316 – Attack of the Hypno-Detective -2

I received the information from Irid. According to his explanation, the ‘Hypno-Detective’ is a famous mage active in the desert kingdom, which is known for its poor security.

He punishes criminals and saves people in place of the corrupt public power, but in the process, he only uses hypnosis, so he has never revealed his own appearance.

He often handles things by hypnotizing criminals and moving them like chess pieces, making them kill each other.

As a prime example, a brutal band of bandits was found in a pile of corpses near an oasis, with only traces of them killing each other left behind.

“…He’s got more name recognition than I thought.”

“It is true that the kingdom is lacking in many ways compared to the empire, but it’s still a country. If he made a name for himself in a country, he must be no ordinary person.”

Yeah, I guess so.

But it might be a bit of an exaggeration. Just from the story, he seems like a righteous person, yet he sent a hypnotized kid as a messenger to me, who is presumed to be an evil b*stard.

Maybe he’s the type who runs wild for his own gain, and just happened to be praised because the situation in the desert kingdom is so bad. Several possibilities could be considered.

“W-would you like another glass of milk…?”

“N-no, it’s okay. Yep. It’s alright.”

Yuna awkwardly offering a drink, and the purple-haired kid awkwardly refusing it, were quite a sight. After hearing the story from Irid, I noticed the kid’s skin was quite dark.

Though I almost didn’t want to believe it, I went to the kid who was holding the mug with both hands, looking spaced out, and asked casually.

“Are you from the desert kingdom?”

“Yeah, yeah…”

“You came from a very far away place. How did you end up at the Academy? Even if you feel a bit out of place or have doubts, just speak your mind comfortably.”

“Um, I just felt like I had to come to the Academy. Crossing the border was a little worrying, but the border guards also cleared a path for me. So… yeah.”

I paused, thinking for a moment, then looked deep into the kid’s eyes and asked,

“By yourself?”

“Yup…”

Such a hassle.

It’s as if they dragged some kid all the way from some far-off desert kingdom to the Imperial Academy.

But thinking rationally – they probably didn’t just cross the border with just this one kid. Meaning, they probably brought a whole bunch of their pawns alongside them.

Or maybe, there’s something special about this kid…

I glanced at Yuna, who was sitting next to the kid. She met my eyes and gave a slight nod. I nodded back. Double-check complete.

I can’t sense any internal magic from this kid.

It seems like a type with a congenital defect in their magic organ. The channels for magic seem to be laid out correctly, but the part that collects and generates magic is completely shut down.

If we’re comparing it to a restaurant, it’s like having a chef in the kitchen but no ingredients.

I put my hand on the kid’s head and said,

“For now, stay here until this matter is resolved. Try to relax if you can. Oh, do you have any friends or family you left behind in the desert kingdom?”

“…I had a grandfather, but he passed away recently. He’s gone now.”

“Then consider staying in the Empire. I’m willing to even help you find a job. Of course, if you want to go back home, we’ll arrange that too.”

“Um, do I have to do something in return? No matter how I think about it, like a job or something… I don’t think I have anything I can offer in return. Maybe my body…?”

Whoa, hold up.

“What use would you have for labor that’s not even fully grown? It’s best to raise them well, healthy, in a good environment. It’s only after they’re over twenty that they’re worth a damn for work. If you try to harvest too early, it’s a loss.”

“So, you *are* going to harvest me…?”

“It’s impolite to refuse what’s offered. Of course, if you want to live shamelessly, you don’t have to repay it.”

“I have some sense of shame. The method of repayment will depend on the quality of the job you provide.”

Quite audacious, this one. I liked that and chuckled.

Since I don’t know when the *Hypnotic Detective* will strike, I’ll keep this brat safe in the lab for now. And then, let’s take our time and do some fishing.

The point is, the kid misunderstands me for someone else.

The academy is my home turf. No matter what tricks he tries, I have the advantage. If I just deal with this calmly, I can resolve this without much effort.

