When the plot-skips players into the game world

This left Hayna feeling somewhat disheartened.

She knew she was far inferior to Sherlock... but she didn't realize how incredibly talented Sherlock was in comparison.

The seniors before Sherlock had all become mid to high-level officials, and all their past information was confidential.

But seeing her demeanor, Meg's lips curved slightly upward, offering rare praise, "However, we, the royal blades that walk the Path of Authority, need not be overly clever."

"I ask you— you know the Pelican Bar has been shut down, right."

"...Yes."

It's normal that it had closed, thought Hayna.

After all, it was a gathering place for the Noble Red Society, a group of illegal Transcendents—they couldn't possibly be getting together to discuss iris literature and Elf poetry, could they?

"Then do you know, your roommates often went to the Pelican Bar?"

Department Head Meg, seeing the shock on Hayna's face, raised her eyebrows and added, "Be honest."

"—Not often," blurted out Hayna, "but they did go."

She almost immediately realized she had let something slip.

But in front of someone higher up on the Path of Authority, she had no secrets.

"Have they ever invited you?"

"They invited me once, but I refused. After that, they didn't invite me anymore."

"Oh."

Meg said meaningfully, "No wonder you didn't know."

Didn't know... what?

"Do you know what they go to the Pelican Bar to buy?"

"To buy what...?"

Hayna was somewhat puzzled.

"They go there to buy cosmetics," Meg stated directly, "the powerful cosmetics made by Star Antimony Kingdom's alchemists. They can make the skin of someone in their thirties or forties appear as supple as that of a teenager—although, if you ask me, they are far from needing such products. But it's normal for girls to be interested in this stuff."

"The Anti-aging Elixirs from Star Antimony also sell well, even though the side effects can lead to physical weakness and significant muscle atrophy—I've warned repeatedly, and still, some of my students use them."

...Ah.

Hayna finally understood.

—She knew something was off!

She had thought earlier that the skin of those Royal Capital girls was incredibly tender and fair, seemingly able to ooze water. They were also in the "Individual Tactics Department" and didn't lack practice in swordsmanship and horsemanship, yet their hands had no calluses, and the skin on their thighs wasn't chafed. Their waists were slender and supple, showing no trace of muscle.

Hayna had once thought it was down to their natural gifts, even felt inferior—thinking she was too rustic, her body appearing as if she had been working in the fields, too prone to gaining muscle.

Now she finally knew.

They had been taking drugs all along!

"—Do you have anything to say?"

Just then, Department Head Meg interrupted Hayna's thoughts with a piercing gaze.

Her mind suddenly went blank.

What... what was I about to say?

But the next moment, she vaguely caught onto something.

"The alchemical products from Star Antimony Kingdom are illegal, aren't they?"

She muttered, "So they are smuggled goods... I get it, that's why they didn't insist on inviting me. Because they knew I had no money."

"...Wait, isn't the Pelican Bar a gathering place for the Noble Red Society? Why can one buy smuggled alchemical products from the Pelican Bar?"

She suddenly jolted, realizing, "Is the Noble Red Society involved in the smuggling case?

"No, that's not right—they're involved with the official Star Antimony authorities?"

"Not too stupid."

Old Meg nodded in satisfaction.

Finally, she began to speak about serious matters: "Our spy in Star Antimony has sent back important information—"

"Wait, wait a minute, am I qualified to know this..."

Hayna, sensing a strong sense of crisis, muttered hesitantly in a voice only she could hear clearly.

Without paying any attention to the now intimidated Hayna, Meg continued, "There's a batch of powerful, small-sized portable Alchemical Bombs that have been shipped to Avalon. The target is believed to be Glass Island.

"The power of this batch of bombs is enough to blow the entire Red Queen District sky-high. We had been unable to trace the entry of these bombs until now. But since the day before yesterday, while investigating the Pelican Bar... the Supervisory Court found that these bombs were being transported through the Pelican Bar.

"The achievement you've made is much greater than you think."

Meg's eyes were sharp as a hawk's.

She laughed heartily, slapping Hayna's shoulder: "So, I give you an opportunity.

"Both the Inspector's Court and the Arbitration Hall are investigating this matter. Normally, your Supervisory Bureau would not be able to touch such affairs. But whether it's you, Sherlock, or Aiwass, you all interest me."

"I grant you temporary authority to investigate—not that your bureau chief has anything to say, let him come to me. Take along any counselor you want to invite, whatever you want, I'll reimburse; it's okay if you don't find anything, I'll take care of it.

"I want to see if I was mistaken a few months ago. If you can dig up vital information before we resolve the matter... "

Meg said with profound meaning, "I still have a spot for a closed-door disciple... which I might reserve for you."

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