“…….”

His words made sense.

He was right that Lemon would be the one in trouble if I suddenly disappeared, setting aside everything else.

‘I didn’t know Cardien had gone that far.’

I let out a deep sigh and nodded my head.

“Got it. I’ll trust you.”

“Thank you. Miss Livia is indeed kind.”

Before my words ended, Lemon smiled gently as if he had never been wronged.

As usual, Lemon and I moved to our designated seats.

In fact, it wasn’t really a move; we just sat down at our desks.

As soon as I put down the diary I brought, Lemon showed interest.

“What is that diary?”

“Do you want to see it?”

“Can I?”

“Yes.”

I offered the diary to Lemon.

As befitting the guild leader who gathers information, he flipped through the diary with interested eyes.

But soon his expression became ambiguous.

“This is……”

“What does it look like?”

“Well, it’s definitely not imperial language. Elunian? Not that either. Rivean? Not that too. Nor ancient language.”

Suddenly, he seemed to understand and looked at me.

“It’s a code, isn’t it?”

I nodded.

“That’s right.”

“But it’s strange. I’ve never seen a code with this arrangement and form before.”

“It would be. It’s a code made by an individual for personal use.”

“Ah, I see. In that case, it’s a very well-made code. Usually, codes made by individuals are so sloppy that they’re easily exposed.”

“That’s because it was made by a professor at the Imperial Academy. It’s not that sloppy.”

At the mention of a professor at the Imperial Academy, Lemon’s eyes lit up.

With a greedy expression, he asked me,

“Can I take this diary with me? I’ll pay you handsomely.”

That would make sense.

An old diary was used as a code by a professor at the Imperial Academy.

It seems like it could be full of secrets.

Worth desiring indeed.

However.

“It can’t be. No matter the price, I can’t hand it over. But.”

As I retrieved the diary, I continued speaking.

“I can share the information.”

“Really?”

As he asked back with a surprised face, I nodded.

“After all, we’re collaborating.”

That means two things.

One, don’t forget that our relationship is a cooperation.

Two, no sharing information besides what’s needed for our objectives.

‘Even if he was crazy, it’s private.’

Even if he was presumed dead, I didn’t want to indiscriminately share it.

It’s a matter of basic courtesy.

Seemingly understanding my thoughts, though regrettable, Lemon nodded.

“But Miss Livia, this diary is in cipher, can you decrypt it?”

He hinted that there is a decryption expert in his guild.

But I firmly shook my head.

“During my academy days, this professor and I had quite a close relationship. At that time, I also learned how to decipher this code.”

“He must have spent a long time making such a complex code, but he shared it with his student.”

Lemon said, looking at me.

“Livia, you seem quite fortunate.”

“……I suppose so.”

I wanted to remain impassive, but an involuntary bitter smile formed.

He, who had been silently watching my face, suddenly changed the subject.

“How did you enjoy the Academy ceremony? I’m sure it was quite exciting to visit your old school after so many years.”

I tilted my head at his words.

“I do have a question related to that.”

“What is it? Please, do tell.”

Lemon’s eyes curved like a crescent moon, as he smiled, indicating he would answer any question.

I hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“Has there been any report from the academy? Like someone died or went missing……”

“Hoh……?”

His eyes lit up at my words.

Then he shook his head.

“No, we haven’t had any reports like that.”

“None?”

I, who was preparing my heart for the answer, was stunned by the response.

“Ha, not one? Not even up until this morning?”

“Yes. Of course, the academy is an inviolable area, but that doesn’t mean we can’t enter, rather, our guild members are scattered around it. If someone has died or gone missing, we learn about it through our guild members. But……”

His voice dropped a tone.

I swallowed and waited for what he would say next.

But, breaking the tension, he grinned and added.

“There have been no such reports. The commemoration proceeded without a hitch, and afterward, the academy returned to its daily routine.”

“Really……”

How could that be?

I looked at Lemon with wavering eyes.

The news of death could be possible.

The forest was so deep and remote and even went so far as to hide in a cave.

It would take a long time for someone to find it.

But it was unreasonable to have no missing person report.

He was not an ordinary student, but a professor.

He disappeared for nearly ten days without a word?

‘Does that make sense?’

Unless someone is trying to erase the evidence, it’s impossible.

“Ah, speaking of which……”

He clapped as if he remembered something.

Snapped out of my thoughts by the sound, I looked at him with surprised eyes.

“I heard some info that a professor suddenly quit.”

“He suddenly quit?”

“Yes, from the theology department……”

He raised his eyebrow, studying my expression, and then his lips parted.

“Jeffrey Cuspert.”

“……”

“A week ago, he suddenly submitted a resignation letter and quit. And the position was temporarily filled by a priest of the temple.”

“…Did he submit the resignation letter himself?”

“His family brought it. They took everything with them.”

A chill ran down my spine.

“It’s impossible.”

I shook my head, and Lemon tilted his head.

“It’s impossible? What’s impossible?”

“Jeffrey… Jeffrey Cuspert, he doesn’t have a family.”

I heard it from Jeffrey himself.

His family had all been killed in a home invasion.

Jeffrey was injured but barely managed to survive.

However, that incident led to the complete demise of Jeffrey’s family, and the remaining property all went into the hands of his relatives.

So, Jeffrey had completely cut off all ties with his relatives.

On the contrary, Jeffrey resented his relatives. Because they took all the money, he couldn’t even have a proper funeral.

But suddenly Jeffrey’s family appeared and submitted a resignation letter and disappeared?

Even if there were family members I didn’t know about, the timing was too coincidental.

“Is there any other information? It doesn’t have to be related to disappearance or anything. If there’s any notable news after the ceremony, please let me know.”

I asked with trembling hands.

Lemon stared at me and slowly spoke.

“There was a fire.”

“A fire?”

Lemon nodded.

“I didn’t see it directly, but it is said that black smoke rose from the corner of the Academy. It took quite a long time to suppress it using water magic.”

“……Is that area in the east direction of the academy by any chance?”

At that, Lemon chuckled and responded.

“You know well.”

“….”

‘It’s unmistakable.’

‘It’s certain.’

The door that Cardien and I escaped from was the back door to the east.

Since the distance from the cave to the back door wasn’t too far, if there was a fire, it would have appeared to be at the east end of the academy grounds.

I covered my lips.

Suspicion turned into certainty.

“……Jeffrey Cuspert is dead.”

“He’s dead?”

He asked, his eyes gleaming.

I nodded my head.

Either way, this was something I intended to share with Lemon.

Because it’s obvious he had deep ties with the ancient temple.

He looked deeply concerned as I continued to tell him about what happened at the academy.

As the story progressed, his expression became more serious, but his eyes sparkled more than ever.

“…So, you and His Grace escaped through the back door.”

“After that, there was a fire, and someone who doesn’t exist suddenly appeared, submitted a resignation letter, and disappeared.”

“That’s right.”

“Then there’s only one answer.”

Lemon scratched his chin, revealing his teeth with a smirk.

“Someone deliberately erased the traces.”