NOVEL WEB Chapter 80
Chapter 80
After finishing the investigation, Sylvia returned to the dining hall to treat the children who had collapsed.
I sat there, watching Yoon Si-woo conduct inquiries with the teachers to distinguish between fact and fiction in what people were saying.
The person currently being questioned was the academy’s chef, the one who would have the easiest access to the food, making him the prime suspect.
As the middle-aged chef, appearing to be in his 40s or 50s, sat down, the student advisor wore a stern expression and immediately shot a question at him.
“First of all, I need to ask you this: Are you the one who caused the incident in the dining hall?”
“It wasn’t me! There’s no way I would do something like that!”
As the chef answered with an innocent expression, the teacher quietly glanced over at Yoon Si-woo.
Seeing him nod in agreement, it appeared the chef was not the culprit after all.
Feeling slightly relieved, the teacher softened his expression and reassured the chef.
“We don’t believe that someone like you, Mr. James, who has worked at the academy for so long, is the perpetrator. However, we need your cooperation to catch the real culprit. May I ask you a few questions?”
“Ask me anything. As long as we can catch that despicable culprit, I’ll tell you everything I know!”
The chef seemed quite fired up, evidently furious at the real culprit.
The teacher then calmly began to ask the chef questions.
“Were the ingredients used for today’s meal delivered yesterday?”
“Yes. They came in last night. We have refrigerated storage in the kitchen under magical preservation, so they stay fresh even if brought in early.”
“Hmm… Did you notice anything unusual while preparing the food today?”
“There shouldn’t have been any issues with the ingredients. I taste-tested while I was cooking to make sure everything was okay. If there had been a problem, I would have collapsed as well. I suspect someone tampered with the finished dishes…”
Upon hearing this, the teacher’s eyes lit up, and he quickly asked the chef.
“Was there time for the culprit to tamper with the finished dishes?”
“I went to the restroom after finishing the cooking, just before transferring the food to the dining area. That was probably the only time someone could have touched the food without me noticing. But even then, I had locked the kitchen door. I do that to prevent any issues from happening, like what occurred today… But how…”
“Indeed, except for that locked door, there’s no other way in or out of the kitchen. It’s also secured against magical intrusion. However, it means that the culprit must have accessed the finished food while you were in the restroom.”
Poisoning food in a sealed-off area?
Honestly, it seemed impossible.
I couldn’t even imagine how it could have been done.
Would it have helped if I’d read more mystery novels…?
Yet here, in a world where people possess various abilities, it might have been accomplished in a way no one could fathom.
As I racked my brain trying to imagine how it could have happened, the investigation seemed to be wrapping up, and the chef got up from his seat, his face twisted in frustration.
“If I had just checked more thoroughly until the very end, this wouldn’t have happened…”
“It’s not your fault, Mr. James. It’s the person who caused this who is to blame. We will definitely track them down.”
“Please, I beg you…”
After the chef made that plea to the teacher and left, the teachers appeared quite bewildered.
“Given this turn of events, it seems like everyone initially on the suspect list is not the culprit. We might have no choice but to question everyone once more.”
“There’s no other option. Until someone from the outside arrives, we should do everything we can. Yoon Si-woo, I’m sorry, but we are in dire need of your help. Please.”
Yoon Si-woo nodded in response to the teachers’ words.
At this point, the only way to find the culprit seemed to be to ask every person whether they had done it, and then let Yoon Si-woo use the power of the Sword of Truth to determine whether their answers were genuine.
Ultimately, uncovering the culprit felt like it rested in the hands of Yoon Si-woo.
Since it seemed like I had nothing to contribute here, I thought I’d head to the dining hall and assist with the healing of the injured.
With that in mind, I left the ongoing investigation classroom and, tapping Yoon Si-woo gently on the back for encouragement, said.
“Make sure to find the culprit. It feels like you’re the only one we can rely on right now.”
“Someone to rely on… Okay, leave it to me. I’ll definitely find them.”
Yoon Si-woo, glowing with a sense of justice, as is typical for a protagonist, replied with bright eyes.
*
When I entered the dining hall, inside the protective barrier cast by Su-ho’s Holy Sword, healers and those with purification abilities were busily tending to the children who had been poisoned by magic.
