Chapter 76. The Assassin's Anniversary Gift
"So why did you have to appear like a ghost there!"
Inette was berating Radel.
The alchemy night class had ended well without any major accidents, but Inette was still annoyed with Radel.
"I just got carried away while collecting various things."
Radel added that it wasn't intentional.
He said that he was just happy to see Inette and Tunia on his way back with a full bag and had approached them, waving his hands.
Inette put her hand on her forehead at Radel's words that he had even run because they didn't seem to recognize him.
No wonder he had moved so quickly whenever she took her eyes off him.
And the fact that he was wearing a pitch-black robe also made it difficult to recognize him.
"What's with that robe anyway?"
"You should always wear a black robe when collecting at night. It makes it easier to catch nocturnal insects."
"I almost attacked you out of surprise!"
As Inette grumbled, Gusto, who was next to her, added a word.
"Didn't you already send one senior that way?"
"He didn't die! That senior is alive!"
The senior who had been knocked down by Inette's fist was able to return to his colleagues after Gusto, who arrived late, cast Heal on him.
It was a great relief for Inette.
"Instead of that, Inette, how about you take a proper physical arts class next semester instead of liberal arts swordsmanship? Being good with your fists is a great talent."
"Ah, I told you it was a mistake!"
Inette, who was angered by Radel's words, threw the dried herbs she was holding.
She was taking time out of her precious time to help, but she was just getting angry.
She felt like she wanted to turn back time whenever she thought about that moment. Not only did she receive help from the assassin she was wary of, but her weakness was also revealed.
For some reason, Inette felt awkward seeing Tunia after that.
"Sorry, sorry."
Radel quickly apologized and picked up the herbs Inette had thrown and spread them out again.
They were in the dormitory's backyard, spreading out mats and drying alchemy ingredients.
It wasn't just a matter of drying them; they had to be trimmed one by one, so it took a lot of work.
It was not the time to upset Inette with unnecessary words. A single person's hand was precious.
Just then, someone approached them without a sound.
It was Inette's number one person to be wary of, Tunia Fiore.
Tunia stood in front of Radel and put down a basket.
'What is it?'
Inette flinched and looked at her.
She was planning to stop her immediately if she did anything suspicious.
Rattle.
However, what Tunia took out was a sack full of ingredients.
Tunia turned the sack upside down and poured the ingredients into the basket.
Seeing that, Inette's eyes turned to Radel.
She wondered if he had ordered her to collect herbs since they had decided to cooperate.
"You... you're not making her work too, are you?"
For example, like that guy working over there.
Inette stealthily glanced at Armandy, who was spreading out a mat on one side.
To Inette, Armandy was already someone who was being exploited because Radel had some weakness on him.
Looking at his deeply furrowed face, there was no doubt. It was the complete opposite of Gusto, who was working silently without any change in expression.
Radel noticed Inette's intention and waved his hand.
"What do you take me for? I've never done that."
Then, Tunia answered with a cold expression.
"It's a gift to commemorate our cooperation. I heard you like this kind of thing."
"What?"
Hearing that, Inette stood up from her seat in a huff.
"Don't give him this kind of thing, just use it yourself! He has a lot of that stuff even if you don't give it to him."
Then she picked up the basket and handed it back to Tunia.
Radel quickly added.
"No, I like it."
"Don't be ridiculous. Are you a beggar? You'll just take whatever anyone gives you?"
Radel laughed inwardly at Inette's words.
It was because he had noticed that although she was speaking in a wary tone, she was actually trying to return the ingredients to Tunia.
It seemed that she had taken quite a liking to Tunia since the night class.
* * *
Armandy paid attention to the prince and princess and moved his hands diligently.
The herbs he had secured during the alchemy night class were very tangled at the roots because they had been collected in a hurry in the dark.
Armandy's job was to sort them out one by one with tweezers.
'It's that assassin again.'
Armandy's expression crumpled upon seeing Tunia.
Even though he had warned him, the 8th Prince seemed to be scheming with the assassin after all.
To not listen to the advice of the best elite agent of the Ability Management Bureau.
Was he in such a bad mood because his opinion was ignored?
Armandy coldly reflected on why he was in such a bad mood.
Was it because he was called out as if it were a matter of course and made to do such trivial work?
Or was it because he was suddenly given a large sack during the alchemy night class and told not to come back until he had filled it?
Was it because he would bring up the past and threaten to read the diary written in his notebook if he was even slightly out of line?
Come to think of it, they were all things that could not possibly make him happy.
Of course, Armandy, as an agent of the Ability Management Bureau, tried to control unnecessary emotions that were not helpful to his mission.
However, he couldn't just stand by and watch them flirt with the assassin.
"Your Highness, I have something to say."
Armandy secretly approached Radel and said.
"What is it?"
Radel got up from his seat and moved with Armandy.
When they reached a place where others could not hear them, Armandy opened his mouth.
"Are you really planning to fight the Black Fang?"
"If I said I would, I have to."
Armandy's chest felt tight seeing Radel answer so nonchalantly.
Even after seeing the documents, he didn't seem to realize his own reality.
