How to Live as a Martial Arts Writer in a Fantasy World

21 – 21. Morrison Detective Office (4)

21.

The Morrison Detective Office’s club building was located in a rather remote part of the academy grounds.

Alren wondered what Morrison, credited for creating the academy’s first detective club, had been thinking to choose such a place as their base.

“…Why is it tucked away in such a remote place?”

“The location of the detective club’s base has always been a subject of debate. After Morrison, the first head of the detective club, chose this spot, it’s said that the base has never been moved.”

“Is that so?”

Felicia nodded at Alren’s retort.

“In the past, the location where the Morrison Detective Office’s base stood was in the center of Club Street. As time passed and the street expanded, it was eventually pushed to the outskirts.”

“So being pushed to the outskirts isn’t such a strange thing.”

On the west side of the academy main building, there is a ‘Club Street’ packed with club rooms.

The Morrison Detective Office’s club building was among the smallest clubs in the most remote location of the Club Street.

Alren scratched his cheek while looking at the shabby club room.

“There don’t seem to be many club members either. I don’t understand why there’s so much coverage in the academy newspaper.”

“I heard the academy newspaper prints anything that may be gossipy. It’s the reason the newspaper students are shunned by the rest.”

“Journalists are the same everywhere I see.”

Alren shook his head dismally.

An old smell wafted out as soon as the door was opened, revealing a boy springing up amidst the odorous scent emanating from the aged facility.

“Welcome to the Morrison Detective Office!”

At the tail end of his voice, a familiar voice rang out.

“…Allen?”

As soon as Allen turned his head, he spotted the familiar head of leaf-green hair.

A glasses-wearing girl with somewhat high saturation lime-green hair braided down.

The librarian of the Academy Central Library, Diabella.

“Eh? Diabella?”

“Hello, Allen. It’s been a while.”

“Ah, indeed… I didn’t expect to see you here?”

“I’m serving as an advisor for this club. As you can see, it’s just the club president, me, and two others who are currently out solving a request. Only four of us.”

“Smaller than I thought.”

At Allen’s words, Diabella faintly smiled.

The Number of members in the Morrison Detective Office, including Diabella, was just four. The club had been steadily shrinking despite its history and tradition, and was now on the brink of dissolution.

“What brings you to the club, Allen?”

“Thought of making a request.”

As Diabella was about to ask about the request, Felicia’s voice interrupted.

“Do you know each other, Allen?”

“I’m Diabella Belstara, Your Highness.”

Diabella answered politely.

Felicia’s eyes faintly curved.

“Diabella Belstara. The Librarian of the Academy Central Library?”

“I’m honored you know me.”

“How could I not.”

Felicia held back her words with a smile. The atmosphere suggested she deliberately withheld further comment.

Meanwhile, on seeing the incoming Allen and his party, Lenox was left with a shocked expression. They were not the kind people to visit the secluded Morrison Detective Office.

‘What am I seeing now?’

The second princess of Tylant Empire, Felicia; the recently popular Princess Lyn of the Eastern Empire, Kunlung; even Allen, the youngest son of the Mueller Ducal family and author of Shuren Chronicle.

There was not one of small repute. Even Lyn and Felicia were princesses.

Seeing Allen blending in as if it were natural, the club president Lenox’s eyes were filled with confusion.

‘…What kind of situation is this, really?’

Joining them were Shen and Stella, following behind Meia who kept the escorts in discipline, whom Lenox did not recognize.

The fact that Diabella knew Allen was also quite a shock.

Moreover, the way he talked to himself was entirely different in atmosphere. Almost distressingly so.

“D, Diabella. How could you…”

“A customer has arrived, sir. Don’t you have to serve them?”

Diabella’s voice abruptly shook Renox out of his stunned state.

It was a voice completely different from when she would talk to Allen; a truly cold one.

“Uh, um…”

Renox, clearing his throat awkwardly, greeted the customer with exaggerated gestures.

“I’m Renox, director of the Morrison Detective Agency! What brings you here, client?”

“I’ve had some trouble recently, and I wanted to hire an investigation.”

Allen showed him a book he had pulled out from his possessions.

“Let’s sit and talk. You wouldn’t dare to leave a client standing, now would you?”

***

Diabella made some tea.

It wasn’t milk tea from the cafe or cheap black tea from the West Empire, but it was moderately tasty.

