Iordera’s Quest and Sophia’s Secret Admirer

“Where can I find him then?” Iordera asked, posing a crucial question.

The Old Guard sighed. “Everything I just told you was to convey that Dogget is not well-liked. It’s incredibly difficult to get information about him.”

“Friends in his personal life are out of the question. As for his professional contacts…”

Iordera looked up at him, her small face expectant.

So well-behaved, sensible, and utterly adorable, she instantly reminded him of his granddaughter as a child. The Old Guard, utterly charmed, quickly wracked his brain for any remaining nuggets of wisdom.

“Let me think. Ah, yes—Spencer!”

“Who is that?”

“He was the diplomat who took over after Dogget,” the old man explained. “They had some professional dealings, but on the surface, no personal connection whatsoever.” He paused, then offered a mysterious smile. “However—”

“However?”

The Old Guard cleared his throat, glancing around once more to ensure no one was paying them any mind. “One time,” he whispered, “I saw them talking on the consulate rooftop. They even exchanged cigarettes. Their relationship seemed rather good.”

“So, if you go to Spencer, perhaps he’ll tell you something…”

“Perhaps.”

At that, the Old Guard made a gesture of helplessness. “I can’t say anything more. Spencer was the previous diplomat, the officially appointed kind. That falls under classified information.”

“Understood. Thank you, sir.”

“No trouble at all. Take care.”

****

As the white-haired loli departed, the Old Guard ambled back to his post, patting his hidden flask with a contented sigh.

‘The poor little girl. What’s the harm in helping her? It’s not like I broke any rules.’

Iordera returned home directly, her mind churning with the new information.

‘Dogget was unpopular and not officially appointed as a diplomat, yet he held the position for some time. This indicates he had a powerful patron among the human elite.’

‘This individual is likely the puppet master, the same person behind the various incidents that have occurred recently.’

‘It’s certainly someone high-ranking in Saroyan, though their exact identity remains unknown.’

Iordera summarized her findings in her small notebook, then inscribed the name “Spencer.”

As the consulate’s previous legitimate diplomat, Spencer was likely living comfortably. He wouldn’t be hard to find, but extracting information from him would prove exceedingly difficult.

According to the Old Guard, Spencer and Dogget shared a connection, yet publicly they maintained an air of complete unfamiliarity, leading everyone to believe they had no relationship at all.

This suggested Spencer was adept at keeping secrets. If he possessed any insider information, he would undoubtedly remain tight-lipped.

To pry information from him would require careful planning and consultation. For now, this avenue was set aside.

Iordera erased everything she had just written, then gazed out the window.

‘The first step now is to find that five-person team and discover who they work for.’

‘Someone must be close to completing the tavern’s task by now.’

****

“Senior Sophia, you were simply magnificent today!”

Sophia, responding to the young girl’s adulation, gracefully lifted her teacup. “Lillian,” she said with polite elegance, “we are both first-year students. I’m not your senior.”

“But you’re even more amazing than the seniors!” Lillian, the young girl, exclaimed excitedly. “Today’s practical lesson was with the second-years, and not a single senior, male or female, performed better than you.”

The students around the round table readily agreed.

“That’s right, that’s right.”

“Exactly! Sophia is incredible.”

This was remarkable, considering Sophia had only recently begun to speak up. Previously, she had always observed silently, never offering an opinion.

Having attended several afternoon tea parties, Sophia was slowly becoming a regular in the library hall. Here, the golden-haired maiden was invariably the most beloved.

She was, quite simply, a legend among the new students. In the unrestricted ranking battles, even the upperclassmen were no match for her.

The tea party had practically transformed into Sophia’s personal fan club.

“Our Sister Sophia truly has genuine talent, unlike some people who rely on their family background to lord over everyone,” Lillian grumbled indignantly. “Nobody pays him any mind except for his cronies.”

“Hush, Lillian, don’t speak carelessly,” a composed-looking classmate beside her admonished. “At least keep your voice down when you say such things.”

Yet, the topic had been broached, and the others lowered their voices, murmuring amongst themselves.

Sophia felt a flicker of surprise.

It was quite natural, really. All the students at the table were members of the “Sister Sophia Fan Club,” intent on making Sophia the most popular figure in the academy, the undisputed “Big Sister” of the first-year students.

Meanwhile, the Little Prince Augustus also aimed to establish his own faction and become the spokesperson for the first-years, creating a clear rivalry between them.

“Even though his strength is far inferior to Sister Sophia’s, and he hasn’t done anything noteworthy, he definitely has a trick up his sleeve.”

“Oh, right, I overheard a secret before. Do you remember when the Governor of the East District visited the school last time?” Lillian lowered her voice. “Actually, the Governor was looking for an opportunity to meet Augustus and discuss something with him.”

“What could he possibly need to discuss with a first-year student?”

“Hard to say. Perhaps it’s a collaboration, and the Governor is also giving face to Prince Obsidian,” Lillian speculated. “He might help Augustus, allowing the Little Prince to make some significant contribution in the city, gaining popularity and renown.”

“Hmph, that’s entirely possible.”

“That despicable fellow, resorting to underhanded tactics! Sister Sophia must also work hard!”

“We can’t let him overshadow her!”

The students at the table were full of fervent enthusiasm, leaving Sophia to offer a wry, helpless smile. “I’ll do my best,” she said.

She glanced behind her, then stood up. “You all chat amongst yourselves,” she announced. “I need to go find someone.”

The golden-haired maiden left the table. The others grew quiet for a moment, waiting until she was truly gone before they began to whisper.

“Is Sister Sophia going to look for that little security guard sister again?”

“Don’t be silly, she’s the big security guard sister. I heard she’s already in her twenties.”

“But she’s so small and adorable.”

“Hard to disagree.”

“Thinking back, Sister Sophia came specifically to find her on her very first day. We just happened to rope her into our tea party.”

“It seems so.”

The group fell silent again, exchanging glances. A peculiar understanding dawned in each of their eyes.

“Could it be?”

“Hard to say.”

“What do you mean?”

“Just say it properly!”

“But they’re both girls.”

Someone uttered an untimely remark, and all eyes at the table turned to her.

“D-did I say something wrong?”

“Nothing wrong, but it’s meaningless,” Lillian said, spreading her hands. “They are both girls, but what’s wrong with that?”

“On second thought, there really isn’t anything wrong with it.”

A faint blush inexplicably crept onto everyone’s faces as they suddenly realized that almost everyone at their tea party seemed to be a girl.

“By the way, do you think Sister Sophia will find her today?” someone asked with a hint of concern. “She couldn’t find her the last few times.”