Chapter 78. Professor Assault Operation
Pirenzo Korva, an agent of the Ability Management Bureau.
He had been living as quiet as a mouse these days, carrying out his mission.
When he heard that an additional agent was needed to infiltrate the Imperial Magic Academy, Pirenzo had been relieved, thinking that it surely wouldn't be him.
But he was dispatched to the academy infiltration mission. It was because an agent who fit the infiltration identity of a Basic Physical Fitness professor was needed.
It was, in a way, natural that Pirenzo, who was skilled in physical arts and swordsmanship and even young, was chosen.
'Being outstanding is a sin.'
Pirenzo couldn't help but blame his own outstanding abilities anew.
To be honest, he was uncomfortable with going to the academy.
Pirenzo, who had always thought that emotions should not be involved in work and did not support any royal,
'I'm not like that pathetic magician.'
He did not think well of his colleague, Armandy Stein, who was an agent of the Ability Management Bureau and yet supported the 9th Prince.
To support a specific royal while in charge of the important mission of monitoring the royal family. What was he going to do if he messed up his work because of useless emotions?
Even he had recently started to have personal feelings for a specific royal because of a recent incident.
It was probably because of that feeling that he was uncomfortable with going to the academy.
The reason was the 8th Prince.
The 8th Prince, who had corrupted his soul, was at the academy.
The being who had restrained him and made him sell his conscience and secrets!
He would have nightmares even while sleeping when he thought of the devil-like 8th Prince.
To think that he had to enter the academy to monitor such an 8th Prince.
Pirenzo despaired, but he composed himself like a competent agent.
I just need to do my mission.
Let's just succeed in the mission safely somehow.
His goal was to complete the academy infiltration mission smoothly without being noticed by the 8th Prince.
Fortunately, luck was on his side.
He was able to enter the Imperial Magic Academy through the official employment process.
It was an infiltration that Pirenzo had prepared for with all his might, as it was a place that did not hire just anyone, even if there was a professor position available.
Fortunately, the result was a success.
His colleague, the pathetic magician, Armandy Stein, had entered as a freshman of all things and was having a hard time...
Pirenzo thought it was a relief that he did not have to take on that role.
He hoped to live as a professor and student and never encounter the 8th Prince. It was Pirenzo's wish to be gradually forgotten from his memory.
To do that, he had to keep his distance from the 8th Prince somehow, even inside the academy.
'Come to think of it, Armandy did achieve something recently.'
He had somehow obtained a fork with poison on it that was used in an assassination attempt on the 8th Prince and submitted it to the Ability Management Bureau.
In recognition of his contribution, his salary, which had been cut due to his failure in the last 8th Prince monitoring mission, was also raised again.
It seemed he had happened to get some crumbs by sticking to the 8th Prince's side.
Still, Pirenzo was not at all envious of Armandy.
In his experience, it was best not to get involved with the 8th Prince.
Seeing Armandy Stein, who had lost so much weight in just a short time after infiltrating the academy, he could be satisfied with his life as a professor.
However, there was something that was bothering him today.
The 8th Prince, whom he had been avoiding all along, had suddenly requested a consultation during the break.
It seemed he was asking about physical training, but he couldn't remember well.
It was because he had consumed a huge amount of mental energy to control his trembling pupils from the moment he picked up the water pitcher that he had dropped.
Although he was from a ruined assassin's guild, he was still a former assassin.
Controlling the trembling of his pupils was a piece of cake.
Thanks to that, it seemed he had gotten away without being suspected.
He didn't know how the 8th Prince had ended up in his unpopular lecture, but now that things had turned out this way, he was planning to do his mission as it was and avoid the 8th Prince's suspicion.
The 8th Prince would never dream that an academy professor was an agent of the Ability Management Bureau.
Anyway, today had been another long day.
Pirenzo changed into his pajamas and lay down on the bed.
The best thing about the academy was that the professors' quarters, which were equipped with various magic, were useful.
"Lights out."
Thanks to that, even people who didn't know magic could turn off the lights just by saying the activation word.
Pirenzo happily closed his eyes in his comfortable and cozy quarters.
Little did he know that it would be the last night he could enjoy in peace...
* * *
Flash!
"Mph?"
His vision suddenly brightened.
When Pirenzo came to his senses, his limbs were already tied up and his mouth was gagged.
To restrain him like this, a former assassin and an agent of the Ability Management Bureau.
Is there someone who has been professionally trained in ambush?
Pirenzo held his breath and looked at his attackers.
Three people wearing suspicious masks were standing in front of him.
The three of them were wearing the same mask as if they had coordinated, and their attitude was very relaxed, as if this was not their first or second attack.
The one in the middle was holding something familiar in his hand.
It's a water pitcher...!
For a moment, Pirenzo felt his vision go white.
It could be a coincidence, but his instinct screamed that it was definitely not.
The masked person in the middle tapped the palm of his hand with the water pitcher and asked Pirenzo.
"You remember this, don't you?"
"Mph! Mphmph! (What are you talking about!)"
Pirenzo desperately hid the fear he felt and pretended to be calm.
He had recognized that guy's identity as soon as he saw the water pitcher.
It was definitely the damn 8th Prince!
Still, the 8th Prince didn't know his face, so he thought he might be able to get through this situation if he was lucky.
