[Friday][Time Lapse: 4 hours] [Location: Frein Empire, Rezen Academy] [City: Loverock]
“Dammit, he’s late,” I muttered to myself, watching the academy gates before glancing at my wristwatch. There were only 10 minutes left until my disciplinary hearing, and my so-called guardian hadn’t even shown up. Knowing his habits, I had told him the meeting would start at 13:00, which was roughly two hours ago.
“Kid, I think you should just go ahead. We’ll let him through when he comes,” one of the security guards stationed at the gate muttered, his tone worried. My anger must have been showing on my face, prompting me to sigh.
I’ll just have to stall.
I thought to myself as I navigated through the campus, heading toward the professors’ building. Since classes were still in session for everyone else, there weren’t many professors around, so my presence didn’t stand out too much. After arriving at the office, I glanced at the name tag on the door before knocking a few times.
“Come in,” a soft voice called, and I opened the door, greeted by the familiar interior of the office. Unlike the headmaster’s office, there were two large desks, indicating the space was likely shared by two professors.
“Are you going to keep standing there?” the voice from before asked, and I finally focused on the individual seated behind one of the desks. She had long, red hair and was wearing a red suit, as usual. Her appearance reminded me of that encounter with the devil in the dungeon, which made me a bit wary of reality.
“Mm? Are you okay?” she asked, her warm smile fading into concern as she looked at me.
“Yeah,” I replied simply, walking toward her and taking a seat across from her. Perhaps interpreting my reluctance as a sign of guilt, she chuckled softly and said, “It seems you’ve been reflecting a bit. We might even be able to shorten the suspension, but…”
Eliana’s eyes shifted to the empty seat beside me, causing me to look away.
So she’s just going to act like I never said all those things…
“Ian,” she said again, drawing my attention. Her expression turned serious. “I’m sorry if this is a bit rude, but do you have any family other than Lily?” she asked, meeting my gaze.
“I won’t answer that,” I muttered, and she gave me a pitiful look before sighing.
“Ian, if you don’t open up, then I won’t be able to help you here,” she said in a firm tone. I stared at her without changing my expression. The guardian I’d listed when applying to the academy wasn’t actually related to me by blood, but he’d known Lily and me since we were very young. He was the only person I could trust for this.
Seeing my unchanged demeanor, Eliana sighed again.
“Do you think he’ll still make it?” she asked, nodding toward the empty seat.
“I think so. He was already in the city when I told him,” I replied, causing her to nod.
My so-called guardian worked in the private protection industry, but he wasn’t associated with any particular security company. Because of that, he could take jobs from anywhere, at any time, as he pleased. I guess you could say he operated like a one-man company since he always worked alone. However, as with bodyguard duties, there were times when he had to team up with others in the industry for certain clients.
“Does he work within the Empire though?” Eliana asked curiously, likely trying to figure out if my recent behavior was due to a lack of proper guardianship. Since I didn’t really have any reason to hide it, I answered,
“Not really, he’s always moving around the Empire. When I contacted him about the suspension, he said he was already in Loverock for a job and would only come by if he had some free time.”
Eliana’s expression shifted to one of concern.
“Wait… So you’re just assuming he might come?” she said, her voice a mix of confusion and amazement. Looking at it from her perspective, it did seem like I was just leaving everything to chance, but unfortunately, I didn’t have much choice. I had listed that man as my guardian, so if he didn’t show up, there wasn’t much I could do.
“I think he’ll show up. Otherwise, he would’ve just told me he couldn’t make it,” I replied, and Eliana seemed a bit amazed by my straightforward logic.
VIP/private protection was a job that required your full attention, meaning you worked long hours and hardly ever left the person you were assigned to guard. So, if someone in that line of work still promised they might come to a meeting, it left only two possibilities.
1. They were working with a team who could cover for them for extended periods, or
2. The job would be finished by the time of the meeting.
The first possibility usually applied only to VVIPs—people of significant importance like Clan Masters or high-value CEOs. Given the current situation, I was leaning toward the second option.
He had mentioned getting the job recently, and since there hadn’t been any major developments in the city, it was safe to assume no VVIPs had hired new bodyguards during this time. This led me to believe it was more likely a paranoid nobody or maybe a friend of his, making the second option more plausible. My guess was that he was done with the job but had to do some ‘cleanup’ or something along those lines.
Does it even matter? I thought as I let out a sigh, slumping further into my chair and staring at the ceiling. I didn’t really care if he was in Loverock for a job. There was no need to analyze everything he did or said.
In my peripheral vision, I could see Eliana in front of me, making a variety of interesting expressions, but I wasn’t particularly bothered. I could already guess what she was thinking. She probably wanted to call me out for relying on a simple "maybe" to make important decisions.
