OKHS 11

Chapter 11

Mona’s steps as she left the Dean of Academic Affairs’ office were somehow floating.

Early graduation.

Those four words drifted round and round in her head.

She had thought her graduation would be hopelessly delayed due to Professor Thomas’s suspension, but now such an opportunity had been given to her.

“This project is difficult to leave midway once you join. Because it deals with sensitive matters…”

The Dean had added a meaningful warning, but it didn’t register in Mona’s head, where the word “early graduation” had already lodged itself.

The fact that she could skip the cumbersome thesis review process entirely and graduate.

That alone was worth taking the risk.

There was nothing worse than graduation being delayed and being forced into marriage.

Seeing Mona’s will seemed firm, the Dean held out a document envelope.

It was a dark brown envelope tightly sealed with red wax.

‘Inside this envelope is the content of a project that only a very few within the Academy know about…’

Clutching the red-wax-sealed envelope tightly to her chest, Mona ran quickly toward the dormitory.

“Whew.”

Locking the dormitory door firmly while heaving a deep breath, Mona tore off the red seal with her finely trembling hands.

The moment she pulled out the paper inside the envelope, her eyes flew wide open.

Year 664 — Imperial Direct — S-Class — No. 011

Seal Issuance Date: Imperial Calendar Year 664, October 15

[Imperial Direct Invitation]

In the name of the Imperial Family, special participation qualification for a confidential project is hereby granted to the recipient.

Because the imperial seal was stamped prominently at the top of the document.

‘Good heavens, the project’s sponsor was the Imperial Family.’

So that was why the Dean had confidently asserted that early graduation would be possible if she performed well on this project.

‘…But that’s strange.’

A project under the Imperial Family’s purview had come all the way down to the Department of Monster Studies, an extremely unpopular field?

Most people didn’t even know the Department of Monster Studies existed—what on earth could the research topic be?

With a bewildered feeling, Mona continued scanning the document.

This project concerns an investigation of the Land of Chaos; detailed instructions will be disclosed only to participants on the day of assembly.

There wasn’t much information written on the document.

A short description of the project, the date and time of assembly, and the location—that was all.

But there was a word that caught Mona’s eye clearly.

Investigation of the Land of Chaos.

‘So this is why the project was handed down to a researcher in the Department of Monster Studies.’

The Land of Chaos was, after all, a large-scale monster habitat.

Some called it the Demonic Realm, saying it was wicked.

It was a place that had long been regarded as cursed land, with Black Dragon Baelmos as its master, and access to it had been restricted.

Others would have felt the danger the moment they realized it was a project related to monsters and would have tossed it aside immediately—but Mona instead felt her blood boil.

‘I might be able to directly discover monsters that are now all but forgotten, seen only in ancient texts.’

Suddenly her heart raced, and Mona lightly rubbed her chest.

Lately, she had been in the position of collecting monster cores or making solvents for hair-loss products that had nothing whatsoever to do with monster research.

But the thought that she might be able to conduct “research worthy of a monster scholar” with the Imperial Family’s support—she couldn’t help but feel a corner of her heart lift.

‘Could it be that I’ve caught an incredible stroke of luck?’

Her hope circuit grew hotter and hotter.

She could almost picture a golden future: conducting fascinating research, graduating early, somehow saving money, and opening a monster research institute.

‘No, let’s not get too excited.’

Rolling her twitching lips inward, Mona picked up a pen and marked the date of the project’s first assembly on her calendar.

She even drew three stars next to it.

Without knowing at all that that day would become the turning point that changed her fate.

Time passed quickly, and the day of the project’s first assembly arrived.

The meeting place was a massive stone building situated on a hill in the western outskirts of the capital, once used as a military command headquarters.

Having prepared to go out early in the morning due to nerves, Mona arrived at the destination earlier than the meeting start time.

“Whew.”

It was good she had come early.

The building was on a high hill that shared carriages didn’t reach.

Hoisting the worn bag containing her research notebook and writing implements onto her shoulder, Mona walked toward the towering building.

It had looked large from afar, but up close it felt even more majestic.

