Damn Academy - Chapter 174

[Episode 174] Suspicion (4)

Luna looked at me carefully and asked in a cautious tone.

“Do you know… this person?”

“Yes. She’s a senior from the art club.”

“…Are you close?”

“No. We’ve hardly ever spoken.”
T hi s w a s c o pi e d f r o m k i n gmt l .o r g

Luna seemed wary, as if fearing that if we were close, I might have to go easy on her. To ease her concern, I added,

“She’s pretty much a stranger to me, don’t worry, and prepare comfortably.”
T hi s wa s c op i e d f r o m k ing m t l .o r g

Luna nodded lightly.
Th i s w a s copi e d f ro m k i n g m t l. o r g

“Have you heard about a senior named Ruskeus? I’m trying to gauge his strength but can’t estimate it.”

She shook her head.

“Sorry…”

“No need to apologize. Let’s call it a day here.”

“Okay…”

“By the way, did you return the book on murder potions?”

“…”

Luna was taken aback. I had just thrown the question out to ease the tension, but she seemed quite perturbed. For a moment she stood frozen, then she pulled a book from her bag and placed it back on the shelf. She seemed embarrassed, almost doing it reluctantly, and hurriedly left the alcove.

After Luna left, I killed some time before casually stepping out.

And there, unexpectedly, was Cecil. Arms crossed, she was waiting at the entrance of the alcove as if expecting someone.

When not in disguise, I had no connection with Cecil. I pretended not to notice her and kept walking, but as I passed, she spoke.

“Not many frequent the third alcove.”

“…?”

“It’s strange… to find you and Luna, who has no ties to alchemy, in the same space. What were you doing?”

My heart sank. How did Cecil realize we were meeting secretly? Could she suspect my connection with Candy, or was I caught since the time I guarded the lady? I racked my brain quickly.

“If you’re curious, why didn’t you come inside?”

“I should have barged in to see what you were doing. Does Trisha know about this?”

The mention of Trisha… Did that mean she didn’t suspect me to be Candy? I replied as nonchalantly as I could.

“Am I busy with my research?”

“That so? Following naive girls around for your research?”

T h i s w a s c o p i ed f r o m ki n gm t l . o r g
“Mind your own business.”

“No, I need to know.”

I shook my head as if I were tired of this conversation. Cecil paused and then continued in a more serious tone.

“…You’re under a lot of suspicion.”

“…”

Without any further desire to converse, I left the alcove and the library.

Though I acted nonchalant, inside I was screaming. I had a feeling that Cecil might suspect my true identity. Knowing my contact with Luna, it was a distinct possibility.

Had Professor Candinella really taken care of everything?

I headed straight for Professor Candinella’s office.

***

Professor Candinella served me tea with dried oranges.

“Drink up. It’ll help you gain strength.”

“Thank you.”

She sat opposite me on the sofa, sipping her tea.

“Cecil seems to suspect you?”

“That’s… correct.”

“Did she explicitly say she suspected your true identity?”

“Not in so many words, but…”

“Hmm… I think differently. With the measures we’ve taken, that girl shouldn’t know. Why not approach her while wearing the mask?”

“Wouldn’t it be more suspicious to suddenly ask to meet under these circumstances?”

Professor Candinella sipped her tea leisurely, seemingly unconcerned about the gravity of the situation.

“Just meet up with her. If more issues arise, we’ll come up with another plan.”

“…”

“And Cecil isn’t foolish enough to make trouble even if she does uncover your identity. It’s good to be cautious, but there’s no need to be paranoid.”
T h is w as co p i e d fro m k i n g m t l .o rg

I left the professor’s office without a solid solution.

What was Professor Candinella thinking, suggesting a meeting?

What had been done to Cecil…

I returned to the maze, gathered the stitches connected to the mask and Cecil, wrote a note asking if we could meet, and sent it off.

Soon after, the response came quicker than expected.

[Come to the top of the clock tower at dusk.]

I had never been to that unfamiliar place before. Uneasiness nagged at me, made worse by my heightened sensitivity.

***

The clock tower is the tallest structure in Eternia. That’s why it’s visible from anywhere on campus.

I hadn’t even known it was possible to climb up there.

At the top, among the massive steel gears turning in tandem, was a small balcony made for maintenance. Cecil was already there waiting.

Th i s w a s c opi ed f rom k in g m t l . o rg
“Candy, come here!”

She called out upon seeing me.

She was sitting on the railing with the outside scenery at her feet, patting the space next to her.

“Sit down.”

I took the offered seat and admired the view. I could see not only the landscapes of Eternia but also the geographical outlines of Rigved in the distance.

“Is there a reason you wanted to meet here?”

“What do you think? Nice, right? It’s the highest point after Grace Mountain.”

“It’s great. Except for the monstrous stairs.”

“…You climbed the stairs even though there’s a magical lift?”

If only she’d told me about that sooner. Cecil couldn’t help but giggle at my dumbfounded expression.

“Sometimes you’re so clueless it’s cute.”

“…”

“Sit down. I want to make this place our secret spot. Remember we talked about finding one? No need to worry about other people’s eyes here. The ambiance is also perfect.”

“I had no idea this place existed.”

“I had my eye on the third alcove in the central library, but someone beat us to it.”

I swallowed quietly. The person who had taken over that alcove was Luna and me. Was this why Cecil suspected the secret location? Now that it’s been discovered, there would be no more use for the third alcove.

Even though Cecil didn’t equate me with Candy, I couldn’t relax. She could be testing me.

T h i s w a s c o pi e d fr om k ingm t l . o r g
“The clock tower seems like a better place for secretive talks.”

