Leonard and Erwin escorted Brenin to the infirmary. After laying him face down on one of the many available beds, Professor Leonard retrieved a green potion from one of his shelves and began to apply it almost like an ointment.

The ointment Leonard used wasn't just for healing wounds; it was also necessary for eliminating the venom from the injuries – something that couldn’t be done with Leonard’s regenerative magic alone. Additionally, it helped cleanse his blood of toxins.

Indeed, after a few minutes, Brenin began to feel better. His body, paralyzed by the venom, was now free from the powerful paralyzing agent.

“Well, that should do it!” Leonard exclaimed, breathing a sigh of relief as he saw the potion’s rapid effects.

“I feel better,” Brenin admitted, surprised by the potion’s effect. He tried to get up, but his muscles were still too weak. After struggling for a few seconds, he collapsed back onto the bed.

“Don't push yourself,” Leonard admonished. “The venom is gone, but your muscles haven’t regained their strength. You’ll need to stay in bed at least for today.”

“…Okay,” Brenin replied, realizing he had no other choice but to listen to Leonard.

Meanwhile, Erwin, seated on a wooden chair, watched silently. He couldn’t shake off the horror of Durmuss’s macabre power, something he struggled to even describe as “human.” He had witnessed many strange things recently, but the dark aura and the monster emerging from the shadows terrified him.

He also couldn’t forget the gruesome way Durmuss killed the intruder, showing a brutality without remorse. This lack of empathy in the professor was what scared him the most.

[What would have happened to me if—]

“Erwin, are you alright?” Leonard asked, noticing Erwin’s thoughtful expression.

“…No sane person would be okay after seeing that…” Brenin interjected flatly. Despite his outwardly calm expression, he too was shaken by the brutality they had witnessed just minutes before.

But he didn’t want to show his weakness, so he tried to hide his feelings.

“…I’m sorry you had to see such a gruesome sight,” Leonard began, sitting down next to the boys. “But it was the only way to end that fight definitively…” Leonard tried to justify himself, even though he didn’t appreciate Durmuss’s methods either.

“…So, what will happen to the other one?” Erwin asked, though he already suspected the answer.

“…Nothing good,” Leonard replied, looking down, confirming that X would likely meet the same fate as his companion.

Neither of the boys spoke. Despite having faced situations beyond their years, they were still young, and Leonard was certain they would never forget what happened that night. It was a memory that would be etched into their minds forever.

But this was also the life awaiting them outside the academy, and sooner or later, they would face such situations again.

For a while, silence reigned among the three. But Leonard, driven by curiosity and the circumstances in which they found Brenin, spoke up again.

“Brenin, it might not be the best time, but I need to know. What were you doing there? Who were those people?” he asked, looking intently at Brenin.

Now that it was all over, Brenin had no reason to lie, having kept the story to himself until then.

“One night, during one of my many nocturnal training sessions, that bastard who was captured offered me something.”

“Something?” Leonard repeated thoughtfully.

“…Yes. I had never seen him around here before, but he told me he was a student. I believed him because he wore a uniform identical to ours, just like you saw today. Then, while we were talking, he threw me a vial containing strange pills—”

“Pills?!” Leonard exclaimed, jumping up from his chair.

His reaction shocked both Erwin and Brenin, who thought it was overly exaggerated. Brenin had never seen Leonard so agitated, and he had known him since he was just over six years old.

Brenin’s expression suggested that perhaps Leonard knew something about those pills.

“Tell me, son,” Leonard said seriously, “did those pills have anything unusual about them?”

Brenin was taken aback by Leonard’s sudden change in demeanor. His mentor’s intense gaze made him a little fearful.

“W-Well... yes. Besides their strange blue color, the pills emitted a faint light—”

“Did you take them?!” This time, Leonard’s voice was a mix of concern and anger. His serious and grim expression made Erwin and Brenin exchange a surprised and frightened glance.

