I Became The Academy’s Narrow-Eyes - Chapter 89: Strategy Meeting

“Let’s meet again at the same location tomorrow to continue our discussion. It’s too late today.”

It was past midnight in a clearing deep within a secluded forest.

It was a great place to activate the artifact, but it wasn’t ideal for a conversation.

“Are we leaving just like that?”

Phibian asked with a hint of disappointment in her voice.

“Pardon? Just like that? What do you-”

“No, I didn’t mean it like that. I mean… why didn’t you apologize for bringing me all the way out here to this secluded place at this ungodly hour?”

“As I explained, it was necessary to activate the artifact. I apologize for any inconvenience caused.”

Phibian pondered for a moment after I gave her a respectful bow. Then, she let out a provocative laugh.

“At this ungodly hour, in this secluded place. That’s convincing. In fact, was it just an excuse to get me here for some other reason?”

“Other reason? What other reason would that be?”

“…Nevermind! I’m not saying anything.”

What did I do wrong?

Phibian had a look of frustration on her face as she turned her back on me.

She glared at the forest as if she wanted to leave right away, but then-

“…”

She turned back to me.

“Lead the way.”

“Hmm? I thought you were determined to go back alone… Are you afraid of being in the woods in the middle of the night? Oh, Mighty Phibian appears to be a brave warrior on the outside, but surprisingly delicate on the inside. It’s an unexpected side of you.”

-Whirrr!

In that instant, a gust of wind blew against my face as if I had stepped too close to a powerful fan.

***

“Phibian, how do I look right now?”

“You look much better than usual. You look… silly.”

My hair was a mess from Phibian’s wind attack as I led the way through the forest.

“Are you sure you remember the way?”

Phibian grumbled, looking unconvinced.

“Are you doubting my abilities?”

“What a strange question. Of course, I am.”

“You have a keen eye for people. You’re right. I’m terrible with directions. Don’t ever rely on me when it comes to remembering things.”

“Oh, come on… Wait a minute. What do you mean you don’t remember?

“Hahaha. How am I supposed to remember every little detail of this dark forest path? I wouldn’t be able to do it even if it was daytime with my terrible memory.”

“You’re bragging about your bad memory!? Are you saying we’re lost!?”

“If I was relying on my memory, then yes. But don’t worry. I’m relying on my senses to find the way.”

“What the-?”

Phibian was about to start complaining again when-

Ahem!

A fake cough interrupted her.

“…!”

I looked around in a panic.

“Phibian, I think someone is following us…! None of us made that fake cough just now, right!?”

“…”

Phibian avoided my gaze.

“Phibian?”

“Oh, shut up! Shut up, shut up! Fine! It was me! What’s the big deal!”

“Gasp…! You’re telling me that cute little cough was yours!? That’s ridiculous…!”

“Should I kill you…?”

“Hahaha, just kidding. Just kidding.”

It felt like she really wanted to kill me, so I stopped and approached Phibian.

“What is it now?”

Phibian glared at me as I got closer.

I took off my blazer and put it on her shoulders.

“As you said, Phibian, I realized that I was lacking in consideration. I’m sorry for bringing you out here in the cold, in the middle of the forest. Thank you for listening to me even though it must have been sudden.”

“…What? Suddenly acting all nice.”

Phibian said that, but she wrapped herself in the jacket I had put on her shoulders.

I started walking again, leading the way, while Phibian followed three steps behind me.

“Ouch~”

I turned around at the awkward scream.

Phibian had tripped and fallen to the ground.

I rushed to her side and offered her my arm.

“Are you alright?”

“Ahem. It’s hard to walk because it’s so dark and I can’t see the ground properly.”

Perhaps it was because she was flustered.

Phibian’s voice was unnatural, as if she was reading a script.

I helped Phibian up and offered her my left arm, saying, “If you’re feeling up to it, Phibian, would you like me to help you walk?”

“Hmph… I have no choice. Don’t get any weird ideas.”

Maybe she was really uncomfortable.

