NOVEL NEXT Chapter 576
<576 – Investigation of Security Instructor Nepher-tem (2)>
Nepher-tem mustered up some courage.
“I’m the Security Instructor under Professor Robert Elahim! If you tell the professor about the terrible things I’ve done, he will take revenge for me!”
“Looks like we need to send a summon to the professor for the crime of attempting to steal the Student Council’s confidential information by bribing an instructor. Clerk Jessie015, please prepare the documents.”
“Understood.”
While crying like a mess, Nepher-tem clung to Jessie’s pant leg.
“Huaang! I’m sorry! Please don’t send the summon to the professor. I really will die if he takes his frustration out on me!”
Velvet squatted in front of Nepher-tem, making clap-clap sounds with her shoes.
Thinking she’d at least hold her hand, Nepher-tem tried to grin, only to have her hair yanked.
“How can you be so cute? Always crying and getting scared. Sassy kids are fun, but sometimes, a coward like you is a real treat.”
“???”
“Nothing to worry about. Just talking to myself. Now, let’s start by hearing your student ID and name?”
“Class 978 Nepher-tem! I took a leave of absence last year because I was short on points to advance to the fourth year!”
“Really? I’m Velvet from Class 979. Nice to meet you, senior.”
“Could you please let go of my hair?”
“Nope. People need to be at eye level when talking. I can’t lie down just because you’ve fallen, so I’m adjusting our heights like this.”
“….”
Just give me a chance to stand up!
As much as she wanted to argue, the crazy vibe radiating from Velvet made Nepher-tem unable to muster the courage to lash out.
“Name and reason for looking for the student?”
“Class 981, second-year Jigoku! The professor told me to gather information!”
“You said the professor you work for is Professor Robert Elahim, right?”
“That’s right!”
Velvet manipulated her magic watch on her wrist to pull up some information.
━━━
[Emergency Response Strategy for Ongoing Alarm]
– Wednesday, Period 2, 11 AM – 1 PM
– Professor: Robert Elahim
– Administration Department, General Education
━━━
“Is that lecture this one?”
“Yeah, that’s it!”
Without much thought, Velvet opened the list of students enrolled, closely examining each name.
━━━
[Enrollment List]
Third Year, Oknodie
Second Year, Andersen Pretzel
Second Year, Anthony Soboro
Second Year, Yeltsin Brownie
…
━━━
Cute Oknodie is one.
Seven juniors from Seoguyeon.
“This class looks fun?”
As soon as she saw the list, Velvet realized.
The professor was trying to gather information on Jigoku, who wasn’t even attending his lecture.
Naturally, he was probably looking into something related to Oknodie.
Would he be interested in investigating Jigoku, a group of losers?
No way.
With just one seemingly incompetent security instructor, they could toy with such a pirate group.
“Looking for a ship?”
Last summer vacation, among the students invited to Oknodie’s boating party, there was Jigoku.
Later, the cruise ship went missing, and Jigoku returned to campus at a different time than the other students.
The Foundation had entrusted the cruise ship to Jigoku, allowing the Jigoku Pirate Group to secretly possess a pirate ship.
Thousands of people.
Countless supplies.
Perhaps even weapons could be transported on a massive pirate ship.
Is it really fun to possess one?
Or would it be thrilling to hand it over?
Velvet concluded that she didn’t care either way.
“Senior, do you have some time?”
“I-I have three days… why…?”
As Velvet tugged on her hair, Nepher-tem glared at her in frustration but shrank back, averting her eyes, which fueled Velvet’s sadistic instincts.
“Three days is plenty of time for some fun.”
“F-fun? What do you mean?”
“If you work hard to make me happy, I might let you know the information about where the Jigoku Pirate Group is hiding the cruise ship.”
“R-really?!”
“But… you really need to put in a lot of effort. I’m a greedy woman who doesn’t easily get satisfied.”
“P-please don’t torture me!! I’ll do anything you want! Huh? Wait a minute… this is a bedroom? Is there a torture chamber hidden underneath? Hieh, what’s with that whip?! Why are there candles?! You’re really planning to torture me?!”
“Ah, right. Newbies, good work today. Bye bye, Astarot. You two can go home now.”
“Wow, it’s quitting time!”
“It was a rewarding time. Sometimes hitting people feels quite good.”
The transfer students left the Environmental Cleaning Department, leaving only Velvet and Nepher-tem in the bedroom, where no matter how loud they were, no one would hear them.
*
“Oknodie. Sorry to bother you while you’re rolling around busy, but I’d like to assign you a task.”