As a professor, she was obligated to condemn such behavior, and if it had been any other professor, they might have jumped at the opportunity to suggest expulsion as a disciplinary measure. From their perspective, it would seem like I wasn’t even committed to the process of getting my guardian here.
'He’s just making excuses and probably never even contacted the guardian,' they’d assume, and I knew that’s what Eliana was likely thinking too. Yet, there seemed to be something holding her back from commenting on my supposed irresponsibility. A reluctance to bring up the topic of responsibility…
She’s still thinking about what I told her that day…
It was somewhat pitiful that even a casual conversation like this had to turn into something that could be exploited. Without needing to resort to more manipulative tactics, I had already managed to gauge her progress and witness firsthand how the things I said to her were affecting her psychologically. She was doing better than I’d expected.
“You seem to be doubting what I said,” I casually muttered without looking at her, still staring at the ceiling. It was only after I brought that up that she tried to voice her thoughts.
“I think yo—” she began, but stopped abruptly, her attention shifting toward the door. At the same time, it swung open. I turned to look at the person who entered, and a frown immediately formed on my face.
This bastard.
“Excuse my intrusion,” he said, striding toward us before stopping next to me. He gave a small bow to Eliana and spoke in a low tone,
“I apologize for being late. My boss was a bit troublesome.” He flashed Eliana a warm smile, which seemed to snap her out of her daze. She quickly stood from her chair, extending her hand as they shook hands in greeting.
“Oh, it’s fine, Mr…?” she trailed off, waiting for his name.
“Ah, right. Inksin. Just Inksin,” he said, and she nodded, likely recognizing the name from my student registry.
Inksin.
The man wore a black suit with a white shirt underneath, which wasn’t buttoned all the way to the top, exposing part of his chest since he didn’t bother with an undershirt. His short, dark hair and tired-looking face were accentuated by dark circles under his eyes, and a few patches of stubble, as though he hadn’t shaved in a few days. Despite his disheveled appearance, he carried a charismatic air about him, though it wasn’t really a good look since it made him look like he was on something.
No, he might actually be…
The private protection industry was notorious for having its agents rely on stimulant drugs during particularly demanding jobs, enabling them to work long hours without sleep while maintaining peak performance.
“I’m Professor Bloodthorn, Ian’s teacher,” Eliana said, seemingly unbothered by the man's appearance. She was a much better person than I was, because as soon as he sat down, I continued to eye him with a frown, though he pretended not to notice.
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“Ah yes, I’ve heard a lot about you from Ian,” he said, flashing her a smile.
No, you haven’t.
Eliana’s face paled slightly, likely recalling the time she nearly killed me or the verbal assaults I’d hurled at her. There wasn’t much of anything positive I could have said about her, so Inksin’s attempt at flattery missed the mark completely. Still, Eliana quickly recovered.
“R-right. Uhm, did he tell you why he was suspended?” She tried to steer the conversation away from herself, and Inksin simply shook his head, his expression growing serious as he replied,
“I’m afraid not. He’s been very distant lately…” He turned to look at me with a hurt expression, which prompted Eliana to do the same, her eyes full of pity.
What the hell are you talking about?
I sighed as their gazes bore into me and immediately spoke up.
“Well, I don’t regret what I did,” I said casually, meeting Eliana’s eyes without a hint of remorse. I already had a plan for defending myself, but due to the academy’s rules, I just needed this man to be present as my 'guardian.' Nothing more.
“You know you could be expelled for what you did?” Eliana asked, her eyes narrowing with seriousness. Inksin remained silent, observing me as if realizing that I didn’t really need his help.
“Expelled for what exactly? I roughed up a student responsible for another student’s death. On what grounds does that warrant my suspension, but not the student responsible for murder?” I replied, causing Eliana’s face to pale at the mention of the other student’s death.
After the incident, Silfie began attending classes as usual, and as we spoke, she was probably still in class.
A No-Value spy.
Inksin’s eyes gleamed with curiosity beside me, likely pleased with the unexpected information he was getting during this hearing.
“I understand your concern for your fellow classmates, but she wasn’t armed. Even after she started pleading with you, you continued to assault her. That is not acceptable behavior,” Eliana explained. I merely shrugged. Inksin glanced at me, looking slightly surprised.
“Who said she was unarmed? Her hands and feet were still intact, so as far as I’m concerned, she was still a threat as long as she was breathing,” I said coldly, causing Eliana to furrow her brow as she turned to look at Inksin. The existence of a threat and the damage it can cause are only recognized in hindsight; therefore, eliminating the threat immediately can never be the wrong choice.