Renox, setting his teacup down, opened his mouth.

“…Hmm, I’ve heard. About the gambling over duels becoming popular among the knights recently. I thought it was a simple trend?”

“To be more precise, it isn’t competitive dueling to improve skills. It’s the first time gambling with something at stake has become this popular.”

Felicia’s comment had Renox stroking his chin.

In front of him was a book covered in shabby leather. It was an item Allen had brought.

“The cause is this book?”

“Some crazed man seems to have reproduced descriptions from the novel Schuren’s History exactly into drawings.”

Allen’s voice was filled with disbelief.

“Never in my life would I have thought that a maniac drawing pictures from novel descriptions and spreading them would exist.”

“…I agree. May I take a look at this book?”

“Feel free.”

With Allen’s permission, Renox started skimming through the images in the book with an extremely serious expression.

As he immersed himself in reading the book, Diabella asked.

“Do you enjoy the tea, everyone?”

“The taste is quite unique. I wonder if it’s made from ground roots.”

“It’s herbal tea from the forest of my hometown. It clears the head and relieves fatigue.”

“Somehow, it has the taste of rejuvenating health.”

At Allen’s words, Diabella chuckled under her breath.

Felicia said,

“By hometown forest, do you mean the Baelsta Great Forest in the west?”

“Yes.”

“The herb tea of the Baelsta Great Forest… It’s an honor to taste something so precious.”

“Don’t mention it.”

Behind Diabella and Felicia’s voices, Rin’s words trail on.

“I heard that the Baelsta Great Forest is a territory of the great Elf lord where all kinds of spiritually imbued herbs grow, is that correct?”

In response to Rin’s question, Diabella smiled faintly but did not elaborate.

In fact, anyone attending the humanities department’s geography lecture would know this, so there was no particular need to answer.

The Baelsta Great Forest.

This region, positioned in the western part of the empire, is an important location that provides valuable black tea, various medicinal herbs, and all sorts of rare ingredients used in magic potion manufacturing.

It is Diabella’s hometown and is also the domain of the empire’s only Elf lord.

‘So that’s where I’ve heard it before.’

Allen scratched his cheek.

A region governed by the only Elf lord in the western empire, Tiranto.

“So, you’re from Baelsta Forest…?”

Families that held up the empire with sword and magic, such as Müller and Bernhardt, stood shoulder to shoulder with the only Elf noble family in the empire.

How could he have forgotten their name? Even Allen, himself, seemed to have missed this vital piece of information.

Diabella chuckled knowingly.

It was a bashful smile.

“Yes.”

Allen scratched his cheek again.

He should have noticed from Diabella’s ‘Baelsta’.

“So, what’s your full name?”

“It’s Diabella Forestia Baelsta. I’ve been waiting for you to ask, Allen.”

“Diabella of the Forestia clan from Baelsta Forest…”

Allen nodded.

“That’s a nice name.”

“…Thank you for the compliment.”

Diabella smiled faintly.

In human naming traditions, the family name comes last, followed by the given name, and in between is a middle name. However, the naming traditions of elves were a little different from those of humans.

Names indicate the place of origin, not by the clan or family into which one was born.

When translated, Allen Edgar of the noble Müller family becomes Allen Edgar von Müller, whereas Diabella becomes ‘Diabella of the Forestia tribe in the Belstar Forest.’

Felicia spoke.

“It’s an honor. I’ve heard it’s rather rare for an elf to personally reveal their name.”

Diabella laughed without a word.

During their conversation, Lenox, who had been absorbed in his book for some time, looked up.

“Hey, the client…”

“Call me Allen.”

“That won’t do. The swordplay here seems rather precise, do you draw them just based on the novels?”

“Well, there are real models.”

“Real models?”

Allen nodded.

“The problem is, nobody has seen these moves in action. Whoever drew this.”

“It’s highly accurate considering that. It’s too perfect to be drawn just based on the novel. So, the client, what’s the request you want to give?”

Allen smirked.

“Find out who drew this. It’s an indefinite request. I’ll give you one gold as a deposit, and an additional two gold upon completion. How about it?”

“ONE GOLD EACH?!”

“Thinking about the cost of additional research requested to the Information Guild, is this price okay?”

At Allen’s words, Lenox sprang up and bowed deeply.

“Just order me anything! I will work like a dog!!”