Casey and Ludger stared at each other in silence.
To a casual observer, it might have seemed like two people simply running into each other on the street and locking eyes, but Passius could see more than that.
He could sense the complicated and delicate emotions in Casey’s gaze as she looked at Ludger.
‘Hmm. Now this is...’
With interest twinkling in his eyes, Passius stroked his chin.
That Casey Selmore would show such a reaction toward Ludger was quite the unexpected sight.
‘Casey Selmore. A single-attribute elemental mage recognized by the Mage Tower with a Color Title. More famous as a genius detective, and I’ve heard her personality is quite eccentric and self-willed.’
And yet, the expression she wore while looking at Ludger—how should one describe it?
It looked as though a multitude of emotions were tangled together.
Perhaps it was a relationship of love and hate?
‘But Ludger himself isn’t showing any noticeable change in expression.’
Ludger’s face as he looked at Casey remained unchanged.
So calm that one couldn’t even guess what he was thinking, his eyes showed not a trace of emotion.
Was it truly that he felt nothing, or was he simply concealing it?
Passius decided to quietly observe this interesting standoff.
“......”
“......”
Casey and Ludger remained silent.
Since it was awkward to just stand there, Ludger finally broke the silence.
“Mentor Casey Selmore. Thank you for your efforts guiding the students on this field trip.”
The strangely tense atmosphere loosened slightly at that.
Casey nodded in agreement.
“I did it for the sake of the juniors. It wasn’t that hard.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. It really wasn’t. But, Ludger, may I ask where you were rushing off to?”
“I wouldn’t say I was in a rush.”
“Your companion beside you says otherwise.”
Casey glanced subtly at Passius as she asked.
She hadn’t recognized that he was a Royal Guard, but it was obvious just from looking at him that he was someone important.
Others might not know, but Casey’s sharp eyes had already analyzed Passius.
“You’re a knight, aren’t you? And a skilled one at that.”
“Oh? Did I introduce myself?”
“No. It’s just visible to me. Your posture is disciplined. I’d say you’re affiliated with the imperial household. The etiquette is ingrained in your body.”
Passius was silently surprised.
Before leaving the palace, he had changed into a more casual outfit.
Wearing his Royal Guard uniform in public would have drawn too much attention.
He had even concealed his sword—and yet Casey saw right through him in an instant.
Passius realized she wasn’t called a genius detective for nothing.
“......You’re not heading into anything dangerous, are you?”
Casey looked at Ludger as she asked.
She had meant for it to sound casual, but even Ludger could pick up the subtle concern in her voice.
“And why do you ask that? Are you perhaps worried about me?”
When Ludger gave her a questioning look, Casey realized her slip and blushed, flustered.
“I-I was just asking!”
“Is that so.”
“Yes. Besides, it just seems like something’s going on.”
As she spoke, Casey glanced back and forth between Ludger and Passius.
To her eyes, Passius was clearly a knight of the imperial family.
He was highly skilled, and the subtle presence of his aura indicated he was at least an advanced-level knight.
And such a man was moving together with Ludger?
Ludger was a criminal hiding his true identity.
For someone like that to be accompanied by an imperial knight—it didn’t make sense.
If he had been arrested, that would make more sense. Then she could believe he had finally been caught. But if it wasn’t that...
‘Then it must mean that he, still under the guise of a teacher, is handling a task with someone from the imperial household.’
If so, what kind of task?
That much Casey couldn’t yet discern—but even she could sense the unsettling tension hanging over the entire capital.
She had glimpsed members of the Nightcrawler Knights and Cold Steel Order in the area—that alone explained plenty.
‘Is Terrina here too? I could ask and find out, but I can’t meet with Terrina right now.’
So the only option was to deduce things from the few clues she had.
The problem was, the man in front of her likely knew exactly what was going on.
“Well...”
Casey opened her mouth, then closed it again.
She had no idea what to say.
In truth, the reason she volunteered as a mentor was to create an excuse to see and speak with Ludger.
Yet even though she’d had a few chances along the way, Casey hadn’t been able to take them.
Every time she saw his face, her chest ached like it was being crushed.
Why did that emotionless face always seem to overlap with the faint smile he had worn that day as he fell from the waterfall?
While the world praised her for driving out the greatest criminal of the century...
Ludger had disappeared quietly behind the stage.
The stark contrast between them had never left Casey’s mind.