“Sorry, but I think I should’ve—” Inksin began, but then abruptly stopped, his expression shifting as he locked eyes with Eliana, a glint of bloodlust appearing in his gaze, sending a chill down my spine. My thoughts raced as the world around me seemed to slow down.
Huh?
“Sorry, but…” Inksin said again, extending an open palm toward Eliana. Her mana spiked, and a red aura quickly enveloped her body. She tried to stand, knocking her chair over, as several swords materialized above her. But Inksin simply closed his hand, as though grasping the air. At the same time, Eliana’s instincts kicked in. Her arms shot up, crossing in front of her neck.
“Kuuh~!?”
A choked gasp escaped her lips as an invisible force coiled around her throat. Thanks to her quick thinking, she managed to block it from fully tightening. Her arms, crossed in defense, squashed between the force and her neck, preventing it from fully tightening. The pressure still squeezed, forcing her arms against her neck as she struggled.
“Wkgg... Ha... W-what are you dooi-?” she gasped through the pain, but Inksin didn’t relent. He raised his hand further, lifting Eliana’s entire body into the air as if she were being pulled by invisible strings. Her materialized swords, which had been aimed at Inksin, were now pointing toward her own back. The strain on her body made it impossible for her to focus enough to control them all.
“I didn’t know you were suicidal, Master,” I said, turning to Inksin. He smiled, not taking his eyes off Eliana.
“You said you’d never call me that. Is this some kind of special occasion?” he teased, standing up with his hand still raised, keeping Eliana restrained. He had been Lily’s master before she went to the Dragnoks, so I’d picked up a few things from him here and there, but I wasn’t really his student.
“Does your funeral count as a special occasion?” I replied casually. Eliana, now glaring at me, wore an expression of utter confusion. She would need a few more years of training before she could even hope to match Inksin. A Telekineticists who was also a master of the sword wasn't something you saw everyday, so the current Eliana couldn’t hope to put a scratch on him.
Mmh. Wait, am I being too casual again? I wondered as I glanced at Eliana, who had seemingly given up on attacking and was now pouring her mana into breaking free from the invisible grip.
“Hahaha. Unfortunately, I’m not dying today, kid. I don’t know why you’re so relaxed—you might die in the next minute,” Inksin said, giving me a quick glance. I only responded with a confused look.
Is it the drugs? I thought. As if reading my mind, he quickly retorted,
“Brace yourself.”
He turned away from Eliana and focused on the door. Seeing this, I stood up from my seat, looking toward the entrance in anticipation. Although I had a high mana capacity, my range didn’t extend that far since I didn’t possess any long-ranged skills. While Eliana could sense changes in the mana just outside the door, I couldn’t detect anything beyond half of the room. For those with range-based authorities, their ability to spread their mana over a large area was extraordinary.
“How far?” I asked, glancing at Inksin, who remained fixated on the door, fully locked in. He wouldn’t show this level of paranoia without reason, meaning some very powerful individuals were approaching.
“They just entered the building. Two minutes inbound,” he replied, raising his other hand, as if ready to kill whoever entered through the door. Normally, I would be the voice of reason, convincing him not to act rashly since I had a rough idea of who might be coming. But...
I’ll let it play out and use it to my advantage.
As I thought this, the door suddenly shot open. Since I didn't have any weapons on me, I immediately took a simple stance, raising my hands and bending my knees, my eyes locked on the entrance.
“Oh, I was wondering who would be bold enough to intrude in broad daylight,” a voice came from one of the two imposing men who entered, both wearing standard professor suits. The man had light blue hair and blue eyes, and was smiling at Inksin despite the tense atmosphere.
Intrude?
I glanced at Inksin beside me. Sensing my gaze, he gave a wry smile and responded to the blue-haired man.
“What’re you talking about? I walked through the front gate like everybody else,” he said, causing the man to chuckle lightly.
“Mmh. Then it must’ve been a mistake on our side. Do you mind freeing Miss Bloodthorn?” the headmaster asked, glancing at Eliana, who had been struggling the whole time while the two of them casually conversed. Inksin looked back at Eliana, releasing her from the invisible grip as she fell to the floor. He then shot me a quick glance before turning his attention back to the headmaster.
‘Take care of her,’ was the unspoken message in his look, but the headmaster seemed to catch on quickly.
“There’s no point in fighting, Inksin,” the headmaster said seriously. Despite his words, the other man, Professor Pierce, stood silently behind him, watching Inksin with unwavering eyes, ready to strike at a moment’s notice. All three of them had long-ranged Authorities, meaning the entire room was already within their range. The battle could start right where they stood.
As the tension mounted, Inksin finally let out a chuckle and, as if surrendering, placed his hands in his pockets.
