NOVPUBBefore Lloyd went to interrogate Ludger, Terrina had given him a single order.
‘Lloyd.’
‘Yes, Commander.’
‘If you can’t get a proper answer out of him—then drop it cleanly.’
‘Is that really all right?’
‘Yes. But instead, when you part ways at the end—shake his hand.’
‘Shake hands, you say?’
‘Do it naturally. You understand what I mean, don’t you?’
Lloyd didn’t ask why.
The night before,
In a back alley, Terrina had explained everything to him.
That the one who killed the Kalsapha assassin was a mage specialized in close-quarters combat.
If someone was capable of taking down a Kalsapha assassin, then they definitely weren’t just someone with half-baked training.
Then, how could one confirm traces of such training?
Through the hands.
Since melee weapons are handled with the hands, those hands would, without a doubt, be rough and hardened—different from a typical mage’s.
''Did you shake hands barehanded?''
''I didn’t. But he was wearing gloves.''
''I see. But a single layer of gloves wouldn’t have been enough to fool you.''
Lloyd nodded.
In the end, the handshake at the end had been the true goal.
All the earlier questions had just been sleight of hand—distractions to lead ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) the target’s attention elsewhere.
''So, what did you find?''
''Yes. What I felt when I shook his hand...''
Lloyd relayed exactly what he had confirmed.
''He’s an ordinary mage with no signs of formal combat training.''
''What?''
Terrina furrowed her brow, as if she couldn’t understand.
* * *
Left alone in his office after Lloyd’s departure, Ludger sat down in front of his desk and clenched and released his fist.
''A handshake, huh.''
To any third party, it would have looked like nothing more than a courteous gesture at the end of a meeting.
But from Ludger’s perspective, it was nothing short of a see-through tactic.
'Agent Lloyd of the Security Bureau’s Nightcrawler Knights. Late twenties. Wears glasses, hair neatly parted. Eyes unwavering, posture rigid. Likely someone who handles tasks precisely.'
He had felt it during their conversation.
Lloyd asked his questions as if he had prepared them all beforehand. Calmly, yet methodically—one by one.
Like he was reading from a well-written script.
While answering, Ludger felt as though he was stacking bricks.
Bricks upon bricks, until a wall surrounded him.
A wall meant to trap him inside with no escape.
And then, Lloyd’s final handshake.
'He pushed the target mentally by continuously asking questions, then threw in a decisive move when their guard was down. Thorough. Meticulous method.'
Someone unaware might have accepted that handshake without a second thought.
But Ludger saw right through it.
'That man, Lloyd—he must have searched my office before I arrived.'
When Ludger had opened the door and entered, Lloyd’s eyes had darted toward the window sill and upper shelves, and his fingertips had brushed over the books in the study.
He had been checking the places least likely to be touched—where dust would naturally settle.
Restrained movements. Impeccable attire.
Even declined the light refreshments offered.
Ludger was certain of it.
The man had a touch of obsessive cleanliness.
And someone like that had initiated a handshake without even wearing gloves?
'He was trying to confirm something through the handshake.'
Then what exactly had he been trying to confirm?
To gauge magical ability by flowing mana into a joined hand?
That would be considered an attack on the other party. Even the Nightcrawler Knights couldn’t get away with something like that easily.
Especially when the target was an instructor at Seorn.
Even the reckless Security Bureau couldn’t treat such a person carelessly.
'Then what can you learn just from holding someone’s hand?'
Traces.
The marks engraved into the palm.
'Last night, the knights from the Security Bureau found the site where I fought Violetta. I don’t know how they got there—but the timing was razor-thin.'
And from that scene, they must have found traces of the fight.
That the suspect was a mage—but also skilled with weapons.
How could that be possible? If someone asked that, the Nightcrawler Knights would certainly be capable of answering.
There had been magic—and corpses with stab wounds. As elite agents under the Bureau, they would’ve noticed it quickly.
'I see. They were trying to confirm whether I was the one through a handshake.'
Smart bastards.
To try confirming the criminal’s identity with nothing but a handshake—going from suspicion to certainty.
If I hadn’t known, I’d be left thinking, “Who even does stuff like that?”
But—
If you do know, then it’s something you can easily prepare for.
