By Zephyria 
Monday was spent drawing my sword in a state of unease, and on Tuesday, I checked if Marianne could train alone.
I forbade her from using Recovery Spells after running five laps of the martial arts training ground, and it was amusing to peel her off the floor after she completed the final seven laps, having nearly collapsed.
While she was in a horse riding stance, I had her hold iron swords in both hands to help her balance the weight. Marianne let out a few squeals like a pig being slaughtered, but soon agreed and worked hard.
I taught her various things meticulously, telling her not to get hurt when training alone.
After sending the child off, I also did a brief training session and came out to the front gate of the academy.
Tuesday was also the day I had promised to meet Professor Wilton Roberts.
I arrived on time and waited for a long while, but Wilton didn’t appear, which made me wonder. Just then, a tall, handsome man who had been standing over there approached with long strides.
“I had a feeling, but you really don’t recognize me.”
“…Professor?”
It was Wilton Roberts.
I realized I hadn’t recognized him because he wasn’t wearing black, and a wry laugh escaped me. Unlike his usual habit of dressing head to toe in black, Roberts today was dressed like an ordinary Sierran.
He wore a brown vest over a white shirt, a plain, thick coat over that, and even a muffler. I was surprised that Roberts, dressed so smartly, had quite an ordinary impression. His ash-grey hair shone a dusty brown in the sunlight.
It was truly admirable. To look as if he were in disguise without actually being in one, what an extraordinary person he was.
“Yes.”
“I apologize.”
“The place we’re going to now is my first workplace. There’s nothing else to be cautious about, but do not speak a word unless I speak to you first.”
“…Yes.”
Roberts didn’t explicitly accept my apology, but he didn’t seem offended. He casually hailed a carriage, and I followed him in.
Professor Wilton Roberts’s first workplace must have been the Imperial Nobility Yearbook Administration and Inspection Department. It was at the forefront of this Empire’s many secrets. I had inwardly tensed, expecting a long journey, but the carriage stopped in the street where the Sierran Empire’s public offices were gathered.
It was typical for all institutions in the Sierran Empire to occupy multiple buildings on vast grounds. In particular, in front of where the carriage stopped stood five large buildings surrounded by high walls.
The wide passage, large enough for eight carriages to enter at once, was devoid of any passersby.
…Is it a time when there are no people? I wondered, but having been told beforehand, I kept my mouth shut.
Wilton, stepping out of the carriage, walked along the wall instead of heading for the main gate. I followed, concealing my presence from the point where the wall began to offer cover for hiding.
Wilton glanced back at me once with a pleased expression and nodded. I simply held my breath.
At one point, Wilton Roberts stopped, placed his hand on the wall, and made a few hand gestures, and the wall became a door.
…I bit my lip, barely suppressing a gasp of admiration.
I followed Wilton, who led the way, walking silently.
It was a long, dark passage. On the way in, Wilton took out the Artifact around his neck several times. Each time, a door appeared at a dead end.
The doors appeared in front, to the right, or to the left. It felt like walking with my eyes covered, fumbling my way.
After repeating this four times, we suddenly arrived in a large chamber.
Several Wizards sat at a long table, looking at Ikyun.
Men and women with a similar impression to Wilton moved about. Most had ash-grey or brown hair, and some wore hoods to conceal their hair color.
Without turning my head, I kept my gaze on them and stayed close behind Wilton.
Wilton stood before one of the Wizards.
“Name, status.”
“Kyle, Swordsman.”
Wilton Roberts’s name is Kyle? But the Wizard took out a needle and pricked Wilton’s fingertip to check, then nodded.
“Confirmed. And the person next to you?”
“Apprentice.”
“Apprentices are restricted from accessing restricted areas.”
“I am aware.”
The Wizard asked for his hand, and I looked at Wilton. Wilton nodded once, and I willingly offered my hand. A needle touched my fingertip and withdrew. Not a drop of blood appeared.
While I was dumbfounded, the Wizard handed me a square card.
The square paper, bearing the two characters “Apprentice,” felt stiff. Hesitantly, I put it in my pocket.
Wilton Roberts led the way again. Because he didn’t hesitate for a single moment, I also tried to suppress my anxious heart as I followed him.
We passed through another long corridor and reached another large chamber.
Numerous desks were lined up at regular intervals. Papers were piled like towers on the large desks, and dozens of Ranunculuses flew silently above people’s heads.
Instead of the chirping of birds, the place was filled with the sound of pens scratching on paper.
Wilton Roberts approached one of the desks and tapped it twice.
“Same day, H, observation.”
The person sitting there handed Wilton a scroll without answering. Wilton left as if it were natural, without even checking its contents.
