When I used to attend school, breaks always felt short.


    Whenever a few days remained until school resumed, I’d find myself eximing, “Already?!”


    But not now. I was still thrilled that my vacation hadn’t ended yet.


    When would I be able to raise my stats with my own hands? I had rested enough!


    I knew that the reward I received was the pathetic god''s consideration for my hardships thus far.


    However, that rest was something I had all while being a sickly mesugaki.


    Now that my body was back to normal and I could train at a level equal to the knights of the Alrn family, this automatic growth was still in effect.


    I was stuck in days of training that held no meaning!


    Isn’t it enough to just take a break?!


    Right. That’s true.


    But you know! What do you think a freeloader can do in this damn fantasy world?!


    How much can I do in a world without smartphones or PCs?!


    It’s fine to rest for a day or two, but a month or twoter, it became so boring I couldn’t stand it!


    I nned to head over there a few days before the academy opened for this very reason.


    At least there would be more to do there than while at the mansion. Maybe I could even pick up some trivial quests.


    “Are you really going, Young Lady?”


    Erin, who had been by my side throughout the vacation, asked me this out of courtesy, but I wasn’t dense enough not to get the hint.


    I knew how annoying it was to have someone glued to your side all day.


    So I thanked her for her hard work and headed to the academy with my sword.


    Even though the break had been quite long, the streets of the academy looked no different from what I had seen before.


    It was only natural. The academy hadn’t copsed, so there wouldn’t be any drastic changes to the streets that had been maintained for decades.


    That thought of mine changed the moment I visited the back alley, wondering if Alsetin had returned.


    “Hello, esteemed guest!”


    “Hello!”


    In the past, Alsetin''s information center was a shabby ce filled with petty criminals.


    A normal person would likely avoid such a location due to its intimidating and filthy atmosphere.


    However, that was not the case now. The thugs pretending to be tough were all showing respect.


    ...Am I seeing hallucinations? Is someone putting on a show for me?


    Is this a dream? No way. That can’t be it. I haven’t dreamt in months due to training with Grandpa.


    As I stood there in shock at the scenery that looked like someone had used a hypnosis app, a person descended from above.


    “Wee back, employer.”


    “It’s been a while, Alrn Young Lady.”


    Karia’s expression was confident, while Alsetin appeared awkward, clearly indicating who was leading the situation.


    It seemed the master who had been missing for ten years didn’t like what his disciple was up to.


    “How do you feel? Do you look okay?”


    As if reading my confusion, Karia spoke whileing down the stairs.


    “I’ve been training my disciple after realizing there were things I hadn’t taught him before. He’s changed a bit, hasn’t he?”


    Not just a bit, I thought. The bald guy, who had been licking daggers, now stood rigidly with military precision. This was no small change! The sense of difort was off the charts!


    “It seems you’re expecting a detailed exnation, so let me rify... um. Right. Have you ever been to the Newman family’s stronghold?”


    ‘Yes.’


    “I have. That creepy old maid.”


    “Everything there was ordinary, right?”


    Now that I think about it, yes. The Newman family’s stronghold didn’t differ much from any regr shop.


    They seemed to want to avoid too many customers, as the service wascking, but it was definitely the kind of shop that could exist.


    “Creating an atmosphere that drives people away, like my disciple did, isn’t inherently bad. However, the problem with this approach is that when something bad happens, it can lead to trouble with the powers that be.”


    Bad things, meaning that when significant crimes happen, you could attract the ire of the powerful.


    Even if you had connections with the powers, you never knew when you might get cut off, which was the reality of this line of work. Karia exined that if you were going to run an information center, it was better to be in a ce that was ordinary and barely getting by.


    “The best scenario would be a ce so busy that it’s hard to tell who’s who. You can’t just create that out of thin air. That’s why this atmosphere is good.”


    ‘Too...’


    “Isn’t it more noticeable? If that temperamental bald guy stands stiffly, wouldn’t it seem like something’s off?”


    “I told you. I’m training him. I won’t change it.”


    Ah. Is this what he means for the next stronghold to be like?


    That’s a relief. If it had continued like this, it would have been immensely burdensome.


    “Come on up, employer. We need to discuss a few things.”


    After leading me into the room and skillfully dismissing the sword, Karia blocked the sounds from the outside. She remarked that what we were discussing wasn’t something an ordinary person should hear.


    “I noticed while investigating with my disciple that the church of the pathetic god has be more dangerous than before.”


    Karia spoke.


    Even when I used to work in the shadow of the kingdom, I knew the church of the pathetic god wasn’t a clean ce.


    However, there were certainly good people, albeit fewer than the bad ones, so there was a degree of bnce.