One day, while I was busy rolling around campus honing my roll function, Professor Robert Elahim approached me.
“What is it?”
“One of our security instructors has abandoned their duties and hasn’t returned. Could you help me find her?”
“Hmm, I’m really busy!”
“True, you’ve been rolling around quite a bit.”
“I’m really busy!”
“If you’re rolling at 120km/h, then it’s true you’re busy.”
“Hmph. It is true!”
“I’m worried about the points you might lose while you’re rolling. I’ll submit a public document ensuring that you can roll around without penalty.”
“What a deal! I can manage to squeeze that in. But why assign me? There are other security instructors.”
“I was impressed by your experience in rescue operations. It’s best to leave searches to skilled people.”
“Wow! Experience points system!”
Thanks to my dramatic negotiation with the professor, I successfully acquired a quest under favorable conditions.
━━━
[Emergency Event [Where is the Missing Security Instructor?]]
It seems Professor Robert Elahim’s security instructor has gone missing.
The name of the absent-minded instructor is Nepher-tem.
By interrogating other security instructors about who she was and who she was friends with, gathering information might make tracking easier!
Quickly bring that absent-minded, cheeky instructor back to the professor!
━━━
Seeing there’s even a guideline makes it feel like the stage is set for an important quest.
It gives off an overwhelmingly suspicious vibe, like a chain quest scent.
‘Well, I can still do my training while doing this quest, so no worries!’
I diligently rolled around looking for clues regarding the missing senior Nepher-tem.
“Are you all fellow instructors who worked with Nepher-tem? Do you know where she might have gone?”
“Ugh, you scared me! Why is a fine girl rolling on the floor?!”
“It’s not the floor! I’m laying down a path with a Mana Barrier while rolling! This is a hygienic and highly efficient method to train balance and rolling skills!”
“I-I’m sorry…?”
“I’ll accept your apology if you tell me where Senior Nepher-tem went!”
The senior instructors suggested several locations.
“That girl often saved points by only buying black bread from the snack bar. She’s definitely not at the cafeteria. She might show up at the snack bar sometimes?”
“Nepher-tem has a nickname of ‘Magic Key.’ Sometimes, when the professor forgets the key with the unlocking spell in the lecture room, she uses herself to unlock the door.”
“Wow. How does a person even fit into a lock? Is it a transformation spell?”
The instructor’s complexion turned a little pale at that.
Instead of worrying about Nepher-tem, he looked more worried for his own safety and continued speaking.
“No, she just sticks herself into the locking mechanism. When the locking spell detects an intruder and tries to attack, Nepher-tem, not wanting to die, hastily dispels the spell.”
“Whoa….”
“Given the amount of foolishness she’s committed and how often she’s been noticed by the professor, she’s become skilled at unsealing locks. Most normal doors take her only 3 seconds now.”
“What a poor senior!”
“If Nepher-tem goes missing like this, we might become the targets of pity too. Whatever the case, make sure to catch her wherever she is! We don’t want to become the second ‘Magic Key’!”
“By mouth?”
“No… didn’t you agree to be compensated by the professor? What are you hoping to strip us of?”
“Before reporting the outcome, one of your seniors could very well become the second ‘Magic Key’, right? To avoid such disasters, I think I need your support!”
I gathered information that the disaster on the upcoming class was due to poisonous gas.
After work, I’ll need to refill some candy from April!
The professor seems highly motivated, so I’ll better prepare an antidote just in case!
“Oh, and Nepher-tem has a childhood friend. That friend is a bit foolish and relies a lot on her childhood friend. If something happens, she will definitely check in, so if you find the childhood friend, you can find out where she went.”
What could the nickname of the ‘Magic Key’ senior’s childhood friend be?
With excitement and curiosity brewing, I made my way, strangely recognizing the path as I went.
Huh?
Could it be someone I know?
As I engrave the fire spell on the abandoned experimental field’s explosion pit in the manner told by the seniors, the door opened.
“Not Nepher-tem.”
“Wow, senior!”
It was the senior from the Dark Cult that I had met while looking for the Red Fanged Mushroom farm.
Quiet but kind, the senior, wearing work clothes stained with blood, stared at me blankly from behind the secret door.
“May I come in?”
“State your business first.”
“Nepher-tem, the instructor has gone missing, and I’m looking for her! But what is that meat? Can I have a bite? Can it be eaten raw?”
“Seeing your fearless demeanor, you’re not a student council ambush but really Oknodie.”
“Please let me in.”
Senior Felix from the Dark Cult welcomed me.