Elydes Chapter 400 - Conspiracies and Afterparties

Chapter 400 - Conspiracies and Afterparties

Kai wrenched his gaze away before he got caught staring. Dean Astares’ presence tinged the air like static. Heads subtly shifted. Bodies turned. The flow of activity bent, subconsciously revolving around a new axis. Perhaps it shouldn’t surprise him that burning down seven halls and several students would draw him out.

Why didn’t he teleport here to stop it?

A shorter figure stood beside the arguing professors, back straight with dark green hair. A student. Clearly trying to show a fitting deanor rather than looking like a lost lamb.

Why did they single him out? Wait…

Kai suddenly placed the boy, muscled body and baby-faced, always in the front row during Mixed Combat. They’d never talked, though even he took notice of the Great Houses’ scions, especially since the Harts ruled the province where he currently lived.

What was his na…

“Looks like they’re grilling him. Poor guy.” Flynn gave a pitying look.

“You an, he’s—”

“Yeah, the party’s organizer. Though he delegated most of it. I doubt he’ll try again now.” He sighed. “He’s a bit stiff, but nice when you know him. It would have been fun to introduce you. And before you ask, no. I’d bet my fourth favorite dagger that he has nothing to do with…” He waved to the charred ceiling and floor.

Kai arched an eyebrow. "Fourth best?”

“That’s as high as I can go. The top three are gifts from people I like. And the sharpest. They’re not betting material.” He wrapped his arms around his hidden sheathes, looking as if Kai had asked him to sell his children.

What about the poor fourth-born?

“My bad.” He knew better than to argue with Flynn's logic. With the last testimonies recorded, students clogged the exit, breaking into argunts. He hadn’t realized how many were still drunk on booze or potions. Rain had gotten stuck in the pack ahead, while Rowan had already long cleared and dismissed. “How did your questioning go? It was your party too.”

“Surprisingly smooth. They dismissed after I gave them my invite list. My hall wasn’t the one to catch fire, though I thought they’d press harder.”

“Yeah.” It was odd. All investigations started at the scene with clues and witnesses, but the academy gave the attendees little scrutiny. “Unless… they already suspect a culprit. Then, they wouldn’t need to hound patrician scions and risk offending them.”

“Hmm, that’s possible too.” Flynn scratched his nose. “Highbloods are prickly about interrogations. Even implications could escalate things quickly. Lucky us peasants got grouped together. Well, everyone except for Avy…”

“Avy?

Flynn pointed his thumb at the Hart boy. “I’m not heartless enough to call him Avellus. Avy is what stuck in class. He hasn’t corrected anyone for two weeks. Just don’t tell him I was the one who started it. He’s honor-bound to duel the guy who started.”

“You… What—” Kai opened his mouth, then wisely decided to ignore it. A shout cracked his eardrums as the Head Examiner took charge of the mob at the exit. “So basically you bullied him into accepting it?”

“I just gave a little nudge. Try making friends when everyone calls you Young Master Hart. Doesn’t really roll off the tongue.”

Uhm… he might have a point.

“Anyway…” He lowered his tone. “Think you can find who the academy suspects?”

“Hmm, I can try. But that’s not information professors will just discuss aloud. If they even have a suspect. They could’ve gone light with the questioning to avoid dealing with a bunch of half-drunken teenagers. Or not to escalate matters. Or just to quickly sweep the matter off the ship. It's easy to go off on assumptions and co to wildly different conclusions.”

“Yeah, I get it.” Kai sighed, his shoulders drooping. “All we have are guesses.”

“Hey, cheer up.” Flynn poked him. “We’ll figure it out together. Let’s just be safe and smart about it. Solving the academy's problems is not our job, but I didn’t an to douse your investigative gumption, Sherlock.” His brows furrowed, “Uh, did I use that right?"

“More or less.”

“I’m glad you told Val.” Flynn bead, leaning in. “I can’t wait to swap references with her. It’ll be so fun.”

“Yeah… That’s not gonna happen.”

“Ah! But it’s already too late to stop us.”

“Watch .” Kai dove into the students streaming out, heading for a head of platinum hair, where Rain was waiting. As they closed to the exit, he also spotted Dean Astares among the professors. The man appeared distinctly more severe without the usual faint smile on his lips, lilac eyes coldly flitting to et his glance.

Did he notice ?

