"I apologize for the cramped quarters. This is the home of Aaru Village's headman. Until the sandstorm passes, I'm afraid you'll have to make do here."
The speaker was a desert girl with heterochromatic eyes and dark skin, her tone gentle. "Let me introduce myself. My name is Candace, and I am Aaru Village's guardian."
Finally, someone had broken the ice. Paimon was relieved. "Finally, a savior! I'm Paimon. Nice to meet you. Thank you for bringing us here earlier, Candace."
[Paimon: I wonder if you've noticed that Candace's eyes are two different colors.]
[Ningguang: Yes, indeed—a rare case of heterochromia.]
[Candace: I'm not sure of the cause either.]
"It's fine." Candace spread her hands. "In times of natural disaster, helping each other is only natural. No need to be so formal."
"Now, that was the casual talk. Here's the serious part: before the sandstorm hit, I was watching your conflict from afar to make sure it wouldn't affect the villagers."
"Now that you're all in Aaru Village, it's my duty to eliminate any threats. I hope you can speak openly and honestly with each other and try to resolve your hostility. Under this roof, if anyone dares to start trouble again, I'll have the desert beasts outside welcome you instead."
[Candace: Forgive me, everyone. Let me properly introduce myself: I am the guardian of Aaru Village. I protect the safety of its people. Visitors from other nations are warmly welcome here. I only become this serious under special circumstances.]
[Dehya: I can vouch for that. Candace is gentle with her own people and harsh with her enemies.]
[Candace: This is the desert. I cannot retreat. Behind me stand the people of the desert. I must protect them.]
[Wriothesley: Haha! When new inmates arrive at the fortress, it's important to be stern from the start. If you're too soft at first, no one will take your authority seriously later.]
Cyno spoke first. "Let me begin. Alhaitham said the Mahamatra don't know where I went. That's not because I'm on some secret mission—it's because I chose to exile myself."
Paimon repeated in confusion, "Self-exile?"
Cyno continued, "Some time ago, I discovered gaps in the Akademiya's engineering project records and execution files. Those records clearly didn't match reality. As the General Mahamatra, it was my duty and my right to request a verification. But I never expected that the person in charge of those records was the Grand Sage himself. Before submitting my request, I conducted many private investigations. But every clue and piece of evidence skillfully evaded my sight."
"So I gradually realized they had been guarding against me from the start. As expected, after I submitted my request, the Grand Sage rejected it and even told me, 'The authority of the Mahamatra was granted by the Sages. You have no right to judge us.'"
[Paimon: So angry! So angry!]
[Cyno: The Sages have taken full control of the Akademiya. It is no longer the place I dreamed of.]
[Nahida: The General Mahamatra and the Grand Sage were meant to be equals, checking each other's power. When did that change?]
[Ningguang: That kind of change might not have been gradual—it could have happened suddenly. If Cyno had led all the Mahamatra against the Grand Sage, their positions might have been restored to equal standing. But by retreating, the Mahamatra's status fell beneath the Sages.]
[Ningguang: The transfer of power can happen quickly or slowly.]
Alhaitham chimed in, "So there's definitely something fishy going on."
Cyno continued, "That was when I realized—in the Grand Sage's eyes, the Mahamatra are nothing but tools for the Sages to control knowledge."