"What are you talking about... sir?"
Well. This is awkward.
Ilrune glanced at the mysterious stranger, who just so happened to be his coworker, Liu Xieping, and grimaced.
I met more of my coworkers at the black market than at the Academy...
Liu Xieping pulled his hood off, and shook his dark hair.
"You must be mistaken."
How did he know?
"You don't have to pretend, you know. I can tell it's you," sighed the red-eyed mage as he shook his head.
Damn it. How the hell do I keep getting myself in these situations?
The second that he realized the stranger was Liu Xieping, Ilrune's hand went straight to his hidden pocket where he kept the Welxorth badge.
By the time he took off his physical disguise, his facial attributes had already changed to Bernard Monet's.
Ilrune's fingers twitched as he removed his hood.
...It is ironic when you think about it. Here I was, trying so hard to hide away from Gisele, only to foolishly fall into Liu Xieping's trap.
Patience is indeed virtue.
"What are you laughing about?"
"What? What do you mean..."
As Ilrune felt his face, he realized that his lips had subconsciously moved into a wry smile.
"How did you know?"
Liu Xieping, watching Ilrune fuss with his hair, shrugged.
"Secret."
"..."
Ilrune gave his fellow professor a derisive look.
Bastard. He can probably see mana signatures... or something else stupidly overpowered alongside his spatial magic and whatnot. If this were a novel, this man would certainly be the main character!
The red-eyed mage let out a short laugh, as if he had read the latter's mind.
Now what?
Ilrune clutched his wand in his left hand, awaiting. If Liu Xieping had intended on activating a trap, he would at least have his incantations at bay.
Instead, the latter crossed his arms and said, "Investigate the chimeras with me."
What?
If he had been drinking, Ilrune was sure that this would've been the moment where he would go into a grandiose coughing fit.
Instead, Liu Xieping was awarded with a blank stare.
"I was looking for traces of suspicious purchases in the black market."
"..."
"You have the same idea," added the red-eyed mage after a brief period of silence.
How can you be so sure? Couldn't it occur to you that your colleague was secretly a wanted convict or some kind of criminal?
...Well. Maybe I'm the only one who would think that.
The disguised elf internally sighed. Sorry Professor Gisele...
"Indeed," Ilrune nodded, betraying nothing of his inner thoughts. "Unfortunately, I couldn't find evidence of strange bulk purchases."
If he already has his own hypothesis of what I was doing down there, then I'd rather let him think that...
"None of the magic stones vendor said anything about strange customers."
Ilrune shoved his hands in his pockets. "Have you thought about looking in the sewers?"
The hunting party was both Aurio Ettore and Theodore d'Este's idea. Aurio suggested the event to improve inter-teacher relations, while Theodore made the reservation. The forest is a well-known grade three intermediate hunting ground where students and adventurers hunt as they like. It only has one official entry point, which is surveilled by Imperial mages and swordsmen.
The forest itself shouldn't have any corrupted monsters-- it's known to host mana made creatures, such as the Praying Deers we saw yesterday.
Come to think of it- the deers were way ahead of their territory. In an intermediate hunting ground, these should be at the very back, where the stronger monsters reside. ...For now, I'll assume that the chimeras chased them away from their home.
If nothing else has problems, then the issue resides in Perseis' actions.
The image of an angry redhead popped up in Ilrune's head.
... I can already hear him cursing at me. Haha.
He technically didn't do anything wrong. But the problem lies in the way that he used to enter the grade three forest.
He can't exactly go through the legal entrance with a suitcase full of chimeras, so Perseis had his crew smuggle them through the sewer system- the same one where he found the said samples, and bring them to a secluded entry hole in the forest. Given that the same samples were later corrupted, the most likely source comes from the sewers.
There is not enough latent corruption in the air of the forest, and even if it drifted through the sewers, it would be not enough to drastically modify the chimeras.
This hints at the fact that the corruption is man-made. Well, if the alchemist is a human.
