"...And if I refuse?"

"S… sorry?"

​​

The people from the Explorer Association could not help but feel a darkness loom over their shoulders. Their breaths stuttered as their chests grew heavy from the pressure that was crawling deep into their bones.

The rookie quickly lifted up her hand, a small spark of light coming out of her palms. But before she could completely cast her skill, one of her senior colleagues stopped her.

"This… this is part of the investigation t… that we're collaborating with the city gu--"

"Just kidding, come on in."

Before the man could finish his words, Elton's chuckle reached his ears.

"What can I do for you people? It's always a pleasure to serve the Explorer Association, yes… yes it is."

The group quickly looked around the place as they entered her class...room. And no matter how you put it, this was more like a house than a place where students come to learn.

"I do not know whether you're already aware of it, ma'am. But one of the students under you, Evans, is currently under arrest for murdering people."

"I see. Have you caught him already, then? With how great the Explorer Association is, surely you've already caught him."

"T… that…"

Hearing Angela Elton's words, the man could not help but slightly stutter. Not many know of Angela Elton, but those who have spent a long enough time in the association knew of her legends. And to hear the tone of disappointment from that legend, he couldn't help but feel mournful.

"That… that's why we're here, ma'am. The Academy has already given us the right to search every corner of the school grounds. S...So… we don't mean to be rude but…

...we need to search the premises."

"Sure."

"G... good!" The man's face could not help but brighten up. He thought that it would be hard to deal with Angela Elton, but it would seem that she was welcoming enough not to be angry with them for suddenly intruding like this.

She also has a nice sense of humor, slightly scaring them like that in the beginning. It would seem the rumors in the Explorer Association that Angela Elton was hard to deal with was nothing but a hoax.

"Then… then let me stay here with you while my other companions search the premises!"

"What? No fair, I want to be the one with ma'am Elton!"

"Shoo. Go, I am the most senior one here."

"That will be unnecessary." Before the group could continue to argue, Elton shook her head. "I will be helping you search for this student."

"R… really!?"

"Yes. Let's start with the backyard."

"T… the backyard?"

Outside? Why there, of all places? But alas, the group could only watch as Elton beckoned for them to follow her.

1 hour. The group has already spent an hour searching Unique Class-1 and yet they haven't even searched the 2nd floor of the house since Elton insisted on searching the ground floor, spending half of it senselessly searching the backyard.

"Ma'am Angela… maybe we can start the search on the 2nd floor now?" The most senior member of the group approached Elton, his tone still filled with nothing but respect.

"Sure. Let's go. Be careful not to trip on the stairs."

"T… thank you!"

But as the group was on their way up, the rookie noticed a slight opening beside the stairs. She sneakily opened it up, only to be welcomed by a warm waft of air going through her face.

"There's a basement here!" the rookie shouted, gathering all the attention of the Explorer Association members.

"What!?"

Seeing the group make their way down, Elton could only let out a loud sigh. She had been trying to stall some time, but alas, the inevitable finally happened.

"Run boy, run!"

"!!!"

The members of the Explorer Association could not help but turn their attention towards Angela Elton when her words reached their ears. But as soon as they did so, a light golden spark flickered from the basement, quickly escaping from its darkness.

The rookie, who was the closest one to the basement's entrance, slightly blinked and stretched her arms out to block the doorway in instinct, but alas, her response was slower than the golden blur.

Van swiftly stepped to her side, completely avoiding her. He then turned to look at Elton, her eyes following him as he continued to run. Maybe she can see it, maybe she can't… but still, Van opened his mouth and thanked her.

Ms. Elton had already tried her best under the circumstances. Holding the Explorer Association for more than an hour, enough for him to fully recover his SP and rest, even a little bit.

"T… that's him!"

One of the men pointed at Van as he opened the door to the outside, allowing them to see him clearly for a second.

"After him, fast!"

"Were you hiding him, ma'am Elton!?"

"No, I was calling for my dog. I had absolutely no idea he was there."

Hearing Elton's words, the senior member could only click his tongue as he and his group rushed to chase after Van. One of the members, however, remained. He was the quietest member of the group, not even once uttering a single word in the span that they were here.

The man looked at Elton, nodding towards her before running to follow his group. And Elton, in turn, also nodded.

And now, finally left alone, Elton could not help but once again let out a loud sigh before she started whispering to no one in particular.

"An unexpected development. I guess we need to speed things up a bit? We won't help the boy anymore? No, no. We can't risk everything for him. We've already exposed ourselves to the Association and the Circle by helping him now."

"He could be a good addition, but too much trouble. Not worth it, no? I don't think so. But the Headmaster did also help him, maybe there's something more to the boy? No, he helped him because he's Evangeline's son…"

"You think she'll help him? He's her son after all? Psh, that woman? I don't think so. Too troublesome, too troublesome…"

Angela Elton's whispers continued to echo throughout the empty house, only dispersing as she entered her small silhouette disappeared into the darkness of her basement.

***

"Right here! I saw him here somewhere!"

Van was currently hiding in the stables where the baby gryphons and the other mounts are being taken care of. The whole Academy was bathed in a hint of darkness due to the walls extending and covering the skies.

He already tried to see if he could brute force his way through the wall on the other end of the Academy, but he couldn't even chip the surface. If he wasn't currently being hunted down like a monster, then he would have surely been in awe, wondering what kind of material the wall was made of.

But alas, when he did that, it seemed to have revealed his location to the guards and the people from the association. Van tried to cover his heavy and painful breaths, which were threatening to make a sound.

He has been using his skills for hours now, he doesn't know how many Crystals he has eaten now… but for some reason, his body was starting to tremble as he felt the urge to sleep, his eyes already closing by themselves.

And… just for a moment, he fleeted.

"I heard something there!"

"!!!"

Van quickly lifted himself up. He looked to the side, only to realize he accidentally pushed the crates that were beside him.

"F… f*ck." He couldn't help but let out a mutter as he slowly got up. He was about to run, but then his ears recognized a familiar voice.

"Agh! Now I have to stack everything again!"

"..."

"Student, what are you doing here!? Don't you know that all students should remain in their dorms!?"

"Ah, sorry. Sorry. I forgot to feed the gryphons, it would be bad if they get hungry and die."

"Tch, damn it. I thought we got him."

"Let's go! We're wasting our time here, it's not him!"

Van could hear the numerous footsteps receding, and with their steps completely gone, he was finally able to let out his breath as he slowly stood up to look at the owner of the familiar voice. Of course, if someone was going to be able to find him, it was her.

"...Gemma."

"Don't come out."

"..."

"I want you to know that I am not on your side, Van. If what they say is true, I think you need to be brought to justice for what you have done."

"..."

"But not like this. They have already decided your punishment without looking at all sides. If you get caught, they will drag your little body straight to the Pit. It would seem that someone high up wants you gone fast. I will get to the bottom of this, don't get caught until then… Goodbye, Van."

"..."

Van watched Gemma's back disappear into the distance. Everything she said…

...He couldn't hear anything of it as his consciousness continued to escape him. It would seem that using his skills continuously truly is taking a heavy toll on his body. But still, he must go... he must run.

Gemma was able to find him, it won't be too long for the others to find him as well.

And so, he took another deep breath, his legs trembling as he stepped out of the stables.

"I knew following that woman will lead me to you."

"!!!"

But as soon as he stepped out of the stables, he heard another familiar voice, piercing his ears as his whole body turned alert.

"You…"

"I am utterly perplexed that they haven't found you yet. I could smell you even through the foul stench of shit from the gryphons…

...You beggar."