The Phantom's Gambit-Chapter 45: Grim discovery

Void didn’t want to go for lectures initially because he loathed anything that would involve him sitting behind a table and having someone lecture him, while he watched and listened.

But he went to Octavius’ lectures because he had to be around people, in case anyone noticed William was missing, they wouldn’t trace whatever happened back to him.

Usually, when Octavius would attend the lectures, Void would busy himself with lurking around the room, talking to the girls that couldn’t see him, but he never paid attention to whatever the lecturer had to say.

So, now that he was seated and had to act in Octavius’ stead, he had to listen and indulge in the class activity, and surprisingly, as he sat through the class, he found himself intrigued by the discussion on skill aptitude.

Miss Wilmort lectured on the concept of skill aptitude, emphasizing how it enabled individuals to evolve their unique talents. She noted that even though other factions possessed magic abilities, they were almost bounded with equal limitations as they were.

"While they can enhance their own abilities, they cannot change them or switch with another to use their abilities." she clarified. "However, they can manipulate their powers in various ways, giving them a significant advantage." She concluded the lecture by announcing that the class would soon practice wielding their skill aptitude, applying theoretical concepts to real-world scenarios.

As Miss Wilmort finished speaking, Void raised his hand, and all eyes turned to him, surprised by his sudden interest. Miss Wilmort nodded to him to speak up.

[If I understand you correctly, Miss Wilmort, you’re suggesting that grasping skill aptitude enables us to understand and channel our inherent powers, but attempting to transcend their fundamental nature would be...unseemly?]

Miss Wilmort’s eyes narrowed slightly as she stared back at him with an encouraging expression. "I believe that was what I said. If there’s a point you’d like to make, please, specify. Otherwise—"

[Let’s use Marilyn for instance, she has two powers—]

"Talent." Miss Wilmort was quick to correct him.

[Forgive me, Miss Wilmort. In that case, doesn’t Marilyn’s exceptional case of dual talents pose an intriguing paradox? If transcending the fundamental nature of one’s talent is deemed unseemly, yet Marilyn’s innate abilities seem to defy this notion, doesn’t that imply a nuanced exception to the rule, one that warrants further exploration?]

"Actually, Marilyn doesn’t possess dual talents," Miss Wilmort corrected. "Her innate ability is to manipulate hair. The second skill she acquired through studying books, as confirmed by Marilyn herself."

Miss Wilmort turned to Marilyn, who nodded slowly, her demeanor noticeably more subdued.

Void observed the exchange before responding, [Dual powers aren’t encouraged, I understand. However, I’d like to pose a hypothetical scenario. Suppose I have the ability to desiccate individuals to the point of turning them to dust. If I were to discover a method to refine my power, allowing me to manipulate the shape of the desiccated remains using the same ability, wouldn’t that transcend the conventional notion of ’channeling our powers’?]

Void paused, making air quotes. [Wouldn’t that imply I possess two distinct talents?]

Miss Wilmort’s expression remained steadfast. "You can’t have two talents. If you can refine your abilities as you described hypothetically, you must adhere to the one that causes less harm."

[What about individuals who possessed dual talents prior to our current understanding of skill aptitude?] Void asked, ] with a measured tone.

[Didn’t they, by definition, transcend the fundamental nature of their powers? And if so, wouldn’t that imply that the notion of unseemliness is more a product of our current societal norms rather than an inherent flaw in the possession of dual talents?]

Miss Wilmort’s expression turned contemplative, and she fell silent for a moment, her eyes narrowing as she pondered the paradox. The classroom remained still, the only sound the quiet rustling of papers.

Finally, Miss Wilmort spoke, her voice measured. "Mr..." She hesitated, trying to recall Void’s alias.

The source of this c𝓸ntent is frёeweɓηovel.coɱ.

[Edwin, ] Void responded, still adhering to their fake names.

Miss Wilmort’s gaze refocused. "We need to proceed with the skill aptitude practical. Perhaps we can discuss this further in my office. I’d like to explore your thoughts on this topic."

Void’s eyes sparkled with interest. [I’d love to, Miss Wilmort.]

Miss Wilmort smiled, as she darted her attention to the rest. "Class dismissed. Be in the practice room in five minutes." she turned to Void. "I’ll be in touch with you soon, Edwin."

As they exited the classroom and made their way to the designated area for the practical, Void heard Octavius’s strained whisper in his mind. The concoction was starting to wear off, but not enough for Octavius to regain control.

"Do—not—attempt to make love with our teacher—you sick fuck," Octavius’s voice cracked in his mind.

Void smirked, as he responded. [So shallow of you to assume I want to make love with her. I actually planned to have her on her table, but nothing as trite as...love.] He sneered, his tone dripping with disdain, as he emphasized the word "love".

The practical session commenced with Miss Wilmort providing a comprehensive overview of the fundamental techniques for optimizing and refining their unique talents.

"Today, we’ll be exploring the most effective methods for leveraging your individual abilities, whether it’s enhanced speed, acute hearing, or any other talent, to achieve greater efficiency and control."

Erick rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath, "But we already have efficient control. This is a complete waste of time." He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back against the wall, exuding a sense of boredom.

Miss Wilmort’s gaze settled on him, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. "How about you demonstrate your control, Erick? Step into that box." She nodded toward a large, ornate box in the center of the room.

Erick let out a dramatic sigh and pushed off from the wall, ambling toward the box with an air of reluctance. As he stepped inside, the box’s doors closed behind him, and he was plunged into darkness.

Suddenly, he found himself standing at the edge of a deep pit, the air thick with the sounds of scuttling, chattering, and growling creatures. Erick’s eyes adjust slowly to the dim light.

He heard Miss Willmort’s voice, low and steady, as if she stood beside him, her words carried on the musty air. "Tell me, Erick, how many creatures lie within?"

Erick tried to focus on using his acute hearing to detect the number of monsters present.

He concentrated, trying to pick out individual sounds, but it was like trying to untangle a knot of snakes. The cacophony was overwhelming, and he couldn’t pinpoint the exact number of creatures.

Finally, the pit fell silent, and the doors of the box creaked open. Erick emerged, looking slightly disheveled, and Miss Wilmort greeted him with a knowing smile.

"So, Erick, how many monsters did you detect in the pit?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

Erick hesitated, unsure of himself. "I...I don’t know. It sounded like a dozen, at least."

Miss Wilmort chuckled. "Let’s take a look, shall we?" With a subtle gesture, the pit’s walls slid open, revealing a single, small creature caged within. The winged being’s appearance was striking, with one wing noticeably amputated, its coal-black feathers stark against the dim light. Its eyes, glowing like embers, seemed to burn with an inner intensity.

Erick’s eyes widened in surprise. "One?" he asked in doubt. "But...but I could have sworn there were more."

Before Miss Wilmort could respond to Erick’s confusion, the door burst open, and the Architect mage, Emery strode in, his expression grim. The room fell silent, with all eyes fixed on the unexpected arrival.

Miss Wilmort’s brow furrowed in concern as she approached Emery. "I wasn’t expecting you, Emery. Is everything alright?" she asked.

Emery’s gaze swept the room, his eyes locking onto the students. "All is not well," he let out urgently.

Turning to the class, he announced, "One of the student has been confirmed missing and possibly dead within the walls of the Academy. You, along with the students from the other factions, have been summoned."

[Well that was rather quick, ] Void thought to himself as he made his way along with the others out of the practice room.