novelraw Chapter 43 : Chapter 43
Chapter 43 : Chapter 43
Chapter: 43 Request for Investigation
When Lily opened the door to the Student Council room, a familiar cadet entered her view.
A boy sitting at one side of the desk.
The name Ryu Jinwoo was clearly written on his nametag.
The moment she saw that face, her emotions sank heavily beneath her expression.
‘This person is definitely…….’
***
Just yesterday, late at night.
Lily received a call and headed to the Academy Reception Room.
The person who summoned her was none other than Ju Yeonhwa.
The master of Fire of Annihilation, one of Korea's top 10 guilds.
Wondering why such a tycoon was looking for her, Lily opened the door.
Ju Yeonhwa was already seated inside the reception room.
Sitting leaning against the armrest, her presence alone exuded an intimidating pressure that dominated the room.
Sharp eyes, a contemplative gaze directed at the ceiling, and a sweet scent rising from the tip of a purple cigarette.
"Ah, Miss Lily. You are here?"
SNAP-
As she snapped her fingers, the cigarette vanished into thin air as if it had never existed.
"I heard you summoned me."
"That is correct. I need Miss Lily's help."
Ju Yeonhwa gestured toward the chair opposite her.
Lily cautiously sat in the seat she offered.
"You came through the designated route, right?"
"Yes, no one will know I am here."
"……Good. Then, since there is no time, let us get straight to the point."
THUD-
Ju Yeonhwa placed something on the table.
Then, pressing it down with her fingertips, she slowly slid it toward Lily.
It was a single document.
"It is a request. Just simple observation and investigation."
Ju Yeonhwa's gaze turned to Lily.
"Miss Lily belongs to Liberta, right? This is probably not an unfamiliar request."
As Ju Yeonhwa mentioned, Lily was already affiliated with a guild.
The American guild, Liberta.
It was a mid-sized guild that handled not only demonic beast extermination and villain suppression but also various requests such as espionage, surveillance, and wiretapping.
Therefore, the nature of the work itself was not unfamiliar to Lily, but.
‘Investigation? Who?’
The problem was Lily's current situation.
She had been in Korea since last year for academy life.
Would it be possible to handle an investigation request while attending the academy?
Just as she was having doubts, the contents of the document caught Lily's eyes.
A man's face and rough personal details were written on it.
-Ryu Jinwoo
-Gender: Male
-Age: 17
"Is he a cadet belonging to Zero Academy?"
"That is correct. By any chance, were you at the Commendation Ceremony held today?"
The Commendation Ceremony.
Of course, she watched it.
It was an opportunity to see the tycoon Ju Yeonhwa and her granddaughter Seol Hayun on the same stage.
It was an event where she felt envious, but also anxious that Seol Hayun was already getting ahead.
Come to think of it, this man seemed to have been there too.
The moment a fragment of memory brushed past, a scene from the Commendation Ceremony flashed in her mind.
"Ah, the one who thanked Master Ju Yeonhwa."
The words she spat out inadvertently could not be finished.
"……."
Briefly, the air sank heavily.
Ju Yeonhwa's eyes instantly became sharp like blades.
For a moment, a rough momentum rose around her.
"I apologize. I misspoke."
"……It is fine. I do not mind it."
Ju Yeonhwa quickly softened her momentum and continued speaking.
The armrest of the chair her hand was touching was crushed, but Lily decided to pretend she didn't see it.
"Anyway, I want to request an investigation regarding this cadet."
Only then did the situation become clear.
A request for investigation on a cadet.
Certainly, if the target is an academy cadet, she could perform detailed investigation and observation duties.
"May I ask for what reason you desire this request?"
"I will tell you now."
Ju Yeonhwa cleared her throat and continued.
"To state the conclusion first, I want to designate Ryu Jinwoo as a Dangerous Individual and request an investigation."
"A Dangerous Individual?"
Dangerous Individual.
Usually, it was a term attached to villains with criminal records, potential terrorists, or those at risk of going berserk.
It did not fit an ordinary cadet at all.
"Does that mean this cadet named Ryu Jinwoo is planning to cause an incident?"
"Hmm, the expression 'cause' might be unfair to him."
At Lily's question, Ju Yeonhwa began to explain.
"This cadet had a master before entering the academy. Well, he is called a master, but he is a scoundrel who is irresponsible beyond measure."
Ju Yeonhwa shifted her gaze to the upper left as if recalling someone, then frowned.
"Anyway, that so-called master passed on a power that this cadet cannot handle."
"If you say a power he cannot handle, what do you mean……."
"I cannot tell you everything in detail. One thing I can say is that when he becomes unable to handle the power, everyone around him could suffer 'very' significant damage."
Lily's gaze turned back to the man in the document.
On the surface, he didn't look particularly dangerous.
But does that mean he is hiding something?
"However, with just what you have said so far, even if I conduct an observational investigation, I do not know what parts I need to be careful of."
"Please check every movement as you find out. Even trivial things can be important clues. In case of emergency, I ask for the suppression of the target as well."
Ju Yeonhwa said, sweeping her lips.
It was quite an unreasonable demand.
There were no key points to focus on, and the reason was unclear.
Furthermore, suppression in case of emergency?
It meant that at the very least, Ju Yeonhwa was definitely expecting some accident to occur.
At this point, although it was called an 'observational investigation', it wouldn't be strange if a demand to switch to 'surveillance' came in the moment something abnormal was discovered.
Such an investigation request where only difficulties were expected was something Lily was reluctant to accept…….
"I will give you the retainer fee first. I will pay an additional amount later depending on the results."
