Player-Hunting Inquisitors

Chapter 8

Riel observed the faces of those attending the tea party.

'Wow, everyone moves so gracefully... No one seems particularly awkward.'

Subconsciously searching for someone awkward must be due to her occupational habit.

Before she was an Apostle, she was an Inquisitor. Therefore, she was trained to always be able to spot Players.

"Miss Riel! How are you? I'm from the same magic department, xx!"

"Nice to meet you. I'm Riel Scarlet."

However, she had not been trained on how to converse with nobles.

It was especially difficult when nobles showed interest in her.

It was partly because she had no ties to living among others and partly because her innate personality was shy.

She only displayed an active demeanor in front of people she trusted.

'Should I have sought advice from Kian to get used to occasions like this?'

Riel regretted it internally, but it was already too late.

She forced herself to maintain composure and smiled.

However, the teacup in her hand trembled violently, reflecting her unsettled mind.

Before Riel could drop the teacup, a saving hand reached out.

"Hoo-hoo, since it's Riel's first tea party, I hope everyone will be understanding."

Yuria dismissed most of the people with just a nod and guided Riel to a seat in the corner.

"Please sit comfortably, Riel. If you're with me, fewer people will approach to talk."

"Thank you, Yuria. It's my first time having so many people come up to me like this...."

"Hoo-hoo, I understand. I struggled a lot at first too."

Despite saying that, Yuria didn't seem like someone who had struggled at all.

That was because Yuria, since her debutante, had never once stepped down from the top position in the social world, being a monster among monsters.

Even when she occasionally had to leave due to her duties as an Inquisitor, it caused no issues whatsoever.

'How many bodies does Yuria have? I feel exhausted just by showing my face at a tea party for a moment....'

Perhaps sensing Riel's feelings, Yuria picked up a dessert and placed it in Riel's mouth.

"Mmph-! What is this? It's so sweet!"

"Isn't it? It's a macaron made by our family's patissier."

"Patissier? Is that different from a chef?"

"Yes. A patissier specializes in making desserts."

"That's fascinating!"

As she conversed with Yuria, Riel gradually regained her composure.

"So, shall we head back over there?"

"Over there?"

"Yes. This area is a spot for people who are taking a brief rest. If we stay here, no one will approach to talk."

"I see...."

But Riel wasn't someone who would be discouraged by something like this.

"Alright, then I'll head over there. I need to get used to gatherings like this too."

"Understood."

After that, Riel mingled around the tea party hall and became acquainted with most of the nobles.

The people gathered here were carefully selected by Yuria.

Even if she made a mistake, it wouldn't cause major problems, but Riel managed to maintain her smile until the tea party ended without making any big mistakes.

As a result,

"Miss Riel! Can I sit next to you in the next class?"

"Ah! I was going to ask that! What about me?"

Strangely, Riel became explosively popular among the young ladies.

In truth, most of the young ladies gathered here had grown up like flowers in a greenhouse.

With trendy hairstyles, fashionable dresses, and popular accessories.

To these young ladies, who were used to seeing the same appearances, Riel was too stimulating.

First, her beauty. Even compared to Yuria, known as the Empire's most beautiful woman, she didn't fall short.

While Yuria had a cold impression, Riel had a more lively one.

Moreover, she wore pants as part of her uniform, had an easy-going personality, short hair, and an awkward demeanor due to her lack of etiquette.

Perhaps Riel embodied the ideal prince they had dreamed of.

"Uh..., I'm an assistant, so it might be difficult for me to sit with anyone...."

"As expected, Miss Riel is amazing! Being an assistant as a first-year is incredible!"

'I can't even respond to that.'

Although the tea party ended, Riel had to stay for quite a while, surrounded by the young ladies.

**

"Phew, I finally feel a bit calmer now."

"You were quite popular, weren't you?"

"Don't even mention it. They were practically ready to find out my dorm and barge in."

After the tea party ended, Riel and Yuria stayed in the hall to reflect on the day's events.

"As I thought, my aesthetic sense wasn't wrong. Dressing Riel in a more androgynous style would make her popular among women."

"This was all your doing?"

"No, it's because Riel is just too pretty."

After a brief quarrel, Yuria brought up the main topic.

"I was a bit worried at first, but after you rested, there were no issues. Next time, I think you can participate in a tea party that includes young men as well."

"Really? That's unexpectedly positive feedback. It was really hard for me, though."

"Everyone struggles at first. The difference lies in how quickly you overcome it. In that regard, Riel, you passed."

Thank goodness-. Riel muttered those words as she slumped onto the table.

"Then next time, I'll bring Cornell along. Is that okay?"

"Already~? Teacher, you're moving too fast~."

"It's fine. Today, despite being so nervous, you carefully observed everyone, didn't you? Next time will be easier."

"How did you notice that?"

Yuria had noticed Riel's tension while she was observing everyone's posture.

"Well, with your Blessing, it's possible."

Yuria's Blessing of Insight.

Even though Yuria had lost both eyes, through painstaking effort, she managed to live almost as if she were like others.

The Blessing was bestowed as if to celebrate those results.

"I figured Riel would carefully observe her surroundings no matter the situation."

Yuria replied with a gentle smile.

"That's something all Apostles do. It's an occupational habit."

"That's true."

Perhaps because Riel had passed with flying colors, the two quickly found themselves deeply engaged in conversation.

