After his explanations, Saint Tartaros teleported everyone to the academy. Astelia and Sofia appeared directly in the headmaster's office in the company of Tartaros, while the students were probably sent to their dormitories. Beligenus was busy writing a book using an impractically huge feather as his pen. It took a few seconds for him to finish writing his page, and only then did he look up at the newcomers, welcomed them, and told them to sit.
Sofia did try to read what Beligenus was writing about, but it was in Draconic, and reading Draconic signs upside down was still outside of Sofia's capabilities, especially with how much she had been slacking off on this particular subject ever since her scribe had started translating the system messages for her.
Before the headmaster could explain anything, Astelia had already asked a question: “What happened to Clint? Is he still alive?”
Beligenus nodded, his white beard shaking up and down, “Doctor Leverle handled his case. He is safe but currently in a coma. We could not get any answers from him, but that is entirely unnecessary, as we now have a good grasp on the situation.”
Tartaros picked up where Beligenus left off, “We, Beligenus, the Imperial couple, and myself, have been working on a large project. To facilitate its smooth continuation, we have decided to let you both know a bit more. You will then continue to oversee the competition’s events as a pair from here on out. Miss Vakaria already knows a little.”
Astelia turned to look at Sofia, a puzzled look on her face.
“Can I share everything I know?” Sofia asked, and Beligenus nodded in response. Sofia thus proceeded to explain what she knew to Astelia, “In short, the hidden goal of the competition is to bait a certain unknown someone into trying to steal the admin’s sword, and one of my students is apparently linked to that person somehow. That's it.”
“Oh,” Astelia softly reacted, “The sword as the reward did look a bit too good to be true, though I had just pinned that on the emperor being overly generous with his citizens… But how does that lead to Clint trying to poison Sofia’s students?”
Tartaros stood up from his chair, his hands on his hips. He started pacing around the office as he answered, “The person we are trying to bait out of hiding and terminate is a traitor of the Empire and the reason for the late Empress’ passing,” he revealed, “They were last identified by the system as a level 508.”
Hearing this, Astelia’s hand gripped a bit tighter on her seat's armrest, causing the stressed wood to make an intermittent cracking noise.
Well.
I am not going to be of any help here, clearly.
They’re going at this guy at three against one and still need to proceed with caution… For the best, probably. An all-out battle between level 500 powerhouses must be devastating on a planetary level, thinking about how Erredis said she could have covered the entire moon in rot with a single breath.
Beligenus then continued, “We expect that person to try multiple things to get their hands on the sword, one of them is to have someone they have some influence over win the sword legitimately for them. That someone is one of Teacher Vakaria’s students.”
Sofia frowned as she quickly made the connection in her head with the poisoning incident being obviously related to this. “You mean they controlled Clint to sabotage my group and poison Shaily in order to skew the token gains in favor of another one of my students and eliminate competition?”
“It is not straightforward like so,” Beligenus refuted, “they are a cunning, powerful, and ruthless individual. While achieving these might have given their candidate an edge, that would have been nothing but a happy accident for them. In accordance with their habits, the intent of the maneuver was likely twofold. It served to gauge our response to their actions and to remove the priest of Death from the scene, allowing them to spectate the event in a less roundabout manner.”
“I felt a presence watching me all the time after Clint left. That was them…” Sofia concluded.
“Undoubtedly,” the headmaster confirmed, “One of your abilities is preventing scrying, it is curiously potent, and must have been a hassle to deal with, as this is not in our target’s field of expertise. If you noticed it, it must mean that their means of spectating were less than discreet, hence the need to remove the priest from the picture first.”
So VPPV did at least hinder the divination from a level 500. That’s not bad. It is supposed to be an absolute effect, but I assume there is only so much it can do with the mana it has available…
Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
“Why watch and do nothing?” Astelia asked.
“For the same reason, we had to refrain from direct surveillance or intervention, an abundance of caution,” the headmaster explained.
“And why, exactly, do we have to be embroiled in all of this?” Astelia asked, a slightly frustrated tone coating her usually sweet voice, “Are this Academy and Empire’s ideals to be playing with their teachers and students’ lives?”
“I stand with Astelia on this,” Sofia added, standing straight in her seat.
“As far as the students go, we regretfully have no choice,” Beligenus explained, his voice as calm and composed as usual. “As it stands, you both are replaceable. You may leave if you accept your recollections of this operation’s details be wiped from your memory. I would, however, advise against it.”
“How surprising,” Astelia coldly answered, “Wait until the Queen hears about this. You should know what it means to go against a Duke of Vasperia.”