If that is so, then it is a matter of how and when the alchemist found the samples wandering about. Is there such a thing as following the corruption? Could it be that the alchemist has the ability to see corruption and thus track the creatures?
That sounds a bit ridiculous. There are ways to sense corruption, but it is always through a medium holding divine magic.
"The sewers?" repeated Liu Xieping. "Why would you want to look there?"
Ah... Maybe I should've let him come to that conclusion himself. I shouldn't appear too knowing.
Ilrune looked up at the clouds gathering in the sky, light grey puddles forming like whirls of smoke.
"Just a feeling."
The red-eyed mage had a funny look on his face, as if he was contemplating shaking Ilrune to get the answer out, but before that thought became action, his eyebrows knit together.
"To look for the leak from which the chimeras use to travel?"
No, to dilly dally.
Actually, he's not bad at using his brain... At least when he's not in social situations.
"I have the oddest feeling that you are making fun of me."
"Ahem. Now, why would I do that?"
Liu Xieping fixed him with a flat stare, then sighed.
"Never mind. You're coming with me."
"The hell I- what do you mean?"
In his surprise, Ilrune had almost slipped back into his regular vocabulary. He fortunately caught himself in time, but that incident left a sour mark in his brain.
It reminded him that he was still playing a character, and that if he slipped up even more, then the punishment enforced in dean Amyse's contract might actually be enforced.
Ugh... He's going to make me grow grey hairs with that unpredictability. Why does he even need me?
The red-eyed mage was observing him with an amused smile. "Why, to investigate the sewers? We are both quite invested in the search, after all. There is strength in numbers."
When a regular person chances upon Bernard Monet, they do not see a person with much strength. Although my fellow teachers may be skeptical, but Liu Xieping seems to have crossed the skepticism into the realm of absolute certainty.
How would he know?
As Ilrune looked into the other man's crimson eyes, he became convinced of his theory. Liu Xieping looked at him how one would wait for a hunting dog to come to heel. An arrogant belief of certainty, as if the latter had seen many others who, similarly to Ilrune, wished to hide their strength.
Even if I refuse now, he'll ask later. I should decline and leave right now.
...But I can't. If I agree with his claim that I was searching for traces of a black magic user, then, logically, I shouldn't refuse his proposal to work together.
If I refuse, he gains the ability to accuse me of doing nefarious purchases. Of course, it'll be his word against mine, but I have better things to do with my time.
Ilrune thought of the abandoned books and notes waiting for him in his office, and sighed.
I had hoped to start practicing engraving today... Well, what's happened has already happened. Best I make do with it.
Smiling through his disappointment, Ilrune said,
"I feel similarly. Two minds will fare better than a singular one."
Don't you start thinking you can use me however you want! I'll be the world's most useless partner.
Ilrune cackled internally as he shook Liu Xieping's hand. The latter's grip was strong as always, and he tilted his head, revealing a confident smile that bordered on a smirk.
"Let's go now, then."
"Huh?"
***
Turns out, when your name is Liu Xieping, you always have the necessary equipment to detect dark magic on your person...
The sewer was dimly lit by low-level magic stone lamps. Moisture particles clung to the sides like spelled decorations, and bright green algae slicked the bottom of the curved ground like a colorful mask.
The disguised elf leaned on the wall, dejected.
I might as well get accused of illegal trading...
We've been walking for ages without a single sign of corruption. There is just no reaction.
Ilrune repressed a sigh as he watched his temporary partner wave a golden trinket. Liu Xieping's bizarre, almost ritualistic, movements contrasted greatly with his serious expression.
All in all, it made for a strange picture.
I'm honestly impressed by his stamina and patience. If I were alone, I would've given up for today.
Ilrune watched his colleague for a few more minutes, checked his watch, then sighed again.
This is never going to work, is it? It's almost eight, and we have class tomorrow. Assuming that he didn't buy a faulty artifact, the alchemist lab isn't in the sewers.
"Hey."
Liu Xieping tilted his head to indicate that he was listening as he continued cautiously scanning the wall.
