First of All, I’m Drinking - Chapter 77

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Episode 77

 

Garcia’s Private Research Room.

 

“Sit down.”

 

I sat on a small chair following Garcia’s gesture.

 

The room was overall cramped.

 

A desk for work and a reception table.

 

A few books inserted in the bookshelf.

 

Swords and weapons neatly arranged against one wall.

 

Perhaps because he hadn’t been appointed as a professor for long, there weren’t many belongings.

 

Clatter.

 

Garcia brought out black tea.

 

He sat facing me with the reception table between us.

 

“Well then. Let me hear your story. Why did you do it?”

 

I told him exactly what happened.

 

“That friend insulted me first. He said he could tell I was an orphan from the start, and sneered asking how I managed to get admitted when I had nothing to learn from parents.”

 

Garcia let out a contemplative sound.

 

“From what I hear, it seems that friend did provide the cause. But even so, how could you beat up a classmate like beating a dog?”

 

He took a sip of black tea and continued speaking.

 

“I would have liked to let it slide if possible, but this incident seems difficult to overlook. A disciplinary committee will be convened. Keep that in mind.”

 

“Understood.”

 

I shouldn’t have hit him.

 

Wasn’t there a more wise way to handle it?

 

I felt regret for a moment, but even if time could be turned back, I felt like I would act the same way.

 

“Is that all you have to say?”

 

When I looked directly at Garcia and asked, he shrugged his shoulders.

 

“Why do you ask? Do you perhaps have something you want to say to me?”

 

“I do.”

 

I don’t like dragging things out.

 

I got straight to the point.

 

“Professor, what is your true identity?”

 

“…What?”

 

“Don’t pretend you don’t know. You understand exactly what I’m talking about.”

 

I grabbed the teaspoon and channeled aura into it.

 

Whooooo-

 

Blue aura wrapped around the surface of the teaspoon, burning softly.

 

The act of injecting aura into objects is a privilege only possible for Sword Experts of 5-star level or higher.

 

Garcia’s pupils dilated.

 

“So you really were hiding something, just as student Meirei said.”

 

Wariness and hostility crept into Garcia’s attitude.

 

“What exactly is your identity?”

 

“I asked the question first.”

 

“But I hold the initiative. Because you cannot defeat me.”

 

“Do you really think so?”

 

Silence settled over the small research room.

 

The next moment.

 

Thud!

 

Without saying who went first, Garcia and I lunged at each other.

 

There was no back-and-forth combat or flashy techniques.

 

Because Garcia was subdued in one strike while I grabbed his wrist.

 

Squeeze.

 

I completely twisted his arm behind his back so he couldn’t resist.

 

“…Unbelievable.”

 

Garcia made a deflated sound.

 

“Are you really a student?”

 

“I’ll leave that to your imagination, Professor.”

 

As Merry had said before enrollment, under the premise of not using aura.

 

The beings in the entire world who could defeat me could be counted on one hand.

 

Of course, even if Garcia used aura, the result wouldn’t be different.

 

Because Garcia wasn’t Master Class.

 

At most 6-star.

 

For me now, this level of gap doesn’t have much meaning.

 

Crack.

 

“Ugh!”

 

When I twisted his arm harder, Garcia let out a groan.

 

“Please tell me quickly, Professor. I’m a busy person, you know.”

 

“Ah, I got it! Let me go first and I’ll talk… Ahhh!”

 

“I’ll let you go. But if you make any suspicious moves, I won’t end it with words next time.”

 

“I said I got it!”

 

I released Garcia’s arm.

 

Garcia grabbed his arm, did some stretching, then sat in the chair and sighed.

 

“Whew, living long makes all sorts of things happen.”

 

Even if he’s lived long, compared to me it’s just a drop in the bucket.

 

“I’ll tell you. But before that, I have one curious point too.”

 

“What is it?”

 

“How did you know that I was hiding something?”

 

“I have quite a keen eye for that sort of thing.”

 

Garcia said he would tell me, but it seemed like a ploy to buy time.

 

He had an expression of carefully considering what to do about me first.

 

Garcia’s mouth opened as he continued his contemplation.

 

“I need to know about you first after all. What your identity is, whether you’re really a student, and what purpose you entered Millennium Academy for.”

 

“I told you I asked the question first.”

 

“Even if you kill me, you won’t be able to extract information from me. Not until you give me confidence that you’re someone trustworthy.”

 

“Oh? Earlier you were ready to spill everything like a coward, but it seems your mind has changed?”

 

“Qu-Quiet!”

 

Garcia shouted while his face flushed slightly.

 

“Actually, I’ve known for a while that you’re not ordinary.”

 

“You mean from the entrance ceremony?”

 

“That’s right.”

 

During the entrance ceremony, I had made eye contact with Garcia.

 

And I had momentarily stiffened from the pressure Garcia sent my way.

 

‘Back then I thought he was incredibly strong.’

 

But Garcia, when properly faced, was definitely not at a level great enough to pressure me with just his presence.

 

The conclusion was one thing.

 

This man had professionally trained in ‘killing intent’ regardless of actual combat power.

 

Like how a predator instinctively induces fear to freeze prey before entering the hunt.

 

I activated my insight and twisted the corner of my mouth.

 

“Professor, you’re an assassin, aren’t you?”

 

Garcia smiled awkwardly and scratched his head.

 

“You figured it out quickly as expected.”

 

He took out a cigar from his pocket and put it in his mouth.

 

Thick smoke fills the room.

