Chapter 24:

Chapter 24:

Phillip made his way towards the boys’ dormitory with determination. As he confidently ascended the stairs, Neria asked him curiously.

‘Master, don’t you think you should disguise yourself?’

“Why would I need to disguise myself?”

‘Well, if you want to secretly investigate something like this, it’s only natural.’

“Secretly? Who said anything about secret investigations? I can just go in and observe.”

‘... That takes all the fun out of it.’

At the academy, the authority of an instructor was more significant than people realized. It allowed for dormitory searches under the pretext of inspecting prohibited items.

Although he didn’t have official permission, Phillip had decided to take the initiative.

His first target for investigation was Kilian Valbion, a timid first-year male student.

Kilian had long, black hair and a lanky frame. Despite his reserved nature, he was a diligent student who kept up with his studies.

“I feel bad for suspecting him, but I have no other choice.”

Rather than hesitating due to conscience, Phillip believed it would be better for both Kilian and himself to swiftly prove the young boy’s innocence.

Kilian’s room was numbered 506.

Standing in front of the door, Phillip carefully opened it without making a sound.

“Ugh... Uhhuh... Olivia....”

Inside, he saw a boy sitting at his desk with his head buried in his hands, and he sobbed quietly. It was unmistakably Kilian Valbion.

Surprised, Phillip asked, “Um, what are you doing?”

“Ah! Who are you?”

Kilian Valbion finally noticed Phillip’s presence and was taken aback. He quickly got up from his seat.

“How... How did the instructor get in here...?”

“It’s the instructor’s duty to regularly check the living spaces of the students. But why were you crying? Can I help you with something?”

In response to Phillip’s question, Kilian hastily shook his head.

“No... sniff... there’s nothing.”

“Really? Well then, I’ll leave you be.”

“Wait a moment, Instructor! I have something to confess!”

As Phillip tried to leave, Kilian hurriedly caught up with him. Phillip gently pushed him away with a awkward smile.

“Alright, tell me. How can I assist you?”

Kilian opened his mouth with a determined expression.

“Instructor... The truth is, I confessed my feelings to Olivia Nuez yesterday.”

“Olivia? Olivia Nuez?”

Phillip recollected the memories about the girl referred by Kilian.

The young lady whose hair were elegantly tied in twin braids.

Undoubtedly attractive enough to capture any boy’s heart, but confessing so early seemed rather hasty.

“It’s only been just over a month since the semester started, and you’re already making a confession?”

The actions of young students could sometimes defy common sense. Phillip looked at Kilian with an admiring gaze.

He had thought Kilian was a timid student, but he didn’t expect him to be so audacious.

“Yes, Olivia Nuez. You mentioned her during the observation class. You said you were an expert in love advice.”

‘That was just a casual comment.’

Though he felt that way, Phillip couldn’t say it here, so he simply nodded.

“Yes, I remember. That’s true. But it seems like your confession didn’t go as planned.”

“How did you know? Has the rumor spread already?”

“If you had succeeded, would you still need my help?”

“Well, you have a point.”

Kilian sniffled, his expression turning somber.

However, as Philip glanced back at the women’s dormitory, his conviction grew stronger.

“This situation has become rather complicated.”

‘... What do we do now? Could it be that there’s no assassin?’

“That’s not the case. There’s bound to be an assassin, but it might take some time.”

Without hesitation, Philip made his way outside the academy, and headed towards the shopping district. To execute his new plan, he needed black attire.

* * *

As the sun began to dip below the horizon, Philip guided Neria towards the towering clock tower situated in the Academy Square.

The clock tower stood six stories tall, with a width comparable to a sizable farm.

“If I’m correct, this must be their hideout.”

This area was strictly off-limits to students, as the clocks within held immense magical value. One wrong move, and thousands of gold coins could be lost.

As the protagonist, infiltrating the tower would require meticulous planning and diversion of the patrolling guards’ attention. However, for Philip, an esteemed instructor, gaining access was a relatively simple task.

“Um, Instructor, do you really have to go into the clock tower...?”

Solon, the guard responsible for the academy’s night security, peered at Philip with concern.

“Why would a sword instructor want to go in there?”

Having served at the academy for three years, Solon had never encountered a sword instructor with such intentions.

“I’ll take full responsibility if any issues arise. And if any consequences arise from letting me in, I’ll bear the responsibility and recommend you for the Joseph Association. Ah, and there’s no need to worry about me not coming out.”

“... If you put it that way, I guess I have no choice.”

Upon Philip’s confident assurance, Solon reluctantly opened the entrance to the clock tower. In truth, he lacked the authority to prevent faculty members from entering.

Once inside the clock tower, Philip surveyed the interior.

An array of unfamiliar machinery and magical devices filled the space.

Such a clock tower was an extraordinary facility, even by the standards of considerable magical towers. However, it was possible here, given that the headmaster of Privia Academy was a renowned mage known as the Grand Archmage.

“Now, we just have to wait here until the person known as the assassin arrives.”

“Yes, that’s right. Though, there’s no guarantee that the assassin is a person.”

Philip ascended the stairs slowly, reaching the pinnacle of the clock tower. The place seemed filled with enigmatic contraptions and devices, possibly known only to mages.

‘I need a place to conceal myself.’

Carefully seeking a secluded spot where he could remain unobtrusive, he soon discovered a column entirely enveloped in shadows.

“This should be perfect.”

Moving behind the column, Philip unraveled a scroll infused with silence magic, which he had acquired from Instructor Perak during his visit.

‘But, what if the assassin doesn’t appear today?’ inquired Neria.

Philip’s expression turned serious as he replied, “What can we do? I’ll have to stay here all night if necessary.”

‘Is that so?’

“That’s the nature of undercover work. We wait until they reveal themselves. Let’s hope they show up soon.”

Although he said that, Philip felt certain that Crescent’s assassin would appear today. By now, Lisriel must have learned of the protection request from the academy, making this hiding place a highly probable target.

But the uncertainty of the exact moment of the assassin’s arrival kept him on edge, requiring him to maintain constant vigilance.

He refrained from sitting down, suppressing even the urge to sneeze when his nose itched.

After several hours passed, someone finally emerged at the top of the clock tower, a place so desolate that even beetles rarely visited.

“Meow~”

The figure turned out to be a black cat. Philip couldn’t fathom how it had infiltrated the area, but it lounged not too far from him, while gently swishing its tail.

‘It’s a cat. Look, Master. A cat. It’s adorable.’

Neria exclaimed with delight, but Philip gulped silently, making no sound.

That very cat was the assassin Philip had been anticipating all along.

———-

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