Ian, Isera, and Roche safely arrived at the academy.
Barely a day had passed since they had entered the dungeon, and it was still dawn.
Except for a few laboratories, the academy buildings were shrouded in silent darkness.
No one expected the three to return to the academy at that hour.
“As expected, Castro seems to have escaped to his family home.”
Ian looked around and spoke.
If word had gotten out, Milo and Edel would have been waiting for him at the school gate.
But it was silent.
“For now, he’ll keep a low profile. Unless the academy notifies him, he won’t return.”
“He sure can act well. He’s probably putting on an excellent victim facade.”
“It won’t be easy.”
Isera viewed the situation somewhat pessimistically.
It’s the difference between having a backer or not.
Even if they cut the tail by getting rid of Castro, there was no guarantee that the aftermath wouldn’t affect them.
The only person who could shield them would be Jessica, the head of the Department of Magic, but despite being an outstanding mage, she had formed no political connections.
But Ian thought it was worth a try.
“Baron Ian, what should I do now?”
“This is the academy. Outside is one thing, but it’s best to be cautious with titles here. There are many sets of eyes watching.”
“My apologies.”
“Also, I’ve wanted to mention for a while that I’m not fond of the title ‘Baron’. It’s not unique. Let’s use our names from now on.”
“Yes.”
Roche’s eyes lit up again.
Ian was simply expressing his thoughts as usual, but it resonated deeply with Roche.
“I’m going to work with senior to write an exploration report now. Once it reaches the academy’s office, a disciplinary committee will officially convene. The investigation could be quite intense.”
“Don’t worry. As I mentioned, I’m prepared for that.”
“That’s different. You’re… well, specifically because of me, Roche, you might end up suffering. Had you not gotten involved with me, you might have reached the dungeon core by now.”
Isera frowned at that statement.
She thought the expression “because of us” was more fitting than “because of me”.
Isera touched the space between her collarbones.
Where a necklace should have been was empty.
“It was an honor to fight alongside you, Ian.”
“I’m grateful you think so.”
“Is there anything else I should do?”
“Just recount what you saw and heard in the dungeon without alteration, Roche. It would spare us from having to align our stories.”
“Understood.”
“However, please keep the spirit’s story confidential.”
Roche wore an expression of confusion.
Goyang was the key to resolving this incident—a golden key.
It was through Goyang that they had learned of Castro’s conspiracy.
“But that…”
“I understand. I’ve been pondering it all the way here, but I believe it’s better not to disclose it. If the crime becomes clear, the mastermind will cut ties. Then another ‘Castro’ will appear. Even if not us, someone will be harmed.”
Ian, as a mage, was concerned for everyone’s safety.
He didn’t want to end it just by ousting Castro.
“What do you think, senior?”
“I agree. For now, it’s better to watch the situation. Save the spirit information as a hidden card.”
They could ask Professor Elena to determine its truth, just like Ophelia had done before.
Roche asked, “Are you planning to go for the main body?”
“For now, yes.”
“I understand everything you’ve said. I’ll abide by your decisions.”
“Don’t worry too much. I’ll handle the rest.”
Nodding, Roche turned to return to the martial arts dormitory but then turned back.
“Ian.”
He lowered his head.
“Thank you for taking care of my family. I won’t forget this kindness.”
“It’d be better to thank me after your family safely reaches the capital. My friend says that jumping the gun often spells defeat.”
“I’ll remember that.”
Roche left, leaving Ian and Isera alone.
“Alright then, senior. You must be tired, but shall we go to the Great Library?”
“Sure.”
Ian and Isera sat in their usual spot and worked on the report throughout the night.
The report was co-authored by the two who were known as geniuses at the academy.
Everything was meticulously detailed as if it were unfolding before their eyes.
* * *
The following day, Ian went to the administrative office early in the morning and submitted the report.
Isera met with Professor Frost and Dean Jessica to explain everything that had happened so far.
Roche, too, seemed to have stirred something within the Department of Martial Arts, causing quite a commotion.
Rumors spread rapidly, and in less than a few hours, every student was aware of the incident.
This wasn’t just limited to students, professors and staff were also abuzz.
Among those receiving special attention were Milo and Edel.
Milo, in particular, confined Ian and interrogated him due to a self-imposed going-out ban.
“What the heck happened over these past few days? I understand the 2-star Lycanthrope, but what about fighting senior Castro? Huh?”
“He’s not a senior. He’s a criminal.”
“Anyway, that’s not the point, right? What on earth happened?”
Ian was tired.
He hadn’t slept a wink since last night but understood his friend’s curiosity.
More precisely, his friend was worried.
Because Ian nearly got killed in the dungeon.
