I Become a Secret Police Officer of The Imperial Academy

Chapter 6

“…I don’t want to go to school.”

Those were the words I muttered out of habit as I opened my eyes in the morning.

I really didn’t want to go to school.

How on earth does that lunatic Theo manage to attend every single day without fail and still find the energy to train like a maniac?

I dragged myself out of bed, walked to the bathroom in my pajamas, washed up half-heartedly, got dressed, and left the house.

Come to think of it, I haven’t run into anyone in the house lately.

Maybe it’s because the whole atmosphere feels gloomy and twisted.

After arriving at school and sitting in the classroom, I cracked open a novel I’d read before.

As I was flipping through its uninteresting pages, someone placed a hand on my shoulder.

“Ellen! Long time no see.”

I closed the dull book and greeted them back, “Yeah, it’s been a while.”

It wasn’t like Ethel was my only friend.

If you want to wander around the academy, gather information, and stay in the loop, you need to get along with a variety of people.

Still, Ethel, Theo, that rude magician, and this person in front of me were the ones I was closest to.

We used to stick together constantly.

“Are you the only one who came to school today?”

“Besides Theo-senpai and the usual people who like to use the training facilities, yeah, pretty much.”

“Then why did you come?”

“Nothing to do at home. Thought I’d come to the library and read some books.

What about you, Isabel?”

“Same here. Had nothing to do at home and figured I’d swing by. Then I spotted you.”

I closed the book I’d been reading.

Once I lose interest in a book, I don’t feel like picking it up again. This one was a theory book on magic, and I wasn’t in the mood to force myself through it.

I was planning to finish it and head out to work, but I guess I can spare a little time to chat.

Before dealing with things in the shadows, I should prioritize the version of me that exists under the sun.

“Where’s Theo?”

“Probably swinging his sword around in the training area. Either that, or playing with something he picked up yesterday.”

“Picked up?”

“You know how Theo-senpai is.

If he sees someone in trouble, he can’t just leave them alone.

He saved a demon girl who was surrounded by an angry mob.”

“Hmm… What about Ethel and the others?”

“They didn’t come.”

At those words, Isabel let out a long sigh, then plopped down not in a chair but on top of the desk in front of me.

She fidgeted restlessly, like a puppy whining for a walk.

“Wanna grab some coffee?” I asked.

“I don’t want coffee. I want something else.”

“Fine by me.”

I figured I’d humor her for a while, get her a drink, and once I got tired of her, I’d send her off to Theo.

We stopped by a café we frequented near the school.

The young worker who usually manned the counter was nowhere to be seen.

Instead, an older man was there, waiting to take orders.

Isabel tilted her head in confusion and asked him where the usual guy went.

The old man’s reply was simple and blunt: “He’s dead.”

After taking a moment to process that, we ordered our drinks.

I got a sweet drink made with strawberries and coffee.

With drinks in hand, we picked a seat at a comfortable spot.

I sat by the window, staring outside.

The roads were still charred in places, and there were stores with broken windows that still hadn’t been replaced.

“It wasn’t like this before,” Isabel muttered.

Her voice was lively, like a cheerful girl caught in a moment of reflection.

Fortunately, she said no one in her family had died.

That’s probably why she could still act like this.

Good for her.

As for me? I prefer it this way.

The less things change, the more peace I feel.

“Yeah, it wasn’t like this.”

There weren’t many people left to capture in the first place, and it’s not like I had to go out and do the work myself.

“Still, don’t you think things will eventually go back to normal?”

“That would be nice.”

Maybe it’s because the person brewing the coffee changed, but it felt excessively bitter today.

Well, at least it’ll wake me up.

Once it cools down, I’ll just down it all in one go.

“I just want to go back to the old days when we’d hang out, wander around together, and sometimes spar for fun.

But everything’s a mess now.”

“I can spar with you.”

“…You collapse in less than ten seconds.”

“That’s the problem, yeah.”

I thought it was a decent attempt at humor, but she didn’t laugh, so now it just feels awkward.

“Besides the librarian, none of the people we know have died — or gone missing, right?”

“Right.”

“You look tired, though.

There aren’t any classes, so you should get some rest.

If you don’t get enough sleep, your skin will suffer.”

“I sleep just fine, don’t worry.”

Isabel squinted at me with a slightly hazy look in her eyes.

Did I get dark circles under my eyes or something?

“You know my father’s a war hero, right?”

Suddenly boasting about her family?

That’s not like her.

She’s never really brought this up before.

“He’s a legend. They say he charged headfirst into battle and pierced through dozens of enemies at a time.”

“Yeah, but he never talked about it when he got home.

He never once bragged.

Instead, he said, ‘War is hell. Don’t even think about going to a battlefield.’”

The cheerful, lively girl from earlier was gone.

Now she looked at me with the calm, stern face of someone conducting an interrogation.

Thankfully, this wasn’t a conversation room.

And I wasn’t the one being interrogated.

“…So what are you trying to say?”

“He said it with a smile on his face, but his expression looked exactly like yours.”

