Chapter 36. A Secret Agent's Day

'To think the scan magic failed!'

Armandy Stein, a secret agent of the Ability Management Bureau, trembled in shock.

The magic was definitely cast correctly.

It was so covert and perfect that even the professors of the Magic Academy wouldn't have noticed.

But whether he had a magical tool with a defense magic on it or not, the 8th Prince had repelled the scan magic.

The plan to retrieve the notebook without the 8th Prince knowing had gone wrong from the very beginning.

'I need to find out if the 8th Prince carries the notebook with him.'

Armandy bit his thumbnail.

Impatience was poison in a mission, but it was not easy to find his composure.

In the first place, Armandy had not expected to be assigned to the academy infiltration mission, and he had wanted to refuse even more at the news that the 8th Prince was taking the entrance exam.

However, the Ability Management Bureau had insisted on infiltrating Armandy into the academy.

A spot to enter as an academy student had opened up, and Armandy was the only young magician who could hide his magical skills and naturally control his magic power emission.

The orders from the top were absolute, so Armandy couldn't say he didn't want to go.

'Still, it's a chance to get the notebook back.'

Maybe he could get back the stolen Ability Management Bureau notebook by watching for a chance near the 8th Prince.

And he might also be able to lend his support to the 9th Prince, whom Armandy, a Magic Supremacist, supported.

However, it was the second day since he had taken the entrance exam and infiltrated.

Finding an opening was not easy.

The 8th Prince was always with the 7th Princess, as well as an apprentice holy knight from the Supreme Deity Order, whom he had gotten close to at some point.

His plan to approach him naturally when he was alone and cast a spell seemed to be going awry.

Then, an opportunity arose before the Summoning Magic class.

Armandy had deliberately bumped into the 8th Prince. It was because he had to make physical contact to cast the scan magic.

And he had failed miserably.

'Once might be a coincidence, but approaching him twice is dangerous.'

Failing was painful, but now he had to be careful.

It was because he could be identified if he made contact too often.

'Still, with the artifact, he won't be able to recognize me.'

Armandy pushed up his glasses in anxiety. These glasses were an artifact that erased the wearer's presence.

Armandy blended into the academy as inconspicuously as possible.

So he was able to avoid attracting attention in class as well.

He secretly cursed the 8th Prince for using his foolish magic, and he also did not forget to praise the ever-so-perfect 9th Prince in his mind.

'As expected, he is the one who will lead the next generation of the empire.'

And as soon as the lecture was over, he rushed back to his lodging.

The place he returned to was none other than the campsite.

Armandy familiarly entered the tent.

The inside of the tent was empty, with nothing but a sleeping bag.

'To think I have to go this far.'

For a moment, a wave of sadness washed over him at the poor environment.

However, for a secret agent, any more emotion was a luxury.

He erased his sense of defeat and focused on his surveillance mission.

* * *

Radel returned to the campsite after finishing his lectures.

He wanted to try the magics he had succeeded in earlier again.

He thought it would be nice to start a bonfire first, and was digging in the dirt when someone came up and spoke to him.

“What are you doing now?”

It was none other than Professor Thomas Arcane.

He was in charge of not only guiding the freshmen to the temporary dormitories but also checking if there were any problems with their academy life.

Today, after looking around the temporary dormitories, he had stopped by the campsite last.

“Hello, Professor.”

Radel greeted Professor Thomas cheerfully.

"I was preparing to start a bonfire before the sun sets."

Even as he spoke, Radel's hands did not rest.

Professor Thomas watched him digging the ground with a complicated look.

“Ah, I should have asked you first, Professor. Is it forbidden to start a fire at the campsite?”

"No, it's not, but……."

“Then that’s a relief.”

Radel, after digging the ground, picked up some rocks of a suitable size.

Professor Thomas couldn't take his eyes off the fluid movements.

“Professor, by any chance.”

Radel, who had been preparing the bonfire for a while, whispered secretly to Professor Thomas.

"Is there any way to get something like potatoes to roast?"

Does a royal normally think of such things?

Professor Thomas recalled the royals he had taught so far.

The elegant 2nd Prince, the proud but more honorable than anyone 3rd Princess, and so on……. They all had the dignity that royals should have.

Even the 9th Prince, who was staying at the campsite, acted like a royal and showed no signs of being disheveled.

But the 8th Prince in front of him was too different.

Professor Thomas, looking at Radel who was asking for a way to get potatoes, answered without realizing it.

“……If you ask the kitchen, they might share some.”

“I see. Thank you very much.”

Radel bowed his head deeply and greeted him.

He could feel his sincere gratitude.

A royal would have eaten only good things, but is he this serious about potatoes?

Professor Thomas felt dazed once again.

* * *

'He heads to the kitchen after dinner……. Why?'

Armandy was watching Radel from a short distance away.

The temporary dormitory cafeteria where the freshmen ate was spacious, so he could hide among the people, avoiding the surveillance target's eyes.

Although the scan magic had failed, his mission continued.

His original mission was to stay by the royals' side as much as possible and watch them naturally. And he also had to write regular reports on the royals.

Since the report would go to the emperor, it had to be as detailed as possible, so Armandy moved his pen even more diligently.

