Chapter 148 : Dissonance (6)
Chapter 148: Dissonance (6)
The sunlight in the early afternoon was, as always, languid.
“Ugh…”
The guard leaning against the outpost yawned so widely it cracked his jaw.
He kept nodding off, fighting the creeping drowsiness.
The streets were far more raucous and noisy than usual, but even that was starting to sound like a lullaby.
A time so peaceful, it bordered on boring—like always.
As usual, he simply stifled yawn after yawn, waiting for the shift change.
Then it happened.
“…Huh?”
He heard a faint slicing of wind near his ears.
At first, he thought it was just the wind.
But the sound gradually grew louder, and before long, he realized it was the flapping of something enormous. Reflexively, he lifted his head.
“Wh-What the—!”
He was so shocked that he couldn’t even scream properly.
What he saw was a massive Wyvern diving down through the blue sky.
Atop its glimmering silver-scaled back sat a woman, her pale blonde hair fluttering in the wind.
“……”
Her sharp gaze flew straight toward the guard, piercing him.
When she gave a subtle tug on the reins, the Wyvern let out a thunderous roar in response.
— KRAAAHHH!
The Wyvern continued to beat its wings close to the ground with a deafening noise.
As it landed near the outpost, the gust stirred up by its wings made the guard stagger.
Dust filled the air so thickly that it was hard to even keep his eyes open.
Though he had seen Dragon Knights flying through the skies before, this was his first time seeing one up close.
The Dragon Knights, said to be the elite of the Empire.
But why had such a knight suddenly appeared here, at this outpost, with no prior notice?
As he stood there dazed in thought—
“…What do you think you’re doing right now?”
A cold voice struck his ears.
The woman, Selendis, was still seated atop the Wyvern, glaring down at him.
Her piercing eyes were so fierce that the guard unconsciously straightened his posture.
“The emergency signal has been going off continuously. Why are you still standing around? No response, no equipment, nothing.”
“N-No, ma’am!”
“No? What do you mean, ‘no’?”
“I-It’s just that… sometimes the signal device goes off on its own, so I thought it was another false alarm…”
The guard stammered and fumbled for words, flustered.
It was true the old signal device would malfunction now and then, but that didn’t excuse the situation.
“Sigh…”
Selendis let out a deep sigh without realizing it.
The guard flinched and quickly adjusted his posture, gripping his spear more firmly.
At least he didn’t forget to hold onto his spear, Selendis thought as she looked at the guard with disappointment.
Then, as other guards timidly emerged from the outpost, their slovenly appearances made her expression sink further.
“……”
Without a word, she pulled out a small emblem from her coat.
It was a badge indicating she was a Vice-Commander of the Capital Dragon Knights.
“I am Selendis Everglenn, Vice-Commander of the Capital Dragon Knights. Mobilize all available personnel immediately and search the areas I will designate.”
“Uh, w-what exactly do you mean by that…?”
“That’s an order.”
As she flatly declared, clearly unwilling to waste time arguing, the Wyvern bared its teeth and growled.
As if to warn them not to question its master’s words.
“You little…”
Selendis lightly thumped the Wyvern’s head as if telling it to hush.
The Wyvern obediently closed its mouth.
“From now on, either write down or memorize the areas I name. I won’t repeat myself.”
“W-Wait. Please wait a moment.”
Another guard rushed out, panting, holding a map.
Selendis pointed out several zones, then gave a light tug on the reins she held.
“…You asked earlier what this was about.”
Her voice was still calm, though it carried a weight of grimness.
“It’s a matter of life and death.”
“Pardon? You mean…”
“Not metaphorically. Literally—your lives are at stake.”
She quietly informed the bewildered guards.
There was no point in hiding it.
“Several outposts have already been attacked, and there have been casualties.”
“Wait, casualties…?”
“I mean they were killed.”
At those words, the guards’ expressions hardened instantly.
The lazy and slack atmosphere vanished like smoke, replaced by sharp tension.
