The Academy’s Ankle Reaper – Chapter 223

Bella downed a glass of high-quality whiskey served in a rough tin cup.

Maybe it was mixed with less water, as the strong smell of alcohol hit my nose.

“You managed to hold on.”

I had shifted my position not in front of Bella but to her side.

“You’ve been holding on, believing that I would somehow sort things out. I appreciate that trust.”

“Ugh… Atlas…”

Drunk Bella grabbed my arm and leaned against me.

Bella, who was at least a head taller than me, almost tilted over as she leaned against my side.

“But… if my guess is right… that person is the enemy… Even for you, it could be dangerous.”

After confirming that pressure was coming from the Magic Tower, Bella seemed to have also made some predictions about who was behind all this.

Indeed, it was someone who generally shouldn’t be confronted.

“It’s fine. If I engage, I’ll win.”

“What do you mean by that… Are you really going to fight?”

“I’m saying I’ll handle it no matter what. Just trust me.”

Hearing that I would somehow handle things only made Bella gloomier.

“Ugh… I’m sorry… You believed in me after finishing all your tasks…”

“We’re companions. We help each other in tough times.”

Even though she was clinging on, just a bit of drunken chatter like this was bearable.

– Clank!

As we raised our glasses for another round, the door to the Guild suddenly swung open.

“… Atlas, who’s that?”

“….”

Right… what time is it now?

River had come looking for me with Casey, since I hadn’t returned late at night.

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Atlas hasn’t come back.

The rest of the party had all gone to sleep, but it’s getting way too late.

I said I was going to get interrogated, but… is it supposed to take this long?

I was really worried.

Even now, if I close my eyes, the image of that enormous dragon from earlier fills my mind.

Surely, Atlas fought that creature.

While it made no sense to worry about him—he’s strong enough to handle it—when he goes missing, I can’t help but ponder if he’s collapsed in some hidden place.

This won’t do.

Before, I had no choice but to wait for Atlas when he went out alone from the Academy… but now’s different.

Given that he’s somewhere in the Capital, I should just go look for him.

Dressing up and fastening my shemeter at my waist, a figure suddenly popped up right in front of me.

“… Going out?”

“Whoa! You startled me!”

“If you make noise, everyone will wake up.”

Casey covered her mouth with her finger.

Her hair, shimmering silver in the moonlight, looked enchanting as she suddenly appeared, similar in height to Atlas, making her seem like a fairy out of a storybook.

“Don’t just pop up behind me like that!”

“If you didn’t notice me, whose fault is that?”

Casey took a few steps back and spun around, her hair flowing gracefully, revealing her well-groomed locks.

“If you’re going out, come with me. You’re looking for that old man, right?”

“Why should I go with you?”

“That question can be answered in three ways.”

Casey raised her index finger.

“First, even if the Capital is safer than other cities, it’s dangerous for a girl to go out alone at night.”

“I’m an expert too! I can take care of myself!”

Perhaps her recent training paid off, as she was now able to wield the essence of the Wolf God as the Sword Master referred to it.

With that power significantly enhancing her physical abilities, she could fight at a level above expert for a short time.

Even if it’s not at a level where I’d consider her weak, it still irritated me to be seen as weak.

“That confidence is precisely why you shouldn’t go.”

However, Casey firmly rejected that notion.

“And you think you’re okay?”

“You can’t go, but I can.”

“I don’t understand the difference.”

“Not knowing the difference is why you can’t go.”

I wanted to argue more, but it was an undeniable fact that Casey was stronger than me.

Even using the Wolf God’s essence wasn’t enough.

After all, Casey was an expert of an elite level, a rank few could hope to reach.

It was infuriating that I couldn’t refute that someone stronger than me was still considered “not ready.”

“Ugh…”

“And the second reason is, I have a good idea of where that old man is headed. It’s your first time in the Capital, right?”

“How would you know it’s my first time in the Capital?”

“Just looking at how you act says it all. Big cities can be confusing for someone unfamiliar, and wandering around alone can get you lost and turned into a missing person.”

That was once again undeniably correct. Having spent most of my life in the territory, I had been to small towns, but nothing as complicated as a labyrinthine city like the Capital.

Although it wasn’t something to be ashamed of, my face turned slightly red.

“So what if I’m not used to the city…”

“Whether it’s good or bad, if you go missing, I’d be embarrassed to face that old man.”