He saw the 7th Princess chiding the 8th Prince who was heading to the kitchen.

As a secret agent of the Ability Management Bureau, he had also learned lip-reading, so he could tell what the 7th Princess was saying just by looking at her mouth.

'Hey, what are you doing? I'm so embarrassed.'

'Inette, you don't know. Roasted potatoes are so delicious.'

'But a royal begging for leftovers?'

Armandy doubted if he had read it correctly.

Something a beggar would do…….

However, the 8th Prince entered the kitchen with a friendly smile and came out with something, along with the apprentice holy knight.

Armandy's brow furrowed.

To Armandy, who was from a noble family, such behavior from the 8th Prince was incomprehensible.

'You must maintain your dignity and prestige at all times!'

Armandy looked at the 9th Prince, who was the very picture of a royal. The 9th Prince, surrounded by his followers, was eating with the elegant manners of a royal.

Armandy's heart felt at ease at that sight.

'The future of the empire is bright.'

In contrast, the 8th Prince was returning to the campsite with a smile, as if something was so good.

Wondering what kind of trouble he would cause now, Armandy also hurried after the 8th Prince.

“Did you prepare this, Your Highness?”

From a distance, he could see the apprentice holy knight looking slightly impressed.

Armandy hid behind a tree.

What did he prepare?

The glasses he was wearing also had a function to observe objects from afar.

Armandy adjusted his glasses and magnified their appearance. The 8th Prince, who had taken out his wand, cast a spell, and a flame shot out from the tip of his wand.

Swoosh!

It was the very magic that had caught Professor Marianne's interest in class.

The 8th Prince lit a fire with his strange fire elemental magic and started a bonfire. And he wrapped potatoes in leaves and prepared to roast them.

'Why is he so skilled?'

The 8th Prince's group spent their time until night, starting a bonfire and sharing roasted potatoes.

Armandy was dumbfounded at their cheerful appearance.

It's not like they came to the academy to play…….

As if he had the same thought as Armandy, Leon, who was returning to his tent, frowned when he saw them.

Radel, who was cooling a roasted potato, spotted Leon and spoke to Inette.

"It looks like he wants some too. Should we give him some?"

“Are you crazy?”

Inette, who was peeling a potato, got annoyed.

“We don’t have enough for ourselves, who are you giving it to?”

At those words, Gusto looked at Inette with an air of disbelief.

“What, what are you looking at! You have your potato. Eat that!”

“……I wasn’t looking because I wanted more.”

Although she had complained about begging in the kitchen, Inette was eating well, as if the roasted potatoes suited her taste.

Inette ate her potato diligently and returned to the dormitory. Armandy also decided that there was nothing more to see and stopped his surveillance.

Radel and Gusto sat around the bonfire and threw in firewood one by one.

Radel waited for time to pass, whittling a branch with a knife.

Now, he couldn't feel any presence around him. His senses from his life as a Hunter were telling him that it was safe now.

Radel knew that there was a gaze following him, though he didn't know which royal's pawn it was.

It seemed highly likely to be the one who had used scan magic on him.

"I think we need to find him."

"It's certain that he's in the same class. I'll find him in class tomorrow."

Gusto understood Radel's words at once and nodded.

“Good. Let’s start looking in earnest tomorrow.”

Radel skewered marshmallows, which he had taken out, on the branch he had whittled with his knife. They were snacks he had secretly received along with the potatoes from the kitchen earlier.

“Your Highness, what is this?”

“She gave them to me, saying I reminded her of her grandson.”

Gusto silently took the skewer and roasted the marshmallows over the bonfire. It seemed that Inette wouldn't just stand by if she knew about this.

“The princess is……”

“No, it’ll spoil her. Potatoes are enough for today.”

Radel shook his head and blew on the moderately melted marshmallow before putting it in his mouth.

A sweet smell spread throughout the campsite.

It was a scent so strong that even Leon and Armandy, who had lain down to sleep, could smell it.

Why is he so happy when I'm having such a hard time?

The two of them gritted their teeth and tried to go back to sleep.

“Ugh!”

And Armandy woke up with a start in the morning.

The cry of a beast had rung loudly in his ears.

"What, what is it."

Armandy's eyes, who was a light sleeper, narrowed at the sound that was coming from closer than he thought. It seemed a roe deer had come down from the mountain at dawn.

"No, what kind of beast cries like a person?"

If he were in a room, it would be different, but it was difficult to ignore it when he was sleeping in a tent.

"Sigh."

It seemed he would have to get up and chase it away to go back to sleep.

Armandy got up, fuming, and went outside the tent.

The campsite, still dim in the early morning, was quiet.

Armandy looked around. He had heard a huge noise earlier, but when he came out, he couldn't even see the shadow of a roe deer.

“Where is it?”

Just then, he heard something kicking the ground.

Thud, thud.

So you've finally shown yourself.

Armandy hid behind the tent and took out his wand.

A brazen roe deer that dared to wake an elite agent from his sleep!

“Ugh, hoo.”

But doesn't that breathing sound just like a person?

Armandy stuck his head out to check.

And he saw it.

The sight of Radel, who had woken up early in the morning and was diligently running around the campsite, training.

What roe deer…….

Armandy clenched his teeth and glared at Radel.

That beast-like guy!