I didn’t know how to respond.

So, I just plastered on a fake smile like always.

“Just thought I’d mention it!

Anyway, I should probably go see Theo. Thanks for the drink! See you later!”

Wait, I’m paying?

Fortunately, I remembered to bring my wallet.

Isabel… probably likes Theo.

Maybe.

I’m not entirely sure, but that’s the vibe I get.

What’s strange is that, despite her energy and forward personality, she never makes the first move.

She just hovers around, like she’s waiting for something.

Like she’s watching someone’s reaction.

When I first met her, she was a wild whirlwind of energy.

I remember thinking that the phrase “troublemaker” must have been invented just to describe her.

That’s why it’s kind of confusing now.

This doesn’t feel like the same person.

Maybe she saw something that changed her — like one of those corpses lying on the street.

Or maybe it’s my face that’s changed.

I haven’t looked in a mirror in a while, after all.

Should I start doing makeup again?

I took a sip of the coffee, but it still hadn’t cooled down.

Maybe I should go check on Ethel.

As I picked up the cup of now-lukewarm coffee, I realized my right hand was trembling slightly.

When I got back to school, I decided not to go looking for Theo today.

My to-do list was already a mess, so taking a break for a day shouldn’t be a big deal.

It’s a bit of an excuse, but since I stuck Isabel with him, things would probably be less chaotic if I stayed away.

As I stepped into the conversation room, the damp underground air and the musty smell hit me.

It’s a smell I’m painfully familiar with.

Before entering the room, I sat down on one of the chairs placed between the doors and waited for Marco.

I needed to ask him if he’d done everything I ordered.

About 15 minutes later, the iron door creaked open, and the smell of blood hit me in the face.

From inside, I could hear something — no, someone — mumbling, “Help me, help me…”

It was hard to tell if it was a person or a lump of meat.

I guess they hadn’t gone too hard on him yet.

If he’s still able to ask for help, that means he’s still got some fight in him.

“Took you long enough.”

“They just won’t open their mouths, you know.

Do you have any orders for me, young lady?”

“Did you reattach the finger properly?”

“Yes. When I went in, she was sleeping with puffy eyes like she’d been crying.”

So she probably thinks our little encounter was just a bad dream.

That’s for the best.

If she flinched every time we saw each other at school, it’d get annoying.

Not that I’m in any position to complain about guilt.

“Did you put the bed and food in her room too?”

Marco nodded silently.

Then, as if something had suddenly occurred to him, he spoke.

“Oh, right. We already found that hidden room in the mansion you mentioned.”

“Seriously? If they couldn’t even find a hollow wall, I would’ve had them fired on the spot.”

“True enough.”

“Anyway, after the interview is over, we’re heading to the sorghum farm.

Prepare five competent interviewers for me.”

“Understood. What about weapons?”

“If they’re hiding, they’re probably unarmed.

A gun is enough to catch them.”

“Still, just in case, wouldn’t it be better to have a mage on hand?”

“They’ll just get hurt a little. It won’t be that serious.”

He didn’t reply.

“…Understood.”

I reached for the handle to the interview room’s door but paused as a thought came to me.

“Hey, Marco. You got any sweet snacks or something?”

“Just some sugary stuff. Want me to bring it?”

“Yeah, bring it.”

Marco brought me some cookies wrapped in paper.

I stuffed them into my pocket and pulled open the door.

Inside, Ethel was sound asleep, breathing softly.

If she keeps sleeping like this in the middle of the day, her internal clock is going to be all messed up.

I’ll have to wake her up.

I activated the lights with a flick of magic, filling the room with a sharp, artificial glow.

Then I filled a water bottle and splashed the water onto Ethel.

Splutter! Cough, cough!

She coughed and gasped as she shot upright.

“…Why are you here?”

“Julius spilled everything.

Thanks to him, we’re wrapping this whole thing up.

Once it’s all settled, I’ll let you out soon.”

“You didn’t come just to tell me that, did you?”

It hurts a little to have my sincere intentions dismissed like that.

I was honestly being pretty gentle with Ethel.

Unlike Julius, I hadn’t said anything particularly cruel to her.

“Why, want me to lay you back down and splash more water on your face?

Playing water games with a friend doesn’t sound too bad, does it?”

Ah… she wet herself.

Was she that scared?

I didn’t want to make her feel ashamed, so I filled the bottle again and poured water on her.

The water ran down her face and body before draining into the floor.

“…Don’t smile like that.

That’s not how Ellen smiles.”

Her voice trembled as she shivered from the cold.

“Was it?”

Well, no matter what happens, I’ll still let Ethel and Julius go.

I’m not a psycho like Marco.

I won’t do anything like that.

There’s no real harm in letting them go.

But if I let them go too soon, I might miss out on catching any demons they might know about.

That’s why this is just “a little coercive conversation.”

No one’s seriously hurt.

The demons in hiding will all be hunted down and killed.

There’s no problem.

There can’t be a problem.

All the problems come from those wretched demons.

Ah, I forgot to give her the cookies.