“I understand your animosity,” the headmaster conceded, “however, I ask that you be patient, as the reason you were included, teacher Glacier, has little to do with the operation.”
“Then why?” Sofia pressed him, “Just endangering me and my students wasn’t enough?”
Beligenus ignored the indignant remark and elaborated on his thoughts, “Teacher Vakaria was set up as the new teacher because of her unique protection against scrying and external influences. Although we failed to isolate the reason at first, we now understand that it must have to do with her… Unsettling lineage. This alone greatly enhances the safety of the students under her care. As for your case, teacher Glacier, you were added to the considerations after our recent discoveries. Your presence gives teacher Vakaria an additional bit of support, which is welcome, but it is primarily in your own interest that we put you where you are.”
“How on the Ancestor’s bloody curse is this situation meant to benefit me?!” Astelia angrily argued back, completely forgetting who it was she was speaking to.
“That I would rather not tell yet. The early discovery would only hinder your focus. Just know that it will benefit you. This old lizard may hide many things, but he does not deceive,” Beligneus told her, sitting straight in his chair.
Do you not, now?
Dragons must have an interesting definition of deception.
Astelia’s new earrings should be able to detect lies, so that should help if he is trying anything funny. Can we really trust this item in the face of someone so powerful, though? That is uncertain…
Seeing Astelia also still harbored a very unconvinced expression, Sofia brought out her staff. She grabbed the little metal ball dangling from it. “What am I holding?” she asked, staring at the old Dragon dead in the eyes.
Beligenus narrowed his eyes a bit, although the rest of his face was imperturbable. The question came out of nowhere, but he indulged her, “That would be the system-protected jingle bell which has been attached to your weapon ever since you arrived at the Academy.”
So he does know that it is a bell despite it being empty and not identifiable. But is that a guess or can he actually hear it? To probe further…
“How does it sound to you?” Sofia continued, “Describe it in detail. My continued collaboration will entirely depend on your and Mr Tartaros’ answers.”
“You trust that bell more than your own judgment?” Beligenus asked curiously, “So be it, if that is all you require, to my best knowledge, this bell sounds like the distant ringing of wind chimes on a sunny day. As far as I can tell, it does not actually emit any physical soundwave and instead directly sends information through the soul. I assume that this was likely one of the ultimate rewards of the second trial.”
Sofia turned her gaze to Tartaros, who was waiting with his arms crossed, back against a wall.
“What the Dragon said,” he declared with no hesitation before adding one more detail, “the sound is relaxing. Soul-healing properties, I would wager.”
“I see,” Sofia said, storing her staff. “I think we can trust them,” she told Astelia.
It took a bit more talking to convince Astelia, but she eventually accepted to conserve the status quo after making Beligenus swear under Moon’s name that he would not let a single one of their students die during the year.
The two old monsters were annoyingly reluctant to share any more information on the target of the plan, the specific Student of Sofia’s who had a link to them, or the exact reason why Astelia would have wanted to be a part of the entire ordeal. But they did at least have one more interesting thing to say, which was that they were now certain that the attack during the first event had been instigated by Scripture, and that He would undoubtedly strike again at some point during the year.
They had then assured them that they would intervene when that happened. Tartaros would prevent the target of their plan from stepping in and taking advantage of the chaos, Beligenus would focus on preventing a direct divine intervention from Scripture, and Sofia and Astelia would have to fend for themselves against Scripture’s now isolated and weakened pawns.
In a way, they would repay Sofia’s help by helping her against Scripture. It was enticing but Sofia had to wonder whether it would be an issue for the ‘no help’ part of her quest, which she would now have to ask the Orator about.
Either way, she eventually headed out of the Headmaster’s office with Astelia, but not before leaving them with a last present to really seal their temporary alliance.
“Just so that we stand on completely clear grounds. My name is still Aphenoreth, and I swear on the four Lords’ name that if you let one of our students die for your little hunting plan, I will haunt you both and your friend the Emperor until the very memory of your existence is erased from the fabric of this world. Now have a nice day.”
Sofia closed the door behind her with a gentle smile on her face.
There was an oppressive silence in Beligenus’ office as Astelia and Sofia walked down the stairs of the headmaster’s tower.
“I told you. We are playing with fire, Beligenus.”
“You know me. I have always had a fascination for fire. These two burn too brightly to ignore. Everything is following the plan so far. We only yet have to secure the Archangel.”
“Delivia is still negotiating as we speak…”
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