Reincarnated in a Light Novel

After a good night's sleep and a quick inventory check, Eclair was ready to leave. Cookie, now dressed in new clothes, sat on the bed, watching him with a curious gaze.

"Ready to go?" Eclair asked.

Cookie nodded silently. After a simple breakfast of eggs, Eclair decided he had stayed long enough. It was time to finish the mission and return to the academy.

With his bag secured on his back, Cookie transformed into a shark, swimming effortlessly through the floor as she followed him. After bidding farewell to the village chief, Eclair quickly set out. His next destination was quite far, so he picked up his pace, breaking into a steady run.

"Keep up, okay?"

Cookie's head emerged briefly from the ground before sinking back in, her dorsal fin gliding smoothly behind him. With Omi bolstering his legs, Eclair pushed his speed, but even so, Cookie easily kept up.

Their destination was a town some distance away. As Eclair reviewed the details of his mission in his mind, he recalled how the disappearances had started with the homeless. Soon after, children began vanishing, leading the townsfolk to suspect a demon's involvement.

Given the town had slums, it was likely a large settlement. Eclair couldn't help but feel this task seemed more suited for a junior or senior exorcist. Yet, the Association had deemed it appropriate for trainee sorcerers—probably because it was "just an investigation."

Eclair was certain his previous mission's success had already reached the Association. He had written reports before leaving each village, ensuring they were handed to the representatives responsible for forwarding them.

Fortunately, Eclair didn't need to camp in the wilderness this time. After some running, he found a concrete road. Consulting his map, he realized it was a main route leading to both a major city and the town.

Sticking to the road, Eclair maintained his pace, glancing occasionally at Cookie. She swam across the concrete as if it were water, her fin cutting through the surface with ease. He couldn't help but think her ability was incredibly broken.

As they travelled, the town gradually came into view. Once they were close enough, Eclair slowed his run to a walk, making his way toward the town's gate

The guards eyed Eclair with suspicion, their attention flickering toward Cookie, who followed close behind.

"Cookie," Eclair called. She leapt out of the ground and into his arms with ease. Turning back to the guards, he added, "She's with me."

One of the guards hesitated. "Are you…?" His tone hinted at a question.

"I'm a sorcerer," Eclair confirmed.

The guard stiffened, bowing his head in apology.

"Never mind that," Eclair said briskly. "Tell me about the disappearances."

The guard straightened and began recounting the events as he led Eclair toward the governor's residence. The story matched the mission details Eclair had received: it started months ago when the homeless slowly vanished, followed by children disappearing whilst playing.

But there was a notable difference—unlike the homeless, the missing children came from better parts of town, not the slums. Despite their efforts, the town's meagre authorities found no leads from the missing people. Eventually, the governor reached out to the Sorcerer Association, suspecting a demon's involvement.

Eclair silently agreed they had made the right call. In cases like this, where ordinary investigations failed, the supernatural often played a role.

They soon arrived at the governor's residence, a large house with a modest garden at the front. Inside, Eclair was greeted by the governor—a round, elderly man with restless eyes. Despite his cheerful expression, his demeanour betrayed his unease.

"Thank you for coming, Sorcerer!" the governor said warmly.

Eclair offered a polite smile but skipped the pleasantries. "Any additional information I should know?"

The governor hesitated, flustered, before responding, "We haven't found any bodies… except for one."

Eclair raised an eyebrow, urging him to continue.

"We discovered it in the rainwater drainage canal," the governor admitted grimly.

Eclair hummed thoughtfully. If a demon had taken refuge there and was water-affiliated, things could get tricky. Breathing underwater wasn't exactly within his capabilities. He glanced at Cookie, still nestled in his arms as a small shark.

"Any others?" Eclair pressed. "What's the state of the body you found?"

"We searched thoroughly but found nothing more," the governor said with a shake of his head. "In total, a dozen people are missing. The body, on the other hand, was found after a rain and nothing else was notable.

Eclair nodded and set Cookie down. She fell through the floor as if it were water and began swimming in lazy circles around him. The guard and governor watched her with intrigue before their eyes went back to Eclair.

"I'll see what I can do," Eclair said, "If it's beyond my abilities, be prepared to summon a higher-ranking sorcerer."

The governor's expression brightened at his words. Turning to the guard, he instructed, "Guide the Sorcerer to the location."

The guard nodded and glanced at Eclair, silently signalling him to follow. Eclair walked behind him, his mind occupied with the complications of the situation. It would've been much simpler if the demon had already been sighted.

As they walked, Eclair glanced at his mental list of suspects. Could it be the guard? Maybe. He might have planted a body in the drainage to create a distraction. The governor? Probably not. Someone who had killed a dozen people wouldn't be so visibly restless.

No, someone capable of such an act wouldn't repeatedly expose themselves, especially in a world where magical powers could trace them.

"We're here," the guard announced, breaking Eclair's train of thought.

"Thank you. Let the governor know to prepare a place for me to stay," Eclair instructed.

The guard nodded and left. Eclair turned his attention to the canal and the tunnel ahead—it was narrow, just large enough for a crouching man to pass through. Descending into the canal, he approached the tunnel, with Cookie trailing behind.

Eclair spread out his senses, searching for any trace of Omi, but found nothing. He sighed, mentally bracing himself to crawl in.

Just as he crouched, Cookie bumped her nose against his ankle.

"Yes, Cookie?" he asked, glancing down.

Cookie looked up at him, then toward the tunnel, her gaze shifting back and forth with clear intent.

Eclair sighed, shaking his head. "It could be dangerous, Cookie. I can't let you do this after the promises I made."

Cookie spun around in frustration, turning back to the tunnel with a determined glint in her eyes.

Eclair hesitated. On one hand, letting her help might speed up the mission. On the other, the thought of something happening to her weighed heavily on his mind.