“Don’t tell me… was it Hamel’s doing?”
“That’s unlikely. He’s been stripped of his wealth, and his company is impoverished.”
“Then what was it?”
“I think it’s related to why we decided to train together.”
At that, both friends paled.
“The Empire?”
“Rather, it makes more sense that there’s a collaborator with the Sonokin Kingdom.”
Ian thought of Prince Helios.
But he didn’t tell his friends about it. He neither had definitive proof nor was it an issue they could handle just based on friendship alone.
“In any case, I’ve submitted the report, so a conclusion will come one way or another. Until then, let’s stay quiet.”
“I’ve barely joined the Ancient Literature Reading Club, and now it seems like I might not get to explore.”
“There will be plenty of time to get stronger.”
Moreover, Ian had a plan.
He intended to form a new party to tackle the recently discovered dungeon once the issue was resolved.
That would give Milo and Edel a chance to participate as well.
“But is there no evidence at all? From what you’re saying, it seems we’re at a disadvantage.”
“Not really.”
“Why didn’t you use the device senior Gaus made?”
Ian had once worked with Gaus to create a video recording device that they had used to expose Gastling Hamel’s true nature.
“It wasn’t the right situation. It was hard to pinpoint the place like last time, and there were issues with the transmission range. The dense mana in the dungeon would have prevented it from working properly. There are many technical issues to resolve.”
“What a shame. If we could secure it, they wouldn’t be able to deny it.”
“Let’s think about it slowly.”
At that moment, Milo’s face lit up.
He slapped his palm with his fist.
He had an idea.
“Couldn’t we just claim that we have evidence?”
“What are you talking about?”
“When you took down Hamel, everyone who needed to know realized it was the video recording that was the game-changer, right?”
“Right.”
“Castro’s the same. Let’s bluff we have evidence from the start!”
Milo declared confidently. Ian’s expression grew serious.
“And force them to confess through intimidation?”
“Exactly!”
“You’ve been studying, haven’t you?”
Normally, he would have been indignant, but Ian’s praise was not easily earned.
Milo’s face broke into a triumphant smile.
“What do we have to lose, anyway?”
“Edel, what do you think?”
Ian considered Edel the wisest among them.
Sometimes, his humble and commoner background allowed him to see things the other two missed.
So he sought Edel’s opinion.
“I think it’s a good idea. Whether we’re bluffing or not, Castro won’t have a way to verify it.”
Ian nodded.
“Good. Let’s go with Milo’s idea.”
“If it works, you owe me a big treat later, alright?”
“I’ll throw a hundred if needed.”
But that wouldn’t be enough.
Considering all the circumstances, Helios was the prime suspect.
He had easy access to Castro and controlled everything within the academy.
‘Moreover, his Highness mentioned I was being watched by the Crown Prince.’
The struggle for succession could erupt at any moment.
A bad relationship if there ever was one.
Suddenly, he recalled the incident from the first day of admission. Helios had been well aware of him and had shown clear hostility.
‘There’s something. Something I’m unaware of.’
The rumor that he disliked handsome people wasn’t enough to explain the feeling.
However, no matter how much he thought about it, there was no connection between Helios and his family.
There was nothing he had seen or heard.
Ian straightened his thoughts.
“Milo, you said you know many people in the Department of Martial Arts.”
“I know more than you do.”
“Investigate who Castro has been meeting at the academy. He should appear there soon.”
“Okay!”
“And, if possible, check on Helios too.”
Without questioning, Milo nodded quietly.
At that moment, the mana speaker activated, and a clear voice flowed out.
― Attention first-year students of the Department of Magic. Tomorrow at 9 AM, mana measurement will take place in the grand auditorium. All students are required to participate. Once again…
Time, which had stopped, felt like it was moving again.
Jessica had promised to hold the mana measurement again once Ian returned.
The academy had officially acknowledged his return.
“Ha ha ha ha! Finally, the moment to best Ian has come!”
Milo seemed extremely confident.
He had been consuming a lot of potent elixirs in secret.
He spent all the profits from the potion project buying these elixirs.
This time, he planned to win for real and tease Ian to no end.
“Alright, do your best.”
“What do you mean, ‘do your best’? That’s a suspicious response!”
“Nothing at all.”
“Saying ‘nothing’ makes it even more suspicious, you rascal!”
Ian didn’t bother to explain further.
Hoping his friend would feel a bit better, even for a day.
And the next day, the mana measurement ceremony, which Milo had eagerly anticipated, took place.
Ian and his two friends entered the grand auditorium.
“It’s Ian!”
“Ian’s here!”
All of their peers’ eyes were on them, or rather, focused solely on Ian.