Erwin didn’t understand the reason for Leonard’s reaction, but Brenin sensed that Leonard already knew about the pills. He wasn’t certain, but Leonard’s expression, words, and tension spoke volumes.

For Brenin, Leonard was almost like a father figure – just like Ron was for Erwin.

“N-No… I didn’t…” Brenin replied decisively, though he didn’t mention how tempted he had been to take the pills for days.

“…Okay.” Leonard looked into Brenin’s eyes and knew he wasn’t lying. It wasn’t in Brenin’s nature to lie – at least not to Leonard.

“Then tell me, what were you doing there?”

This time, Brenin hesitated. He wasn’t sure whether to tell the truth, knowing that Leonard would scold him harshly.

“I-I… well, I wanted to handle the situation my way—”

*SMACK!*

To everyone’s surprise, Leonard slapped Brenin, leaving even Erwin stunned.

[Ah… I knew it…] Brenin thought, touching his reddened cheek.

“You idiot!” Leonard exclaimed, visibly furious. “Didn’t you think for a single moment that you could have died? If we hadn’t arrived in time, you—”

“Don’t worry. I had everything planned. So everything turned out fine…” Brenin tried to reassure Leonard.

But as mentioned earlier, Brenin wasn’t good with words or expressing his emotions. Those words, which seemed normal to him, came across as arrogant to Leonard and Erwin.

“…You… you idiot!”

*THUD!*

This time, Leonard punched the top of Brenin’s head, who, due to his weakened body, couldn’t dodge and ended up biting his tongue.

“D-Damn it… that hurts!”

“Quiet, you idiot, or I’ll split your head in two!” Leonard shouted, mimicking a punch with his fist. Brenin instinctively covered his head with his hands.

Erwin watched from a distance, reminded of his arguments with Ron. Despite appearances, he saw an unbreakable bond between Brenin and Leonard, similar to the one he had with Ron.

This made him laugh, catching the attention of the two combatants, who didn’t find it amusing.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

“Ahem! Anyway…” Leonard began, slightly embarrassed, thinking Erwin was laughing at him – “Why do you do such stupid things, Brenin? If you keep this up, you won’t live long…”

Brenin remained silent, understanding Leonard’s words. He had been reckless, but he was convinced he had done the right thing.

“…While I was thinking about what to do, I thought about my father’s words,” Brenin said, drawing Leonard and Erwin’s attention. “He… taught me to take responsibility. He said true knights do that…”

It was the first time Erwin heard Brenin talk about his father. He knew Brenin was an orphan, but since they hadn’t interacted much, he knew little about his past. He was surprised to hear those words and even more surprised to realize that their characters were heavily influenced by their fathers.

This made him realize they were more alike than he had thought.

However, Leonard wasn’t surprised. In fact, Brenin’s words worried him, as it wasn’t the first time he had acted that way because of “his father.”

[Still with this story….] Leonard thought, sighing deeply. He had hoped that with time, this aspect of Brenin’s character would change. But over the years, it seemed to have worsened, leading him to take reckless actions.

“Ahhh… I don’t know what to do with you,” the professor muttered, scratching his head. Suddenly, his wristwatch began to beep, immediately catching his attention.

At that moment, both Brenin and Erwin noticed Leonard’s serious expression, as if something important had happened.

“…We’ll continue this conversation later, Brenin. For now, rest,” Leonard said, putting on his coat to leave again.

“Something important?” Brenin asked, curious.

“Nothing for you to worry about. See you later,” Leonard said, quickly preparing to leave. But before opening the door, he had one last thing to say.

“What happened today… you must not tell anyone,” Leonard said seriously, turning slightly to look at the two boys with cold eyes, sending a shiver down their spines. “And when I say anyone, I mean no one… not even me. Understood?”

“...U-Understood!” the two boys exclaimed in unison. Once he heard their response, Leonard left the room, leaving Erwin and Brenin alone in silence for a few seconds, not even looking at each other.

