Chapter: 213
Back when I used to go to school, breaks always felt way too short.
As the start of term neared, I’d always find myself involuntarily gasping, “Already?!”
But not this time. I was still tingling with the fact that my vacation wasn’t over yet.
When the heck would I be able to raise my stats on my own?! I’ve had enough rest already!
I know. This little gift was the pathetic god’s way of saying I deserved a break after all my struggles.
However, I had already taken all that rest when I was a sickly mesugaki.
Now that I’m perfectly fine and can train at the same level as the knights of the Alrn family, this automatic growth is still sticking around.
I’m stuck in this endless cycle of meaningless training!
Can’t I just take a break?!
Right, that makes sense.
But, you know! How much work do you think a slacker can actually do in this damn fantasy world?!
Without smartphones or PCs, what can you possibly do?!
Taking a break is fine for a day or two, but when a month or two passes, it becomes unbearable!
That’s why I decided to head there a few days before the Academy term starts.
At least there would be more to do there than at the mansion. Maybe I’d even get some minor quests or something.
“Are you really going, Young Lady?”
Erin, who’d been by my side throughout the break, said out of courtesy that I shouldn’t go, but I wasn’t about to miss the hint.
Having a superior glued to your side all day is super annoying.
So, I thanked her for her hard work and set off to the Academy with Karl.
Despite the long break, the streets of the Academy looked no different from before.
Of course, I expected that. The Academy hadn’t collapsed or anything, so there wouldn’t be any upheaval in a district that had been maintained for decades.
That thought changed the moment I decided to visit the back alleys, wondering if Alsetin had returned.
“Hello, guest!”
“Hello!”
The old information shop in Alsetin had been the hangout for a bunch of petty thugs.
It was one of those places regular folks wouldn’t dare approach because it looked all scary and filthy.
But not now. The thugs pretending to be bad guys were all acting respectful.
…Am I hallucinating? Is someone pulling a fast one on me?
Is this a dream? No way, that can’t be it. I haven’t dreamed in months thanks to training with Grandpa.
While I was busy processing the surreal scene that looked like it came from a hypnosis app, someone descended from above.
“My dear employer. Long time no see.”
“Long time no see, Young Lady Alrn.”
Karia’s expression was confident, while Alsetin looked awkward, making it clear who was leading this little show.
It seemed the master who had been missing for ten years wasn’t pleased with how his disciple had been handling things.
“How do I look? Do I seem okay?”
Reading my confusion, Karia came down the stairs and opened her mouth.
“I was going to teach my disciple a few things after noticing he’d been slacking on the essentials. Quite a change, huh?”
That’s an understatement. The guy who used to lick daggers was now standing at attention like a soldier. It was surreal!
“If you want a detailed explanation since you seem curious… well, have you been to the Newman family’s stronghold?”
‘Yeah.’
“Right, the creepy old maid.”
“It was all pretty normal there, wasn’t it?”
Now that I think about it, yeah. The Newman family’s stronghold was pretty much like any standard shop.
They seemed to avoid gatherings, and the service was lacking, but it certainly felt like a regular establishment.
“It’s not bad to create an unpleasant atmosphere that drives people away, like my disciple did. But the problem with that approach is that when something bad happens, you attract the ire of those in power.”
Something bad. Like some major crime could cause the powerful ones to take notice.
Even if there were connections, it was impossible to predict when you might get backstabbed in this kind of business, so Karia explained that running an info shop in a nondescript place with hardly any guests was the way to go.
“The best places are those that attract so many people you can’t tell who’s who. You can’t just create that kind of atmosphere at will. That’s why this vibe is desirable.”
‘Too… much.’
“Isn’t it even more obvious? If that hot-headed buffoon is standing rigid, wouldn’t everyone be whispering that he’s lost his marbles?”
“I told you, he’s still in training. He won’t be changing anytime soon.”
Ah, so the next time I set up a stronghold, I should aim for that kind of vibe.
Thank goodness! If it stayed like this, it would have been way too overwhelming.
“Now come on in, my employer. We have a few things to discuss.”
After ushering me into a room, Karia skillfully chased away Karl and muffled the sounds from outside, saying it wasn’t the type of conversation for the average person to hear.
“I noticed while investigating with my disciple that the Church of the God has become even more hazardous than before.”
Karia said.
Even during her time working in the kingdom’s shadows, she knew the Church of the God wasn’t the cleanest place.
However, there had been enough good people to keep some sort of balance back then.
“Not anymore. The balance has tilted.”
While it was true that the Church of the God held significant influence across the continent, all that power ultimately centered around the holy site.
And currently, there were hardly any true believers left there.