Ludger recalled the conversation he’d had with Seridan before leaving the hideout.
‘Seridan.’
‘Hm? What is it, Master?’
‘I have a favor to ask before I leave.’
‘What is it? You want me to make something?’
‘Yes. Can you make something like an inner glove for the hand? Something soft and human-like, but different in texture?’
‘What?’
‘Is it possible?’
‘Of course it is! Though it won’t be perfect right away. I’ll need to work on the material, which takes time.’
‘That’s fine. I can handle the rest with my magic.’
‘Okay. Got it. I still have leftover material from when I made your mimic mask, so I should be able to pull it off. Oh, right—what happened to that mimic mask?’
‘I tore it and threw it away.’
‘What?!’
The artificial skin Seridan had made.
Ludger had attached a portion of it to the inside of the glove—at the palm.
That’s right.
What Lloyd had felt through the glove during the handshake wasn’t Ludger’s real skin.
'Even for a knight of the Security Bureau, there’s no way he’d notice.'
Seridan’s skills were the real deal. The artificial skin she made didn’t pale in comparison to actual human skin.
The mimic mask she made had even passed the intensive border inspections with ease.
Unless someone had touched it once before and knew the minute differences between it and actual skin—
Who would ever notice from a first-time handshake?
'Security Bureau knights. Clever. But that’s your limit.'
Ludger smirked slightly and returned to reviewing the exam questions for the upcoming first preliminary test.
* * *
''Senior... is that really true? Are you sure you didn’t mistake it?''
''You think I wouldn’t notice something like that?''
''No, it’s just...''
''Enya. Enough. There’s no way Lloyd would’ve failed to notice something like that.''
''But Commander...''
Terrina said that, but inside, she was deeply unsettled.
Ludger—the one she had thought was their best lead—had shown not a single suspicious sign.
So the last straw they’d been clinging to was a bust.
'That means the case has once again plunged into a dead end.'
Somewhere in Rederbelk, the real criminal was still hiding.
But they couldn’t figure out who.
She was well aware of how large that city was, and how many people lived there.
'Arsène Lupin. I thought I’d finally found traces of that man.'
Only to lose him again.
Terrina Lionhowl clenched her fist tightly.
Back when she hadn’t yet been called the Lord Protector—when she was still just a rising elite of the knights—
She’d never known failure. She had always advanced without pause, winning every battle.
Born a noble, possessing both innate talent and the effort to match—it had all been brought to ruin.
By a mere thief, no less.
No. Not a mere thief.
A phantom thief.
The man who stole the unstealable and toyed with the continent’s wealthiest.
Arsène Lupin.
She wanted to hunt him down immediately.
'But I can’t afford to waste more time on an investigation that’s going nowhere.'
The moment no further leads could be found—her role here had reached its end.
She was the commander of the Nightcrawler Knights under the Intelligence Bureau.
Her position didn’t allow her to move recklessly anymore.
''Lloyd. Enya.''
''Yes!''
''Yes!''
''I’m heading back to the capital now.''
''Then, this case’s investigation is...''
This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.
''We can’t proceed any further without solid leads. It’s a temporary suspension. I’ll report it that way to the higher-ups.''
''Then... is this the end?''
''I can’t stay here any longer. I’ve got responsibilities. So, Enya. You’ll remain here.''
''Yes?''
''Stay here in Rederbelk, and if anything suspicious happens—don’t hesitate to report to me. Understood?''
''B-but, what about you, Senior? Wouldn’t it be better for you to stay rather than me...?''
''No. Lloyd has something else to handle. Lloyd. Do you agree?''
''If that is the commander’s order.''
''Uh, u-um... still, this is so sudden...''
''Enya. Please.''
''......!''
This was not an order issued by the Security Bureau.
Enya realized this was a personal command from Terrina Lionhowl herself—and with a resolute expression, she nodded.
''Yes, Commander!''
''Good. I believe you’ll do well.''
With that, Terrina turned to leave.
At that moment, Lloyd called out.
''C-Commander! Are you really going without seeing him? Shouldn’t you at least meet this Professor Ludger yourself...?''
''No. I cannot.''
''What? But why...?''
''I came here under a... certain condition, to begin with.''
''A certain condition?''
