Tomorrow morning, it was the big day for Baston. After getting his breakfast at the usual restaurant, he went over the meeting place. It was located on the noble's area where he couldn't enter supposedly, yet
Angus and Alicia already contacted the academy so he was free to go in there. The academy already knew about Baston, yet the students from the noble side felt weird to see such a poor one coming to this side.
"Why he can enter this area? Does the academy know about this?"
"I ask about this to the staff and it's said this request is specially made by someone."
"Someone from our side? Do you mean Alicia?"
"Probably, I don't know for sure, but it should be."
"Damn it, a fat poor boy like him doesn't have any right to court Alicia," one noble student was angry, "Let me see if he dares to move around here!"
A few boys suddenly intercepted Baston's way, ready to make a trouble for him. On the other hand, Baston didn't show any fear when he was getting near them. It was because Baston who was there actually was the fake one. The real Baston was inside the old book held inside the jacket he wore while the puppet was the one who walked ahead. He could only think in this way since he would meet with the real deal at any moment now.
"Stop! This is the place for noble! You're only a poor boy, so you don't have any right to go here!"
"Yes, return to the place where you belong!"
"It's even better if you just drop out from this academy and lives at the street from now on!"
One by one, some noble students mocked him in front of everyone. Even though their words were harsh, Baston still kept going. He ignored those words and quickly came in front of everyone. The noble boys thought he didn't dare to go through them, yet he just slipped away faster than anyone could imagine. It was just like he never gave them a face to begin with. Immediately, their faces became ugly and soon, one of boys was clenching his fist and threw it to Baston.
Before it could land on the fat boy, the fist stopped an inch from Baston. It was unable to make a move, just floating right there.
Another boy tried to swing his kick, but he also had the same fate. Looking at Baston who started to go away, everyone suddenly gave an attack, but it was the result was same. One of boys before felt his dignity was being trampled, so he quickly casted magic on his hand. Unfortunately, before he could do anything, there was a loud voice coming from the building.
"Preposterous! He's my guest here and you don't have any right to stop him!"
The commanded voice was loud and piercing to many students there. It made them paralyzed with fear because this time, Angus was uncomfortable about them. If this wasn't an academy, he would smack them one by one at their cheeks. The noble students were pale in their faces because the strength this man exuded was way out of their leagues. They soon realized Baston didn't come here because Alicia, yet because of this mysterious man.
With shocking eyes, many students finally saw Baston entered the building and disappeared from their sights. At there, one staff from the academy guided him to the meeting place where Angus had been waiting since morning. The man didn't know why such a great wizard like Angus waited for this fat boy patiently. If he was the one who met with Angus, he would quickly come
as fast as possible to the place before Angus himself came.
Baston was looking through the connection he made with the puppet. This kind of thing couldn't be called magic since it didn't have any fluctuation on it. He was sure even the great wizard like Angus himself checked it, he would find nothing so Baston dared to do this. The room was simple and decorated nicely, yet he could see many ornaments had high price if he looked at it carefully.
There was only Angus and Baston inside the room. Baston had no expression, but Angus nodded thoughtfully at him. The fat boy was really different because when he was stopped by the rascals outside, he didn't show any fear. He was surprised how could he just hid his strength after all these times while pretending to be weak.
"Welcome, student Baston. I'm sorry I call you today. I just want to ask some questions. You don't mind, do you?" Angus began.
"If I mind, I might die…" Baston thought, so he controlled the puppet to answer him, "Please, go ahead."
"I've seen the back of the cafeteria and the explosion is quite big. Even my niece couldn't block it directly. I wonder what you use before when the explosion happened?"
"A certain magic item…"
"I believe it was very expensive to buy this. Unless you're very rich or a noble, you can't possibly afford it. Then, are you a noble?"
Angus observed Baston patiently. From the first question, Baston himself knew that the man wanted to know his true identity. He couldn't possibly lie about him being a noble because Angus would then ask about his
family. In this case, he had to stick with his poor status. As for how he could get a magic item, he had already prepared it.
"Not a noble… I'm only the poor…"
"Then, how do you explain about that certain magic item you used before?"
"I took it from one of many bad guys I met."
"This…" Angus never thought Baston would answer in this way, "Then, do you know who is this bad guy?"
"I don't know…" Baston simply shook his head, "Being the poor one, survival is the most important. Many hooligans will come and only the strong one become the winner."