The one who truly deserved praise more than anyone was that man—yet no one knew.
Blinded by lies, the people merely rejoiced in ignorance.
“Go ahead and speak.”
As Casey kept faltering, Ludger gently urged her on.
“......No. It’s nothing. I just wanted to confirm one thing.”
“And what would that be?”
Why didn’t you tell me the truth that day?
She wanted to ask that—but Casey knew she wasn’t ready to hear the answer.
So she chose a different question.
“Something’s going on in the capital lately, isn’t there?”
Casey asked in a low voice, quiet enough that the students waiting behind her wouldn’t hear.
It wasn’t a question.
She asked it with a sense of certainty.
‘Hmm.’
Ludger paused to consider.
If he said “yes” here, what would happen?
‘It would certainly help. With her abilities, she’s the perfect person to root out those hiding beneath the capital’s surface.’
Ludger glanced over Casey’s shoulder at the students.
Most of them were watching this side with curious eyes, their expressions bright.
It was probably because Casey had shared all sorts of stories with them during the trip.
Among them were a few familiar faces.
Julia Plumehart and Sedina Roschen.
‘If I pull Casey Selmore aside now...’
The students would lose their chance to enjoy the field trip.
Ludger looked back at Casey again.
“No. Nothing is happening.”
“......Is that so?”
“Yes. I need to go check whether the other mentors are conducting their lessons properly, so I’ll take my leave.”
“Ah—”
Before Casey could say anything more, Ludger brushed past her with Passius in tow.
Casey could only stare silently at Ludger’s retreating back.
Her hand, which had almost reached out unconsciously, hesitated and froze midair.
Ludger distanced himself from the group of students Casey was leading.
Passius, having waited for the right moment, finally spoke.
“Are you sure about this?”
“About what?”
“If you’d requested support from Detective Casey Selmore, it would have been a big help. Was it really necessary to brush her off like that?”
Passius had expected Ludger to at least give her a hint, if not outright ask for help.
To his implied question of why he kept the truth from her, Ludger responded as if it were trivial.
“I didn’t say anything, but she probably noticed.”
“And what makes you think that?”
“She’s a smart woman. Persistent, too. Once she sensed something unusual, she wouldn’t believe me even if I strongly denied it.”
“That’s just speculation.”
“No, it’s certainty. Even if we tried to stop her, she’d act on her own.”
Passius narrowed his eyes.
As if to say, And how do you know that?
Ludger ignored the look and continued.
“More importantly, this is our mission. Bringing in outside help isn’t an option.”
“Even if it might help?”
“If we’re not enough on our own, then we’ll seek help when that time comes.”
“So you’re saying we have more than enough strength already.”
“Are you uncertain?”
When Ludger turned and asked, Passius lost his words.
Then he smirked and shook his head.
“Well. I walked right into that.”
Passius had to admit—this man was no ordinary persuader.
He’d only meant to prod him a little, but had the needle turned back on him even sharper.
‘And there’s something subtle about his presence... He’s definitely not just some commoner.’
By “not common,” Passius wasn’t referring to ability, but to bloodline.
Having spent much of his life in the Dvalk Imperial Castle, Passius had met countless nobles and royals.
He could often guess someone’s true status from their natural bearing alone.
And Ludger fit that sense perfectly.
‘It’s strange. According to Her Highness, this man is a wanderer hiding his identity. So why does he exude the dignity I’ve only ever felt from royalty?’
Passius couldn’t make sense of it.
His background was far too irregular for that to be the answer.
‘But one thing’s for sure—I now understand why Princess Aileen continues to pursue him.’
As that thought crossed his mind, Passius suddenly recalled Casey Selmore, whom they had just passed.
“Professor Ludger. There’s something I’m curious about.”
“What is it now.”
“You ran into Detective Casey Selmore a moment ago, didn’t you?”
“I did.”
“What exactly is your relationship with her?”
“......?”
Ludger shot Passius a sharp glance, as if asking why he was even bringing that up.
“......Didn’t Her Highness tell you everything already?”
“Yes. I have a general idea if I consider what happened three years ago, but judging by Detective Casey Selmore’s reaction... she seems to have some inkling of your true identity.”
“And is that a problem?”
“No, not a problem. It’s just... strange. If she’s a detective and knows the identity of a criminal, shouldn’t she be seething with rage? And yet...”
“And yet?”
