The moment Neoris voiced her question, an eerie stillness enveloped the grand conference hall.
The members of the News Department either averted their gazes, swallowed nervously, or squeezed their eyes shut in apparent anguish.
Everyone knew well what was about to happen next.
The man’s fiery golden eyes turned to Neoris with chilling indifference.
Tears streamed down her face as she mustered a pitiful smile.
“Well, I was wrong.”
Her trembling voice carried a faint trace of sobbing, imbuing her words with an emotional pull.
“Shi, it was a mistake… Ge, absolutely! I didn’t doubt it. It just slipped out…”
And with that, Neoris pleaded.
“P, please… Ugh, kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk!”
Of course, it was an effort that bore no fruit.
Tossing the handaxe, I-an crushed Neoris’ remaining shoulder without a word and retrieved the weapon in silence.
Now collapsed on the floor, Neoris curled up, her wails and pained whimpers hinting at the torment and fear she experienced.
After a brief pause, I-an glanced around at the reporters and questioned,
“Anyone else still have questions?”
Naturally, no one dared to speak.
Only then did I-an nod, shifting his steps. Before departing, he issued one final directive:
“Have the requested information ready by tomorrow. And bring Branch Director Neoris to the temple.”
Even after I-an left, an oppressive silence lingered in the grand conference hall for some time.
The only sounds were Neoris’ writhing and groaning.
After this short encounter, the interns of the Academy Branch quickly learned an unbreakable rule:
Never doubt.
Don’t question; merely comply.
Now they knew exactly what happened when one didn’t.
Cold sweat trickled down the back of an unknown intern.
“Uh, um… G, got it.”
That was my only response after hearing Senior Neoris’ lengthy tale.
I wasn’t entirely sure, but it seemed fortunate that she had been officially appointed to the Academy Branch with the approval of the Imperial Court, despite some cruel actions preceding it.
Neoris, who should have retorted at my presumptuous question, merely trembled while bowing her head.
She kept muttering the same refrain.
“N, no doubt. Ge, absolutely! I didn’t doubt it…”
Apparently, the last time she had risked burning to death, and the additional violence afterward had intensified her fear.
Especially since she considered me someone she couldn’t disobey.
If I punched, she’d have to take it. If I chopped, she’d have to endure it. That helplessness surely fueled her fear.
It was troubling.
Future “me” seemed to have a purpose, but I was the one who had to spend the entire break with Senior Neoris. How was I supposed to handle this awkward relationship?
Despite wanting to voice my dissatisfaction, there was little chance that fool would listen.
As a sigh escaped my lips, Neoris flinched.
“P, please forgive me! I will immediately correct my wrongs…”
“What have you done wrong?”
With a gasp, Neoris froze, her face pale as she looked up at me through damp green eyes.
An offhand remark, but upon reconsideration, it had been nothing short of verbal violence.
I helplessly shook my head.
“You haven’t done anything wrong, so stop shaking. Speaking of which, what’s this about missing persons in Perkus Manor?”
It was information Future Me had requested.
Surely, it wasn’t unrelated to the upcoming events.
Though nervous to approach me, Senior Neoris began recounting her gathered facts stammeringly.
“It appears… that there have been many disappearance incidents in and around Perkus Manor recently.”
The first accurate occurrence dated back about a month ago, around the time I visited the orphanage.
Naturally, this was a continent where monsters and various incidents were rampant. A missing villager here and there was a common occurrence.
So far, no intervention from Perkus Manor or other areas was reported.
However, as Senior Neoris continued her investigation, she noticed certain consistencies among the disappearances.
First, residents living on the outskirts seemed to vanish.
The farther they were from the city center, the lower the law enforcement standards. Loss of life in such remote areas would rarely attract attention.
Additionally, among the residents living on the outskirts, those who ventured farther away were mysteriously disappearing one by one.
It was almost as if these individuals specifically targeted the “people who could vanish without notice.”
Unfortunately, due to limited time for investigation, Senior Neoris couldn’t find conclusive evidence or decipher the entity behind these occurrences.
It was understandable, since she had mere days to investigate.
Still, throughout her report, her anxious glances at me betrayed her fear of disappointing me.
Just from these actions, it was clear how Senior Neoris perceived me.
In an attempt to reassure her, I had to muster some form of commendation.
“You’ve investigated well despite the short time. It’s not easy in a rural territory. This is satisfactory; we’ll start the detailed investigation once we get to Perkus Manor. Meanwhile, please take care of yourself.”
At my words, Senior Neoris hesitantly stood up.
But the distrust in her eyes persisted, causing another sigh to escape me.
Should I apologize now?
That was out of the question. Abrupt changes in attitude from a superior without consistency can be the worst kind. One wouldn’t know how to handle such a person.
With few choices available, I reached into my pocket. The high-quality space-expansion pouch given by the Imperial Princess allowed me to store multiple items, among them a salve.
I approached Senior Neoris in steady strides. Despite witnessing her green eyes cloud over with panic, this moment was fleeting.
With a firm tap, I handed her the salve.
Taken aback, she gazed at me in confusion. With a weary sigh, I explained,
“For your body care.”
Of course, given her expertise in toxins, it was likely she already possessed better medical supplies. This was simply a formal gesture to ease my conscience. Yet, Senior Neoris seemed bewildered by this unexpected kindness, her lips repeatedly parting and closing.
Staying longer would only amplify her fear, so I made my farewell immediately after concluding internally.
“See you next time.”
Finally snapping to reality, Senior Neoris respectfully bowed. And I waved goodbye without another word.
Now, several questions lingered in my heart.
What exactly was the connection between Perkus Manor’s disappearances and the Dark Cult?
Whatever they were planning surely wasn’t rooted in benevolence.
As the image of the flesh nest and the altered director of the news department flashed through my mind, I grew increasingly uneasy.
It was time to return to my homeland.
As I prepared to depart for Perkus Manor immediately, I was stopped. It was an unexpected figure after quite some time — Senior Elsi.
As always, her lovely appearance greeted me. She was fidgeting nervously outside my room. Seeing her after several days, I naturally greeted her warmly.
“Senior Elsi!”
I was about to remark on some misunderstanding from last time when I paused.
Senior Elsi’s usual attire, always featuring her hooded hat and Academy uniform, had changed today. She was dressed in a festive outfit — clearly her going-out attire.
Caught off guard, I hesitated, and our eyes met briefly. Elsi, too, looked taken aback upon seeing me.
She began avoiding eye contact, fidgeting with her fingers before squeezing her eyes shut and shouting resolutely:
“D, date!”
For the first time in a while, I heard plain language from Senior Elsi as her proposal continued:
“Just the two of us… Uh, would you like to go out somewhere…?”
With this, Elsi bowed deeply, her face turning bright red.
Fully adorned, Senior Elsi looked absolutely charming.
Even I, who had seen her many times, found myself inexplicably thrilled.
And so, I struggled for a while before managing to respond with a single word:
“I’m too busy today.”
Senior Elsi’s expression fell as if the world had collapsed around her.
