That night—
The shadows cast by the small hanging lamps above us spilled across the first floor of the library, pale and wavering, dancing lightly over the polished floor.
I sat at the long table, watching Athena standing across from me, deeply absorbed in the scattered documents laid out before her.
Her gaze drifted restlessly from line to line, trying to piece together the fragments of a puzzle—one that had only grown more troubling over the past few hours of research concerning Alice's situation, which remained unresolved to this moment.
Cold night air slipped in through the tall windows, stirring the papers and scattering them once more.
Athena leaned over the ledger, pressing her fingers to the side of her head as she spoke sharply, without lifting her eyes.
"There's a clear contradiction in her attendance records. Repeated absences over the last five months. The so-called field expeditions don't align with the exit logs from the reception wing. It's as if someone erased the trail and replaced it with an alternate record."
She paused briefly.
"What do you think, brother?"
My thoughts drifted back to the marchioness's words two months ago, Ethan's report from that day, and what Athena had uncovered in these past hours.
One conclusion seemed logical—but should I be honest with her?
The weight of it pressed against my chest.
The deeper I dug, the tighter that constriction became.
I exhaled slowly, interlacing my fingers atop the table before finally answering.
"What if the academy has another reason for keeping her here—beyond polishing the Archduke's image or promoting him as a contender for the throne alongside Prince Theodore?"
I lifted my gaze slightly.
"What if the reason runs deeper?"
Athena looked at me with suspicion before replying hesitantly
"I can't deny that possibility… but how does that connect to our case?"
"You know why Alice was placed in this academy in the first place, don't you?"
"Of course. Because of the ongoing abduction cases over the past months—and the suspected involvement of certain academy staff."
She frowned.
"Though there were other ways to investigate their backgrounds."
"It seems you noticed that detail as well. Then?"
I let her turn the puzzle over in her mind, hoping she would arrive at the conclusion herself.
I shifted my gaze toward the long corridor stretching between the bookshelves—its far end swallowed entirely by darkness, as though the glow of the overhead lamps dared not advance another step.
The stillness of the library felt unnatural.
That cold sensation lingering at the back of my neck had been bothering me for some time now.
Not long ago, I realized someone had been watching me from the shadows.
I continued to feign ignorance, waiting to understand his intentions.
Naturally, I avoided discussing anything unnecessary in his presence—anything that could cause us trouble later.
Just as I had waited for his departure moments ago before questioning Athena about the mission.
I also discovered that this man was the same one who treated my injuries beneath the cliff last time.
Now I understood the source of that persistent chill in my limbs.
But knowing wasn't enough.
I had to act.
I pushed my chair back slowly and stood, prompting Athena to ask at once
"Where are you going?"
"I won't be long,"
I replied briefly.
I knew my short answer would confuse her—but I couldn't tell her the truth.
I headed toward the dark corridor and descended the stairs slowly.
The dim lights below illuminated the path just enough for me to spot the man moving between the bookshelves on the lower floor, heading toward the exit.
Had he gathered all he needed from his eavesdropping and decided to leave?
Either way, the timing was perfect—for him to deliver his report to his superior.
I had a rough idea of who that superior might be… but at this stage, the roles needed to reverse.
Another thought crossed my mind.
Perhaps I wasn't the only one being watched.
Ray might be as well.
Knowing his observational skills, I doubted he'd miss something like this.
I would ask him later.
I exited the central library building.
Ten minutes later, it became clear the man was heading toward the administrative building—just as expected.
Throughout the walk, he kept glancing around, ensuring no one followed him.
He missed one detail, though.
I was used to tracking targets—and disappearing when necessary.
I was grateful for the hellish training the marchioness had forced Athena and me through.
Far from the central academic building, the four-story administrative block loomed in the evening darkness.
I had never entered it before, and I knew storming in through the front door would be idiotic.
Any staff member recognizing me as a student would be enough to ruin everything—especially since I was still wearing the academy uniform.
But every problem has a solution.
Sneaking into one of the ground-floor staff rooms would suffice.
They usually kept spare uniforms inside.