Then, Brenin decided to broke the silence;

“…Thank you, Erwin.”

Erwin was surprised to hear him speak first. “O-Oh, no problem…” he replied, a bit flustered.

“I didn’t think you would come… I haven’t been very kind to you,” Brenin observed flatly.

Erwin took a moment to respond, unsure of what to say. For a moment, he had seriously considered not coming.

“…W-Well, you said you counted on me, right?” Erwin noted, slightly embarrassed.

For a few minutes, silence reigned again until Erwin spoke up, curious about what he had heard earlier.

“So… you became a magic knight because of your father? Was he a knight too?” Erwin asked, his curiosity evident.

Brenin took his time to respond. He wasn’t used to talking about his father openly, especially not to anyone other than Leonard. But perhaps due to fatigue or a change in circumstances, he answered Erwin.

“…Yes and no.”

“Yes and no?” Erwin repeated, puzzled.

“…My father taught me the art of the sword, and I inherited my passion for magic knights from him. But no, he wasn’t a knight…”

“Huh? He wasn’t a knight? Then how—”

“I’m tired, Erwin…” Brenin interrupted, becoming defensive.

Erwin immediately understood. After his father’s death, he also didn’t like talking about him, as it only increased his pain.

“Alright, then I’ll go,” Erwin said, with a newfound awareness: for the first time, he felt closer to Brenin.

----------------------------------------

At the same time...

Leonard entered a grand office on the top floor of the academy's main building. The room was a marvel of opulence: the walls were adorned with lavish paintings and numerous certificates, each a testament to years of hard work and sacrifice.

Among the decorations were photographs, many of a young person dressed in old school uniforms that hadn't been used for decades. In some photos, the young person was pictured with a boy and a girl, capturing moments of camaraderie.

The shelves lining the room were filled with trophies, some awarded for individual achievements, others for collective and school honors. The floor was covered with a deep crimson velvet carpet, adding a touch of regal elegance to the space.

At the center of the room stood a grand wooden desk, intricately carved with beautiful designs, likely handcrafted. But what drew Leonard's attention every time he entered the office was the item displayed behind the desk, at eye level: the Sword of Erothar. This legendary blade, crafted by the greatest smiths, was one of only fifteen in existence. However, this wasn't a weapon of war; it was a symbol of honor, bestowed upon the Paladins, the heroes of Myktos and Earthland. Laurien, the headmaster, was one such Paladin.

The ambition of almost every mage was to earn that title someday. Even Leonard, a humble medic, had dreamt of it at least once. Yet he knew that achieving such an honor was akin to finding a needle in a haystack. The path to becoming a Paladin was shrouded in mystery, and only one had been awarded posthumously to Artemisius.

As Leonard stood there, absorbing the room's grandeur, the weight of the Sword of Erothar's legacy loomed large, a constant reminder of the heights he aspired to reach, even if the journey seemed impossibly daunting.

"What are you doing, standing there staring at nothing?"

Suddenly, a voice pulled Leonard from his admiration of the Sword of Erothar. Sitting behind the desk was Durmuss, looking at Leonard with an expression of annoyance. He wasn’t alone; Laurein was also present, waiting for Leonard with his usual relaxed demeanor.

Leonard gave a quick bow to the principal before reluctantly taking a seat next to Durmuss. The tension between them was palpable due to past conflicts.

“We’ll settle this later…” Leonard hissed, glaring at Durmuss, who remained unperturbed.

“Yes, I need to speak with you too, you liar,” Durmuss muttered, not even looking at Leonard.

“Liar? What are you—”

“Alright! Now that we’re all here, we can begin!” the principal suddenly exclaimed, clapping his hands twice to refocus everyone's attention. The attendees immediately straightened up, as if nothing had happened.

“Durmuss, you’re the one who called this extraordinary meeting. Is it about that pill?” the principal asked, his expression growing serious.

“Exactly, Principal,” Durmuss replied, standing up.

