Chapter 37

Chapter 37: Chapter 37

A system notification suddenly appeared in front of me, even though I hadn’t ordered it to, and I was surprised to see it on the system screen.

[This is Noblesee Codex. This book contains the ultimate truth about all things. It is a repository of knowledge gathered from this world. You can ask the book anything, and it will answer as long as you have sufficient magic power. However, be warned that the book’s power is not limitless, and excessive use can drain your energy and spectral seal and leave you feeling drained for a while.]

I was about to ask it something when suddenly...

Wiiiing!

Wiiiing!

My smartwatch blared with an emergency alarm. I quickly dispelled my magic and activated the watch.

[Emergency! Searching for the last person who interacted with Mister Jonathan Antoine of Class Diaspora-Novice!]

’Oh no... Is it already that time?’ I thought, feeling a sinking sensation in my stomach.

There will be at least fifty victims throughout this part. This season of my story is pretty important—mainly because Whitney will end up being the final victim. Her fate is the key event that finally pulls Cypher and Angela closer together.

{Hello,} Whitney messaged me out of nowhere.

"What?" I quickly replied.

{The emergency message just now—that wasn’t your doing, was it?} Whitney asked.

Wait, what? Why would I kidnap some student who has nothing to do with me? I furrowed my brows, confused.

"I don’t even know the guy," I messaged back.

{Nevermind what I said,} she replied.

"K," I shot back.

She didn’t respond after that, so I refocused, trying to summon Noblesee Codex—when suddenly—

Buzz!

Buzz!

My concentration shattered as I glared at my smartwatch, irritated by the interruption.

{By the way, congratulations on subduing a Rogue last week,} Whitney messaged again.

It was her. Again. Something about her message felt suspicious.

Instead of thanking her, I shot back, "What do you want?"

I knew her well enough; she had a knack for changing the subject repeatedly until I unwittingly led the conversation to the topic she really wanted to discuss. That was Whitney’s specialty.

{Do you know about ’Luminescor’?} Whitney quickly texted as soon as I sent her my message.

Her true intention finally revealed itself—she wanted to know its weaknesses. I also couldn’t help but be impressed; they had actually pinpointed the location of a Luminescor.

The fact that the guild was able to gather information about where it was hiding suggests they have a network of reliable sources or skilled mercenaries who’ve gone deep into the swamp to track it down.

The Luminescor is a towering beast, an Apex-ranked monster standing about 30 meters tall. Its rarity comes from how elusive it is, as it’s only found in the swamps of Aeonia—a region that isn’t known for having large wetlands.

"I don’t know what you’re talking about," I texted back.

{Name your price,} Whitney replied.

"You can’t afford it. It’s priceless," I shot back, referencing the Hendera Rentem information, which was enough to count as her ’achievement’.

{Why not? I can offer you what you want,} she messaged again.

Whitney was young and ambitious, destined for greatness, but her personality was still a work in progress. Right now, she was fueled by a ruthless determination to eliminate any obstacle in her path, showing no mercy or compassion toward her enemies. This merciless approach to achieving her goals was a testament to her raw talent and potential, but it also raised concerns about the consequences of giving her too much power at this early stage.

"How would I know the weak point of a monster that doesn’t appear in Aeonia? I’m just a cadet," I texted back.

’Cadet, my ass,’ Whitney thought to herself, dismissing my excuse.

After a long silence, Whitney finally ended the conversation with a single message: {From now on, don’t talk to me so casually.}

I merely sighed at her reply. "Hayss. Teenagers..." I muttered under my breath.

~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~

————————————

Subject:

Information Selling - Verification Services

Details & How to Use It:

If you want to know something, simply click below to be redirected to an encrypted chat. Message us your question, and we will provide a truthful answer.

Please adhere to the following conditions to ensure your question is answered. Failure to comply may result in no response.

Condition 1:

Payment is required for your question to be answered. (One question costs up to 100,000 Glacium or more, but the price can be adjusted based on the nature of the question. Think carefully before submitting.)

Condition 2:

We only answer questions within our knowledge scope. (If your question falls outside our expertise, we will inform you free of charge.)

Condition 3:

For questions about a specific person, include detailed personal information—name, physical appearance, identity, and a picture. (A mere name is insufficient.)

Condition 4:

We cannot answer nonsensical questions. However, questions with specific details can be answered.

The information provided is all verified and true. No refunds are available. Prices and conditions are subject to change at any time.

