy, which side's spy was she?”

― She was a spy on our side.

To be exact, she was mine.

The paper crane said as it repeatedly flapped its wings.

— … I guess I should start with a brief explanation. I and Ye-Jeong were sisters who studied under the same master. That child was my Junior Sister. I mentioned earlier that I originally wanted to be a swordsman, right? That's why I learned magic later than my peers. 

At those words, I nodded.

Even if you think about it, the age difference between Evangeline and Jin Ye-Jeong was quite large.

If there were such circumstances, the story would fall into place to a certain extent.

— … that child and I were like family to each other. Ye-Jeong, who was ostracized because she was very young and had an unusual personality, and I, who was pointed at by people around me for turning from a swordsman to a wizard and late learning. Naturally, we both depended on each other.

“I see.”

― But I never thought like this….

Here she gave a small sigh.

That's it for Ye-Jeong... Shall we move on to the main topic now?

Evangeline muttered quietly.

― Actually, we've been talking a lot among ourselves about whether or not we should share this story with you, but… since you are in some ways a more deeply involved party than we are, we've come to the conclusion that it'd be better to say this and do it with you.

"We? If we....”

― Ten Strongest. To be exact, the six people you know.

“…….”

― The biggest reason the six of us gathered was to block the seal of the Seven Evil.

She said so.

And it was a fact I was well aware of.

If it was original, their core Lee Myung-Joon would have died a long time ago, and most of the rest would have died when Minerva's seal was lifted.

Evangeline, who is talking to me now, was also destined to die horribly later.

― A few days ago, the incident at the World Tree that happened, at that time, the energy that was detected was definitely one of the Seven Evil's. Somehow it was immediately silenced, though.

“…….”

There was definitely Ahn Joo-Hyuk there.

Then it was more reasonable to assume that a certain amount of the story had been passed on to her.

I listened to her with a natural nervousness.

― And then, after receiving information that some strange energy was being sensed within the realm of the World Tree clan, an investigation team was dispatched… but it was already sensed and blocked. I don't know what it is, but you or the new Clan Head, she has taken care of it, right?

I didn't immediately respond to what she said.

I wondered how to take her words, who was openly feeling me out, and it was when I was organizing my words.

― Thank you very much.

“… pardon?"

― It seems that there is quite a bit of perplexity within the association thanks to this incident, but in the first place, we don't care what the association is like. Rather, you guys destroyed one of the Seven Evils and made sure that the cleanup was done, didn't you? From our point of view, it's not enough to say thank you over and over again.

Evangeline said so and cleared her throat.

Accordingly, the paper crane flapped its wings.

― Anyway, this is a proposal to the Clan Head of the clan of the World Tree through you… If you're okay with it, can you arrange a meeting between us?

“What is the meeting for?”

― Of course, it's a meeting related to the Seven Evils.

“… until just now, you've talked like you've been monitoring the clan, planting people inside and even receiving intelligence... and now you're asking for cooperation? You are quite a bit more thick-faced than I thought."

At my words, the paper crane stopped flapping its wings and landed on the table.

― Of course, I will pay the price. To the extent of forgetting the displeasure that you, the Clan Head, and your clan must be feeling.

I nodded my head at her words.

“Then what are you going to give me to make me forget the displeasure I am feeling?”

― What do you want from me?

“What can you give me?”

― Anything I can give you.

I nodded at the words, looking at the paper crane.

If so, there was only one thing to ask from the beginning.

“Please tell me all the stories related to Jin Ye-Jeong. Big Watch, Urea... without missing a single thing."

― That's how it comes out.

She replied as if she had expected it.

What should I start with... she muttered for a moment, then cautiously opened her mouth.

― Urea is an educational institution, but also the main camp of wizards. Perhaps because of this, it was a place where factional fights were particularly prominent, but... there is a force that almost put an end to that factional fight. At the forefront of that force is Isaac McDowell, who came today.

“And?”

― We had information that Isaac McDowell was deeply related to the Big Watch, a class A criminal organization. So we decided to put someone from our side to dig up his information.

“That’s Jin Ye-Jeong-ssi.”

― Right. There weren't many wizards who were as capable and remarkable as that child.

Above all, the child was young.

She muttered as if adding.

― Naturally, she became his disciple at Urea, and then went up to his assistant and also assistant professor, and then to the position of the youngest professor. Thanks to this, she was able to get close to Isaac McDowell enough to be with the four disciples who were close to him.

