The Case of the Serpent and Scorpion

Chapter 13: The Deans

Vana's POV

I have taken more than a couple of deep breaths in only a few steps of walking. My heart raced rapidly, thumping against my ear as we get closer and closer to the conference room. Sweat poured down my body, and down into my palms.

I lowered my head as I felt nauseous, my stomach churning from my nerves. I tried to erase all thought in my head, only for them to come falling back in my mind. Its like everything is flashing in front of my eyes.

“Calm down, Vana,” brother said, patting me lightly on the back.

“Easy for you to say, brother…” I mumbled with a grunt.

“If they expel you, I’ll just have to transfer you to Clove High. I believe you’d prefer that,” Storm mentioned.

“I do. But Master Sergis wouldn’t,” I sighed, surrendering to my demise.

We halted, stopping in front of the door. I took a step back, gulping as I feel an ominous presence inside the room. Did the deans show up in person? I doubt they would.

Ms. Angela creaked the door open, with only light knock. The door slowly open, followed by a breeze of air filled with aura. Jerome nudged me to move forward, ending up with a glare from me.

I pushed him lightly, grabbing his hand as I haul him forward. “You go first. You’re the S-class,” I stated, glowering at him.

He glowered back, a dark look staring at me. I ignored it and he quickly dismissed me. He pressed forward, accepting our situation as he walks inside the room. I followed him from behind, gulping as I prepare myself for the worse.

We entered the room, surprised by how the room only has lights on the corners. The space s fairy average, with the lights glowing a quarter of the corners of the room. I could barely see the color of the floor when we reach the middle, where the deans were waiting for us.

The Chairmans of the Magic Council also served as the deans of Jasper Academy. The Grand Chairman of the Magic Council serves as the headmaster of the academy. Jasper Academy and the Magic Council are both found in the island of Jasper, in which they also reside and spend most of their time in.

Right now, these deans are present in the room, appearing in a holographic lacrima that the Special Forces have installed. And like Ms. Angela mentioned, King Gregory is also present in the room, standing on the side where a shadow covers half of his body.

Jerome and I stopped on the center of the room, facing the deans. Their holographic appearances glowed against the dark center of the room, creating a circle of light around us. I shot a glance on the deans, only to find them staring back at us.

Okay, maybe that’s not a good idea.

“Vana Farasol, Jerome Gallamon, plead your case,” the Chairman of Norn, Ms. Nova, muttered, not even greeting us.

“Let’s start by knowing why you left the academy, shall we?” the Chairman of Clove, Ms. Iris mused in a stern but gentle voice. “Nova is hurrying too much that she had forgotten the questions needed to be asked.”

“They left the academy,” Ms. Nova pointed.

“And there are reasons for it,” the Chairman of Fortis, Harqin, added.

“Which is why we’re asking them. Now, Jerome, Vana, please answer my question earlier. Why did you leave the academy?” Ms. Iris asked, repeating her question.

I glanced Jerome to answer first. “Because I wanted to take a break. I planned to go back to the academy after a day,” Jerome answered.

“You do know that ships only go to the island when there is an event, right?” Ms. Iris wondered.

“Yes…” Jerome mumbled as he lowers his gaze down.

“And you, Vana, why did you sneak out of the academy?” Ms. Nov asked, raising a brow at me.

“Because I wanted to run away. But I changed my mind after realizing that it’ll get me nowhere if I don’t graduate from the academy,” I answered, my eyes averted from them as I provide my statement.

“Do you not like being in the academy?” Mr. Harqin wondered.

If only you know what’s going on between the students of the academy.

“It is not that I don’t like being in the academy. It’s just… being enrolled in Jasper Academy means I’ll become a wizard, or something related to it. But I don’t want to be a wizard,” I explained.

“And what did you wanted to be?” the Chairman of Ashern, Mr. Zerondale, asked, his curiosity pointed towards me.

I pursed my lips for a moment as I hesitated to answer. I gaped stumbling in forming the words in my mouth. “A-a detective…” I stammered, answering.

“So, you investigated and solved the case. Of course with Jerome, but that’s what you did, right?” Mr. Zerondale wondered speculating.

“Yes… I had thought that something else is happening behind the scenes. It turns out my hunch was correct and that someone else is pulling the string,” I stated.

“Tell me again why she’s a B-class. With her thinking and tactical sills, she should at least be in A-class,” Ms. Iris exclaimed, tilting her head to the other deans.

“According to her academic records, she’s a B-class wizard and student as per her request. When I asked her class’s homeroom professor, Professor Zander, he said Vana is an A-class level wizard,” Mr. Zerondale explained, scanning through a document.

So, they asked information about me from Professor Zander.

“Well that made total sense,” Ms. Iris grunted.

“In any case, whatever reason they have, they’ll both have to face consequences for their actions,” Mr. Harqin stated, forwarding the discussion.

