She Professed Herself The Pupil Of The Wiseman (LN) - Volume 7 - Chapter 30

Chapter 30

JOHAN’S FAMILY was successfully located. Mira and Scorpion worked with Angelique and Anne to gather everything the family would need to survive in the coming days.

In order to avoid alerting the guards, they worked in darkness. Soon Mira ended up hitting more than just her shin. After considering her options, she decided to take a supervisory role before she started crying.

Finally, Mira put the necessities they’d collected into her Item Box.

“Mira’s bangle can fit so much stuff! Mine is already too full to handle anything else,” Scorpion said enviously as the pile of luggage disappeared in the blink of an eye. User’s Bangles were precious items only given to veteran adventurers.

“Then raise your rank. I’m certain that with your abilities, you could reach B or even A with ease.”

Scorpion was much stronger than the average veteran adventurer, and the higher one’s rank, the more capacity their User’s Bangle would have. Scorpion should be able to rise through the ranks in no time.

“I would if I had the time. Work has been nuts.”

When one joined the adventuring profession, they were typically rated as G-Rank. Depending on the number and difficulty of their completed requests, and success rate of the requests they undertook, they could be promoted. Though the details varied based on difficulty, it typically took a minimum of three years to rise from C-Rank to B-Rank, save for some very special cases.

Scorpion was exceptional, but not extraordinary. And since she was so busy traveling around on Isuzu Alliance work, she didn’t have time to take requests. Scorpion punctuated her complaints with a sigh.

“That does sound difficult. Perhaps I ought to bring it up with Uzume. I doubt she wants to make things harder for you.” Mira deposited the last bag in her Item Box and grinned mischievously.

Scorpion seized her shoulders and begged, “Please forget I said anything.”

***

With that, they were ready.

“We should go. Remember, the concealment area is small, so make sure you don’t stray too far.” Mira activated total concealment again and stepped out the door.

In the dim light of the nighttime compound, patrolmen plodded around on their routes. Angelique gasped in fear when she saw their bright lanterns. She clammed up and hid her face until Mira gently reminded her, “Worry not. The range may not be wide, but its effect is flawless.”

She was right; the patrolmen passed them by without so much as a glance. Angelique had listened closely to Mira’s description of the total concealment, but now that she saw it in action, her jaw dropped in astonishment.

Scorpion led the way through the compound. Anne continued to sleep on Wasranvel’s back. Scorpion had given the girl a sniff of a weak sleeping drug so she wouldn’t wake up and get scared. She likely wouldn’t stir until morning.

“Incredible…” Angelique murmured, watching yet another patrolman pass by.

“Basically cheating, right?” Scorpion replied with a chuckle.

“Isn’t it? This is the true power of summoning!” the exceedingly proud Mira declared.

“I’ve never heard of the spirit of stealth, but spirits truly aren’t to be underestimated…” Angelique smiled sweetly at the cocky young summoner before turning to Wasranvel, who carried Anne as tenderly as a father.

Mira was a little displeased that her efforts at promoting her art had been ignored. Wasranvel, too, was a little put out upon being reminded that his fame was so…nonexistent.

Scorpion chuckled at Angelique, who seemed to be a bit of an airhead. Then she turned her attention back to leading them before she became the target of an unintentional insult herself.

***

As they proceeded along the final stretch to the exit, the lights ahead suddenly got brighter—something was going on.

“What’s this?” Scorpion whispered upon seeing the fuss near the entrance gate. It was still far enough that she couldn’t tell. But once they got closer, it was all too clear.

There were more patrolmen. Five of them had left their posts and gathered right at the exit. As they watched, the group began to move directly toward Mira’s party.

“I don’t know what’s going on here, but let’s get out of the way,” Scorpion suggested. The gang moved to the edge of the path and waited for the guards to pass.

Hrmm? Who is that…? Mira narrowed her eyes as she looked at the leader of the group. She reflexively looked at his face and read the status that appeared for her.

His name was Isaac Meyer, and he was a handsome young sorcerer with long black hair and hawklike eyes. Mira frowned; although she couldn’t put her finger on it, there was something repulsive about this man.

“Do you think they’re on to us?” Scorpion asked her.

“I don’t know, but it seems we’d better hurry.” 

The sudden change in the movements of the patrolmen was definitely suspicious, especially at this time of night. After watching them pass, Mira’s group picked up their pace and left the compound as quickly as possible. 

Once they’d slipped into the back alleys, Mira had Wasranvel switch from total concealment to optical camouflage before they continued on to Johan’s home. They proceeded on through the nighttime roads for some time, keeping to a slower pace for Angelique, until they arrived at the mansion. Taking care to tread soundlessly—they were invisible now thanks to the optical camouflage, but they couldn’t hide the sounds they made—they slipped through the open gate and stepped onto the property.

“Hey, Mira?” Scorpion noticed something was off.

“You noticed too, right? The watchmen are gone,” Mira said.

No matter how much she searched with her Biometric Scan, she couldn’t sense the watchmen who had been here before. Even when they walked all the way to the front of the mansion, they found no sign of anyone.

