Academy’s Undercover Professor-Chapter 257: Headmaster Gord (2)

“...What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

Gord asked again, as if he didn’t understand Ludger’s question.

“Did I ever wrong you in any way?”

“Of course not. You were good to me, Headmaster. Very much so.”

“Then why ask such a thing...?”

“I’m not asking why you did something to me.”

From behind the mask, Ludger’s gaze pierced straight through Headmaster Gord.

And as he met those crimson eyes, a chill unlike anything he could describe ran down Gord’s spine.

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

“Then let me phrase it a bit more clearly.”

Ludger stood up from the sofa and slowly approached Gord.

“Headmaster.”

“W-What is it? Don’t come any closer!”

“Why did you support the Steel Choir Project?”

Gord’s eyes flew open.

It was a look of disbelief—as if he couldn’t understand how Ludger could possibly know that.

“I already told you. I went in and saw it myself.”

“T-That can’t be...”

“Headmaster, I’ve answered your question. And now that I’ve asked one, it’s your turn to answer.”

Ludger stood before Gord, looking down on him.

“Answer me. Why did you do it?”

“I-I don’t know anything—GAHH!”

Gord tried to deny it, but a searing pain shot through the back of his hand, and he let out a scream.

A dagger had been driven straight through it.

“Khghhh... m-my hand...!”

“Headmaster. This is a game.”

Ludger leaned in and whispered softly into the squirming man’s ear.

“A game where we both speak the truth. You ask, I answer honestly. Now it’s your turn to do the same, isn’t it?”

“Ughhh!”

“Telling lies, however, is a clear violation of the rules.”

“What do you want from me?!”

To Gord’s shout, Ludger ripped the dagger from his hand without hesitation.

Blood spurted, and another scream rang through the office.

“What I want... is for you to tell me everything about your involvement in this.”

“You think I’d tell you that?”

“Headmaster, the questioning phase is over. That last outburst? That was your second answer.”

“What?!”

Gord’s eyes bulged with disbelief.

Ludger had counted his “What do you want from me?” as a question—and answering it as a response.

“Th-That’s absurd...!”

“And since you’ve asked a question, it’s now my turn again.”

“You lunatic!”

“Headmaster Gord. Who are the people involved in this incident?”

Gord’s face twisted in agony.

“I-I don’t know! I said I don’t know!”

“This won’t do. You sold people out for political gain in your bid to rise beyond academia—did you really think you could keep silent now?”

“......!”

When Ludger spoke aloud the hidden ambition Gord had told no one, the man’s shoulders shook violently.

But what shook him more was the realization that Ludger had come here already knowing everything.

And yet, he had still offered a chance—through this “game” of questions and answers.

“I-I...”

“Since you still seem reluctant, allow me—out of gratitude for your past help—to give you a push.”

“W-What are you going to do?!”

“Nothing much.”

Ludger held up the same dagger that had pierced Gord’s hand.

It gleamed under the office lights, red blood still dripping from its tip.

“Just giving you a little encouragement. Something to give you courage.”

“Y-You’re going to torture me?!”

“Is that what you’re afraid of? Then talk. Who was behind this?”

“I... I can’t!”

Gord shook his pale head furiously.

“I can’t tell you!”

“...Is that so?”

Ludger stared at him and replied coldly.

“That’s a relief.”

The next moment, the headmaster’s office echoed with screams.

* * *

BANG!

“James Moriarty!”

The office doors slammed open as Casey Selmore burst inside.

“So you did come here! Get away from him!”

“Casey Selmore.”

Ludger turned to face her and took a step back.

Only then did Casey see what had been hidden from her view.

“You...!”

Headmaster Gord Himbel was drenched in blood, gasping and wheezing.

He had been brutally tortured. Barely clinging to life, he looked more corpse than man.

Seeing him in such a state, Casey clenched her teeth in fury.

“How could you! How could you do this to the man who recommended you as a professor?!”

“Ah.”

At her words, Ludger seemed to understand what she was so angry about.

“I see. So that’s how it looks to you.”

“What?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

“Whatever it is—get away from him ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) right now!”

Casey warned Ludger but didn’t immediately use magic.

A half-hearted spell wouldn’t work on him—and if she went too far, Gord might be caught in the crossfire.

Noticing her hesitation, Ludger’s crimson eyes glinted from behind the mask.

“Can’t act because of the hostage? Then let me help.”

“...Wait!”

Casey tried to stop him, but it was already too late.

Ludger’s hand moved, and the dagger flew straight into Gord’s forehead.

Thud.

Gord, who had barely been breathing, died instantly.

Casey’s face contorted in horror as she screamed:

“James Moriarty!!!”

A massive wave of water erupted, filling the entire office.

CRASH!

Ludger dove through the window just in time as a colossal jet of water blasted through the spot he’d been standing.

Shards of glass and wall debris scattered—but Ludger extended his left arm.

The wire launcher mounted on his gauntlet fired and latched onto a tall spire of the university.

With a swift pull, his body soared into the sky.

Standing by the shattered window, Casey spotted Ludger atop the rooftop and glared at him with raw hatred.

“How?! How could you do this?!”

Ludger looked down at her and spoke.

“I believe I already answered that question, Casey Selmore. You’ve always had sharp instincts, but this time... you were too late.”

“What are you planning to do?!”

“A fun question. Why don’t you try deducing that? Like a real detective.”

Casey wasn’t willing to listen any longer. She summoned her mana.

Moisture gathered in the air beneath her feet, bursting upward like a fountain.

“James Moriarty!”

Riding a torrent of water, Casey launched herself toward him.