“From now on, move in teams. If you notice anything suspicious, report to HQ immediately. Do not, under any circumstances, pursue or approach alone. Inform neighboring outposts of the situation and have them act immediately as well.”
“…Yes, ma’am.”
Selendis continued giving orders in a low and swift voice.
The guards replied curtly, their faces stiff.
“Given the nature of the situation, do not act recklessly and provoke the enemy. Move as quietly as possible. But if you detect any suspicious circumstances, don’t hesitate—ring the bell, raise a flag, do whatever it takes to alert HQ or nearby units.”
“Understood.”
She didn’t bother to mention that she had already visited fifteen outposts—and four of them had been annihilated.
Spreading unnecessary fear would only hinder the operation.
“……”
Having finished giving instructions, Selendis began scribbling on the map.
She marked the locations that had been attacked, those still intact, and areas currently under search, filling the map with overlapping data.
Her brows furrowed slightly as she stared at the map.
As if this kind of task felt unfamiliar and awkward to her.
“Silver Surfer.”
She called softly, and the waiting Wyvern turned its head.
With a flick of the reins, Selendis soared back into the sky.
The wind stirred once more as the enormous wings flapped.
After a while, as the guards stared blankly up at the sky, someone finally spoke.
“…Let’s go.”
* * *
The atmosphere around them was nothing like what it had been moments ago.
Inside the rattling carriage, Lian stared absentmindedly out the window.
Looking back, today had been unusually hectic.
He had gone out early in the morning with Archbishop Onnime to meet Professor Windy May, then encountered Cecilia on the way back.
And just when he finally returned to the Academy, he was headed out again like this.
He glanced across at the person seated opposite him.
“……”
Across from him sat Professor Shagas, upright with his eyes closed.
Unlike his usual sharp demeanor, there was a distinct weariness to his face.
“…It’s a rare day off. Sorry to take up your time, Lian.”
Breaking the silence, Professor Shagas spoke.
His voice carried a genuine sense of apology.
“No, Professor. It’s fine.”
Lian answered with a gentle smile.
“If it’s about Yuran, I’m always willing to help. Besides, the incident with the guard post is technically connected to me, so if my testimony is needed, I’ll gladly cooperate.”
“…Thank you for saying that.”
Truthfully, sharing this carriage with Professor Shagas had been pure coincidence.
Right after parting with the unusually quiet Cecilia at the Academy gate,
Lian had spotted Professor Shagas limping along, leaning on his cane and clutching a thick stack of documents.
Normally, he would have firmly refused help—but for some reason, he looked particularly exhausted today.
Lian had approached without hesitation, supporting him as he took the documents.
It was the first time I’d seen him look that glad.
Then Professor Shagas, eyes lighting up as he looked at Lian, had politely asked for help.
He explained he was on his way to be questioned by the Guard, and he needed to submit some documents for that.
Along with it came shocking news.
The Guard Captain who had once persecuted Yuran had been attacked and was now in critical condition.
Considering how he behaved back then, it’s no surprise he made plenty of enemies…
Professor Shagas didn’t elaborate, so Lian couldn’t learn the details, but it seemed Yuran was in a very precarious situation.
She might even be the prime suspect.
Which was probably why Professor Shagas had asked him for help like this.
There’s no helping it.
…And so, just as he returned to the Academy, he found himself going back out again.
Still, at least he was riding in a carriage this time instead of walking—so maybe that was a relief.
That was what Lian told himself.
Before long, the carriage stopped in front of the Guard Headquarters, its heavy iron gates looming.
“Careful, Professor.”
“Mhm.”
Lian naturally stepped out first and helped Professor Shagas down from the carriage.
It was a matter of respect for his elder, but more importantly, the professor had trouble with one of his legs.
Though Professor Shagas usually disliked being touched by others, he accepted Lian’s support without a word this time.
As they entered the building, a cold and unfamiliar air hung in the atmosphere.
While walking through the hallway toward the interrogation room, a guard blocked their path.
