Chapter 27: Treasure Hunt

Anna thought about the man she had just talked to.

Louis Vermore.

A key figure in driving out the terrorists who attacked the Academy today.

Although she did not directly see him in action.

According to other students who were at the scene, his swordsmanship was comparable to high-level magic.

And he’s only a first-year student.

To show such activity.

How much more will he grow in the future?

Anna, faintly gauging Louis’s potential, raised her lips.

Tempting.

That undisguised brilliant talent keeps stimulating the possessiveness within her.

“It’s a shame.”

But her move to bring him to her side was missed beautifully.

Guardian Knights.

She thought it would be quite a tempting offer for Louis.

He refused her offer without much hesitation.

She herself thinks that the bait she offered was quite good.

A bait that a young man with youthful vigor and ambition cannot easily miss.

But.

“He wasn’t shaken at all.”

Louis refused her offer with a single word, saying it was bothersome.

And the eyes that refused contained a certain unwavering belief.

A firm gaze that is never seen in the Imperial Family.

Is he a man with little greed, unlike his appearance?

Or.

“Did he notice?”

Perhaps Louis noticed her plan to bring him to her side at once.

The justification for the Guardian Knights was clearly packaged on the outside as being for the security of the Academy.

Because her hidden purpose was ultimately to make the talented people of the Academy completely on her side.

Perhaps Louis noticed that.

Then it makes him even more desirable.

As important as strong force is, it is restraint.

And even more important is the insight to see through the essence.

If, as she thinks, he had noticed her intentions in that short moment and tried to get out.

Louis is the person who fits the talent she has been looking for so long.

The desire to have him arises.

As the Princess of the Empire, she was always the type to get what she wanted.

There was nothing she couldn’t have.

And there was no reason why she couldn’t.

Anna thought about him in her head.

She drank the tea that had already cooled down.

Although there is no internet or radio waves in this neighborhood.

There are various video materials to enjoy.

Video materials like movies and musicals are circulating in the market in the form of recording magic.

The quality was not bad.

There were quite a few works that showed artistry overall.

But there is one problem.

“…It’s not fun.”

The most important dopamine in entertainment is lacking.

Most of them sing about the journeys of past heroes.

Or praise their achievements.

Something.

Should I say it lacks originality?

From the perspective of a modern person, the stimulus was too lacking.

After the Academy announced its reorganization and all classes were temporarily suspended.

I’ve been enjoying my rest by staying in the dormitory and lazing around.

Various video materials, including movies.

Even literary works that are said to be famous.

But eventually, I started to get tired of this repetition.

“I’m bored.”

My hollow cry echoed in the air as I lay in bed.

Then Verno, who was quietly reading a book, turned his head at my voice and said to me.

“Would you like to train?”

“The gym is closed.”

All facilities inside the Academy are closed for safety inspections.

I’m full of the desire to train, even if it’s just because I’m bored, but I can’t find a suitable place.

“But what have you been reading so diligently since yesterday?”

“Ah, this?”

The old book in Verno’s hand.

Unlike a typical novel, its appearance, which doesn’t even have a title, aroused my curiosity.

“I found it by chance in the library the other day. It seems to be someone’s diary.”

“Diary?”

“Yes. Would you like to read it?”

“Give it to me.”

I took the book Verno handed me.

And I opened the book and briefly checked the contents.

The content, which seemed to contain someone’s daily life like a diary, was full of realism.

But.

“Is it okay to read this carelessly?”

“I don’t know. It was in the library, so it shouldn’t matter, right?”

“…Is that so?”

As I read the book, a small feeling of guilt arose somewhere in my heart.

A strange feeling as if I was peeking into someone’s secret.

The book had an attractive power that made me keep reading without realizing it.

But this….

“The background seems to be the Academy…?”

“Is that so?”

As I continued to read the book, the various place names that appeared were quite familiar.

The name of the mountain behind the Academy.

The name of the old hill where the gym is now built.

“So what’s the content of this book?”

“Overall, it contains stories of the owner of this book traveling around the continent. And most of the content is

about finding a certain treasure.”

“Treasure hunt….”

Sounds fun?

Isn’t this the epitome of the life I dream of?

A life of traveling around and accumulating various stories.

And valuable treasures hidden in various places.

I don’t know if this book is a real diary.

Or a novel written by someone in the form of a diary.

But I’m very envious.

The book contains unfamiliar names that even I, who have read the original work, have never heard of.

And the field I was reading was the travel record of this place where the Academy was built.

As I was reading intently for a while, I found a familiar name.

Eldrad.

The author of the book was curious about the tall building and went there.

But he couldn’t get in because it was firmly closed.

‘But isn’t it open now?’

The building of unknown use to the right of the Academy’s main building.

Clearly, in my memory, the entrance to that place was open.

Perhaps? The thought crosses my head.

“Let’s go right away.”

I took Verno and immediately left the dormitory.

Before the Academy was built.

This place was originally the private property of a certain nobleman.

“Isn’t it dangerous? Young Master?”

“It’s okay. What could be dangerous inside the Academy?”

Just before we started.

I asked the Sage’s Bookmark a question.

Is there any danger in Eldrad that we can’t handle with our power?

The answer is NO.

I can trust the Bookmark’s answer with 100% reliability.

So I can just enjoy the treasure hunt with peace of mind.

Because if I don’t do something like this, I won’t be able to stand this boredom.

We passed through the streets where heavily armed knights were passing by and soon arrived at the Academy’s main building.

And I looked up at Eldrad, which was not far away.

“It’s a very old building.”

“….”

A building that I usually passed by without thinking because I wasn’t interested.

It’s the first time I’ve seen it in such detail.

Higher than I thought.

It’s older than I thought.

But the unique feeling of that old building seems to create a slightly cool atmosphere.

“Let’s go in.”

After loitering around and checking, I confirmed that there was no one else around us.

I carefully walked towards the brightly open entrance.

Mana-filled lighting orbs installed on the ceiling.

Thanks to that, the inside began to be brightly visible.

High ceilings.

And the countless stairs installed along the wall are like looking at the inside of an old European church.

‘What was it used for?’

A question naturally arises.

It’s not a church.

Most churches in this world have a low height.

A considerable amount of time has passed since I was possessed by Louis’s body.

But I have never seen or seen a building of this type.

“What do you think this place was for?”

Perhaps Verno, a native of the Empire, might know something.

With hope, I asked Verno.

“I don’t know either. It’s the first time I’ve seen a building with this design.”

Verno saying he’s seeing this kind of structure for the first time?

As I listened to Verno, a question crossed my mind.

‘Come to think of it, it’s so strangely shaped, why didn’t anyone pay attention to it before?’

Countless students who must have passed by this area.

None of them seemed to be hanging around this strangely shaped building.

“Are you going up?”

Verno, who had been looking around for a while, pointed to the stairs going up and asked me.

“No.”

I shook my head at his words.

For a normal person, it might be common sense to go up first in this case.

But I, who am familiar with many media, know the answer.

“We have to go down.”

If something is hidden here, there is a 99% chance that it is right below.