Chapter 38.1

Chapter 38: Theft (1)

"Jihye, what is this brown pouch and this thin white rod?"

"Ah, this is a pencil case, and this is a frixion, um... Erasable fountain pen! It's an item that has the latest technology of our world incorporated in it!"

"Wow! Can I try it?!"

Jeon Ji-hye nodded her head at her classmate's curious request.

Her name was Sophie Magna.

She was an Awakener of the [Tree] Attribute, and a new friend of hers who had joined the sorcery club at the same time as her.

They were able to quickly become friends thanks to the coincidence of them being among the newest entrants of the club and with them both being commoner women.

The two were currently studying and absorbing the content from a book containing the basics of witchcraft in the club room.

This was a task that had to be completed once once became a new member of the club.

Jeon Ji-hye recalled her first day in this other world, as she watched Sophie marvelling at the zipper on her pencil case and the interchangeable mechanical pencil lead.

The day that she was summoned to the academy forest, she had burned her bag with a lighter to light a protective flame, which doubled as a bonfire, but kept her pencil case stored away safely in her pocket because these writing utensils were her precious treasures.

There were two reasons for that:

One was a perfectly normal reason, while the other was a bit perverted.

Of them, the normal reason was that this had been Jihoo's birthday present to her!

"Haa... Today is finally over!"

"Eh, there's still some left though? Oh, you said that you had a prior appointment today, right?"

"Mhm, a dinner appointment. Sophie, see you tomorrow!"

Jeon Ji-hye quickly tidied up her desk and headed for the exit.

A male member approached her as if trying to divert her from her appointment, but she picked up the pace at the sight of him coming closer in the corner of her vision.

'Hah. Annoying bastards.'

Whether it was because of her lustrous appearance or because of her [Death] Attribute, the number of men who wanted to talk to her even once had only gone up with each passing day.

Of course, she had no interest in any of them, and there was no way that Jihoo would like them, so she minimised her contact with them.

However, sometimes she was forced to engage in conversation with them.

Just like right now.

"Oh, Jihye, where are you going? Have you had dinner yet? Would you like to eat with me?"

This was what the man she met at the entrance of the club room asked her.

He was the head of the sorcery club, called Jamie Cursreal, with the [Poison] Attribute.

Jeon Ji-hye hated this man.

As soon as he learned of the fact that she was of the [Death] Attribute, the look in his eyes changed blatantly and he began to stare at her from then on.

"Hello, senior. I'm going to have dinner with Jihoo right now. Just the two of us. Bye bye then."

She not-so-discreetly emphasised the fact that it would be two of them alone.

And she hid the fact that they were going to eat as a group with their classmates, and not just the two of them.

In this way, she frequently informed him that there was a wonderful man named Jung Ji-hoo in her life, but he would not give up approaching her whenever he saw her.

The fact that club seniors and juniors didn't have to associate too much was a comforting fact.

If his annoying behaviour continued in the future, she would consider leaving the club.

"Ok. See you next time!"

Without responding to his farewells, and without even turning her head, Jeon Ji-hye fell into step.

She endeavoured to do sorcery on her eyeballs so they would only have Jihoo's face in mind as soon as possible.

***

ᅳ

[Official letter from the Department of Public Security]

[Notice to the entire Academy]

Subject:〈Regarding the recent escalation of theft within the Imperial Capital and Academy〉

How are you, dear students?

I'm Adele Griff, Vice-President of the Academy's Public Security Department.

Recently, thefts within the ecliptic have suddenly become more frequent.

Most of them are cases of pickpocketing, even within the academy grounds.

Currently, the Imperial Security Department is doing its best to identify the cause and arrest the criminal.

On this matter, I ask students to take this as a reminder to keep your belongings and valuables close anytime, anywhere.

Also, those who have been robbed should immediately report it to the Imperial City Security Department and the Academy's Public Security Department.

In the future, the Department of Public Security will work with the Department of Public Security in the Imperial City to focus its efforts on eradicating such petty crime.

Thank you.

Adele Griff

[Academy Public Security Department Vice President]

ᅳ

"...Wasn't that supposed to be a lie?"

I muttered as I read the notice in the mailbox of my room.

A while ago, on the way back from the research centre to the dormitory, I encountered a security check.

I had been informed of the purpose of the inspection on the spot—

"Ah, haha... It's just a regular checkup. Yes, haha, a regular checkup. Pickpocketing is common these days. Well, that'll be all."

I had thought that his answer was a lie to hide the real reason he was inspecting us- to check for the unknown being that had broken through the barrier.

However, looking at the letter in my hand, it appeared that pickpocketing had also become a frequent issue in the ecliptic recently.

'But why would those magic power detection tools be necessary to arrest a pickpocket...?'

Since this was a different world, it wouldn't be strange if there was magic which specialised in theft or pickpocketing.

If so, did the Imperial Security Department expect the culprit to be some passing archmage?

Or, while searching for the Celestial Dragon, it may have been the case that the ecliptic was on high alert these days because of this and that, so everyone who was even the slightest bit suspicious was questioned.

'Well, it's something that has nothing to do with me.'

I am quite sensitive to the space around me because of my attribute.

If I just reduced the number of belongings I take with me when I went out and paid attention to my bag and pockets, there would be no problem.

The name of the author of the notice drew more attention than the actual content of the notice.

Adele Griff, Vice-President of the Academy's Public Security Department.

I once met her with Hye-rin at the academy banquet.

She was a blue-haired beauty, who came from the Griff family that ruled the northern part of the western continent.

She was the princess of the Griff family and had the same status as Prince Nicholas Bondrania.

That is, they were both royalty.

The leadership roles in the academy with self-governance that had the authority to exercise influence over other nobles was not something that just about anyone could do.

The Student Union Department and the Public Security Department were typical examples of groups that had the authority to direct nobles.

These administrations, like the student council, were mainly run by royalty, such as the 2nd Prince Dave, and the security department was also run by royalty, such as senior Adele.

Each had a complete appointment system, and of course, there was no voting in anyone such as for the student president election.

This was naturally an academy with a strict identity and class system in place.

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