PS2: Click here to start reading Oran Knight 69 and Merchant Noble 85.

PS3: That’s it for this week release. Thank you very much for coming here. Have a nice weekend!

 

 

Fifth of the Seven Mysteries (2): Truth Revealed

(Thank you for reading at bayabuscotranslation.com)

We came to investigate the ‘student who disappeared into the wall’ as one of the Seven Wonders, but even after examining the academy’s wall, we didn’t find anything notable. That was when Heinz came up with the idea that there might be a hidden door on the ground.

After enjoying the delicious snacks from Holland-san, we resumed our investigation into the Seven Wonders, this time carefully searching the ground along the academy’s walls.

“There’s nothing here…” (Ratt)

Ratt-kun, seemingly bored, said in a dull tone.

Well, I can’t blame him. Staring at a rather unremarkable ground, occasionally damp in some spots, isn’t exactly or rather, it’s far from enjoyable work.

“Hmm… Maybe it was just a made-up story.” (Frank)

Frank, who brought us the information, was starting to sound a bit discouraged.

“Maybe we should ask the senior who told Frank about this for more details.” (Lux)

I had a feeling like we wouldn’t find anything more, so I stretched out widely.

Then, Maria suddenly put her hand to her mouth, as if she had noticed something.

“What is it, Maria?” (Lux)

I called out to her, and she replied hesitantly.

Maria mumbled.

“Maybe the location itself is wrong.” (Maria)

Hearing that, Heinz turned toward her.

“What do you mean by the location being wrong?” (Heinz)

After hesitating for a moment, Maria said.

“I’m not too confident, but… we don’t really hear much about the Seven Wonders in the new school building, right? So, I think they might have come about when the old school building was still in use…” (Maria)

At that point, we all had an “ah” moment.

Right, back when the old school building was in use, the layout of the facilities might have been different from now. Which means the sandbox could have been in a different location too.

“Now that you mention it, that does make sense. So, we’ve been searching the wrong spot this whole time…” (Lux)

“I’m not sure yet. It might be best to ask a teacher who knows what things were like back then.” (Maria)

She was right. A teacher who knows about the old days… The first person who comes to mind is the old soldier, Burke-sensei, who we’ve dealt with before by the artificial lake. (Lux)

Heinz seemed to have the same thought.

“Maybe we should ask Burke-sensei…” (Heinz)

At that point, continuing the search here seemed pointless. I gathered everyone and shared that the sandbox’s location might have been different in the past.

“Hmm, that does seem likely.” (Sonia/Maria)

Sonia and Hana remarked, impressed with Maria. But Maria, looking a bit embarrassed.

“It’s not confirmed yet.” (Maria)

Her modesty in moments like these was very Maria-like.

“Well then, should we go ask Burke-sensei now?” (Lux)

I suggested, but Heinz stopped me.

“He might not be around since it’s a day off. Besides, I already asked him something recently, so I’ll go tomorrow.” (Heinz)

That made sense. It’s possible Burke-sensei wouldn’t be around on a day off.

So, we left the information-gathering task about Burke-sensei to Heinz.

“Well then, should we wrap it up for today? Oh, how about we all go to Holland-san’s shop together?” (Ratt)

Ratt-kun suggested to which Frank replied.

“We’re going again? You’ll get fat.” (Frank)

Ratt-kun shot back.

“I’m getting enough exercise, so it’s fine.” (Ratt)

“Frank, you should learn to be a bit more tactful, degozaru.” (Hana)

While Hana scolded him, we all started heading toward the academy’s main street.

I glanced back at the wall for a moment, then gazed absently at everyone’s backs.

“What are you doing? We’re leaving without you!” (Sonia)

Sonia’s voice snapped me out of it, and I hurried to catch up with everyone.

 

—

 

“By the way, I heard you met Gellar?” (Heinz)

Heinz asked as we were on our way to Holland-san’s shop.

“Yeah, I did. I was surprised because I thought it was a boy.” (Lux)

“Huh? You’ve never seen her before? She’s pretty famous.” (Sonia)

Sonia chimed into the conversation between Heinz and me.

