"Someone's suspecting the Cannibal Candy is inside the Disciplinary Committee?"
In the Disciplinary Committee office, Felix held a teacup, a faint smile playing on his lips.
He spoke in a tone of feigned nonchalance, but his tightly clenched fingers around the cup's handle betrayed his inner panic.
"That's correct. Aside from the traces left behind, we've made no progress whatsoever on the Cannibal Candy case."
Lisette stood with her hands behind her back, reporting to Felix with utmost seriousness.
The committee members who had accompanied her stood behind her, adding their own accounts.
"The night patrols haven't been effective either. The Cannibal Candy is still striking."
"Which student reported this?"
"'The Elf Speeder'."
Alice Bernstein—that woman who's always hanging around those Germans!
"I see. You may leave now." Felix maintained his smile, his voice dripping with false kindness. "If students are voicing such suspicions, it must mean our efforts have been insufficient."
"We'll have to work even harder from now on."
Once the pleasantries were over and the students had filed out, his smile vanished in an instant.
He snatched up the telephone and dialed again.
A few seconds later, the call connected.
"You didn't help me?!" Felix blurted out first.
"How exactly did I not help you?" The lazy young voice on the other end remained unhurried. "There isn't even a whisper of rumor among the students."
"But there are already rumors spreading within the Disciplinary Committee!"
"I can't exactly gag everyone." Cedric chuckled. "The Disciplinary Committee is your domain, Mr. Chairman."
Felix's expression darkened further. "You have to—"
Before he could finish, Cedric's icy tone cut through the receiver.
"Don't say I didn't warn you. If you get exposed, that's on you."
Veins bulged on Felix's forehead, his jaw clenched so tight his teeth grated together with an audible grind.
A moment later, heavy breathing echoed into the receiver.
"…Tell me Charlotte Belew's whereabouts, and that new student with her."
"Not sure about the latter, but as for Charlotte…" Cedric's tone turned leisurely again. "Rumor has it she's furious after her dorm was searched. She's roaming the campus right now, hunting for traces of the Cannibal Candy."
A vicious grin instantly spread across Felix's face, his hideous teeth bared to the air.
Foolish woman, always so foolish—completely incapable of covering her tracks.
Just like when she went to buy those magic circuits, and now this.
"Ah~ Thanks, Cedric." Felix's voice regained its confidence. "For the sake of our families' long-standing alliance, could you do me one more favor?"
"Let's hear it."
"'The Elf Speeder,' Alice Bernstein. I don't care if you kill her or what, just make sure she disappears from my sight."
"…Who?"
"Alice. Bernstein."
"…Understood."
Click. The call ended.
Outside the window, the setting sun cast a golden glow across his face.
Felix gently replaced the receiver and turned back to his seat.
The Cannibal Candy case… it's time to bring it to a close.
Far on the horizon, the last sliver of sunlight was swallowed, and darkness instantly enveloped the campus.
--+--
Meanwhile, Cedric stared at the receiver in his hand with utter distaste.
After setting it down, he brushed off his hands as if wiping away bad luck.
Then, he glanced at the girl sitting across from him. "He really did ask about your whereabouts."
This was the Night Party Executive Office on the third floor of the Central Lecture Hall.
Though only one floor separated it from the Disciplinary Committee office, he wouldn't risk being seen associating with Felix.
In response, the girl—Alice—simply gave a quiet nod.
Cedric sighed helplessly. Though they hadn't known each other long, he was already getting used to her reticence.
Snap.
A crisp snap echoed in the room, and the boy who'd been sitting there moments before transformed into a girl.
Alice leaned back, slouching against the armrest, propping her cheek lazily on her hand.
The risk of exposure, the spread of rumors… one bad news after another has made you too hasty, Felix.
And besides…
"He even wants me dead, you know, Alice."
She pouted in feigned grievance, but the overly-cute act failed to stir any reaction from Alice, who remained silently seated, letting time slip by.
With a resigned shrug, she added, "Come on, this is the start of our collaboration. Can't you give me some kind of response?"
Alice lifted her eyes to glance at the silver-haired girl.
"Your father must have warned you to stay away from me, didn't he?"
The girl's eyebrows rose slightly; she hadn't expected Alice to bring this up.
She nodded. "It's the first time Papa ever told me not to approach someone."
As she spoke, her gaze drifted toward the clock tower's rear courtyard—the location of the headmaster's residence.
Even when he sent me to be a spy, he never said anything like that.
Letting your daughter act so freely… Is that heart of yours the reason for such confidence, Edward?
"This time, you should listen to your father." Alice rose softly and headed for the door.
"Oh, and…" She glanced back slightly, seeing the puzzled look on the silver-haired girl's face. "It might get a bit noisy tonight. Don't go to bed too early."
Click. The door shut, and Alice's footsteps faded down the hall.
"…Okay?"
The room was left with only one very confused silver-haired girl.
--+--
The moonlight that should have bathed the earth was choked by thick clouds, leaving only faint silver glimpses between them.
Atop a massive, tombstone-like cubic structure, two small figures stealthily appeared.
Suigintou carefully controlled her feathers, ensuring not a single one was left at the scene.
Not a single trace can remain.
Robin pointed to the mirror below. Suigintou nodded in understanding.
The mirror's surface glowed softly, and through the N-Field, the two cloaked dolls slipped into the vault.
The spotless steel walls reflected their forms.
Sometimes, being too clean can be a disadvantage.
Robin stood triumphantly on Suigintou's shoulder, head held high.
A powerful soundtrack swelled in his mind—of course, only in his imagination.
What's a mission like this without some epic music?
He swiveled his head left and right, scouting the surroundings.
It looked professional, but in reality, he'd already managed to drop a single feather quite unprofessionally.
Suigintou sighed inwardly and cleaned up after her partner, casually sweeping some dust over the spot where the feather had fallen.
"This way."
Robin pointed toward their target on the second floor. The two dolls drifted soundlessly toward it.
Opening the door, they found rows of cabinets lined up like coffins.
Pshhh—
A soft hiss of air accompanied one cabinet sliding open, revealing an empty interior.
Just as expected.
They exchanged a nod, their gazes shifting simultaneously toward another direction—the cabinet belonging to Lisette Norton.
The same soft hiss echoed as that cabinet, too, slid open.
Inside was a large glass cylinder.
Like an oversized test tube, filled with a liquid resembling formaldehyde.
Suspended within was the naked body of a girl, preserved like a specimen.
Not an automaton.
Through the split-open chest, human organs were visible; the exposed flesh and blood lent the scene a gruesome aura.
The corpse of Lisette Norton, registered in the Night Party as "White Mist," lay before Suigintou and Robin.
Click. Click. Click.
Suigintou produced a camera from somewhere and snapped picture after picture of the body.
No artistic composition—just sheer volume.
Every detail of the corpse and its surroundings was meticulously captured.
Once done, she nodded to Robin.
Seeing this, Robin immediately flew back to her shoulder.
Seconds later, the two dolls reappeared atop the vault.
No sooner had they steadied themselves than a cold wind rose.
Glistening snowflakes drifted down from the sky. Judging by the white blanket already covering everything, the snow must have started while they were inside.
Suigintou lifted a small hand, trying to catch the falling crystals.
The silver doll stood in the pure white world, intently watching the drifting snow.
Just as a snowflake was about to land on her palm, a violent gust swept everything around her away.
Robin shrank back, hiding timidly within Suigintou's hair.
Suigintou turned to look.
There, in the distant forest, beneath the faint moonlight, a steel dragon and a bridge-like giant were dancing.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.