Chapter 81

Words : 1502 Updated : Sep 12th, 2025

C81: The Approaching Nightcrawlers (3) More chapters later. Trina gave Lloyd an order before he went to interrogate Rudger. ‘Lloyd.’ ‘Yes, boss.’ ‘If you don’t get a proper answer from him, just give up.’ ‘Is that okay?’ ‘Yes, but shake hands when you say goodbye at the end.’ ‘A handshake, you say?’ “You have to do it naturally. You know what I mean?’ Lloyd didn’t even ask why. The night before in the alley Trina explained everything. The one who killed the Calsapa Assassin was a wizard who specializes in close combat so she wanted Lloyd to check Rudger’s hand for traces of training. “Did you shake hands with your bare hand?” “Yes, but he was wearing gloves.” “Is that so? But there’s no way you didn’t notice with just one layer of gloves.” Lloyd nodded. In the end, all he was aiming for was a handshake at the end. The questions that he asked before were a trick to divert the other person’s attention. “So how was it?” “Yes, I felt it as I shook hands with him.......” Lloyd delivered what he had confirmed as it was. “He’s an ordinary wizard without any training.” “What?” Trina frowned. * * * Rudger, who was left alone in his office after Lloyd left, sat in front of his work table and clenched his fist. “Handshake, ok.” In the eyes of a third party, it would be thought that it was just a polite way to end the meeting but from Rudger’s point of view, he had no choice but to think that it was a show of deceit. ‘Lloyd of the Nightcrawler Knights under the Security Bureau. Age is late 20’s, glasses were worn on his face, and his hair was neatly parted. It must be said that he has an unshakable gaze and a personality that gets things done neatly.’ He felt it during the conversation. As if he had prepared all the questions in advance, Lloyd calmly and confidently asked them one by one, like a well-written script. Rudger had the illusion that he was building bricks when asked. The bricks piled up and piled up, surrounded him before he knew it, so he wouldn’t escape. And lastly, Lloyd’s handshake. ‘Keep asking questions, influencing the other person mentally, and throw a decisive shot the moment he lets his guard down at the end. It’s a very sophisticated way.’ If it was a stranger, he would shake hands with him without much thought but Rudger guessed right what he was thinking. ‘That man named Lloyd must have checked my office before I came.’ As Rudger entered through the door, his eyes were on the window sills and shelves, and his fingertips skimmed through the books in the library. He checked the places that are difficult to reach and where dust is easy to accumulate. His behavior was restrained and he even refused the light refreshments he offered. Rudger was convinced that a person like Lloyd would not ask for a handshake without gloves. ‘He was trying to confirm something by shaking hands.’ So what was he trying to confirm? Was he trying to measure the other person’s skills by letting the magic flow through the hand he was holding? That is a very rude act that can be considered an attack on the other side. Even the Nightcrawler Knights cannot do such a thing carelessly. Furthermore Rudger is a teacher of Theon and this identity can’t be treated carelessly even by the Security Bureau. ‘Then what can be confirmed simply by shaking hands?’ That’s right, traces, traces on the palm of his hand. ‘Last night, the security officers visited the scene where I and Violetta fought. I don’t know how they got there, but it was a close call.’ And he must have gotten a clue from the traces of the fight there. The culprit is a wizard, but he also handles weapons well. How is that possible? Even if asked like this, it would be possible for Nightcrawler Knights. There was magic, and there was a corpse stabbed with a sword. As they belong to the Security Agency, they are also elite, so they should have noticed right away. ‘Was he trying to see if I was the one by shaking hands?’ They’re smart people, using a handshake to confirm if a suspect is the culprit. However, since I knew about it I could cope with it. Rudger recalled the conversation he had with Seridan before leaving his hideout. “Seridan.” “Huh? What?” “Before I go, I have a favor to ask of you.” “What is it? What do you need?” “Can you make some kind of gloves for my hands? They must be similar to human skin, but from a very soft material.’ “What?” “Is it possible?” “Just in time.” “What?” Lloyd and Enya also starred in the direction that Trina was looking at. There was a woman approaching slowly towards them. ‘Since when?’ Although she was close enough to be easily seen with the naked eye, she did not feel anyone approaching. A beautiful woman with white and pale pink two-tone long hair waving in the morning sunlight was approaching them. She smiled brightly and waved her hand. “Yay! Trina! Long time no see!” “Elisa, we met earlier this morning, what do you mean a long time?” “That’s how I feel.” Seeing her talking to Trina in a friendly manner, Enya and Lloyd were embarrassed inside. ‘Elisa? Elisa Willow?’ ‘She’s the president of Theon Academy, isn’t she?’ A genius wizard who achieved the 6th rank, Lexorer, at a young age. “Elisa, what are you doing here?” “You’re leaving soon, so I came to see my friend off.” “Huh. It’s unnecessary consideration.” “That’s what friends are for.” “If that’s the case, then there’s no reason why you couldn’t arrange for that bastard named Rudger Chelici to meet me right?” “No, that’s different.” Elisa shook her head. “Don’t bother our talented newbie too much.” Looking at Elisa talking to her with a mysterious smile, Trina swallowed her irritation inside. The reason she couldn’t meet Rudger Chelici in person was because none other than Elisa Willow interfered. “You must like him quite a bit.” “Because he is a rare and talented person, but what would he do if he met Trina in person?” “You look at me like I’m someone who destroys people.” “Wrong.” “.......” Trina stared at Elisha and then turned her head. “We’re leaving Enya, Lloyd.” “Oh, yes!” “Yes, sir!” “Trina, you’re going to go like this?” “I will go. So there is no need to see off.” “Aren’t you going to see the princess?” “She is also the blood of the imperial family. I don’t have to check if she’s doing well. You’ll do well on your own.” As if she didn’t want to talk anymore, Trina stopped coldly but Elisa was not dissatisfied or regretful with Trina’s attitude. It seems to be natural between the two so she just accepted it. “I’m leaving.” Maybe because of the old days Trina added the last words. * * * ‘The president knows her?’ I shook my head as I watched secretly from the window. Even watching from afar, it is clear that the atmosphere between the two is not very friendly but not completely hostile either. Still, they don’t look that close to each other. ‘Is this an ambiguous relationship?’ Two people, who were originally friends, meet each other as leaders and keep each other in check. Maybe it’s because there was some kind of incident between the two of them in the past. ‘I don’t know exactly what happened.’ I’m glad that I don’t have to face Trina Ryanhowl in person. ‘It’s all thanks to the president’s protection.’ If she hadn’t stopped Trina Ryanhowl she would’ve been the one who came to see me, not Lloyd. I’m truly fortunate and one thing I’m sure about this situation. ‘The president decided to trust me.’ After the Werewolf affair, Aidan and Jevan Pellio’s duel and even the Almighty stone incident that followed I thought that the president acted when the Knights of the Security Agency came to visit me The president promised to take care of me. In other words, I have taken a big step toward becoming a trusted teacher of Theon. ‘However, this is different from unconditional trust. Now, she thinks I’m a good guy, so she’s protecting me.’ If there were any signs of doubt, the president might come forward and try to kill me. So I have to be as careful as possible to avoid that. ‘Now, all that remains is to find the First Order of the Black Dawn.’

Chapter 81

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