As previously mentioned, the United Kingdoms have been diligently enhancing their intelligence agencies.
Among the twelve nations within the United Kingdom, four hold significant influence: Drovian, Kalion, Tylesse, and Krasilov. These nations exhibit a higher degree of specialization compared to the rest.
For instance, Drovian’s information organization consists of devotees of the four prime elements.
Constantly possessing solutions like water.
Enchanting flames that, when ignited, make you vomit up the truth.
A mystical breeze that, when suspended on a pole, unveils the past.
Quiet soil that, when buried, shrouds all truth.
Gathering the love of your elements completes Drovian-style information organization. In reality, it simply means bringing them and offering.
On the other hand, elves in Kalion’s military prefer sophisticated methods. As leaders in Mind Sorcery, their intelligence is refined and amiable, specializing in friendly information acquisition through bonding, manipulation of memories, and active use of mind spells.
Tylesse, the kingdom of knights, straightforwardly asks when curious, except considering it an insult and initiating a duel if not answered.
Conversely, the Cleansup Unit, once part of it and its predecessor ‘Enrique’s Children,’ and the subsequent Krasilov Intelligence Division, favor remarkably modern espionage activities such as observation, evidence collection, signal intelligence, technological information acquisition, terrain reconnaissance, and establishing human intelligence networks.
In summary, they engage in conventional espionage activities that other powers consider “old-fashioned.”
-Today, had a sandwich for lunch with chicken breast and mustard sauce. Concerns about nutritional imbalance; lacking vegetables except tomatoes. Recommend a more vegetarian-focused diet.
Ivan, responsible for the safety and health of the hero party members, paused from the telescope, leaving a crucial information memo in his notebook.
Episode 46: Stalker vs. Stalker
The unprecedented situation of all Knight Department freshmen being confined to hospital beds brought unexpected consequences.
“This can’t be real!!”
The exam period extended by a week.
If only a few examinees were absent, they would either have faced failure or taken makeup exams.
However, with almost all undergraduate students becoming severely injured patients, the university declared a one-week suspension.
For practical exams, it didn’t matter, but for written exams, it posed a different challenge. Physical education students, experiencing exam preparation for the first time, vented their frustration.
The main targets were mainly theology, magic, fine arts, and music…
Especially music students.
“Why are you guys so lucky!!” (A certain student)
“We’re all from the same art department!! Why are only you guys so happy!!” (A certain student from knight department)
“I can’t believe this! It’s not real! Why do knights need to study for written exams?” (A certain student from knight department)
By the way, music majors also study written exams. Music history, formal analysis, counterpoint, harmony. I would even argue that they have more subjects based on written exams than knight majors.
Of course, such facts are not important to the sword and shield department.
Those music guys.
While hardworking individuals sweat to make a living day by day, these guys just sit on the market floor, singing and earning money! (Busking is a very challenging job.)
“Sigh. Smell the sweat. When entering Uncle’s restaurant, you should take a shower. That means wetting your body, creating enough foam with soap, thoroughly cleaning every corner, and rinsing with water again.” (A certain music student)
“These crazy bitches…!!” (A certain music student)
During this time, such scenes were easily found throughout the university campus.
The enraged Knight Department students and the mocking looks of the Music Department students.
It’s unknown who thought of grouping the Knight Department and the Music Department into the same arts school, but there must have been a curse involved.
Ecdysis was singing a sad song in this chaotic era.
*
“Who come next?” (Ecdysis)
“Crazy bitch… A crazy bitch…!”
Outdoor gymnasium at the arts university.
Ecdysis eerily stared at the twisted violin held upside down in her hand.
Behind her were fellow department students.
In front of her, the disheveled students of Knighthood.
At her feet, five corpses with their heads blown off (no, not really).
All of this was the result of the strongest music student standing up for justice.
The first generation of Vio-unni sacrificed itself for her friend.
The second generation of Vio-unni was taken away in vain.
And now, here. The third generation of Vio-unni was fighting to protect her honor.
As reflected at some point, instruments are the lifeblood of musicians.
With determination in her heart, Ecdysis was chastising those who dared to enter the music department’s main gate without understanding the meaning of music.
“Knight Department 1st-years defeated by a Music Department 1st-year, already five!”
“Ahahaha!”
“See, you ignorant fools. ‘Music,’ highly developed, is indistinguishable from ‘force.’”
“Go back. And tell everyone… the Music Department will now ‘rule’ over the entire Arts University….”
The upperclassmen didn’t join the freshmen’s playful antics.
Knight Department upperclassmen watched while eating popcorn, enjoying the spectacle of the 1st-years being beaten. Music Department upperclassmen didn’t bother challenging Knight Department 1st-years in the first place.
Thus, this naturally formed ‘duel’ was turning into a festival for the Arts University 1st-year students. (Note: The Knight Department is still in the exam period.)