The atmosphere felt so busy that I assumed any attempt I made to help would just be a bother, so I quietly pulled out a chair in the corner of the dining hall and observed the treatment process.
Mei, along with the children, hadn’t regained consciousness yet, but they appeared to be in much better condition than before.
Feeling relieved, I noticed the chef who had just been interrogated, Mr. James, sitting nearby, letting out a heavy sigh.
He was gazing at the treated children with a troubled expression.
Realizing that I was watching him, he glanced my way once and then opened his mouth slowly.
“…You’re the kid who was sitting there during the investigation. I heard you ate that food earlier… Are you alright?”
“Yes, I’m fine.”
“I’m glad to hear that… Huh, kids collapsing after eating my food. And on top of that, being suspected of doing it… Today has truly been a nightmare…”
He appeared to be under a lot of stress over today’s events.
I couldn’t imagine how he felt when seeing people collapse after eating his food, and as I considered how to respond, a voice suddenly came from behind me.
“A person who loves cooking wouldn’t mess with their food, would they? Right, mister?”
Turning around, I saw Leonor waving her hand at me with a smile.
When James spotted Leonor, his previously gloomy expression slightly lifted.
“…Yes, Leonor. You’re right. Somebody who loves cooking wouldn’t play around with their food.”
“I was really offended when someone asked if it was me too. As the head of the cooking club, it’s impossible for me to do such a thing!”
Seeing Leonor’s enthusiastic response, James seemed to feel considerably better.
What an adorable blonde punk, being so charming with an adult…
What a remarkable gap in perception…
As I gawked at that scene, Leonor came over and patted my head.
“This is another member of the cooking club, mister. She’s one of the two new first-year members who just joined.”
“Oh, I heard that two first-year kids joined recently. So you’re one of them. Cooking is a wonderful hobby. Being able to make delicious meals can bring joy to others.”
James said this as he looked at me following Leonor’s introduction.
I’m mainly just there to eat in the cooking club but…
Well, since I don’t dislike cooking, I nodded, and James continued.
“Exactly, exactly. But you said there were two new members, didn’t you? I’d like to know who the other one is…”
Leonor visibly flinched at his words.
She had just worked hard to cheer him up, but if he were to discover that one of the kids who had collapsed was another new member, it would all be in vain.
At that moment, Leonor’s eyes twitched, and she exclaimed.
“Scarlet!!! You haven’t been introduced yet! This is Mr. James! There’s no official advisor for the cooking club, so he’s kind of taken on that role for us. He’s actually a fantastic chef and has been the academy’s cook for 20 years!”
While Leonor spoke, she eagerly blinked at me.
It seemed like she was hinting I should respond, so I joined her in exclaiming.
“Wow… Wow!! 20 years? That’s amazing! Uh… can I ask how you ended up in this position?”
“…If you’re really curious about that, I’ll share. The reason I started this job…”
Fortunately, it seemed like we managed to shift the topic.
Nodding in approval at me, Leonor returned to facing James, ready to listen.
“…When I was young, I worked at a famous restaurant, and back then, my dream was to open my own place. I was quite known for my cooking skills, so if everything had gone well, it could have happened.”
James spoke while gazing off into space with a nostalgic expression, like an adult recalling old tales.
“It’s been 23 years since that event. After spending late nights researching recipes, I accidentally set my house on fire and thought I had doomed myself when a hero suddenly appeared and saved me. I was immensely grateful. After going through that, I realized something. If I could do something to give back to the kinds of people who helped me, it would make my life more meaningful, you know? So, the very next day, I quit my job at the restaurant and pleaded with the former cook of the academy to let me work here. I trained under him, and three years later, he retired due to age, allowing me to take over. Saying it like that, it actually sounds pretty mundane.”
It was quite a magnificent tale to dismiss it so lightly.
James continued.
“Still, I believe I’ve made the right choice in doing this job. Someday, you too will become great heroes, just like the one who saved me. Being able to create meals for such children is a truly rewarding experience. Oh, speaking of which, talking about it makes me want to cook. Hmm, realizing that everyone is likely hungry because they couldn’t eat due to that bad guy, I should whip up something simple for them!”
He seemed to unburden himself a little, smiling faintly, as he got up from his seat.
He was a truly wonderful adult who took pride in his work.
I actually regretted thinking for even a moment that he might be the culprit.
At that moment, Leonor turned to James as he made his way toward the kitchen.
