Surviving as a Con Artist at the Academy

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62nd Chapter. “Hey, friend, I’ve been caught!”

The badge depicting an eagle’s face was engraved in Ray Chain Silver’s retina. As soon as she and the soldiers saw the badge, they stiffened.

It was a clear certification possessed by every member of the Chain Silver Family. The person receiving it is either someone who has made a significant contribution to the Chain Silver Family or someone invited to the Duke Chain Silver’s estate.

By touching the badge and displaying the blood letter, one could temporarily borrow the power of the Chain Silver Family. Of course, the strength varies greatly depending on who grants the badge.

Gerard, the head of the family, has a gold badge, and Jenny, the eldest daughter, has a silver one. Among them, the gold badge represents the blessings of the head of the family.

Showing the gold badge to a mercenary group or a band of thieves during an attack is enough to ensure survival. Such is the influence of the Chain Silver Family.

While the silver badge also holds considerable weight, the difference between the head of the family and a princess is vast.

People feared Gerard the most, so there was a chance they might dare to confront even upon seeing the silver badge.

Thus, in this situation, the odds of survival for me and my family are fifty-fifty. Generally speaking, that is.

However, the soldiers facing us were all from the Chain Silver Family. They would definitely recognize their own princess’s badge.

“Am I… seeing things wrong?”

Ray Chain Silver rubbed her eyes repeatedly to confirm the reality. The sudden change halted both Rotas and Trensh for a moment. The defensive magic dissipated, and the aura on their swords faded.

“Are you really acquainted with my sister?”

“Does this not make it clear?”

“No way! My sister was at Aligieri Academy just a week ago. There’s no way she’d come to such a filthy place to hand this over to you now that she’s back for break!”

“….”

“Besides, you have no reason to receive this. Be honest! This must be an illegal copy, right?”

Ray had yet to meet her sister who returned home. There was no way she could know the causal relationship that led me to receive this from Jenny.

If this were indeed a counterfeit, I would face severe punishment for impersonating a member of the Chain Silver Family.

Though she harbored strong suspicions, I had evidence that could turn the tide.

“Are you still saying that after seeing this?”

I touched the badge to display the 3D screen.

There was Jenny’s blood-stained letter written in haste, and as soon as Ray saw it, her face convulsed.

Trensh reacted similarly, gaping in shock. This was unmistakable evidence that I received it from Jenny.

“No way… My sister wouldn’t have met anyone from the outside while she was at Aligieri.”

“I’m also an Aligieri Student.”

Following the badge, I presented my academy ID. This quelled any doubts about how I met Jenny in one fell swoop.

“Can you believe me now?”

“….”

Ray froze in place, other than blinking twice.

*

The marching soldiers led by the princess were like a tidal wave. They hailed from a family built on swordsmanship, so every knight was a seasoned warrior. Yet, their fighting spirit wavered in an instant.

What persuaded those fearsome knights were merely two items. The conflict was resolved without a single drop of blood spilled.

However, it was true that the Crawler Family had committed serious crimes. Given several suspicious circumstances, my father allowed the search of the residence.

“Well, did you find anything?”

Ray asked Trensh after completing the search. But contrary to expectations, Trensh merely shook his head.

“I searched every nook and cranny, but found nothing. No traces of dark magic or inhumane experiments, let alone any other crimes.”

“So… it was just a regular family?”

I saw certain suspicious signs, but they were all mere assumptions. However, while it was a family, it clearly wasn’t ordinary.

“Upon investigation, considering their backgrounds, they cannot be seen as just any ordinary family. The husband was once the head of a count family and achieved the sixth-circle as a wizard, while his wife was a competent spirit sorcerer.”

“Why are such extraordinary individuals living in a remote area, easily suspected of wrongdoing? I cannot understand it.”

Ray shared the same sentiment. Not just the husband and wife, the son was also remarkable.

Wasn’t his name Radon? Didn’t he easily fend off an attack by summoning a massive serpent familiar with his technique?

Moreover, the technique was ‘Hail.’ This implied he had imprinted that very technique into his memory.

