"Do you have that letter right now?" Marcus fixed his gaze on Kevin.
"No, General," Kevin shook his head slowly. "It disappeared as soon as I finished reading it."
Marcus’s brows tightened immediately, deep creases forming on his forehead as his expression darkened with suspicion and concern.
"Tell me the entire incident without leaving anything out," he ordered firmly. "Start from the moment you received that letter. How did it appear?"
Kevin began his explanation, trying so that he could put his experience into words, he described the strange spatial fluctuations that had disturbed the surrounding space before a small shimmering butterfly had emerged from the distortion.
How it had gently landed before transforming into a scroll that carried the message.
Kevin then recounted the wording of the letter itself, describing the prophetic tone and symbolic language that had been used.
"Did he mention what he wanted to achieve by sending that letter?" Marcus asked, his eyes narrowed slightly as he processed the information.
Kevin shook his head once more. "No, he did not mention his goals or expectations at all."
Kevin continued speaking, his tone becoming more serious.
"The name itself was entirely new to me, so I searched all historical records and archives available within the Academy, but I could not find a single reference to an individual or title known as the Eternal Sovereign."
Andrea’s expression grew grim as she listened, her fingers pressed lightly against the armrest of her chair, because the appearance of an unknown force beyond their records was never a good sign.
Someone operating outside their collective knowledge and understanding represented an unpredictable variable, and Andrea knew from experience that such variables often carried the greatest danger.
"Do you think he is on our side?" Andrea asked calmly, directing her gaze toward everyone seated at the table.
Marcus considered the question carefully before answering.
"Based on the information he provided, it would appear so."
"However, this is only a single interaction, and it is far too early to judge the intentions of an individual who remains entirely unknown to us."
A silence spread across the room after his statement because no one present could find anything meaningful to add.
The situation already felt strange and unsettling, but since the two figures seated at the head of the table showed no doubt toward Kevin’s testimony, the others saw no reason to object openly.
Suddenly, Marcus’s eyes lit up as if a realization had struck him, and he turned his head sharply toward Andrea.
"You said that brat, William, informed you about brain seeding," he said thoughtfully. "He also requested permission to go on a mission, didn’t he?"
Andrea nodded lightly. "Yes," she replied. "He did not only request permission for himself but also for the entire first-year batch."
She continued, explaining calmly, "He proposed a deal where I would allow any first-year student who personally approached me to receive approval for a mission, and in exchange, he provided me with detailed information regarding brain seeding."
Marcus leaned forward slightly, a sharp glint appearing in his eyes. "Do you not find that deal unfair for him?" he asked pointedly.
"I mean," Andrea replied, "the level of hatred he displays toward demons is so intense that I would not be surprised if he had given me that information freely, without demanding anything in return."
Andrea paused at her words, her expression remaining composed, but a hint of suspicion slowly seeped into her gaze.
"That is possible," Marcus admitted. "However, that brat is not the type to act without calculation."
Marcus nodded slightly before speaking again. "Show me the mission that brat chose."
Kevin responded immediately, nodding as a single page floated out from the second file and drifted neatly into Marcus’s hands.
Marcus examined the mission report carefully, and as he read through it, an expression of interest slowly formed on his face. "Interesting," he muttered under his breath.
He looked up at Andrea and asked, "Why do you think he chose this mission?"
Marcus tapped the paper lightly. "It concerns a missing human boy who was traveling south for trade. The report was submitted by the boy’s employer rather than his family, which suggests that he may have been an orphan."
Marcus continued analyzing the details. "This mission was already taken by two individuals previously, and both failed to find any meaningful clues.
The client has effectively given up on the search, and the priority grading of the mission has dropped to C-rank, while most other missions remain B-rank or higher."
He raised his gaze again. "Do you think William knew something we do not?"
Andrea tried to reason carefully before responding. "What if he chose it randomly?" she asked.
Marcus fixed her with an unflinching gaze. "Do you truly believe that a boy who schemed so deeply against the cults during the trials, who stayed two steps ahead of them the entire time, would act randomly?"
Marcus leaned back slightly, a faint grin forming. "He chose that mission because it made him accountable to no one. There is no family demanding updates, and the employer has already abandoned any hope."
"Typically," Marcus continued, "those who take such missions must report progress regularly to the victim’s family, but in this case, William has complete freedom to act however he wishes, without oversight or interference."
Andrea listened quietly before responding. "I still do not fully believe that is the case," she said evenly. "However, I will give you the benefit of the doubt."
Marcus smiled faintly. "My instincts are telling me something," he said. "I believe William may eventually lead us to this Eternal Sovereign."
Andrea smiled subtly in response and nodded before shifting the topic. "Recently, several first-year students came to me requesting approval to take missions," she said.
She continued, "Most of them were ranked among the top ten, but one of them was not. Maximus Sinclair was among them."
Andrea chuckled lightly. "They were clueless enough to start arguing among themselves right outside my office," she added with mild amusement.
She laughed softly before continuing. "It seems they are all intending to save his girl, since she was also kidnapped."
"Keep an eye on them," Marcus said firmly.
Andrea nodded in agreement before standing up from her seat, signaling the end of the meeting.
"Um... Ma’am," Blood Rose spoke up nervously as she stood.
"What is it, Blood Rose?" Andrea asked, turning to face her.
"Ma’am, what if there is still a demonic spy among us in this room?" Blood Rose asked cautiously. "Why did you reveal so many sensitive details during this meeting?"
A wave of tension passed through the room as the professors considered her question, realizing it was both unsettling and reasonable.
Andrea chuckled softly and turned her gaze toward Kevin.
Kevin raised his hand and performed a few precise gestures, and in response, the floor and ceiling of the room lit up as several complex formations activated silently.
"Everyone present has been under a mass purification and diagnostic formation for the entire duration of this meeting," Kevin explained. "There is no need for concern."
Andrea smiled in satisfaction and turned to leave the room.
Marcus followed her, wearing a faint smile of approval, while the remaining professors sat frozen in shock.
Not a single one of them had sensed any active formations.
They already knew Kevin was the greatest formation master on the continent, but at that moment, they realized he was far more terrifying than they had ever imagined.