Lloyd couldn’t understand. Was it really that difficult just to see someone face-to-face?
Terrina considered whether to explain the situation to her puzzled subordinate—but then sensed a presence approaching and turned her head.
''Just in time.''
''Huh?''
Lloyd and Enya also turned in the direction Terrina was looking.
A woman was walking toward them slowly.
'Since when?'
She was close enough to be clearly visible to the naked eye, yet none of them had sensed her approach at all.
Long hair with a soft two-tone of white and light pink.
Under the morning sunlight, it swayed with each light step of the beautiful woman approaching.
She waved and smiled brightly at them.
''Yoo-hoo! Terrina! Long time no see!''
''Elisa. We literally saw each other this morning.''
''Come on. It feels like it’s been a while, that’s what I meant.''
Seeing the woman speak so familiarly with Terrina, Enya and Lloyd couldn’t help but feel startled inside.
'Elisa? Elisa Willow?'
'The Headmaster of Seorn Academy?'
A genius mage who had reached the 6th Circle—Rexler—at a young age.
She had now appeared before them—the Headmaster of Seorn Academy.
''Elisa. What brings you here?''
''What else? You’re about to leave. As a friend, I figured I could at least come send you off, no?''
''Hmph. That’s a pointless gesture.''
''Isn’t that what friends are for?''
''If you’re really that friendly, there’s no reason you couldn’t have introduced me to this Ludger Cherish fellow yourself.''
''Nope. That’s different.''
Elisa shook her head.
''Don’t pick on our capable new hire too much, okay?''
Her smile carried a meaning they couldn’t quite grasp, and as she spoke to them, Terrina swallowed her irritation.
Right.
The reason she hadn’t met Ludger Cherish directly was because Elisa Willow had blocked her from doing so.
''So you’ve taken quite a liking to him.''
''He’s an exceptional person. But if I let you meet him, who knows what you might do?''
''You make me sound like someone who breaks people.''
''Am I wrong?''
''.......''
Terrina glared at Elisa but eventually turned her head with a flick.
''I’m leaving. Enya. Lloyd.''
''Ah, yes!''
''Yes, Commander!''
''Hey. Terrina. Leaving just like that?''
''Yes. I am. No need for a send-off.''
''All right, then. You’re not going to say goodbye to the Princess?''
''She’s a member of the royal family. I don’t need to personally confirm whether she’s doing well or not. She’ll handle herself just fine.''
Was she just cutting off the conversation because she didn’t want to speak further?
Elisa didn’t show any dissatisfaction or disappointment at Terrina’s cold tone.
It was as if this was simply normal between them.
And she accepted it naturally.
''I’m going.''
Still, perhaps for old times’ sake—
Terrina left her with a final remark.
* * *
'The Headmaster and the Lord Protector, huh.'
I quietly shook my head as I observed the scene outside through the window.
Even from a distance, it was obvious the atmosphere between the two wasn’t exactly friendly.
No—they weren’t openly hostile.
But for people who supposedly knew each other, they didn’t seem particularly close either.
'An ambiguous relationship, huh.'
Two people who were once friends, now meeting as leaders of different factions, subtly checking one another.
Something must’ve happened between them in the past.
'Though I don’t know exactly what.'
Still, this worked out well for me.
Because it meant I didn’t have to face Terrina Lionhowl directly.
'And I owe that entirely to the Headmaster’s protection.'
Elisa Willow, the Headmaster.
If she hadn’t gotten in the way, it wouldn’t have been Lloyd who came to see me—it would’ve been her.
I couldn’t be more relieved.
And from this whole incident, there was one thing I became certain of.
'The Headmaster has decided to trust me.'
The werewolf incident, the public duel between Aidan and Jeban Pellio, the Philosopher’s Stone incident that followed—
And now, seeing how she responded when the knights from the Security Bureau came looking for me.
I was sure of it now.
The Headmaster had decided to back me.
Which meant—I had taken a big step toward being recognized and trusted as a teacher at Seorn.
'Though it’s not unconditional trust. For now, she simply sees me as someone worthwhile and is offering protection.'
If I do anything suspicious, she might be the first one to come after me.
That’s why I need to remain as cautious as possible.
'Now, the next step is finding the Black Dawn’s First Order.'