“Yes. There’s something I’ve been wanting to tell you, but now I’m not sure if today is the right time.”

“What do you want to talk about?”

Cecil looked down at the sprawling view below, her expression blank.

“…Never mind. I think it’s better not to say it.”

“It’s fine, tell me.”

She had a look of concern as if troubled by something.

After a long silence, she suddenly turned to me and asked,

“Why did you pretend not to know me?”

What does she mean? Is she probing about the library incident? How many times will she give me a heart attack in a day?

“Did I do that?”

“You definitely saw me. I even waved, but you just walked past without a word.”

What is she talking about? Apart from one encounter before my escort duty, I have no recollection. Is she confusing me with someone else?

“When did you see me?”

“You walked right past me near the Guardian Tree about two weeks ago. It made me wonder how much you had on your mind.”

“…?”

Cecil spilled her feelings one after another, seemingly hurt.

“You took all my research and tools. Then you suddenly cut contact. After that, you saw me and ignored me. I’ve had all sorts of thoughts. Did you just use me and cut ties? Was I just a bomb carrier? Or just a soldier? Was I the only one who thought we were friends? It really hurt me; I couldn’t even sleep.”

Listening to her, it seems I was rather cruel… but two weeks ago, I was still in the Duchy. If Cecil saw someone in Eternia, it means she saw an illusion.

Could this be the ‘measure’ Professor Candinella mentioned? Was it some sort of illusion magic used to deceive Cecil?

“I must have missed you because I was busy.”

“No, you looked right at me and ignored me.”

“When I wear the mask, it narrows my vision.”

“You seem to adapt fine when fighting.”

“Sweat gets in my eyes, and I can’t wipe it away. If I wanted to cut ties, I wouldn’t call you out like I am now.”

“Right, I would’ve been really angry if you hadn’t called. Well, I’m still a bit angry now, but I would’ve been much angrier.”

“You’re one of the few friends I have, why would I abandon you?”

“Hmph, probably because I’m one of the few useful people you know. Not many women would be friends with someone as ugly as you.”

Cecil seemed deeply offended.

“Why do you think I’m ugly?”

“I can tell. You must be incredibly ugly.”

Her accusations seemed fueled by resentment. I owed her for her help; it was time to repay that debt.

“…I called you here to repay you for your assistance. You were a great help. The task went well, thanks to you.”

“What big task needed so many explosives? Was it an important mission?”

“…I’ll tell you when we’re closer. It’s dangerous to get involved unnecessarily.”

“…”

Luckily, she seemed to reluctantly accept my vague explanation.

“I owe you a big debt. If you ever need help, I’ll be there. Is there anything you need right now?”

Cecil pondered with a still partially annoyed face.

“…No.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes… for now. When the time comes, I’ll claim what’s due.”

Relationships strengthen through debts repaid. Cecil was worth the time and effort.

T h i s wa s c o p i e d f r om ki ngm t l . o rg
I stood up. As Professor Candinella said, it wasn’t something to be scared of. I had managed to create an alibi, whether through illusion magic or something else, so she would have a hard time suspecting me.

“I’ll be off then. Call me if you need a drinking buddy.”

Cecil remained sitting on the clock tower railing after I left.

Clouds had gathered, and soon a biting wind cut through the gaps in the tower. Her hair whipped wildly around, but she stayed put, lost in thought.

From below, her figure shrank to a dot. Everything didn’t quite fit, but suspicion was blossoming in her mind.

“Too suspicious… far too suspicious…”

***

I immediately set out to gauge my sparring opponent’s strength.

It wasn’t hard to find information about Ruskeus, my opponent.

The seniors from the art club were more than willing to help. Even if they weren’t as prominent as the main clubs, they were eager to offer assistance.

Haley, the head of the art club, munched on an apple a freshman had brought for still life drawing.

“Ruskeus, huh?”

“Yes.”

“You’ve got a tricky opponent. Sure, our freshman here is strong, cute, well-behaved… and I’ll cheer for you, but it’s rare for a freshman to beat a senior. Except for maybe Sion or Simon, but let’s count them as exceptions. For an average freshman, it’s not going to be easy.”

“How has he fared in past sparring evaluations?”

“He’s done well. I don’t think he’s ever lost?”

“Do you know his fighting style?”

“He’s from the same combat department, so I should. The issue is, he almost never fought with his full strength in those evaluations. Plus, he knows magic. In the combat department, that’s unusual. He handles both the sword and magic. Just thinking about it gives you a headache, right? He’s also incredibly passionate, having taken private magic lessons over the winter break. And… more than anything, he has a shrewd temperament. That’s why I never really wanted to get close to him.”

“…”

Haley suddenly flipped her brush and poked my thigh with the handle.

Th i s was c op ie d f r om k i n gm t l . o r g
“But considering the big scene you made in the Duchy, our freshman might have a fighting chance. Let’s talk about that later, just you and me. The art club kids are almost going nuts wondering. What did you do? Is it true you became close enough with the lady to speak casually?”
T hi s wa s co p i e d f r o m k in g m t l . or g

“That’s… I’ll tell you about it soon.”

Suddenly, Jenia, the art club’s vice-head, burst through the greenhouse door.

“Hey! What are you doing alone with the freshman?”

Haley gestured happily.

“Come here. Our freshman needs help.”

Jenia shook her head.

“There’s something else. What’s with that fox-like lady… I mean, what did you bring with you?”

She pointed behind her with a thumb.

In the entrance of the greenhouse stood an unfamiliar woman.

Jenia skimmed my expression and asked.

“Do you know her, freshman?”

“…No.”

“She insists on meeting with you. She says she’s a friend of Ruskeus.”