Chapter 24: Deduction

Rudolf Azregon

Dragon Knight Academy, in a certain classroom. The professor dismissed our class already, but some students preferred to stay on their seats.

Amphere has been leaning his face on his right hand, trying hard to act cool and not to show his real feelings right now. That slap from the Duchess Corasell yesterday (Yeah, I witnessed it) must’ve hurt a lot that he’s concealing his pain. There’s no bruise, but his right cheek is still reddish. He’s like a man who forgot to use his blush-on on his other cheek.

Amphere now made another sigh as he pulled his bag under the desk. I forced a smile when he looked at me, but he maintained his grumpy yet emotionless face. Airelina is right about being so bland and boring about this person, but I’ve known him for about two decades that I can easily read his emotions like a book.

“Maybe you should stay away from Duchess Corasell from now on.” I said. “Your assignment for her is long over.”

“I can’t.” He said with a bitter smile. “As much as I wanted to run away, I can’t. I need to protect her.”

“You know that the Black Phantom is after her, right? It’s dangerous.” I said with a caring tone. Of course I lied. I already took the Black Phantom’s life.

“I know. But someone is more dangerous.” He stared on the floor for a couple of seconds. Then he made a long silence as he was engulfed in deep thought.

As far as I know, almost everyone whom you’re working for; Estoff Wraith, Marieflorine Corasell, and more importantly your dragonoid the Crimson Dragonfly are the most dangerous crew in the world. There is a lot of proof that connects them to the terrorist group Arcadia, and you have been blinded by them. I know that they’re using you for their own sakes!

I can’t tell him that for sure. If I started an argument about that, his attachment to those evil scumbags would grow, and his hate for me and the Chevalier Unit might arise. Kyle said that I should recruit him to the Chevalier Unit as soon as possible. I have to save him before it’s all too late.

Reina approached us and crossed her arms. This girl always looks serious and strict, but she’s cool at the same time. It looks like he was about to tell us some update.

“Emy has been delivered safely to the Dragonoid Facility on the Guardian’s Haven. She should be safe there for the meantime.” Then she stared on the ceiling. “That Black Phantom is really a dangerous person, huh. That guy already killed four skilled Dragon Knights.”

Reina didn’t know the whole story. Only Kyle, I, and our dragonoids know everything about the Black Phantom and the Crimson Dragonfly. If Reina gets hold of that information, her acts would be certainly uncontrollable. We need her help as a skilled leader and as a powerful Dragon Knight.

Still, I don’t know if letting Emy go is a good decision. Kyle said that we should eliminate her too but I wanted her to be alive. I know that Emy didn’t have any idea who killed Alder or the ones who tortured her, but she might be able to lead us to the Duke Dragunov, who is the leader behind all the Black Phantom’s motives. We consider the Duke and the Arcadia the same level of threat to the empire.

“You two look like you know something.” Reina frowned at Amphere, then to me.

“N-No, nothing at all!” We answered in sync. It should’ve been obvious, so I tried to reason out myself. “It’s just that almost all Dragon Knights are connected to the Dragonoid Rights Bill, or the Duchess Corasell. Well maybe Alder is just out of place there.”

“Or maybe Alder knew a lot.” Amphere added. This guy…He certainly knows what’s going on.

“You’ve been sticking your nose to the young Duchess. Maybe that slap from yesterday is a warning sign that you should stay away from her.”

Amphere had his “You witnessed that too!?” face and scratched his head. He is certainly embarrassed. Well there were a lot of people who saw that magnificent slap in the backstage. It was certainly attention grabbing. The sermon after the slap is somewhat entertaining too. I should’ve bought some popcorns hahaha!

“It’s impossible!” Amphere said. “There’s no way that the Black Phantom would come after me.”

Amphere…knows everything. I scowled at him and took note of every gesture he made. His hand and head gesture as well as his facial expressions. When he noticed me being stern, he quickly continued to defend himself.

“Do you remember my power back in the elimination round? Black Phantom would be scared of me. Ha ha ha.” What a fake laugh.

The three-headed white dragon. He successfully used Vesryn Pulse to three dragonoids at once. Not just that, he managed to fuse them together as one. It’s a power that is to be feared, even by the empire. It is the newest mystery that no one has been able to solve.

Now to think of it, why would Airelina choose Amphere as his knight? Did she already knew the full extent of Amphere’s abilities? The more I apply logic it, the more I hate Airelina. I should investigate more.

When the sun faded, I made my resolve to study more in the Chevalier Unit Office. For the next nights, I effectively used the bulletin board to learn everything about all these mysteries. I have a lot of data and documents to analyze in this office. I am sure that Estoff and Airelina are involved in the Arcadia, but I need a definite proof.

Darn. I slammed my head on my desk. My brain is already overheating trying to guess what the Arcadia really wants with Amphere. My knowledge about Dragunov’s plot and the secret of the Crimson Dragonfly didn’t offer much help. All of them are unconnected to Amphere, so I’m close to believing that Airelina and Amphere’s contract as a dragon and a knight is coincidental. How did they meet in the first place? Amphere said that she bought her in a good price in Goldcliffe City. And that is a terrible lie. I know Estoff has been involved somehow on their first meeting.

Arcadia’s motive is to free the dragonoids. Duchess Corasell must be getting support from the Arcadia because she is the author of the Dragonoid Rights Bill. And also, Amphere joining the tournament…

There’s still so much to know. But I am certain for one thing: Once Amphere wins the tournament, Arcadia’s plans will come to fruition. I’m not against the freedom of dragonoids. But I can’t help but to doubt their true objectives after that. With Crimson Dragonfly and all the free dragonoids on their arsenal, they can overthrow the empire. And I can’t afford that.

That means I have to defeat Amphere in this tournament.

I looked at my watch to see the time. It’s already past midnight. Come to think of it, I was deprived of sleep for the past three days. I think it’s worth it anyway. I finally have a conclusion, yet there are still mysteries to be revealed.

Suddenly…

I saw a reflection on my watch. There was an apparition on the window. A man with a black magician’s hat and white mask. A long platinum cloak. A ghost that shouldn’t be here in this world. I tried to rub my eyes, believing that it was just all a hallucination. But when I looked at the window, I immediately concluded: he’s completely real!

The Black Phantom!