In the real world, in Sector 1, inside the Student Council Hall, Livia stood in the middle of the hall, as though she were on a stage, spreading her arms wide with her shocking announcement.
Everyone's eyes widened in shock at the sudden revelation: the gatekeeper whom almost everyone in this room had spoken with, the same gatekeeper who had helped them and given them clues last time—was not real, according to Livia.
"W-wait, are you sure about this information?" Kieran asked, shocked and surprised.
"Yes, a thousand percent!" Livia declared with confidence, lifting her head in pride.
At that moment, Aria stood up from her seat, unable to believe this information. She looked at Livia, focusing on her facial expressions to check whether she was joking or not, but all she saw was confidence and sincerity, which only made her more worried.
"…What's your proof?" Aria asked, trying to suppress her confusion and control her expression.
"All thanks to my skill—'The Quietus Tribunal'," Livia said.
"…The what?" Aria asked in bewilderment.
"Ahem, ahem—'The Quietus Tribunal.' My beloved skill. It allows me to know many things whenever I look at a person," Livia said proudly.
"T-this…" Kieran muttered in shock and confusion.
"With this skill, it's natural she would have plenty of evidence about everyone… not just that bastard. But now I'll have to keep my eyes on her too! Damn it, she might be reading my thoughts right now and I wouldn't even know," Aria thought nervously to herself, glancing at Sirius, who seemed unfazed by all these revelations, while outwardly she maintained a cold, frozen expression like ice.
"But how did you know that Mr. Myriad isn't real?" Lou yan asked.
"Well, every skill has its limits. If the person is under the protection of their own skill, or of someone else's… or if the person isn't real. Or rather, a copy, i wouldn't be able to observe them."
"A copy?" Neriah asked.
"Yes… Mr. Myriad has an intense connection with Mr. Jarod, a bond that transcends even the soul. You could say they share the same soul… Mr. Myriad is a copy of Mr. Jarod."
Everyone's eyes widened in shock—of course, except for Sirius, who had expected this long ago. But his eyes were carefully watching Aria to see her reaction, before turning back to Livia.
"Livia's skill has its limits, even if she doesn't admit it. Her skill is almost a paradox. The more she sees, the more she learns about the target. But the more the target questions her, the less she knows… She'll need to be careful once her enemies learn this aspect. If they know, her skill will become useless," Sirius thought to himself.
Above Livia's head, words floated and formed like red smoke, gathering together into the information she revealed both consciously and unconsciously in her mind. Since she knew nothing about Sirius's skill—a certainty—Sirius could now see everything.
---
[Skill: The Quietus Tribunal (Rank A – Level 1)]
[Type: Insight/Cognitive Skill – Observation/Paradox]
Classification: Active / Continuous / Passive
Description:
You are now the executor of hidden judgment.
The Quietus Tribunal grants you the ability to pierce the unseen, uncover secrets, and weigh truths in silence. The more you observe your target, the more knowledge you gain; yet, when pressed with questions, clarity slips away, leaving only shadows and uncertainty.
[Active Effects:]
[Silent Verdict]:
Focuses your observation on a single target, revealing hidden intentions, weaknesses, and concealed knowledge.
Observation Duration: 30 seconds per target
Effect: Reveals traits and secrets invisible to ordinary perception
Can detect lies, hidden items, and arcane marks
[Shadowed Inquisition]:
Extends your observation across multiple targets simultaneously.
Effect Radius: 15 meters
Knowledge gained decreases with each additional target
Causes subtle unease and paranoia in observed targets
[Paradox of Inquiry]:
When a target directly questions you, their certainty corrupts your perception, creating doubt and confusion.
Effect: Reduces clarity of information when responding, distorting your knowledge of the target
[Passive Effects:]
[Veiled Cognition] (Passive)
Your mind remains untraceable; no mental manipulation or interrogation can penetrate your thoughts.
Immune to psychic probes, memory scans, and perception-altering effects
[Lurker's Intuition] (Passive)
Even without direct observation, subtle cues subconsciously reveal the presence of hidden entities, traps, or deceptions within range]
---
"Good thing I'm not an open book to be read so easily," Sirius thought to himself with a faint smile.