Privacy is assured: the encrypted chat will be immediately deleted after your questions are answered.

————————————

I glanced at my PC, recalling that each room had its own computer for projects, assignments, and other tasks. It was a useful resource, especially in situations like this, where secure communication and verification services were involved.

I was diligently working on my application to submit to the Scarlet Phantom Website, aiming to become an official information seller. With my new skill, the Noblesee Codex, I felt it would be a waste not to leverage it in this way.

I decided to keep the name simple—’Veritas Bureau’—for now.

Knowing that reputation is crucial within the Scarlet Phantom community, I didn’t expect to attract many customers right away. If my information selling venture proves successful, I might consider making it a long-term investment. But if it doesn’t take off, that’s okay—I still have my stocks in the Sapphire Blood Guild to fall back on.

"Hmmm...." I mused, contemplating the possibilities as I reviewed the application one last time.

Satisfied, I pressed the ’Apply as a seller’ button, feeling a sense of relief and anticipation.

Now, I didn’t have to worry about my future too much.

I stretched, feeling a bit tired, and called Macaron over. It was time for dinner before I headed out to train again.

~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~

10:10 PM., Sunday

As usual, Cypher was working out at the Training Center again. He was a regular presence there, never missing a chance to train, but today’s scenery was different from what it had been at the beginning of the year. The Training Center was packed with cadets, likely because midterm exams were approaching.

After finishing a set, Cypher took a moment to rest and glanced around the room. Rex, Luella, Edge, and even Whitney and Meredith—who were rare visitors—were all present.

"Are you interested in one of the girls?" A whisper grazed his ear. Cypher jerked his head back, surprise warring with annoyance. There was only one person who would pull such a prank. Cypher narrowed his eyes, a glare forming.

Christian just laughed and handed him a cold drink before sitting down beside him.

Cypher thought he would quit, but Christian nudged his shoulder again and asked, "Sooo? Do you like any one of them?"

"Not really, though... I just thought that it’s rare to see her here," Cypher replied, using his chin to point at Meredith.

Christian looked at Meredith and nodded in agreement. "I suppose you’re right. It’s weird that I’m watching a real princess working out at a training center."

Her striking red fiery hair glistened brilliantly under the gym lights, flowing freely as she moved. Her eyes, like refined rubies, sparkled with intensity and focus. Her figure was flawless, radiating both royalty and charm—an undeniable presence that commanded attention even in a casual workout.

Even while she’s covered in sweat, Meredith maintained an elegant aura that made her appearance captivating. The girl, Meredith, was from the Mithril royal family and a direct descendant of noble lineage. Her rare hair and eye color were clear signs of her noble bloodline, setting her apart from the rest.

"Do you think she’ll like me if I approach her right now?" Christian asked, his voice tinged with a mix of hope and uncertainty.

Cypher only smiled at his question, a hint of amusement in his expression.

"Is that a sneer? What, you think you can just approach her?" Christian added, trying to gauge Cypher’s reaction.

"Me? Of course not. I was agreeing with you," Cypher replied with a smirk. "I don’t think she’d even notice someone like you."

While the two of them joked with each other, Christian suddenly noticed Angela emerging from the archery room, her body glistening with sweat. She was slightly stumbling, her face showing clear signs of exhaustion.

"Oh? Hey, look. It’s Angela," Christian said, pointing subtly in her direction.

Angela was about to head back to her dorm to rest when she spotted Remillia on a treadmill. Her eyes narrowed, and a glare formed as she paused briefly, her gaze fixed on her.

Remillia, meanwhile, was minding her own business, running steadily on the treadmill. She was sweating heavily, but her pace was disappointingly slow—well below the minimum standard expected of the cadets. Despite her effort, her running rate was barely enough to keep up, making her look almost pitiful compared to the others.

Christian couldn’t help but watch the two girls intently. "Uhh... Why is Angela glaring like that at Remillia?" he asked, a hint of confusion in his voice.

Cypher shrugged casually. "They’re not really on good terms," he replied simply.

Christian observed Angela for a moment.

After glaring at Remillia for a while, Angela turned to head back again, but then her eyes unexpectedly met Cypher’s. She let out a dry cough, as if she was a little embarrassed, and then walked over to them.

"Cypher," Angela said, her tone a bit awkward, "isn’t she a bit weird?" she asked, nodding subtly toward Remillia.

