C178: Wolves and Crows (1)
Casey Selmore and Elisa Willow were staring at each other in silence. A strange tension hung between the two in the seemingly serene and peaceful sight.
However, the two were busy trying to gauge the other person inwardly.
Casey Selmore was a genius detective and a wizard with the title [Colour].
'Such a person witnessed the fire that day and hasn't said anything yet. What the hell is she up to?'
Just as Elisa was wary of Casey, Casey was wary of Elisa.
Elisa Willow, Theon's youngest president and a sixth-rank wizard. Her every action was calculated and Casey couldn't read her at all. Moreover, a strange glow emanated from her distinctive golden eyes.
'I don't know exactly what kind of power it is, but I can't let my guard down.'
Casey was able to guess the job and characteristics of the other person only by their small habits but nothing could be read from Elisa. She was simply an ironclad woman.
She called me to talk about the fire yesterday.'
Casey decided to stop fighting and ask the other person. She doesn't have to be hostile anyway.
When she looked around the fire scene the day before, Casey thought she was responsible in her own way.
"Shall we stop measuring each other and talk about what happened yesterday?"
When Casey came out honestly, Elisa also nodded her head.
"Oh, my. I'd love to. That's why I called you."
The two women who signed the peace agreement sat facing each other.
"I heard that Ms. Selmore witnessed the incident yesterday. Can you tell me more about it?"
"Casey is enough. I don't really like using the family name."
"Oh, I'm sorry."
"It's okay. Anyway, to continue with the story, I'll have to explain how I found the scene in the first place."
Casey explained how she met Rudger and handed him her business card and even how Rudger used her business card when he captured the Black Dawn Society members in the middle of the night.
"I never thought he'd use the business card I personally handed over in such a place."
Casey still felt it was ridiculous even now. On the contrary, Elisha, who was listening with interest, thought that that's how Rudger would act.
"Did Detective Casey saw the criminal herself?"
"Unfortunately, I couldn't. When I arrived at the warehouse, the fire in the warehouse was already about to spread around. I was busy trying to stop it."
"Really?"
"But I'm sure something unusual happened inside."
Although she was blocking the fire in a place a little away from the warehouse she couldn't help but remember the strong wavelength that burst from the inside.
She still remembered the powerful mana that made her skin numb.
"The man named Rudger Chelici. What the hell is he?"
Casey asked impatiently.
The magic felt in the warehouse was definitely more than the fifth rank, close to the sixth rank. Even if he was a Theon's teacher it shouldn't be possible for him to use such magic.
'Did the president in front of me disguise herself at that time? No, there's no way I wouldn't recognize her. And the magic of the water that followed…….'
In the end, Casey could only come up with one guess. The man named Rudger Chelici is Theon's secret weapon that the president brought in.
On the other hand, Elisa did not understand the purpose of the question for a moment.
'Who is Mr. Rudger? He's not an unusual person, but is she that wary of him?'
Elisa, who did not see Rudger's magic, had no choice but to wonder why Casey was asking that.
'She wants information about him?'
Elisa had to make clear what kind of person Rudger is.
"He's just one of our great teachers."
"……Is that so?"
Casey narrowed her eyes at the vague answer.
'She's fooling around.'
Elisa was blatantly refusing to hand over Rudger's information to her.
'Yeah. She won't give me that much information about her person.'
Does the president know that Rudger is at least a fifth-rank wizard?
Maybe she intentionally planted her own person in Theon.
Casey was well aware of the division of aristocratic and commoner factions within Theon.
'She sneaked in a knife to gain an edge in internal factional politics. There's nothing strange about it.'
Elisa was likely to know that Rudger's skills were greater than originally known. Then there is no need to say here that Rudger has used at least five great spells.
"Anyway, as the president has already heard it, there was a fight inside after Mr. Rudger went into the warehouse, and after that, he came out with the saved hostage. That's all."
"I heard you checked the inside of the warehouse after the incident ended, did you find anything there?"
"A discovery? I do not know……."
Elisa narrowed her eyes at Casey's vague answer.
'Is she hiding something?'
Contrary to Elisa's suspicion, Casey had nothing to hide because there were no traces left inside the warehouse.
It was not an ordinary flame, so even the bodies were burned and disappeared. The only trace that can be recognized is the scar caused by a terrifying magic collision.
No matter how good of a detective Casey was, she couldn't find a clue in the burned-out warehouse.
'The only thing that bothers me is the rat's footprints on the floor.'
Burnt ashes on the ground with traces of rats on it.
'But there's no way there's no way there are no rats in such a warehouse.'
Most of all, Casey didn't think much about it because she hated mice.
"There was no trace since everything was burned down. I didn't see a body."
"Hmm. I see. After all, the only thing I can rely on is Mr. Rudger's testimony."
"I guess so. But I don't think what he said was wrong. He fought and got hurt."
He must have hoped that the festival would end safely.
Elisa also nodded her head.
"Teacher Rudger is a person like that."
There was a brief silence between the two and the ostentatious conversation ended here.
The real issue started now.
"So, you said you wanted something from me."
When she first called Casey to her office, Casey made a request to Elisa.
"You want to conduct the interrogation of the captured Black Dawn members yourself?"
"Yes."
"If it's not rude, may I ask why?"
Elisa's eyes, which were smiling all the time, changed sharply but Casey replied proudly, not avoiding her gaze.
"There's someone I really want to catch."
* * *
What is it?
I was analyzing the ring and suddenly got a chill.
'Is it because I lack mana?'
I thought I'd be fine now because I'm almost recovered, but maybe it's the aftermath of excessive use of my strength while fighting with Quasimodo.
'By the way, this ring…….'
