While all the instructors were engaged in their eting, the atmosphere in the hall where the 66 acolytes were waiting was tense with anticipation.
Shinta found herself at odds with Annara, her aunt, who was scolding her for not consuming the full serum as instructed. Regret flooded Shinta's thoughts as she realized the impulsive nature of her actions. "I am sorry, Auntie... but don't worry, it works for the best," she muttered, hoping to placate Annara's anger.
Before she could further explain herself, a sudden interruption shattered the mont. A staff mber, accompanied by several guards, approached Shinta with an air of authority.
"Shinta Ouroboros, please co with us."
Confusion mingled in her voice as she questioned, "Wait, what is this about?"
Despite her resistance, Shinta found herself unable to resist the firm grasp of the guards. They escorted her to a secluded room, devoid of any semblance of comfort or familiarity.
"Excuse ! Why are you doing this! I demand an explanation!" Yet, the staff and guard just left. The silence that followed only heightened her anxiety, leaving her to wonder what ominous fate awaited her in this mysterious room.
Shinta's initial instinct was to reach out to her aunt, but she realized the tiny creature was already gone from her ear. Her last words were to remain calm and discern the intentions of those who had apprehended her.
Monts later, a rough-looking magus barged into the room. "Please sit down," he commanded with a tone that brooked no argunt. Despite the veneer of politeness, the unmistakable presence of a full moon magus, emanated from him, compelling Shinta to sit.
"Who are you? Why are you holding here?!" Shinta demanded, her voice trembling with defiance.
The man calmly introduced himself. "I am Heorgar, Zodiac outpost head of security. You are here to be questioned in the matter of tampering with the exam."
"T-Tampering?! I did no such thing," Shinta protested.
Heorgar proceeded to efficiently outline the evidence against her, detailing how a staff mber had witnessed her consu a mysterious potion prior to the exam, leading to anomalies in the results, such as multiple insignia glowing simultaneously. As the weight of his words sank in, Shinta found herself montarily speechless.
Sensing her hesitation, Heorgar pressed on, his tone firm and uncompromising. "You better explain yourself now. What kind of serum did you drink, and what is your intention?" His piercing gaze bore into Shinta, demanding nothing short of the truth.
Shinta's anxiety intensified as she struggled to maintain composure under Heorgar's scrutiny. Her breaths beca shallow, and her hands trembled involuntarily as she attempted to conjure a plausible explanation. "Mister... I didn't know what you were speaking of, the serum. ...It's just my personal dication," she stamred. "I have been drinking it since I was small."
It was a performance, a skill honed under the tutelage of Annara, her guardian. Drawing upon the teachings of deception, Shinta wove half-truths about the supposed dicinal properties of the serum and enhanced her anxiety to lend credence to her words. Yet, despite her efforts, Heorgar remained unmoved.
Demanding proof of her innocence, Heorgar insisted on analyzing the serum. When Shinta failed to produce it, claiming it had been disposed of, Heorgar's suspicion only deepened.
Sensing the tide turning against her, Shinta resorted to her final gambit, allowing genuine fear to surface and a solitary tear to trickle down her cheek. "Mister, I really don't know what you want... ?" she pleaded, her voice quivering with genuine distress, showing the expression of a scared 15-year- old girl.
But Heorgar was relentless, unmoved by her emotional display. "You cannot lie anymore... Tell the truth. Who are you?"
Heorgar's displayed intricate details of Shura's information on a crystal.
"You might be able to fool the academy, but not the Zodiac city. Unfortunately for you, I have so relationships with the Ouroboros, and I happen to have thorough data on the Ouroboros clan to compare." His penetrating gaze bore into Shinta "You see here? Shura Ouroboros, you are not her!"
Frustration welled up within Shinta as the reality of her predicant sank in. She cursed herself silently, regret gnawing at her for the impulsive decisions that had led her to this mont. "This is all 'his' fault," she muttered bitterly,
Her silence seed to agitate Heorgar further, his emotions finally breaking through his stoic facade. "Tell what you did to the girl?! And tell who sent you! Or I will report you as a spy trying to infiltrate the academy," he threatened, his voice tinged with a mix of anger and desperation.
Caught between a web of lies and the threat of dire consequences, Shinta found herself at a crossroads, her fate hanging precariously in the balance.
Amidst the heated interrogation, a sudden interruption shattered the tense atmosphere as a employee mber ca into the room. "Chief, the overseer was asking for the girl, her presence was needed.".
Heorgar's brow furrowed slightly at the unexpected news. Puzzled by the sudden turn of events and unsure of the overseer's intentions, Heorgar reluctantly acquiesced. Instead of restraint, he assigned two guards to closely monitor Shinta's every move. "You better not try to run," he warned sternly, as they departed.
As Shinta followed the man, her mind raced with questions about why she was called upon "Is it because of 'him'? Did he recognize ?" She pondered, her heart pounding with unease.
She was escorted into a dium-sized hall. The room seed to exude an air of importance, with its spacious layout and ticulously arranged furnishings.
To her surprise, Shinta found herself in the company of eight other acolytes upon entering the room. Their presence puzzled her; they were all wolf acolytes. Each of them wore expressions that mirrored her own mix of anticipation and apprehension, their eyes flickering with curiosity and uncertainty. "Why are they here?" she wondered.
A similar question flitted through Heorgar's mind as he observed the gathering of wolves acolytes. However, while everyone was waiting for the overseer and the other instructors arrivals, Heorgar was interrupted by a ssage from one of the employee mbers. "Chief, we apprehended soone suspicious, a female magus, and she wants to speak with you," the staff mber relayed, adding, "She said it's regarding the Ouroboros girl."
As this data might provide clues or even pose a threat to what's going to happen between the overseer and the girl, Heorgar quickly made his way to et with the mysterious female magus.
Clad in dark attire with her face partially concealed, she greeted him with familiarity as she removed her cover. "Senior Heorgar, it's been a while."Heorgar's expression shifted, a mix of astonishnt and recognition crossing his features.
"It's you!"
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