Chapter 105: Extracurricular Activities (4)

Bedrock’s backyard.

I sat on a bench, gazing at the star-studded sky, lost in thought.

‘How could there be nothing at all?’

It didn’t make sense.

A thirteen-year-old kid had just vanished.

Missing.

Whether it was an accident or a runaway, I figured with this many people mobilized, I’d find him easily.

But as time dragged on, we hadn’t found Kimi, not even a single strand of his hair.

I recalled the original story.

In that parallel world, the search mission had succeeded, and they’d returned.

Of course, it wasn’t the main story centered on the player’s perspective but a side story, so I hadn’t seen it directly.

Still, documents and official seals wouldn’t lie, would they?

‘Or would they?’

I briefly considered that possibility but dismissed it as far-fetched.

Rather, it made more sense to think the future had changed because of me.

‘But that’s a stretch too.’

Roenberg was a southern city, a full four hours by airship from the capital, Icata, where I operated.

Even if I’d caused a ruckus there, it was hard to believe it would’ve affected things here.

“…….”

Frustrating.

It felt like I was missing something crucial.

‘What is it?’

I decided to retrace every piece of information and memory I’d gathered since arriving in Roenberg.

Ten days ago, Kimi went out to play.

The place was an open lot on the way to the abandoned mine.

Kimi thought of it as his playground and went there every day to play.

‘But that’s all Bedrock’s claim.’

So, was Bedrock lying?

Maybe his missing son had actually run away.

Not to the playground, but to another village.

‘But seeing Bedrock grieve so desperately for his son, that doesn’t seem right either.’

If that was an act, Bedrock was a monster.

‘No way. He’s not that kind of person.’

Or what if he got lost or trapped somewhere?

He didn’t go to the playground but somewhere else and met with misfortune.

‘He’s a curious boy, so predicting his behavior is tough.’

It was a plausible theory.

‘Then we need to expand the search to the abandoned mine.’

If that wasn’t it, the only thing left was kidnapping.

‘Was there a human trafficking ring in the Frey Empire?’

I hadn’t heard of such a group operating in Frey Empire territory, unlike in the Naimus Empire.

‘Still, just in case, I’ll ask the city guard.’

Damn it. So much to do.

Irritation surged, and I sighed, scratching the back of my head.

There was no time, no time at all.

This wasn’t good, not at this rate.

My main purpose here wasn’t the extracurricular activity.

It was to find the clue Gaius had mentioned.

That’s why I came, but if I hit a wall here, the extracurricular period might pass entirely.

‘Alright, Karina and I will go to the city guard, and the rest will search up to the abandoned mine…’

That’s when it happened.

For a fleeting moment, I felt someone’s gaze from the side.

I quickly turned my head and scanned the area.

“…….”

Nothing.

Just pitch-black darkness.

Chirrr…

The quiet chirping of crickets.

I used [Night Vision] and [Detection] to thoroughly sweep the surroundings.

But I found nothing.

I tilted my head.

‘Strange. I could’ve sworn someone was there.’

Had I become overly sensitive?

As I turned back to the spot, I heard soft footsteps, and someone appeared.

“……Oh?”

Her name was Rachel, covering her mouth with her hand as she saw me on the bench.

I narrowed my eyes.

“Was it you?”

“……Huh?”

“Were you the one staring at me?”

Rachel tilted her head curiously.

Then, with a bright smile, she spoke in a cutesy, playful tone.

“I was inside the house until just now! I don’t know what you’re talking about, senior!”

I stared at her intently.

She wasn’t lying.

Faintly, I could smell Bedrock’s house on her.

It was just that her hypocritical act annoyed me.

‘How can this Rachel and that Rachel be the same person?’

The Rachel in the Dark Cleric outfit was cool and seductive, while this one seemed immature, like a screw was loose somewhere.

‘Is this how others feel when they look at me?’

Well, with this level of audacity, it made sense she could infiltrate as the foster daughter of her enemy to avenge her dead sister.

Her guts were impressive, honestly.

‘They say a gentleman’s revenge is never too late, even after ten years. Her patience and boldness are something else.’

But Rachel’s fate was already sealed.

Berserk and death.

I didn’t know when she’d approach me formally with a request, but I felt it wouldn’t be far off.

“Hey.”

“What?”

“Don’t flirt with Yuria.”

At my abrupt words, Rachel blinked in surprise.

“I heard you’ve been hanging around with guys lately?”

Rachel, who switched masks freely, froze for a moment.

“Who said that?”

She quickly reverted to her usual expression, but the stiff smile at the corners of her mouth looked awkward.

“Someone did. You don’t need to know who.”

“…….”

“Just don’t drag Yuria into anything bad, got it?”