I put on my robes. Even while being targeted by some weird kingdom-made hypnotist, I still have things to do. Today’s the day for the *Illusory Magic Countermeasures* lecture.

“I’m off to my lecture, Master Tower Lord. I’m heading out, Yuri. See you both later.”

“Ah, uh-huh. Um… that, uh… the going-to-work kiss…?”

“I almost forgot that. I wondered why I felt so empty, come here.”

“Okay…!”

*Chu chu chu chu chu chu.*

I didn’t hide my affections. The bowl-cut brat’s expression shifted in a very subtle and strange way, but isn’t it weird not to be lovey-dovey when you’ve got a kid?

I fully charged my love battery and left the lab.

–

No students are coming to the lecture room.

“………..”

What the hell. Did the kids get their feelings hurt during the last team tournament? Are they all holding hands and staging a crazy mage resignation movement right now?

But it’s still weird that *this* many are missing. We’ve got Selvier, we’ve got Envers, even the Bennett party shows up now and then like college kids with part-time jobs.

I have players in there that I’ve built strong bonds with, so for all of them to just up and vanish like this, something’s definitely off.

Could ‘Hypno-Detective’ be behind this…?

No, if he had the power to hypnotize and spirit away all the students, he’d be on the Ascended level. There’s no way he could bypass that crazy, mythic-level lineup.

What is it, what the hell is it…

I’m sitting here, jittery leg going a mile a minute, when finally the lecture hall door opens. I practically light up and turn to the entrance, and it’s Selvier.

“Hello, ‘Professor’.”

She says it, stressing every syllable like she’s driving a nail. I kind of hunch down, a little shrunk, and ask.

“Ah, Selvier… is it April Fool’s Day? It’s strange, none of the kids are here. If you guys made a group chat without me, let me know…”

“So, that wasn’t you contacting us, huh? Yeah, I figured.”

“……?”

“A raven flew over and said that because of what happened last night, you have a bad back and class was canceled. Seems like everyone got a similar message.”

Wait a minute.

“They all believed that?”

“Well, it’s common knowledge that you hang around with two women, and since you’re pretty much a crazy mage, it kind of makes sense that you’d cancel class for something like that… ‘Last night must’ve been pretty intense. So happy about the day off.’ That was the general vibe. Me? Well, I know what’s up, so I caught on…”

So, what you’re telling me is that I’ve become a trash professor who couldn’t control his lust and trashed an entire day’s worth of lecture.

‘Hypno-Detective’… You’re out to wreck my perfect professor reputation, aren’t you!

“So, who sent the raven, then?”

“I have some guy after me. He’s a Kingdom mage called ‘Hypno-Detective’, and he thinks I’m some sort of massive villain.”

“Right, I see. Well, if you need anything, let me know. Seeing as you didn’t mention it to me, I guess you don’t need my help though…”

“……..”

Creepy.

Selvier said that and left the lecture hall. I was left alone in the empty room, waiting a bit longer, before rubbing my goosebumped arms and going outside. Today’s lecture was a bust.

With time just hanging there, I was trudging home when I ran into Professor Whats-His-Name, you know, the one who wrote *The Mansion of Glory*.

“Well, if it isn’t the crazy wizard professor! I’ve been looking for you!”

“Ah, yes, hello. You were looking for me?”

“You received my message just fine. And wouldn’t you know it, I was in the mood for a drink! But my undeniable brilliance and intellect noticed that you conveniently forgot to set a time and place for our meeting. So, let’s just meet at the pub today. I’ll be waiting!”

“…. Huh? Huh? Hold on, professor. What are you, just, wait a second!”

Professor Whats-His-Name just said what he wanted and briskly walked away. I stood there blankly, chewing over his words before finally understanding the situation. That man, I realized it hard at the last company dinner, is a pain when he’s drunk.

A broken record stuck in an endless loop, repeating his own stories. After getting burned once, I swore to myself I’d never drink with that professor again.

