Raid The Academy Chapter 154 : Omen (1)

Chapter 154 : On (1)

For a brief mont, the question ‘Did Luis co back again?’ flashed through my mind, but I shook my head.

A mont ago, the manager had clearly said guest's'.

aning it wasn't just one person.

“Why, boss? Are they people you don't know? They said they know you well.”

“No. I was just thinking about sothing else. Where are they?”

“In the hall.”

“You can get back to your work now.”

After sending the manager away and leaving the kitchen, I saw them sitting alone in the hall, which had been cleared of custors.

Four people.

Three of them had skin as pale as corpses, looking like a race that lived in deep caves, and the remaining one was a man who exuded a rough impression.

Parnaci had run a restaurant for over ten years.

Naturally, he had t and clashed with countless different types of people, and through that, he had developed a certain eye for people.

In Parnaci’s view, these were quite dangerous individuals.

The kind of people from whom the sll of blood and death never left.

Co to think of it, I had recently heard stories about such people.

‘The Beltus Cult……!’

Parnaci swallowed dryly.

I couldn't be sure, but it seed highly likely that it was them.

‘But. Why are they after ?’

And why did they co here, even impersonating an ally like Luis?

‘No matter how I think about it, their intentions don't seem good.’

Parnaci recalled what Luis had said a little while ago.

─‘There are complicated circumstances that are hard to explain. We don't have ti right now, so I will tell you when I get the chance later.’

Could there have been a conflict with the cult?

Could that be a complicated circumstance?

Unfortunately, my thoughts didn't continue any further.

Because the man with the rough impression had spotted Parnaci watching them from a hidden corner.

“Hey! Mr. Parnaci!”

Parnaci quickly raised his head and approached them.

“Haha! I apologize for making you wait. I'm Parnaci, the owner here.”

“You say you’re sorry, but why were you hiding and peeking instead of coming right away?”

Parnaci flinched at the man's smiling question but smoothly offered an excuse.

“Hahaha. Well, you see. I was actually searching my mory.”

“Why?”

“I heard from the manager that you said you know well, right? But honestly, this is the first ti I'm eting all of you. I might have forgotten, and if so, it would be a great discourtesy to you who ca to see , so I was searching my mory.”

“Aha, I see. So, did you rember?”

Parnaci shook his head with a regretful expression.

“No. I couldn't rember. No matter how much I think, this is my first ti eting you all.”

“Then what about Luis?”

“That is……”

Parnaci’s eyes narrowed.

They must have co here already knowing the relationship between and Luis.

So, pretending not to know would be a mistake.

“……I know him. Luis. I know him well.”

“That's , mister. I'm Luis.”

It was the man with the rough impression.

“You. Are you Luis?”

“Yes. Haha. You couldn't recognize because it’s been a while, huh? I’ve changed a lot, right?”

The man, claiming to be Luis, casually spun lies.

At this, the word ‘liar’ rose up to Parnaci’s throat, but he forced the muscles of his face into a broad smile.

“Ha…… haha! Really? Are you really Luis? You've grown so much!”

“I told you, didn't I? Mister. Have you been well?”

“Of course! Ahem. Then, these people here are……”

“They’re colleagues I’ve made. Now. Let's exchange so greetings.”

Suddenly, the man leaned his face close to Parnaci and whispered lowly.

“It's about sothing else. You're still in contact with Shadow, right?”

Even Parnaci, who had been maintaining his poker face as much as possible, couldn't help but let his face stiffen at this mont.

“Wh-What do you an by that? Shouldn't you know that best?”

“Hmm? You know, right? How we all scattered after that day 10 years ago. I was in the sa situation, but I ca here because I heard a villain wearing a skull mask appeared. But well, I have no way to contact them.”

The man even shrugged his shoulders and spouted shaless lies, and Parnaci was utterly dumbfounded.

‘This detestable punk…….’

In any case, Parnaci decided to play dumb.

“I haven't been in contact since that day either.”

“Hmm. Really?”

“Of course, it’s true.”