 

“I can’t tell you the purpose until you prove your trustworthiness, but I can tell you my identity. I’m an assassin belonging to the ‘Nox Cartel’. Have you heard of it?”

 

“No. This is the first time I’m hearing about it.”

 

“That makes sense. It’s not an organization well-known to the general public.”

 

Smoke slowly flowed out between Garcia’s lips.

 

“The Nox Cartel is an international assassination organization. Sebastian di Jehal, who ranks last among the Top 10 Strongest of the Continent, is the leader.”

 

The Top 10 Strongest of the Continent.

 

Aside from knowing that Duke Ifrit is 4th and the head of the Western Alliance is 3rd, I don’t know much about them yet.

 

The 10th of those Top 10 Strongest was the leader of the organization Garcia belonged to.

 

‘So that’s why his inner thoughts were so pitch black.’

 

A member of an international assassination organization.

 

Killing people like catching mice every day, naturally his insides would be dark.

 

“Did you infiltrate the Academy after receiving a contract?”

 

The possibility of Garcia being Baal’s agent was now completely eliminated.

 

But I couldn’t let my guard down.

 

Not until I uncovered his purpose for sneaking into the Academy.

 

“If you want to hear more, reveal your identity too.”

 

Garcia narrowed his eyes.

 

“As I said just now, I can’t tell you my purpose until your trustworthiness is proven.”

 

“Then would you rather just die here?”

 

“If you kill me, the organization will send another agent. Nothing will change.”

 

“Hmm…”

 

I narrowed my brow while resting one hand on my chin.

 

Should I torture him?

 

But the skill gap wasn’t stark enough for me to subdue him quietly for torture.

 

‘Can’t be helped.’

 

I have no choice but to probe once here.

 

“The Demon Cult.”

 

“…”

 

“It’s because of those bastards, isn’t it?”

 

“I can’t tell you.”

 

I observed Garcia’s expression.

 

Like a skilled assassin, there was almost no change.

 

“Then, just tell me this. You can answer falsely if you want.”

 

“What is it?”

 

“Are you on the Demon Cult’s side or are you their enemy? If you just answer this question, I won’t press you further.”

 

Seeming suspicious of my words that he could answer falsely, Garcia tried to gauge my true intention before obediently answering.

 

“…Enemy.”

 

Fortunately, those words were true.

 

“Good.”

 

Now that his disposition was verified, I could reveal information.

 

“Actually, Baal’s agent is hiding in this school. I infiltrated disguised as a student to catch him.”

 

“…What?”

 

“You asked about me, so I answered. Now please tell me your real purpose, Professor.”

 

Garcia’s lips parted.

 

“Can you prove those words?”

 

“Of course there’s no way to prove it.”

 

“Where did you get the information?”

 

“If you tell me your purpose for entering the Academy, I’ll let you know too.”

 

“How impudent.”

 

Garcia took a puff of smoke.

 

The ember at the end of the cigar traced a spiral trajectory as it fell onto the table.

 

“My purpose is the same as yours.”

 

I waited for Garcia’s next words while activating my insight.

 

“A high-ranking priest of the Demon Cult has infiltrated Millennium Academy. To identify and eliminate him. That’s the order I received from the organization. If your words are true, that high-ranking priest would be Baal’s agent.”

 

“I see.”

 

Garcia raised an eyebrow.

 

“Aren’t you believing too readily?”

 

“I’ve never once doubted you, Professor.”

 

This was the best situation.

 

I don’t know why the Nox Cartel wants to find and kill the high-ranking Demon Cult priest who infiltrated the school.

 

But the reason doesn’t matter.

 

I’ve gained a card I can use.

 

This was huge progress in the investigation.

 

“Do you have any suspects?”

 

Garcia nodded.

 

“Raeseya Welton, former professor of Demonology, current professor of Understanding Demon Lords. She’s currently the most likely suspect.”

 

“Did you investigate her directly, Professor?”

 

“There’s a suspect list sent by the organization. After staying on campus during vacation and directly checking the people listed, I judged Raeseya Welton to have the highest probability.”

 

Understanding Demon Lords is fortunately a subject I’m also taking this semester.

 

However, the problem is that since it’s a required liberal arts course, different faculty teach different classes.

 

But if I need to make contact.

 

I should be able to find a connection somehow.

 

“Isn’t it time you told me? Where your information source is.”

 

Persistent fellow.

 

I answered casually.

 

“I found out by directly killing a Priest of Baal a few years ago.”

 

If I told the truth, there was a risk of my identity being identified through connection with the recent consecration ceremony.

 

Of course, the possibility was very small, but it was better to be careful.

 

Garcia stroked his chin.

 

“Hmm… I understand for now.”

 

He didn’t seem to believe my words at face value.

 

But he didn’t seem to completely doubt them either.

 

“I think it’s better for people with the same purpose to cooperate. What do you think, Professor?”

 

“I agree. Let’s regularly share progress updates.”

 

“Understood.”

 

This was an unexpected harvest.

 

I had brought Garcia, who I thought was an enemy, to my side, and even identified a likely suspect.

 

It was such a big gain that I was anxious about how well things were going.

 

“Wait, so you beat up a classmate when you should be quietly living school life?”

 

Garcia looked at me with an expression that said ‘what kind of bastard is this?’

 

“I’ll handle the disciplinary committee as much as possible on my end. But if something similar happens one more time, it’ll be hard to protect you then.”

 

“Thank you, Professor.”

 

I had gained another unexpected benefit.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————