Where he might have seen it… there was no need to dig deep, just thinking of the student ID was enough.

“So where are they now?”

“They’re detained over there.”

The Crawler family sat in handcuffs in a shabby van in front of the cabin, except for Radon, who bore no charges.

*

Clatter, clatter—

The horses galloped, shaking the carriage. My family was currently being taken to Silver Town, home of the Chain Silver Family.

I had verified my connection to Jenny by presenting the badge and student ID. However, a separate issue arose—specifically, the sleeping medications that were sold disguised as recovery potions to Princess Ray.

That was clearly a crime and couldn’t be lightly dismissed. Who would’ve guessed it’d be a princess having harsh experiences during her training mission.

“I really am sorry for this. It’s supposed to be a refreshing break for you, and here you are stressing out.”

My father, sitting next to me, sighed heavily as he apologized. My mother Amy, who was seated directly across, wore a rather bitter expression.

The soldiers at the rear, who were transporting the criminals, glanced toward us. Among them, I was the only one not bound in handcuffs. Should I consider this a stroke of luck?

“It’s okay. I didn’t expect things to turn out like this.”

Living with lies means it’s only strange to find myself on the run. The reason they built a cabin in such a remote area was all due to those circumstances.

Even if I wanted to confess why I was scamming, it would get muted, leading to a life filled with thorny paths.

“It’s not right to smile about this. Honestly, I’m still rather anxious. The erosion rate is climbing constantly, and I don’t know when it’ll peak.”

Because of that, I had no choice but to lie from time to time. They wouldn’t be able to see the erosion rate like I could, so their anxiety must be considerable.

“By any chance, did Radon ever turn into dust while living in the academy?”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Well, you see, that’s a phenomenon that occurs when the erosion rate reaches its peak.”

I had no actual experience of it. Since I constantly managed the erosion rate thanks to my newspaper department activity, I’d never faced such a peak.

“Back when Radon was young, he may not remember, but before our family fell, your father and mother sought a way to lift that curse. Of course, it’s still ongoing.”

If Radon truly didn’t remember, it likely happened quite a while back.

“I had staff and a small territory due to my position, but in order to lift that curse, I dissolved everything. The costs were just too monumental. Do you recall any of that?”

“Not really. It’s been so long….”

[Erosion Rate Decrease: -2%]

[+200 Credits]

I didn’t remember anything since I wasn’t Radon. Back then, claiming I didn’t recall was about all I could do.

“I thought since you were 8 back then, you’d be able to recall it. Are you truly unable to?”

“No….”

“Hmmm….”

My father pondered, but soon offered a chuckle as if he understood it was plausible.

“At first, I thought it was merely an ordinary curse, so I went to the Holy Cross Sect… but because my voice got muted, I was embarrassed there and got kicked out. After that, bad rumors began to spread, marking the start of our family’s decline.”

He didn’t give up afterward, investing funds to research the curse further. Where it originated from, and how to resolve this cursed muting.

Seeking help from others was challenging due to the muted voice causing mispronunciations. As this persisted, the reputation of the Crawler Family rapidly deteriorated.

It was a prime opportunity for those factions and branches harboring resentment toward the Crawler family.

Ultimately, a multitude of fabricated rumors spread, becoming the catalyst for the family’s political downfall.

“But no matter what others said, it didn’t concern me. From the start, I had stumbled into that position, so I felt no attachment. Hence, I didn’t care one bit about how the family would fare.”

The curse that befell the family took precedence over the family’s position.

It wasn’t mere boasting; he reportedly poured his entire wealth into breaking that curse. Even the devoted retainers left, and protests surged from the territory residents.

In short…

“You’ve gone mad.”

“That’s how it was back then.”

With each passing day, the infamy of the Crawler Family spread further. Even wishing to explain it as a curse wouldn’t alter the outcome.

“You didn’t exploit anything, did you?”

“Do I look like such a villain?”

Of course, such deeds were out of the question. He took full responsibility for the family’s tarnished reputation.