‘They’re lending out the old command headquarters building for a meeting room?’

Was this the taste of an Imperial Family–sponsored project?

Having only ever been in old, shabby laboratories constantly suffering from budget shortages, entering a place that looked classical and dignified made her feel somehow strange.

The statues erected throughout were artistic, and the landscaping was still neatly maintained.

Walking while admiring the ancient, time-honored surroundings, Mona flinched the moment she stepped through the main gate engraved with a dragon motif.

A man in uniform with an imposing physique approached and blocked her path.

He was a man who gave off an ascetic impression, with short-cropped dark brown hair, a firm jawline, and a cross necklace hanging at his neck.

The man spoke in a tone as blunt as his impression.

“This is a restricted area where access is controlled for anyone other than authorized personnel.”

With a nervous face, Mona hurriedly rummaged through her bag.

“Here—I’m registered as a participant in the project being held inside.”

“…Hmm.”

Only after carefully verifying the imperial seal stamped on the invitation and her Imperial Academy identification did the man finally relax his expression and give a slight nod.

“Follow me. I’ll guide you, Miss Mona Bellose.”

“Yes.”

Tap, tap.

The man leading the way with crisp, precise steps looked nothing like an ordinary gatekeeper no matter how you looked at him.

‘He looks incredibly strong.’

Just what was this project, that security was this thorough?

While swallowing her questions, the man stopped at the end of the corridor and opened a heavy stone door.

“Go in.”

Clutching her bag strap tightly with a nervous face, Mona carefully stepped inside.

In the Gothic-style meeting room, several people were already seated around a long rectangular table.

As she entered, the project participants’ gazes all turned toward Mona at once, then quickly scattered.

So it wasn’t the atmosphere for introductions yet.

In the silence, Mona stood alone and fidgeted, then eventually sat at the edge of the table and wriggled her fingers.

‘This is awkward.’

She felt like oil floating on water.

The people gathered here all looked dignified, unlike Mona.

Just the man sitting across from Mona—his luxurious robes and the artifact at his neck were enough to guess he was a wealthy figure.

‘Will I be able to adapt well in here?’

If it was an Imperial Family–sponsored project, it was natural to move as a team—why had she overlooked that fact?

She was licking her rapidly drying lips several times when suddenly the man sitting across from her jumped to his feet, making Mona flinch.

“Sir Noel!”

Not just the man—other participants also rose one by one with excited expressions.

‘Is he someone famous?’

A man unfamiliar to Mona walked slowly into the meeting room.

He was a man whose attention-drawing features included dark blue long hair flowing below his shoulders and an intellectual, handsome countenance.

Caught up in the atmosphere, Mona stood up without thinking, then sat back down in an awkward posture, feeling ridiculous for pretending to know someone she didn’t.

“I never imagined Sir Noel would also participate in this project.”

“It’s been a while since I saw you at the victory banquet last time. Please, come sit over here.”

“Ah, thank you.”

The man had a refined accent and gentle voice that matched his soft impression.

With his appearance, the previously quiet meeting room began to buzz with life in an instant.

A completely different reaction from when Mona had appeared.

‘I don’t even know who that person is.’

Had she kept too far away from social circles?

Feeling awkward, Mona glared at her innocent research notebook, then subtly cast her gaze into the distance.

That was when a faded military flag and a map of the Empire hanging on the wall caught Mona’s eye.

‘…Huh?’

Several pins stuck into the map piqued Mona’s curiosity.

Since it was an old command headquarters building, one might easily assume it was a map left over from military operations and then abandoned, but something felt familiar.

‘That shape, I feel like I’ve seen it somewhere…’

Before she knew it, Mona was craning her neck and scrutinizing the map as if analyzing it.

That was when.

“What are you looking at so intently?”

Suddenly a cool voice came from behind her.

Her nape prickled involuntarily.

Turning her head toward the direction of the voice with a chilling feeling, Mona nearly fainted with her eyes open.

Black uniform. Neatly swept-back blond hair. Coldly sunken blue eyes…

A spectacular face one could never forget once seen.

…Ri-Richard Kronel.

Why, why is this man here…!