“The usual punishment for those who leaves the academy grounds range from suspension to expulsion. In your case, since you left the island, you’ll have to be expelled,” Ms. Nova stated.

“E-expelled…” Jerome mumbled, startled.

“You can plead your case,” Mr. Harqin said, opening the platform for us to defend ourselves.

“I’m sorry to be rude, but you can’t expel us like that. Have you not heard of what we’ve done? We saved a ship that was taken hostage by bandits led by Reynolds McValeri,” Jerome exclaimed, taking the first move.

I could argue that I did most of the deductions, but that doesn’t matter right now, does it?

“Not to mention, the King has acknowledged us, himself,” I added, backing up Jerome’s claims as I flail a hand on the King’s direction. A bold move that can either be advantageous or disadvantageous to us.

King Gregory snorted, covering his mouth after my mention of his name. The deans gave him a glance, raising a brow at him to question him. He straightened up, tilting his head at the dean’s direction, plastering a cheeky smile on his face.

“You heard her,” the King replied.

Ms. Nova turned her eyes into slits as she gazes at the King, then to us. She darted an eye to her fellow deans, seeing their reaction. Ms. Iris’ lips perked up, a small grin forming up her lips. She’s amused. Mr. Harqin remained his blank expression, while Mr. Zerondale propped his elbows on his chair.

“The King have already given them the benefit of the doubt. Storm, Angela, and even Alfred had given a credible response and good word about them,” Mr. Zerondale agreed, taking our side.

“Although Storm is a little biased since Vana is his sister, but yes, they did an excellent job controlling the situation on the ship. I’m surprised that they even figured out that the ship’s crew are also a part of it,” Ms. Iris commented, giving her analysis.

“What do you suggest, Mr. Zerondale?” Mr. Harqin asked, turning his head at the Chairman.

Chairman Zerondale glanced over at King Gregory’s direction, who gave the Chairman a nod before proceeding. “His Majesty and I have talked about them, and from our conversation, we believe that they should not be expelled from the academy, and be punished in a different mean,” Mr. Zerondale stated.

“Instead of expulsion, they’ll be sent to an exclusive investigation as punishment. And as a reward for their good deed, they won’t be expelled,” he added.

“An investigative mission?” Ms. Nova wondered. “Why a mission of all things?”

“They managed to solve the hostaging incident on the ship. And they found out who the crime’s mastermind,” Mr. Zerondale pointed.

“I see. Vana proved that she is capable as a detective,” Ms. Iris stated, following Mr. Zerondale’s idea. “And Jerome also helped in solving the case, making them a good duo.”

“They’re kids, why would you give them a mission. It has been established through law that we cannot give wizards in the age lower than 18 any A-class or S-class level missions,” Ms. Nova disagreed, rejecting the idea.

“Who says I’ll be sending them to an A-class or S-class level mission?” Mr. Zerondale scoffed.

“But you plan to, don’t you?” Mr. Harqin muttered.

“An A-class one, yes. But its acceptable. Both of them passed the A-class level. And they won’t be alone in the mission,” Mr. Zerondale explained.

“As long as they’ll only investigate a case, then I accept it,” Ms. Iris stated, gazing at her nails.

“Is His Majesty aware of this?” Ms. Nova wondered, tilting her head to the King’s direction.

The King lifted his head up to meet Ms. Nova’s gaze, a smile forming on his lips. “Mr. Zerondale has already informed me of this plan of his. I have no complaints against it,” he said.

A smirk crippled at Mr. Zerondale’s lips; a satisfied look evident in his eyes. My eyes widened as I listened to their conversation. Mr. Zerondale played with them. He planned to send us on a mission from the very beginning. And the King cooperated and approved of this idea.

The only thing he needed is the approval of the rest of the deans.

“You sly fox,” Ms. Iris mused, grinning with a glower at Mr. Zerondale. “Or should I say, sly old man.”

“If His Majesty Gregory has already given you permission, then I have nothing to complain about,” Mr. Harqin surrendered, agreeing with Mr. Zerondale’s decision.

“I suppose not expelling them is their reward for their heroic actions,” Ms. Nova sighed, also giving in. “But I will have to remind you that you will still be facing guidance violation in this matter.”

“Then, if we’re all in the same page, can I explain the mission they’ll be sent to?” Mr. Zerondale wondered, clasping his hands together in a clap as he livens the atmosphere in the room.

Jerome and I exchanged glances, trying to wrap our heads around the unanimous decision. I believe they’ve come to the conclusion of not expelling us. Which is good news since there won’t be any problem for me not being able to graduate.

In exchange, thought, we’ll be sent to a mission to investigate some case. Or so that’s what I comprehended in their conversation.

“What kind of case are we talking about here?” I asked, raising a question.

