Academy’s Undercover Professor-Novel - Chapter 123

ACADEMY’S UNDERCOVER PROFESSOR

[Translator – Alice]

[Proofreader – ilafy]

Chapter 123 – Hunting Night (2)

Inside the burning shadow akin to a flame, Ludger stared at Casey.

Casey looked at Ludger while asking in a clear tone.

“We have met before, right? Do you remember who I am?”

“…Casey Selmore.”

How could he forget her?

She was one of the rare people amongst his enemies who intensely remained within his memory.

“You remember me well. Then you also know why I called you, right?”

“Are you going to arrest me? Right here, right now?”

Ludger smiled without a word at that remark.

To think that she wanted to arrest him right after they met after such a long time, she was such an ambitious lady.

However, when he thought of it, their relationship wasn’t good enough to greet each other kindly.

They’d been in a cat-and-mouse relationship in the Kingdom of Delica, after all.

Of course, it was more like Casey was having a one-sided fiery animosity toward Ludger.

“I knew it, Moriarty. You didn’t die in the waterfall on that day.”

“Isn’t it better for you to live on while pretending not to know it? It would have been better for each of us.”

“You’re telling me to bury the disgrace of that day and just let it go? Don’t you wish.”

“Is that why you chased me all the way here? With the intention of fleetingly letting go of your life that you were barely able to keep?”

“It seems that you’re looking down to me too much. Do you think I’ll give up just because of that? The current me is different from before.”

Zzzttt.

Both of their stares collided intensely in the air.

Knowing that neither of them had a personality to give up, it was obvious what would happen after they met like that.

Droplets of water started to float around Casey one by one.

Ludger clicked his tongue as he saw that.

“Do we have to see blood here?”

“Or do you want to be captured obediently?”

“No way.”

“Look at that. There’s no other choice then?”

They had to overpower each other using their strengths.

When she was about to raise her mana with that thought, Ludger’s shadow grew larger as he responded to it.

The space between the two was tinged with tension.

The subordinates standing beside Ludger stared at Casey as well.

“O-oh?”

At the very sudden incident, Elendil was confused about what to do.

Casey opened her mouth during such a flashpoint.

“James Moriarty. No, Abraham van Helsing.”

“…”

As he didn’t expect that name to be spoken, Ludger’s body flinched and he trembled.

Casey didn’t miss such a minute reaction.

A smile formed in her face.

“You look like you’re wondering how I know. Well, to be honest, I’m also surprised. I didn’t expect you to live your life while hiding beneath various identities like that.”

“…Nonsense.”

“Is it nonsense? Van Helsing, James Moriarty. Also, the civil war in Northern Kingdom of Utah that ended a while ago, that was your work, right?”

A part of his life course that he’d gone through was spoken from Casey’s mouth.

Ludger squinted his eyes behind his beak mask.

He didn’t expect his concealed past identities to come out of someone else’s mouth.

“What other identity do you use to hide in this city? In the end, do you think I won’t find you after you run away from this place?”

“…”

“I will definitely find you, and I will chase you to the end. To the end.”

Ludger maintained his silence for a while at the remark which seemed like a one-sided proclamation before nodding his head.

“I see. So it seems like I have been looking down on you too much.”

The decisive day in the Kingdom of Delica…

Even after Casey Selmore had used all of her mana, she had been unable to defeat Ludger.

At that time, what was the last thing she did?

As a wizard, she’d thrown away her body and jumped down the waterfall cliff with him.

As she didn’t care for her own death, it was close to lunacy.

Having encountered the determination back then, Ludger didn’t expect her to not give up and chase his tracks afterward.

Moreover, she’d grown extraordinarily stronger than when they fought in the past.

Ludger admitted that it was his mistake.

A wizard with a color title…

They didn’t know how to use more than one element, but because of that, they displayed an absolute strength in the related element above anyone else.

‘The opponent who was already troublesome now comes back after getting so strong that it’s hard to mess with her recklessly.’