Phibian quickly took my arm, despite her reluctance.

‘I should have offered to help her sooner.’

As Phibian leaned on my arm and we walked together, I noticed that her body was strangely warm.

‘That cough earlier…’

I prayed that Phibian hadn’t caught a cold because of me.

As I walked, lost in thought, Phibian and I soon found ourselves at the edge of the forest.

Thud.

The wall of trees disappeared, and the view opened up.

The clearing, our meeting place, came into view.

“We’re here.”

“Ah…”

Phibian let out a sigh of relief, though it also sounded a bit regretful.

Now that I looked at her again, I realized that she was practically hanging on my arm like a koala.

“Phibian?”

I called out to her, and Phibian’s body trembled.

She jumped away from me as if shaking off something dirty.

“You’re being sensitive.”

“Hmph! You’re the one who dragged me out here at this ungodly hour. It’s all your fault. You know that, right!?”

“Of course. It goes without saying. By the way, Phibian, are you feeling alright? Your body is warm.”

“My body? Why are you asking?”

“Earlier, when you took my arm, your body felt a little warm. You were sweating a lot too, and your pulse was racing-”

“…!”

In that instant, a gust of wind blew.

It was a gust of wind filled with Phibian’s magic power.

Phibian let her body be carried away by the gust of wind, becoming the wind itself.

Swish!

With a sound effect like that, she disappeared at an incredible speed.

“Oh.”

I muttered as I watched Phibian’s figure disappearing into the distance.

“My jacket.”

***

Dungeon.

Aside from its literal meaning, a dungeon in this world usually refers to a magical space concealed by mana and magic power.

According to the setting, it is incredibly difficult to conceal a place with mana and magic power.

It’s like turning the entire place into an artifact.

You could call it the ultimate manipulation of space and time.

That’s why dungeons naturally pique people’s curiosity.

Why would someone go to such lengths to conceal a place with mana and magic?

In such cases, people usually come to the same conclusion.

-There must be treasure hidden there.

People tend to think of dungeons as giant warehouses.

It’s not entirely a wrong approach.

Dungeons are sometimes:

– The tombs of the powerful.

– Secret warehouses of the wealthy.

– Hideouts for specific groups.

– The laboratories of certain individuals.

In most cases, uncovering the secrets of a dungeon leads to enormous profits.

And where there’s money to be made, people naturally gather. That’s the way of the world.

And so-

There are experts who specialize in dungeons.

That’s right.

Experts.

In this way, discovering a dungeon and exploring and conquering it were tasks that required specialized expertise.

“We’ll need to hire professionals. Since it’s a 5-star dungeon, it’ll be impossible for us to conquer it on our own.”

The next morning.

Miss Phibian and I were sitting at a table on the terrace of a cafe located on Academy Street, our appointed meeting place.

“Miss Phibian?”

“What is it?”

“I have a question.”

“If it’s not about the dungeon, just keep your mouth shut.”

“It’s something important.”

“What is it?”

“Why are we sitting like this?”

Miss Phibian and I were sitting close to each other.

But we couldn’t see each other’s faces because our backs were turned to each other, even though there was a slight gap between us.

‘It’s not like we’re some secret agents or anything.’

A scene from a crime drama I once saw came to mind. In it, the criminal and the broker sit across from each other in a fast-food restaurant, sitting in the exact same way.

“I don’t know, why?”

“Please, enlighten this poor fool.”

“Of course, ‘because other people might misunderstand and think I’m sitting with you.’”

“Wouldn’t that be the truth?”

“No, it’s a misunderstanding.”

“There’s no misunderstanding here. If Miss Phibian and I were to sit together like this, what would happen if other people misunderstood us?”

“I’d be upset.”

“You’re a cruel woman, Miss Phibian, you really are. It hurts so bad. My heart is bleeding right now, even though my back is turned to you and you can’t see it.”

“That’s delightful news. It’s sweeter than dessert.”

Hoo-rooh.

A week after the entrance ceremony.

