Hunter Academy: Revenge of the Weakest

Chapter 522 117.4 - Second Mission

The pieces of the puzzle were slowly falling into place, but there were still too many missing for me to see the full picture.

When I arrived at the mayor\'s office, I found him pacing near his desk, his fingers tapping nervously against the wood. He looked up as I entered, his eyes searching mine for any sign of hope. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Did you find anything?" the mayor asked, his voice tinged with a mix of anxiety and expectation.

I kept my expression neutral, my face a practiced mask of calm. "Nothing conclusive," I replied evenly. "There\'s no logical explanation that I can see at the moment. The blight doesn\'t seem to have a natural cause."

The mayor\'s face fell slightly, the hope draining from his eyes. He ran a hand through his thinning hair, clearly frustrated by the lack of answers.

"And what about them?" he asked, his tone shifting slightly as he referred to the mother and son. There was a subtle edge to his voice, a hint of something more than just concern. "Did they tell you anything useful?"

I shook my head, maintaining my composure. "No, they didn\'t have any information that could help," I said, my voice steady. I had long since mastered the art of controlling my expressions, and the mayor wouldn\'t detect any hint of deception.

The mayor studied me for a moment, his eyes narrowing slightly as if trying to gauge whether I was telling the truth. But he found nothing in my demeanor to suggest otherwise. Instead, he seemed to relax slightly, as if relieved that the young operative before him wasn\'t as sharp as he had feared.

I caught the subtle shift in his posture, the way his shoulders eased, and his gaze lost some of its intensity. He was underestimating me, dismissing my capabilities because of my age. It was a common reaction, one that I had encountered many times before. But in this case, it worked to my advantage.

As I watched him closely, I noticed something else—a flicker of restlessness in his eyes, a tension in his jaw that hadn\'t been there before. The mayor wasn\'t just worried about the blight; there was something specific about the mother and son that was bothering him. His questions, though carefully worded, revealed a deeper concern.

\'This is quite a reaction, huh?\' I thought, storing the observation away for later. The way he had pressed for information, the subtle anxiety when I mentioned that I hadn\'t found anything—it all pointed to something more than just a passing interest. He was worried, and that worry wasn\'t just about the blight.

But I gave no sign that I had noticed. Instead, I kept my tone casual as I spoke. "I\'ll continue to investigate, but it might take some time. These things are rarely straightforward."

The mayor nodded, though I could see the disappointment in his eyes. "I understand," he said, though his voice was strained. "Just… do what you can. The town is counting on you."

CREAK! "Hey, Father….Give me some money!"

Just as I was about to leave the mayor\'s office, the door swung open, and a young girl stepped inside. She was slightly tall, with striking features that immediately caught my attention. Her resemblance to the mayor was unmistakable—same sharp eyes, the same shape of the jaw. It didn\'t take much to conclude that she was most likely his daughter.

She was well-dressed, in clothes that spoke of both quality and taste, and she carried herself with the kind of confidence that comes from being accustomed to having her way. There was a slight haughtiness in the way she walked as if she owned the place and everyone in it.

"I will meet with some friends from the city."

As she entered, her gaze swept the room, initially ignoring my presence as if I were just another piece of furniture. But then her eyes landed on me, and her expression changed in an instant.

Her eyes widened, and she froze in place, staring at me as if she had just seen something—or someone—unexpected.

Without warning, she blurted out, "What a handsome guy!"

The words hung in the air, and for a moment, there was a stunned silence in the room. The mayor, who had been lost in his thoughts, looked up sharply, his eyes flicking between his daughter and me with a mixture of surprise and mild annoyance.

Sometimes, I forget that I was also quite good-looking. Considering there were guys like Ethan, Victor, and Lucas in the academy, I did not think much of my looks, but outside, I would get a lot of gazes when walking.

"Ah, this is my daughter, Celia," the mayor said, recovering quickly and clearing his throat. "Celia, this is Mr. Natusalune, who has been sent to help us with the situation in town."

Celia, still staring at me, blinked a few times as if snapping out of a trance. She quickly composed herself, her haughty demeanor returning as she gave me a smile that was equal parts charming and confident.