Hunching his shoulders and looking down, Kai hastened his steps and filed in beside Rain. When he peeped again, the dark purple robes with silver embroidery had disappeared behind the crowding professors.

“You okay, Mat?” Flynn caught up before two groups of arguing students packed them in.

“Yeah, I’m great.”

“He’s just worried Dean Astares caught him looking.” Rain twisted and stared directly at the dean’s position. “Which he did.”

“Oh, that.” Flynn glanced back and shrugged. “He had scanned half the people in the hall.”

“Could you guys stop ntioning him aloud?” Kai asked through clenched teeth.

“Hey, it’s alright. The scary man can’t hear us through the sound wards. We’ve left the hall.” Flynn waved at the passage behind him, smiling. “He might still see us. But acting all guilty won’t help. We don’t have anything to hide, right?” Keeping his tone light, his eyes burrowed into him. “You don’t think he was involved—”

“No.” Kai forcefully loosened his gait. Past a corner, the corridor opened into a larger hallway. “I… don’t know. Just—” The man made him feel nervous, and exposed.

“He knows about ,” Rain mused.

“Huh—what?” His carefully pieced composure shattered.

“Yeah, he summoned to talk after we enrolled.”

Flynn frowned. “Why didn’t you tell ?”

“Hmm, well…” With a sheepish smile, Rain ducked into the spiral stairs. “I didn’t think it was that important. And you like to needlessly worry. Not at Mat’s level, but still.”

You know I’m right here…

Kai exhaled a breath; he’d needed to focus on the upsides. “What were your impressions of him?”

“My impressions.” Rain stretched his arms, hands laced behind his head. “ddleso, but not hands-on. We didn’t talk long enough for to grasp much more. And I wouldn’t trust myself to tell more across two grades. He didn’t reach Blue by chance. His path felt solid.”

ddleso. Checks out.

Kai updated his ntal notes as they descended the staircase. He’d need to sort his mnemonic chains; they were getting unwieldy. The blink of a Guide notification pinged him, but he ignored it, sward by enough thoughts.

The dean, the arrays going awry, the shrouded assassin.

How does it all fit together?

Were he and Alden the only targets or had there been more? Were the malfunctioning arrays linked to the irregularities in his Trials? What was the culprit’s goal?

A pleasant chill washed over his worries as they exited the atrium. The massive shape of the Arboris Tower soared beneath the moons. Its facade bore no hint of the fire, green and white marble veined with gold, glimring in the night. Students clumped on the paved square; more trailed off on the lit cobble paths, ahead to the mage dorms and behind them to the central cluster.

As if nothing happened…

“Well,” Flynn stretched his arms above him. “It wasn’t exactly the birthday party I had in mind, but I hope you still had so fun. Next year, I think I’m going with the pool party.”

“I’ll organize it!” Rain jumped up.

“Uhm, thanks. I… uhm, my dorms are that way.” Flynn pointed right. “I’ll see you two tomorrow.”

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“Wait.” Kai stopped him. “Why don’t we hang out at our place? It’s not late yet. We don’t need a fancy party to celebrate, do we?”

Rain and Flynn turned to stare at him, their frowns deepening when they saw he wasn’t joking.

“What? We can just grab a few snacks and chill for a couple hours. We can also invite Alden and Rob. I’m sure they won’t mind the distraction. Unless you know no silly party gas with only five people?”

“No, no. I know plenty.” Flynn peered at him. “Just… I don’t think you’ve ever asked us to just hang out since I’ve known you. Not unless it included so form of training. Are you feeling well?”

Kai swatted a hand, trying to check his fever. “Stop being ridiculous. I’m sure I did a few tis.”

“Na one.”

“Well, I… I can’t recall on command. It’s not like I wrote down the dates.”

“Uh huh. How high was your Mind again? And your mory skill level?”

“He never did since we t,” Rain loudly whispered to Flynn.

“Fine, if you don’t wanna hang out, just say it,” Kai snorted. “Maybe it was a stupid idea. We’ll do it another ti.”

“Nope, it’s a brilliant idea! Tonight is great. Thank you, Matthew.” Flynn threw an arm on his shoulder, while Rain flanked him from the other as if they were worried he would make a run for it.

“I’ve saved plenty of snacks I didn't get to bring to the party.”

Kai let himself get dragged along, wondering if he’d made a mistake.

Half of him felt guilty for spending the party with Valela after he promised to co, the rest just wanted so company. Too many pieces, too many questions, too few clues. Whoever was targeting Raelion’s elites, he wouldn’t figure it out in a night, no matter if he wrung his brain dry. And he wouldn’t think about sothing else for a bit.