It wasn't a complete lie.

I did et Luis, but I literally just t him; it wasn't like we were communicating with Shadow like in the old days.

Naturally, I didn't know where their base was either.

“That's a sha.”

The man, who had been studying Parnaci’s face, clicked his tongue and stood up from his seat.

“Huh? You’re leaving already?”

“You said you don't know anything, right? That’s more urgent for than anything else. Everyone, let's get up. Let’s go.”

Watching them get up in a group, Parnaci inwardly sighed with relief.

At the sa ti, he thought that he had to tell Luis about this quickly.

That was, until his daughter, who was on the second floor, ca down.

“Where is Luis?”

Jaygie’s voice echoed through the hall.

At that mont, Parnaci’s heart sank.

I looked ahead with trembling eyes.

I saw them, who had just gotten up and were about to leave, frozen in place.

“…….”

A heavy silence descended.

A mont later, with a creaking sound, the half-open door closed.

The man turned his body.

“Who did you just say? Luis?”

Parnaci felt it instinctively.

That an invisible noose was now being draped around his neck.

***

Dayle, who answered nonchalantly, gulped down the iced tea.

Then he let out a cry of exclamation, “Kyah!”

“Phew. I really need to co up like this sotis and breathe the air up here.”

Dayle had been cooped up in the basent since early this morning until now.

I was just telling him about what had happened a little while ago.

“So. You just ca back like that?”

“Yes.”

“Are you crazy?”

I looked at Dayle.

“Aren't you disappointed? That old man. He has a ton of money saved up. And you just ca back? You didn't even get rejected after asking, you just ca back?”

“…….”

“You really are crazy. Do you know how many items I could research with that money, Luis?”

It was a desire revealed so bluntly it went beyond honesty.

But knowing the purpose that lay at its foundation, I could only remain silent.

How could I not know?

Like the dark circles that had settled heavily under his eyes, Dayle was as serious about Shadow as I was.

He wanted Shadow’s victory more than anyone.

I had once gone down to Dayle’s basent and seen it.

The countless papers piled up in the corner of the table.

They were all artifact blueprints drawn by Dayle, and they were a reflection of his heart for Shadow.

But for those results to see the light of day was difficult in many ways.

From the underground wine cellar that could hardly be called a workshop, to the lack of materials.

The experintal tools and facilities were makeshift, and there were no reference materials for research.

All problems that could be solved with money.

Due to the unfavorable financial situation, Dayle's abilities were trapped in the basent, unable to co out.

‘But even so, I can't drag Mr. Parnaci into this.’

The war was only between the cult and Shadow.

Parnaci was a separate person.

“Haa. Fine, whatever. Let’s say we can win the war without that old man's help. We have the boss, after all. But later on, for sure…… Aish. I don't know either. If the boss isn't here, you're the master here, so I guess I have to follow your decision.”

Grumbling, Dayle downed the tea in one shot and trudged back down to the basent.

“…….”

After staring blankly at his retreating back, I prepared for business.

In any case, Lunatic, despite being a cover, was a pub on the outside.

It was located in a corner and hadn't been open for long, so there were few custors, but there were regulars who ca consistently.

However, perhaps because of the gloomy atmosphere after the academy incident, there were no custors today.

As I was polishing the glass cups, for so reason, I suddenly changed the ‘OPEN’ sign to ‘CLOSE’ and closed up shop earlier than usual.

And I left the store.

The place I arrived at was the restaurant I had gone to in the morning, ‘Parnaci of the Plaza’.

The restaurant building, seen from the outside, had its doors closed as if it had just finished business.

But the light shining from the window indicated that soone was inside.

After hesitating whether to go in or not, I opened the door and went inside.

And I found Parnaci sitting at an empty table.

“We’re closed……”

Parnaci, who sensed my presence, turned around.

Then he saw and his eyes widened.

“……You.”

Parnaci hurriedly pulled .

And slamd the door shut.

Of course, he didn't forget to look around the shop before closing the door.

“What are you doing here?”

The atmosphere was sohow different.

