Chapter 58
<58> The Power of the Academy
Idnia knew the location of the hideout that the Scarlet Pimpernel had set up in the swamp.
In the game, while farming the swamp area, an event would occasionally trigger at random where Idnia would encounter a scene of negotiating with members of the Scarlet Pimpernel organization.
The problem was whether the enemy would choose to retreat to the hideout or flee… She had to guess which one they had chosen.
“When one suffers a concussion, passing through a transference gate is suicide.
They will choose to recover in the hideout.”
Using spatial transference magic while one’s sense of balance is impaired is an act of suicide.
Using a teleportation spell while experiencing something like motion sickness could be compared to riding a unicycle across a single plank while attempting to jump at the same time in terms of difficulty.
There are a few who can manage such a feat, but most people are swallowed into the cracks between dimensions and vanish.
From this, Idnia could be certain that the commander of the Scarlet Pimpernel, struck by her attack, would retreat to the swamp hideout.
So Idnia rested properly for a short time at the lodging with Black Wolf, then left at dawn and brought along Black Slate.
After that, she tracked the scent from the scene and located the hideout in the swamp, then launched a raid on the hideout together with Black Wolf.
But as she thought about it, wasn’t this guy originally supposed to be someone who would die?
“The Man Eater he’s carrying. Originally, he was supposed to be killed by the swamp entity, and that’s why the swamp entity would drop the Man Eater.
Ricardo, the Scarlet Pimpernel commander who appeared in the game, is his successor….”
Since Idnia had already hunted down the swamp entity in advance, it was by no means a lie to say that she had saved the Scarlet Pimpernel commander.
Originally, this man would have wandered the swamp spying on the secrets of the Academy and been killed by the swamp entity. His successor, Ricardo, would then appear as a collaborator of the villainess Idnia, investigating both inside and outside the Academy.
That was the original flow of Concerto of Awakening Girls.
But since Idnia had not become a villainess and, armed with knowledge from the game, had preemptively hunted the swamp entity, the course of events had become tangled.
“If someone who was supposed to die is still alive, I’d like to see how fate plays out for him.
I avoided playing the villainess and retreated to the countryside, and fate responded by bringing me back with a saint’s revelation. I wonder how fate will change in his case.”
That was why Idnia had proposed cooperation to him.
“You’ve been wandering around near the Academy because you intend to uncover the secrets of Dunaise Academy, correct?
There are rumors that within Dunaise Academy lies the pinnacle of human mastery, a power that can allow a human to ascend to godhood.”
At Idnia’s words, Parinelli neither confirmed nor denied.
“I suppose you were assigned this mission because you are an alumnus of the Academy. You’re a graduate, aren’t you?”
“…….”
“Your silence suggests that’s correct.
In that case, this mission wasn’t something commissioned by an outside client to Scarlet Pimpernel, but rather an order issued directly by your guild master.
What kind of person would pay money to a thief guild and ask them to find a power capable of ruling the world?
Especially when even agents who have sworn loyalty can’t be fully trusted… ah, of course, if oath magic is used, that’s another matter.”
Idnia suspected that Parinelli himself might be under oath magic, just as he had used oath magic to erase the memories of his subordinates.
Parinelli did not respond.
But that silence was as good as an answer.
“So, here’s the thing. I’ll cooperate with you.”
“Hmm? Are you serious?”
Parinelli was taken aback by Idnia’s sudden offer of cooperation.
“What… do you want from me?”
“Ultimately, I’d like to learn the secrets of the Academy as well.
The same secrets of the Academy that Scarlet Pimpernel is after.
However, that’s a matter for the distant future. For now, what I need is to make use of you a little.”
“You intend to make use of me?”
“Yes. I’d like to sell this. It doesn’t fetch a proper price in this rural area.”
Idnia presented a jeweled cross.
“Scarlet Pimpernel moves between Black Cow Village and the main continent via a transference gate, correct?
I believe someone like you could trade this at big city prices.”
“My word. How did you know that? Ah, no… that’s not what I meant.”
Parinelli looked flustered.
Idnia had seen through not only the fact that he was under oath magic and that this directive had been issued directly by the guild master, but also the fact that Scarlet Pimpernel used transference gates to move between Black Cow Village and their main base.
But if she showed surprise here, wouldn’t that validate her statement if it had been a guess?
Parinelli was unsure how to respond and was at a loss.
“So you’re asking me to sell this? Through Scarlet Pimpernel’s transference gate?”
“Not to sell it, bring me the money. Then I’ll hand this over to you.”
“Wait, you’re asking me to prepare a large sum of money equivalent to such a treasure without even holding the item?”
Parinelli, the Scarlet Pimpernel commander, looked troubled.
“Is that difficult?”
“It is.
Though not impossible. But since it’s dealing in illicit goods, I must warn you that it won’t fetch its full value.”
“Then how much could it be sold for?”
“Hmm… may I appraise it for a moment?”
Receiving the cross from Idnia, Parinelli examined it and was impressed.
“A ruby-like red sapphire? No, the color is close enough to be called a ruby. The color uniformity is lacking, but the size is substantial.
Hmm… where did you obtain this?”
“I acquired it by defeating a monster in this swamp.”
“In that case, it may have come from the Academy, or perhaps even from an ancient civilization long before that.
In any case, it doesn’t seem to be illicit goods, so if we take more time to process it, we could secure up to 6000 shillings.”
