ââIn the morningâŠhaving said that, the sun still hasnât risenâŠI quietly got out of bed. He wasnât in the room anymore.
I had known that he was always going somewhere for a while now. Today, I must determine where heâs going every morning.
Once I peeked out of the window, I spotted him head into the woods behind the building. Hurrying, I ran after him into those very woods.
âŠ..Suddenly, my mouth got blocked, I was restrained, and taken somewhere at a ridiculous speed. I experienced an overwhelming fear as if I had been swallowed by a demon and kidnapped into their world.
âŠIt means the stories about the existence of a demon in this academy, who would kidnap and eat you after they spelled you, were all true.
ïŒïŒïŒ
I brought my catch to a deserted storage house, and there I released that guyâŠăSwannyboyă.
Swannyboy awkwardly looked at me while trembling, ââŠâŠIndra.â
âYouâre the first person Iâve actively taken somewhere with me, you know? Feel honored. After all, Iâm basically a passive person. Except for me repaying everything ten-fold, that is,â I closed in on him with a broad grin. âNow then, Iâve been aware of you secretly snooping around me. But, your magic elements are way too thin. To be honest, I have my doubts whether you could actually be even counted as a magician, so I didnât expect you to be a demonkin. In the first place, your marks are questionable at most and your noble rank is low as well, so I donât understand how youâve ended up in the special class. Thatâs a clear sign that ăa special reason must be at work hereă.â
Swannyboy jumped with a start.
âI canât come up with a solution other than that itâs been ordered by someone. So, I let you run free in order to determine the mastermind. But, at this point, I got tired of waiting,â I planted myself in front of him, and peered into his face, âYou see, I didnât really want to come to such a boring academy. The classes are boring, and moreover, they keep repeating stuff Iâve finished learning close to ten years ago. Iâm not allowed to get serious in my magic and swordsmanship classes either. Hence, Iâve got nothing to do here. Thatâs why I decided to bring things to a close as quickly as possible.â
Swannyboy was visibly shuddering.
âIâll have you spit out the truth about your objective. I cannot use anything like hypnosis and so on, and thus Iâll adopt a method which will urge you to speak very quickly. Moreover, if I donât return soon, not only Instructor Sword, but the other folks will notice my absence. Thatâs why, okay? It might hurt somewhat, but Iâll thoroughly discipline you so that youâll willingly tell me everything I want to know.â
âSorry! Sorry! Forgive me! Please spare me since Iâll tell you everything! Please! Iâll tell you all I know!â
He rattled down while crying and prostrating himself.
âHmmâŠbut I wonât be able to tell whether you speak the truth, you see?â
âI promise you, I wonât lie! I wonât mind even if you collect evidence to prove my words! Please, just spare me from torture! Please!â
BaahâŠ.I canât torment scared, trembling living beingsâŠ
ââŠThen, out with it. First, whatâs the aim of your employer?â
âMyâŠmy parents were saved by my employer, and so I was told to repay the kindness. It was my first time to be ordered by my employer, but he told me to keep informing him of any information at the academy, where Iâd be enrolled, no matter how trivial or silly it might be. Accordingly, I pretended to write letters to my parents while actually sending letters to my employer.â
Hmm. In short, itâs someone who knew Iâd be enrolled here, huh?
âWhatâs that guyâs name?â
ââŠSirâŠShadow.â
ShadowâŠâŠâŠah, that guy, eh? The cunning-looking middle-aged dude who intruded upon our rented house in the capital as Swordâs acquaintance, right?
I see. So that guy was an enemy, huh?
âGot it. Then Iâll have you write a letter for me instead of torturing you. What did you plan to write this time?â
ââŠThat you were waking up before anyone else and vanished somewhere, just to return soon after, and that I headed into the woods today to determine where you were going since I saw you from the window, guessing that something had to be hidden in the woods.â
I see. It makes sense that anyone would suspect me doing something shady, if watching my actions from the side, I guess.
âLeaving aside magic, my swordsmanship would become rusty with the half-assed training taking place several times a week at the academy. Iâve been training myself everyday since I was five years old, and I never missed out on it either. Rather than sniffing around, you should put some effort into training yourself after writing some random reports to get yourself labeled as ăuselessă. You told me that youâre going to become a valet, but thatâs out of the question with your low level of strength, you know? Our maids and servants are far stronger than any low-level adventurer. Otherwise, they wouldnât be able to protect their master, right? Isnât that the pride of a valet?â
Swannyboy apparently suffered a shock.
âWrite that Iâve been doing sword training in the woods. Itâs a fact known by Instructor Sword, too. And then lend me your letter for a bit. Once I give it back, put your seal on it and send it out. âŠYou donât want to be tortured, right?â
He nodded with such a force that I thought he was head-banging.
âThen do as told. Even if you consider to trick me, Iâll immediately find out, you know? Well, I donât mind if you prefer learning it the hard way, though. Feel free to try underestimating me.â
In no time, he yelled while bawling, âI wonât! I definitely wonât go against your orders! Iâll do as Iâm told! So please, save me!â
He saidâŠ
He makes it sound as if Iâm the villainess here!