However, Casey Selmore’s biggest weapon wasn’t her magic ability.

Apart from being a wizard, she had a level of deduction power that made her deserve her title of detective.

Moreover, beyond that, her tenaciousness and perseverance were her true weapons.

Even if he was able to flee safely from that place, Casey Selmore wouldn’t give up and would continue chasing him.

She would chase his trace, close their distance, and gather some evidence.

She would get closer to him step by step.

‘If that’s the case…’

She might find out his activity as Ludger Chelysie before he could finish utilizing the identity.

If that was the case, then it would be a checkmate.

Usually, he would throw away his fake identity and leave somewhere else, but that time the situation was different.

—Because he’d really sold out his face as Ludger Chelysie.

He wasn’t in a position to change his identity recklessly like changing some parts.

‘This became quite troublesome.’

No, it wasn’t only troublesome.

Hereafter, there was a high probability that he would be disturbed from collecting the remaining Relic fragments, which was his primary goal.

Then what should he do?

Ludger squinted his eyes.

‘Should I eliminate her?’

The first definite method was destruction of evidence.

It was an idea that shouldn’t have been possible with a color title wizard as the opponent, but it wasn’t like he didn’t have any method to do that as well.

As his concealed murderous intent was awakened, Casey’s body unconsciously trembled.

As she gulped, she felt the changed vigor which flowed from Ludger.

‘As expected, it’s just like then.’

The intense pressure that made her lose her will to fight just by encountering him…

Even when she had gotten strong enough to be superior wherever she went, she still felt that the villain she’d encountered in the past was as high as a mountain.

Still, she didn’t back off.

Casey gritted her teeth and didn’t release her gaze on Ludger.

—Because there were still some things she needed to find out.

“I heard the recent news. There are countless cases all over the continent, but it’s only in the Exileon Empire where there is a threatening movement. An organization that moves secretly without others knowing.”

“…”

Ludger’s body unconsciously tensed at the word organization.

‘No way, has the secret organization, U.N. Owen, that I created already been discovered?’

If she was a lady who possessed incredulous deduction skills, it wasn’t strange for her to find out that much.

It was beyond simple common sense and closer to the psychic area.

However, what came out of her mouth was a name that was completely different from his concerns.

“Tell me. What’s the relation between yourself and the Black Dawn Society?”

“…”

Black Dawn Society?

Why did that name suddenly come out?

He seemed to show his perplexity, as Casey felt that her doubt became certainty.

“As expected. It seems like I hit my mark.”

“…”

Good ideas passed through Ludger’s brain like lightning.

“…I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

He would be like an amateur if he answered yes bluntly there.

On the contrary, if he stalled for time while pretending that he didn’t know, it would turn her doubt into certainty.

Just as he was hoping, Casey showed an expression full of certainty.

“It’s no use pretending not to know. The incidents happening recently are all because of you, right? Then the one who turned the auction house like this is you as well.”

‘Auction house? Oh. Is she talking about the Liberation Army that triggered the terror attack?’

The ones who’d played a part in that situation were not only the Liberation Army.

Other criminals and black wizards had also meddled.

Casey seemed to think that even their movements were all his wrongdoings.

‘I didn’t do it.’

She guessed wrong, but it wasn’t a false remark either.

It was also a fact that what he and his colleague had done was the cause of the incident.

‘This is perhaps…’

Ludger’s thought which ruled out Casey at first tilted the other way.

Casey Selmore was competent.

Even if he wanted to eliminate her, she wasn’t someone who could be easily dealt with, and he was bound to endure a very huge amount of damage.

In the situation where he still needed to cover his identity, it was only him who would be in danger if he did that.

‘I changed my mind.’

He was in a situation where he couldn’t let his identity be exposed to both Sören Academy and the Black Dawn Society.

If he had to nitpick over it, Black Dawn Society could be said as more dangerous.

However, what if Casey Selmore interfered there?

Also, if her interest was turned to the Black Dawn Society…

‘She can become an excellent hunting dog instead.’

