Chapter 53

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Episode 11 - Mysterious Murder [5]

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It was break time, and as usual, I was eating sandwiches with my favorite coffee.

Rinna, who always used to eat different kinds of dishes, was staring at me.

Her curiosity was so obvious it could almost be felt.

I slightly raised my head and asked her:

"Are you curious about the results of yesterday’s search?"

She quickly nodded.

"Yes, yes... so, how did it go?"

"No progress, not even a single clue."

I explained to Rinna what I had discovered.

There was no villain. Everyone there was a professor creating theses, conducting research, experiments, etc.

There was no sign of any villain. Rinna listened silently without saying a word.

As someone who had hunted villains before entering the Academy, she gave her opinion.

"They’ll be going to another room today. In that case, even if there are no villains there, it would mean they’re deliberately avoiding the areas being investigated by the Search Groups."

She was right in a certain sense, but...

"I don’t think that’s it. First of all, the principal was the one who created these groups, and no one other than her and, of course, the members of each group, knows about them. So unless there was a traitor among the cadets, no one else would know anything."

In response to my rebuttal, Rinna quickly came up with another idea.

"If that’s the case, then there are two possibilities."

I focused on her words, knowing she had experience in this.

"First, it could simply be that all the villains left the underground and returned to the surface because Principal Bernice has been actively moving around during her search."

Did that mean my search in the underground would be pointless?

’This is really difficult.’

I sighed and then listened to the second possibility.

"The second would be that they have some kind of Magic Item that even your senses can’t detect, or a Unique Trait that can be used on other people."

I was surprised by Rinna’s insight in reaching that conclusion.

There had never been a trait capable of hiding itself so well from a 10-Star who possessed the Divine Eye, a Unique Trait capable of seeing many things.

No one would even consider the possibility that such a trait could exist.

Yet Rinna still included it among her possibilities.

’There is only one trait I know of with those characteristics, but it cannot be used on other people, only on its bearer.’

That Trait is revealed when the Church of the Black Dawn causes its first destruction within the Inner Ordeal.

At that moment, the existence of never-before-seen Traits possessed by the members of that organization is discovered.

"Well, I’m leaning more toward the second possibility."

"See? Aren’t I amazing?"

Rinna smiled while puffing out her chest, as if she were proud of herself.

"You barely use your head most of the time, you know?"

"How rude. I won’t talk to you for the rest of the day."

She pouted. I let out a small laugh at her childish actions.

In any case, I was certain it was not that trait.

Perhaps it really could be some kind of Magic Item.

But the real question was the following.

’What Magic Item could it be?’

If there was one thing I was certain of, it was that there was no Magic Item capable of escaping my senses and my Mana Sense.

Especially not the abilities of my True Vision.

’Perhaps... it is some object created by the Progenitors.’

Like the mysterious ring the Lady of Beasts left me in the Dream World.

’I should seek Professor Ashly’s help.’

If there was anyone knowledgeable about Magic Items and those created by the Progenitors, then she was the right person.

’I barely know anything about Magic Items. I searched through my memories, but there is simply nothing I can remember about them.’

With a sigh, I finished my sandwiches and coffee.

After classes, that would be my next search.

"Well, I’m going with Professor Ashly. See you in class."

I said goodbye to Rinna and headed to Professor Ashly’s office.

***

Knock! Knock!

I knocked on the door to Professor Ashly’s office. It didn’t take long before I heard her voice.

"Come in, Assistant Adel."

I grabbed the doorknob, turned it, and pushed the door open. Professor Ashly was at her desk, busy with who knows what.

She raised her head, smiled, and asked:

"What brings you to my office, Assistant Adel?"

In private, Professor Ashly calls Lumina and me that way; in class, she addresses us like any other professor would.

I sat down in front of her and got straight to the point.

"Professor, do you know if there exists, or if there is even the slightest possibility that there exists, a Magic Item capable of hiding from the sight of a 10-Star who possesses the Divine Eye?"

At my question, she did not seem surprised.

