Stepping Stones (3)

[Request: All murder case files since 2009 (including the underworld)]

That evening, I put in a request on the Darkweb to acquire Edsillas case files. I needed only one file, but I asked for two years worth of case files, randomly mixed, to avoid any suspicion.

[Task completed: 2011~2013 murder/death records (including underworld records)]

The cost was exactly 10,000 DP.

The Darkweb completed the request in almost three hours and sent all murder/death records for nearly three years in file format.

What was it again

There were a tremendous number of them, but there was no need to go through each one.

I closed my eyes for a moment and pulled up the past Memory in the Notepad. Suddenly, the file number of a specific case was embedded in my consciousness.

Here it is.

[UNON-2012-19281]

Among countless murder/death cases, there was only one that Soliette needed.

UNON means its an underworld case, 2012 is the year, and 19,281 is the case number. Its the 19,281st murder/death case that occurred in the underworld in 2012.

How did you find this?

I ask with renewed admiration. Not at me, but at Soliette.

Assuming that if Knightmare didnt die, he would surely kill at least one person while living- she had examined all the murder cases of all years from after the fake Knightmare was imprisoned to the present. The evidence that Soliette, before her regression, found with a nearly mad obsession and persistence.

I still cant dare to guess how she looked at and analyzed hundreds of thousands of corpses with what kind of heart.

Hmm.

[Deceased: Unknown]

A case file where not only the murderer but even the deceased is unknown. The underworld is a place where hundreds of people die every day, but this corpse is different.

The body is left with countless wounds, not even leaving a form, and the types of those wounds are all different.

73 wounds. None of them are the same, and there are no traces of magic.

Then, does it mean some lunatic used 73 different weapons to kill one person?

Im still curious.

Just how pissed off was Knightmare to have messed up the corpse like this?

Anyway.

This corpse is definitely Knightmares doing. That doesnt mean Knightmare carries around 73 weapons. Surely there isnt a psychopath who bothers to change weapons 73 times while killing a person.

There might be a guy who carries around about 33, but 73 is too unrealistic.

In other words, these 73 different wounds are Knightmares Spectrum.

Hmm.

I got up. I was thinking of going to the library to print this case file.

Giving it in physical form would be more interesting to read than sending it as a file.

Monday morning.

The soles of my feet from the exploration still hadnt completely healed, and it was the first day of the third week of the college board.

Ah, Im tired.

In the temporary residence of the old building, I woke up, massaging my body all around.

Magic College Entrance Exam. Now that Ive experienced it firsthand, I understand. The schedule is literally murderous. I dont know if its because Im a cancer patient, but Im damn tired.

No wonder the dropout rate is higher than the failure rate.

I still have a long way to grow.

I checked my physical condition in the mirror. I seemed to have grown about 2 cm in three weeks, but I still had a long way to go. I cant believe I have to endure this damn growth pain for another half a year.

On the other hand, unlike my previously skinny self, I had a fair amount of flesh and muscle. It was thanks to constantly eating meat. Since I mainly eat protein among carbs and fats, I think Ill have a better physique than before my regression.

Lets go.

I stepped outside my dwelling. I arrived at Clemen Hall, casually drinking a protein shake.

But I ran into a familiar person at the entrance of the hall. My clientSoliette.

She walked into the hall pretending not to know me, as per our contract, and I did the same.

Ah, Hi Solie~

Hey.

Huh?!

Layla greeted Soliette, and Layla was surprised that Soliette responded to her greeting.

Anyway, Clemen Hall was even emptier than last week.

According to last nights announcement, exactly 80 people. Thats precisely two teams missing from the group project.

When is that motherfucker Shion going to die?

Seriously, hes like a cockroach.

Kain and Asher muttered, glaring at me. I responded with a laugh.

Just wait for 15 years.

What did you say, you bug?

The front door of the hall opened with a creak. I quickly took my seat.

Nice to see you.

It was always the same Chedric.

Before we start the assignment, I have a brief announcement.

He placed a stack of papers on the podium.

This Wednesday, the college board has a special activity. Its job shadowing.

Special activity. Its not a college board assignment, but its like a P/F (Pass&Fail) class where you get deducted points if you neglect it.

I will distribute the choices, so write down your first to third preferences. If your rejected from all three preferences, you will be randomly assigned to a job shadowing site that lacks personnel. Keep that in mind.

Chedric scattered the papers with telekinesis. I caught one and read it familiarly.

[Job Shadowing Application Form]

Among the list of available jobs were the knight order, prison, police station, parliamentary police, magic tower, nationally recognized mercenary group, shop, agency, graduate school, bodyguard team, and many more.