"Which church did you get this from?"
"Eversun."
"Really?"
"...I bought it from inside the church and had it blessed and filled with divine water in front of me," Liu Xieping replied dryly.
Does he not like being questionned?
"Meticulous," he commented as he filed more details about Liu Xieping's behavior in his mind.
Ilrune pushed himself off of the wall with a sigh.
Something here is wrong.
There could be a mana machine somewhere that blocks corruption's transmission waves
I'm not stupid. Perseis found chimeras in the sewers, so there's got to be lingering corruption, but the device is not picking up even the faintest levels? How unrealistic... It's as if someone is trying to make us believe that there was no trace of corruption.
The issue lies in figuring out how exactly we can unlock or expose the machine.
Ilrune glanced at Liu Xieping.
Perhaps I can use that while he's occupied...
The red-eyed mage was busy sticking his arm in various tiny tunnels and, as suggested by the faint glow around his eyes, he was examining the artifact's divine magic levels.
The closer it got to corruption, the more likely the levels would go haywire. It was a sign that the divine magic was trying to escape in order to purify the corruption.
The algae that grows around here is definitely irregular. That growth pattern cannot be natural. After all, this type of plant requires a source of energy, usually sunlight, to proliferate.
Ilrune crouched near the waterline and pulled out his wand.
[Remember me in the wake of dawn-
[For I have seen your twilight.]
He murmured an incantation as his wand slowly dripped mana into the sewage water.
Whoosh.
Sound and image imprinted on his mind like a burning sear.
With his eyes closed, Ilrune could visualize it clearly.
The fluid growth of algae as it multiplied exponentially.
The ripples created by the creatures alien to the sewers.
The quiet murmur created by a hidden mechanism.
Something waiting by the darkness.
It was watching him, waiting for him, beckoning him closer with the curl of a finger. Or was it a finger? In its rush to imitate a human being, what was supposed to look like a finger ended up rope like, winding from the paper thin palm to its extremity like a yarn stick. It was tired of waiting waiting waiting waiting waiting waiting waiting waiting waiting-
Splash.
Ilrune let out a shuddering breath, one that he hadn't realized he was holding.
What... what did I see?
He had the strangest sensation that, while trying to uncover the secrets of the sewers' past, he had seen something not meant for him.
He tried to take a step, but his legs gave out. Instead of meeting the dirty sewage water face first, he was caught and supported by firm arms.
"Are you okay?"
Drip. Drip.
Wait. Why am I soaked?
Only then did Ilrune realized that he was moderately drenched in some mysterious liquid.
...Please don't be sewage water.
"Professor Monet. Are you okay?" repeated Liu Xieping who was beginning to sound concerned.
He was holding Ilrune by the shoulders. In his right hand, the detection artifact. Ilrune's eyes subconsciously followed the object and found that its divine light was gone, as if erased.
He dumped the holy water on me...? What about the search?
"I must've pushed you too far," said Liu Xieping. He furrowed his brows as he scanned Ilrune's face.
"I'll make us a portal back to the Academy, we can resume the search sometime later next week."
Although his words were said out of concern, the latter's face had a distinct mark of disappointment, as if if Ilrune had held out for a few more minutes, he would've found the lab.
Why is this fellow only sometimes good at hiding his emotions?
As Ilrune observed his colleague, a term came to his mind.
Part-time poker player...
"..."
Ilrune pressed down the corners of his mouth to suppress the sudden, illogical urge to laugh.
Rather, he turned to his eyes towards the sewage water.
We've wasted too much time. I'll take the risk of being suspicious...
"I'm fine. I believe I figured out where the lab is."
Liu Xieping let him go easily, but his lips thinned as if he wanted to argue. However, he obediently followed the disguised elf.
Casting a barrier spell on himself, Ilrune wandered in the deeper part of the waterline, feeling around for something.
"What are you looking for?"
Liu Xieping, without an ounce of hesitation, had casted a similar spell on himself and crouched alongside Ilrune. Without complaining, the red-eyed mage also began feeling around in the dirty water.
