Ch.57Chapter 57. Why So Complicated (3)

“What? Why??”

“It’s the Vice Chancellor’s order. There was already enough commotion with the recent competition incident, and he doesn’t want to make things any bigger.”

“But a student ended up like that…!”

“The Hover Family has also agreed to let this pass quietly. Lord Hover wants to hide the fact that his son failed to properly control his mana and caused trouble for the academy.”

“…”

Amillion was left speechless at the investigation team’s words.

The investigation team leader had visited her office first thing in the morning to inform her they would quietly cover up yesterday’s incident.

“Did you find anything regarding what I mentioned?”

“You mean the suspicious potion? Unfortunately, there was nothing. We even used trace detection magic just in case, but nothing was found.”

“…”

Amillion’s mind overlapped the investigator’s words with Ryuyeong’s confident statement yesterday.

The image of Ryuyeong sitting in the same spot as the investigation team leader now, confidently claiming he saw Cain drink a potion.

For some reason, Amillion found herself trusting Ryuyeong’s words more than the investigator’s.

“So…”

“Well, you don’t need to worry about anything. Just submit a simple incident report and everything will be handled. Quietly.”

“What will happen to student Cain Hover?”

“The academy will provide maximum support. It’s difficult, but there’s always a slim possibility, isn’t there?”

Afterward, Amillion continued asking small questions like someone grasping at straws, but nothing changed.

Cain Hover’s mana outburst was concluded to be his personal responsibility, and the academy and Hover Family were working together to hide that fact.

In a way, it was the most rational and cleanest solution.

“Then I’ll be going. Please submit the report when it’s ready.”

“…Yes.”

But something felt off to Amillion.

It didn’t feel like the matter was being cleanly resolved—it felt like it was being made to appear cleanly resolved.

Although there was no major damage except for a part of the forest burning down, she wondered if this incident was really small enough to just let go.

‘The recent grade competition was the same.’

Once suspicion took root, it continued to grow.

By Amillion’s common sense, the Undead incident that appeared during the competition shouldn’t have been quietly buried like this either.

Although all the professors who knew the truth about the incident kept quiet, the information was still controlled too thoroughly.

As if the Imperial Intelligence Agency had stepped in.

“Sigh.”

Naturally, she recalled what she had heard last night.

Ryuyeong, who claimed to be working under the Phrysis Family and investigating suspicious movements within the academy.

Since Yuria Phrysis had verified his identity, there was a high probability that his claim about the Sinclair Family head knowing was also true.

‘Is someone really infiltrated inside?’

It occurred to her that just as Ryuyeong had infiltrated as a student, someone else could have infiltrated as well.

Of course, infiltrating as faculty would be more difficult, but it wouldn’t be impossible for one of the Six Great Families like Phrysis.

Tap- tap- tap- tap-

Her pen hit the table rhythmically.

It was a habit that emerged when Amillion was deep in thought.

She hadn’t told anyone about Ryuyeong yet.

She hadn’t had anyone to tell since she heard about it late last night, and it was difficult information to share easily.

Besides, hadn’t Ryuyeong said he entered the academy to find an insider hiding within?

After getting confirmation from Phrysis, she didn’t want to ruin the Six Great Families’ work by interfering.

‘I need to meet him again first.’

Amillion tied her hair as she prepared to leave.

Yesterday, their conversation was cut short when Ryuyeong suddenly ran out, but today she would finish it.

**

“Yaaawn.”

I couldn’t help but yawn.

I barely slept last night after talking with Yuria until dawn.

I wanted nothing more than to sleep in and skip the academy, but that wasn’t an option.

I needed to meet Professor Amillion as soon as possible to clarify the situation.

That was necessary for my continued life at the academy.

So today, instead of heading straight to the classroom, I was heading to the faculty building.

Out of habit, I moved from my room to the dormitory, and naturally walked from the dormitory toward the faculty building.

Despite yesterday’s significant incident, the academy was very quiet and peaceful.

There weren’t many people around since it was still early, but it was peaceful as if nothing had happened.

‘I hope she’ll understand.’

With no one around, I was tempted to teleport directly to the faculty building, but I resisted.

As I breathed in the early morning air and reached the faculty building, just as I was about to enter…

“You there.”

“Huh?”

Someone called out to me from behind.

It wasn’t specifically addressing me, but there was no one else around.

“Ryu, correct?”

“Yeah.”

‘The Vice Chancellor?’