“Hmm, I don’t remember ever hearing about her.” (Lux)

“You know, Lux, you’re usually pretty laid-back, but sometimes you can get really sharp.” (Heinz)

Heinz said, nodding as if he had figured something out on his own. Somehow, that didn’t sit right with me.

“That was so cool back then when you pulled her hand and said, ‘Watch out!’” (Frank)

Frank teased.

“…Could you tell me more about how you met Gellar-san?” (Sonia)

Sonia asked, poking my chest with her finger, her face a little scary. Feeling a bit flustered, I explained the details of how I met Geller.

“Oh yeah, Gellar was heading in the opposite direction of the dorm. Where was she going?” (Lux)

I wondered out loud, but Sonia quickly solved that question.

“She’s a Knight (Ritter), so nobles usually rent houses separately.” (Sonia)

Now that she mentioned it, that made sense. Maria, Saxon, even Roy-kun didn’t live in the dorms either.

“Oh, but…” (Maria)

Maria, who had been quietly listening to how I met Geller, hesitated to say something.

“What is it?” (Lux)

I turned around and asked her, and she looked more hesitant than when she shared the hypothesis about the wall.

“That was a slip of the tongue. But it’ll keep bothering you if I don’t say it, so I will. Just… please keep it a secret, because I don’t want to spread rumors. Gellar-san was discovered for her talent as a Knight (Ritter) and was adopted by a noble family.” (Maria)

“Wow, that’s amazing.” (Lux)

I said, genuinely impressed.

“Yeah, normally it would be. But there are some pretty bad rumors about that noble family. They say they do all sorts of shady things to produce famous generals, like practically kidnapping people from common families and treating their children like tools…” (Maria)

“…I see…(Lux)

None of us knew how to respond, and that was all we could say.

“Sorry for bringing up such a strange topic. I think Gellar-san might be renting an apartment rather than a house. That’s why I thought it would be rude to ask her about it…” (Maria)

“You don’t need to apologize, Maria. If we didn’t know, we might’ve said something unnecessary and made Gellar feel uncomfortable. So really, thank you.” (Lux)

When I thanked her, Maria gave a shy smile. ‘

“Yeah.” (Maria)

 

—

 

In the evening, we successfully met Holland-san and bought some snacks. After returning to the dormitory, we had dinner and then parted ways to our own rooms.

I had a small errand to run, so I went out for a bit. After stopping by the library to borrow a book, I came back and started reading leisurely at my desk. By the time I finished the book, night had fully fallen, and the only sound was the chirping of insects outside. I stretched, rotating my neck and shoulders, and mumbled to myself, “It’s about time”, before quietly leaving my room.

I walked cautiously through the dorm, making sure not to make a sound since most of the students were already asleep. The main entrance was locked, but most buildings have some kind of secret exit. The dorm students had passed down this midnight escape route for generations. I used that route to sneak outside.

*Lisp* *Lisp*

The sound of insects was like background music, and the round moon gently illuminated me. But soon, it was hidden by clouds, and the surroundings were engulfed in darkness. Sneaking out of the dorm at midnight made I felt a bit guilty about it, and despite the cool night air, my palms were damp with sweat.

After wiping my hands, I slowly made my way to my destination which was behind the boys’ dormitory, where a rarely visited thicket stood. I moved as quietly as possible, using the reconnaissance skills I had sharpened at this academy to erase my presence and advance unnoticed.

At the edge of the thicket, near the academy wall, I sensed the presence of several people. If my guess was right, the person who stole the academy newspaper files would be here. I held my breath and watched the scene carefully. The clouds moved, and the moonlight returned.

In that light, one person’s face was revealed. After confirming who it was, I took a step forward. The figures turned to face me, alerted by my footsteps. I called out to the one I recognized.

“It really was you… Heinz.” (Lux)

(Thank you for reading at bayabuscotranslation.com)

Please consider supporting Bayabusco Translation @

Previous Chapter | Table of Content | Next Chapter