Her expression changed, as if searching through her memories. Soon, it changed again, and she said:

"Well, I suppose you’re looking for Professor Harris’s killer, right? Did Headmistress Bernice tell you, or are you doing this on your own?"

"It was her. She created three groups, one for each year, made up only of the strongest students."

She nodded, as if she had already expected that, and then answered my question.

"Officially, there is no Magic Item with those capabilities, but..."

She searched through some papers in her desk drawer. Soon, she found them and began reading.

"A long time ago, a possible Relic created by one of the Progenitors was discovered. It is still unknown whether it is truly real, but its concealment abilities are so advanced that even a 10-Star has difficulty detecting it, although..."

I finished her words with a murmur: 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

"... it isn’t perfect concealment."

She nodded, then looked at another page and, after a few seconds, said:

"But, for the past few decades, some villains have used Magic Items with concealment effects far superior to the Relic. However, they are still imperfect, so, in theory, no item with those characteristics should exist. Of course, we are talking about official sources."

It was information I truly didn’t know.

I didn’t know something created by the Progenitors had been discovered.

I thought I was the only one who possessed one of those Relics, but apparently another one had already appeared.

Professor Ashly continued speaking.

"If we talk about sources that have not yet been confirmed, there is a very small possibility, but nothing is known for certain."

I nodded and then asked:

"Hypothetically, if the killer only leaves behind their Source, is it possible that it’s not because of some magical item?"

At my words, Professor Ashly’s lips curved upward and she nodded.

"Yes, so you’ve come to the conclusion that it isn’t a magical item, right?"

I nodded, because there wasn’t much information, but it also wasn’t impossible.

If a magical item with those concealment capabilities existed, someone should have seen it somehow.

Villains use everything within their reach to do their work.

’It had to be some kind of item, but it doesn’t seem to exist or, at the very least, one hasn’t been discovered yet.’

At that moment, Professor Ashly said something that made me think.

"How about this? What if the villain actually doesn’t possess any trait or item hidden from Director Bernice, but instead their Power of Chaos simply disappears, and the answer is closer than you think?"

At that moment, Professor Ashly had given me an idea.

My mind worked at full speed.

’In the Academy, everyone is an awakened person, but there are very few who aren’t, so I shouldn’t be able to sense their mana or even the Power of Chaos.’

In that case, I focused all my thoughts on ordinary humans.

’And what if it really is a villain with the ability to erase or undo their Power of Chaos at will?’

Wouldn’t that basically be a form of concealment, a branch of hiding abilities?

In that case, I need a list of ordinary humans.

Then, maintain a period of observation.

’Good, I already have my next objective.’

I had already obtained a clue.

If the killer can get rid of their Power of Chaos at will with the help of some item or Unique Trait,

then I would only need to focus on that.

I stood up from my seat and thanked Professor Ashly.

"Thank you, Professor Ashly, you’ve given me a clue."

She waved her hands and said:

"It’s nothing, you were the one who came up with that idea, weren’t you?"

"Even so, it’s thanks to you."

I soon left her office; it was almost time to return to class.

After classes, it would be time for the group meeting.

---

Somewhere within the Academy,

a woman was looking at a holographic screen floating in front of her.

A voice came from the other side.

"You have three days to return. Until then, avoid being discovered. The professors and the principal might not find you, but the cadets are a different matter."

The woman let out a soft laugh.

"Don’t worry, they’ll never find me. You know I was assigned this mission because of my Unique Trait, right?"

The voice on the holographic screen snorted.

"Humans use their brains. They’re not idiots who can’t reach a possible conclusion about your Unique Trait, so avoid drawing attention as much as possible. Besides, you’re completely vulnerable while your Unique Trait is active."

The woman sighed and nodded.

"Yes, yes, I’ll be careful."

But her thoughts were somewhat different.

’What an idiot. He knows perfectly well about my Unique Trait, so what can a bunch of children with almost no experience possibly do?’

The woman soon made the holographic screen disappear.

Then she left her room and headed to the main building.