The academy’s full curriculum begins.

New students to the academy spend this week getting acclimated to the academy.

How?

By visiting the many famous places on Academy Street, another one of the academy’s unique features.

The streets were paved with densely packed red bricks.

On either side of it, there was a row of buildings that looked exotic to me, at least.

The scenery on Academy Street, reminiscent of a European shopping district, was undeniably picturesque and lively.

I sat on the terrace of a cafe, slightly removed from the street, and surveyed the surrounding area.

Many people milled about, creating a cacophony of sound, because Academy Street was also open to outsiders.

Many of them were lining up to enter a cafe like ours.

I wondered if it was okay for us to be taking up a table like this, with so many people waiting.

‘Well, Miss Phibian is a noble, so I guess it’s okay for her.’

I shook off my feelings of guilt with a modern-day mindset and took a sip of coffee.

“Hmm, drinking coffee on the terrace of a cafe on a street like this, I feel like I’ve become a New Yorker.”

“What in the world is a New Yorker? Anyway, let’s get back to the matter at hand. You. Do you know anyone?”

“Are you talking about experts in conquering dungeons?”

“Since you knew about this necklace, I’m sure you must have thought about conquering dungeons. I’ll be very disappointed if you tell me you don’t.”

“I do know one incredibly capable person.”

“Who is it?”

“The true head of Harashin and the Right Arm of the Assassin.”

“Phibian-ah! Miss Phibian! You can’t go with her.

You’re going to be terrified if you see an assassin.

In other words, the plan’s ruined because of you, so don’t blame me.

I couldn’t possibly say something like that.

“Let’s just say it’s someone you can trust. But I won’t be able to go this time.”

“Why not?”

“Because they’re very shy. They’re afraid of being bossed around by the noble and haughty Lady Leolalian, so they flatly refused.”

“Are you holding a coffee cup right now?”

“No, I’m holding nothing.”

Thud!

The moment I answered, I was shaken by a great impact.

Miss Phibian had hit the back of my chair with her elbow.

“Are you out of your mind? What kind of nonsense are you spouting?”

“Whew. All it took was those three words.”

“Ha. So, you were just making things up. You didn’t have a plan for conquering the dungeon, did you?”

“That’s unfair. Do you have anyone in mind, my dear Miss Know-it-all?”

“There are some in my family’s clan of adventurers who specialize in things related to dungeons.”

“Didn’t you say you wouldn’t use your family’s influence?”

“Yes, but I figured I’d at least mention it, like you did with your transparent friend. And unlike you, the people I mentioned definitely exist.”

“Sigh… If only Miss Phibian hadn’t been so adamant about joining us in conquering the dungeon…”

“Stop whining. Just tell me what you’re going to do. Is there another option besides that person?”

“Of course. Where are we right now? Academy Street, right? So where is Academy Street located? The academy. And where’s the academy located? That’s right, in the city of Phirian.”

“Phirian? Are you out of your mind? Why use someone’s name as a-”

“As you know, there are two Adventurer’s Guilds in Phirian. I figured we might be able to find someone suitable if we put in some legwork. That’s my second-best option.”

“Do you think it’ll be that easy to find adventurers capable of conquering a 5-star dungeon?”

“That’s why I’m asking you. What’s the plan, Miss Phibian?”

“Didn’t you say you were going to hire adventurers?”

“That’s right.”

“Do you have the money to hire adventurers?”

“No, I don’t.”

Clatter.

A pouch landed and settled on the table in front of me.

“While Miss Govian luxuriates and enjoys a cup of tea, I’m supposed to work hard and sweat while running around.”

“Do you have to talk like that? Say it with me. Division of labor. Assigning the right person to the right job.”

“But Miss Phibian. Didn’t you explicitly say that you wouldn’t accept help from your family?”

“What is it? What?”

“Did Miss Phibian earn this money herself? Or-”

“Are you kidding me? What do you think I am? Of course I earned it myself. Did you think this was my allowance or something?”

“Then where did it come from?”

