Morrison Detective Agency (4)
The Morrison Detective Agency's club building was tucked away in quite a remote corner of the academy grounds. Alan wondered what on earth Morrison, the founder of the academy's first detective club, had been thinking when he chose such a spot for their clubroom.
"Why is this place stuck out here in the middle of nowhere?"
"The location of the detective club's room has always been a topic of discussion. After the first club president, Morrison, chose this spot, they've never moved it, from what I've heard."
"Is that so?"
Felicia nodded at Alan's question.
"They say this used to be the heart of Club Street back in the day. But as the street expanded over time, it got pushed to the outskirts."
"Then getting shoved to the edge isn't all that strange."
To the west of the academy's main building lay Club Street, a bustling area packed with clubrooms. The Morrison Detective Agency's room was a small club even by those standards, shoved into the most remote corner.
Alan scratched his cheek as he eyed the shabby clubroom.
"Doesn't look like they've got many members either. Wonder how they got such a bold article in the academy paper."
"I've heard the academy newspaper prints anything that smells like gossip. That's why the newspaper club cadets get shunned by everyone."
Trash journalists are the same everywhere, huh.
Alan shook his head.
As soon as he opened the door, a musty old smell wafted out from inside. Amid the stale odor from the rundown facilities, a boy shot to his feet, head held high.
"Welcome to the Morrison Detective Agency!"
Trailing at the end of that voice came a familiar one.
"...Alan?"
Alan turned, and there was a familiar mop of grass-green hair. A bespectacled girl with her slightly vivid light-green hair braided down her back. It was Diavela, the librarian from the central academy library.
"Huh? Diavela?"
"Hello, Alan. It's been a while."
"Yeah... Didn't expect to see you here."
"I'm serving as an advisor for this club. As you can see, it's just the president, me, and two others who are out handling a request right now—four members total."
"Smaller than I thought."
Diavela gave a faint smile at Alan's words. Even including her, the Morrison Detective Agency had only four members. A club teetering on the brink of disbandment, its size shrinking despite its history and tradition.
"What brings you to the club, Alan?"
"Thinking of making a request."
Just as Diavela was about to ask about the request, Felicia's voice cut in.
"You two know each other, Alan?"
"Diavela Belstar, Your Highness."
Diavela bowed politely with perfect etiquette. Felicia's eyes curved faintly.
"Diavela Belstar. The librarian at the central academy library, right?"
"I'm honored you know me."
"How could I not?"
Felicia smiled but said no more, as if deliberately holding back.
Meanwhile, Lenox stared in stunned silence at the group crowding into the room. These weren't the kind of people who'd show up at a dump like the Morrison Detective Agency.
What the hell am I looking at right now?
Tyranto Empire's Second Princess Felicia, the lately famous Eastern Kun'Rung princess Lin, and Alan, author of Shuren Chronicle and the Mueller ducal family's youngest son. Not a single low-profile name among them. Lin and Felicia were princesses, no less. And there was Alan, slotted casually between them. Confusion flickered in President Lenox's eyes.
...What the hell is going on here?
Trailing behind Meia—who had the escorts in tight formation—were Shen and Stella, though Lenox didn't recognize them. It was also a shock that Diavela knew Alan. And her tone with him was completely different from how she spoke to him. Different enough to feel a little hurt.
"D-Diavela. How do you...?"
"We have customers, President. You need to handle them."
Diavela's voice jolted Lenox out of his daze. It was utterly cold and professional—nothing like the warm tone she used with Alan.
"Uh, r-right...."
Lenox cleared his throat with a loud ahem and greeted them with exaggerated flair.
"I'm Lenox, head of the Morrison Detective Agency! What kind of request do you have, client?"
"I'd like to hire you for an investigation on something that's been making noise lately."
Alan shook the book he'd pulled from his pocket.
"Let's sit and talk first. You weren't planning to keep the client standing, were you?"
Diavela brought out tea. It wasn't the milk tea from the cafe or the cheap western imperial black tea, but it was decent enough.
Lenox set down his teacup and spoke.
"...So, I've heard the story. Betting duels are trending in the Knight Faculty lately. I thought it was just a fad."
"To be precise, it's not training spars for improving skills—it's gambling duels with stakes, and this is the first time they've blown up like this."
Lenox stroked his chin at Felicia's point.
In front of him lay a book wrapped in worn leather. It was what Alan had brought.
"And the cause is this book?"
"Some lunatic apparently drew illustrations straight out of Shuren Chronicle."
Alan's voice dripped with disbelief.
"Never thought I'd live to see someone illustrate novel moves and spread them around."
"...Agreed. Mind if I take a look?"
"Go ahead."
With Alan's permission, Lenox began slowly flipping through the illustrations with utmost seriousness.
As he got absorbed in the book, Diavela asked, "How's the tea, everyone?"
"Kinda unique flavor. Like ground-up roots or something."
"It's herbal tea from my homeland forest. It clears the mind and washes away fatigue."
"That explains it. Tastes healthy."
Diavela chuckled at Alan's comment. Felicia spoke up.
"Homeland forest—does that mean the Belstar Great Forest in the west?"
"Yes."
"Herbal tea from the Belstar Great Forest. An honor to try something so rare."
"Not at all."
Following Diavela and Felicia's exchange came Lin's voice.
"Belstar Great Forest—that's the elf grand lord's territory where all sorts of spirit herbs grow, right?"
Diavela just smiled at Lin's question, offering no reply. It was basic knowledge from the Humanities Faculty's geography lectures, so no need to spell it out.
Belstar Great Forest. A key imperial asset that supplied pricey western black teas, medicinal herbs, and rare materials for potions and magic drugs.
It was Diavela's homeland—and the land ruled by the empire's sole elf lord.
That's where I heard the name before.
Alan scratched his cheek. The only elf noble house in the western Tyranto Empire, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the sword-and-magic pillars Mueller and Bernhardt ducal houses.
He'd forgotten the name—must've been distracted.
Diavela smiled shyly.
"...Yes."
Alan scratched his cheek again. He should've caught it from the "Belstar" in her name.
"So, what's your full name?"
"Diavela Forestia Belstar. I've been waiting for you to ask, Alan."
"Diavela of the Forestia clan from Belstar Forest...."
Alan nodded.
"Nice name."
"...Thank you."
Diavela smiled faintly. Human naming put the family name last, personal name first, with a middle name in between—but elves did it differently. Instead of clan or family at the end, they used birthplace. So Alan Edgar von Mueller was "Alan Edgar of the great noble Mueller house," while Diavela fully read as "Diavela of the Forestia clan from Belstar Forest."
Felicia said, "An honor. Elves rarely reveal their full names directly."
Diavela just smiled silently.
Amid the chatter, Lenox finally looked up from the book, still engrossed.
"Hey, client."
"Call me Alan."
"Can't do that. These sword moves are too precise for just novel illustrations, don't you think?"
"That's because there's a real model."
"Real model?"
Alan nodded.
"The problem is, whoever drew this has never seen those moves."
"Yet the reproduction is spot-on. Too perfect for just going off a novel. So, client—what's the request?"
"What else?"
Alan grinned.
"Find out who drew this. No deadline. One gold upfront, two more on success. Deal?"
"One gold?!"
"Factored in the info guild fees too. Like it?"
Lenox shot to his feet and flattened himself on the floor.
"Order me around however! I'll work like a dog!!"