“Civilians are not allowed past this point.”
“This student is not just a civilian. He is a key witness in this case and has come with me.”
Professor Shagas spoke in a calm but firm voice.
The guard nodded as if understanding.
“Understood. Please wait in the lounge for a moment. I’ll call the person in charge.”
Soon, the two were led to a spacious yet strangely empty lounge.
An awkward silence followed.
Only then did Lian ask what he hadn’t managed to before.
“Professor, where is Yuran now?”
Professor Shagas sighed faintly and replied.
“I don’t know.”
“Pardon?”
“She sent a letter saying she’d use this time to train in seclusion and gain personal insight… instead of merely laying low.”
“Oh…”
“…I know. This is the first time she’s done something like this, and I find it quite frustrating.”
His voice carried deep concern.
Of course, neither of them thought for a moment that Yuran was the culprit.
But the situation wasn’t favorable.
The fact that she had gone missing at such a time certainly didn’t bode well.
Then it happened.
Bang! The lounge door burst open and another figure entered.
“Oh?”
He smiled faintly as he recognized the two of them.
“Elder. And if I recall correctly… Gwendil boy, was it?”
“So it was you.”
Professor Shagas spoke calmly, without a hint of surprise.
“I heard you were offered the role of case advisor for the Capital Guard.”
“Guess my flashy career earned me a spot—even for a washed-up retiree like me. Besides… as I mentioned before, the victim who was attacked is a relative of one of my subordinates. I simply couldn’t say no.”
Anguster shrugged lightly as he spoke.
His tone was mild, but his gaze gleamed with sharp scrutiny.
Professor Shagas let out a small sigh.
“…You already look like you’ve made up your mind about the culprit.”
He muttered like he was speaking to himself.
Anguster curled his lips into a slight smile.
“Until it’s proven, no one’s guilty, Elder. But…”
He paused briefly before continuing.
“The victim, even while slipping in and out of consciousness, kept muttering ‘Garusol’ and ‘woman.’ Naturally, that’s where the weight of suspicion falls, don’t you think?”
“……”
Anguster subtly shifted his gaze to Professor Shagas.
Professor Shagas gave no reply.
“So, where is this ‘woman of Garusol,’ your assistant and successor, Elder? I don’t see her with you today.”
“…She’s busy with other matters. I came alone. She’ll come separately later.”
Professor Shagas replied calmly, without a change in expression.
Tension filled the lounge once more.
And then again—
Bang!
The door slammed open violently, and someone came rushing in.
It was Selendis Everglenn.
She looked at the people gathered inside the room—and especially at Lian—with a shocked expression.
Her eyes clearly said, ‘Why are you here…?’
“Who might you be?”
“…Ah, pardon me. I’m Selendis Everglenn, assigned to oversee the investigation of this incident. I wasn’t aware we had guests.”
Selendis quickly introduced herself.
But she had already recognized who the two were the moment she laid eyes on them.
“While investigating the case, a far more urgent incident occurred. I came back quickly to confirm the documents. I already surveyed the scene and issued orders.”
“…An urgent incident? What exactly is going on?”
Anguster asked sharply.
“I cannot disclose that at this moment.”
Selendis answered firmly.
“And while I apologize to the two of you who made time to come here, given the gravity of the new incident, most other appointments will be postponed. So for today—”
Bang!
Before she could finish her sentence, the door burst open again.
This time, a sweaty, middle-aged man with a protruding belly stumbled in.
A grand medal on his chest identified him as the Commander of the Capital Guard.
He looked like he was losing his mind, flustered and panicked.
“B-Big trouble… terrible trouble, Vice-Commander Everglenn!”
The man cried out in desperation.
His voice trembled with fear.
“Please calm down for a moment…”
Selendis raised her hand, but it seemed he was too gripped by fear to see anything.
Even with outsiders present in the lounge, he cried out, nearly screaming.
“Just now… news just came in… the Guard Captain has been murdered!”