After several minutes, Youtab entered the room. It was unclear what Vantias had told Kyle, but Kyle's expression no longer showed worry. Instead, he seemed calm and lost in thought, as if something was on his mind.
Vantias sat quietly on the couch, and when Youtab entered, he uncrossed his legs, assumed a normal posture, then stood up and said in a louder voice:
"Thank you for coming, Master Kyle. You have helped us a lot. You may go now, but I must tell you that until the killer is found, you are not allowed to leave the city. Do you understand?"
Youtab looked a little confused. After Kyle left, she stared at the door for a few seconds, then turned to Vantias and said:
"You should have waited until I finished my questions before letting him go."She frowned slightly, as if irritated by Vantias's inexperience.
Then, in a serious tone, she asked:
"So, what did he say?"
Vantias stood still for a moment, looked into Youtab's eyes, and tried to hold her gaze. He spoke honestly:
"This information I'm about to give you is important… If we act too directly, the killer could escape. So I want you to wait."
"Well?" Youtab was waiting for the answer.
Vantias took a deep breath.
"Kyle saw Marcus enter the greenhouse… But… if we identify Marcus as the killer just because of this, it could damage the case."
Then he quickly continued before Youtab could respond:
"Look, Marcus is the head of the academy. He could have any reason for going there. And if there's even a chance he's the killer, he could slip away right now because we don't have enough evidence. So it's better to gather proof carefully."
Youtab's face instantly shifted from stern to surprised. Her eyes widened.
"So what do you want to do?"
Vantias gave a small smile and said:
"First, we wait. We must collect more evidence before making a move. To begin, we'll prepare a report on the current suspect and send it to Aldrin. You look for evidence, and I'll question Kyle and others in the academy to learn more."
Youtab nodded.
"Alright, let's do that,"she said calmly.
Then, with curiosity, Vantias asked:
"What did Marcus say when you spoke with him?"
Youtab sat on the couch.
"He asked that we stay in the academy until the mission is complete. He gave us a room, so if anything happens, we'll be nearby and ready."
"Hm…"Vantias thought for a moment.
Suddenly, he blushed.
"Wait a minute… You mean you and I are sharing one room?" His face turned red.
Youtab was about to say "Yes"with a neutral face, but then realized what Vantias meant. Flustered, she quickly said, "What do you mean?"raising her voice a little.
Vantias shook his head.
"Uhm…" He cleared his throat. "I'll sleep on the floor!" He then winked and gave a thumbs-up as if confident.
Youtab, irritated, gave him a playful slap on the hand and left the room.
After she left, Vantias smiled to himself.
"She got distracted…" He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, then looked out the window.
His face now looked sad, troubled. He thought:
"What am I becoming? Is what I'm doing really for the good of others?" He then looked at his hands.
Outside the academy, the view stretched all the way to the distant capital: stone houses with wooden gabled roofs, domed buildings with white tops, white smoke rising from chimneys, and white birds gliding over the city.
Students in black and gold robes, with a small lion emblem on their chests, walked around the academy carrying books. Time passed, daylight gave way to sunset, and classes ended.
Kyle, after finishing teaching, walked through the academy and thought:
"The first person I need to get information from is Charles… I have to sneak into his room and gather as much evidence as I can."
Before entering Charles's office, he paused and thought again:
"Charles is a careful man. The chances of him leaving evidence in his room are slim, but… if I don't act, I'll be the one accused of being the killer. It doesn't matter—I have to find whatever I can."
He slowly opened the door…
The light in the room was soft and golden, filtering through tall windows with heavy curtains, though the corners remained shadowed.
Dark wooden walls held several classic paintings in golden frames. A large library filled with worn, faded books stood in the corner. The air carried the scent of ink and dust, tinged with age.
A heavy wooden desk stood at the center, with a leather chair, dark sofas along the wall, unlit candles, and several old notebooks.
The fireplace burned quietly, the crackle of wood faint but present.
On the desk, books and notebooks were neatly arranged—too neatly, almost obsessively. Several photographs also rested there, small framed pictures of former students and some of his favorites.
In one, Charles was with a girl of about thirteen, with green eyes and blond hair, sitting on his shoulders. Both were laughing. In that moment, Charles seemed like the happiest man in the world.
The room felt both peaceful and threatening; when you entered, you sensed Charles's order and calm, but as your eyes scanned the corners, you felt as though every book, every pen, even every shadow might unleash dark, dreadful secrets. A faint trace of fresh tea and musk filled the air, blending authority with mystery, making one unsure whether to feel at ease or afraid.
Kyle swallowed hard, quietly closed the door, and approached Charles's desk, his heart pounding with anxiety. Slowly, he began searching for any clue that might help.
He examined the books and notebooks one by one. Suddenly, he noticed a sketchbook. Opening it carefully, he saw extremely detailed drawings—Charles was clearly very skilled.
The first page showed a boarding school, drawn in neo-Gothic style, with sharp roofs and arched structures.
Kyle thought:
"I've heard that after his parents died, Charles went to a boarding school and had a hard time… but what a memory he has, to recreate it with such detail."
Kyle flipped through the pages impatiently. Most were drawings of his school years. But when he reached the final pages, his eyes widened. He was completely shocked and terrified by what he saw.
He could not believe what he was looking at…