Their chat continued until the sun set.

**

"Hello, Riel."

"Hello, Professor... No, wait! Kian!"

"Were you okay yesterday?"

"Kian worrying about me? Is the sun rising in the west?"

Riel suddenly looked out the window.

Even though he had taken the time to come and see her, it seemed there had been no issues.

If there had been a problem,

'Oh no~! I made a mistake~!' she would have stormed into the Church last night.

'I'll be moving soon anyway.'

It was time to move to the house she had rented before the semester began.

She couldn't keep relying on the Church forever.

"Well then, attend your classes well."

"Okay! Kian, you too, take care~!"

For security reasons, it was also problematic to stay at the Church for too long.

After all, it couldn't be guaranteed that there were no Players among the believers within the Academy.

Since there was no way to stop them from entering the Church, it would be better to secure a safer location.

'By the way, I wonder when Natasha will arrive. There's been no news since our last meeting.'

With these thoughts in mind, I arrived at my destination.

"Hello, Professor. This is Kian Fable."

"Oh my! Saint! What brings you here?"

The person I was meeting was Callas Dubor, a professor of magical sparring.

Just like swordsmanship, magical sparring often results in injuries.

Therefore, it is one of the subjects that professors frequently oversee.

"If it's not too much trouble, I'd like to observe the class."

"It's an honor for me. At the beginning of the semester, everyone is too busy to attend, but having you, Saint, is reassuring."

Professor Callas was quite an energetic person.

If I had to compare, they felt somewhat similar to Riel.

Fortunately, I received permission easily, but the price was enduring an overwhelming amount of chatter.

'So that's why the students in the lab were looking at me like that.'

I didn't want to realize it, but I understood that the gaze they directed at me, as if looking at a savior, was actually anticipation for a new scapegoat.

By recycling three responses—'Yes,' 'Is that so?' and 'You've worked hard'—I barely managed to endure and finally arrived at the training ground.

"Oh, then, Saint, please stay in the seat prepared at the back."

"Understood."

I lightly surveyed the students.

While listening to their responses during roll call, I compared their names to the list of suspected Players and memorized their faces.

In the midst of it, I heard a familiar name.

"Riel Scarlet."

"Present!"

In a place suspiciously crowded with noble ladies, there was Riel.

'What on earth happened at the tea party?'

I told her to experience the tea party, and she came back with a harem.

Riel had always been popular among women, so I decided to think of it as an extension of that.

Surely, Riel wouldn't have deliberately seduced them.

In any case, the class proceeded without any major issues.

The students took turns using magic on their targets, and the professor observed and provided feedback for improvement.

'The process is similar to swordsmanship sparring. Is this how it's usually done?'

At that moment, the professor's characteristic excited voice rang out.

"Excellent! Have you considered joining the Magic Tower after graduation?"

'It must be Riel.'

Obviously. Just as Yuria received praise during swordsmanship sparring, Riel seemed to be receiving similar compliments here.

And, as expected, she was on the path to becoming an assistant.

It was a complete replica.

Riel glanced my way with a triumphant expression.

'How about this? Isn't it impressive?'

Her face resembled that of a child eagerly seeking praise.

'Yes, you did well.'

I gave her a thumbs-up as a gesture of acknowledgment.

After that, the class continued, but no one left as strong an impression as Riel.

Until the last person.

A young man, wearing a confident expression, stepped forward and immediately created a dark-colored orb.

Dark magic—a type of magic that doesn't belong to the well-known four major elements.

While it's common to have one of the four attributes—fire, water, earth, or wind—there are occasionally individuals who use magic that doesn't belong to any of them.

The student who stepped forward seemed to be one of those individuals.

The black sphere cut through the air and, upon reaching the target point, exploded with a loud roar and a flash of light.

The training ground shook violently, and dust rose like a whirlwind from the floor.

Students screamed and fell backward as debris scattered in all directions.

The professor urgently deployed a magical barrier, and the fragments struck the transparent shield before falling away powerlessly.

The student who had been standing at the center of the explosion was left dazed, his face covered in wounds.

"To injure yourself with your own magic—you're disqualified as a magician."

I rushed over to heal his injuries, but during that time, the professor continued to scold him angrily.

"Don't even think about attending my class in the future. I'll demote you to the lowest class under my authority."

The student who caused the explosion tried to argue, but the professor remained firm.

"That's absurd! No one else could produce the same level of power as me!"

"Magic isn't about power. The most important thing is how you use it. In that regard, you're the worst."

In the end, the student who caused the explosion lowered his head.

"Damn it, these fools who disregard the power of magic—they don't understand how artistic the explosion was..."

Muttering to himself, the student left the training ground.

However, the aftermath of the accident he caused still lingered in the training ground.

"Ahem, due to the accident, today's class will end here. If anyone is injured, please stay behind to receive treatment from the Saint. Dismissed!"

I stayed behind, thinking about the student who had caused the accident.

'Focusing on the power of magic... That's quite a rare mindset....'

Normally, when learning about magic, the dangers are emphasized to the point of exhaustion.

The same applies at the Academy.

While offensive magic is taught in classes, safety is always the top priority.

Therefore, pursuing power is a barbaric mindset that doesn't align with the Academy's principles at all.

Even so, if there's someone who only pursues power...

If his name is on the list I received...

'Suspicious.'

He's highly likely to be a Player.