“It’s earnings from a business that’s in my name. That enough for you?”

“…”

I, who had been enjoying teasing Miss Phibian, suddenly felt incredibly wise.

I had forgotten about something important for a moment.

The person I was having this conversation with was a gold spoon-

No, a diamond spoon.

‘What kind of business is it?’

I wanted to yell, ‘So, so, so, so, that business was also handed down to you by your rich parents! Boo-hoo!!!’ but I decided not to because it would only make me feel miserable.

“I, I’ll do as you say, Milady…”

“What are you saying again? Anyway, since that’s settled, I’ll leave things up to you. How long do you think it’ll take?”

“I’ll make sure we conquer the dungeon before the first class starts, no matter what.”

“Huh? The first class- so not only are you going to find someone by next week, but you’re going to conquer the dungeon too? How? No, wait. Why is it so urgent? Is there a problem?”

Gotta clear the quest.

“Ha, ha. A problem? There’s nothing like that. I’m just trying to take steps so Miss Phibian can focus on her studies.”

“You sound so earnest, but I feel like you’re hiding something.”

“Ouch!”

“Even if I ask you what it is, you’ll just spout nonsense about secrets or whatever. Sigh. Fine. I’ll study hard so I can conquer the dungeon before the semester starts.”

“Ha, ha, of course. Just trust me. By the way, Miss Phibian?”

“What is it?”

“What did you do with my jacket?”

I was wearing only a school shirt and a vest in the dead of winter.

This was the price I paid for assuming she would bring back the jacket she had taken yesterday.

Thud!

At that moment, through the sound of the chair shaking, Phibian heard that someone had suddenly left.

“…I-I’m doing laundry.”

“Laundry? Haha, you don’t have to go to such lengths. Then, when can you return it? I might burst into tears if you take too long.”

“I’ve never made such a sound before! Anyway, I’ll return it as soon as possible. Oh! Wait, I gave you money.”

“Hmm?”

“Buy yourself a jacket with that money. That should do.”

“Excuse me?”

“What’s the problem?”

Phibian asked, sounding somewhat confused.

“Well, not so much a problem… I was just thinking, why bother? If you just say you washed it, we could go together and you could give it to me-”

“Oh, no!”

Thunk!

“No, no, absolutely not! Don’t even think about coming into my room! It’s disgusting! Gross!”

“What’s the matter… It’s not like the school uniform jacket is so expensive. Aren’t you wasting it? If you do as Miss Phibian suggests, it’s practically like she’s buying the jacket for me. Miss Phibian doesn’t have any use for that jacket, does she?”

Thunk thunk!

“Well, what am I supposed to do with it? What am I supposed to do with it!? Isn’t that insane?”

“…What?”

“Anyway, that’s enough about that! It’s really making me uncomfortable…”

“Hehe… What is this?”

Phibian made a sound as if sipping coffee and then could be heard getting up from her seat.

“Are you done?”

“Huh? Oh. Yes.”

I heard her words and quickly stuffed the remaining coffee and bread into my mouth.

“As you said, the bread and coffee here are really good. Is it to your taste, Miss Phibian?”

“What about my taste? Why are you talking nonsense?”

“Miss Phibian’s taste is, well, different from mine- What should I say? Refined? That’s what I’m thinking.”

“You’re talking as if I’m fancy. Well, sure, I’m not as good as our mansion’s chef. But still, this has its own unique taste.”

“Dender knows this place well, Miss Phibian. He really enjoyed it. I’m going to leave now.”

“Go? Where are you going?”

“Huh? Where am I going? Of course-”

-Swoosh-

I shook the pouch Phibian gave me, making a sound.

From now on, I planned to go check out the adventurer’s guild.

Since I had been thinking about it for a while, there were a few adventurers I had in mind.

“I’ll do it later, follow me.”

“Huh? What are you talking about?”

“Hey there~”

As I passed by, Adryn and Mizu, who recognized me, greeted me.

Thunk!

Phibian’s chair shook.