"...In what way?" Cypher asked, raising an eyebrow.

Angela hesitated for a moment before replying, "She’s acting, you know... weak?"

"Weak? How come?" Cypher responded, frowning slightly.

Both boys furrowed their brows, confused by her words. They didn’t quite understand what Angela was getting at, but she continued to glare at Cypher as if expecting him to have all the answers.

Angela crossed her arms, her gaze sharp. "I can understand if Christian was the one saying that, but out of all people, you, Cypher, are really nonchalant about these kinds of things," she said, voice tinged with frustration.

"What? Can you just say it instead of playing with your words?" Cypher asked, crossing his arms with a hint of impatience.

Angela rolled her eyes. "You saw her that day and you still don’t get it?" she said, voice tinged with frustration.

"Hmmm..." Christian continued to stare at Cypher, silently pleading for answers.

They all turned their attention back to Remillia. Her face was flushed red, as if she was about to burst from exhaustion.

Christian finally broke the silence. "If that’s acting, then I’m impressed. She should audition as an actress instead."

Angela grimaced. "Eugh! You know what, just stay insensitive for the rest of your lives!" she snapped, clearly annoyed.

Right when Angela was shaking her head in disappointment, three male students approached Remillia.

Cypher immediately frowned, recognizing the troublemakers. Those three were well-known delinquents in the academy.

"Hey, what are you doing here, loser?" one of them sneered, crossing his arms.

"Look, she’s struggling with this. I could run for a full three hours without even breaking a sweat," another boasted, trying to sound impressive.

They nudged Remillia again, but she didn’t even give them a glance. Instead, she kept her focus on her running, completely ignoring them.

"Hey, can’t you hear us? Say something!" one of the delinquents taunted, voice rising with irritation.

"Let’s take pictures of this bitch and post them. Look at her, still working out when she’s a complete waste," another added with a sneer.

Frustrated that Remillia remained unfazed and silent, the three boys grew bolder, beginning to curse openly.

"Why bother living? You’re a waste of money," one spat. "You’re too weak. I feel bad for your parents—they must be ashamed of you."

"You’re going to fail anyway, so why not just leave?" another mocked, their words dripping with contempt.

"I’m leaving," Angela said quietly, her face tense as she turned away and walked off, looking uncomfortable.

Meanwhile, Cypher slowly got to his feet, his fists clenched and unable to hold himself back. Before he could move toward the delinquents, Christian stepped in, holding him back.

"What?" Cypher asked, confused.

"Just leave her be. By the looks of it, they’re Edge’s lackeys. Nothing good will come of fighting them," Christian advised calmly.

"But still..." Cypher hesitated, his eyes flickering with concern.

Christian smirked, his tone playful. "And who knows... maybe she’s really acting. Could be all a show."

~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~

As I slowly opened my eyes, the familiar sight of those annoyingly big eyes reminded me that it was Monday. I tried to recall the events of the previous day: applying to become an information seller at Scarlet Phantom, having dinner with Macaron, training, and... Ahhh, those three annoying little pigs bothering me while I was working out.

I shook them off my thoughts. I didn’t want to ruin my mood by dwelling on them. But fate seemed determined to prevent me from having a peaceful day.

Buzz!

Buzz!

Buzz!

This was the first time I received multiple messages from cadets in such quick succession. Curiosity turned to concern as I read each one. My perfect smile gradually faded into a flat line.

All the messages were filled with curse words and hostility.

{Yow, bitch.}

{You think you can hide in your dorm? Wait until I kick your ass off.}

{Our combat exam is near. I’ll incapacitate you so you quickly drop out of school, you fuc—}

I quickly deleted all of their messages and blocked them, cutting off any further contact. It was clear I was the target of bullying, though I had an idea who the instigator might be. Still, I couldn’t be certain.

Despite the annoyance, this kind of bullying wasn’t enough to shake my resolve. I’ve endured much worse—being bullied from the age of six all the way through my senior year of high school. I know how to withstand this kind of harassment; as long as they don’t interfere with my plans or get in my way, I can handle it.

Haaaa... I let out a long sigh as I walked out, noticing words scrawled on the nameplate outside my door.

Bitch, orphan, go die already, and *"#$. I furrowed my brows in frustration, especially when one of the handwriting styles was too messy for me to decipher.

It seemed they had carved the words with some sort of aura to avoid detection by CCTV. With class starting in five minutes, I had to hurry before I was late.

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