“Mister, what’s that bandage on your neck? Did you get hurt?”
As he stood, I noticed his neck was wrapped in bandages sticking out from under the collar of his chef uniform.
“Oh, it’s nothing. I’ve just been scratching it a lot lately, and it got a bit irritated. Nothing serious.”
James waved it off dismissively as he entered the kitchen.
After he went into the kitchen, Leonor turned to me with a smile.
“Haha, I wish I could have seen you at the cooking club activities, but somehow we meet like this. I heard you were sick last week? Mei was really worried about you. I was worried too.”
“…Is that so?”
“Yes, so this week, Mei and I promised to make it up to you for missing last week…”
As she said this, her gaze drifted toward Mei, who was receiving treatment.
I sighed as I watched her.
Really, she was such a foolish person.
There was no need for her to pretend to be cheerful in front of me…
Feeling frustrated, I slyly whispered to Leonor.
“If you’re mad, it’s okay to just be mad.”
“…Is it that obvious?”
“…A little.”
At that, Leonor’s previously cheerful expression twisted into one of anger, her eyes aflame with rage.
Although I had told her it was fine to show anger, she looked absolutely terrifying…
Grinding her teeth, Leonor muttered in a growling tone.
“I don’t know who the bastard is, but if I find out, I’m going to kill him…”
I gently patted her back while saying.
“Just don’t go too far. I need my share too.”
Hearing what I said, Leonor looked at me in wonder before speaking again.
“…That’s surprising. I didn’t think you had such a side. You really do get angry, huh?”
I chuckled.
It was amusing to think she believed I never got angry.
“You might not realize it, but I’m always angry. Today, I’m just particularly so.”
When I said that, Leonor laughed heartily.
“Really? I hope we’ll find the culprit soon.”
“Don’t worry; there’s an extremely capable person searching, so they will be found soon.”
As we waited for Yoon Si-woo to discover the culprit, I spent time with Leonor.
Honestly, it was just a matter of time before the culprit was caught.
It wouldn’t be possible to deceive the Sword of Truth, and surely the culprit would be found.
That was my train of thought.
So, when I saw Yoon Si-woo enter the dining hall with a serious look, the news he brought was even more shocking.
*
“You couldn’t find them?”
“…No, I asked everyone at the school. The only ones left to question are the kids who are currently collapsed. That’s why I’m here. The other teachers are checking to see if there are any signs of an intruder from the outside.”
Yoon Si-woo said with an oddly defeated tone.
A headache began to form.
Could it be that the culprit had poisoned themselves to avoid suspicion?
That wasn’t an entirely unreasonable scenario.
A terrorist who knowingly risks death through magical poisoning—there was potential there.
But I preferred not to think that way.
Most of the kids who had collapsed were supposed to die in the gymnasium.
If this incident had occurred because I kept them alive, and it was a situation that my intervention created in this world…
If someone I saved was willing to sacrifice their own life just to harm someone else…
That would just be too tragic.
So I decided to entertain other possibilities.
First possibility.
Someone who knew the flaws of the Sword of Truth was exploiting it.
From what I could see, that didn’t seem likely.
Even if someone else knew the original story like I did, that person wouldn’t have a reason to commit an act of terror.
So I set this thought aside for now.
Second possibility.
Somebody, unaware of the Sword of Truth’s floor, unwittingly deceived it.
It was a slim possibility, but nonetheless, it existed.
After all, something similar had happened in the original story when the truth of the Sword was discovered to be flawed.
In that case, someone had committed murder, and everyone insisted they had not done so.
However, it later turned out that it was the act of a person with a split personality who had no memory of their alter ego’s actions.
It was during that case Yoon Si-woo learned that the Sword of Truth does not determine root truths but judges according to a person’s thoughts or feelings.
Such individuals with split personalities aren’t common, but…
However, just to test this dubious option felt like something I didn’t want to pursue, as I couldn’t bring myself to that notion.
I wished for there to be no culprit among the collapsed students.
So, I grabbed Yoon Si-woo’s arm.
“…Can you follow me for a moment? We have some time before the kids wake up, don’t we?”
While he was looking blankly, Yoon Si-woo eventually nodded eagerly, allowing himself to be led.
To be honest, saying I was dragging him wasn’t quite accurate; we were headed straight towards our next location.