He relinquished all titles associated with being a Count and chose a life of seclusion, much like the current one.

The family that became vacant was seized by the branch family. Ironically, this led to the branch gaining status over the main family.

Whether they always held a grudge, or it was due to feelings of inadequacy, they erased all traces of the Crawler legacy.

The family name was no longer Crawler. It was changed to ‘Layered,’ which thrived among the branches.

“This could be called a downfall or an exile.”

Indeed, it was a result of choices made by my father. Surprisingly, he felt content with that choice, living life as it is now.

“Do you regret it now? You lost your count status and became a mere commoner.”

“That’s true… but do you know what’s even more uncomfortable?”

“…?”

“Maintaining dignity as a noble. From the moment we were cursed, we lost the ability to carry ourselves with dignity. The more lies we told, the more karmic debt expanded. Amy, who was just six back then, had to lie constantly. How could there be any way to maintain relationships with other nobles in such a state?”

As their karma piled, the jeers from around grew louder. For adults, it was one thing, but for young Amy and Radon, it must have been hell.

In comparison, leaving the family would be the safer choice. This was the principle of my father, Rotas Crawler.

“Ah… I’m really sorry for brainwashing you when you enrolled. The pressure from that environment must have made it seem like you couldn’t lie.”

Even so, I willingly enrolled. The brainwashing wasn’t merely due to my father’s anxiety but was also ‘Radon’s’ own choice.

“It’s fine. Most importantly, I can adapt even without brainwashing now.”

“Thank you. By the way… did you find any clues about ‘Eternal Flame’?”

“Yes?”

I couldn’t help but widen my eyes.

Eternal Flame is the goal of the game’s protagonist and the only key to eliminate this cursed muting. For my father to know about it…

“Ah…! I can obtain it during the graduation ceremony. Either way, three years will fly by soon.”

This guy didn’t enroll me at Aligieri for nothing. Given that he’s been researching this curse for years, it wouldn’t be surprising for him to know.

“That’s a relief to hear. But do be careful while you’re there. We never know when those young ones from the branch family that absorbed our clan might show up.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

But an odd thought suddenly crossed my mind.

‘But did the branch family not fall under the curse?’

*

“Is Ray coming back soon?”

“She should have arrived by now.”

A girl was strolling down the corridor of the mansion, flanked by several maids.

Just by her position, one could instantly tell she was the young lady of the mansion, Jenny Chain Silver, whose blue hair always appeared youthful.

However, her hair, which she usually tied in a side tail, flowed down like a waterfall today.

The white lace she wore instead of her academy uniform complemented her hair color beautifully.

While it was hard to find any extravagant accessories except for a rose-shaped hairband and a blue pendant, her stature as a noblewoman stood out.

At the end of Silver Town, where the Chain Silver family resides, Jenny’s voice held authority second only to the head of the family.

“I heard that during her first semester, Ray went out for training and had a terrible ordeal; could you tell me more about it?”

“Lady Ray woke up and bought Mana Enhancement Potions from a street vendor, but it happened to be swapped for sleeping medications, resulting in her falling asleep during the battle. Thankfully, there were knights stationed nearby, so it wasn’t too disastrous.”

“And that street vendor…?”

“They’re currently in custody and should be on their way back with Lady Ray. What would you like to do?”

Ever since her mother passed away due to her own mistake, the distance between Ray and Jenny had grown. Taking good care of her remaining sibling had also become part of her responsibilities.

With such a precious sister in danger, there was no way she could simply stand by.

“Then of course, they need to face the proper punishment. Just what kind of scammer…!”

Gritting her teeth, Jenny strode with the maids toward the mansion’s front door. Just in time, several carriages arrived.

The first one to open was the one carrying the prisoners. Since it had come to this, she wanted to see what those rascals looked like.

Clunk—

Finally, they descended from the carriage.

There were four of them, a family of a man, a woman, and a girl.

And…

“Hello, Jenny.”

It was me.

“I didn’t come to visit… I’ve been caught.”

Jenny blinked, her eyes wide in surprise.