Traitors like Yuri, Isabelle, Oscar, and others in the top-ranking lines of their departments, to everyone’s surprise, were diligently studying for their exams, ignoring this spectacle. Therefore, only one option remained for the students.
A demon who, without studying, made the entire department kneel with just one practical exam…!
“Let’s teach them a lesson, Boss!”
“That’s right, Boss. If you intervene, they’re all done for!”
A freshman ran off, shouting third-rate villain lines.
Soon, a shabby middle-aged man appeared from somewhere. Mord, the strongest Knight Department 1st-year, was there.
“No, I need to prepare for the next exam…” (Mord)
“Don’t lie, Boss!! And is that trivial exam more important than the honor of the department, which is now rolling on the ground?”
What are these assholes talking about?
Certainly, they were the only ones bothered by exams, and if exams are insignificant now, what was the purpose of getting upset in the first place?
The wise Drovian Huscal quickly realized. Ah, they just want to escape from exams and have fun.
As he regained his composure and looked straight ahead, he saw Ecdysis gripping a partially broken violin tightly.
“How many months did you spend this time (for the violin), Eshi?”
“Just one month, Uncle…”
“Impressive. Still, you went over three weeks.”
Mord nodded approvingly and turned away.
“Forfeit. I lost. Ah, the Music Department is too strong. She’s Einar’s daughter, after all.”
“Unbelievable… Is blood ties more important than academic standing, Boss…? The honor of the Knight Department!?”
“By the way, Eshi and I are not related by blood. It’s adoption.” (Mord)
“Drovian… I will never forget it…!!” (A certain knight department student)
“Don’t talk nonsense; go study for your exams, you guys.” (Mord)
“From today, you are not my brother anymore!!” (A certain knight department student)
With a sobbing noble from Tylesse rushing to the main building of the undergraduate department, the day’s commotion came to an end.
Ivan quietly observed the scene from behind a tree and adjusted his notes with a pen.
– Ecdysis. Percussion instruments suit you more than string instruments.
*
“Damn it. This is not the time for this!”
Ecdysis was furious, so engrossed in the commotion that she forgets what she is supposed to be doing.
Of course, her duty is to be a student.
However, Ecdysis Einarsdottir, a 1st-year student in the Department of Music, and ‘Isabelle’s friend’ Ecdysis should be entirely different individuals.
It was a time when not an ordinary music student, but a warrior armed with justice and cooperation, was needed.
Coincidentally, Vio-unni had just spilled some blood.
Ecdysis steadied her resolve and moved forward. To find the cunning adversary hiding somewhere on this campus.
To understand the enemy’s intentions and to administer justice.
Her father would surely support her righteous power.
*
To emphasize once again, Ivan is an entirely harmless and ordinary-looking faculty member.
Originally, he was a master of concealment, infiltration, and covert operations. If he wanted to appear ordinary, he could be more ordinary than anyone.
But there was no need for such advanced infiltration techniques. Fundamentally, he had an unremarkable appearance that, when passing by, could easily be forgotten.
“Eek…!”
A student from the Department of Magic fled, causing a commotion.
As Ivan hung from the top of a tree, hidden behind a shadow, the student who noticed him should be praised for their keen eyesight.
Of course, Ivan had memorized the profiles of all the students in this campus, so he recognized the young man who just fled. The one who had once littered cigarette butts without permission and received a ‘smoking cessation clinic.’ A shamefaced student indeed.
Typical university behavior. Ivan nodded expressionlessly and shifted his gaze.
Elpheira.
Daughter of Veolgrin.
1st-year top student in the Department of Magic, a genius who set the highest score in the department’s entrance practical exam.
He looked at Elpheira, who was squinting her eyes, holding his notepad.
– Except for a few followers, interpersonal relationships are not smooth. Resembles her father.
He sincerely wrote a profile, filled only with honesty and without any ill intentions.
“Hmm.”
Ivan sensed someone’s gaze and turned his head.
*
“…It wasn’t just Bella….”
Isabelle, and perhaps even Enrique, might not have been the sole ‘prey’ of that man, she thought.
The terror of the predator observing someone from a distance, searching for ‘weaknesses,’ weighed on her.
The rumor’s protagonist, who sent all 50 Knight Department freshmen to the Theology Department’s intensive care room, the insane cigarette collector, the nightmare behind the tree, the bearded giant…. A man with handsome features (according to Isabel’s perspective)….
As Ecdysis, gradually approaching the dreadful truth each time she collected rumors about the ‘gardener,’ observed Ivan from the bushes.
Writing notes while looking at someone from the Department of Magic, the appearance of the creature hanging from a tree.
“Stalker….”
She had become a stalker stalking the Academy’s stalker.
*
Author’s Note:
Note: The author is an alumnus of the Arts University, and music students do indeed cause noise with ensemble practices and vocal exercises in the real club rooms.
To be continued in the next episode.