Rachel’s purpose for infiltrating the Academy was disruption and seduction.

With her provocative appearance and carefree personality,plus the demonic charm of Lilith, she used her allure to seduce Academy members, corrupt their ideals, and turn them into pawns for the cult.

And right now, her targets seemed to be Yuria and Ivan.

Of course, that was my assumption.

But given what I saw at the training ground last time and her tagging along on this extracurricular activity, I concluded she wouldn’t act this way unless she was trying to seduce them.

‘It’s obvious.’

But Rachel protested, feigning innocence.

“I’m just trying to get close to Yuria because she’s pretty and has a nice personality!”

“Hey, you know I’ve got a nose like a dog, right?”

“A dog?”

“Yeah. I can sniff out shady smells like nobody’s business.”

Rachel’s eyes twitched.

“W-Well?”

“You reek of it. So watch yourself.”

Rachel was now openly glaring at me.

With full hostility.

So I glared back just as hard.

[Focused Gaze]

Victory was mine.

Rachel turned away and stomped toward the house.

Her steps clearly showed her desire to get away from me as fast as possible.

“Hey, hold on. What do you think about this case?”

Rachel turned back.

And then,‘What kind of guy is this?’

She looked at me with that kind of expression.

I asked casually,“A kid who was playing just disappeared. Think it’s a runaway? Or an accident?”

“…….”

“I’m just curious about your opinion, so don’t overthink it. Speak freely.”

“Hm.”

Rachel put a finger to her lips, thinking.

After a moment, she spoke.

“I don’t think it’s a runaway.”

“Oh? Why not?”

“If it was a runaway, there’d be traces left at home.”

I stared at her, not understanding what she meant.

“Hmph. Never run away from home, have you, senior?”

Rachel gave a sly smile.

I was dumbfounded.

‘Is running away from home a trend in the Naimus Empire?’

What a bizarre custom.

“Think about it. Why would a young boy suddenly run away? He fought with his parents, or he was upset or wronged by someone in the family, so he left, right?”

“Hm. Probably?”

“Then wouldn’t he want to make that clear? Like, ‘I’m leaving because of this or that.’”

I nodded without realizing it.

…She had a point.

The experience of a runaway was not to be underestimated.

Rachel continued.

“Also, kids are curious but also really scared. So they don’t usually go to places outside their usual play area. So Kimi probably went to the playground that day too!”

“Then?”

“He was forcibly taken. By someone else.”

“So, you’re saying kidnapping?”

“Yes.”

Rachel nodded confidently.

“But if it was a kidnapping, shouldn’t there be some trace? Signs of play, or at least footprints?”

“That’s why it’s a kidnapping.”

Huh?

“What do you mean, ‘that’s why it’s a kidnapping’?”

I trailed off.

A flash of realization hit me.

Yes.

I’d been thinking about it wrong.

It was a kidnapping, so there were no traces.

‘Someone erased all the evidence.’

They cleaned up every dropped item and even the playground where the kid had played.

And that someone was likely the kidnapper.

‘But who?’

And why?

For money? Bedrock had nothing to his name.

‘A personal grudge?’

It seemed I’d need to investigate Bedrock’s acquaintances too.

And ask the city guard about any human trafficking rings.

Damn it. Even more to do.

“Got it?”

Rachel asked then.

“Yeah. Go.”

Rachel turned sharply and walked into the darkness with soft steps.

Her back reminded me not of Cadet Rachel but of Dark Cleric Rachel.

* * *

The next morning.

I headed to the city guard as soon as dawn broke.

Alone.

No need to drag the others along just to ask a few questions.

‘Waste of manpower.’

They were probably scouring Roenberg’s streets, asking around about Kimi.

And that decision was spot-on.

“What? He’s not here?”

I’d come all the way to the city guard, only to find the guard captain was out.

“Yes. He’s out on official business.”

“When will he be back?”

“Hm. I’m not sure. Sorry.”

I clicked my tongue inwardly.

Couldn’t be helped.

He was out on important business. Just bad timing.

As a fallback, I decided to ask a guard.

“Have you heard anything about a human trafficking ring operating around Roenberg recently?”

“Human trafficking? No.”

He shook his head, looking like it was the first he’d heard of it.

“Then, any missing person reports in Roenberg…”

“Sorry, I’m a bit busy. Excuse me.”

The guard brushed past me with quick steps.

“…….”

Frustration surged again.

The same frustration I felt yesterday.

The feeling of missing something critical.

“This is driving me crazy.”

I sighed heavily and returned to Bedrock’s house.

Creak.

The moment I opened the door, I froze.

The scene inside the room.

Bedrock lay on the bed.

And standing tall before him was a figure.

“……!”

The instant our eyes met, I swiftly drew my sword from subspace.

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