The task at hand was simple in theory, e up with a lie. A lie that could neatly explain away everything strange that had happened so far. Something that would put the teachers at ease, clear up the confusion, and prevent suspicion from growing any further.
But simple didn’t mean easy.
The others looked around at one another, silent, each face marked with uncertainty. Eventually, all eyes landed on Raze.
’The truth would probably sound more like a lie than anything I could make up,’ Raze thought as he stepped forward. ’Luckily, almost everything they’ve seen can be explained away with magic. That gives me just enough room to work with.’
Perhaps it was all the time he had spent in Pagna, constantly navigating strange and dangerous situations, but improvising like this was starting to feel like second nature.
"I’m not sure if you’ve been informed," Raze began, his voice steady. He looked directly at Luka. "I know you were told, Professor Luka, but I don’t know if the rest of you were aware, our group was sent here under Alen’s remendation."
Luka gave a small nod to confirm it. The other teachers seemed to relax slightly, already familiar with Alen’s reputation.
"The truth is," Raze continued, "all of us are mage students, though not in the traditional sense. We’ve never attended a formal academy. That’s because we’ve been training directly under Alen’s mand."
A few eyebrows raised at that, and Raze could see interest flickering across their faces. Good, he had their attention.
It wasn’t an unbelievable claim. Alen was well-known, not just for his magical expertise, but also for his unorthodox methods. If he had been raising a private group of elite mages, it would explain why such skilled individuals had appeared without anyone knowing of them.
"We were only recently assigned to Wilton Academy," Raze went on. "I’m sure you’re wondering why we arrived so suddenly. The reason is tied to the school’s recent alliance with the Underfangs."
He gave them a moment to digest that before continuing.
"Alen had his concerns. He received certain... reports about strange happenings and behaviors within the academy. Rather than send officials or known operatives, which might have alerted the Underfangs, he opted for something more discreet. That’s where we came in."
Raze let that hang in the air for a moment before finishing the fabrication.
"We worked hard to be selected for the magical exchange, all so we could observe from the inside. And based on what we’ve seen, Alen’s concerns were justified."
There was a heavy silence that followed. It was clear the teachers were turning it over in their minds. Raze stood still, calm but watchful. He hadn’t lied entirely, Alen had been conducting investigations into the Grand Magus for quite some time. Raze was fairly certain no one else knew, because if they did, Alen would have been eliminated long ago.
In the world they lived in, secrets ran deeper than magic. There were always factions and hidden organizations maneuvering in the shadows, doing what needed to be done without drawing attention.
What Raze was doing now, playing into the current suspicion toward the Underfangs, was a risk, but a calculated one. Their recent behavior had been odd enough to raise questions even without Raze’s story. The pieces fit. That was all that mattered.
"We were scouted and trained by Alen specifically for this mission," Raze said. "But above all, the safety of the students es first. That’s why we stepped up when we did."
The teachers exchanged looks, and slowly, smiles began to form. Relief softened their expressions, as if the puzzle pieces had finally clicked into place.
"I see," Redrick said at last. "Well, we have both you and Alen to thank. You’re right, there’s clearly something suspicious going on with the Underfang. Once we’re out of this dimension, if there’s anything we can do to support the investigation, let us know."
Raze gave a polite nod. That was exactly the reaction he’d been hoping for.
"There is one thing," he added. "We’d appreciate it if you didn’t inform the principal about our involvement. It would be best if he remained unaware."
"Wait... is the principal under investigation too?" Luka asked, narrowing his eyes. "I know he made the deal with the Guild, but I can’t imagine him being involved in anything shady."
"I doubt it," Raze said honestly. "In fact, we were only able to join the academy because of Alen’s close relationship with him. But our concern is keeping everyone safe. The investigation must appear as though we’re nothing more than regular students. We’ll graduate, participate in the exchange, and if anything es to light, it won’t be traced back to the principal. He won’t be blamed for something he never knew about."
It was a clever cover. And in the world of covert operations, plausible deniability was gold.
"Well," Luka said, exhaling slowly, "if we were evaluating you solely as students, I’d say you’ve passed with top marks. There’s no doubt you’d be selected for the magical exchange."
"For everything you’ve done today," Panla added, "I think we can all agree, this conversation stays between us. It might be tricky convincing the students about what they saw, though."
"We’ll deal with that when the time es," Raze said with a small smile. "Honestly, I think they’re less perceptive than you give them credit for."
It was true. The students, still learning about the magical world, had no idea how rare or dangerous some of the things they had just witnessed truly were. To them, it was impressive, sure, but still within the realm of possibility for other students.
After the explanation ended, the students regrouped, and the crystals had been successfully retrieved. They were in the process of wrapping things up, clearing the area around the shrine before deciding to head back.
"The exit portal," Panla began, "according to the Underfang’s original map, should be west from where we started. But I’m really not sure we can trust their word anymore."
"We don’t have much of a choice," Redrick said. "According to what we know, the lower-tiered beasts tend to gather near the exit. If we head in that direction, at least we’ll be covering ground."
"But beyond this shrine," he added, glancing around, "we might start running into even more dangerous creatures. Ones we’re not prepared for."
Back at the camp, the higher-ranked students were already talking. The returning transfers had sparked curiosity. Everyone wanted to know: who were they really? Where had they e from? How were they so strong?
Piba, always one to speak his mind, opened his mouth to say something, but then his eyes caught movement.
Everyone froze.
Standing once again at the entrance of the shrine was a figure. But this time, it wasn’t a beast.
It was a man. Cloaked in a flowing black robe, motionless. Watching.
****
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