"Just something... Aha!"
Crrrrr.
An old metallic latch groaned open at the press of a hidden underwater button.
The new doorway formed on an inconspicuous wall, and if it wasn't for the faint line indicating its existence, the entrance would've been looked over by even the most observant people.
"All this time, and it was right there..." Liu Xieping muttered. There was a hint of disappointment in his voice.
Impatient, the two quickly slipped inside the entrance, shutting the door with a hidden latch inside the tunnel.
They crawled amongst sewage, algae, and other dead things for a while, but then reached an arch-shaped entrance that opened into a tall cylinder-shaped room.
This is probably an intermediary room to the lab. The chimeras must be moving from here...
Ilrune glanced at the red-eyed mage, whose face was partially hidden by the shadows.
We should probably check for traps first..
Liu Xieping, sensing the latter's gaze, first made a strange hand motion. Then, seeing that Ilrune could not understand the language, he simply brought a finger to his lips to indicate silence, then jumped into the room.
Thud. He landed with an exceptionally quiet sound.
Ilrune poked his head out of the hole and watched his colleague scan the room with his wand.
Was he in the military? Or maybe a mercenary... Either way. How can you just jump into this unknown room? What if there were traps?
Ilrune observed the room from within the tunnel. He could see multiple other entrances, all tunnels which led to different areas in the sewage systems.
From this room, you could access just about anywhere in Vilste.
...Exceptional.
"Clear."
Liu Xieping's deep baritone echoed across the room and Ilrune froze for a brief moment.
I don't sense anything... Alright. I was afraid that his voice might attract any stray chimeras, but there's surprisingly none.
He braced himself and jumped in after Liu Xieping, landing lightly on his feet.
Ilrune straightened up, with his wand raised, then finally looked around the cylindrical room with a proper angle.
"Looks like this is only a liminal space."
"Then the lab could be anywhere..." muttered Liu Xieping.
Ilrune approached one of the tunnel entrances, stuck his face into the hole, then shook his head.
"No, I don't believe so. I've felt it from earlier, but the wind's been blowing from the room towards the tunnels."
The red-eyed mage raised his eyebrows. "All airflow from entrances, then? You think the entrance is hidden somewhere in here?"
Ilrune shoved his hands in his pockets. "Supposedly."
Ah, he used up all the holy water on me... I don't remember what happened, but it must've not been pretty if a pragmatist like this guy acted out.
He watched as Liu Xieping began examining the walls and corners of the room as if the latter's gaze alone could force the hidden rooms into revealing themselves.
Ilrune crouched to the ground.
I could try using mana again, but if something bad happens one more time, there won't be any holy water to pull me out of it.
For now, I'll just stick to tracking visible evidence.
He ran his hand on the stony surface, feeling at the scuffy surface.
If we go by the same logic, this entrance should also be hidden behind a mechanical lock.
If I could find a space that's much less used up than the others...
Clank. Liu Xieping kicked a piece of metal around.
Oh. That also works.
Thunk.
"Here. It sounds empty underneath." Ilrune waved his colleague around. When he tapped his wand against the ground, the sound reverberated.
"Move aside."
Liu Xieping pointed his wand at the ground.
"Wait-"
[I call upon-]
[The grace of the phonenix!]
Boom!
With a sharp flicker of light, the area previous under wandpoint exploded into a multitude of shards. Ilrune instinctively raised a shield to protect himself, but he found that Liu Xieping had also raised one.
How thoughtful... After that surprise explosion. Goodness, he must really want to go home.
"Are you alright?" Liu Xieping briefly checked on his temporary partner.
Once the latter reassured him for the second tine of the day, even showing him the double shield, did the mage decide to jump into the hole created by the explosion.
Ruffle. The sound of papers flittering around told Ilrune everything he needed to know.
Bingo.
He grinned victoriously as he jumped after the red-eyed mage.
They had found the alchemist's lab.