Part 3
Horun visited the Staff Building’s special reference room.
The information of the students that had gone missing should be here.
Substituting the very busy Headmaster, the one prepared as a cooperative worker in the investigation was──
A female student that had long, glossy black hair. She was slim, slender, and tall, but it seemed that she wasn’t an Elf but a Human.
「I am Angeline, the student council president, and part of the High School Third Year Class A. I was personally told to cooperate with you in the investigation by the Headmaster but……Who are you?」
She had a way of speaking that was like that of a man, but she was a woman with a pretty voice.
「I’m Horun from the Middle School First Year Class F -ssu. Well, there are various circumstances to this.」
「It would seem that you aren’t just a mere failure.」
「The students in Class F are just a bit bad at using magic -ssu yo.」
「In the Magic Academy, that is what you would call a failure though……Well, it’s fine. Even I want to find the students that had gone missing no matter what. If there is something that you want to investigate, just tell me.」
「Well then, I’d like the profiles of the missing students.」
「In that case, I will go collect them.」
Angeline extended her hands to the bookshelves, and spoke out some sort of spell and numbers.
*Shu* Bundles of paper rushed out from the bookshelves.
They settled down in her hands.
Horun’s eyes shone.
「Oo, so cool -ssu!」
「Eh? Well……This isn’t anything unusual. Once you’re a third year, this much can, be done by anyone……M, more importantly, take a look at the documents. In my own way, I tried consolidating the missing students’ information.」
「As expected of you -ssu.」
Spreading the documents on a long table, Horun’s group sat on the chairs.
They looked over them.
Half of the missing students were High School Third Year students.
Surprisingly having a lot of points in common, the first was that they were high achievers. Their magical power was strong, and they were all from Class A.
Their races were scattered.
The Demons and Grasswalkers stood out, but there were also Elves and Humans.
And then, all of them had chosen a certain teacher’s lecture.
Incidentally, the Royal Capital Magic Academy had a system where students choose the lectures that they would take on their own. The class divisions only had meaning for the compulsory subjects and events that took place within the school, so basically, everyone was able to learn the knowledge that they liked.
In the rooms of the academy, it was fine to take time-limited lectures, and it was also fine to make an effort in self-studies. As long as they could clear the graduation test, they would receive the Magic Academy’s graduation certificate.
Horun pointed at the documents.
「A teacher of the Ritual Magic Department, Bihyakk[1]……So he’s a Demon -ssu ka.」
『That’s super suspicious! That face is pervy -ppo!』
Babylon peeked from the side, and seeing his portrait painting, she said something inappropriate.
Going *Uーn*, Angeline groaned.
「……As expected, this is worrying, isn’t it.」
「Rather than worrying, it’s damned suspicious -ssu. For all of the missing people to have chosen this teacher’s lecture.」
「Bihyakk-sensei is a prominent and influential person in the Magic Academy. His Ritual Magic Theory could even be said to be at the forefront of the world. There are many that apply to take his lectures, and it isn’t strange that a majority of them would be Class A students.」
In cases where the applicants to take the lectures were greater than the capacity, those from Class A would be given preference. People with superior grades had that sort of privilege.
Horun read Angeline’s facial expression.
「So you revere him -su ne.」
「……That’s true……I won’t deny it.」
「But, the fact that all of them attended his lectures can’t be ignored -ssu yo.」
She asserted that.
Angeline cast her eyes down, and after thinking for a while──she lowered her voice and spoke.
「Actually……」
「Yes?」
「This happened at the end of last year. I received a request from Bihyakk-sensei where he said “won’t you assist me with an experiment after school”.」
「Did something happen -su ka?」
「Unfortunately, since I had a student council meeting, I couldn’t accept it.」
「Fumu fumu.」
「The student that was asked to help and went there in my place……was my childhood friend. She was also an excellent student though.」
「Could it be……」
Angeline pointed at one person among the documents.
「She ended up going missing.」
「……So that’s how it was -su ne.」
Horun stood up from her seat.
「I, am going to investigate Bihyakk-sensei -ssu.」
「Wait.」
「I won’t suddenly come uninvited to his laboratory -ssu yo. First, I’ll go take a look at his situation.」
「I am aware of that. It’s because I will be accompanying you that I told you to wait.」
「Why do we have to wait -su ka!?」
Angeline gathered the documents, and put them back on the bookshelves. She was making a face that seemed a bit troubled.
「It’s because although there is magic to take books out, there is no magic for the sake of tidying up.」
「……Sorry about that -ssu.」
After putting the chairs back, checking the windows’ locks, and closing the curtains, they left the room.
Translator’s Notes:
[1] Original: ビヒャック, I am up for suggestions on other spellings for this name.