With winter approaching, the temperature within the Academy grounds started to beco colder. It was cold enough that water vapor would form in the air upon breathing out.
"How is the reaction from the Church of Oracleus?"
Mist hung in the air as a figure with long, flowing blonde hair and piercing green eyes spoke. His features looked youthful, as though he was barely in his twenties. He looked like any regular cadet within the Academy.
Yet, to those with trained eyes, he was nothing like a cadet. He felt more like a contained storm, capable of tearing everything apart instantly with just a thought.
-They're strangely calm.
A calm and crisp voice replied. It belonged to Ivan's secretary.
-Their silence is quite unsettling. I'm afraid this is rely the calm before the storm.
"Hmm, I also feel the sa. I wouldn't bla them if that was the case. Especially considering how their Pope has passed away."
Ivan's throat hitched and with a few coughs, he managed to clear it.
"... Have you tried contacting Cardinal Ambrose?"
-Yes, I've tried but I got no reply.
"It doesn't seem like he trusts."
-Given the nature of the report he received, it only makes sense that he doesn't trust us. "Right, of course."
Ivan's expression remained calm but his eyes grew slack for a brief mont. The world around him grew gray, losing all trace of color. He only snapped out of it when he heard his secretary's voice from the communication device.
-From what Hollowe has reported, it appears to be a deliberate setup against us. Most likely, the Inverted Sky is behind it, aiming to drive a wedge between us and one of the Seven Churches while simultaneously removing one of our Keepers.
"I figured that much."
Ivan had already understood this point in advance. This was highly likely a targeted situation that was aid at them.
It was also why he had no choice but to personally co and resolve the situation himself.
They simply couldn't afford to deprive themselves of a powerful asset such as Matthias. It would be a rather big blow to them. This entire situation had blindsided them, leaving them with hardly any ti to properly assess the situation.
"Oh, it looks like I'm here."
Ivan paused, his expression falling on the building in front of him, and turning off the communication device. It was neither grand nor small, but by looking down, he could feel the presence of several powerful figures beneath him.
'Looks like this is the place.'
He calmly entered the building before walking down a narrow flight of stairs. Along the way, he would stop on occasion to confirm his identity. The security was quite tight.
Eventually, he managed to make his way toward the containnt room where he didn't hesitate to enter.
"I arrived a little later than expected. Do excuse my tardiness."
Upon entering the containnt room, his gaze fell on the most overwhelming presence.
"Ah, Delilah. It's been a while. You seem to have gotten stronger since the last ti I saw you. Not bad."
His tone was that of a senior speaking to his junior. After greeting Delilah, he greeted the others before turning to stare at the tainted glass.
As his eyes narrowed, a haggard and chained figure appeared on the opposite end of the glass. "You guys didn't hold back, huh?"
"Given the nature of his strength and the scene we witnessed, we couldn't afford to hold back."
"No, yeah. I don't bla you."
Ivan waved his hand in dismissal at Delilah's reply. As he stared at Matthias behind the glass, the smile wiped off his face and his denour gradually shifted to a more serious one. A crushing pressure suddenly held down the people in the room.
Delilah was the only one that seed unaffected.
"I'd like to have a mont with him if that's possible."
"....You may."
Delilah nudged her head towards Herman who forced a nod and proceeded to unlock the door of the containnt room. 'That was easy.' Ivan thought, retrieving the pressure and entering the small room.
Tak-
It was the gentle sound of his step that awoke Matthias from his daze. As he looked up, Ivan's step paused. Matthias looked extrely haggard, with glaring black circles sunk deep into his
eyes.
"You don't look so good."
"....I didn't have much sleep."
Even his tone was hoarse. He clearly didn't have a great ti.
Ivan lowered his head to et Matthias's deep green eyes.
"Tell exactly what happened."
"....What about?"
"You don't have to worry about the people outside. Nobody will hear a thing. Just tell everything that led up to this point."
|| ||
After hesitating for a mont, Matthias's head lowered and he started to speak.
"It was a trap."
Matthias's jaw clenched.
"From the mont I ca in, Marian had already been stabbed in the stomach, and the Pope's body was on the ground. At first glance, it looked like it was Kyle who had done this, especially since he also had his sword drawn towards the cadet. I had no choice but to act in order to stop him from killing the cadet. Of course, from the mont I entered, I knew from the start the scene was all a setup."
"....Since you knew, how did you end up in this situation?"
"Ah, this."
Matthias looked down at the cuffs in his hands and he smiled bitterly.