“You said she was a double spy, so what information did she leak?”

― Information about the Association, and six guild masters, including myself.

The paper crane shook.

— Remember? The attack at the academy previously. At that time, they came here, too. However, I told Ye-Jeong that all six of us came, and also that we had rather dug a trap for them. Thanks to that, they escaped without any damage.

“…….”

— … also, well. I can't tell you, but there were several times when we intentionally leaked information, even at a loss.

She let out a small sigh.

― I don't know if you'll curse me for being dirty, but.... the Red Case, the Thorns Cross Society, the Big Watch, and other criminal groups confront each other and keep each other in check. Some of the reasons for this may be that they themselves can't tolerate each other, but some of it is instigated from the outside.

“You mean using enemies to subdue enemies.”

― Yes.

She agreed.

― But the Red Case has been torn apart due to internal strife, and the Thorns Cross Society is almost completely destroyed. In this situation, we needed a way to suppress and keep the Big Watch's forces in check. Thanks to this, the burden on Ye-Jeong only increased.

“Did you get your tail stepped on because of that?”

— … for now, I think so. I don't know how in the world they found out, or at what point. But in any case, it was discovered that Ye-Jeong was a spy, and she was removed by them.

I could hear her gnashing her teeth.

— That child was beaten to death.

With those words, I could tell who had removed Jin Ye-Jeong.

Dmitry, it was clearly him.

“…….”

Dmitry.

His ability is a heterogeneous ability, and can be seen as similar but different from the Red Case's Killer Team Leader I faced in the past.

When he activates his ability, the two will be placed alone in a space called the Octagon, in which neither mana nor ability can be used, and they have to fight with their own physical abilities.

In many ways, this ability was reminiscent of the man who was the leader of the Killer team.

However, the Killer team leader's ability extended to a limited range, and the ability was applied to multiple targets.

Instead, there was a breaking law that allowed one to escape the range of the ability as long as they were far enough away.

On the other hand, Dmitry's ability applies to only one person, but the moment it is activated, they can never get out of it until one of the two falls.

In addition, Dmitry was a villain who was ranked at the top of the list in terms of physical ability, and above all, he was a man who was famous as a martial arts fighter even when he was not using his ability.

To subdue him, one had to either do it before he could use his ability, or crush him with pure physical ability.

And, as far as I know, it was only Jin Ye-Seul who could do the latter.

In a word, it meant that if one were dragged into his space, it would be the end for them.

If so, it would have been too much for Jin Ye-Jeong.

— It wasn't only Ye-Jeong. The Red Case Killer found in the past attack, and the graduates who went missing and were found... all of them were beaten to death.

And several of my subordinates also died in the same way.

Evangeline muttered quietly as if adding.

I don't know if it's a b*stard or a b*tch, but I'm going to rip them to death.

— … well, but I lost less than I gained. Thanks to that, I've got very important information.

“Important information? What is that again?”

She hesitated for a moment at my question.

— I can't tell you this. If you want to know more, listen to it together when I talk to your Clan Head later.

“… I'll tell her about it later. But don't expect too much.”

— That's enough.

Evangeline, who spoke up to there, took another breath.

— … then, I'm going to attend Ye-Jeong's funeral tomorrow. Are you thinking of going, too?

"Yes. I've been asked to attend separately."

— Yeah… maybe we can meet there.

The paper crane shook.

When I looked up, thinking if it was about time, I heard a breathing sound as if she were agonizing quietly.

― To Myung-Joon, too, and to Ye-Jeong, too.

She muttered lamentably.

— To that person, too...I'm in big debt.

And I decided to tell you everything because that was the price.

Having said all that, she left me with these last words.

― Paper crane, I think it would be better to fold and carry one more besides this one with you.

The person who created this communication method of using paper crane was none other than Ye-Jeong.

With those words, the magical reaction that I had felt from the paper crane disappeared.

I silently folded another paper crane as she had advised and put it in my pocket.

Next to me, Laune was silently patting me with his roots as if encouraging me.

* * *

― Cheeky things.

After hearing me, Lee Ye-Eun muttered like that.

For a moment, I was surprised at how cold her voice was.

― How dare they weigh the scale between the association and us openly? After doing tricks to their heart's content, now they are pretending to know nothing about it and paying the price...? It's not even funny.

Lee Ye-Eun muttered like that and asked me.

― Ji-Hyuk, who said that to you?