"It\'s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Natusalune," she said, her voice suddenly taking on a more measured tone, though her eyes still held a hint of that initial surprise. "I didn\'t realize we had such... capable-looking help on the way."

The girl\'s gaze remained fixed on me, her initial surprise quickly morphing into a more calculated expression. It was clear that she was used to getting what she wanted, and the townsfolk likely found themselves at the receiving end of her haughty demeanor more often than not.

As she continued to speak, there was a subtle condescension in her tone, as if she viewed herself as being above the rest of the town\'s inhabitants.

"I must say, it\'s refreshing to see someone of your... caliber here in Shange Town," Celia continued, her smile a touch too perfect. "The people here can be so... simple. It must be a nice change for you to deal with someone who can actually appreciate your skills."

Her words, though outwardly polite, were laced with a thinly veiled contempt for the townsfolk. It was as if she saw them as beneath her, mere background figures in her world.

The mayor shifted uncomfortably, clearly aware of his daughter\'s attitude but either unwilling or unable to correct her. I noticed the subtle tension in his posture, the way his gaze flickered between Celia and me as if trying to gauge how I would react to her words.

I maintained my calm demeanor, not letting her attitude faze me. I had encountered people like Celia before—those who believed their status or appearance made them superior to others.

\'Well, she was like that too.\'

However, that did not mean I would play such games.

\'Hmm….Let\'s make her talk a little bit more….\'

Something about this girl made me tense.

\'I sense animosity?\' It was subtle and not direct, but it was there.

That is why….."The people here are doing their best in a difficult situation," I replied evenly, my tone measured. "They deserve respect and support, especially in times like these."

Celia\'s smile faltered for a brief moment, clearly not expecting my response. She quickly recovered, though, her expression smoothing back into one of polite interest.

"Of course," she said, though her tone lacked sincerity. "It\'s just that… well, sometimes it feels like they could use a bit more... sophistication in their lives. But I suppose that\'s why you\'re here—to bring some much-needed expertise to this place."

Her gaze flickered over me again as if appraising my worth. It was clear she saw me as someone she could potentially manipulate or at least use to her advantage in some way.

"Indeed," I replied, not giving her any indication of what I was truly thinking. "I\'m here to assist in any way I can."

The mayor, sensing the growing tension in the conversation, quickly interjected. "Celia, Mr. Natusalune has a lot of work to do. I\'m sure he\'ll appreciate not being distracted from his duties."

Celia gave a small, dismissive wave. "Oh, Father, I\'m sure Mr. Natusalune can handle a little conversation. After all, it must be lonely doing such serious work all the time."

She turned her attention back to me, her eyes gleaming with curiosity. "If you ever need a break from all the dreariness of this town, you should join me and my friends in the city. We know how to have a good time—something I\'m sure you could use."

Her invitation, though framed as an innocent suggestion, was clearly meant to entice me away from my duties, to see if I could be swayed by her charms.

\'Hmm…..\'

But at the same time, there was something that felt like there.

My hunch was tingling.

\'Something.\' I was just about to say don\'t talk to me anymore, but then I decided to go against it.

"I appreciate the offer," I said politely, "but my focus is on the task at hand. There\'s a lot at stake here, and I intend to see it through."

Celia\'s smile tightened slightly, the first hint of frustration breaking through her composed exterior.

This girl wasn\'t used to being turned down, and I did not miss the increased animosity behind the gaze.

But she quickly masked it, offering a more subdued nod.

"Of course," she said, though her eyes flashed with something unreadable. "I wouldn\'t want to keep you from your important work."

"That would be nice." I nodded and then turned my attention to the mayor.

As I turned my attention back to the mayor, I let my tone shift to a more contemplative one. "Given the current situation, the fields belonging to Miss Maria and her son are our only real lead," I said, carefully watching the reactions in the room. "I plan to investigate further, focusing on anything in the past that might prove useful in understanding what\'s happening now."

The moment I mentioned Maria and her son, I caught a subtle shift out of the corner of my eye—Celia\'s shoulders tensed ever so slightly, a reaction that lasted only a fraction of a second before she quickly regained her composure. It was barely noticeable, but it was exactly the reaction I had been expecting.

\'There it is.\'

My instincts had been right.