"Mph! Mph! (What do you want from me? Why did you attack me!)"
"Hmm... You still don't get the situation, do you?"
The masked person, who was presumed to be the 8th Prince, spun the water pitcher on his hand and said.
"You have to answer my question first."
Pirenzo broke out in a cold sweat.
The 8th Prince must have come knowing his identity already.
He must be planning to torment him until he admits his identity himself.
Still, he would never admit it.
He resolved and kept his mouth shut.
Just then, another masked person who was looking at Pirenzo's appearance said to the 8th Prince.
"We don't have time to spare. I'll torture him."
"You're going to torture him here?"
"Step aside. I'll make him open his mouth in a minute."
Then, the other masked person also agreed.
"That's a good idea. I was interested in torture methods, so this is perfect."
As soon as he heard that voice, Pirenzo knew that it was the apprentice holy knight he had seen at the temple.
That guy was also a man of no ordinary skill.
Even though he was still an apprentice holy knight, he was better at healing than most priests.
He had enough divine power to fill the entire room with healing.
With that much divine power, he could even save a dying person.
Pirenzo, recalling the apprentice holy knight's ability, realized something.
Don't tell me they brought me here with the intention of half-killing me and then healing me...?
"Come to think of it, that sounds good. We can torture him and then heal him."
The 8th Prince also agreed with the other masked people's opinions.
The atmosphere was flowing in a very bad direction.
Pirenzo's face also gradually turned blue.
* * *
Radel actually had no intention of torturing him.
The conversation he had with the other two was just a bluff to check his identity.
'He's different from Armandy, indeed.'
If it had been Armandy, he would have already gotten a lot of information by having this and that conversation.
The Basic Physical Fitness professor was not that easy.
Still, considering that he had agreed to negotiate a ransom when he was caught last time, there was room to talk in a good direction this time as well.
Of course, he was lucky to be able to capture him back then...
'It would have been difficult without Tunia this time.'
A first-class assassin was certainly outstanding.
She had the skills to disable magic security and was also aware of the blind spots that magic could not reach.
She did not forget to give detailed instructions to Radel and Gusto, who were still clumsy at infiltration.
On top of that, as soon as she entered the Basic Physical Fitness professor's room, she even lit an incense that paralyzed the five senses.
If it hadn't been for Tunia, he wouldn't have been able to sneak into the professors' quarters like this.
'I need more skilled people of this level.'
Radel naturally had that thought upon seeing Tunia's abilities.
To do that, he first had to persuade the professor in front of him.
"Then how about this?"
As the Basic Physical Fitness professor continued to sit silently with his mouth shut, Radel took out Armandy's notebook from his pocket.
His eyes widened upon seeing Armandy's notebook.
"Mph?! (No, how did you...?!)"
Radel, now familiar with it, turned to the back page and said the activation word.
"Show."
Then, a red dot clearly appeared on the paper.
It was proof that an agent of the Ability Management Bureau was in front of him.
"Mph! (Ugh!)"
Pirenzo cried inwardly.
So this is the karma for selling my soul.
Although he had told him how to use the notebook under duress back then, he had never dreamed that the 8th Prince would actually get his hands on a notebook used by agents of the Ability Management Bureau.
"Mphmph...? (What are you going to do to me now?)"
Pirenzo dropped his head limply.
This was as good as admitting his identity.
However, one of the masked people didn't seem to feel that way.
"So we just have to find out if this person is an assassin or not, right?"
"Is there a way?"
When the 8th Prince asked how, as if he was interested, the other masked person answered nonchalantly.
"We can just strip him."
"Mph?! (What did you say?!)"
Pirenzo felt fear at the touch of the masked person who suddenly grabbed his clothes.
It can't be, right?
They wouldn't just strip me here, right?
But the masked person said coldly.
"Most assassins have a tattoo of their organization. We just have to find it."
Rip!
Pirenzo's pajamas were torn off without him even having time to prepare himself.
It was his favorite pajamas...!
He had to cry unseen tears inwardly again.
"Mph! (Stop! Stop!)"
Pirenzo struggled, but the touch of the first-class assassin was ruthless.
Rip!
Pirenzo, who was left with only his underwear in an instant, squeezed his eyes shut and shouted.
"Mphmphmph! (You dirty bastards!)"
Then the masked people looked at Pirenzo coldly as if to say, what are you talking about now?
Pirenzo was even more hurt by their gazes and could only shut his mouth...
"There is."
Tunia, who had found a tattoo on Pirenzo's back, called Radel and Gusto with a gesture.
When Radel approached and looked, the image of a black fang was clearly engraved on the professor's back.
Black Fang.
Could it be real?
When Radel looked back at Tunia, she nodded.
"...That's right. It's the tattoo of the Black Fang."
Hadn't Tunia said that he wasn't from the same organization?
Tunia also looked confused.
Tunia looked at the Basic Physical Fitness professor's back again.
No matter how she looked at it, it was definitely the organization's tattoo. But there was not a single guild member she didn't know.
There was one possibility.
The possibility that he was a survivor of the Black Fang that had disappeared in the past.
Just then, someone spoke to them weakly.
It was Pirenzo, who had lost all his energy and resigned himself.
"Mphmph... (I'll tell you everything...)"