“… Evangeline Lohengrin. But, Senior.”

― Ji-Hyuk, wait a minute. Won't you just wait a minute?

With these words, the phone hung up.

A moment later, when I picked up the phone again, she was strangely panting for breath.

― Huu....

After catching her rough breath, Lee Ye-Eun quietly asked me.

― What do you want me to do, Ji-Hyuk?

"What do you mean?"

― Do you want me to work with them?

She spoke quietly, as if explaining in a clear pronunciation to make it easier for me to understand.

― From our point of view, there is no reason to cooperate with them. As that woman said, the association dared to investigate us while confidently straining themselves, but instead got their weakness caught by us, and we know that they had the breaths of the six guilds behind them, including hers.

“… I heard that there's someone inside.”

― Yes. Even though I'm thinning it out, it keeps crawling out like an earthworm. It can't be helped, but... Ji-Hyuk, you don't have to worry about it.

I've already taken care of it.

She let out a small laugh.

―Anyway, they'll pay the price, but whatever it is, it's not something that will benefit us very much. We have enough cause to rip them off anyway. Of course, it will be easier in many ways if we work with them, but....

Lee Ye-Eun muttered quietly.

― I can't accept that they dared to tell me this through you.

They thought it wouldn't work on me, so they sneakily approached you.

How dare they, how dare they.

― How dare they do such a dirty trick to my clan, I can't forgive them. Whether they know it or not, because you inevitably become urgent when it comes to Seven Evils, they are playing with your earnestness, Ji-Hyuk.

“…….”

After a while, I heard the sound of someone frightened from the other end of the phone.

Along with that, I could also hear bits and pieces of shouting to call a doctor, saying that her hands were bleeding, and to call people as soon as possible, saying that the room was a mess.

But Lee-Ye-Eun paid them no mind at all and waited for my reply.

― But… Ji-Hyuk, if you think you need to work with them, I can bear with them any amount. Of course, Evangeline, that woman would have to come all the way here and show her sincerity with the price she was talking about.

So what do you want me to do?

I replied to her words.

"I think it's necessary to let it go even though we know it."

— …….

“… there's a good chance that the seal of Minerva, another Seven Evil, will be broken soon. To stop her, we need to gather all the power we can. And they and the guilds they lead are definitely a huge force.”

— I see.

She muttered as if she understood.

― Alright, so why don't you make time to visit with the woman later?

"Are you going to meet and talk in person? No, more than that, me too?”

― That way we can match each other. First of all, both of us have a position and... most of all, that side is in a sorry state, so whatever we do, they'll have to say thank you while saying they understand.

Lee Ye-Eun, who had talked up to that point, let out a breath.

Then she suddenly let out a small laugh.

When I asked her what she was laughing about, she answered me, saying it was nothing.

― No, it's just… Ji-Hyuk, it felt like you naturally included me and my clan in what you think of as 'we'.

It's just that I like that you chose me.

She murmured like that, then said, come to think of it… and asked me.

― By the way, isn't it class time now? Are you taking a volunteer class again this time, too?

"No. It's not that....”

The paper crane made a rustling sound in my pocket.

I looked around and answered quietly.

Where I was was Jin Ye-Seul's parents' house.

It was also the place where Jin Ye-Jeong's funeral was being held now.

“It’s a funeral home. An acquaintance died.”

― Ah.

At those words, Lee Ye-Eun was silent for a moment.

― Uh, um... could I call you again later?

She asked me that, speaking formally, as if she were embarrassed.

I quietly hung up the phone saying I would appreciate it if you did.

“… it's enormous.”

After hanging up the phone, I looked around and muttered like that.

Even if it was the director of a bureau, I didn't think it would be this fancy and large.

The procession of mourners from afar was to the extent that someone who didn't know it would think that there was some kind of event going on.

Once again, I thought that Jin Ye-Seul was a very gold spoon, and it was when I was about to walk to the place I had promised to meet with Jin Ye-Jun.

― Oh, I obviously told him to do a rough cremation and moderately invite a few people to the funeral, though.

“… huh?"

I couldn't help but stop at the voice I heard from my pocket.

The paper crane.

The paper crane was rustling.

But this voice and the magical energy were not Evangeline's.

No way….

“… Jin Ye-Jeong-ssi?”

― Oh, it's been a while.

The paper crane.

No, Jin Ye-Jeong looked at me and muttered nonchalantly.

― I'm glad you look healthy.