The person who called me was Landgar Bayer, the Vice Chancellor of Crescen Academy.

The Vice Chancellor was looking at me with a seemingly gentle smile.

“Oh, hello.”

“Heh heh. Fancy meeting you here at this hour. Where are you headed?”

“I was on my way to see Professor Amillion.”

“Hmm. I see.”

This was my first direct encounter with Vice Chancellor Landgar Bayer.

I had seen the Vice Chancellor sitting behind the platform during the previous competition award ceremony, but this was my first one-on-one conversation.

He was one of the people Yuria had pointed out as suspicious.

On the surface, there was no sign of anything suspicious.

“Your performance in the competition was quite remarkable.”

“…Thank you.”

Landgar continued to praise me with a smiling face.

I smiled back and met Landgar’s eyes.

‘…This person.’

I felt it immediately upon looking into Landgar’s eyes.

While he was clearly smiling and praising me, his eyes were not smiling.

What I sensed in Landgar’s eyes was intense curiosity.

And not pure curiosity, but curiosity tinged with hostility.

‘He must suspect something.’

“I’ve been wanting to meet you, and here we are.”

Smile-

Landgar, still smiling, offered me a handshake.

“Ah.”

I thoughtlessly took Landgar’s outstretched hand.

And at that moment.

Whoosh-

A fierce wind blew from the front, forcing me to close my eyes.

The wind was so strong it whipped my hair and nearly blew my body away.

I reflexively closed my eyes at the sudden gust, and opened them again when the wind subsided.

‘This is…’

When I opened my eyes again, I saw a fox.

Behind the darkened silhouette of the Vice Chancellor, a fox with glowing yellow eyes was staring at me.

The giant fox’s eyes were fixed precisely on me.

It had an aura that suggested it would devour me at the slightest opening.

I could feel intense energy and clear hostility from the fox.

The fox stared at me silently before growling and baring its teeth.

‘…’

It didn’t take long to realize that what I was seeing was an illusion created by Landgar.

I hesitated for a moment.

Normally, I would never back down from such a power play.

The other party provoked me first, so there was no reason to let it slide.

But what made me hesitate was my current situation.

I had already revealed my identity to Professor Amillion yesterday, and the person challenging me now was the Vice Chancellor whom Yuria suspected.

If I responded in kind and gave the Vice Chancellor reason to be suspicious, my plans might fall apart.

‘Well, at least this confirms it.’

I wanted to smack that fox cub, but I held back.

And I began to act.

I played the role of a student overwhelmed by Landgar’s illusion and pressure.

Like someone unable to properly respond to the Vice Chancellor’s massive mana, trembling with tension.

‘But why a fox of all things? Is it the energy that symbolizes Landgar?’

Meanwhile, I occasionally observed the growling fox behind Landgar.

The fox, flickering with orange energy, growled with a fierce expression, but looking closely, it was quite cute.

Whoosh-

After some time passed like this.

Once again, the wind blew and the surroundings changed in the blink of an eye.

“Ho ho ho. It was nice meeting you.”

“Ah.”

“Perhaps… we’ll see each other again. I wish you well in your academy life ahead.”

Landgar spoke to me as I stood still as if nothing had happened, then walked away.

‘Wow, my acting was on point.’

I deliberately didn’t move from my spot until the Vice Chancellor was completely gone.

Like a student genuinely intimidated and at a loss.

“…Is he gone?”

I only moved my body when the Vice Chancellor’s footsteps could no longer be heard.

Landgar had moved far enough to be out of sight.

‘No need to retrieve the mana analyzer now.’

This unexpected meeting with Vice Chancellor Landgar gave me certainty.

Among the three candidates Yuria mentioned, the suspicious person was definitely Landgar.

Who would have thought the academy’s Vice Chancellor was actually the culprit plotting something from within?

“Phew, I controlled myself well.”

I don’t know why Landgar suddenly challenged me like that, but from my perspective, it was a blessing.

‘Now I just need to communicate well with Professor Amillion.’

I walked into the building with much lighter steps than before.

My mind was also lighter knowing I had one more piece of evidence to present to Professor Amillion.

“Oh, student Ryu… I mean, Ryu.”

“Oh! Perfect timing, you’re out here.”

“What brings you here so early in the morning?”

“I have something to tell you. Quickly.”

“…”

I met Professor Amillion right as I entered.

Seeing Professor Amillion’s confused expression strengthened my conviction even more.

I felt confident I could bring Professor Amillion to our side.