< 103. Baeksuje (3) >
#103
Ronan stood up and led La Mancha. Butterfly Rose’s expression was too unusual to take it as a joke. She looked at the two of them back and forth and then sighed.
“···I guess it’ll be okay for you. The doppelgängers have disappeared.”
“yes?”
“There is no time to explain. “If you are willing to cooperate, please follow me.”
Butterfly Rose turned her back with those words. Ronan and Ade Shan, who blinked at each other for a moment, followed her.
The three walked along a hallway with minimal lighting. Long shadows were flowing across the walls and floor.
Because it was close to midnight, there were no students walking around. Ade Shan muttered, rubbing his arms.
“Is it because it’s night? “It’s a little… eerie.”
“Senior, I need to go to the Dawning Magic Tower. “What did I see in the library with all the lights off?”
“Ha, don’t do it!”
Every time I took a step, the sound of my footsteps echoed. Contrary to expectations, the move did not take that long. Suddenly, Nabirose stopped in front of the huge double doors.
“It’s here.”
“It’s surprisingly close. “You were in Gallerion.”
The place where the doppelganger was said to have been kept was a small banquet hall located in the Gallerion pavilion. Nabirose took a step back after confirming that there was no one around.
“I will finish the search. Please receive detailed information from the relevant officials.”
“Ah, thank you.”
“And aren’t there many good places other than the arena? Like the hill of the four seasons. “I don’t understand.”
“yes?”
“done. Goes.”
Butterfly Rose left behind an incomprehensible statement and walked away. Ade Shan’s face lit up like an autumn leaf.
“Well, something like that…”
“What are you talking about?”
Ronan shrugged and opened the door. A spacious secret room was revealed. About seven people were walking around the small banquet hall with bamboo statues on their faces.
Given the circumstances, they all seemed to be related to Baek Soo-je. There were two people who appeared to be professors and four janitors wearing armor. One was a male student in a school uniform, and his face looked familiar for some reason.
“huh?”
The male student turned his head when he heard the door opening. That was the moment his and Ronan’s eyes met.
“···Heeik?!”
“what?”
The pale-faced male student lowered his head. Ronan tilted his head at the inexplicable action. At that time, I noticed a wear lion standing in a corner of the banquet hall in pajamas.
Come to think of it, that person was in charge. Ronan crept closer and poked him on the back.
“Varen. I’m here.”
“Ro, Ronan? “What’s going on here…?”
“Instructor Butterfly Rose sent me to help. “I heard the doppelganger disappeared?”
Varen’s eyes widened at the unexpected meeting. He stroked his mane once and let out a deep sigh.
“Hehe… that’s right.”
“What happened?”
Varen’s appearance was as haggard as it had been right after reading Ronan’s club activity report. The mane that should have been shiny was as dull as spoiled soap. A voice that sounded like he was about to commit suicide came out of his open mouth.
“To sum it up… Suddenly, the chest containing the doppelganger was opened. “If this is a nightmare, I hope someone wakes me up…”
“Chest?”
Ronan looked around. Two huge chests were placed in the middle of the small banquet hall with their mouths open. Four very complex-looking locks were lying around underneath it.
“So, be a good guard. “It’s the same with Dream Bird and Manticore, and I’m not very good at it.”
“Hehehehe… I tried too. “It wasn’t a lock that could ever be unlocked…!”
Varen sobbed, tearing at his mane with both hands. He explained that he was doing his best to manage the doppelganger so as not to cause any setbacks in the unemployment system.
After locking the chest with a specially made lock, nine people, including Varen, settled into the small banquet hall. His strategy was to stay up all night together to create a gap by leaving the room indiscriminately or setting up a guard. Varen, who was thinking about the situation, sighed again.
“I shouldn’t have gone to the bathroom… “How could this happen…”
But despite his efforts, the doppelgangers escaped. By the time he went to the bathroom, everything was already over. The two chests were wide open, and the small banquet hall was a mess.
The two doppelgangers escaped by changing their appearances into a frost troll, an attractive blonde woman, a giant spider, and the mother of all. People were unable to stop the strange creature. Although we were prepared for an invasion by an outsider, we could not have imagined that the doppelganger would be immediately released from within.
“How did the lock come off? “I heard they even had it specially produced.”
“Well, that’s really the question. It’s a lock that can never be unlocked without this key. “Only I have the key.”
Varen was rummaging through his inner pocket and took out a bundle of keys. Four keys that looked as complicated as a lock were hanging in a row. In a gloomy voice, he began listing the advantages of the lock he had created.
“It might sound a bit old-fashioned to say this now, but it’s a really good lock. It’s coated with mithril, so it’s virtually impossible to break, and it’s also enchanted to prevent unlocking magic. But the fact that it was released is truly ridiculous…”
“Varen. “If you don’t plan on selling me that lock, just keep quiet.”
“sorry···.”
Varen, who had been murmuring, lowered his head. It was a problem that such a great lock was opened, but the bigger problem was that no one saw the lock being unlocked. Ronan cursed under his breath.
‘···Retired people.’
It was absolutely pathetic. Whatever it was, it would have been fine as long as there was proper surveillance. I wanted to gather all the people on guard duty and beat them up, but I didn’t have time.
With less than half a day left until the Baeksu Festival, there was only one important thing. Capture of the doppelganger. Ronan scratched his head roughly and spoke in an irritated voice.
“Damn, shouldn’t we wake everyone up first and go catch them? “Right now, tomorrow is a festival.”
“Well, that’s troublesome. “If a doppelganger mixes in with the crowd, the difficulty of capturing it increases ridiculously.”
