I Became a Murderer in the Academy. Chapter 25

I Beca a Murderer in the Academy. - Chapter 25

TN: Thank Nepper for the chapter.

The academy was noisy today.

It was usually like this, but especially more so today.

But this wasn’t limited to just one day.

It was noisy yesterday, it is today, and it will be even more so tomorrow.

Because exams were coming soon.

Students were in a state of ergency preparing for their exams.

So were studying for written exams in the library, while others were preparing for practical exams outside.

So, the atmosphere inside the academy was generally chaotic.

It was hectic, to say the least.

So Iria, who was going to the library as usual, ca back out because there were too many people.

Although it wasn’t loud despite the crowd due to the nature of the library, Iria was uncomfortable in such places.

In the end, Iria, who had lost her destination, decided to walk a little in the academy park for a change of mood.

Seeing the blooming flowers while the wind swept through her long hair felt quite good.

It was also one of the good feelings that while everyone else felt a sense of crisis about the upcoming period and was desperately preparing sothing, she wasn’t.

It’s usually good to be relaxed when others are busy.

Iria walked a little in the park and then sat down on a bench.

“We et again.”

And this ti too, there was already soone on the bench.

It was the sa scenario as last ti.

Albert, who had been there before Iria sat on the bench, spoke without even turning his head.

He was sipping coffee while looking at the park scenery.

The dead eyes and dark circles barely visible through his glasses were still the sa.

“You look relaxed. Is your exam preparation going well?”

“My schedule has beco a bit looser.”

“The external practicum. I heard about it.”

Thanks to the benefits of the external practice, Iria didn’t have to take exams for three subjects.

This had a significant impact on her exam schedule.

When others were busy, she had more free ti.

This was a considerable advantage for Iria, who had been using her ti efficiently since entering the academy.

She could even be absent if there was no schedule on the exam day.

“Do you have any plans for the remaining ti?”

So what would Iria do with the ti she had left?

Albert opened his mouth while sipping the coffee in his hand.

What to do.

That’s what I have to think about from now on.

“It’s okay if you haven’t decided anything right away. Sotis rest is important too. You seem to have been busy lately.”

“Do you know about ?”

“I try to rember as much as possible about students who take my class. And if they’re excellent students, they tend to stick in my mory even more.”

“……”

After Albert’s words, silence fell between the two sitting on the bench.

Neither of them was very talkative.

So unless soone brought up a topic, silence would quickly settle.

But still, a cool, clean breeze gently blew by.

It was the quiet atmosphere that Iria liked.

She had no intention of leaving that place for a while, and Albert also planned to stay there until he finished the coffee in his cup.

How much ti had passed like that?

In the end, Albert, slightly less taciturn than the two, broke the silence first.

Iria listened to his words.

“By the way, I heard Professor Eve is going on a business trip. It’s the place where you once went for practicum.”

“……”

“It seems to be to investigate the unidentified monster you saw during the practicum.”

“…Do academy professors do such things?”

“Of course not. It’s not part of a professor’s duties. But it would be different if they did it alongside other work.”

He took a small sip of his coffee.

“You may already know this, but among the academy professors, more and more are doing other jobs concurrently. Do you know why?”

“No.”

Iria shook her head, and Albert took another sip before speaking.

“It’s because it’s such a chaotic ti. There’s a shortage of manpower everywhere you go. Those with power are sacrificing themselves by going to the frontlines. I, too, have been dedicating myself to the Empire, cutting down on sleep.”

“……”

“I thank you on behalf of Eve for helping with her work. She recently lost soone dear to her to the back alley monster that’s been in the rumors lately. She’s probably in a ntally difficult state. The world has beco harsh, and she had to go to work before her painful wounds could heal.”

Eve is both an academy professor and a mber of the knighthood.

She was sent on a mission to investigate the back alley monster with her senior, but she lost her respected senior.

It was a heartbreaking story.

Although Iria, the perpetrator, didn’t feel much sentint about it.

While listening to Albert’s words, Iria briefly recalled the previous incident.

So that red-haired knight I saw in Leon’s mory was Eve.

The Empire is indeed small.

Perhaps the people related to the Empire were extrely limited.

After all, the academy faculty mbers were closely related to the knighthood.

Albert poured the now cold coffee into his mouth, then quietly stood up from his seat.

“Iria, you should also avoid stepping into that area. The imperial knighthood has already withdrawn from investigating the back alleys.”

