[Translator - Peptobismol]
[Proofreader - Demon God]
Chapter 139 - The Academy Visit of Lormane (5)
Dragging my exhausted body downstairs after being tormented by Ismera all night, I found Olysia bustling around the kitchen, busy as usual in honor of the esteemed guests.
Ismera, having just finished washing up, was coming in through the back door.
"Good morning, everyone."
A moment later, Kirrin came down the stairs, her face looking rather haggard.
She must have overdone it with the drinking last night.
Her complexion, usually a rich chocolate brown, now resembled the pale gray of wet cement. It looked like she could use some holy healing at the infirmary.
At my suggestion, Kirrin nodded weakly, agreeing to visit the infirmary after the morning meeting.
In contrast, Ismera’s face was glowing, as if she’d consumed a high-grade healing potion with a high troll-blood content.
After eating the breakfast Olysia had prepared, we all headed out to work together.
As we made our way across campus, staff members we passed greeted us and stepped aside respectfully.
"Good morning, everyone."
For some reason, Ismera, in an unusually good mood, waved back with a cheerful smile, surprising everyone.
She seemed full of energy today.
"Good morning, Headmaster! Vice-Headmaster!"
Lina, emerging from the faculty dormitory, spotted us and came running—like the wind, as usual.
"And good morning to you, Head Professor!"
After breezing past Kirrin and Ismera, Lina grabbed my hand and shook it energetically.
"Yes, yes. Good morning. Now let go of my hand."
Noticing Ismera’s wide-eyed stare at Lina, I quickly pulled my hand back.
"See you later!"
Lina, oblivious to the sharp gaze from Ismera, cheerfully waved and darted off, her cloak billowing behind her.
"As expected of a specialist in infiltration. She’s fast."
Kirrin, watching Lina disappear in the distance, commented in admiration. Meanwhile, Ismera, sidling up to me in a crab-like manner, softly took hold of my hand and whispered.
"It’s nothing, right?"
"Nothing."
"Good."
She then let go, making sure no one saw, and moved away again.
# # # # #
Monday morning meant the weekly staff meeting.
Looking utterly miserable, Kirrin relayed various updates.
The one everyone was most interested in was Kaiden. Apparently, he was expected to come sometime this week after wrapping up his work at the Tower of Illusions.
Kirrin also reminded us that the end-of-semester evaluations were coming up soon and urged everyone to prepare thoroughly. After that, she practically fled the room.
"What’s up with her?"
Lina tilted her head in confusion, prompting Professor Felimia to adjust her glasses and explain.
"There was a dinner party at the Head Professor’s house last night, with the Headmaster and Vice-Headmaster in attendance. Didn’t you know?"
"How would I know? You’re the one who’s always collecting gossip, Professor Felimia. I take it there was a lot of drinking involved? Right?"
Lina glanced at me, and I just shrugged with a smile. Ismera, seated directly to my right, was watching me intently.
# # # # #
After finishing my patrol around campus, inspecting classrooms and practice areas, I suddenly remembered Kirrin had gone to the infirmary. I decided to stop by and check on her.
"Hello, Priestess?"
I entered the infirmary, but there was no sign of Maya, who usually sat at the reception desk, scribbling away at her ledger.
Where could she be? Perhaps she’s taking care of Kirrin?
I walked further in, and sure enough, there was Kirrin lying in one of the beds, groaning.
"Ohhh, ohhh...."
"Headmaster. Are you alright?"
"Dian.... Do I look alright to you?"
"You look like you’re on the verge of death."
"Ohhh, ohhh...."
Scritch, scritch, scritch, scritch.
Even as I closed the door behind me, the sound of Maya writing in her ledger continued.
# # # # #
When I got home after work, I found Olysia outside, broom in hand, poking around the garden.
"Where could it have gone?"
"What are you doing?"
"Oh, you’re back? I’m looking for signs of a stray cat or wild dog."
"Why all of a sudden?"
"Look at this."
Olysia pointed to a spot with her broom.
It was just below the large window in the living room. A broken bush branch lay on the ground.
The branch looked like it had been pressed down, as if something heavy—like a sack of rice—had been placed on it.
"Judging by the size, I’d say it was a wild dog. It made quite a mess. Maybe it squeezed through a gap in the front gate?"
"Maybe. But it’s not a big deal, is it?"
"How can you say that? Something unfamiliar entered the house! And don’t forget the paving stones near the wall the other day. What if someone used those to climb over and spy on us?"
"Hmm. Isn’t that a bit of a stretch...?"
Suddenly, a memory from this morning surfaced.
The leaves stuck to Maya’s robe.
Now that I think about it, they were the same kind of leaves as the ones in our garden’s bushes.
"Where are you going?"
I left through the front gate and headed for the overgrown lot nearby.
Picking up the two leftover paving stones, I stacked them by the wall and helped Olysia climb up.
"What’s going on?"
Peeking her head just over the wall, Olysia asked.
She’s a bit taller than Maya.
If Maya had used the stones to climb up, she would’ve been able to peer over the wall, just like this.
Scritch, scritch, scritch, scritch.
The sound I always heard whenever I visited the infirmary.
The leaves stuck to her robe.
The perfect height of the paving stones.
And now her sudden trip to the Church headquarters.
Of all times, right after last night, when Ismera and I....
"Sir Dian! Where are you going? Dinner’s almost ready!"
Ignoring Olysia, I ran out of the residential area and headed straight for the infirmary.
The lights were off, and the door was locked.
"Priestess Maya!"
I called out, but there was no answer.
She usually lived here, keeping the infirmary open at all times, but now she was gone.
"Excuse me!"
I ran to the main gate.
"Have you seen Priestess Maya leave?"
"Yes, sir. She left a few hours ago."
Damn it.
# # # # #
At that very moment, in front of the Church headquarters.
After paying the carriage fare, Maya hurried up the steps and into the Great Temple, clutching the patient ledger tightly to her chest.
Weaving through hallways and staircases, she soon reached her destination.
"Chief Administrator, it’s Maya."
"Come in."
The door to the Chief Administrator’s office slowly opened.
[Translator - Peptobismol]
[Proofreader - Demon God]