Ludger turned his back on her as she closed in.

“Stop right there!”

She hurled spears of water at him, but Ludger’s movements were so fast and agile that he dodged them all with ease.

Landing on the rooftop where he’d stood moments before, Casey immediately tried to chase after him—

“...He’s gone?”

But Ludger had vanished.

Whether he’d flown into the sky or disappeared into the ground, there was no trace left.

“How the hell...?”

The instant she’d lost sight of him had been just a moment—just a blink as she landed.

But in that moment, Ludger had disappeared completely.

Casey was stunned. There wasn’t even a hint of a trail.

[Casey Selmore. I suggest you stop pursuing me.]

At the sudden voice in her ears, Casey bit down her fury and smirked.

“Ha. You provoke me and then tell me to stop? You think I’ll just let this go?”

[Still posturing. Your spirit is admirable.]

“You sure you’ll be able to say that after I catch you?”

[Do you not value your life?]

To his probing question, Casey answered without hesitation.

“If I did, I wouldn’t be doing this in the first place.”

[Then try your best to chase me. This is a game.]

At the word game, Casey frowned.

“What?”

[You chase me, and I run from you. Of course, in the meantime, I’ll be finishing the work spread across this city—and eventually, the entire kingdom.]

“...You think I’ll let you do that?”

[Not knowing who will win is what makes it a game. But seeing as things are leaning in my favor, I’ll give you a little hint.]

“Who said you could decide that?!”

[I’ll be heading to the metropolis of Dartangs next. If you want to catch me, come there.]

Casey narrowed her eyes at the blatant challenge and asked suspiciously:

“Why should I believe you? You could just say that and run somewhere else.”

[If you're scared, don't come. Regretting it only after people die will be your own choice.]

The way Ludger deliberately struck at her pride made Casey clench her fist tightly.

More than the provocation itself, it was the way he spoke of death as if it were a game that truly infuriated her.

As a detective—

No, more than that, as a person—

She could never forgive that.

“Fine. I’ll come. Wash your neck and wait for me.”

[I look forward to it.]

The voice disappeared like an echo—half mocking, half satisfied.

* * *

After taking care of Headmaster Gord, Ludger immediately regrouped with Hans and headed toward the metropolis of Dartangs.

Dartangs, one of the most important industrial cities in the Delica Kingdom, was known as the heart of the nation—home to the largest number of factories.

Ludger’s target was one of those factories.

“A new experiment, you say?”

Inside the train to Dartangs, Hans asked.

Ludger, now in disguise, nodded.

“Hans. The Steel Choir Project was certainly a dangerous experiment. It alone could shift the dynamics of warfare. But doesn’t something feel off to you?”

“Off how?”

“Do you think a single project like that is enough for a nation to prepare for war without worrying about the other countries watching?”

At that, Hans’s expression darkened.

“So you’re saying... there’s more.”

“The Steel Choir Project is about producing knight-level combat units in unlimited numbers, as long as you have the resources.”

And that’s where the problem starts.

If the special automatons created by the Steel Choir Project replace knights—

Then how would they replace mages, who still account for nearly half the world’s military power?

“What, are they trying to build automatons that use magic too?”

“No. They’re not trying to replace mages.”

“Then what are they planning?”

“Hans. Why do you think mages still hold power in modern warfare?”

“Well, because of [Silence of Fire], right? It nullifies gunpowder, making firearms and bombs useless.”

Ludger nodded.

“Exactly. No matter how you enhance and upgrade automatons, you can’t overcome mages with that spell. That’s why the people behind the project changed their approach.”

“They changed it?”

“If they can’t replace mages, then they’ll make the mages themselves obsolete.”

“Hmm.”

Hans still looked confused.

“Make magic itself obsolete? You mean making it so they can’t use magic? That’s... not even possible.”

“No. It’s not supposed to be possible. Magic that cancels magic? Something like that shouldn’t...”

Ludger trailed off and paused.

“...Boss?”

“...It’s not impossible. But only very specific people can do it. It’s not something that can be used widely.”

“Then how do they plan to make mages obsolete?”

“You said it yourself earlier.”

“What? You mean [Silence of Fire]?”

“Exactly.”

Ludger turned to look out the train window.

Outside, in the distance, factory chimneys and black smoke signaled the approach of the city—Dartangs.

“Hans. What do you think would happen if someone could fire guns in an area where a mage cast [Silence of Fire]?”

“Uh... well...”

Hans thought hard before replying.

“It’d be dangerous. Sure, it wouldn’t be enough to kill a mage easily...”

“Right. Because they’d just activate defensive magic. But still... at least then gunpowder weapons would work again.”

“...Don’t tell me... the kingdom made something like that?”

Hans asked with a hint of dread—secretly hoping he was wrong.

But Ludger shattered that hope.

“They’ve created a special gunpowder—one that isn’t affected by [Silence of Fire].”

Hans swallowed hard.

“T-That’s... really dangerous. But how’d they even make that?”

“I don’t know.”

The reason mages dominate modern battlefields is that one spell—[Silence of Fire].

With it alone, weapons using gunpowder are rendered useless.

That’s why knights—who can dodge bullets—and mages—who nullify weapons—still hold high military authority.

But if knights are replaced with steel...

And the one trump card mages hold over firearms disappears...

Then what?

Unimaginable chaos.

War will erupt and spread like wildfire—engulfing the entire continent.

“There’s a secret factory in that city where they’re producing this new gunpowder.”

“...That’s insane.”

“So, Hans.”

“Y-Yeah?”

“Find it. You have one day.”

“......”