I pulled Yoon Si-woo into the kitchen adjacent to the dining hall.
I intended to ask James, the chef, an important question.
Even while thinking this, I felt he wouldn’t be the culprit.
It was merely something to occupy my mind while I tried to figure everything out.
Though the kitchen door was closed, the walls separating it from the dining hall only offered a single partition, so a basic level of communication was still possible.
“Mr. James, can you hear me? It’s the first-year cooking club member you spoke with earlier.”
I knocked on the wall to get his attention.
Then, I heard a response from the kitchen.
“Yeah, what’s going on?”
“It’s nothing serious; I just have a quick question.”
“Uh, okay. Sounds like you have something on your mind, go ahead and ask.”
Yoon Si-woo seemed puzzled watching my actions, yet when I simply asked him to stay, he suddenly became serene.
At least, it was good that I wasn’t disrupting anything.
Regardless, my question was straightforward.
“Mr. James, have you felt anything strange lately?”
It was a query aimed at determining whether James was a split personality who wouldn’t recall when his identity changed.
“For example, sudden time loss without noticing, or feeling like some memories are hazy. Think carefully.”
“Aha, you think I’m already showing signs of dementia? Nonetheless, I can check. Let me consider for a moment…”
James said that, and then seemed to pause while thinking, he went quiet from the other side.
Five seconds.
Ten seconds.
Fifteen seconds.
Then finally,
“Hmm, no matter how hard I think, I can’t recall anything. I think I’m still quite healthy. If this were the age when memory starts to go, I’ve still got some time.”
The answer came back.
…It seemed like I’d guessed wrong.
Turning to leave, I almost did so immediately, but I changed my mind and shouted across the wall.
“Sorry for asking something odd!”
“Ahaha, no problem. You could ask me anything of that sort.”
“Really? Then let me ask one more thing.”
“Is it you?”
There was no answer.
“Are you responsible?”
Silence met my query once more.
I dashed to the kitchen door, but it was tightly locked and wouldn’t open.
That bastard…
I started banging on the kitchen door, shouting.
“Answer me right now! No, open the door! Open the door, you bastard!”
The sudden commotion drew the gaze of everyone in the dining hall.
Yoon Si-woo caught my arm, trying to stop me.
“Scarlet! What are you doing?!”
“I think he might be the culprit! We need to get that door open now!”
The mention of a culprit caused a stir around us.
“…You think the mister is the culprit? What do you mean by that?”
Leonor, who had followed when I brought Yoon Si-woo, asked in a low voice.
I shouted back at her.
“Where’s the key to the kitchen door?!”
“…Mr. James took it with him. But, to my knowledge, there should be a master key in the teacher’s office.”
Right after hearing that, I was about to run toward the teacher’s office, but Leonor managed to hold me back.
“Don’t rush things. Regardless, the kitchen only has that one entrance and exit. I’ll go get the key. Once I have it, explain to me why you think Mr. James might be the culprit.”
“…Okay. Please bring the key as fast as you can.”
When I nodded and said this, Leonor bit her lip tightly before dashing out of the dining hall.
My heart pounded so quickly that it felt like I was going to be sick.
Damn it, stay calm.
After all, the kitchen is a sealed room.
If that person truly was the culprit, once the door opened, we’ll catch him.
He can’t escape.
But if he’s not, no… actually it’s probably better if he’s not.
My hands were shaking.
So badly that I couldn’t even bite my nails.
As the anxiety felt suffocating, at that moment, Yoon Si-woo murmured.
“…What’s that noise?”
“…Noise?”
“…No, I mean, it’s kind of the sound of a device running.”
At that moment, I felt a chill run down my spine.
Visions of the worst scenarios raced through my mind.
No, it can’t be true.
Despite telling myself that, my breath became ragged, tightening at my throat.
Calm down.
Just hold on until Leonor brings back the key.
But during that time, the absolute worst could happen.
That’s when I made up my mind.
“Yoon Si-woo, do you trust me?”
Yoon Si-woo nodded in response.
“Break that door down.”
And with that, the door was silently shattered.
*
As I dashed into the kitchen, I saw several dishes steaming, as if they had been cooking just moments ago.
But no one was in sight.
We were too late.
Mocking us, only the sound of a large grinder echoed in the corner of the kitchen.
Wheeeeee…