“Then what should I do?”
“We plan to conduct a search with as few people as possible. “They are strong people who can overpower their doppelgangers.”
Suddenly, Varen grabbed Ronan’s hand. Her pot-lid-like hand was trembling.
“If student Ronan could help me… I think it would be of great help.”
“I came here to help you in the first place.”
Ronan nodded willingly. He left Varen, who looked like he was about to burst into tears, and approached Adeshan. She was examining Chairman Soyeon with her eyes narrowed.
‘There is no one like me for this kind of work.’
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Adeshan’s insight would be of great help in the investigation and pursuit. Her Ronan was just about to call her. Suddenly, a voice came from behind.
“Hey, are you okay for a moment?”
“hmm? “You were a while ago…”
Ronan turned his head. A very skinny boy was standing awkwardly. He was the guy I had made eye contact with a little while ago. Ronan, who suddenly remembered his name, snapped his fingers.
“Lakota?”
“Yes, yes… that’s right.”
“Yeah, I heard a rumor. They say he got lost while picking herbs and was reported as missing. “What if the young guy does that already?”
“Ah… ahaha… it was like that.”
Lakota scratched his head and laughed. He was a boy who gave the impression of being clumsy in many ways. Ronan, who saw him twisting his hands and feet, shrugged his eyebrows.
“Why are you twisting your body like that? “Are you going to poop?”
“Well… could we talk in private for a moment?”
“I have no hobby of going to the bathroom with men.”
“Well, it’s not like that. “Just a moment, really.”
“Tsk… I’m so busy. Just pretend it’s not a big deal.”
Ronan walked after Lakota. I couldn’t figure out why the guy who normally didn’t even say hello was suddenly acting like this. Ronan saw him coming down the stairs and frowned.
“How far will we go?”
“Please… please follow me without asking anything. “Please.”
The voice was earnest. Ronan sighed and took her steps again. Walking without stopping, they eventually reached the bathroom at the end of the downstairs hallway.
“Was it a bathroom after all?”
Ronan laughed. A soft candle was burning above the urinal. Lakota fidgeted and looked around him. Only after making sure that there was no sign of any presence did he carefully open his mouth.
“If it’s here… it’ll be okay.”
“hmm?”
Suddenly Lakota put his hand in his pocket. Click. There was a sound as if she was pressing a button. At the same time, a wave of translucent mana spread out from his pocket. Paang! A hemispherical barrier spread out in an instant, covering the two people. Ronan frowned.
“Damn, what?”
Ronan noticed that he could not hear any noise from outside. It was a silent magic that he also used fondly. Lakota let out a sigh of relief.
“Hehe…it’s better now. “I used Silent and Awareness Impairment at the same time.”
“How important a secret are you going to tell me?”
Ronan laughed. He called someone out of nowhere and I couldn’t figure out why he was doing this. Lakota, who hesitated, opened her mouth.
“…I can’t see the devil’s messenger.”
“what?”
“I was shocked when our eyes first met. Although they looked similar in age, I never would have guessed that they were attending Phileon…”
“What kind of bullshit are you talking about?”
“I guess it was a lie to say I was a warlock. “Actually, I expected it from the beginning.”
A warlock out of nowhere? It was unintelligible, but it was nonsense that somehow gave me a sense of déjà vu. Ronan, sensing a suspicious atmosphere, placed his hand on the hilt of her sword. Lakota took a few deep breaths and continued speaking.
“…I did it.”
“hmm?”
“You lifted the lock and freed the doppelgängers. “I did it.”
Ronan’s eyes widened. It felt like she had been hit on the head by a fist-sized rock. Her brain was creaking, unable to process her information. He managed to control his emotions and glared at Lakota.
“What kind of bullshit are you talking about all of a sudden? You said you let them go?”
“yes. But it was for the best. The story was moving in the direction of bloodshed as Varen unfolded an unexpected strategy. “We need to hurry before organizations have to re-plan.”
“blood? group?”
“Even if you are embarrassed, you should listen to me. We don’t have much time. “You can prevent this situation…”
Lakota was about to say something. Ronan rushed in like the wind and kicked him in the stomach. Wow! Lakota’s body fell backwards and fell into the urinal.
“Ugh! Now, just a moment…!”
The Lakota tried to stop him by raising his arms, but it was in vain. Ronan strongly grabbed his hair and pulled out La Mancha. Lakota, who was moaning in pain, froze. The black blade was in contact with his neck.
“Hee, hee Iik…!”
“If you move it, it just falls back. “Don’t be a rip-off.”
“Ji, calm down…! please···!”
Blood was flowing down his thin neck. But Ronan did not raise his sword. Lakota’s voice had changed. The mid-range sound, which gave a somewhat mean-spirited impression, became a calm low sound and resonated.
“who are you?”
I remember. It was clearly a voice I remembered. Lakota trembled and raised her arms.
“G-G, I’ll show you now… So, give me this knife…!”
“Do it like this.”
“Yes, yes… I understand. “Huh…!”
Suddenly, he grabbed my hand and pulled it as if scratching me below my left ear. Sigh! The pale skin was torn off like a skin, revealing a dark complexion. Ronan’s eyes widened.
“you···!”
“It’s me. Balus. “Don’t you remember?”
The blade fell from Lakota’s neck. My brain was creaking as it failed to recognize information.
Poacher Balus. Ronan’s comrade in the punishment unit and a member of Caribolo, one of the continent’s leading poaching organizations. He was the only survivor among the poachers who hatched Sita. Ronan gathered his emotions and opened his mouth.
“···Why are you here?”
