Internship (1)
“Elly. What do you think about this?”
On a winter day, just before their entrance to the National Magic University.
The group of prospective freshmen, including Elise, were having a discussion in their private villa.
“Look at this. I’ve made a plan.”
Layla handed over a piece of paper. Elise glanced at it.
[ We’ll Do Anything Club ]
“...What’s this?”
“It’s a club we’re going to create.”
A university club is, as the name suggests, a small group formed by university students. Although it’s much smaller in scale compared to university societies or hobby clubs, it’s practically essential for magic university students. The activities carried out in the club itself become a part of their credentials.
“We’re going to create a ‘We’ll Do Anything Club’. Elly, you know [At Your Service], right? Just like the person who helped us with our Endex project.”
Elise scrutinized Layla’s face. Her eyes were bloodshot, probably from lack of sleep, and her dark circles were prominent.
“How about [Why is Your Head Like That Club]?”
“What’s that? What kind of club is that? Beauty?”
“...”
“I’m not interested in beauty. If not that, how about [Mystery Solver Club]? There are going to be mysterious magical incidents happening here and there. We can build our credentials by solving them! It’s a great idea!”
“...Don’t you guys have any thoughts?”
Elise turned to look at Kain and Asher, who were slumped on the sofa. Both of them yawned and shook their heads in unison.
“We’ve decided to join a separate knights’ club. With James Brown and Mel.”
Elise and Layla were in the Department of Magic, but Asher and Kain were in the Department of Knights, so their paths were bound to diverge from now on.
“But Elise, you’re going to advance to the Magic Tower in just 1-2 years, right?”
Kain asked Elise.
“I need to build my credentials for that. Early advancement isn’t easy.”
“Hmm~ Should we ask Shion~?”
Layla subtly hinted. Elise showed a bit of interest in that. She pretended not to be interested but glanced at Layla’s phone.
“...”
Noticing her reaction, Layla smirked and dialed a number.
Ring, ring-
“Hey~ Shion~ What are you doing right now~?”
“Hmph.”
Elise shook her head. Layla was pretending to have connected the call even though it hadn’t gone through yet.
“Stop it already. There’s no way he would answer your call-”
“What? A Libra internship?”
“?”
Elise’s eyes widened. Kain and Asher also turned their heads sharply.
“You’re doing a Libra internship?”
“...”
Elise put her ear to Layla’s phone.
─Yeah. I’m on my way to the internship now. Why?
“How can you do an internship when you’re not even a university student?”
* * *
“I don’t know either. They told me to come, so I came.”
I looked up at the [Libra Station] as I answered.
“But why?”
─Uh... well, you know~ We have to participate in a club when we enter university~ We’re thinking about doing that, so I was wondering what you’re planning to do~
“Ah, a club?”
A club is a gathering where university students prove their abilities outside of the university. They conquer dungeons, solve magical phenomena, help people. They also write reports in the process, and the university certifies it, so it’s practically an official credential.
“What are you guys going to do?”
─We’re planning to do some volunteer work with Elly!
“I’ll think about it.”
─Really?!
“Yeah. I’m hanging up now.”
I put my phone back in my pocket.
[ Libra Station ]
Libra Station. The nerve center of Libra and the company that manages all its subsidiaries.
It’s a large corporation that uses an entire 99-story building, which was established and built by the current head, Sherlock.
As such, there are a tremendous number of people coming and going. Not only knights and mages, but also accountants, lawyers, and employees from various departments straight from the headquarters.
I came here after receiving an internship offer from Belingham.
By the way, Soliette didn’t get an internship card in the end. Of course, because it’s Arkne.
“...What brings you here?”
A security guard approached me as I was blankly looking around inside the company.
“Ah. I’m here to participate in the internship.”
“Did you receive an internship card?”
“Yes.”
“You can scan it here.”
The security guard pointed to the entrance gate. I tagged my internship card.
Beep-
“You can go to the auditorium on the 5th floor.”
“Ah, yes.”
I first got on the elevator. There were many people in the elevator. They each pressed for high floors, but mine was the 5th floor.
“...You seem to be participating in the internship?”
A man glanced at me.
“Yes. I’m a university student.”
“Haha.”
He laughed and pressed the same 5th floor. The light for the 5th floor went out.
“Newcomers and interns usually don’t use the elevator. It’s a tradition.”
“Oh, there’s such a tradition?”
“Because it’s Libra.”
I pressed the 5th floor again.
Ding-
[ Colleague: Libra hired quite a few trucks this week. They must be transporting something valuable. They’re probably trying to hide it by using multiple trucks. ]
Deception. A traditional delivery method. Hiring several delivery men and entrusting the real thing to only one of them.
