Chapter 26

Chapter 26

"Demon! Demon!"

"Yeah~ Yeah. I'm going to meet her today. So calm down, parrot."

As soon as I stepped out of the dormitory, I was greeted by the welcoming parrot.

I understood its feelings, but it needed to be calmed down a bit.

The chance of success for today's strategy was fifty-fifty.

"You've held on well for 20 years, haven't you? Surely, you can endure just one more day, right?"

A passing student looked at me with a 'he's crazy' expression and quickly walked away.

But my actions were not strange at all.

After all, this parrot can understand human speech.

The parrot, looking straight into my eyes, shouted gracefully.

"Demon!"

"Keke, good. Follow me slowly."

The parrot spread its wings and began to circle in the sky.

As I said earlier, the chance of success for today's strategy was fifty-fifty.

I wanted to eliminate as many variables as possible, even if it was a parrot.

'The Demon's Shard is no joke.'

The Demon's Shard is powerful. It means one could really die.

I had set up a few safety measures, but this kind of strategy was a first for me.

And to think, it was a challenge for Episode 1.

My body was trembling.

'It's going to be fun.'

Of course, it was a tremor of excitement.

The thought of devising an unprecedented strategy that no one had ever attempted before.

Using it for the first time.

Even the extreme environment where no mistakes were tolerated.

I couldn't help but feel elated.

It's not that I'm a pervert, but anyone who's a veteran would feel the same.

'You've come out quickly.'

In the distance, I saw Luna.

Luna, with a real sword at her left side.

As expected, Luna looked best in that appearance.

"Luna."

"Hey! Why are you so late? I thought I was going to die of heat."

Certainly, Luna was dripping with sweat.

I was not late. In fact, I had come out 10 minutes early.

Then, how long had Luna been out here?

"How long have you been here?"

"Huh? About three hours ago... Ah, no! I just came out!"

"Aha, I see."

"No, really! Why? Did you think someone was looking forward to playing with you?"

Then why have you been here since three hours ago?

Did she think I would leave without her?

And unlike usual, she wasn't even throwing a tantrum.

She must have been looking forward to today.

'It's not a feeling of love.'

It's definitely on the side of friendship.

She must have really enjoyed playing with the kids in the square last week.

From Luna's perspective, today is the second day of playing with a friend.

Thinking this far, I feel a bit sorry. Today's meeting wasn't for playing.

"Hmph! Be thankful. I'm giving you my precious weekend to play."

"Keke, so you're playing with me not because of my request? Then I guess I don't need to give you a question."

"Huh? Of course, it's natural. Why would I want something in return for playing with a friend?"

"..."

Right, that's how it is. It's a bit strange to have a transaction between friends.

The problem is today's play is Demon hunting (?).

Keke!

Um, guilt pricks at my heart.

I tried to dismiss it as play, but what doesn't work, doesn't work.

"I will give you a question."

"Huh? No, I don't need that."

"No, please! Ask a question after today's play!"

"Ah, I don't want to! Why are you like this! Stop clinging to me!"

I started to plead, clinging to Luna's leg.

Luna began kicking to shake me off.

Hmm, something feels strange. It's like I'm about to discover a new taste...

"What was the name of the student presumed missing?"

"I can't remember. It was so long ago..."

Rodelin let out a sigh.

Not being able to properly determine even one student's disappearance.

"What were the student council members doing at that time...!"

Rodelin rummaged through the documents.

Information about people who had been working since 20 years ago.

Being the vice president of the student council, she had easy access to such information.

'Well, I can find it without such things.'

It's the route of the hidden piece I've repeated thousands of times.

Now, the last step was to talk to an unidentified old lady.

"This is the last part. The person who has been at the academy the longest."

"That seems to be the person over there. Hmm...?"

The old lady standing by the flower bed. And next to her was.

'Raymon?'

Pure evil Raymon was tending the garden.

"Raymon?"

"Oh... Ze, Zero! Hi! He, hello, senior!"

Raymon bowed deeply.

A polite young man. Of course, his mouth wasn't.

"Hey! Am I invisible?"

"Ah... Lu, Luna! Sorry. You're so small that I..."

"Yo, you! Do you really want to die!?"

"Why, why are you angry... I, I was just telling the truth. You're really small."

Luna started to shake Raymon by the collar and swing him around.

Rodelin tried to calm Luna down.

Hmm, well it wasn't my concern.

"Hello, grandma?"

"Ho ho, lots of visitors today. Nice to see you all."

"Do you remember anything from 20 years ago? About a demon... or a Sacred Sword..."

"20 years ago... There were rumors about a demon."

"You said demon just now?"

Rodelin hurriedly approached and asked.

"Yes. Many people said they saw something black and spiky. It quieted down as no traces were found."

"I see. There was also a presumed missing case, right?"

"It wasn't a presumption, it was a real disappearance."

"Really?"

"I saw that child often."

"What! What's the name?"

"He didn't tell me his name. He was a mysterious child, always wandering alone. He used to be with a parrot."

Rodelin's gaze drifted to the parrot floating in the sky.

A smart child, indeed.

"Why didn't you report it!"

"I did, countless times. But no one believed me. The records in the student department disappeared. Someone must have tampered with them."

"That can't be!"

"Do you really think so? A missing case at Annwood Academy is a huge disgrace. Especially if it's a student that needs to be protected. Anyone would have wanted it to disappear."

"That's... terrible..."

Rodelin couldn't continue her words.

Dirty people exist everywhere.

Erasing a single student's record to protect their position, they could easily commit such an act.

"You're part of the student council, aren't you?"

Rodelin, trembling, covered her student council badge with her hand.

Though it couldn't really be concealed.

"There's no need to be ashamed. It's not your fault, is it."

"Still... I'm sorry."

"If you bury this matter even after hearing it, then you should be sorry. So, will you believe this old lady's words and find that child?"

"Of course. I swear on my name as vice president... no, on my own name."

"Thank you. Now I feel a bit relieved."

As soon as we turned our backs on the old lady, Rodelin's expression turned fierce.

She must have realized that the people who covered up the student's death were nobles.

'Now it's just a matter of putting the pieces together.'

After gathering and deducing the information, it's time to head to 'that place' and start the battle.

It was when I was about to leave.

--TL Notes--

Hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you want to support me or give me feedback, you can do it at /MattReading