“Alright. Then we won’t fight,” Inksin said, and the headmaster nodded before finally stepping into the room.
“You don’t need to worry about Ian. We've already decided on a suitable punishment. Professor Pierce will escort you out,” the headmaster said, giving me a quick glance before turning to Inksin, who seemed unbothered and simply shrugged.
“Kid, give me a call later,” Inksin said, waving his hand as he walked away. After a few steps, he stood face to face with the headmaster, hands still in his pockets, and continued,
“I’m sure you know what’ll happen if he doesn’t.” He smiled, but the headmaster’s expression remained unchanged as he nodded.
“Later then. Say hello to Lily for me,” Inksin added, giving me one last look before leaving the room with Professor Pierce following behind.
He was planning on taking all three of them at once…
I wasn’t sure who to blame for Lily’s reckless behavior in the future. Was it Inksin’s teachings all along? I couldn’t tell anymore.
“Well, I don’t want to interrupt your disciplinary hearing, but I have a few questions for you, Ian,” the headmaster said, walking toward me and taking the seat Inksin had just vacated. I simply nodded, saying nothing while still standing.
“You caused us a lot of trouble with that girl you beat up, but we’ll discuss that another time…” He glanced briefly at Eliana, signaling that this wasn’t the right moment to discuss it in front of her. I nodded in response, and he continued.
“First, are you aware of the situation with the Dragon Princess?” he asked, causing a frown to appear on my face.
This is happening a bit earlier than I imagined…
It was obvious he was referring to the Dragon Princess and her hunt for the leader of [False Peace]. I didn’t know the exact details of what had happened, but I had enough information to make calculated guesses about how the situation would unfold.
“What about her?” I feigned ignorance, causing him to smile as he studied me.
“Are you sure?” he asked, giving me a chance to reconsider my response. I maintained my confused expression, and after a few seconds of deep thought, he stood up from the chair, looking back at me.
“I see. As I mentioned earlier, we’ve already decided on your punishment, but we won’t discuss it today,” he said and I simply shrugged, but his next words caught me off guard.
“I hereby rescind your suspension. You can start attending classes again on Monday,” the headmaster said, smiling, and I could only nod in response.
This crafty bastard…
He brought up the suspension issue only after asking about the Dragon Princess, something that should have been completely unrelated to this.
Did Anthem tell him about the advice I gave him?
'Keep your eyes on the southern armories. I’m sure you’ll understand when the time comes,' was what I had advised Anthem. It was obvious he would interpret the current situation as the 'time' I had talked about.
Receiving that kind of advice from a trusted ally would make you more alert and ready to act, but if the advice came from someone who wasn’t clearly a friend or foe—a potential enemy—you’d suspect they were planning something. In that case, monitoring or restricting their movements during that period would reveal their true intentions. It was a foolproof strategy that didn’t require much effort.
If I didn’t show up on Monday, I’d be seen as someone who stood to gain from the situation by acting in the shadows, proving that I had lied about not knowing anything regarding the Dragon Princess's matter. And I suspected the headmaster already knew I was lying—why else would I have given Anthem that advice in the first place?
Looks like I’ve been outplayed.
I thought to myself, though I suspected Anthem was the one pulling the strings on this. Despite making my advice as vague as possible, he still managed to weaponize it against me—restricting and monitoring my movements through the headmaster while gauging my intentions and what I might know, all in one move.
Anthem Dragnok.
He hadn’t been an active player in the incident in the previous timeline since he had to play a defensive game throughout, but with this new piece of intelligence I gave him, he might be able to influence the entire game and move in unpredictable ways. It seemed there would be many jokers hidden in the deck, which would only make the game harder for all parties involved.
The headmaster looked at me as if reading my thoughts, and, as if hitting the final nail on the coffin, he spoke again,
“Right. If you don’t show up to class on Monday, you’ll be expelled from the academy.” He said it with a smile, and since I didn’t show much reaction, he turned back to Eliana.
“Sorry for disturbing you. As you know, he can be a bit troublesome, so I’ll be stepping in from time to time. But…” he added, glancing back at me before continuing, “I’m entrusting him to you.”
“Yes, sir,” Eliana replied, bowing her head slightly, though her expression was still confused, as if she was trying to process everything that had just happened.
“Well then, I guess I’ll see you on Monday,” the headmaster said with a smile before walking away.
This is… a bit troublesome.
I thought to myself as I watched the headmaster's back. It seemed the game had already begun without my knowledge, and before I could even make a move, I was forced to reveal whether or not I was a player.
I’ll deal with it somehow.
For now, I needed to contact my team.
We'll move out tonight.