Chapter 12: Lover?

Chapter 12: Lover?

Here you go.

Finden Ai handed me a cup of black tea with informal but polite language.

After taking a sip, I pushed the cup away.

Before I could say anything, a complaint came out of her mouth.

"Do you have to be a picky eater, master?"

"Finden Ai, it's your first command-"

I kept my eyes on the book I was reading and said:

"-Don't prepare tea again. In North Whedon, tea is precious, but you treat it like pig urine."

"This little...!"

At my words, she was about to curse, but I ignored her and continued reading the book.

If you asked me if I liked books, that was a bit ambiguous. Although I often read novels for killing time. I liked games and visual media more.

As a person living in the 21st century, this could be seen as natural, but I had a slightly different reason; I moved my hobby in that direction because phones and computers were difficult to touch by a ghost without a strong spirit, and ghosts often interfered when I borrowed books from a bookstore, tearing them up and demanding compensation.

But the book I was reading now was not for entertainment purposes.

The reason I was reading now was simply to gain knowledge. Because no matter how much basic knowledge I gained, as a person who suddenly fell into this world, it wasn't enough.

So, I didn't read the book because I wanted to, but because I needed to, and especially when it came to magic, accumulating its knowledge was even more important.

My thoughts broke as a strange smell began to waft into the room.

Despite wanting to continue reading, I had no choice but to close the book due to the strange smell that was tickling my nose.

"Ah, Skram."

[Yes, master.]

Skram appeared in the empty space near me at my call.

Finden Ai also looked around with a strange face, but of course, she couldn't see Skram.

"What is this smell?"

"Smell? What are you talking about?"

As Finden Ai didn't know my question was for Skram, she butted in. But when I gestured for her to close her mouth, she crossed her arms and made a pouting face It was unsuccessful in moving my heart though.

[On Wednesdays, a smell leaks from the basement of the mansion.]

"Wednesdays?"

[Yes, that's right. I tried to check it out myself, but a fierce evil spirit was blocking the way, so I couldn't confirm it.]

"...."

I rubbed my chin with my hand and glanced at Finden Ai.

"You can't smell this strange smell, right?"

Yes, I have better senses than the average person, so if there was a smell I wouldnt miss it.

"Okay."

Just as I was thinking about checking the basement, I heard a knock from outside.

When I nodded, Finden Ai strode forward with steps uncharacteristic of a maid and opened the door firmly.

"Umm... Miss Deia?"

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"Did you forget the honorifics I taught you?"

"I remember. It's just too annoying to use them."

Thats even worse.

After a short argument between Finden Ai and Deia, Finden Ai, the maid, had the role to bow down and welcome her master's sister. But instead of bowing down, her neck stiffened even further.

As if Deia also knew that it would be a waste of time to deal with her, she passed by Finden Ai and said, "Five minutes."

I had been wondering if our bet got buried in the rubble, as she didn't show up before today.

'I guess she's finally done dealing with the Gocheolsang guild's members.'

"Finden Ai, leave."

"Yes."

Finden Ai left with a trailing voice, and Skram had already disappeared before I could tell him to.

Diea stood still with a pocket watch in her hand.

-Click.

Professor Perr said she saw a girl with long hair amidst numerous screams and haunting voices, but that girl didn't show up no matter how long Karen waited.

Thinking that it would be a pity if she ended her search with only one mirror, she began to look around the laboratory.

Since Former Professor Deus used a lot of equipment from the Robert Academy and left most of the items behind, there were quite a few things to look through.

As she moved to check the professor's desk, the door of the laboratory creaked open. She thought it might be another strange phenomenon, but it wasn't.

"What are you doing here?"

It was Erica Bright, the beauty and fiancee of Deus Verdi, who entered with her blonde hair resting on her shoulders.

"Oh, Professor Erica. You came at just the right time. Did your fiance happen to mention anything about this incident?"

Erica frowned openly at Karen, who seemed to be taunting her.

"He hasn't contacted me since he disappeared, and he has nothing to do with this incident."

"He has nothing to do with it?"

"Yes, he doesn't."

Karen began to suspect Erica more because of her firm answer.

"Why do you think that way?"

Erica was annoyed by Karen's questioning tone.

"Professor Karen thinks this is a kind of terrorism, but he doesn't have that kind of ability. He's just someone who can't even get a title as a professor. Don't forget, he was barely able to attach the title of a guest professor due to being my fiance."

"Hmm."

Certainly, the materials left behind by Professor Deus contained only very basic magic books. Well, they were so basic that she thought it was pointless.

"So, don't waste your time uselessly and find the real culprit."

"Well, I'll try to do it my way. You know, the school director has entrusted me with full authority to investigate this case."

"...."

Erica kept her mouth shut since she had already received a report on the matter.

Thud, thud, thud.

Heavy, rhythmic footsteps echoed in the hallway. Both of them knew that it was not an unusual sign.

Because the ground-shaking footsteps were quite famous at the Robern Academy.

"Huh? All the beautiful professors of our academy are gathered here."

With a handsome appearance that naturally led to the label of "pretty boy" and a passionate personality, Gideon Zeronia entered the room. He was a son of a powerful family and in addition to being a master of exceptional swordsmanship, he was the most popular professor among female students.

He smiled refreshingly, and Karen replied sluggishly.

"Are you investigating this case too, Professor Gideon?"

"Excuse me? No, I came to pick up Professor Erica. I have something to tell her."

Erica said she understands and immediately stepped out of the research lab.

"Don't waste your time poking around in useless places."

She said to Karen in a cutting tone as she passed by.

Thud.

As the two of them left and the door closed, Karen's eyes trembled for a moment.

"Hmm?"

Before the door closed, it seemed like Gideon's hand was approaching Erica's waist.

Even though she seemed to have broken off her engagement with Deus, wasn't it too short of a time to start a new relationship?

Karen cautiously opened the door and peeked out.

"I told you to not touch me."

Erica pushed away Gideon's hand that was approaching to wrap around her waist.

"Come on, you're too conservative. People who are dating can do that."

Gideon laughed easily and reached out his hand again, but-

Slap!

-Erica slapped it away.

'Are they dating?'

That being said, it didn't seem like Erica had any particularly strong feelings of affection toward Gideon. At least, as a fellow female, that's what Karen thought looking at her behavior.

'Well, it's not my business.'

Ignoring Erica's advice, Karen closed the door silently and began to search the lab again.