“Those who were deemed dangerous in the past have all risen to power.”
Even though Karia hadn’t done a thorough investigation yet, she sighed, predicting where this would lead.
“My employer, this isn’t exactly pressing, is it?”
‘Yes, that’s right.’
“Why, is it getting hard for you to move around now that you’re getting older? Can’t be helped—what with your age. I understand, you ineffective lady.”
“…That’s not it! Even if I hadn’t lost my strength, I would have solved this within a month!”
It’s not because of age.
It’s because I’ve lost my strength, and this situation needs a more careful and thorough investigation, so I’m just asking for some time, she raged, but then glanced down at the floor, exhaling a long sigh and regaining her composure.
“Here, take this.”
What Karia presented was a small notebook.
Curious about what was written inside, I opened it, and as soon as I took in what was on the first page, I couldn’t help but gulp.
– Cardinal Kin Crisha
Born as the third son of the Crisha family with deep faith…
Frequently uses his position to promote something denied…
Raped the daughter of the Peroa family in the past… (Evidence acquired. True.)
When negotiating, pretends to know the corruption…
The notebook detailed a powerful figure in the church’s underbelly, and it was far from minor. If it were made public, it would certainly cause a great uproar.
The entries on the back were similar. Some were detailed, some lacked depth, but all spoke of the corruption of the powerful.
“I recorded everything I could recall from the simple controversies to the verified truths during my time working there.”
There might be parts that had expanded over time, but Karia asserted that they wouldn’t have decreased.
As soon as her words faded, the voice of Grandpa echoed in my head.
[…Is this true, Young Lady?]
‘I don’t know either.’
To be precise, I’d say there were things I didn’t know and things I did.
Even within the higher-ups of the church, individuals with major influence differ from those who barely have any significance.
No matter how rotten I may be, there are aspects of the game I’m unaware of.
So I can’t be sure if everything within this notebook is true. But at the very least, from what I know, most of the things written down were indeed true.
It’s not that I don’t know, but rather that I believe they must be true too. Someone being titled “the shadows of the former kingdom” wouldn’t have endured any carelessness in their investigation.
Even while thinking like that, I answered ‘I don’t know’ considering what shock Grandpa might experience.
If I nodded along after using the pathetic god as an excuse for all my bizarre behavior, wouldn’t that make everything true?
While I, a non-believer, would only see them as trash, Grandpa is different.
He used to be part of the church and greatly contributed to the expansion of the Church of the God. For him to accept that the church has decayed into complete trash is something he’d find hard to swallow.
Such matters should be approached carefully, step by step.
For now, it’s enough just to be skeptical.
After all, in due time, whether I wanted to know or not, I’d learn the truth.
“Just keep this in mind as old information, don’t trust it too much. And you know not to show it to anyone, right?”
‘Who am I going to show this to?’
“Don’t worry. Unlike others, I’m young enough that I don’t enjoy whispering.”
“…Well, that’s a relief. Anyway, let’s hold onto it for now. I’ll update the information written in there within the next two years at the latest.”
Karia’s promise to provide proper intel soon came without any hesitation.
Is that boastful? Or is it genuine confidence?
Since I don’t know much about Karia, I can’t definitively say either way.
But if that statement came after serious consideration, then Karia might be more capable than any information source I know.
If she’s alive in this game, she’d be treated like a game-breaking character, just like Phoebe.
“Well, I’ve given you an update on the progress, so we should get to the main topic.”
The main topic? All of this till now wasn’t the main topic?!
If you’re handing me a bomb like this, how serious could the real main topic be?!
I naturally wanted to avoid hearing it, but Karia didn’t stop talking.
“This is about our employer. It’d be better for you to know before the second semester starts.”
‘Me?’
“Yeah.”
“Right, our employer. Pretends not to care about others but is actually very concerned about what’s going on around him—our employer.”
Wait, how did she notice that? Seriously, Karia isn’t even affected by the actions of the mesugaki skill!
Sigh. How great would it be if everyone was as perceptive as Karia? Then I wouldn’t get misunderstood all the time!
“To prepare your mind, I’ll tell you it’s bad news.”
‘What is it?’
“Lady, hurry up and spill it. The suspense is already enough for me to make my hair turn gray.”
“…If it weren’t for gratitude, I’d seriously give you a smack.”
As she said that, Karia sighed, brushed her hair back, and continued.
“Let’s cut to the chase. Our employer has become someone who’s envied by both commoners and nobles alike. In plain terms, it means he has a lot more enemies now.”
…What?!
What do you mean? Karia?!
Why is my reputation improving yet I’m gaining more enemies?!
Hey! Pathetic god! Are you doing your job properly?!
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