With that, Casey raised her third finger.

“Thirdly. Even if you don’t come, I’m still going.”

Casey finished speaking and turned her head dramatically, starting to walk away.

“Ugh… let’s go together!!”

There was no time to think.

Reluctantly, I followed behind Casey.

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Casey led me first to… the Royal Knight Order barracks.

It wasn’t flashy, but it was very tidy and had a strong presence.

What surprised me most was indeed seeing that Casey was really a member of the Royal Knight Order myself.

“Salute to the Commander!!!”

“Okay.”

I had been skeptical when Atlas mentioned it, but the moment we arrived and I saw the guards salute Casey loudly, I realized she was indeed telling the truth about being a member of the Royal Knight Order.

“… You really were part of the Order.”

“Be thankful someone like me is training you.”

In the silent hallway at night, only the sounds of our footsteps echoed.

Casey looked for lit rooms, then suddenly burst open the door to one.

“Who the hell knocks without knocking?! … Oh, Casey, you came too?”

The man who had started to raise his voice immediately calmed down upon seeing Casey’s face.

The room she entered was an incredibly luxurious office.

Seated inside, a handsome man straight out of a fairy tale was reading a book.

“You don’t look like you’re working overtime.”

“I’m on duty.”

“Didn’t the Commander tell you not to work late in your personal office?”

“That’s not something you guys, who have been missing for N months, should say. Who do you think is filling in the gaps?”

“Your subordinates?”

“Correct! Spot on. Enough play—this isn’t a visit, so what’s up?”

“Is the old man still being interrogated?”

“Atlas? He left ages ago.”

“Are you sure? He didn’t go missing in the room again, did he?”

“The guards at the entrance saw him head outside.”

“Really?”

When he said no, Casey readily accepted it.

It seemed Atlas wasn’t around after all.

“By the way… I don’t recognize the girl next to you.”

Upon realizing Atlas wasn’t there, Casey turned around, but the handsome knight’s gaze fell upon me, who was standing behind her.

Being a member of the Royal Knight Order meant he was at least an elite level, far surpassing my father’s abilities, and I was so nervous I blurted out.

“I’m River Shimoa, the eldest daughter of the Shimoa family…!!”

I could feel the knight’s eyes scanning me.

“You’re cute. No need to be nervous! Given you’re holding a sword, you’ve been training, right? If you’re okay with it…”

The knight grinned slowly, walking towards me with a gentle smile.

Although he was approaching slowly, I felt strangely rooted to the spot.

It was as if my body had become paralyzed.

And then Casey shot him a fierce glare.

“If you touch her, the old man will kill you.”

Before Casey finished her warning, the unnamed knight quickly sealed his lips and simply smiled.

“… It’s nothing. Have fun playing.”

He didn’t come any closer, waving goodbye with a firm grin and shut the door.

Only Casey and I were left standing awkwardly in the hallway.

“… What was that just now?”

“Nothing important.”

Casey casually spoke as we walked down the hallway, loud enough for those in the office to hear her.

“Too late now. I’ll mention it to the old man, so tomorrow’s going to be entertaining.”

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“Atlas… isn’t here. They say the interrogation wrapped up early, though where did he go?”

Receiving an enthusiastic send-off from the guards, Casey re-emerged from the barracks, arms crossed in thought.

“If it finished that quickly… then it has to be there.”

“There?”

“We borrowed a dragon wagon, right? He probably went to return it to the Adventurer’s Guild.”

“And if he’s not there…?”

“Then, he’ll just be grumpy when he gets back in the morning.”

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We arrived at the Adventurer’s Guild.

The building was completely different from the last Adventurer’s Guild we visited.

The sign was much more stylish, and the interior wasn’t too messy either.

Though, the boisterous drinking was still the same.

Where should we start looking?

Should I talk to the guide first to track his whereabouts?

Just as I tried to pass through the hall filled with what looked like many drunkards, I heard a familiar voice rising from somewhere.

“Ugh… I’m sorry… You believed in me after finishing all your tasks…”

“We’re companions. We help each other in tough times.”

That voice definitely belonged to Atlas.

I turned around, feeling happy to see him, but this time it was far from a joyful reunion.

“… Atlas, who’s that?”

“….”

Atlas was there, leaning against a woman with brown hair as they drank together.