Casey was certain that he had some kind of connection with the Black Dawn Society.

That was a chance.

“So. Casey Selmore. You’re really my old enemy. I can’t believe that you pierced through my scheme. However, is it okay for you to be like this?”

“What?”

As she couldn’t cope with the intention of the question, Casey asked back foolishly.

Even when she could grasp the flow of huge incidents properly, she was oddly stupid in trivial parts.

Ludger explained it kindly to her.

“There are still some terrorists remaining in that auction house. They must still be wandering around to search for the prey that they need to destroy.”

“Are you threatening me? You are telling me to fight with smallfry and let go of the important criminal in front of me right now?”

“I have no choice if you feel that’s what you must do. However, I’m someone who can’t be caught easily. Me and my subordinates’ forces will show our resistance to you.”

“You…!”

“Will you overpower me and my subordinates flawlessly in the end? And in the midst of it, what will the citizens who can’t evacuate yet end up like in the auction house?”

Ludger deliberately hit her where she was most sensitive.

“I can’t be responsible for that as well.”

“Heek…!”

Casey glared at Ludger as if she was about to kill him.

Ludger cunningly pierced through her weakness.

What was her reason to catch criminals?

According to her grandparent’s words, it was to turn the world into a better place.

—So that the people wouldn’t get hurt by crimes.

—So that even one person could smile happily.

Casey held that belief dearly, thus she’d solved countless cases.

Ludger pointed out Casey’s weakness properly.

Would she let go of an important criminal in order to save people instead?

Would she capture that man by sacrificing some people as the price?

Casey Selmore was in a conflict.

Looking at her swayed look, Ludger was certain that he had made the right decision.

‘She’s a troublesome woman, but her skill is real. Casey Selmore. I should make you the hunting dog to bite the Black Dawn Society and not me.’

Also, the other duty that she would bear was the special bomb that the Liberation Army used.

‘A special gunpowder that Silence of Fire doesn’t work against. I obviously got rid of all of it when I was in the Kingdom of Delica.’

How could the Liberation Army use that explosive?

—The formula that he thought had been completely swept away still remained.

Or there might be some kind of connection between the dark secret of the incident back then and the Liberation Army.

Anyhow, it wouldn’t be good to just stay still.

“Wego, Melville, Dumas. We are leaving this place now.”

He had to move while Casey was being indecisive.

He didn’t expect her to give any decision right away, anyway.

It was his aim to make her indecisive and confused.

As Ludger took Hans and was about to run away to a safe place, Casey shouted in a hurry.

“Stop!”

She aimed her wand at Ludger as if she wouldn’t let him go.

At the same time, a huge stream shot at Ludger like a water cannon.

However, Ludger blocked the attack very easily using the shadow covering his body.

The scattered water soon changed its shape and the countless droplets of water changed into sharp needles in the air.

When the sharp needles encircled the executives of U.N. Owen, including Ludger…

Zzzzzzztt!

The blue electricity from Ludger’s shadow evaporated the water around him.

No matter how she was the azure color wizard, she couldn’t do anything to water which had been evaporated by electricity.

At that time, Betty, who had been aiming for a chance, stepped up.

“Hiyap!”

She struck a punch at Ludger along with a cute shout.

However, Betty’s ambush didn’t work because a man with a mask suddenly showed up and blocked her fist.

—With his bare body.

Boom!

Beyond the rough shock wave, Betty’s eyes were full of incredulous feelings.

“You blocked my fist?”

The eyes beneath the mask of her opponent were staring at Betty.

At the stare which seemed to be analyzing her, Betty gritted her teeth and raised her kick.

The high kick which drew a fancy line was blocked by one of the masked man’s arms.

It was a power which could turn even a well-trained person’s arm bones into a powder, but the opponent in front of her wasn’t pushed back even a bit.

Betty glared at the masked man with an incredulous gaze.

“What… the hell are you?”

The man didn’t answer.