Angus knew the answer was quite a good one. He couldn't trace where the magic item on Baston came from. There might be a possibility it came from one of many thugs out there. Every place had one dark area which everyone from any background mingled around. Perhaps, he got from there because many nobles had dark forces and one of them might be given such magic item by their lords.
"I see…" Angus continued, "I heard from Alicia that you hid your magic power before in order to hunt a criminal organization. Do you know what is the name?"
"I don't know. It was a nameless organization."
"Why you need to hunt them?"
"Because they killed someone dearest from me…"
The reason was quite good too. It might have a link on the first question from before. Angus didn't know whether Baston were saying the truth or not. At least, his replies were acceptable without giving himself a
suspicious mark. Alicia's uncle finally became serious when he asked the next
question.
"The day before, you chased the man and Alicia followed until all of you came to the underground room. You then met with a man with the face of clown. Do you think this man called Joker have something to do with the
explosion before?"
Baston who was inside the old book frowned after hearing this question. Alicia should tell him everything about the first meeting with
the clown back then, yet Angus still asked about his opinion. He wondered if it was just a simple question or there had been a hidden meaning on it. Either way, he could only give his answer.
"I don't know… Perhaps, he was involved or he was just a passerby…"
"Oh, why do you think of that?"
"That man before was crazy. He even played a game of question and answer. I believe Alicia had already told everything to you."
"Yes, it is…" Angus nodded, "That man before must be strong, right?"
"I think so…"
"You think so?"
Baston started to feel something strange. It was just like Angus wasn't satisfied of his answer. Despite of that, his expression was still normal because the puppet didn't have his nervousness from the beginning. Anyway, the man seemed didn't have anymore to ask, so he gave Baston a permission to leave. If it was the real Baston, he would just quickly ran ahead without
turning his back again.
The fat boy went to the restroom first in order to exchange his real body with the puppet. The quest should be over, so he was curious
about his performance. It wasn't his best, but he already tried and made a plan on the night before. He took the old book and flipped it into the last page. The result was way out of his expectation.
"My performance is bad? Does this mean he's still suspicious of me?"
This was the first time Baston felt disappointed on his performance. He wanted to know the reason, so he made his puppet turned into a bird. Actually, he wanted to use rat, but considering the place was in the noble area, it would be strange to find such a rat could enter easily. As soon
as it was found, he believed everyone here would kill it mercilessly. It would be different if he used bird because no one would notice it. Because there was almost no magic fluctuation detected, even Angus would never think it was a puppet. Baston let the bird go and it flown into one of nearby branch. It positioned itself so the puppet could see and hear where Angus was still in.
Angus went over the window and saw Baston from above. He stared at him from far away, pondering about something. Alicia was already behind her uncle. She wanted to know what her uncle's impression after this
session.
"What do you think about Baston, Uncle Angus?"
"Well, I think he's quite suspicious."
"Suspicious?" Alicia was surprised, "Why is it?"
"Because it seems he knows that the man called Joker is very strong, but when he faced him before, this boy wasn't afraid of him…" Angus scrutinized, "You said before even the two knights didn't dare to do anything. When we faced with the stronger opponent, we must be vigilant and anxious, right?"
"Well… Of course…" Alicia agreed with her uncle.
"Yet, despite the unknown enemy in front of him, the boy seemed pretty calm than others. What I can conclude of this is whether he knew the person or he was stronger than him. I already checked his strength and he wasn't much stronger than you."
Alicia didn't comment, but Baston at other place frowned because the thinking of Angus was also normal. In front of danger, every person might be in panic. The experienced one could calm themselves, but they would be still anxious. Only a handful of people who could display other emotions that was out of expectation. Regarding this, Baston thought it was just a different point of view.
Angus was outsider, so he didn't know him better than Alicia or Panto. Baston was sure if he acted like that yesterday, Alicia wouldn't
suspect him too much because she already knew what kind of behavior that he would show to her. Unfortunately, the great wizard had his own standard and he forced it in his judgment over Baston. The man thought he should display a few common expressions when dealing with such an opponent.
"There's nothing I can do then…"
Baston just shrugged his hands, unable to see what was the better resolution for this problem. He knew one day his performance would be affected by some variables. Because he didn't have many information about Angus, he himself was in the dark while the man could check his background
through his authority. Unless if he stayed long enough, Angus wouldn't know what kind of attitude he would show in each of event.
Baston realized it would be troublesome to let it go. Angus could be the one who made his quest got harder by the time that the scope increased to outside the academy. His performance could change from good to bad
if the next one had to cross paths with the man again. The fat boy only lamented his fate for now and confirmed the quest since there was no more to do.