The sudden voice ringing beside her startled Nala out of her despair. Never in her wildest dreams had she expected someone to be this close, without her ever sensing it.
It wasn't until that very moment that Nala, who had always prided herself on her keen sense of smell, caught the faint scent of a stranger.
A long pause followed before Nala came to a realization: either the person had deliberately masked themselves from detection, or they possessed the rare skill of concealing even their scent. Either way, one thing was clear, the stranger was an exceptionally skilled witch or wizard.
And when she recalled what Wentworth had told her, the stranger's identity became all but certain.
The behavior of Greenbud, the bowtruckle Wentworth had entrusted to her, only confirmed her suspicion. Normally nestled quietly in her sleeve, Greenbud had suddenly grown restless upon catching the stranger's scent. It poked its tiny head out and, to Nala's shock, leapt toward the newcomer without hesitation.
"Huh?"
A soft gasp escaped from the stranger, and the next moment, Nala clearly felt the sudden appearance of numerous unfamiliar magical auras surrounding her.
Her senses sharpened. Each of these people had completely concealed their presence, even their scent. That alone spoke volumes about the power of the Alliance. Their strength far exceeded anything she had imagined.
Then, that same calm and elegant voice spoke again:
"If Greenbud is with you, and clearly, it doesn't appear to be under duress, then you must have been sent by Wentworth?"
The question drew Nala out of her stunned silence. Remembering her mission, she hastily replied:
"You're with the Alliance, aren't you? Please, you must hurry! Wentworth and Headmistress Adisa are in danger!"
No sooner had the words left her lips than Nala's finely tuned instincts picked up on a sudden shift in the air around her. The atmosphere turned heavy, suffocating.
Just as that oppressive energy nearly overwhelmed her, a warm hand gently lifted her to her feet. A soft voice followed:
"Episkey."
The pain in her ankle vanished instantly.
Then came another voice, still elegant, yet commanding:
"If Wentworth sent you, then I suppose you're here to guide us up the mountain? Let's go, tell us what's happened as we walk. And don't worry, Wentworth is not as fragile as you think."
Nala couldn't explain why, but something about the woman who helped her up, though her voice hinted at an older age, radiated a calming power that soothed her anxiety.
So, step by step, Nala began to recount everything that had happened as she led the group up toward Uagadou School of Magic, nestled high upon the Mount Moon.
The newcomers were, of course, members of the Alliance, led by Rosier herself. After receiving Wentworth's letter, Rosier and her elite forces had traveled through the night to arrive at Mount Moon.
But once they reached the base, they had been blocked by Uagadou's protective enchantments. Some among them had suggested simply blasting through.
Yet Rosier had vetoed that idea. None of them knew exactly what was happening within Uagadou, and he feared disrupting Wentworth's carefully laid plans.
As they puzzled over how to breach the enchantments without detection, Nala had appeared.
Just in case, the Alliance had all cast Disillusionment Charms on themselves and watched her from the shadows.
When Rosier noticed that Nala was blind, everything had begun to fall into place.
Now, as Nala guided them up the mountain, she told them all she knew.
When Rosier and the others heard that Wentworth had become the sole governor and chairman of Uagadou's Board of Trustees, effectively placing the entire school under the control of the Alliance, even these seasoned witches and wizards exchanged glances in surprise.
And when Abernathy learned of the Kalembo Tribe's schemes and ambitions, he scoffed.
"Well, would you look at that? Somehow, we let a whole field of wild grass think it could grow unchecked."
Auston Greengrass, standing nearby, chuckled and added:
"No matter how tall the weeds grow, they're still bound to be cut down. Looks like Uagadou was always fated to be ours."
Nala, walking ahead, fell silent. While she couldn't deny the truth of their words, hearing strangers talk about her school in such a dismissive way still made her chest ache.
But before her thoughts could spiral further, the older witch beside her spoke again:
"Nala Nwadike, isn't it? There's no need to worry. From what I know of Wentworth, even as Chairman, he would never force Uagadou to change against its will. If anything, life at Uagadou will continue just as before."
"As for the students, you needn't worry about them either. On the contrary, it's others, other schools, other people, who should be concerned."
"Soon enough, Uagadou's reputation may surpass them all."
"For the Alliance is destined to rule this age. And Wentworth, he is destined to wear the crown."
"Let me leave you with one truth to remember: Vassals of the crown need never fear the lords."
Nala, who had remained silent for some time, now found herself dazed.
She couldn't explain it. They hadn't done anything yet, hadn't even made a concrete promise. And still, somehow… the idea of the Alliance leading Uagadou didn't seem quite so unthinkable anymore.
Just then, a scent she knew better than any other wafted toward her, halting her in her tracks. She lifted her head and whispered:
"We're here. Welcome to Uagadou."
Even without her announcement, Rosier and the others had already seen the sprawling complex ahead, and the distant noise of bustling students reached their ears.
Rosier looked out over the vast school grounds and murmured with dry amusement:
"The Kalembo tribe… truly generous folk."
As the group approached, it didn't take long for their presence to draw the attention of the students within. A few brave ones stepped forward and asked:
"Who are you? Why have you come to Uagadou?"
Rosier merely smiled—calm, refined, and unmistakably ominous.
"Don't worry," he said with a soft laugh, "We're not the good guys."
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TN: This fanfic has been fully translated and is available on my Patreon —— patreon(.)com/PrimalDemon [remove the parentheses ( )]