When Betty wanted to ask more, the man stretched his legs. After Betty crossed her two arms reflectively, the strong impact hit her hard. Betty’s body was pushed back far.

“Betty!”

“Don’t worry! It’s just a scratch!”

Casey couldn’t believe that Betty was pushed back by someone’s strength.

Even when the physique of her opponent wasn’t that big compared to Betty…

“I’ll join you.”

Enya also stepped up as she thought that it couldn’t work like that.

She went past the man who was fighting with Betty and swung her sword at Ludger.

Claang!

Enya’s eyebrows wriggled.

The other masked man blocked her attack.

However, instead of being perplexed, Enya retrieved her sword, spun her body, and aimed for his neck.

The masked man remained calm and placed his sword vertically to block her attack.

Enya’s attack kept continuing.

Both swords consecutively collided in the air. Along with a thundering noise of iron colliding, sparks splashed and brightened the darkness.

Enya stared at the mysterious man who fought against her while gritting her teeth.

‘He has a firm guard! Moreover, he’s strong! He’s at least a well-trained elite Knight!’

The ones who dealt with swords and had a superhuman physique were called Knights, but within them, the ranks were divided into various parts as well.

Most of those called ‘semi-Knights’ were the pages in a basic stage who’d just learned to use swords.

After that, those who could earnestly be called Knights were squires, the apprentice Knights.

Afterward, there were bachelors, the regular Knights.

Also, Enya’s rank was a stage higher than that, bannerets, which were the elite and top-level Knights.

The fact that the enemy in front of her couldn’t be overpowered easily meant that the opponent was a talented person equal to her.

However, she didn’t care because she had her own visionary swordsmanship.

She swung her sword using her right hand and pulled out her throwing knife hidden in her disposable dress belt.

As she stabbed her longsword, she threw the knife beneath the dark shadow.

Unlike the other knights who fought purely with swords, it was a battle technique which pierced the opponents weak points and took advantage of gaps in vision.

The delicate blind spot amidst her swinging sword…

The dagger technique was the visionary swordsmanship of Stinging Swordsmanship belonging to Enya Joynus’s family.

A technique which attacked the common opponent who couldn’t realize that there was another dagger hidden under the sword.

Claang!

However, her opponent struck away her dagger very naturally as if he knew that she would do that.

‘He blocked it?!’

He blocked the attack which couldn’t have possibly been blocked.

Her technique could even defeat Knights who possessed transcendental reflexes.

‘It’s not a simple coincidence. He knew my technique!’

Enya widened her eyes while glaring at her opponent.

“You, who are you? How could you know this technique?”

“…”

The masked man didn’t answer.

Enya wanted to push him again, but her wish couldn’t come true.

Ludger scattered his mana to the surroundings and pushed her back.

“We can’t delay any longer. The Clockwork Knight Order is coming.”

“…Yes.”

“Understood.”

Soon, the four people except Hans, who’d fainted, floated up in the air.

A huge gale swirled and floated their bodies.

And when they floated into the air, there was one woman in the sky while carrying a black parasol.

She also covered her identity and face using a black cotton yarn, but they were certain that she was the one who’d created the gale.

Casey wanted to prevent them, but Ludger’s words held her back.

‘The survivors who can’t evacuate yet in the auction house…!’

Ludger didn’t let go of the opportunity that the woman gave.

“Let’s go.”

Along with Ludger’s order, just before his body disappeared beyond the dark night sky…

“James Moriarty!”

Casey Selmore glared at Ludger as she shouted.

Just before he left, Ludger turned his head for a bit and looked back at her.

Casey stared at Ludger with her unwavering blue eyes.

“I definitely won’t let you go next time! I will uproot you and your organization, the Black Dawn Society, from this world!”

It was a quite provocative remark, but Ludger answered kindly.

“Sure.”

The words that Ludger left went across the wind and were delivered to her.

When Casey’s blood became hotter and before she yelled something else, Ludger and his subordinates disappeared beyond the darkness of the night sky through the wind.