As the meeting ended and the electives professors disbanded, Professor Doe walked up to the Dean. He thoughtlessly established a soul whisper conversation as he probed.

"Say Dean, who exactly is professor Godmother over there?"

"Oh, so she caught your eye? After you she is probably the most mysterious professor outside of the ancestors and some directors. Her name is Dante, and from what I've heard, she is an influential merchant from Venice. She doesn't seem to have any combat power that I can detect. Could you?"

"Mm hmm. She is plain human, but her astuteness and her intellect interests me quite a bit. Want me to take a look into her? Consider it a favor."

"He he, Professor, aren't you doing it for your own satisfaction..."

"Stingy... It's alright, I'll let you know when I find out anything relevant about her."

As he left, he thought deeply to himself. Why would she suddenly make a comment totally disproportionate to my age when I praised her? The possibility is that she knows to an extent about my abilities and aligned it with age. Perhaps she even knows I am known as Zeta. May be she was providing a false lead. It might even be a trap to lure me out. The details are too hazy right now.

He quickly made his way to his living quarters where he made sure to sweep the area for any possibility of espionage. He then sealed the room inside a force field barrier and then recalled his transmission talisman.

"If it isn't the great overlord prankster Zeta."

"Diddleditch, your mouth is still as filthy as your ridiculous name. I have a job for you."

"Intelligence I suppose?"

"Reconnaissance as well."

"Someone interests you that much?"

"Stop poking your nose into my business and do my work."

"Ok your honor."

"Aren't you a snivelling bastard? First tell me what intel have you shared about me as well as all intel you have about me."

"Ah, beyond what I told you the last time around, all Kings are aware that you've accepted a mission based on Keeper's legacy prophecy. The contents of the prophecy are unknown, except that 'it threatens the future of the world as we know it', in the words of the great Keeper Lao himself spoken to the King of Providence.

Since then you have disappeared. Since few know how you look actually look like, you've disappeared from the face of the earth, contacting me for the first time since then. With your disappearance, several powerful figures have already begun raising their heads. A few kingdoms in the minor alliances have already been overthrown.

As for information we have, we also are aware that you are a skirt chaser..."

"Enough. Seems like you've comprehensively scouted me out."

"That..is what you tell us every time we talk. I half believe that all information we have on you is wrong."

"If that were the case I'd currently be the happiest man on earth, not cursing you Diddleditch."

"I'm an information broker, selling intel is my job."

"Okay, enough banter. I want you to find out information regarding the following people..."

Zeta/Doe then proceeds to list the name of seventeen people including Dante's. The names included people from all over the continent so that the information broker couldn't ascertain his true target.

"How long do you need?"

"I already have them."

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

"Woah! You'll get a good gift if you deliver well."

"Ok here goes.." Zeta patiently heard information regarding the other people until the conversation reached Dante.

"Okay, now Dante. This woman is very mysterious. Until three years ago she was a normal woman living in an old age home. She had no money and could barely walk. She even spoke half broken. But, she suddenly recovered from her illnesses overnight, it was judged a miracle. She then proceeded to set up a powerful trade company and took over several competitors.

Her background is quite queer. She has never made direct requests from us, but we have traced several back to her or her machinations and a lot of them were usually espionage jobs aimed at opposing kingdoms."

"Interesting. I'm looking forward to receiving updates on all these people constantly. Keep sending messages, I'll peruse them as I'm free. This is your payment for the intel. A vial of sub-artifact grade potion. It is actually a unique kind of wine, this vial can easily raise your cultivation by a level or two."

As Zeta spoke, a small vial containing the golden wine he brew appeared directly in front of Diddleditch. He excitedly grabbed onto it.

"Sub-artifact! How did you even come across such a treasure?"

"Keep doing your work, and you might get another vial."

****

The dance teacher Dante was taking a slow walk in one of the biggest parks on campus, the Central Park. Tired, she sat down on a chair, looking at some students training to ride on horses and making them jump obstacles. As the sun would set, the sky would diffract an amalgamation of bright colors from red to purple.

"The setting sun never ceases to amaze me." Dante said to no one in particular.

"Not as much as your perceptiveness it would seem, professor godmother." The source of the voice was obviously John Doe. His face was expressionless, with the exception of his eyes which held a bit of surprise, but were safely hidden behind shades.

"*Cough*. This old lady may be near her death, but she still has some tricks."

"Oh! With the manner in which you've been leading your life recently, I would've thought you just became an eager teenager!" John Doe smirked. He procured a spiral leaf from his trouser pocket, lit it up and began smoking.

"Heh, I suppose I was a little too conspicuous."

"Uh huh. But that doesn't interest me all that much. Everyone has their own secrets. I know I have mine. It was what you said at the meeting that interests me."

"Fufu, you are too treacherous. One misspeak and you've caught onto me."

"It was the first time you said something unnecessary Professor Godmother. It couldn't possibly have been a joke. I can only presume you made some really curious judgement about me."

"He he, you are too straightforward my self proclaimed godson. I like it. Let's have an exchange of information, what do you say?" Dante smiled gently.

"3 questions. No filibustering, only truths. You ask three, I ask three, we respond in kind."

"That would be acceptable."

"Very well, let me begin. What are the reasons you decided to take up this job at Helmholtz?"

"Hidden in the academy is a family heirloom of this lady. It has the ability to unlock the innate talent of this body and make me younger. However, it's history has been lost for over a thousand years. I had no choice but to enter as a tutor to find it."

"Okay." John Doe nodded, surprised with her forthrightness.

"My turn now. Same question."

"I came here to experience being a teacher. Explore the power of music. And find the best students to impart some knowledge to. And of course I'm here to complete a mission. You can ask another question again."

"Alright. I presume you won't tell me about your mission so I won't ask. Are you from Bavaria or spying for Bavaria?"

"No." John Doe shook his head sideways. He then continued. "I won't divulge information about you either, as long as you maintain confidentiality about me. Okay, my turn to ask you a question. Do you intend to harm this academy or any students within?"

"I do not. While I do not have interest in teaching these children, I certainly wish them no harm. As long as they don't interfere in my motive, I couldn't care less about them.

I'll ask you the final question." Dante continued with a big grin, as if signing off with a victory. "You are looking for a treasure too aren't you?"

"Ho..I am indeed looking for a treasure. But it isn't the heirloom you are searching for."

When he said this, he took in a deep breath, inhaling the stimulating essence of the spiral leaf which hung between his lips. He blew out the smoke, before he turned towards Dante, took off his sunglasses and with his unfathomably deep silver eyes looking directly into Dante's, he grinned and asked.

"If I am not wrong, you aren't Dante. Dante actually died three years ago of a mental illness and you reincarnated into her dead body. Is my hypothesis correct?"

Dante's calm and gentle eyes were now enlarged in shock. A look of fear swept across her visage as she saw the triumphant grin on John Doe's face. She just had a simple thought. "How? How do you know?"

"Now now Professor Godmother, we only had three questions each. Don't ask for more than you bargained for. Like I said, you keep out of my way, I keep out of yours. You don't provoke me and your secret remains a secret." John Doe didn't even wait for Dante to respond and got up and began walking away. Puffs of smoke leaving a trail behind him.

Dante just stood there confused and shocked. Not only she fail to lead any useful out of him, he completely saw through who she really was! But how? How could he possibly find out?

****

Meanwhile, John Doe had arrived in front of the erstwhile Lockhart Villa. The Villa's name had been changed to Cinderella's Villa, but John Doe decided to change it to Cinderella's Glass Workshop since it sounded like a cool band name. He decided to ask for Camelia's help in painting the new name over the Villa's walls.