I’m sure I asked them to hang out before. The last few weeks have just been busy…

Across the sparse woodland, the ivy draping their dorm looked inky black in the night. Getting inside, Kai caught rumors of the fire already racing through the building.

“The fire swallowed the whole floor.”

“My cousin swore it. Those two kept dancing among the jet of flas as the ceiling took fire! It was crazy!”

Kai swiped his room token at their door and hurried inside, finally free from his friends. A swift sweep told him that only Alden had returned.

Where did Rob go?

“What color do you want for the snacks?” Rain strolled to the cabinets.

“I’ve had enough of colors for one week,” Flynn said. “Let’s just mix them. How are we at drinks?”

Seeing they seed to have it well in hand, Kai decided to leave the setup to the experts and knocked on Alden’s room. Seconds stretched with no response, his hand raised, poised for another knock, when the door finally opened a crack.

“Mat?” Alden peered through, then opened enough to cover the threshold. “Is everything alright? What do you need?”

“Nothing. Just you.” Kai gestured toward the living room with his thumb. “We wanted to hang out here since the party, hmm… went up in flas. We’d be happy if you joined.”

Only months living together made him notice his roommate felt off; his deanor was stiff, eyes reddened, voice slightly hoarse.

Alden shuffled in the doorway, his gaze shifted to the enthusiastic party organizers and back. “I appreciate the offer, but I’m occupied.”

“Alone in your room? ” Kai rested his hand on the door. “C’mon, you could use the distraction. You almost got stabbed. I’m not leaving you alone to brood in your shadowy room.”

His lips pressed into a scowl. “I don’t brood.”

“Of course not. You just stand nacingly in the darkness. Now, it’s not like you can’t return to it if you are getting bored. Just three steps away.”

Alden stared him down, arms folded, eyes narrowed. “You just want soone to share the suffering with you.”

“Maaaybe. Doesn’t an what I said isn’t true. We don’t need to hang out the whole night. Just co out for half an hour.” Kai grinned. His confidence chipped, shifting weight between his feet, as he got no response.

Finally, Alden audibly sighed. “Fine. Give a minute. I’ll co join you.”

“Promise on your honor?”

“Yes. Leave alone now.” He shoved the door shut.

Kai grinned.

And people say I’m not social.

Following the sound of choked laughter, he returned to the living room. A spread of snacks covered the kitchen table. Hobbes sprawled on the counter with the Lucenti kit draped on his neck like a white scarf, both lazing around.

So this is how you keep your charge safe?

The cat didn’t deign him with a reply.

“You must try one!” Rain thrust a bowl of mixed snacks at him, none of which looked appealing.

“I…” He’d already resolved to go along with any proposal.

Maybe— no, don’t chicken out.

Throttling his common sense, Kai selected a suspicious crimson chip and tossed it into his mouth. He fought not to grimace as cloying sweetness and searing spice assaulted his tongue.

“How is it?” Rain grinned wider. “Terrible?”

“Yeah.” He would not give them the satisfaction of a reaction.

“Hey, we all had to pick from the bowl of suffering,” Flynn said. “Most of the snacks didn't make it to the party for one reason.”

I’m starting to regret this idea.

“So were just the wrong color.” Rain sulked. “Who wants to try another?"

True to his word, Alden ca out of his room a few minutes later. Kai’s mood lifted when his roommate was faced with the bowl.

Alden warily studied the assorted snacks. “I’m… not hungry.”

“C’mon, it’s a tradition.” Flynn cheered. “Maybe you’ll get lucky. You just have to pick the right one.”

Alden did not get lucky. Picking a smoky blue walnut, he broke into a hacking cough and rushed to wash his mouth at the kitchen faucet, not even bothering with a glass, a first since Kai knew him.

“Better luck next ti.”

The party rolled on with food challenges, nonsense chatter, and a pinch of professor-bashing. Kai still debated the wisdom of his idea, but he managed to forget about threats and conspiracies.

A couple hours later, he slumped in a chair across from Flynn, chugging a glass of milk, his taste buds ruined. Black-rimd cards were splayed on the table between them. “Next ti I’m choosing the ga.”

“Hey, you had the chance to pick. You said you didn’t know any.” Flynn grinned, expertly shuffling the deck.

