69novels Chapter 249
Chapter 249
Chapter 249
More than a month had passed since Ian had gone missing.
“Is it really necessary to mobilize this many people just to find one student, senior?”
The heart of the continent’s Grand Forest.
A man engaged in a search operation in the dense woods turned to ask the woman beside him.
A golden badge pinned to his chest signified that he was a member of the continent’s premier search guild, Golden Mole.
The woman, whom he had addressed as “senior”, responded by smacking him on the back of the head before speaking.
“Quit whining and just focus on searching. Large-scale requests like this don’t come often.”
“But still—”
“But what? You want another hit?”
“... I’m searching! I’m searching!”
Clutching the back of his head, the man quickly dropped to the ground.
Though his posture hardly resembled a standard search technique, it was characteristic of Golden Mole—a guild renowned for its search method utilizing scent trackers.
The process involved the man lying down and sniffing while his senior dragged him along.
After some time spent searching, the man spoke again.
“Still, isn’t it a bit much for our entire Golden Mole guild to be mobilized just to find one student?”
“You wanna get hit again?”
“Wait, hold on—time out! Sand got into my nose! I need a break, senior!”
Pfft!
Each time he spoke, a cloud of sand burst from his nostrils.
His senior wrinkled her nose in disgust.
“Ugh, that’s disgusting.”
“So, senior, don’t you think it’s strange?”
“What is?”
“The fact that our guild alone sent fifty people, and if you count the other teams, at least a thousand searchers are out here.”
“And?”
“Normally, if one person goes missing, you’d send one or two searchers, tops.”
“True.”
“So, in that sense—”
Sniff!
He blew out another puff of sand before continuing.
“One missing cadet, yet the entire continent’s search guilds are on high alert... It feels like we’re just being driven by money. I don’t know whose kid this is, but it’s making me uneasy.” řa????օΒÈṩ
Smack!
The man took another hit to the back of the head.
“Gah! Why’d you hit me?!”
“I was dusting the sand off you.”
Pfft!
More sand trickled down belatedly.
“Cough!Ack!”
“And didn’t I tell you to study more?”
“Huh...? What?”
“You’re right—it’s excessive, way too excessive, for just one missing person. Which means this isn’t just about someone going missing.”
“Then what is it?”
“I talked to the nearby search team leader, and there’s a rumor going around. They’re saying we might be searching for the headquarters of the Bloodstone Cult.”
“T-The Bloodstone Cult’s headquarters?”
“Yeah.”
“But that pure, white mana crystal we found nearby... What does that have to do with the Bloodstone Cult?”
“No clue.”
His senior cracked her neck from side to side, stretching as she continued.
“In the end, we’re just hired hands. We take the job if the pay’s good. Requests like this don’t come often, which means our client is desperate. So stop overthinking and stay focused.”
“...Yes, ma’am.”
“And if we find any evidence, our guild needs to be the first to report it. With all the search guilds gathered here, this is our chance to prove our skills. More importantly, we can’t lose to those academy kids.”
The atmosphere grew heavier.
Just as they were about to resume their search, a figure appeared before them.
“You two have been working hard.”
Silvery-blond hair, nearly white.
An elegant gait that remained refined even atop dirt and debris.
The senior swiftly lowered her head.
“Lady Silvia.”
“...Wait, Lady Silvia Laurent? The vice-president of the Laurent Merchant?!”
“Shut up and bow your head already.”
Danya and Lina fell silent.
Though it was an odd way of persuading them, something about it stirred their emotions.
It had been a long time since they last set foot in the clubroom.
Seeing their hesitation, Silvia pressed further.
“I have a feeling this situation is going to escalate.”
“...Escalate?”
“Yes. To the level of war.”
Not just the Empire—Constantine was moving as well, under the pretext of fulfilling the prophecy and exterminating the Bloodstone Cult.
In other words, things were about to spiral out of control.
“You’ll be busy once that happens, so go and take care of things while you still can.”
◆
Lichten Academy.
The lower floor of the Dessert Research Clubroom.
Lupina, the president of the Occult Research Club, felt unusually restless today.
Maybe it was because the once-noisy upper floor had been silent for over a month.
Or perhaps it was due to the unusually heavy atmosphere looming over the academy lately.
Even someone like Lupina, who thrived in eerie environments, couldn’t shake off the unease pressing down on the school.
“...It’s been like this ever since Ian disappeared.”
She sighed as she gazed out at the dreary academy grounds.
If at least a few students were walking by, the gloom might not feel so suffocating...
But today, for some reason, there was no one in sight.
Even the faint mist hanging over the grounds added to the ominous mood.
“Haaa...”
Resting her chin on her hand, Lupina let out another sigh.
It would be nice if Ian were found safe.
She hadn’t thought she was particularly attached to him, but apparently, some level of familiarity had developed over time.
“Is anyone inside?”
A quiet yet distinct voice reached Lupina’s ears.
The whisper was so close and clear that it felt as though someone had leaned right next to her ear.
It was a man’s voice.
She quickly looked around, startled.
This was the Occult Research Club’s clubroom.
She was the only member.
No one else should have been here.
Cautiously, Lupina approached the door.
A shadow was visible through the frosted glass.
She felt an inexplicable compulsion to open the door.
Normally, she wouldn’t have acted so recklessly.
But right now, it felt like she had to.
It was as if some instinct within her insisted that keeping this guest waiting outside would be an unforgivable mistake.
And so, Lupina opened the door—then froze.
“Ah...”
Even at a glance, the man standing there was stunningly handsome.
Snow-white hair.
A jawline as sharp as a sculpted masterpiece.
Even his slightly weary gaze carried an undeniable allure.
Yet, strangely enough, she felt no attraction to him.
Instead, she felt an overwhelming sense of fear.
Every small movement he made seemed to shrink her presence.
As if he stood above all things.
There was no overt intimidation—no aggressive aura.
And yet.
The man spoke.
“I’m looking for a place called the Dessert Research Club.”
“I-It’s upstairs.”
“Thank you.”
With a charming smile, he turned and walked away.
The moment he was out of sight, Lupina collapsed into her chair.
She felt as though she had just witnessed something she shouldn’t have seen.