Was the Black Fang an easy organization to deal with?
Although they were a small group, each and every one of them was a first-class assassin who had undergone high-level assassination training.
"What power do you have to confront them, Your Highness? They are a top-class assassination group. You've never even received assassination training."
"I haven't, but Tunia is different, right?"
What was he talking about?
What could he possibly do with just that one assassin?
Besides, there was no guarantee that she wouldn't betray him in the middle.
Expecting loyalty or honor from an assassin was something only a fool would do.
Armandy wanted to beat his chest.
"You're going to fight them trusting that assassin?"
"Yeah. I heard she's the successor there. Her skills are certain."
"Even so, she's just one person."
"I'm not trying to fight a numbers game."
Radel's answer was clean.
"I don't understand you, Your Highness."
Radel, seeing Armandy's expression of utter incomprehension, said.
"Armandy, you remember when we first met."
When they first met?
Armandy's expression soured.
He remembered being hit with a water pitcher and imprisoned for two days while on a mission to monitor the 8th Prince.
It was a tenacious bond.
"I told you I had set a goal. Remember?"
"...I think I remember."
"It was the day I had a goal that was truly a goal for the first time."
I want to live as I please.
I want to live in peace.
To do that, Radel had made up his mind to eliminate everything that was trying to kill him.
Radel looked up at the sky visible between the dormitory buildings.
Fresh wind, clear birdsong.
He knew how precious this peace was.
And what he had to do to protect it.
"I want to live comfortably, but that's really difficult."
So don't think about confronting some strange assassin's guild, just tell the academy!
Armandy's insides were churning as he listened to Radel's words.
"You want to live comfortably, so you're asking why I'm making trouble, right?"
Radel smiled as if he knew everything, looking at Armandy's expression.
"You know as well as I do that hiding behind someone won't solve the problem."
What's wrong with hiding?
If the situation is not favorable, isn't hiding also a method?
To Armandy, it was an unacceptable statement.
Before he could open his mouth to say a word, Radel spoke first.
It was a serious expression he had never seen before.
"So you have to help me, Armandy."
Armandy stood still for a long time, looking at Radel, and then finally let out a sigh.
Even though he knew that his actions were wrong, his mouth opened on its own.
"I can't tell you everything, but among my colleagues who have infiltrated here, there is a former assassin."
Armandy couldn't understand the 8th Prince at all, but he couldn't ignore his request either.
"...If you find him, he might be of some help to Your Highness."
* * *
Combat Magic class.
Radel was sitting with Gusto and listening to the lecture.
It was a lecture on the points to be careful of when dealing with monsters larger than oneself.
Professor Lilian swung her staff and summoned an illusion of a giant monster, and pointed to one student and instructed them to deal with the monster based on the lecture content.
Professor Lilian, with her hands behind her small back, said cheerfully.
"Today is an indoor practical, and next time we will have an outdoor practical. This midterm exam will be replaced by a team field trip."
"Um, Professor. When you say field trip...?"
"Of course you'll have to catch a large monster, right?"
Professor Lilian smiled brightly.
Perhaps having heard the news that he had caught a red-headed fire centipede at the Imperial Hunting Competition, the look in her eyes as she looked at Radel was unusual.
Radel subtly avoided her gaze.
"Form a team of five by next class, write up a field trip plan, and bring it to me. The location can be anywhere outside the academy."
Outside the academy?
The expressions of the freshmen, whose outings were restricted, changed.
Until now, they had not been able to go outside the academy easily.
They could only go out freely with the professor's permission or during the weeks when going out to Marcellent was permitted.
But to be able to leave the academy under the pretext of a field trip!
Professor Lilian, as if she had read the students' minds, raised her finger.
"However, you are still freshmen, so you can only go on a field trip if you are accompanied by a guardian."
"A guardian?"
"Well, academy faculty or seniors are also fine. 1st-years cannot go out on their own."
Not only do they have to form a team of five, but they also need a guardian?
Radel couldn't help but be amazed at the assignment, which could be harsh for people with low social skills.
Who said magicians were eccentrics who liked to be alone?
After entering the academy, he realized that magicians were a profession that could only survive with high social skills.
Not only did magicians not prefer to fight alone, but it was also important for them to share necessary ingredients and magical knowledge with each other.
Weren't they being made to do group activities even here at the academy?
'Where do I find a guardian?'
Since seniors were also okay, it seemed like it would be fine to go to the Grade Representative Office and ask for help.
But then, a bolt from the blue came to Radel.
"If it's the 1st-year representative, Radel, I could go as a field trip guardian."
Professor Lilian, who had approached him at some point, was staring at Radel.
A powerful magic power that did not match her cute appearance was pressing down on Radel.
Inette, who was sitting nearby, and Gusto, who was sitting next to him, had been looking elsewhere for a while.
Radel also felt a chill, but he refused as politely as possible.
"It's alright, Professor. Thank you for your consideration, but you must be busy."
"Really? What a shame. Let me know if you change your mind anytime."
Professor Lilian disappeared with a glint in her eyes, as if she was disappointed.
He didn't know what would happen if he went out with her.
Radel secretly swept his chest.