"…If Mr. Myriad is a copy of Mr. Jarod, then that's why he disappeared—because Mr. Jarod was killed?" Aria asked, trying to contain her confusion.
"Well, if that had happened, we would have known from Violet's skill, since her ability doesn't follow the traces of the dead."
"…Are you saying…?" Aria muttered, growing more and more shocked, staring down at the floor.
"Mr. Jarod is still alive," Livia said.
A heavy silence filled the room. Everyone felt the tension in the air, until Lou yan decided to break the silence and speak:
"But why would Mr. Jarod fake his death?"
"…Because he's working with the killer…" Aria said.
Another uncomfortable silence fell over the room. Some were shocked—even though that truth had been obvious, no one expected Aria to be the one to say it aloud. Even Sirius, who had appeared calm all along, was finally shocked.
"A-aren't you supposed to deny the truth?!" Sirius thought in disbelief, struggling to suppress his shock. He barely succeeded, as if this sudden deviation from his 'expectation' was even more surprising than anything before.
"…Should we inform those above? Or… do you think they're working with the killer too?" Aria asked nervously, directing the question at Livia. Livia's eyes widened in shock—she hadn't expected Aria to ask for her opinion—but she didn't mind savoring this current feeling of victory for as long as it lasted.
"It's true that Mr. Jarod is working with the killer. But I doubt anyone else on the inside is directly involved… Perhaps they simply don't care. I think it's better to inform the Council of Four. If we pressure them, they'll be forced to take action about the current situation," Livia explained calmly.
"…That sounds reasonable. But how do we pressure them?" Aria asked with curiosity.
"Um…" Lou yan interrupted, raising her hand, drawing everyone's attention to her.
"What is it, Lou yan?" Livia asked.
"Regarding the matter of pressure—I don't think we'll need to do anything ourselves."
"What do you mean?" Aria asked, confused.
"Well… I know a journalist who has already begun taking that step," Lou yan said, pointing at Erza.
"Erza?" Aria thought in surprise.
"There's journalism in this university?" Neriah asked in confusion.
"If we exploit the press and feed them critical information, all of this will reach the silent students who are dissatisfied with the current system. It will definitely cause an uproar," Livia said with excitement.
"…And I've been ignored again," Neriah thought in frustration.
"Are you suggesting we incite a revolution against the current system?" Aria asked, puzzled.
"Not us—but the students. Considering the popularity of journalism at this university, if we manipulate the information we feed the press—important, sharp truths about how the university handles its problems—then perhaps someone will spark a revolution. The students will overthrow the system and create a new one that suits them," Livia said, her excitement and enthusiasm growing by the second.
"S-she's lost her mind…" Lou yan muttered nervously.
"I see… Very well, we can do this," Aria said, and for a moment, her lips seemed to curve into a faint smile before fading away.
"…Mr. Gray, last time you proved to me how marvelous a debater you are. So please, go to the press office and deal with them as you see fit," Aria said in a gentler tone, which made Neriah stand up straight in nervous embarrassment.
"Y-yes, ma'am…"
"Mr. Hall and Miss Violet—I'll ask the two of you to accompany me to visit one of the members of the Council of Four, to explain what you discovered in your research about Mr. Jarod," Aria added.
"Alright," Enel replied, while Violet nodded her head in confusion.
"Good. Kieran—you and Mr. Soren, I'll ask you to personally search for Mr. Jarod and track his traces. If you find him, please fall back and inform me."
"Understood!" Kieran answered, while Sirius remained silent.
"A-and… Miss Livia, I'll ask you to investigate this matter further. Continue the inquiry about the killer's case and gather more evidence to support our cause… please…"
"Um… alright…" Livia said, feeling slightly embarrassed after forcing Aria to beg her.
"I rely on no one more than you when it comes to research and information… like a spy," Aria said.
"S-stop complimenting me…" Livia whispered, pretending to be annoyed.
"…What?…" Sirius thought to himself, his eyes slowly widening when he heard the word 'spy' come out of Aria's mouth.
"…Could it be…"
"Let's begin, then."
Sirius looked down in surrender, smiling faintly and shaking his head.
"…I suppose you were right… humans really are capable of change…"