The Academy’s Ankle Reaper – Chapter 278

After finishing the conversation with Atlas and watching him leave, Amy, left alone in the room, tried to sort out her thoughts.

When he came to talk, Amy recalled her Dungeon Exploration practice. Back then, she had struggled alone, not trusting Atlas, but not anymore. She knew he was someone she could rely on. So, she decided to seek his advice. He had more experience with incidents like this than she did.

The story Amy had heard from her father, Victor, right after the incident, was quite complicated. Listening to just one side made it impossible to make a precise judgment. A thorough investigation would certainly have to clarify right from wrong.

[Don’t think too deeply about it. It wasn’t something you could control. You arrived quickly and prevented things from getting worse, so it’s a relief.]

While she was lost in her thoughts, a rare companion appeared to comfort her. Though this companion’s stance had changed once before, there was always one commonality: he was very cooperative and emotional regarding matters involving Amy’s family and hometown.

[The divide between Beastmen and humans is deep. It’s impressive that you’ve managed to get along without worrying about it until now. You’re just returning to normalcy.]

What does “normal” even mean? Her companion’s sensitivity was clearly twisted compared to ordinary people. For Amy, normal was a world where Beastmen and humans got along peacefully. Since birth, she had no issues living alongside the Blue Cat Tribe, so suddenly being told that was abnormal felt ridiculous.

“People here have already tasted enough tragedy to last a lifetime; I hope there won’t be any more…”

The residents of Parker had gone through that horrific event. The heartbreaking cries of parents who lost their sons and daughters due to the Demon Church’s brutal conspiracy had plunged the region of Parker into despair.

In her hometown, Amy saw a child who appeared to be no older than ten. A child born after that tragedy. She didn’t want the newly born children to witness the same horrors she had.

[Then how about leaving it all to Atlas? If you let him handle it, the incident will be resolved quickly and cleanly.]

“Yeah… I know that.”

Atlas would surely take care of this incident decisively. He had the ability, the performance, and was trustworthy. However, Amy hesitated to entrust everything to him. There were several complex reasons behind it.

The first was that this incident took place entirely in her hometown; Atlas was invited here as a guest. She wished he would just relax and not get dragged into complex matters. After all, she had already relied on him heavily more than a few times.

Everyone had come out for vacation, yet he had been entangled in serious incidents.

The second reason was how Atlas handled things. He had jokingly claimed to be a Master of Near-Death. His companion had once explained what that meant for him.

[Master of Near-Death… He says it lightly, but it means he’s a torture expert who learned dark techniques from an assassin group in the north. Some of the Empire’s torturers learned those techniques. Their skills are said to be on par with the Church Country’s Inquisition. If you assume those methods are the foundation for his quick resolutions, it makes sense.]

Amy had seen how the Inquisition forced the truth out of people. They tortured by destroying both body and mind, using Holy Power to piece them back together. How could Atlas’s techniques be equated to theirs?

She shuddered to think of the extent of his cruelty. He could be utterly relentless when it came to enemies. If she asked him to resolve this incident, he’d likely do it within two days, as he always had.

But if someone from her hometown, who had shared familial ties, fell victim to his brutality, it would break her heart. That was why she insisted on conducting the investigation together, allowing for proper identification of friend or foe, and Atlas agreed.

“Sure, this is your hometown,” he said, turning away, his small frame looking unexpectedly broad.

But did he know? In the brief parting, Atlas had already begun conversing closely with the Cat Beastmen locked away in the underground prison.

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The Blue Cat Tribe had experienced numerous incidents throughout their lives. Cat Beastmen were popular slaves, often targeted by hunters, and living in the plains meant they frequently faced attacks from monsters.

Who was it that said? The pain that doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger? Each time the Blue Cat Tribe warriors overcame adversity, they only grew stronger. And that applied to Wugechi, the warrior who was already over forty.

[State clearly why the Blue Cat Tribe opposes the Empire, and provide evidence.]

Wugechi felt a fear he had never experienced in his life up until now. The murderous intent encircling him made even the act of breathing a challenge. To ask why they oppose the Empire felt like a declaration, branding them as enemies of the Empire.

“We absolutely do not oppose the Empire…!”

They would fight slave traders who kidnapped their residents but had no intention of opposing the Empire. Young blood might have once entertained reckless thoughts, but those had vanished.

How in the world could one oppose this monster?