“A criminal case. A crime scene. A murder mystery, if one would say,” Mr. Zerondale mused.

“Are you perhaps taking about that?” Ms. Iris wondered.

“Yes, that’s right, Iris,” Mr. Zerondale replied.

A murder case. They want us to investigate a crime scene and find out who the murderer is.

“The crime occurred two days ago. The murder case is also believed to be connected to the robbery case that happened in the same night as the murder,” Ms. Iris stated, telling a gist of the murder case.

“The cases happened in the National Museum of Ashern, where a living artifact is believed to have been stolen by the cult, Igneus. It was a living artifact well-kept within a magic-sealed vault,” Mr. Zerondale explained.

“Your goal is not to find Igneus and where they brought the artifact. Your job is also not to figure out how the artifact was stolen. Your job is to solve the murder case of the Breathing Deadman,” he continued.

“Breathing Deadman?” Jerome mumbled in curiosity.

“Yes, the man found to supposed to be dead within the museum, is still breathing. But when an initial investigation has been done, they found that the body’s soul is trapped somewhere, which is why the man ended up in that kind of state,” Ms. Iris explained.

“You need to solve the mystery and find the killer, which we believe is one of the museum staff,” Mr. Zerondale stated, informing us of the mission. “Investigations are still ongoing, so the information at hand may not be reliable.”

“In short, solve the mystery of the Breathing Deadman’s body, find the killer, and see if it has any connection to the robbery case,” I muttered, counting the tasks on my fingers. “I guess that’s acceptable after what we’ve done.”

“The mission is considered an A-class, but because the mission is about a confidential artifact of Ashern, the mission was not made public to any guilds,” Mr. Harqin explained.

“And I still don’t think we should be giving them this kind of mission. I think Zerondale and Iris are giving them too much credit,” Ms. Nova grumbled, dissatisfied with the outcome of the trial.

“We should given them the benefit of the doubt. After all, they are the future of Auregon,” Mr. Zerondale stated, giving a bright smile towards Ms. Nova.

“King Gregory can hear you, Nova,” Ms. Iris mentioned, pointing at the King’s direction with a wry smile.

“With that said, you will be given a day to rest. The day after tomorrow, you will picked up and escorted to the meet up location of the mission team,” Mr. Harqin announced, instructing us of the other details of the mission while ignoring his fellow deans.

“You’ll also be joined by a professor from the academy, a S-class level wizard from Red Magus, and a member from the Special Forces,” Ms. Iris added.

“In your investigation, you’ll be staying at Duke Glyndel’s manor, where you’ll be oriented of the whole initial investigation of the crime scene,” Mr. Zerondale stated. “His manor is the closest to the museum, and he is also in-charge of the initial investigation of the crime.”

Duke Glyndel… I had haed of him in the academy. Most students in the academy are sons and daughters of nobles and royals, so rumors about the noble society always circulates in campus.

The Duke is said to be a righteous man, with a daughter and is married to his second wife. The Duke is known as one of the prominent figures who kept the King and the kingdom safe and standing during the Dark war, earning him the “war hero” name like my brother.

“Any other questions?” Mr. Zerondale asked, raising his hand. ‘None, okay. Then, the two of you are dismissed.”

“Oh, I have a question. A last one,” I implored, replying late.

“Yes, Vana, what is it?”

“After the mission, what will happen to us?” I asked.

“You’ll be going back to the academy and will live the rest of your days there until you graduate. Like how it usually goes,” Ms. Nova answered. “Although you might frequent the guidance office from time to time.”

“I see… thank you for your kind generosity,” I stated, lowering my head.

“You two may take your leave,” Ms. Iris said, waving a hand at us.

We nodded, and we skidded out of the room almost dashing as we walk away from the deans. The King followed us from behind as we exited the room, closing the door behind us. I took a sigh of relief to finally be out of the room, not caring if the King is standing behind me.

Ms. Angela and my brother awaited us outside, staring at us before their eyes landed on the King behind us. Brother ignored the King, not even saying a word to him.

“How did it go?” Storm asked.

“How cold of you to not give me a greeting,” His Majesty pouted, which brother continued to ignore.

“Don’t bother, Your Majesty,” Ms. Angela sighed in defeat.

“It’s a lot to take in, honestly,” Jerome answered to Storm’s question.

“You didn’t say unnecessary things, Vana?” Storm wondered with a stare at me.

“I did not,” I boasted, smirking at my brother.

“Then, explain to me everything while we head back, let’s go,” brother demanded, turning away as he ushers me to get going.

What? We’re leaving just like that? I hadn’t even said any words to the King or to Ms. Angela. I haven’t even expressed my gratitude.

“Hey, wait—where are we going?” I asked, with furrowed brows.

“Where else? We’re going home. And we’re stopping by at the guild hall.”