Something was wrong. Johan’s jailers were gone. They cautiously opened the door and stepped inside the mansion. As before, the entrance was cloaked in eerie darkness.

“What’s going on here? Johan’s presence is gone, too.” Mira focused on her Biometric Scan and confirmed that there were no reactions in the entire building. She furrowed her brow and put a finger to her chin in thought. “He did say he would be gathering evidence of their dealings.”

“Yeah, he did. Maybe he keeps his papers somewhere else? Do you think we got here too early?”

Perhaps the documents were in another location. Johan went to pick them up, and his watchers had gone along to supervise. That was plausible.

While Mira and Scorpion theorized, Angelique spoke up. “Excuse me? Did my husband say he would be preparing documents?”

“Yeah, evidence of his transactions with Melville Commerce. He said he’d hand it over if we saved you two,” Scorpion explained.

Angelique looked down in thought for a moment, then turned to the corner of the foyer. “I see. Um, I believe those documents should be stored in the basement library. He has special magical shelves, so they should all be in there.” It seemed there was a staircase leading down, though they hadn’t seen it in the dark.

If he went to retrieve his papers, then perhaps he would be downstairs. And if the door there was very thick, it could reduce the reliability of Biometric Scan. But that still didn’t explain why his minders were gone.

“Shall we head down and see for ourselves?”

They could leave the theory-crafting for after they’d searched, Mira thought as she groped for Scorpion’s tail in the darkness. She needed the cat-woman to lead the way, since she couldn’t risk making too much light.

“Mira, stop grabbing my tail!” Scorpion screeched and snatched Mira’s hand as she strode toward the stairs. Angelique took Wasranvel’s hand and followed.

Fortunately, the staircase wasn’t completely dark. There was only enough light for one to see their feet, but that at least meant nobody would tumble down the stairs.

“Perhaps Johan went down here, after all,” Mira said. On closer inspection, there was a light switch on the wall. Had Johan turned it on to go downstairs today? “Still, this is strange…” she muttered, gazing dubiously down into the dark. She had yet to sense anyone below.

“It was a good idea, but it definitely doesn’t feel like anyone is down here.” Scorpion focused her senses and came to the same conclusion. Perhaps he’d indeed come this way, but nobody was here anymore.

If he’d only gone to retrieve documents, then he should be back in his workroom, waiting for Mira’s return. It was possible that he was still gathering them, yet there were no signs of life anywhere in the mansion.

Johan surely wouldn’t escape by himself without ensuring his family’s safety first. It seemed clear to Mira and Scorpion that something unexpected had occurred. They descended the staircase with careful steps.

***

Beyond the basement door was a room surrounded by stone walls. A feeble light hanging from the ceiling was the only illumination in the room, and it revealed that the place had been trashed. Shelves had fallen over, and documents and books were scattered across the floor, though there were no signs of them having been trampled on.

“Something happened here…” There was no way Johan would leave his room looking like a tornado blew through it, even if he was a naturally untidy person. Mira grimaced as uncomfortable thoughts ran through her mind. The room was a mess, but nothing was overly damaged—it looked as though the room had been torn apart specifically to give the appearance of being trashed.

As soon as she entered, Scorpion began examining the scene. She squatted in one corner and pointed at a bloodstain partially concealed under a pile of papers.

“Mira, look at this!” 

Mira peeked down and noted, “Hrmm. It’s still fresh.”

The blood on the floor had yet to dry. Some of it had even stained the papers Scorpion had picked up.

Whose blood could this be? Even as the question crossed their minds, they knew—it had to be Johan’s. He was the only one who lived here. 

How could this have happened? If Johan had been attacked now, of all times, it could only be because they’d learned of his rebellion. He’d have been attacked when he came down to retrieve the papers, and presumably, the attacker would have been one of his watchers.

But if so, how did they find out? Mira and Scorpion had used total concealment when they’d come and gone earlier. There should have been zero chance of getting caught.

Yet here was Johan’s blood, and Johan himself was missing.

While Mira and Scorpion examined the grisly scene, Angelique slowly approached, face stiff with terror. When she saw the red blood sticking to the documents on the floor, she hid her face behind her hands.

“Is that…my husband’s?”

Mira put a hand firmly on Angelique’s shoulder and prompted her to raise her head. She gazed into the woman’s eyes and declared, “Don’t worry. It looks bad, but it doesn’t seem like he lost much blood here. Besides, his expertise is vital to Chimera’s operations. Taking his life would be unthinkable.”

“Mira’s right. If they kidnapped him, I promise we’ll save him.” Scorpion flashed a genuine smile. She wasn’t just trying to console Angelique; she was truly confident that they could do it.

“Thank you both. Please help us… I’ll do anything.” Recovering herself a bit, Angelique put on the bravest face she could muster and bowed deeply. Her shoulders quivered as she prayed for her husband’s safety in that dim basement.

Mira watched her and thought to herself, If not for Chimera Clausen, this family could have lived a happy life together. I’ll see that they regret making enemies of us.

She felt Angelique’s sorrow keenly. Mira swore anew to see Chimera Clausen defeated—both to save the spirits and to prevent any further tragedies like Johan’s.