I didn't think it was normal at the time Zero Order gave it, but when I checked, it was more than that.
'There is a magic imprint on the inside of the ring.'
There were engravings along the inside of the ring that were difficult even for masters to craft.
The skill of the craftsman is good, but the engraved magic engraving is not easy.
'The moment you wear this and use magic, it's supposed to work naturally. Does the effect make the user fall asleep?'
It's different from normal sleep. Rather, it makes it seem like you are falling asleep and is more like moving your consciousness elsewhere.
'Division of consciousness and then the specific impossible coordinates.'
I immediately realized what this ring was for.
'The ring is the key and where I can get through that key……in a dream.'
The magic engraved on the ring was dream magic.
[Dream Walk]
It is a magic that makes you enter or dream of the other person's dream.
It is a {special} type of magic, not a conventional type of magic, and it is closer to the spiritual side than the physical one.
However, among the { special} types of magic, which are difficult to learn and are mostly passed down by one person, dream magic was surprisingly easy to learn.
It was small, but there was a separate school for dream magic.
'Even so, there must be a limited number of students. Does one of the Dream walkers belongs to the Black Dawn Society?'
Dream School, which can use dream magic, is a famous place where freaks gather. I know this fact because I have an acquaintance there.
'The magic itself is not dangerous. In other words, it leads users to the dream world and brings them together.'
The executives meeting will be in a dream. That's pretty good.
In this way, there is no need to be worried that others will track you. However, it was not without risk.
'Dream magic wanders around the unconscious, so if you do it wrong, you can fall into the deep world of the unconscious.'
This unconscious world is called {Dreamland}.
The name alone sounds like a place full of hope like an amusement park, but the reality is the opposite.
Dreamland is a mindless pit created by countless overlapping human dreams, unconsciousness, and in-depth consciousness.
It wouldn't matter as long as you only wander around the surface consciousness but people can't handle what's deeper than that.
One scholar argued that another world unfolds in the depths of Dreamland, and that it is an unknown world where something spiritual exists, just like the spirit world. But nothing has actually been revealed yet.
'It won't be a big problem if we meet in the surface world.'
Zero Order said he would hold a meeting of executives soon. Since he didn't specify the time, does he want to contact me separately?
'An executive meeting.'
There are a total of seven First Orders in the Black Dawn Society.
One of them, Esmeralda, or Quasimodo, has disappeared, so there are six left.
'Not even six. Since the real John Doe died, there would be five.'
But I couldn't let my guard down just because there were only five people left.
'In other words, there are five more strong beings who are about the same as Quasimodo.'
And even their pinnacle, Zero Order.
People might think that Quasimodo is a slightly unusual case, but that's a very hopeful observation.
'Among the five first orders left, the one I know is Victor Dreadful.'
Known as the Doctor, he was closely related to the Shamsus School during the werewolf incident. He's a crazy scientist and he has a specialty in research, transforming humans into werewolves.
Excluding him, there are four First Orders left.
It was necessary to know the personal information of the four.
As he set his goals the front door of the hospital room became noisy again. As soon as he chased the students away, new people came again.
I was looking at the scenery outside the window through the blinds because I was too lazy to open them.
With the sound of footsteps approaching this way, the blinds suddenly opened. I thought he was a student who came to see Selina, but she had something to do with me.
"What is it?"
Looking back at who it was, I saw a familiar figure.
Flora Lumos and her best friend, Cheryl Wagner.
Flora asked me with a look of nervousness.
"I heard you were hurt."
"Well, as you can see."
I showed my right arm with a moderate bandage.
"Does it hurt a lot?"
"It's not that bad of a wound. I'm better but I'm just taking a rest for stability."
"……."
So when I was about to ask why I came, something popped out in front of my eyes. It was a fruit basket.
When I stared at Flora with a look of what this was, she blushed and avoided my gaze.
"I didn't bring it because I was worried about you. It's embarrassing to come empty-handed, so Cheryl kept asking me to buy this……."
Flora winked at Cheryl.
"What are you doing? You're not going to answer? My arm hurts."
"……I'll take it."
I received Flora's fruit basket and put it next to me.
Even if she pretended not to, it was obvious that she came to visit the hospital because she was worried about me. I didn't think anyone would come to see me except for Selina.
'Still, I didn't spend my time as a teacher in vain.'
Thinking like that, the door to the hospital room opened again and new people came in.
"Mr. Rudger! Are you all right?!"
"… … Aidan you're noisy. Please keep quiet in the hospital room."
Aidan, Leo as well as Tracy Friad and Iona O'Valley. I didn't expect these guys to come.
The hospital room became noisy again with the appearance of the four. Of course, it was Aidan who usually asked me where I was sick and if I was feeling well.
I'm sure all the people who will come are here now.
Was that a complacent idea?
"Is Mr. Rudger there?"
The door to the hospital room opened carefully, and another visitor came in.
"Oh. Isn't that Rene?"
There was a small basket in Rene's arms, which timidly entered the hospital room. It wasn't just Rene who came in. There was also Erendir the 3rd princess with her.
Rene opened her eyes wide as she looked at the students in the hospital room. The students in the hospital room also opened their eyes wide when they saw Erendir with Rene. And even the person behind them.
"Oh, oh, oh? He's……."
There was one more person behind Rene and Erendir.
"Freuden Ulburg? Why is he here……."
After seeing Freuden Leo's expression became cold but Freuden was staring at me as if he didn't mind such a gaze.
I also looked at him and wondered why someone who has no contact with me came to this place.
He was staring blankly at me and soon Freud opened his mouth.
"It's been a while."
Everyone present widened their eyes. Only I kept staring at Freuden with an expressionless face.
'This guy…'