Though I was curious, I first stated my business.

“I ca to get my clothes. I need them early tomorrow morning.”

“Clothes? What do you an…… Ah!”

Parnaci went up to the second floor.

His movents were hurried, like soone being chased.

A mont later, he ca down with the vest in his hand.

It was clearly much cleaner than it had been in the morning.

It was still damp because it hadn't fully dried, but it seed like it would dry enough by dawn.

Parnaci gave it to .

And as he did, he spoke.

“I. I’ve thought about it. I think it would be best if we pretend not to know each other from now on.”

I, who had been inspecting the cleaned vest, lifted my head and looked at Parnaci.

They were completely unexpected words.

Even for , who rarely lost my composure, my pupils dilated slightly as I asked.

“What do you an by that all of a sudden?”

“It's not sudden. It’s a decision I made with difficulty after thinking about it all afternoon. Please, understand.”

To confirm his sincerity, I studied Parnaci.

Parnaci couldn't look at properly.

His head was bowed low, and his gaze wandered sowhere.

His lips were bitten tightly.

And, faint tear stains and the strong sll of alcohol.

Glancing to the side, I saw liquor bottles on the table where he had been sitting a mont ago.

My gaze turned cold.

I wasn't clueless.

Sothing must have happened to him.

“……I understand.”

“I’m sorry. Please leave.”

I went outside.

I hoped it wasn’t true, but I had a bad feeling.

Parnaci's attitude, which had changed one hundred and eighty degrees after I ca.

It was hard to think of it as a coincidence.

So, I visited Parnaci’s restaurant the next day as well.

Of course, I didn't get close as he had requested. I kept a certain distance and watched the restaurant from afar, hidden.

The restaurant was as busy as ever.

Many custors ca and went.

There was nothing particularly noteworthy that caught my eye.

Ti passed like that, past dinner ti and it was ti for the restaurant to close.

The people coming out over there were the last custors.

Soon the restaurant door closed, and the ‘Closed’ sign was hung on the doorknob.

In the end, I turned around without gaining anything.

Just then, the sound of a conversation pierced my ears.

“It was satisfying again today.”

“I know. But I didn't see that friend today.”

“You an Mr. Parnaci's daughter, Jaygie?”

“Yeah. She’s so lively, watching her reminds of my own daughter back ho. I wonder if sothing happened?”

“Maybe she's sick? Co to think of it, Mr. Parnaci's expression wasn't good either.”

“That could be it.”

I stopped walking.

Only then did I realize that she, who helped out at the shop every day, had been nowhere to be seen all day today.

‘……Jaygie is gone.’

To confirm, I decided to stay longer and watch the restaurant.

Ti flowed endlessly.

The citizens who had filled the plaza went ho one by one, and soon the lights in the surrounding buildings also went out.

Darkness fell.

The light from the window that seed to be Jaygie’s room did not turn on until dawn.

And.

A group of people erged from the darkness.

Thump, thump──

They imdiately opened the door of ‘Pavrochi of the Plaza’ and went inside.

I cautiously approached the shop.

The sound of conversation could be heard through the vibration of the wall.

[Did you tell him?]

[……Ye-Yes. I called Luis here as you said.]

[Hehe.]

[Th-Then as promised, Jaygie is…….]

[Huh? Are you kidding? We have to keep her with us, we don't know what kind of tricks you'll pull. We'll return her when the job is done, so don't worry. If you try any funny business, we'll cut her throat, so just know that.]

A round of growling and clattering sounds were heard.

After the n left, I hid myself.

The fading presence.

I waited until their presence completely disappeared before entering the restaurant.

Among the overturned tables, Parnaci was on his knees, sobbing.

“Mr. Parnaci.”

Parnaci shot his head up.

“Lu-Luis!”

He hurriedly wiped his tears.

And shot up to push .

“I told you! Never. Never co here again!”

But the pushing force was weak.

I silently grabbed his hand tightly.

And at that, Parnaci finally broke down.

“Please. Please save Jaygie……!”