CLICK-
The briefcase in Ju Yeonhwa's possession opened with a cheerful sound.
A feast of countless dollar signs formed in her vision.
"Where should I send the report?"
Lily accepted the request as if possessed.
***
‘It is that person.’
Looking at the man sitting in the Student Council room, Lily noticed immediately.
To think the investigation target would appear before her eyes less than a day after accepting the observation investigation request.
Is this an opportunity or a trap?
‘First, I shouldn't make it obvious. Let's not give the impression that I am wary. As naturally as possible.’
Lily smiled brightly and looked alternately at Ryu Jinwoo and Jin Cheongha.
"Who is this person?"
She asked Jin Cheongha.
"It is a kid named Ryu Jinwoo. Say hello."
Jin Cheongha responded in her characteristic cheerful tone.
"Ah, I see? Nice to meet you. I am Lily Evans."
A polite attitude, a beaming smile, and a cute face that received praise from those around her every day.
She offered a greeting based on all the elements that create a favorable impression from the first meeting.
"Ah, I see."
The reaction that returned from Ryu Jinwoo was stiff.
A somewhat reluctant reaction, as if he was wary.
‘What is this?’
It was a bewildering situation for Lily.
Normally, Ryu Jinwoo should have been smiling broadly and introducing himself by now.
Because most other ordinary cadets were like that.
"Ryu, Ryu Jinwoo, was it? What brings you to the Student Council room?"
"Ah, I invited him. I thought I would treat him to tea."
Jin Cheongha answered Lily's question instead.
For a very brief moment, Lily resented Senior Cheongha's affability.
It's a situation where I need to start a conversation to find out anything.
"Aha, you must have caught Senior Cheongha's fancy?"
"I guess so. Haha."
Still a reluctant attitude, he even avoided her eyes.
Is he perhaps feeling burdened? That can't be possible?
Everyone liked me in the US and here in Korea too?
Lily started to feel a surge of stubbornness.
Since he is a surveillance target, it is also better to secure some level of intimacy.
"I bought some cookies, would you like to have some together? They go well with tea."
"Oh, good! Let's eat!"
As Lily opened the box and held out the cookies, Jin Cheongha laughed and reached out her hand.
It was a good flow.
Tea and cookies, and a light conversation starting like that.
It was a perfect picture to naturally close the distance.
Just as Lily thought it just needed to go on like this.
"Then I will be going now."
"Huh? You aren't going to eat the cookies?"
"You brought them for the Student Council members. It is a bit awkward for an outsider to stay too long. Thanks for the tea. Senior."
"Ay, what is this. Should I take it as a refusal? Can't be helped. You can go for today."
"Does that mean there is a next time?"
"Maybe? You never know. You might forget to wear your tie again."
Jin Cheongha winked, and Ryu Jinwoo shrugged his shoulders as if he found it absurd.
Even that was brief; Ryu Jinwoo disappeared without looking back.
They were cookies, and incredibly high-end ones at that.
High-end cookies she bought with great resolve after receiving the retainer fee.
"That cadet named Ryu Jinwoo, what is he? Is he trying to join the Student Council?"
"No, I proposed it, but I was rejected twice. He is a coveted kid, though."
"Twice?"
Lily inadvertently looked toward the door.
There was no impression that he was dangerous.
However, Ju Yeonhwa designated him as a dangerous individual, and Senior Jin Cheongha also seemed to be fixated on him somehow.
Is he really hiding something?
"Do you want to keep recruiting him, Senior?"
"Jinwoo? Yeah, I think it would be good to work together. And training too, while we are at it."
"I will help too. Recruiting Ryu Jinwoo."
"Really? Then I am so grateful!"
Somehow, the Ryu Jinwoo Capture Duo was formed.
Ryu Jinwoo himself had no way of knowing this fact.
***
"Since you show all the emotions, I cannot say anything."
I muttered while glaring at the Mimic floating beside me.
Of course, it couldn't hear me.
The guy was still buried in his own world.
[Kihikihik! Round and round~ It spins, it spins!]
It seems he even mastered the technique of rotating his pupils by himself now.
To give a simple evaluation, it was bizarre.
‘Anyway, what was up with Lily?’
The entire time she was in the Student Council room, Lily did not drop her wariness and suspicion.
On top of that, she was ridden with all sorts of negative emotions like embarrassment, worry, and annoyance.
Outwardly, she showed a beaming smile, but inside, it was completely different.
Thinking that her apparent kindness actually held a different intention, being in that spot itself became thoroughly uncomfortable.
‘Did I make a mistake without realizing it?’
It is good that I can see emotions, but it is bound to be baffling when I cannot even guess the reason like this.
‘I can't figure it out.’
Thinking more about it wouldn't give me an answer anyway.
There will be a chance to run into her again later.
"Ah, come to think of it, class."
As soon as I turned my thoughts, I realized that lunch time was over.
If I participated in the Zero Times layout, today's training was exempted, but I missed that opportunity because of Senior Cheongha.
In other words, it meant I was stuck going to receive training.
DING-!
[Cadet Ryu Jinwoo, lateness has been confirmed for the afternoon Specialty Training class. If you do not arrive within 5 minutes, it will be processed as an Unauthorized Absence.]
[Specialty Training (Swordsmanship) - Instructor in Charge: Kang Mooseong]
‘……I am screwed.’
Instructor Kang Mooseong.
The Tiger Instructor with notoriety surpassing Hojin.
I am late for that person's class, and if I am even later, it becomes an unauthorized absence?
Before I could even finish thinking, I was already running toward the training ground. Like crazy.