[The judgment belongs to me. State the facts as they are.]

At least he wasn’t executing him on the spot, so there was still a chance to make amends.

“Let’s just tell them that we’re innocent.” It was illegal under the Empire’s law to indiscriminately capture any Beastmen and sell them into slavery. If they could communicate effectively, perhaps the Master would come to their side.

“Then… I’ll start with the story of when the residents first went missing.”

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After finishing their conversation, Atlas briefly visited the prison to have a ‘chat’, then returned to his room. The warrior Wugechi fainted after the interrogation. He didn’t seem to be lying, so it could be checked against other accounts.

“What happened?”

After dealing with various matters, when he returned to his room, he found Casey waiting. Perhaps curious about what was going on, she got up from the bed and approached him quickly.

“…Huh? Where have you been, mister? You smell weird.”

She moved close and wrinkled her nose. Maybe he hadn’t scrubbed the smell off properly after visiting the prison.

“I just had some serious conversations with various people.”

“And what did those ‘people’ say?”

Having spent a lot of time together in the field, Casey quickly caught on to what he had been up to.

“They’re all saying the other side is bad; people think Beastmen are in the wrong, and Beastmen say that humans attacked them first.”

Such things were common in this line of work. The truth appeared differently depending on which side you stood on. Humans saw the Beastmen as bad, and the Beastmen viewed humans as bad. In between lay only feelings and assumptions, with not a shred of definitive evidence; they were all trying to sift through to find proof.

What was required was a situation devoid of emotional involvement, where only objective facts prevailed.

“What do you think, mister? Who seems to be lying?”

Casey, who had been listening, asked briefly. What did he think? Having heard both sides, his opinion came to him.

“I think… both sides might be telling the truth?”

If his thinking was right… it would certainly be a hilarious incident.

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If someone were to ask what could be done in such a rural area, there was nothing particularly remarkable. However, isn’t that what vacation is all about?

Choosing to do what you want, rather than being pressed by some task at hand; that was rest. The Academy held classes during the vacation, but there were no vacation assignments.

Of course, that doesn’t mean there was absolutely nothing to do. The things one was supposed to do were always the most enjoyable when you procrastinated them until the end.

“Today, let’s just go sightseeing.”

After spending the entire morning training in Blade Mountain, the group sat down for lunch and devised their day’s agenda. They had been caught up in unusual incidents throughout the break, so they wanted to have a vacation that felt like one.

“Amy, could you guide us around?”

“Of course.”

Though she had felt unwell ever since arriving the previous day, Amy’s expression brightened remarkably as the day changed. It was clear she wasn’t forcing a smile for show.

“Would you like to play in the water? There’s a valley where I used to play as a child…”

But as Amy began to mention the valley, her expression slightly hardened.

“Ah… never mind. There are much more fun places.”

Had something happened at the valley? Suddenly her demeanor darkened, and she hastily offered to guide them elsewhere. What could possibly have occurred there? Note to self.

“Then, could you also take us to the border?”

Asking to visit the border close to the Beastmen territory drew everyone’s attention toward him.

“Considering we fought so deeply just yesterday… wouldn’t it be better to postpone that?”

“Yeah, let’s look at another place first.”

Yesterday, some Beastmen had infiltrated the area, and suggesting going near their territory seemed like poking a hornet’s nest, enough for even Lucia to try to dissuade him.

But he wasn’t inclined to yield easily.

Seeing his expression, River was sure he wouldn’t give up.

“Alright, we made that promise. Let’s check out the area near the plains too.”

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Thus began the impromptu Parker Exploration Team. With Amy’s mother seeing them off, they headed toward the village first.

“What are the specialties around here?”

“I believe they mainly grow grains like wheat, but honestly, the most profitable items are those traded with the Blue Cat Tribe.”

The proximity of the plains indicated that the Blue Cat Tribe was closest for trading with Parker.

As natural hunters, they skillfully captured various beasts and monsters, bringing their goods to Parker for mutually beneficial exchanges at a low price.

While wheat was common in the Empire, the materials processed from the monsters they hunted weren’t nearly as commonplace there, establishing a symbiotic relationship where both parties benefited.

“It’s been decades since they’ve supported one another like that… so unpredictable how the world can turn.”

As they walked while talking, the village soon came into view. It seemed all the villagers had gathered in the square, bustling together, engaged in conversation.