The suspenseful moment held its grip on me. People exchanged glances and a few nodded, signaling agreement. Then, a new voice emerged from a boy I had never seen before. "We find her satisfactory, Professor," he said, breaking the silence.
Relief washed over me as I realized I had passed their test, but my attention quickly snapped back to the conversation at hand. The teacher turned to Leila.
"The task was completed as planned," she said with a sigh, "but it would seem someone is starting to suspect me."
The teacher's tone shifted to one of frustration. "Who?" he demanded.
"Some detective named X. They are really pushy," Leila replied.
The teacher groaned, clearly disappointed. "I could have sworn that imbecile would be working on this," he muttered. Then he turned to the boy who had spoken earlier. "Henry, I hope you can give us some good news."
Henry nodded in agreement, "Yes, they have taken the bait and have already agreed to come." His tone was cold and indifferent, as though he had no emotions. It sent a shiver down my spine.
The teacher sighed in relief, but I couldn't help but wonder what kind of sick plan they had in store. He went around the room, checking on the other students and their progress. They all seemed to be involved in something nefarious, but I had no idea what it was.
As I sat there, I couldn't help but feel like I was running out of time. I had managed to catch Leila before it was too late, but I also needed to find out what the rest of these students were up to. It was a daunting task, but I was determined to see it through.
Perhaps I could try to find another way to gather information. Befriending Henry seemed like a daunting task, considering his cold demeanor. I decided to explore other options before resorting to that. Perhaps I could eavesdrop on some conversations, or search for clues in their meeting room. It might also be worth considering a different approach with Leila, maybe offering her a deal or making her think that cooperating would be in her best interest.
As I stood up, Henry pushed me out of my chair. I stumbled for a moment before regaining my balance, surprised by his sudden aggression. I looked up to see him staring at me coldly.
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"The meeting is over," he stated bluntly.
"Sorry about that," I apologized, feeling uneasy under his gaze. "I must have zoned out for a moment."
"You were staring at the wall for fifteen minutes," he said, his gaze piercing. "Do better."
I informed Mr. Moon that we would be interrogating Leila the following morning and that I had gathered evidence that would surely prompt her to confess. As I made my way back to my dorm, an idea struck me.
“Alexander, are you there?” I thought, hoping to contact him.
“Yes,” his familiar voice echoed in my mind. “What’s going on?”
“Have you been monitoring the situation?” I asked.
“Only the significant events,” he responded. “Why do you ask?”
“Do you have any knowledge of the book club?” I inquired.
“Do I look like the type of person to join a book club?” he scoffed. “However, if I had known it was a clandestine organization, I might have given it a try.”
I let out a deep sigh, feeling disappointed that my attempt to gather more information about the secret book club had failed. "Well, it was worth a try," I said, dejectedly.
Alexander's voice echoed in my mind, "Why don't you try using your skill again? That's what got you started on this case, right? Maybe you could get a new vision."
I was taken aback by his suggestion. How had I not thought of that before? With all the new information I had gathered, perhaps I could use my skill to gain further insight. I felt a glimmer of hope in my chest as I considered his words.
"Alexander, you are a genius!" I exclaimed, my spirits lifting. I closed my eyes, focusing my mind on the image of Leila and the book club. The room around me faded away, and soon I was lost in the depths of my own mind, searching for the truth.
In my vision, the symbol on the girl's back was unmistakably that of the secret club. The girl was Leila, and she was running through the halls using the Tier 5 Illusion spell called "Hide in Plain Sight" to avoid detection. I saw her enter each room, deftly grabbing the wands before slipping out unnoticed. Just as I was about to catch a glimpse of where she was hiding the wands or what her ultimate plan was, the vision abruptly ended, leaving me with more questions than answers.
I opened my eyes, feeling disoriented as I tried to process the information I had just received. Leila was clearly up to something, and it involved stealing wands, but why? And what was the purpose of the book club? I needed more information. I decided to get some rest and plan my next move. As I drifted off to sleep, I couldn't help but wonder what other secrets were hiding beneath the surface of this seemingly peaceful academy.