The ground-floor windows were low, and the patrols hadn't begun yet.
According to my watch, it wasn't even half past eight.
Staff shifts were nearly over—giving me at least thirty minutes.
I pulled out a slim knife, slid it between the wooden frame and the glass, and gently nudged the latch.
A soft click followed as it came loose.
Cold air rushed in as I opened the window.
I slipped inside lightly, confident the room was empty after monitoring it from outside for long enough.
I scanned the room for what I needed… and found it.
An administrative uniform hung neatly inside the wardrobe.
Truthfully, it wasn't all that different from my current attire—aside from the simpler cut of the coat that distinguished staff from students.
That alone was enough.
I grabbed it quickly and added a few minor details for camouflage.
After confirming the corridor outside was clear, I slipped out.
Now… I needed to find him.
The building's interior layout wasn't much different from the dormitory I lived in.
Typically, senior officials' offices were located at the far end of the upper corridors—specifically the fourth floor.
I ascended the stairs at a steady pace.
A few staff members passed me along the way, but the hat, mask, and files I carried made me look sufficiently ordinary.
Besides, a fair number of new employees had been hired this year.
Even if they didn't recognize me, they had no reason to stop and question me.
The cold weather also worked in my favor—seasonal illnesses were common, making the mask unremarkable.
Should I thank the weather… or the staff's inattentiveness?
Either way, it didn't matter.
The fourth floor was nearly deserted—better than I expected.
Now all that remained was identifying the room he had entered.
At the end of the long hallway, I found a wide window reflecting pale moonlight.
Only two rooms stood beside it, their doors distinct from the rest.
One read:
Director's Office
The other:
Archives Room
The target was obvious.
I moved quietly, leaning against the wall near the window and straining my ears until the voices behind the director's door became clear.
It was the man—reporting to his superior.
Another voice joined him.
A woman.
Her voice wasn't familiar.
Perhaps she was the one tailing Ray.
I focused more closely on her words.
"I've confirmed his contact with his older brother, Mikael Baskerville. It's likely the message has already reached the Imperial Palace, where he works… I haven't been able to determine its contents yet. My apologies, Director."
A colder voice—chillier than the night itself—replied
"That's irrelevant. My instruction was to monitor the two students, not intercept their communications. And you?"
"Aside from his morning interaction with student Baskerville, he spent most of his time with his sister, Athena Klein. They've been investigating the case of the student Alice Klein. If they continue digging, it may cause trouble."
She paused.
"Other than that, nothing noteworthy."
"I see. Continue monitoring them as you have been. Don't overlook anything, no matter how trivial it seems. As for the student Alice Klein—she'll return with her unit tomorrow morning. Inform the trainer in charge accordingly."
They answered almost in unison
"Yes, sir."
That should be enough for tonight…
Before I was noticed, I decided to leave at once.
At moments like this, the fastest route is best.
I pushed open the tall window beside me—having already confirmed it was unlocked.
A maple tree stood nearby, so I leapt onto one of its branches and descended naturally.
Of course, only after restoring the window to its original state.
All that remained now was returning the borrowed items.
I exhaled as I walked along the building's outer wall, replaying what I'd just overheard.
The only concrete gain was confirming Alice's arrival time—and the validation of my earlier hypothesis, even if the full details were still unclear.
But one thing was certain.
What was happening here was not random.
If this were mere administrative corruption or blatant collusion, the investigation would have ended long ago—or been officially shut down.
This was different.
Records weren't erased completely—only left incomplete.
Rumors weren't silenced—they were allowed to spread.
Students weren't forbidden from searching—but they were never given answers.
This kind of ambiguity isn't created by a guilty party afraid of exposure.
It's maintained by those confident that the full truth—if revealed—would be far worse than any rumor.
That was precisely why staying within the academy was necessary.
Not because we were close to the answer—
But because we were moving inside a zone no one was meant to fully understand.
Now I finally understood the marchioness's true reason for sending Alice here.
We needed to confirm how far she had progressed.
Meeting her face-to-face—away from prying eyes—would be the next step.
And fortunately…
That meeting wasn't far away.