    “Not anymore. The bnce has copsed.”


    While it was true that the church of the pathetic god had spread its influence across the continent, the center of that power was the holy site.


    And now, very few truly believed in the divine at the holy site.


    “When I made a list previously, I deemed it dangerous. Why are all those people positioned at the top now?”


    Even though they hadn’t properly investigated for long, Karia sighed, saying she could already see the conclusion.


    “Employer, this matter isn’t particrly urgent, right?”


    ‘Yes, that’s correct.’


    “Why, olddy? Is it because you’re getting old and can’t move like you used to? It can’t be helped. It’s because of your age. I understand. Useless olddy.”


    “...That’s not it! If I hadn’t lost my strength, I could have resolved this in a month!”


    It wasn’t due to her age.


    It was because she had lost her strength and needed a more careful and meticulous investigation that she requested time.


    After letting out a long sigh while looking down at the floor, Karia regained herposure.


    “First, take this.”


    What Karia handed me was a small notebook.


    Wondering what was written inside, I opened it, and upon seeing the content on the first page, I had to swallow hard.


    <ul>


    <li>Cardinal Kin Krisha Born as the third son of the Krisha family, known for their devout faith... Frequently uses his influential power to obtain things he denies... Has raped a daughter of the Ferroa family in the past...(Evidence obtained. It’s true.) When negotiating, he feigns ignorance of the corruption...</li>


    </ul>


    The notebook contained the corrupt dealings of a power yer in the church. Not just minor issues, but serious matters that could cause significant uproar if publicized.


    The back pages were simr. There were detailed entries and some vague ones, but all spoke of the corruption of those in power.


    “I investigated these while I was working before. I wrote down everything that came to mind, from simple controversies to confirmed facts.”


    While there might be some updates over time, Karia said there was no chance anything had diminished.


    Since someone who was called the shadow of the past kingdom investigated this, there likely wouldn’t be any sloppiness involved.


    Thinking this way, I still hesitated to affirm it, considering the shock it would bring to Grandpa.


    Having previously used the pathetic god as an excuse for my various antics, if I were to nod in agreement now, it would make everything be true.


    I, who had viewed them as trash, would now have to agree that they were all just filthy scum.


    Even the old man, who had spoken of the church’s bad sides, would find it hard to ept that they had all bepletely rotten.


    These were matters that should be discovered step by step, slowly.


    For now, it was sufficient to be half-hearted about it.


    After all, over time, I would learn, whether I wanted to or not.


    “Since it seems you want detailed exnations, I’ll tell you this: this is outdated information, so don’t take it too seriously. You know not to show it to others, right?”


    ‘Who would I show it to?’


    “Don’t worry. Unlike others, I don’t like to gossip since I’m young.”


    “...Then I’m relieved. In any case, for now, just hold onto that. Within two years, I’ll provide you with the updated information written there.”


    Karia’s words, which promised to bring something proper,cked hesitation.@@novelbin@@


    Was that a boast? Or was it a genuine confidence that came from her heart?


    I didn’t know Karia well enough to make a definitive judgment on that.


    However, if those words stemmed from serious contemtion, then Karia would be more capable than any informant I knew.


    If she hade out alive from the game, she would have been treated as a game-breaking character, just like Faybi.


    “Now that I’ve informed you about the progress of the matter, I should get to the main topic.”


    The main topic? So everything up until now wasn’t the main topic?


    If she handed me a bomb and treated it as a side note, then what on earth was the main topic?!


    I couldn’t help but feel apprehensive, but Karia didn’t stop moving her lips.


    “This is about our employer. I thought it would be best for you to know before the second semester begins.”


    ‘Me?’


    “Yeah. You, employer.”


    “Right. Our employer, who pretends not to care about the attention of those around her but is actually very sensitive to it.”


    Had she really noticed that?! It seemed that for Karia, the constraints of the mesugaki skill held no meaning.


    Sigh. How nice would it be if everyone could be as perceptive as Karia? Then I wouldn’t have to worry about being misunderstood.


    “For your mental preparation, let me tell you ahead of time: it’s bad news.”


    ‘What is it?’


    “Hurry and say it, olddy. You don’t have to drag it out, right? You’re old enough to know that.”


    “...If I hadn’t been gracious, I’d have given you a smack.”


    Karia, who had been grumbling, brushed her hair back and continued.


    “First, let me get to the conclusion. Our employer has be someone who receives jealousy from bothmoners and nobles alike. To put it simply, it means you’ve gained more enemies.”


    ...Huh?


    What are you talking about, Karia?


    Why is it that my reputation has risen, but I now have more enemies?!


    Hey! Pathetic god! Are you not doing your job properly?!