“......That’s enough.”
This is enough. There’s nothing more to see.
Because I know Libra. Perhaps I know Libra better than Libra itself.
Therefore, inferring this much about the situation is as easy as chewing gum while lying down.
* * *
At the same time, the HR team was monitoring the internship situation through surveillance cameras.
“What’s with that college student?”
Jean Blunt, the head of Libra’s HR team, frowned as she watched Shion Ascal, a college student who was standing alone, yawning.
“He’s just standing there.”
“Who invited him?”
“......It was Belingham Kantar.”
The right-hand man of the current master, Belingham Kantar.
Jean sat heavily in her chair.
“What’s the point of putting a chick who’s not even a college student yet into the internship......”
“But he was 67th on the college board.”
“I was fourth.”
Her subordinate coughed awkwardly.
“Well, it’s just an internship after all.”
They turned their attention back to the screen.
Ten minutes into the mock mission.
Most of the interns had finished their investigations. The subordinate looked back at Jean.
“It seems like you should go now, Team Leader Jean.”
“Record it. Do it well.”
Jean, who had put on her coat, went down to the auditorium. The interns were still lined up in the scenery that was still a highway.
She faced them and spoke.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Jean Emily, the HR team leader of Libra Station.”
Clap-
“No need for applause.”
The interns who were about to clap quietly backed off.
“Everyone, please tell me how you plan to respond. First-”
“I’ll do it.”
It was Bell Moore.
“First, I’ll retrieve the stolen cargo. I’ll kill the attackers with my own hands.”
“Can you do it?”
“Yes. The point at which the truck was attacked is inferred to be 10 minutes before I was dispatched. Well, if it had been me originally, I would have arrived in 3 minutes as soon as I received the signal, but 10 minutes is enough.”
“How will you track them?”
“Smell. It’s the sense of smell. They used magic to stop the truck. I’ll follow the lingering scent of magic. I can run at 300 km/h for three hours, but 30 minutes is enough for tracking.”
Bell Moore’s claimed specs were monstrous, but there was not a bit of falsehood in them.
Jean knew Bell Moore’s physical abilities. He can indeed run like Superman.
“Next.”
Jean checked the document and moved on. There’s no correct answer to this problem.
“I’ll also go to retrieve the stolen cargo. The Beryl Crystal is an enormous item worth close to 100 million Ren in current value......”
The interns each suggested different methods, but most of them had the first condition – to retrieve the cargo. The tracking method only varied depending on their ability conditions.
Jean, who had been checking appropriately, now looked at the last one.
Shion Ascal.
“Last, Shion Ascal. What about you? Are you also chasing the cargo?”
“......No.”
Shion Ascal shook his head.
“I’m not chasing the cargo.”
“Then?”
In response to that question, he answered simply.
“I’ll find the traitor within Libra. The traitor who leaked the location of this cargo and the existence of the Crystal.”
“......”
Jean’s fingers momentarily stopped. She alternately looked at the document she was writing and at Shion.
“A traitor.”
“Yes.”
“......Does any other intern have anything to say?”
Jean asked the other interns. Then Bell Moore raised his hand.
“Speak.”
“The existence of a traitor is probably something most of us have thought about. Only the Beryl Crystal was stolen among all these cargos. However, that’s not the first thing we should do.”
Bell Moore looked at Shion Ascal. Shion Ascal also turned his gaze to meet him.
“We can find the traitor later. The cargo needs to be retrieved right now.”
Bell Moore’s mouth twitched into a smirk. He chuckled at Shion Ascal as if he were a cute child.
“I understand you want to appear smart, but think about the primary task first, junior. All of us here have walked the same path as you, but in a much more elite way-”
“We don’t need the cargo in the first place.”
Shion Ascal retorted. He glared at Bell Moore with a small smile.
“From the beginning, this cargo truck was a setup to weed out the traitor.”
“......What?”
Bell Moore’s forehead furrowed. Jean looked at Shion.
Shion calmly continued his words.
“The primary task is to eliminate the traitor. Rehearsal is essential for delivering valuable goods like the Beryl Crystal.”
Libra first suspects. Whether there is an entity with a different intention within.
“It’s not likely to entrust delivery to a mere truck driver, but if delivery was entrusted, wouldn’t the delivery itself be a fake? That’s the first thought.”
Shion drew his sword. Then he pointed it at someone’s neck.
It was the executive who had been calling the interns’ names from the stage.
“Why are you pointing your sword at me?”
The executive asked with a furrowed brow. Shion calmly replied.
“Because you’re the traitor.”
Jean watched the two of them and swallowed a smile inside.