Chapter 479 – Suspicious Company.

“Ah, Professor Wayland, I’ve heard the good news! Do you have time now to discuss…”

A small black cat floated forward, his eyes sparkling with joy. He was able to see his assistant professor coming from around the corner. His name was Wayland and since his arrival, the whole Institute had been flipped upside down. Everyone was whispering his name and gossiping about the wave of change he was ushering with his presence. Many of the other professors were jealous, some even feared his newly gained position but Arion was truly grateful that he had become acquainted with this peculiar young man.

“Good day, Professor Arion.”

“Oh? Good day.”

Before he could speak any further three new people entered his field of view. Four young ladies accompanied his new friend. One of them had been central to a recent drama that Professor Wayland had resolved. He wasn’t too well informed about the three that accompanied her but they seemed to have a good relationship with each other. While he couldn’t tell what this was about, his friend seemed to be in some trouble. Even though his face was hidden behind armor, Arion could tell by now when Roland was flustered.

Arion, the head of the Runic Department, took in the scene before him with keen interest. Roland, or Professor Wayland as most knew him, was flanked by his sister Lucienne and her three friends, each carrying travel bags. There seemed to be some tension in the air, cleary something was unfolding before his feline eyes.

“I see you have company. What brings you all here?”

He noticed Roland hesitating for a second before moving closer and leaning in.

“Lucienne’s brother is in some trouble, I have agreed to help her get there through the teleportation gate. The others are her friends… and they have decided to accompany us.”

Arion raised an eyebrow, glancing at the determined faces of the girls. They were in some strange defensive stance with Lucienne in the middle. From Roland’s tone, he could ascertain that the young man wasn’t too glad of how this situation was unfolding. He knew Lucienne from the recent incident with the Castellane family but was unsure how it would unfold in the future.

“I understand, don’t worry about the runic department, I’ll take care of everything, I just heard the good news directly from the Headmistress! I must thank you my friend, all of this wouldn’t have been possible without you! If there is anything that you wish, just tell me and I’ll make it happen.”

The news about an increase in funds had already reached his feline ears. Many teachers from other departments were starting to show interest in transferring to his side. He knew that they just wanted to ride the wave and use his newly-gained wealth for their own research but he could still use those vouchers. Perhaps his dream of runic magic spreading through the kingdom wasn’t that far off.

“Yeah, about that, do you perhaps know any people within the De Vere territory? I might need some help there.”

“Hm… De Vere… You probably already know of my previous assistant Lucille De Vere. Don’t tell me…”

“Yes, she is involved in this incident…”

“Oh my… How dreadful, is she alright?”

“Yes, she is fine but probably under house arrest, so if there is anyone else that you might know…”

Arion started to deliberate this question. The De Vere territory was well-known for its strict governance and formidable defenses. Given the current situation, any assistance there would be invaluable.

“De Vere territory, you say? Hm… I do know a few individuals who might be of help. There’s Professor Eloise, who specializes in elemental runes. She has connections within the De Vere family and was young Lucille’s tutor. She was the one that awoke my assistant’s love for runic magic! To this day, I’ll never forget those bright eyes when she walked in during one of my lectures…”

“Arion… could you please focus…”

“Oh, excuse me, where was I? Ah yes! There was also Bernard, a former student of mine. If I’m not mistaken he had decided to settle down in that region, he might be able to provide some help during your stay as well.”

“That would be very helpful. Could you send a message to them on my behalf? I need all the help I can get.”

“Of course, I will get right on it. I’ll make sure they know of your situation and the urgency.”

“Thank you, Professor Arion. I appreciate your assistance.”

He saw his large friend nodding while the four girls waited behind him. It was a strange sight to behold but he was sure that with Roland as the chaperone, they would be safe.

“No problem at all, my friend. Now, safe travels, and may the rune gods guide your path.”

Arion gave a warm smile and turned back to his work, leaving Roland with the reassurance that he wouldn’t be alone in the De Vere lands. With a nod, Roland led Lucienne and her friends to the teleportation gate. The girls seemed slightly more relaxed now, but the weight of the task ahead strained their expressions.
“There is never a boring day with him around…”

*****

The teleportation gate emitted a soft hum as it activated, casting a blue glow around the chamber. The girls exchanged nervous glances, but Roland’s presence seemed to give them some comfort. He stood at the front, his posture firm and resolute.

“Everyone ready?”

Lucienne nodded, gripping her bag tightly. Her friends mirrored her actions, standing close together. Roland wasn’t feeling too well about what was happening, his preparations were slim to none and he didn’t truly know the area he was attempting to go to now. Everything was happening too fast for his liking but there was no time to prepare. If they didn’t go now, Robert’s future was at risk.

What he was mostly worried about were the three girls that were coming along with them. He had agreed to take them along under the pretense of emotional support for his sister. While Roland was a loner that didn’t need anyone, this wasn’t the case for others. It actually was somewhat helpful as he wouldn’t need to worry about this part of the trip. However, some irregularities arose during their departure.

“Young lady… I think you should reconsider, I’m sure that the Professor will handle…”

“Hadley, That’s enough. We already discussed this, let’s go!”

Margaret Braganza, one of Lucienne’s friends and an upperclassman, was quite suspicious. She was capable of hiding her status in a way that he didn’t understand. He had attempted to discern it but couldn’t pinpoint the source of the spell or ability being used. Then, once they had decided to leave, she appeared with another person, clearly a powerful guard.

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The guard was a woman who somewhat reminded him of Mary from Albrook. She was wearing a maid uniform and concealing some weapons under her long skirt. No normal person would be able to detect the faint magical traces, but he could tell that she was hiding something dangerous under there. Her status had been hidden as well, probably through the same technique Margaret was using.

This woman had long black hair done in a ponytail and her left eye was covered by an eyepatch. Her movements were somewhat rough and lacked the grace Mary walked with. She seemed to be more of a frontline warrior type than someone that hid within the shadows. Possibly, another Knight Commander like Elythaes Baskerville that he had faced.

‘Who is this girl…’

On one hand, having an experienced guard would be beneficial, especially given the uncertainty of their mission. On the other hand, her presence complicated things, as her true motif was still unknown. Was she truly an ally or would they attempt to do something similar to the incident in the nearby dungeon?
‘She doesn’t seem like someone who is taking orders from Viola. Is she a hidden daughter of some powerful noble? I bet if something happens to her, they will blame me for it, great.’

It wasn’t strange for nobles to create hidden offspring that no one knew about. It was possible that this was one of those situations and she was living a double life with a knight protecting her well-being. However, there were other possibilities, she could have been a criminal, a spy from another country, or just someone that wanted to hide their identity for some reason.

‘Her words feel genuine at least, I don’t think she is an enemy, maybe her hidden identity could come in handy?’

While thinking Roland, Lucienne, and her friends vanished into the teleportation gate. Once through to the other side of the teleportation gate, the group arrived in a small, dimly lit chamber in the mage tower closest to the De Vere territory. The room was lined with intricate runes, and a mage was present to oversee the transportation process. He nodded at them, signaling that all had gone smoothly.

“Welcome to the Lorian Mage Tower.”

The mage that was present said, his voice echoing slightly through the chamber.

“I trust your journey was uneventful?”