Durmuss proceeded to explain the situation from his perspective. He detailed how two intruders had entered the academy and how Erwin had reported them after being alerted by the victim. He described how he had eliminated one of the intruders and had interrogated the other one intensively—using his shadows before ultimately killing the second intruder.

“Good job,” Laurein said with a smile, pleased with Durmuss’s handling of the situation.

Leonard, however, was not impressed. He was disturbed by the manner in which Durmuss had killed one of the henchmen, especially since it had been in front of students. But Leonard had to focus on more pressing matters for the sake of the school and the future of its students.

“And what did you find out?” the principal asked.

Durmuss paused, his already unsettling gaze growing more intense, indicating that what he had discovered was extremely important and dangerous.

“Firstly, I discovered that this drug has been circulating in our academy for several years.”

“Y-Years?!” Leonard exclaimed, shocked by the revelation. The principal remained silent, his expression darkening.

“Exactly. For several years. And that’s not all. To maintain this drug trade, they’ve recruited some students from our campus, who have acted as intermediaries between them and other students when the traffickers were not around.”

“So, there are students involved in this…” Leonard said, struggling to grasp the implications.

At that moment, Principal Laurien felt utterly foolish. Months ago, they had discovered these strange pills by chance, noticing that they significantly enhanced students' magical abilities. They had been investigating diligently and thought they were close to uncovering the source. But learning that this trafficking had been ongoing for years made Laurien feel not only stupid but also enraged, to the point where he struggled to control his emotions, worrying both Leonard and even Durmuss, who tried not to show his concern.

“Furthermore,” Durmuss continued, his tone dark and foreboding, “it’s not just the students involved. Someone among us, among the professors, is facilitating this drug trade.”

A heavy silence fell over the room. Leonard felt a shiver run down his spine. Laurien’s eyes narrowed into icy slits, scrutinizing Durmuss with a piercing intensity.

“What are you saying?” Laurien asked, his voice tinged with barely contained anger.

“Yes, Principal,” Durmuss replied with unnerving calmness. “During the interrogation, the second intruder confessed that they receive help from someone who know well the academy. It’s not just a rumor: there is concrete evidence, names and details of the students that could only be known with an insider among us.”

Leonard’s heart raced. Who among their colleagues could be a traitor? It was unthinkable. He glanced around, as if he might spot the traitor hiding in a corner of the office.

"And... what's worse, is that the two of them came from the Slums Kingdom" whispered Durmuss, as if even saying the word was too much for him.

"….W-What the…The Slum Kingom?" was all Leonard could manage to say, stunned by what he had just heard.

"…This is more serious than i thought…”

Laurien stood up and walked slowly to the window. The only sound was the ticking of the antique clock on the wall. He stared outside, lost in thought, then turned back with a determined expression.

“First, we need to find out who the traitor is,” he said firmly. “We can’t let anyone destroy everything we’ve worked for. Durmuss, do you have the names?”

Durmuss nodded slowly. “Not even that man knew who the traitor is. But yes, I have some suspects, but I need more time to gather definitive evidence. We can’t afford to make mistakes. If we accuse the wrong person, it might make things worse.”

Leonard spoke up, his voice trembling but resolute. “We must act cautiously. The betrayal could come from anyone. We must ensure that no one besides us three knows about this discovery until we have solid proof.”

Laurien nodded, determination evident in his eyes. “We’ll proceed in secret. No one must know that we’re tracking the traitor. Durmuss, continue your investigation. Leonard, keep order among the students and ensure their safety. We need to protect them, now more than ever.”

The principal turned back to the window, letting out a long sigh. “Our academy has been compromised, but we will not give up. We will uncover the traitor and put an end to this threat, or our reputation will forever be ruined.”

Leonard and Durmuss nodded, feeling the weight of responsibility settle heavily on their shoulders. The hunt had begun, and the fate of the academy depended on their ability to uncover the truth without compromising everything they had built.

END OF CHAPTER 54 - TRUTH