Places abandoned by people have now been abandoned by the knighthood as well.

They suffered significant losses during the investigation.

Moreover, the back alley monster is highly intelligent, hiding when large-scale subjugation teams are sent.

Therefore, the knighthood has concluded that there’s no way to catch the back alley monster at the current point.

So that’s why the back alleys have been noisy lately.

Strangely, copycat cris increased while Iria was briefly away.

Anyway, it wasn’t bad news for Iria.

With the knighthood’s interference gone, the back alleys would be quiet, and even if there were more criminals, it just ant more food for her.

“I’ve talked for too long. Let’s et again if we have the chance.”

With those words, Albert disappeared.

His thoughts were still unreadable.

Iria stared into his eyes, curious about what he was thinking, but Albert’s ntal defense was considerable, so she couldn’t read him.

It wasn’t impossible to penetrate, but she would have to use magical energy.

The mont she emitted magical energy in the academy, she would be exposed as a monster, so she decided not to do anything unnecessary.

She knew to so extent that academy professors were also capable in combat, but Albert was especially so.

He was the strongest among the humans she had seen so far.

Perhaps Albert might be the strongest in the Empire.

***

I decided to investigate the Demon King’s fragnt with the remaining ti.

“Do you know what this is?”

“No… I’ve never seen such an object before…”

I went around various places in the Empire, showing the fragnt to people who looked intelligent, but it was difficult to find soone who knew.

Well, it’s probably not sothing ordinary people would see.

“Do you know what this is?”

“I don’t know?”

“What should I do?”

“What the hell?”

Still, I didn’t give up and kept asking.

Even though I walked around all day, there was no harvest.

Eventually, I entered a bar.

From experience, there was no better place to gather information.

I skillfully sat down and ordered a drink.

The owner here wouldn’t open his mouth for free.

With a seemingly ample wallet,

“Give the most expensive one here.”

“The best one is 1 gold coin. Is that okay?”

“Yes.”

Young and rich girl Iria nodded with a relaxed expression as if the price didn’t matter.

After opening my wallet and paying, I waited a bit, and the drink ca.

Thirsty from walking without rest, I downed the drink in one shot.

It was a bit high in alcohol content to drink right away, but it was fine since my body wasn’t that affected by alcohol.

“… It’s a strong drink to down without any side dishes.”

“It’s fine.”

Because I would vomit if I ate food.

It was questionable how I could drink alcohol, but I was grateful that I could at least consu this.

Although it couldn’t satisfy her hunger, it could quench her thirst.

So, I didn’t dislike bars.

But I didn’t just co here to drink.

After emptying my glass, I opened my mouth to get to the main point.

“Is there anyone around here who knows a lot about monsters?”

“Monsters, huh? There are so.”

The bar owner responded to the conversation while wiping glasses.

He usually doesn’t open his mouth easily, but he did because I paid a lot.

“There’s one self-proclaid monster expert over there.”

“Where?”

“Over there. Where people are gathered.”

I turned my head in the direction he pointed.

There, I saw people gathered around one man.

Curious about what they were discussing, I listened more closely.

I stood up from my seat and moved a bit closer.

“So, when I was young?! I killed a monster bigger than a carriage all by myself! There was even a three-headed lizard that breathed fire!”

When a man speaks loudly about sothing, the people gathered around listen intently to his story.

“You don’t know how big that monster was? Why don’t you buy a drink if you’re curious?”

I watched for a while, but no matter how I looked at it, he seed more like a quack storyteller than an expert.

“……”

Still, maybe I should check.

I thought it would be better than returning empty-handed anyway.

I pushed through the crowd and ca in front of the man.

“Huh? Who are you?”

The thod to persuade a beggar human wasn’t that difficult.

I took out two gold coins from her pocket and handed them to the man.

“Please spare so ti.”

Two gold coins in the Empire are a month’s salary for an ordinary commoner.

There’s no reason for a man drinking around because he has no money to refuse.

He accepted the gold coins with an awkward smile.

“Haha, this is sothing. Being too popular is also a problem, you know?”

I shot him a sharp glance.

It ant to shut up and just follow.

Iria’s eyes beco fierce when she narrows her brow.

She wasn’t trying to threaten him on purpose, but that’s just her unique expression.

And.

“Ah, I got it. Let’s, let’s go.”

The man, intimidated by her gaze, followed behind.