“That damned Hypno-Detective, you crazy b*stard.”

So, he’s going to be childish like that, is he?

Click. The anger switch in my mind turned on. I thought he’d apply physical pressure with hypnosis, not play these petty little mind games. That’s why it stings so much more.

Alright then, if you want me to move, I’ll grab you in a single swoop.

*The Hypno-Detective* sent crows to students to fake class cancellations. This means that he can hypnotize and control animals. He wields his magic quite broadly.

If I wipe out all these hypnotized animals, the moment all his pawns are gone, he’ll have no choice but to crawl out of the shadows to make new ones.

I form hand seals and circulate mana.

“『Hologram: Eagle』.”

I create a phantom raptor with a bit of physicality and give it its characteristics.

“『Delayed Explosion: Brain Washing』.”

Now, this eagle is a flying bomb, equipped with the function to reboot the brains of nearby beasts the moment it explodes. A sort of brainwashing suicide drone for sniping, you could say.

I’ve set the reboot intensity low, so it shouldn’t harm humans, only affecting animals.

Flap, flap-flap-flap.

The cloned eagles endlessly scatter into the sky. The sight of birds constantly surging from my grasp, at first glance, looked like a fountain.

Go. Go and wipe away all the hypnosis.

Pop. *Poong*!

Soon, there was a reaction more intense than I’d anticipated.

Flap-flap-flap!

With a noise like a balloon bursting, purification operations were taking place throughout the academy, and the inner birds all flew up simultaneously, heading toward the northern forest.

They were all different species, from pigeons to sparrows, but they retreated in an orderly fashion, as if they were a flock of migrating birds of the same species. They’re all hypnotized beasts, I’d wager.

I wonder if I also instilled emergency behavior protocols within the hypnosis.

“『Marker』.”

I shoot an invisible arrow. It slices through the air and embeds itself precisely in the nape of a fleeing crow. A kind of location tracker.

The return signal is normal. Seems I haven’t been detected. Tracking works properly too.

I nonchalantly began the chase.

–

Crunch. Crunch. I followed the signal, reaching a rather secluded spot.

“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”

I found the crow that was emitting a signal with the marker implanted. The bird was dangling, its neck caught in a vine-made noose, hanging from a branch.

The staging’s not bad.

*Swish*. *Swish-swish*.

One by one, animals began to gather around me. From deer to frogs, any beast with a brain, they were all there.

I doubt I suddenly awakened some druidic power, so these must all be familiars of the *Hypnotic Detective*. Looking closer, each and every one of them has eyes spinning in circles.

Was it his plan to get me to skip class, make me annoyed, and then have me track the animals all the way here?

The animals opened their mouths, each making their own sounds. And those cries combined so perfectly, they recombined into speech, as if a person were talking. Impressive artistry.

-Are you ready to admit your sins? You wouldn’t be, would you. I know you haven’t changed.

“My story isn’t exactly spotless, but I don’t think I’ve ever done anything to you, specifically. I’m telling you now, it’s a misunderstanding.”

-I left the violet tower on my own. And in the desert kingdom, I took on new disciples and built a small tower. I had no intention of being associated or involved with the violet tower. I lived for my ambition, forgetting about the past. But you didn’t.

“…So that ‘Goat’ sent some assassins after me, I take it?”

It seemed like it.

-You killed my disciples and destroyed my tower.

“Not me, I’m telling you.”

I denied it repeatedly, but he seemed unwilling to listen. A strange gleam emanated from the animals’ eyes and the whole world began to spin. It looks like we’re fighting.

Just what I wanted.

“I knew you were luring me here, you little shit, I came of my own accord because I’m confident I can win a fight…”

-Blood for blood, hatred for hatred. Here and now, the *Hypnotic Detective* will judge you.

Daring to challenge me to a duel with illusion magic, I’ll deal with you easily, *Hypnotic Detective*.

Before the fight, I– activated my mental barrier.