Crack!
A silver bolt split the night sky.
Beside Joseph's corpse, a black-robed wizard was inspecting the body. Perched around them on tree branches were dozens of Academy Overseers, watching in silence.
"Confirmed his identity yet?" the black-robed wizard asked.
"Ulrich's official apprentice, Joseph."
"Ulrich's apprentice? That complicates things." The black-robed wizard rose from beside the corpse, holding up a deformed, dark gray metal fragment.
"Did he have any enemies?"
"A few, but all of them have alibis."
The man rubbed the bullet thoughtfully.
"I should've asked more precisely: did he have enemies within the Alchemy Faction?"
"One, maybe. Joron's apprentice, Edwyn. He was cursed recently, and there's been commercial conflict between him and Joseph."
At that, one of the Overseers shrieked in frustration:
"Then how the hell did he die, Elric?! We searched the entire area, no trace, no suspicious apprentices… and yet he's just dead, without a clue!"
Elric massaged his ear and motioned for the Overseer to quiet down.
"It's normal you didn't find anything on the ground. That's because the attack didn't come from the ground."
He pointed up at the sky. "It came from there, and it was done using this little toy." He held out the twisted bullet.
"The shot came from the air, using anti-magic metal to bypass the mana shield in an instant. It hit the target directly. Because the projectile was so fast and so uniquely shaped, Joseph just-" Elric mimed an explosion, "Boom, he was gone."
"Impossible, Elric!" another Overseer shouted. "Apprentices don't have the range to cast spells from that high! If someone had used magic up there, we'd have noticed!"
"But the facts are the facts," Elric said, floating upward slightly. "Don't worry. I'll handle this. It won't happen again."
And with that, he flew toward the Central Black Tower.
…
Central Black Tower, 56th Floor
"Cheers!" Edwyn clinked glasses with Chayle, smiling broadly.
After sniping Joseph, Edwyn hadn't returned to his dorm. Instead, he'd stayed right here in the Black Tower.
He wasn't sure if the Overseers had picked up on any trace evidence. If they had, and he returned to his room, he might be captured immediately, and things would get messy.
But the Black Tower? This was Mage territory, his master Joron's domain.
As long as they had no irrefutable proof, Joron would protect him.
"Cheers, I'm with you!" Chayle raised his glass and downed the liquor.
They were still celebrating when approaching footsteps interrupted them.
"Oh no, my sister's coming," Chayle paled and quickly stashed the booze and snacks.
Bang.
"What brings you here, Sister?" Chayle asked innocently.
Agnes glared at him, then turned to Edwyn and handed him a vial.
"Edwyn, drink this. The professor wants to see you."
Edwyn sniffed the liquid, it was a sobering potion. He drank it down and followed Agnes to the 99th floor.
In the lab, Joron was chatting animatedly with Vice Dean Elric.
"Joron, your apprentice isn't simple," Elric chuckled. "Those damn owls are still spinning in circles. They came to me just now, still trying to figure out what happened."
Joron stroked his beard, smiling.
"Vice Dean, please. Without evidence, let's not make wild accusations. My student is a quiet one, always studying. Certainly not the kind to do what you're suggesting."
"No evidence, huh?" Elric said, amused, holding up the twisted bullet. "Who else in this academy, besides your student, has the skill and creativity to pull off a murder like this? Shall I take this little thing to the Curse Faction and ask for a divination?"
Joron's expression shifted slightly.
Knock knock.
"Professor, Edwyn's here," Agnes's voice came from outside.
"Just in time," Joron raised an eyebrow, then used a mana thread to open the lab door. "Come in, Edwyn. Our Vice Dean seems to have some… misunderstandings about you."
Edwyn steadied his breath and stepped into the lab, standing by Joron's side.
"You called for me, professor?"
"Yes. Vice Dean Elric was just suggesting something absurd." Joron gestured dismissively. "He thinks you're behind a certain student's death. But you've been here all evening, drinking with my other student, how could you be the killer?"
Edwyn swallowed. So it really is about Joseph.
Elric squinted at Edwyn, examining him thoroughly.
"You're Edwyn, right? Tonight, an apprentice was killed on campus. Did you know that?"
Edwyn shook his head. "Vice Dean, I've been on the 56th floor all evening. This is the first I've heard of it."
"Oh really?" Elric said coolly. "I hear you and Joseph had some serious tension."
"Just a little conflict, over potion sales. Nothing serious," Edwyn said lightly.
"Ah, then perhaps I was mistaken," Elric said, raising an eyebrow. He held up the twisted bullet. "Still… I wonder what the Curse Faction would find if they divined the source of this thing. That wouldn't be so 'minor' anymore."
"Vice Dean," Edwyn said with surprising firmness, "I really have no idea what happened."
He had anticipated the bullet being found. That's why he'd given it to Ellie beforehand, who had erased any trace of his link to it using curse magic.
Even if they tried to divine its origin now, it would lead nowhere.
Elric stared at him for a long moment.
Then… he laughed.
"Joron, you've trained a fine student. Just… don't let this kind of thing happen again inside the academy."
He placed the bullet on a nearby table and floated out the lab window.
Shortly after he left, Joron picked up the bullet. A pale-blue flame flickered in his palm, and the bullet disintegrated into nothing.
"Edwyn," he said calmly, "Did you hear what the Vice Dean said?"
"Yep."
"Then don't let this happen again." Joron's tone was even. "Also, you'll be staying in the Black Tower from now on. Ulrich is a petty old man. After what you did to his grandson, I don't fully trust he'll keep his dignity."
"Huh?" Edwyn picked up on a specific word.
"Joseph's not dead?"
"Of course not," Joron chuckled. "Ulrich made a life phylactery for him. When he died, his soul returned to the vessel. As long as they rebuild his body, he'll live again."
"But resurrection magic is expensive. Even though Joseph's just an Elementary Apprentice, bringing him back will cost tens of thousands of Mana Stones. And his new body will take years to stabilize… you probably won't see him again before you graduate."
Joron sat back down and resumed reading.
"You're not mad at me?" Edwyn asked, surprised.
He thought he'd at least get scolded after being confronted by the Vice Dean.
"Why would I be?" Joron replied without looking up. "You're my student. Someone cursed you. You retaliated. That's justice, tooth for tooth. Perfectly acceptable."
"That's how my students should behave."
Then he glanced up and grinned.
"Of course… it would've been even better if you'd waited until the Blood Trial."