“Detective Casey Selmore’s reaction, how should I put it... It looked very complicated. Not the kind of expression you’d expect from someone who hates the other person outright.”
“......”
Ludger didn’t respond.
But he did feel something similar. There was no way he, of all people, wouldn’t have noticed the change in Casey’s attitude—she, who had once been so desperate to bring him down.
“Maybe she discovered the truth about you by chance.”
“......Even if she did, what would that change?”
“Well. Better to know than not, isn’t it?”
“It would probably be better not to know.”
Ludger didn’t know how Casey had uncovered the truth of the past.
But knowing it wouldn’t change anything.
The past was the past.
What had already happened could not be undone. Spilled water couldn’t be scooped back onto the plate.
“Knowing won’t change anything.”
Ludger’s words were so firm that Passius didn’t press further.
But even from Ludger’s reaction alone, it was clear there was something between him and Casey Selmore.
A hidden relationship between two prominent figures—a man and a woman shrouded in rumor.
To Passius, it was personally quite interesting, but he decided to focus on the task at hand.
“So, do you see anything around us?”
Passius asked casually while his eyes swept the area without pause.
They had just passed the group of students led by a mentor.
Which meant—yes, they were here.
The Liberation Army’s remnants, watching from the shadows.
“Sir Passius. Do you see it?”
“Where are you referring to?”
“One o’clock. The man sitting in front of the fruit stand reading a newspaper.”
“Confirmed. There’s also a middle-aged man leaning against a streetlamp at our seven o’clock, checking his watch.”
“Looks like two of them.”
“And we happen to be two as well.”
“I’ll take the one at the fruit stand.”
“Then I’ll deal with the gentleman over there.”
The two of them moved at the same time, without needing to say another word.
Passius approached discreetly and struck the back of the middle-aged man’s neck, knocking him out cold.
“Oh dear. Let me help you.”
With casual ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) ease, he supported the man and led him away into an alley, looking for all the world like a concerned companion.
Ludger took a different approach.
He walked straight up to the fruit vendor and purchased an apple.
The Liberation Army informant sitting nearby glanced at him, then stood and tried to slip away into a side alley.
He had instantly recognized Ludger as a Seorn instructor.
He intended to head to a secret branch office and report what he’d seen—but then...
A shadow rose from the darkness of the alley and blocked his path.
“Gah! Wh-what the—!”
That was his last cry.
The shadow stretched in an instant, splitting into countless cords that wrapped around the man, binding him completely.
Ludger gently stepped on the back of the man, now pinned to the ground and unable to move.
“Did you get yours?”
“Yes. And you?”
“Same here.”
Passius dropped his unconscious captive beside the Liberation Army informant now bound in shadow.
“That was quicker than expected. Now what? I doubt they’ll spill their secrets so easily.”
“We’ll make them.”
Ludger’s eyes glinted ominously.
The informant tried to keep a calm face under Ludger’s gaze, but cold sweat was already trickling down his cheek.
“Which method do you prefer, Professor?”
“Normally, I go for physical pain. But lately I’ve been wondering how much influence magic can have on the mind.”
“You and I are similar. I’ve learned some imperial torture techniques. The kind that’ll make anyone confess what they know.”
“The Royal Guard teaches that?”
“No, I learned it on my own. It’s essential if you’re going to do this kind of work. And it’s surprisingly effective. Of course, most people are broken after going through it.”
“That shouldn’t be a problem.”
The two men exchanged such terrifying words with ease.
Ludger’s mana and Passius’s aura spilled out, saturating the air around them.
The Liberation Army informant’s face turned pale.
The pressure was unbearable for an ordinary person.
“Mmmph! Mmm!”
He thrashed and tried to shout something, but the shadow gag in his mouth kept him silent.
“Oh? It looks like this one wants to say something.”
“It’s probably nonsense. Or he’s vowing never to talk.”
“Mmmmmph!”
“Still, the way he’s desperately squirming... he really does seem like he wants to talk.”
“I’m not sure a Liberation Army member would. Could be a deception tactic.”
“Even so, shouldn’t we at least give him a chance?”
“Mmph! Mmph!”
At Passius’s words, the informant frantically nodded his head.
Ludger snapped his fingers, and the shadow gag vanished from the man’s mouth.
“I-I’ll talk! I’ll tell you everything!”
Ludger and Passius looked at each other and gave a small, synchronized nod.
