Chapter 146: First Act 17: A Master's Senses

"What are you hiding...?"

"N-nothing..." I stammered, avoiding eye contact with Aria.

As Aria's hands gently pried mine open, a look of surprise crossed her face. Her eyes widened as they fell upon the bruise on my neck.

"Wha—why are you hurt?" Aria's concern was palpable as she delicately touched the bruise. I could sense the worry and anxiety in her touch, as she used her mana to relieve the pain.

Meanwhile, Louise let out a sigh of relief in the background. Apparently, she had interpreted the situation differently.

The bruise on my neck, meant to be a hickey left behind by Elena, was successfully concealed.

I breathed a sigh of relief, grateful that I had managed to cast a premature mana bullet to my neck without their notice.

While I continued to cover my neck, contemplating the potential reactions if they had seen the hickey,

Carefully, Aria touched the bruise on my neck and asked, "Does it hurt?"

"Maybe a little? Haha"

I chuckled nervously. In the panic of intentionally bruising my neck, I hadn't gauged how much strength I used.

However, Aria's extremely worried expression and Analise's prompt retrieval of first aid suggested I might have gone a bit too far.

"L-let's get inside first," Louise suggested, carefully guiding me indoors.

Phew, for now, mission success. Just as I thought I had escaped the situation, something suddenly choked me from behind, causing me to stumble.

"Adrian?"

"Adrian...!"

Louise and Aria were both surprised and quickly rushed to my side.

I touched my neck and could see black chains wrapping around it, being pulled from behind.

Looking back, I saw Meralda gently tugging on the chains, her still-hazy dark green eyes fixed on me.

"I won't let you abandon me, master...!" she declared in a crazed voice, smiling coldly at me.

It seemed like this night was about to get longer and more complicated than I had expected.

....

In a certain popular restaurant at Estelle Academy, a particular customer was causing quite a ruckus, and it all boiled down to one reason.

'Food'

"P-please, miss, stop!" pleaded Greg, the owner and head chef of the restaurant, watching a very beautiful woman gulp and swallow her 200th plate throughout the night.

"Hahaha, what are you talking about, master! One must fill their stomachs to the brim after a very successful raid! Don't you agree, boys~~~?!" she said, laughing heartily.

"Ohh!"

"Yes!"

"The pretty woman is right; chill down, master, and enjoy the moment!!"

"Huwahahahaha!!!!"

They all screamed and partied up, chugging down their beers.

"Ah, I ran out?" said the woman, her hazy ashen-gray eyes and pinkish-reddish cheeks indicating that she was completely drunk.

"Bring me more beer!!!" she suddenly screamed upon realizing that the mug in her hands had run out.

Although one might perceive this as normal customers enjoying their meal after a wondrous and successful adventure together.

One could possibly say that, if it weren't for the fact that this wasn't a pub or one of those taverns with makeshift bars.

Greg was shocked by the amount of gold inside the bag, but... "Couldn't she have taken them away with them?"

Greg sighed as he watched a bunch of adventurers laughing out loud while chugging down every food or beverage in sight.

.....

"Boss, are you sure about this?" Mila questioned with a hint of skepticism in her voice.

"I mean, this is Estelle Academy, you know? I doubt even you, or any master assassins out there, could sneak in without being noticed, let alone a demon. I'm sure the saintess would notice immediately."

Estelle Academy wasn't merely an academic institution; it was a fortress designed to harbor the continent's most talented and powerful individuals.

Renowned mages and warriors, now serving as professors or guards, populated the academy. It stood not just as a center of learning but as one of the safest cities on the continent.

The high-ranking and important individuals residing and studying within its walls, including foreign princes and princesses and figures of great significance like the saintess of the Church of Light, made it a hub of political and magical power.

The academy had become a bastion of security, not only due to its prominent residents but also because the slightest mishap could potentially trigger international conflicts.

It was fortified with an array of defenses, ranging from magical barriers to skilled guards, ready to counter any unexpected attack or incident.

The safety measures were extensive, with specific protocols in place to handle supernatural threats, including demons.

Even the head of the guards Klaus made a visit to them just the other day, even though they thought nobody noticed them when they entered the academy, further solidifying the academies detective measures.

Fortunately, Klaus didn't rat them out to the church though, as it was public knowledge just how bad Siena's and the church relationship were.

"Are they here for the saintess? If not the principal?" Mila questioned, her voice tinged with concern and uncertainty.

"Well, I'm not too sure myself," replied Siena, her expression pensive as she stretched back her hands. "But one thing I do know, this disgusting mana that I can feel in the air only belongs to one race."

"Demons..."

"Yes"

Mila's eyes widened slightly at the confirmation. The mention of demons brought back memories of recent encounters, and she couldn't help but feel a shiver crawl down her spine.

"How many?"

"Hmm... I can only feel one for now"

"Quite a powerful one at that"

Hearing that there was only one somehow relieved Mila's trauma for a little bit, she truly didn't want to remember even a single moment of that demonic lady they faced back at the forest.

'Was she even a demon to begin with?'

Even the infamous blood monarch was there.

Fortunately, the hero came to the rescue just in time, avoiding unnecessary conflict between three godly beings.

"What are you going to do, boss?" Mila inquired; her gaze fixed on Siena.

"Are you going to kill it?"

"Hmm? What are you talking about, Mila? Of course not!" Siena responded with a nonchalant tone, surprising Mila with the unexpected answer.

"Huh?"

"How could I possibly miss a chance that has been thrown right at my face?" Siena grinned mischievously.

"What chance?" Mila asked, perplexed by her boss's cryptic words.

Siena's smile widened.

"This demon—I'll capture it and use it to train my idiotic disciple. Fufu. It's about time I teach that kid how to deal with these things without relying on that stupid blessing of his" Siena declared proudly, her confidence unwavering.

Mila could only stare blankly at her boss, a mixture of surprise and acceptance playing on her features.

Siena's unorthodox methods were well-known to her, but this decision to capture a demon for training purposes still caught her off guard.

She sighed in acknowledgment, resigning herself to the fact that her boss, with all her barbaric ways, had a unique and effective approach to handling supernatural threats.