Most people would want the knight order and magic tower, and the second and third choices would probably be the parliamentary police and nationally recognized mercenary group.

I dont particularly want to go to such places.

However.

Prison.

For some reason, the prison caught my eye.

I dont know what kind of prison it is, but the most famous prison on the continent is Recordark.

More precisely, Recordark 1~13.

The higher the number, the harsher the environment and the worse the criminals imprisoned, and the Recordark in the capital is Recordark I.

If its Recordark, the person who I owe a great debt in my previous life would be imprisoned there.

Again, I will be able to meet him.

[1st Preference: Prison]

I wrote down prison.

Of course, it could be a different prison than Recordark, but well, who knows?

I will give you five seconds. 5, 4, 3, 2.

The rest of my preferences were the knight order and the magic tower.

This way, Ill most likely get assigned to the prison. There wont be any lunatic who would put prison as their first preference.

1.

Immediately, the paper flew back to Chedric.

Also, todays college board assignment will be handled by Shelton from the magic tower.

Shelton Shelton.

Wait a minute, Shelton?

Could it be the Shelton I know?

Please come in.

At Chedrics words, the gaze of the 80 people landed on the front door, and a disgusting man dressed in a white gown appeared with a sluggish smile.

Go and rest, Mr. Chedric.

Take care.

He stood in front of the podium as if to replace Chedric. I stared blankly at him.

I was stunned. A hollow laugh escaped me.

Hello. I am Shelton, a magician and senior researcher in the Department of Magic Science at the Magic Tower.

I know him.

He looks neat on the outside, dressed like a scientist or doctor in a gown, but hes a bug bastard crazy for money.

I will be in charge of the assignments for this Monday and Friday.

Hes like the trumpet of the magic tower, a true gold omnipotent who doesnt distinguish between morality, ethics, means, and methods in front of money.

Im new to this role, so I might be clumsy, but I will ensure that there are no problems with the evaluation itself.

Ive never seen anyone as money-crazy as him in my life, but he lived damn well until the moment of my death.

He even built a theme park named after himself, and it was damn successful.

Hes like a living specimen that proves the futility of good and evil.

Before we start the assignment. Do you all know what an enchant is?

Shelton smiled, showing a hint of his teeth. There was a faint blue aura on his teeth.

Its Mana Enchanted Grills, something like dentures that you wear on your gums.

Wearing it supposedly enhances the taste of food and makes your breath fragrant, but it probably costs at least a million Ren.

A money-crazy man who has an apartments worth in his mouth. I want to snatch it and sell it.

It refers to the act of granting a magic formula, or magic spell, to a regular object.

Of course, the answer is from Elise.

Correct. Many people confuse enchantments with Artifacts, but they are different. Artifacts are cutting-edge items that combine technology, magic, and engineering. Once considered state-of-the-art, they can become obsolete in an instant. On the other hand, enchantments are antiques.

Enchantments are one of the research areas that the Magic Tower focuses on.

Why?

Because it makes money. An insane, astronomical amount of money.

There are no old enchantments. Theyre just classic.

I hate the Magic Tower. Their actionsalthough they justify them as rationalare devoid of emotion, like sociopaths. And yet, theyre incredibly good at making money.

There probably arent many people on this continent who are like the Magic Tower. Even the magicians affiliated with the Magic Tower despise its top brass.

Todays assignment is Magic Capacity Evaluation I. Show us your magical talent and passion for creation.

Clap, clap-

He clapped his hands. Then, the door opened, and researchers in white gowns poured in.

They set up three bookshelves on the spacious lectern of Clemen Hall and brought in a box rattling with magic stones.

Here, there are various enchantment books. There are three bookshelves, each representing advanced, intermediate, and beginner levels. All the books here cost more than 5,000 Ren each. Haha.

Shelton smiled when he talked about money.

These magic stones are all uniform C-grade. They cost about 1,000 Ren each.

I glanced at the seniors. Many faces were worried at the mention of enchantments.

Its not that theyre wrong, enchantments are part of the college curriculum.

Dont worry too much. Compared to what professional enchanters do, this is incredibly simple and straightforward. Its not a magic spell, its a magic formula. Look, purification, heater, a compass, a fan. These are essentially worthless enchantments that are independent. What can you do with just 5,000 Ren? Haha.

Shelton laughed and continued his speech.

Now, it doesnt matter what object you choose.

An assignment that I thought would come someday, purely evaluating abilities related to magic.

But why does the person in charge have to be this guy?

From 9:30 to 6:00. Enchant any object you want!

The 80 seniors all got up and rushed to the front of the lectern.