The Lucenti kit climbed on his shoulder and nuzzled into his neck, truly more of a proper stoat now. From that tiny pink noodle, the kit had grown to a handspan, with a white coat softer than velvet and beady golden eyes.

“So… you managed to bond? You never told the na.”

“We did.” Flynn booped his familiar’s pink nose and waved his paw. “Say hi to Wisp.”

“Wisp?”

“Short for Wysphēlis. It ans sothing like: glimr of moonlight in an old tongue, specifically the fleeting gleam of the moon on a lake surface. It was between that and Scarf.”

“I wanted Scarf!” Rain waved from their table, where he’d involved Alden in so ga of lies and truth.

Flynn petted the stoat. “He preferred how Wysphēlis sounded.”

Kai took out a wrapped package with a motif of green acorns. “Here.”

“What’s this?”

“Your birthday present. Did you think I'd just co to the party empty-handed? I’m not that cheap.”

Flynn gave him a look.

“Okay, I’m not that cheap with my friends. I can take it back if you don’t want it.”

“Nope, it’s great.” Flynn clutched the package. “Thanks, Mat.” Rather than tearing it, he untied the knots and the wrapping with the care of a child trying to hide his trace on his presents before Christmas. Inside lay two items: a black coin and a set of throwing daggers in a fitted leather case. The blades glead with a cold sheen, runes etched along the spine.

“You complained you had lost a couple in class.”

“And this…” Flynn picked up the matte black coin, thinner than a sar. It seed entirely unremarkable until one caught the concentric circles and finely carved runes.

“That’s—

“A black token of the House of Echoes.” Flynn glanced at Alden and lowered his tone. “Didn’t your master give it to you? I can’t take this.”

Kai drew back out of reach. “Keep it. It was more of a tool than a gift, just taking up dust in my ring. With you, it could at least see so use.”

“But—”

“I promise if I need it, I’ll ask you.”

Flynn scrunched up at the coin. “Okay, I can borrow it then. Thank you, Mat. I’m not sure you know how much this token is worth.”

Kai chuckled. “You know, that’s the sa thing my master said!”

“You…” Flynn held his head in his hands with an exasperated look.

“Hmm, look, it’s gotten late.” He swiftly stood, not missing to pet the snoring stoat’s fur.

Not as fluffy as Hobbes, but he might even be softer.

Careful to conceal the thought from his familiar, he slipped away to observe Rain and Alden’s ga. Another half an hour later, they finally agreed to call it a night. Flynn agreed to crash on the couch instead of making the trek back to his dorm.

It wasn’t the most wild of parties, but after the fire, perhaps it was what everyone needed.

Kai gratefully sank into the plush covers of his bed. Sleep whispered to him when he saw the still hanging notification. Two of them.

*Ding*

Congratulations, Mnemonic Mastery has reached the lv50 threshold!

Mnemonic Mastery (lv50) ➔

As you reach the first milestone, you are presented with four paths to continue your journey.

Stay the Course - You won’t gain new significant benefits, but you’ll deepen the insight into your path.Rapid Recall - Swiftly retrieve faded mories and mnemonic chains. Once engraved into your mory, recall becos near-reflexive, cutting through distractions, pressure, and altered ntal states. Always at your fingertips. Expansive Repository - Expand the scale of your ever-lengthening mnemonic constructs. Increase speed and lessen the burden of creating larger chains, enabling linking and overlapping. Cognitive Archivist - Impose order on your ntal landscape. mories and mnemonic constructs can be swiftly sorted and categorized, allowing for easier navigation and cross-referencing.

*Ding*

Congratulations, Split Mind has reached the lv50 threshold!

Split Mind (lv50) ➔

As you reach the first milestone, you are presented with four paths to continue your journey.

Stay the Course - You won’t gain new significant benefits, but you’ll significantly deepen the insight into your path.Parallel Casting - Lessen the burden of splitting your mind to cast spells with greater precision and reduced focus. Spell weaves align more cleanly and lower the risk of backlash and collapse.Threaded Consciousness - Separate your mind into distinct, semi-independent threads of thought. Each can process, decide, and act concurrently with minimal overlap.Feathered Mind - Reduce the strain of sustaining and splitting your focus. Maintain multiple chains of thought at all tis with less effort and fatigue.

Whatever conspiracy was brewing at Raelion, he couldn’t unravel it now nor stop assassins before they struck. But he could keep growing stronger and et those threats prepared.