Home/How to Survive in a Good Small Guild/ch 28

Chapter 28

After acquiring those bizarre degrees, we arrived in front of the Star Tower.

There was a guard at the entrance, but it wasn't a problem.

"Visitors."

"Do you have a degree?"

"I have a Master's degree."

I passed through the Star Tower's grand entrance with some concern, but we weren't repelled from the building.

Soon, I calmed my mind and looked around the Star Tower with unfamiliar eyes.

It's just like the magic towers described in romance fantasies.

The stairs were intricately twisted, bookshelves reached up to the ceiling, and people sat on the floor scribbling complex formulas.

"We really don't stand out here."

"Yes, everyone's dressed the same."

"Why are there so many plaid shirts?"

"It seems to be the fashion."

I recalled the three suspects.

A fellow scholar, a cleaner, and a noble from the magic tower lord's family.

I'd been racking my brain trying to investigate from outside the Star Tower, but inside, I could access far more information.

"First, let's go meet the eccentric scholar, Luna Moore."

Fortunately, there was a directory of scholars' offices on the first floor.

We reached the eighth floor where Luna Moore's office was located and knocked on her door.

"...Who is it?"

A sharp voice came from inside the office.

"I have something to ask Ms. Luna Moore."

I entered her office carrying some prepared papers.

"I'd like to ask about a paper written by Ms. Luna Moore."

"I'm ready to defend anything. What do you want to ask about? The one from a week ago? Or a month ago? Oh, the one from two months ago is quite popular too."

Luna Moore's face was hidden behind large glasses, but even so, she was a woman who couldn't hide her arrogant demeanor.

"Oh, what I wanted to ask about was your Master's thesis..."

"Ack! How dare you ask about that! Get out! Get out now!"

"Why is she reacting like that, Mr. Rian?"

"I have no idea either."

After exchanging glances and shrugging, I decided to get to the point.

"By the way, Ms. Moore, did you hear the news? Apparently, Latelle's thesis was leaked to a spy from the Norian Kingdom."

"Ah, what a pity. Having your thesis stolen. And a fully completed one at that."

Luna Moore changed her attitude and began sympathizing with Latelle.

"If it were me, I'd look into hiring a hitman, but Latelle is too soft-hearted..."

She said that, but Luna Moore could still be the spy.

When I signaled to the Crown Prince, he suddenly asked.

"Could you be the culprit?"

"Hah, why would I do something so stupid?"

"Can you swear to that?"

"Of course, I can."

Luna Moore looked at us with an annoyed expression.

"By the way, who exactly are you? I haven't seen you before."

"We're visitors."

"Are you planning to join the Star Tower? What's your field?"

"Umm, Cactus Spine Avoidance Studies..."

"...Goldfish Feeding Management Studies."

"What! There's no such field!"

Before Luna Moore could get angry at us, we quickly left her office.

"What did you think, Mr. Rian?"

"She was telling the truth."

"Then that eliminates one suspect."

We'd made progress. We could narrow it down to two suspects.

Now there were two left.

"I heard the cleaner Maria Chelsi is in charge of the first floor."

"Let's go down to the first floor."

We went back down to the first floor and began looking for the cleaner.

The Star Tower was so vast that even searching one floor for the cleaner wasn't easy.

Then, I spotted Maria, the cleaner, just coming out of the women's restroom.

"Ah, Ms. Maria!"

"How do you know my name...?"

"Umm, usually people..."

"Just call me 'excuse me.'"

These socially inept people. How could you work with someone every day and not know their name? I swallowed my tears and spoke.

"Excuse me. May I ask you something?"

"Yes, go ahead."

One of the reasons Maria Chelsi had become a suspect was because her son had large gambling debts.

It was possible she'd sold information to get money.

But it seemed rude to just ask if she'd sold information... I'd been able to speak naturally to Luna Moore, who was in the same position as Latelle, but Maria was an employee.

"By the way, didn't you mention you have a son last time?"

"...Yes, I do."

"What's your son up to these days? I remember you said you were worried because he kept getting into trouble."

"Did I say that? My son... well, he used to cause me a lot of worry."

She frowned, then answered.

"He's a park guard now."

It seemed he'd been hired as a park security guard.

In the meantime, the Crown Prince quickly asked.

"Can you swear to that?"

"Excuse me? Who swears to something like that?"

"It's just a habit. I majored in Oath Studies."

"Oh... sure, I'll swear to it."

Maria looked at us as if she'd seen all sorts of crazy people and passed by.

"Her son is a park guard... so he really did get a job. It seems he's stopped gambling and is working honestly now."

"If Maria had sold information for money, her son would have been wasting it on gambling."

This significantly cleared the suspicion on the second suspect.

That left the third one...

"Who was the last one again?"

"Viscount Hyacinth. The cousin of the current head of the Star Tower's academic society."

"Viscount Hyacinth..."

No sooner had we mentioned his name than a new person entered the Star Tower.

My eyes widened when I saw his face. It was the Viscount Hyacinth I'd seen in the photo.

"That's him!"

"I see. Let's check him out. But Viscount Hyacinth doesn't seem to have a motive to sell information."

"Still, I included him because he's been visiting the Star Tower frequently lately."

"Let's go."

We approached him casually.

"Viscount Hyacinth."

But as soon as I said that, he looked at us with extreme suspicion.

"How do you know my name?"

"Excuse me? You've been visiting frequently lately..."

"The scholars here never care about names like mine! You're not affiliated with the Star Tower, are you? Who are you really!"

"...Actually, I'm a Cactus Spine Avoidance Studies major."

"Ah, I understand. Just some greenhorns who wanted to get a degree."

He quickly dropped his guard against us.

"Come to think of it, you look familiar..."

He even said that while looking at the Crown Prince, so I quickly decided to draw his attention to me.

"Why have you been visiting the Star Tower so often lately?"

"Hah! Do I have to tell you that?"

"I was wondering if you knew about the recent thesis leak incident."

"Are you suspecting me now?"

Viscount Hyacinth flared up.

"I have nothing to do with that! The reason I've been visiting the magic tower is simply..."

As if he had nothing to hide, he spoke without hesitation.

"I'm laying the groundwork to secure the ministerial position that's about to be appointed!"

"Excuse me?"

I stayed quiet, finding his words plausible, but the Crown Prince asked in surprise.

"The only ministerial position currently vacant is the Ministry of Defense, isn't it?"

"That's right."

"Can you swear to that?"

"Of course."

"......"

After Viscount Hyacinth left, I looked at the Crown Prince. He spoke with a face full of self-doubt.

"Unfortunately, his intention to seek the Ministry of Defense position is true."

"Then why does he keep coming here?"

"He wants to show off his connection with the Star Tower's academic society head. He has nothing else to offer. I'll have to speak to my father to ensure that man is never appointed."

Wait, then who was the problem now? All three suspects had told their own versions of the truth.

"Let's go for now..."

We left the Star Tower, but I hadn't found any leads to resolve the commission.

"Thank you for your help, Mr. Rian. I'll pass along whatever I know about the scripture."

"...Wait, come to think of it, why am I here."

Suddenly, he opened his mouth with a shocked expression.

"Do you offer weekly holiday pay?"

"Excuse me...?"

Was this some kind of imperial joke? Was a member of the imperial family asking for money?

"Um... technically, since it's a freelance arrangement, I don't think weekly holiday pay applies..."

"...Never mind."

I watched his back as he walked away after making an unfunny joke.

"Damn, I came to ask questions and ended up getting played... Why did I bother getting involved... I still have to work tomorrow since it's my day off..."

Hmm, being the Crown Prince really must be busy.

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