Two instructors were currently having a conversation. An unidentified man was reported to have been sighted. For such a reason, they were called upon and took custody of the man.
They had been interrogating him for the past two hours or so.
"Have we identified the man?"
"No."
The instructor shook his head. He was the instructor that arranged the exams. Delton Clive.
"He keeps on saying the sa thing. Get General Belle, Alia, or Bellion Van here."
"Sigh."
The one who let out a sigh was the instructor who was in charge of Class A. The class that Raven was in. Zeke Wesley.
"Should we just et his demands then?"
"Are you nuts?"
Delton retorted.
"We can't bother the Field Marshal with sothing so trivial."
"Then what do you plan on doing?"
Before Delton responded, he turned his head slightly to look at the man first. The interrogation room was separated from the area they were currently in.
And so, at the mont, he couldn't hear their conversation.
Then, Delton opened his mouth.
"He'll budge eventually. He hasn't done a cri, so there's no reason for him to withhold information."
"There's been rumors going around, you know? About suspicious individuals lurking in the city."
"I know. If he's one of them—"
"Sir."
A voice cut in and their heads automatically flicked to the source.
"Raven?"
Thump!
Raven flashed them a salute and stomped on the ground before he spoke.
"Can I speak to him?"
"Absolutely not."
A flat out refusal.
"Sir, he's looking at ."
At Raven's words, the two instructors turned their heads, looking at the man.
Indeed, it seed like Raven had caught his attention. Sothing they were never able to do.
"Should we let him try, Delton?"
"Haa… What's the worst that could happen?"
Still, regardless, they entered the room with Raven. They couldn't allow such a promising cadet to endanger himself.
"Get out."
Upon noticing they had entered the room with Raven, the man imdiately spoke in a tone that Delton could admit he didn't like.
"No can do."
Delton's eyes narrowed, a crease forming in the middle of his temple.
"I will only speak to Raven Blackheart."
The three people who had just entered brows raised for a second.
There was a sense of recognition. The man clearly knew who Raven Blackheart was.
"It's fine, Sir. He doesn't seem hostile towards . Please do as he says."
"Alright, if you say so. But the mont I sense mana, I'm taking you out of there."
"Understood."
At that, Delton and Zeke left the room, leaving Raven with the man alone in the room.
Raven took a seat across the man. Drumming his finger on the table, Raven was just about to speak when the man beat him to it.
"Long ti no see."
A smile spread across his features.
A familiar smile.
One that Raven couldn't put a finger on.
"You know ?"
"More than yourself."
"...."
The hell.
But his voice.
It was also familiar.
Raven began to recall the threads from back then.
But it can't be.
He was dead.
Plus, this man looked nothing like him at all.
Regardless, Raven couldn't shake off the thought.
"Do you know who Brandon Locke is…?"
That na.
Raven bit his lip as soon as that na left his mouth.
"Yeah."
"Really?"
Overjoyed, Raven leaned forward, smacking the table.
"How do you know him? Are you two related? Where is he? Is he still…."
"You're speaking to him."
"...."
Ah.
There was no way.
"Brandon?"
"Good to see you again, Raven."
"Wha—What happened to you? How co you look like this? How did you survive? You were missing all this ti…. If you were still alive, why didn't you co see us?"
Questions began pouring out of his mouth one after another that even Brandon found it hard to follow them as his brows raised.
"Calm down."
Brandon gestured with his hand.
At his words, Raven imdiately sat back down and took a deep breath.
"Alright, sorry."
"How have you been?"
"Ah, doing well. I think I'm about to break through the A rank."
"That slow?"
"...."
"Haha."
The way he poked fun at him got on his nerves.
It truly was Brandon.
There was no doubt about it.
"What rank are you then?"
Raven frowned.
"A ."
"Wha…."
Raven found himself speechless.
He thought he was at the top of his class. Especially since the others were still trying to climb in the B ranks.
But it was understandable.
After all, it was Brandon.
"Why won't you identify yourself? All you have to do is tell them your na, they'll call your sister for confirmation. Wait, does your sister know?"
"She does."
"Ah, at least you told her."
Then, Raven took good a look at him and said,
"Still, what happened to you? How co you look like…. this?"
"Elental Assimilation. For so reason, I'm still stuck. Don't know when the effects will wear off."
"Ah, of course you could do that."
Raven felt envy hearing the words, 'Elental Assimilation.'
After all, it was sothing only available to mages.
Duelists couldn't hope upon such an ability.
But it wasn't like they could make use of it in the first place.
Elental Assimilation gave them full control over their affinity.
Sothing Duelists didn't need.
Regardless, seeing Brandon right now….
He looked cool.
But he couldn't say that out loud.
"Can you get out of here? I need to go inform Bellion Van."
"Hm? What business do you have with him?"
"I can't tell you."
"I see."
A trait that Raven knew Brandon liked.
To not be so nosy in others' matters.
Compared to the girls, he respected other people's privacy. It must've been for that reason why Brandon didn't reveal his survival.
"I'll do what I can."
Raven stood up and walked towards the door.
"Let's catch up after you've finished whatever it is you're going to do."
"Sure."
The two shared a smile and nodded at each other.
Brandon seed exhausted, evident in his tone.
For that reason, Raven didn't press any further and left the room.
"What did he tell you?"
Delton inquired.
"Everything. But it'll be much easier to explain if you get Field Marshal Van here."
Delton and Zeke exchanged looks before eventually resigning.
"If Raven's saying it, I don't see why not."
"Haaa…. I'm gonna get an earful after this if it goes for naught."
Coming to a collective agreent, Delton contacted Bellion Van.
***
Brandon raised his head and looked at the ceiling. Then, he leaned back and covered his eyes with his arm.
"Haaa…."
Taking a deep breath, he began to ponder.
The entire conversation with Raven….
He was holding back.
He had the sudden urge to kill him on the spot.
Raven had let his guard down. Just a single thread would've been enough to….
He clenched his fist.
"Plop!"
The entire room would be dyed in red.
Regardless, he held himself back.
It was irrational.
This Raven hadn't done a thing. In fact, he could use this Raven as an ally.
He was still Raven Blackheart after all.
Thankfully, he didn't do such a thing.
But recalling Raven's words, particularly, about his sister, Brandon began to wonder.
What the fuck happened?
Where had everyone gone off to?
Hopefully, they were teleported sowhere safe.
According to Zed, the device was configured only sowhere around or near the human domain.
Thankfully, the labyrinth he was teleported to was near, and was being occupied the mont he had arrived there.
But what didn't make sense was the ti.
He knew the auction had started at night.
But the mont he left the labyrinth, it was day.
Then there was only one answer.
"A ti lag."
Most probably, there was a delay.
That had to be it.
Clank—!
Upon realizing that soone had entered the room, Brandon took a peek.
There, he could see a robust man with red hair and blue eyes, adorning the Imperial Army uniform. He looked like an older version of Reinhard.
Of course, there was no questioning it.
"Field Marshal Van."
Bellion took a good look at him first before settling down on his seat. Crossing his leg on the table, Bellion crossed his arms and eventually spoke.
"I can more or less guess you're the informant. But who are you?"
"My na is Brandon Locke."
*
*
[AN]
End of Volu 2.
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