## Chapter 264 – Counterattack (15)
“Did you tie him up properly?”
“For now, yes. I also injected him with the time-limited Hwandok, so he won’t be able to resist.”
Eloise’s question reached Hyeryeong as she watched the man, who had been dragged to the floor and was now tightly bound with ropes.
The Hwandok, a masterpiece of the Tang family, was a deadly poison that would lead to death if the antidote wasn’t administered periodically.
Hyeryeong’s expression seemed a bit displeased at having to use such a poison on someone like him, when it wasn’t even necessary.
Carla had strongly requested that he not be killed, and Hyeryeong felt the need for additional nagging.
However, after hearing Carla’s subsequent words, she nodded slightly.
“If this person dies like this…
Wouldn’t it deviate from the original plan…?
The others are supposed to think they killed each other while gambling, right?”
According to the original plan, their deaths were to be disguised, as Carla said.
But if even a mage was found dead, the story could become even more complicated.
That was why Hyeryeong had no choice but to take out the precious Hwandok, which was mostly used for silencing or threatening people.
“He better be worth using this on…”
Everyone values their own life, right?
With his life held hostage, no one would dare to resist.
However, one concern was that if he was willing to die, they would be taking on a serious risk.
In the end, once again, she was forced to take a risk simply because of Carla’s stubbornness.
Hyeryeong clicked her tongue, rechecked the knot she had tied, and turned to Eloise with a look that seemed to say she had a lot to say.
“Did you get the data?”
“I’ve got it all for now…
But I’ll have to check if this is everything.
Carla’s research should be among these papers too.”
Eloise showed her a small handbag connected to a large space with expansion magic.
She nodded uncertainly, her answer implying that she couldn’t be sure right now.
“Then we’ve done what we needed to do, right?
Everyone, get out. Disappear from here.”
Now that they had achieved their goal, there was no reason for them to stay here any longer.
Hyeryeong issued an eviction order to everyone else, trying to drive them away from this place.
“Okay. Let’s get out of here…
Wait… what is Hyeryeong planning to do?”
“I need to silence him.
So I’ll leave after he wakes up.
You’re just getting in the way, so go back.
Go and check the items.”
“Hyeryeong…”
“Things keep getting more complicated.
Can’t you just leave quickly?
I can always get myself out of trouble.
It was different earlier because I had to protect the young lady.”
Seeing Hyeryeong grumbling and complaining, the others’ eyes darkened.
“Be careful… okay…?”
While Yui supported Eloise, who was staggering from mana exhaustion, Carla turned to Hyeryeong and said a word.
The dramatic confrontation from before, and the occurrence of situations that didn’t go as she had planned.
Hyeryeong, who seemed mentally complicated by it all, didn’t respond to Carla’s words and simply sat down on the chair next to her.
Leaving her behind, they headed back to the academy.
On the way, the group stopped at a word from Eloise, who was being supported by Yui, and entered an inn they found on the roadside.
“I need to… check…”
Yui, quickly understanding Eloise’s words, entrusted Eloise to Carla and quickly secured a room.
Inside the room they entered, after tightly locking the door to prevent anyone from intruding or eavesdropping.
Eloise, supported by Yui and receiving a physical check in case, opened the small handbag, causing the two girls to step back.
Instantly, trunks filled with papers were poured out and stacked up in the space they had vacated.
“The academy… might still be…
Under surveillance…
Let’s… check here…”
Eloise’s words expressed concern about a possible second attack at the academy.
Yui and Carla, realizing their roles, began to rummage through the trunks of papers leaked from the medical and engineering departments, respectively.
And Eloise’s busy hands, rummaging through the trunk from the magic department that contained Carla’s papers, were also moving quickly.
Because each of them knew the information of their respective departments to some extent, the task of checking itself was not difficult.
However…
“It looks like a few are missing…”
“Here too…!!
There should have been Senior Ripendale’s 12-sided structure proof and structural reinforcement research…
It’s not here…!! Even if I look again…!!”
Eventually, just as uneasy looks were about to appear on Yui and Carla’s faces as they stared at each other with bewildered expressions.
Eloise’s trembling voice seemed to break the atmosphere.
“It’s… not here…
Carla’s research papers…”
“Huh…? That can’t be…
If we look again…
It must be somewhere…!!”
“Really. Maybe…
It’s already been taken out and stored somewhere else…”
At Eloise’s shocking words, not only Carla but also Yui’s expression hardened.
This situation, where the research they had worked so hard to retrieve was sparsely missing.
It was like opening an item window where some high-end items had been carefully selected, and the rest had been sorted out like leftover junk items.
And among the three women who were finding it difficult to accept the situation, a long silence due to disappointment lingered.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Quietly watching over them, who were utterly disappointed.
It was the black membrane that was gently enveloping Yui’s body as it wriggled.
Originally, due to the bad memories she had from her past, she had refrained from touching her body for a while.
But after the academy attack that happened recently,
Thinking that Nemea should be implanted in Yui, who was almost in danger at that time, so that she could protect herself.
Nemea, which she had implanted while soothing her trembling body due to the memory of being physically modified in the past, was now performing its role well and protecting her well.
‘Carla’s research results are gone…?
Have they really been taken somewhere else…’
What was the purpose of this hideout raid in the first place?
It was to retrieve Carla’s research papers, which they couldn’t just give away nicely.
Although there were some difficulties along the way, they were able to come this far with the will to retrieve what had been taken.
But this time, it would be an extremely dangerous thing for them.
‘The stolen data is probably…
This time, it’s probably with Laratina herself.
It’s going to be difficult to break through there with this member…’
This hideout was like a hidden dungeon drawn on a treasure map, where there was no difficulty in breaking through as long as you knew the address.
But Laratina’s base was like a boss dungeon with bosses and subordinates aplenty, requiring great martial skill.
I could help them even if they did something a little reckless, but as someone who couldn’t save them from sticking their necks into the tiger’s mouth.
I sensed that I had to put an end to their solo run here in some way.
And fortunately, Yui was gently approaching Carla, who was hanging her head low, and holding her hand tightly.
“Carla… I’m sorry…”
“Let’s go back, Yui…”
Carla, taking her hand out of hers, hugged Yui tightly and buried her face in her arms.
“Carla…!?”
“I just realized it… I’m sorry…
Everyone was almost in real danger because of me…!!
I… I’m just glad Yui isn’t hurt…
And Hyeryeong too… and Professor Eloise…”
Although Hyeryeong hadn’t returned yet, she could now clearly trust her skills.
Carla’s eyes, looking back and forth between Yui and Eloise, were filled with a subtle sense of guilt.
“This kind of thing… can’t be helped, right…?
The papers are a shame, but… who cares!?
Yui is worth tens… hundreds of times more than that…!!
Still, we… managed to retrieve so many papers…?
Right, Professor…?”
Seeing Carla’s commendable and cute behavior of forcing a smile even though she must be upset, a slightly dark but subtle smile spread across the faces of the two women watching.
“Ah… um… yes…
If Carla hadn’t suggested taking action…
I don’t know what would have happened…
Being able to retrieve even some of them…
It’s thanks to all of you.”
In that situation, Eloise, who also seemed to have a lot on her mind, approached Carla with a sentimental attitude.
“It may have been a reckless thing.
But to all of you who bravely stepped forward for the academy’s cause.
I, Eloise de Fantini, a full-time professor of the Department of Magic, will express my gratitude on behalf of the academy.”
Eloise stroked Carla’s head and hugged her, who was in Yui’s arms.
‘I’m the one who should be ashamed…
She’s really… a really good kid…’
She was holding Carla’s hand tightly, hoping it would be some kind of compensation.