"Because I didn't take into account the fact that the setup wasn't made for Kyle, but it was
made for ."
Even after a day had passed, Matthias continued to replay the scenario in his mind over and over again. The more he sorted through the scene, the more he felt a strange feeling perate
through every corner of his body.
It was an unknown feeling he couldn't quite put into words.
"It was... It was almost as if he could read like a book."
"Read you like a book?"
"...Yes."
Matthias forced a nod.
"From the ti it would take for to co to how he was confident I'd be able to figure out that this was a setup, and how I'd spare Kyle to question him later. Everything played out his
way."
Matthias's lips faintly trembled, and his thoughts paused at the sight that greeted him the mont he lowered his head to stare at his hands.
Ah, what?
His hands... They were trembling.
Why? What, how? How could...?
Holding onto his breath, Matthias forcefully cald the trembling while leaning back against
the wall.
"It was almost as if he had foreseen everything."
"Foreseen?"
Ivan's brows knit together at the unexpected words that ca out of Matthia's mouth as he
nodded his head, repeating the sa words.
"Forseen, yeah."
And with a tone that anyone could hardly hear, he mumbled,
'... Like a Seer.'
***
The scent of incense lingered heavily in the air, curling through every corner of the chapel. A
man dressed in white knelt on a small red cushion, his head bowed in silent prayer before the
statue that lood in front of him.
'May you guide his soul towards a peaceful slumber.'
His soft mumbles echoed quietly through the chapel as light pierced through the windows up
above, casting a dim glow over his body.
... May his soul continue to serve you in all your glory.'
Cardinal Ambrose's mumbles continued to echo throughout the Chapel as the incense continued to burn. He knelt in that position for hours on end, mumbling the sa prayer over
and over again.
Despite his aged appearance, he didn't bat a single eye. He only stopped at the single toll of a
small bell.
Dong! Dong-
His head raised up.
"May you rest in peace."
This was his last prayer for the deceased Pope.
The ti of mourning had co to an end.
Helping himself up, the Cardinal bowed down to the statue once and headed to the backroom.
As the wooden door creaked under his pull, a small dimly lit room greeted his sight.
The Cardinal cast his sight around the room and settled his gaze over the wooden desk.
A small piece of paper lay there, accompanied by a torn envelope, edges frayed as if hastily
opened.
It was a letter.
A very precious letter he had received not so long ago.
It was short, and it read;
I write this to tell you to not interfere, Ambrose.
My death was under my will.
It was all for our Lord.
"...So this is your choice?"
Ambrose studied the contents of the letter carefully. Then, with a small sigh, he placed the
letter above the candle and watched it catch fire.
As the embers of the paper scattered in the air, Cardinal Ambrose's eyes closed.
"As you wish, your Holiness."
***
Clank-!
With the door of the confinent room closing, Ivan ca out, his expression a lot more
somber than when he had first entered. Coming out of the room, he didn't say a single word
while Delilah stood in silence while watching his expression.
She was studying his face to see if she could read sothing. Unfortunately, his face was blank.
Delilah couldn't read anything from his expression. What exactly went inside that room? And
what did they talk about?
With a subtle narrowing of her eyes, Delilah leaned against the side of the wall.
This entire situation was complicated, involving many external forces. If she didn't thread carefully then the Academy would be implicated as well.
To Tok-
The sudden sound of the door knocking brought Delilah out of her thoughts.
As all eyes turned towards the door, the Cleric entered the room, his expression unusually
somber. Casting his eyes around those present, he spoke,
"The preparations are ready."
The room was instantly plunged into a suffocating silence. Without waiting for anyone to say
anything, the Cleric left the room and led everyone towards another room where Julien appeared.
Sitting on a wooden chair with his eyes wide open and a gag in his mouth to prevent him from
speaking, a faint purple magic circle appeared beneath him. It glowed a dim white hue while heavy curse energy lingered in the air.
Positioning himself next to Julien, the Cleric pressed his hand against Julien's shoulder.
"If you have anything that you want to ask, do so now. Otherwise, I will start."
"...."
His words were t with a short silence.
Seeing this, the Cleric nodded his head and raised his hand to begin. Right as mana flowed
towards his fingers, a voice cut him off.
"I will st-"
"Wait."
Stepping forward was none other than Ivan. A suffocating tension suddenly plunged over the
room as Ivan ignored the stares and walked up towards the tied-up Julien and stared right
into his bloodshot eyes.
"You."
He spoke, his tone low. "Who are you really?"
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