“And if we process it quickly?”
“Then about 3000 shillings, I’d say.”
“Ha.”
Black Wolf, listening in, let out a scoff in disbelief.
A regular merchant had quoted 1000 shillings, yet a fence was offering more than that. It seemed absurd how much they were being lowballed.
Of course, this was the difference between the countryside and a major city.
Parinelli was thinking of passing it on to a fence in a major city, and he judged that this red sapphire was not far from being called a ruby.
There was also a difference in stance compared to a trading house like the Medici Company, which prioritized selling new stock first when there were clients interested in gems, due to relationships with jewelers and craftsmen.
“The issue is my reputation. I’ll have to tell a fence that I’m bringing a ruby-like sapphire and ask them to prepare 3000 shillings without showing the item.
Even if we are cooperating, you wouldn’t expect me to hand over the cross first and ask me to convert it into money, would you?”
“Yes. Is that difficult?”
“Haha. If I say it’s difficult, you’ll just hand me over to the Academy, won’t you?
I do have some standing within the guild, so I suppose I’ll manage. However, please do not expect too much; the amount will likely be around 3000 shillings.”
“That’s good.
Then aside from that… please tell me how to access the library transference gate.”
“The library transference gate….”
“Yes. The transference gate that allows direct travel from the dormitory to the library without unlocking the library facilities. I’d like you to teach me how to open that gate.”
Idnia was requesting the method used by Academy staff to open a transference gate.
“You ask someone outside the Academy about secrets within the Academy….”
“That’s because I believe you’re a graduate.”
“Haha….”
Parinelli did not deny it.
Though Idnia did not know how she had obtained the information, she clearly had a high degree of confidence in what she knew about Scarlet Pimpernel’s internal affairs.
“Very well. I’ll teach you.”
“Good. Then our deal is complete.”
Idnia boldly succeeded in negotiating with Parinelli, a member of the Scarlet Pimpernel organization.
After concluding the deal with Parinelli, Idnia heard from him about the Academy’s transference gates and the secrets said to lie beneath the Academy.
“Dunaise Academy is originally a relic of an ancient civilization that predates even the Holy Eldar Empire.”
“The power contained within this ancient civilization, where the earliest forms of magic and wish magic were created, binds the Five Prisoners of the Empire through oaths….”
“There was once a mortal who ascended to godhood within this ruin. That being is the God of Destruction worshipped by demons.”
“In other words, whoever seizes Dunaise Academy can obtain the power of a god to dominate the world.”
“Originally, those in charge of the Academy’s operations, especially Headmaster Ludwig, were so eccentric and fearsome that most people had abandoned any thought of taking control of the Academy. However, when ominous prophecies began circulating that the next Demon King would become the ender of the world, everyone once again sought ways to exert influence over the Academy.”
“Scarlet Pimpernel has been receiving many requests as well, and the guild has been dispatching personnel to the Academy thinking that if they can obtain something, they will take it, and even if not, they can at least sell information gathered along the way without incurring losses. Parinelli is the one in charge of that operation. He hasn’t discovered anything significant yet, but if something is found, the guild plans to assign additional personnel and begin excavation of the ruins.”
“The people Parinelli brought along are debtors to the guild, brought in to perform simple labor such as digging and hoeing the ruins.”
Parinelli revealed all this information quite freely.
“Aren’t you being silenced by oath magic?”
“I’ve spoken in a way that avoids triggering it, so it’s fine. Thank you for your concern. May I take my leave now? If I don’t return quickly, I feel this oath will begin tightening around my neck.”
“Yes.”
Idnia allowed Parinelli to leave.
“Ah, by the way… how did the young lady know so much detailed information about Scarlet Pimpernel?”
Parinelli seemed curious about how Idnia had obtained such confidential information, but Black Wolf intervened.
“Questions are for our master. You only answer.
For a criminal like you, especially one who drew a weapon against us, letting you leave alive is already an act of mercy from our master.
Bring the money and contact us.”
Due to Black Wolf’s interference, Parinelli could not utter a word and only prepared to carry out Idnia’s instructions.
After parting ways with Parinelli, Idnia’s group returned to the village.
Ordinary Academy students, when granted leave, would soothe their bodies strained by the unappetizing Academy meals by eating outside food, drinking, and enjoying themselves, or by taking in newspapers, novels, and literary collections to catch up on outside news and culture, sometimes watching street musicians or puppet shows to rest their weary minds.
But Idnia, upon leaving on leave, went straight to an alchemist’s workshop, and afterward became entangled with members of Scarlet Pimpernel. Instead of replenishing her mind and body during this precious break, she was instead depleting her energy.
“In the original game, all I had to do was attend school diligently.
Or rather, is this my own doing? If I had just ignored Scarlet Pimpernel and let them escape, none of this would have happened… why am I getting involved in this?”
Of course, the reason was clear. Idnia knew the future.
She knew of the increasingly harsh future ahead, filled with continuous updates and monetization demands. She could not simply stand by knowing that.
She had to do everything she could.
As they were returning to the village, a guard approached her.
“Ah, there you are. Excuse me. Are you Lady Idnia of House Betelgeuse?”
A smiling guard captain approached Idnia and Black Wolf and asked his question.
“I have a feeling this is going to be troublesome.”
Idnia found herself wishing, with all her heart, that she could live thoughtlessly like the protagonist of the original game.