As I followed him wordlessly, Wilton entered through a door that opened to one side and unfurled the scroll.
After scanning the contents with his eyes, Wilton Roberts spoke to me abruptly.
“Question.”
“…What is that you’re holding?”
“Today’s mission.”
“Can I speak here?”
“No one can eavesdrop here.”
Wilton tapped the wall, and a white Magic Formula appeared and then disappeared. I blinked. Wilton showed me the scroll. It contained someone’s name, address, and brief personal details.
[Bennet Lloyd, 22 years old, Capital City, Street 21, Number 38.
Lloyd Viscountcy, B-4, 14:28]
“He’s apparently the fourth illegitimate child of the Lloyd Viscountcy, currently in a succession dispute. Shall we go take a look?”
After confirming the contents of the scroll, Wilton pushed it through a hole in the wall and started walking again. I was once again dumbfounded and remained silent.
When we arrived at our destination, I was surprised again.
Two twenty-eight PM. A carriage stopped in front of the house at Number 38, Street 21. Wilton Roberts casually stuck to the house’s window. I did the same. A woman with a beautiful face screamed like a shriek at the man entering the house.
“How many times do I have to tell you? I don’t want any title! Stop bothering me!”
“You don’t even want a settlement? Really?”
“Yes! I’m not Lloyd, I’m Bennet Hamilton! Get out now!”
Wilton Roberts wrote something down. A moment later, the man left the house in his carriage.
Bennet Hamilton, unable to contain her anger, threw a pillow, and Wilton stopped peering through the window and descended into the alley.
I couldn’t hold back and asked.
“…What is this?”
“It’s to confirm whether they are indeed giving up their title of their own volition.”
“Without even notifying them?”
“Because their minds could change. How can you read a person’s inner thoughts?”
“So, ‘Same day, H, observation’ means…”
“It means a low-difficulty mission that only requires observation for just today.”
I was bewildered. I couldn’t understand. This wasn’t right. That’s what I thought.
But Professor Wilton Roberts was calm throughout. Because I had always respected him, I tried my best to compose myself.
“…What if, at this very moment, this hadn’t happened?”
“My part of the mission would be complete, and I would have provided information for the next person who received the same mission to check.”
“…How, how did you know that person would come at this time?”
Wilton looked straight at me and smiled. His smile sent a shiver down my spine.
“Everyone knows you run laps in the training ground with the purple-haired kid at six in the morning. It’s similar to that. It’s nothing extraordinary.”
“…”
I was speechless. I shook my head for a moment to clear my thoughts and asked again.
“…You seem to enjoy this, Professor.”
“Isn’t it interesting? What do you say, if you’re also interested, why not apply?”
I opened my mouth to refuse immediately, but Professor Wilton Roberts was a step ahead.
“I’m not saying you have to do it right now. I’m saying you’re good talent, so consider it.”
“…Yes. I will think about it.”
After all, refusing a teacher’s words outright would be against propriety. I closed my mouth. My mind was complicated. This… was truly strange. It seemed very strange.
Is this something that is naturally tolerated? Is this right even for the person being observed?
After a moment of thought, I opened my mouth again.
“What if the person who entered the room just now had tried to use violence against Bennet?”
“I would have stopped him.”
“…Is that so?”
“Yes. Because it would be an act falling under unfair succession disputes.”
It wasn’t a matter that could be judged as right or wrong immediately. I was confused the entire time.
Wilton Roberts, patting my shoulder, put on a gentle voice. His voice, different from his usual tone, was actually frightening.
“When I’m not at the academy, I usually do things like this. Does that answer your question?”
“…Yes.”
“You’re quite a capable individual. The Imperial Nobility Yearbook Administration Department is always looking for excellent talent. If you pursue order and peace, come find me anytime. I will help you get hired.”
“…Yes.”
I replied politely.
Wilton Roberts blew a silent whistle and summoned a Ranunculus. The pale-colored Ranunculus listened to Wilton’s whispered message and immediately left.
It was hard to believe that the cute, blue one I cared for and this cold, quiet one were the same species of Magical Creature.
While having dinner that day, Professor Wilton Roberts taught me a few more things about the signals and ciphers used by the Nobility Yearbook Administration Department.
When I couldn’t help but ask if it was okay for him to tell me such things, Wilton smiled kindly and replied.
“It doesn’t matter if you don’t become one of us. You’re someone who should know this much.”
“…Why is that?”
“Because someday we will collaborate.”
I couldn’t guess what calculation lay behind his words. I ate in silence. The juicy meat tasted astringent, like chewing paper.