Chapter 63 : Chapter 63

Chapter 63. Closing In

However, Habos simply shook his head before speaking.

“That matter is still a long way off... What I want to ask is whether you know the female apprentice who sat beside you last time.”

Elan instinctively thought he was referring to Laiyi, but he was uncertain about the range Habos meant by “beside,” so he asked,

“Do you mean the second person to my right who sat beside me?”

Once someone reached the rank of a formal mage, their memory improved significantly. That was why Elan asked this way—he believed Habos would surely remember as well.

“No. I mean the first one on your right, the one closest to you.”

“The one with black hair?”

“Yes, that’s her. Do you know her?”

Elan was somewhat confused. Habos usually sought out apprentices for only one reason—he had taken a liking to someone’s talent.

As for Fulan, Elan could only say he knew her very well. However, from his perspective, she was naturally suited for the Sword Chant School. As for spells, her talent could only be described as modest.

Such a combination fit the Sword Chant School perfectly. Even though the Law School, to which Elan belonged, was severely lacking in members, he had never considered recruiting Fulan into it.

He believed that joining the Sword Chant School would be the best choice for her. Although her spellcasting talent was sufficient for other schools, there was no need. Joining another school would only waste her swordsmanship talent.

He also remembered Fulan’s behavior during the previous class. She had been distracted the entire time—picking at her fingers, chatting with Laiyi beside her, and occasionally drifting off. She certainly had not looked like an apprentice who understood the lesson.

So why was Habos looking for her?

“I know her. We’re quite familiar.”

“Has something happened to her recently? Why didn’t she come to class this time?”

Habos asked the question, leaving Elan even more bewildered. Judging from Habos’s tone, could it be that Fulan had actually understood the previous lesson?

Faced with the inquiry of a Fourth-Tier mage, Elan could only answer honestly.

“It seems she’s been avoiding people from the Modification School recently. She apparently had some kind of conflict with them and has been staying at home.”

“The Modification School...”

Habos pondered for a moment before continuing,

“Then where is her residence?”

Once again, under the questioning of a Fourth-Tier mage, Elan could only answer truthfully. Besides, he had been the one who helped Fulan find that house in the first place, so he knew exactly where it was.

By the time Elan stepped out through the door, he finally came back to his senses.

Judging from the situation, Fulan must also possess talent in weapon forging—perhaps even an uncommon level of it. That must be what caught Habos’s attention.

He scratched his head. Given the circumstances, he had no choice but to believe it. After all, could a Fourth-Tier mage like Habos really be joking with him?

---

At the Sword Chant School’s compound, the usual liveliness had vanished. Instead, a tense silence hung in the air, as though something was about to erupt.

Dozens of apprentices gathered together, whispering among themselves as they discussed the situation unfolding in the distance.

“What’s going on? Why is Mentor Bernit confronting someone over there?”

“It’s because of what happened two days ago. Someone from our side severely injured an apprentice from the Modification School.”

“I guess their mentor came to demand an explanation.”

...

Bernit watched Belori cautiously as they faced each other.

He could clearly see the sharp spikes protruding from beneath her sleeves.

Belori spoke first.

“I already told you. I am here to investigate knowledge that may have leaked from the Modification School. As soon as I find it, I will leave immediately.”

Bernit responded with a smile.

“And who knows whether you might deliberately plant a book just to frame our apprentices? I cannot allow you to conduct a search.”

“Unless you have the Alliance’s search authorization and enforcement documents, I will not let you enter.”

Belori did not reply. She knew that condition was absolutely impossible to meet.

The Alliance would never approve it. Her reasoning—that she was searching for possibly leaked knowledge—was far too weak.

In the Alliance’s responsibilities, there was no clause about safeguarding the knowledge of the various schools.

Furthermore, the requirements for obtaining such documents were extremely strict. If you applied for them simply to capture a murderer, the answer would be no.

Only when there was clear evidence of a dangerous task or item capable of causing large-scale civilian casualties would the Alliance issue such authorization.

Even then, they would examine your qualifications. If your personal status was insufficient, they would simply take over the matter themselves.

The various schools acknowledged themselves as part of the Alliance precisely because the Alliance had established a system that satisfied everyone when dealing with the schools.

And Belori could not meet those requirements.

A trace of ruthlessness flashed through her eyes.

It was clear that Bernit would never reach an agreement with her. Since the rules between schools had to be followed, then it was time for a test.

The metallic structure in Belori’s throat emitted a white glow. She inhaled deeply and exhaled forcefully, causing cracks to appear across the floor between the two of them.

Bernit immediately recognized that Belori had launched an attack. He raised his sword above his head and assumed a defensive stance.

CLANG.

A crisp sound echoed.

Dense cracks spread beneath Bernit’s feet, yet the hand gripping his sword did not tremble in the slightest.

Belori suddenly launched another attack. Her right arm abruptly extended, a long, spike-covered limb emerging from her sleeve. Its elongated claws lunged toward Bernit.

Bernit remained calm. With a sidestep, he avoided the strike, then swung his sword back and slashed the arm. The blow slowed its movement.

“Do you wish to continue?” Bernit asked with a tight smile.

“There’s no need. I will leave now.”

Belori retracted her arm and slid it back into the wide sleeve of her robe. She turned and walked away without hesitation.

From that brief exchange, she had already determined that Bernit would not be easy to defeat.

And if she could not finish him quickly, then once the other formal mages of the Sword Chant School arrived, she would be the one in trouble.

She knew that she would likely never get the chance to search the Sword Chant School this time.

In the future, the Sword Chant School would certainly react by strengthening their defenses, leaving her even fewer opportunities.

However...

She took out several sheets of paper hidden inside her robe. They were filled with names.

Belori pulled a pen from her pocket.

Her claw accidentally caught on the pocket, tearing a small hole in it.

She frowned.

Looks like I need to change into another set of clothes again...

Taking the pen, she crossed out the names one by one based on her memory.

“This one is impossible—he cannot use any spells... This one won’t work either. His swordsmanship could not even defeat a few skeletons. He could never have killed Richter...”

Inside her mind was a Guide of the Spirit Realm with the attribute Perception, allowing her to sense the skills mastered by anyone below the Second Tier.

Earlier, she had used it to sense the dozens of apprentices gathered in the distance. After eliminating the impossible names, she stared at the remaining ones.

As long as she used the method of elimination to determine which individuals might have killed Richter, she could investigate them.

And eventually, she would uncover clues about the missing notebook.