Inside the library, the raging flames had already been put out, leaving behind nothing but charred wreckage and smoke-choked air.
The windows were still wide open. Night wind poured in, lifting blackened scraps of paper that drifted about as if silently recording the catastrophe.
Moonlight spilled through the broken roof, illuminating two mutilated bodies lying motionless on the floor, cold and still like lifeless statues.
Several Preceptors stood beside the corpses in silence, their expressions dark, their eyes filled with shock and fury.
A heavy, suffocating pressure filled the room.
Miriam, who arrived late, stood apart from the others.
Her arms were crossed. She wasn't mocking the scene, but neither did she show any grief.
To her, these people were future enemies, hateful traitors waiting to reveal themselves.
As for the dead Geralt and Roman, they were precisely the sort she loathed. The two had privately taken every chance to needle and belittle the Lazuli Conspectus.
Her Majesty Rennala's wish for the coexistence of stars and moon was forever unattainable precisely because of people like them.
Preceptor Elkario of the Twinsage Conspectus broke the silence, his voice low and grave.
"Any leads on the intruder?"
A lecturer from the Twinsage Conspectus hurried over to report.
"We sent people down to search, but no bodies were found."
"Of course you wouldn't find any."
Olivinus Preceptor Chesterrow shook his head, his tone carrying unquestionable certainty.
"Below is Liurnia of the Lakes. Falling from this height, even if the body wasn't shattered, it would have been swept away by the water."
His brow creased beneath the mask as he pondered.
"Still, I don't think that intruder fell. Someone who went to such lengths to infiltrate this place wouldn't do it just to die."
The others turned their eyes toward him.
If the intruder hadn't fallen into the depths and no one had spotted him, could he have flown away?
Creatures as massive as Flying Dragons or Ancient Dragons would have drawn immediate attention if they entered the academy.
Gravity Sorcery?
To rise back up from such a height using gravity magic… only the Starscourge General was said to possess such power.
But if the Starscourge General had come in person, why sneak in at all?
And fighting two associate Preceptors for so long would make even less sense.
All manner of possibilities surfaced in the Preceptors' minds: winged Misbegotten, Warhawks, even the legendary Crucible Knights.
At that moment, Haima Preceptor Oled spoke up.
"The preliminary investigation is complete. The intruder used some unknown method to bypass multiple layers of defenses. No one noticed anything until he reached this place."
Elkario frowned and asked, puzzled,
"An assassin, then? Could it have been the Black Knife Assassins, or a Church Confessor?"
Those were the only two assassin groups he could think of with such terrifying capabilities.
But both were affiliated with Leyndell.
Could it be that Lord Radagon, still mindful of old ties, had sent someone to issue a warning?
But given that noble's strength, why would he resort to something so petty? If the Golden Army pressed in, they would bow their heads without question.
"They're Banished Knights, you idiots!" Seluvis clenched his fists, his voice a low snarl.
"Geralt told me through the puppet before he died."
"Banished Knights? That's impossible!"
"It's possible. Don't forget whose army they once belonged to. Those wretched birds from Limgrave are still circling over Stormveil, and traces of Ash of War: Storm Stomp were found at the scene."
"But those knights aren't assassins! Stealthy killings aren't their style!" Oled shot back, refusing to yield.
"A Concealing Veil and a Crepus's Vial. That's all it takes. Isn't it?!" Seluvis shoved aside the puppet soldier in front of him, grinding his teeth.
Oled stiffened, left speechless by the retort.
Those items should have existed only in Leyndell. Yet Leyndell also had Banished Knights.
"Enough, Seluvis. Stop dragging that noble into everything," Chesterrow said coldly as he stepped forward.
"That noble has no need for such petty tricks. Banished Knights are everywhere, and so are those other items."
Seluvis hesitated. That was true. Even if the Golden Lord Consort was not a Lord, his status was second only to Marika. He would not send someone so insignificant.
"That's enough. Don't make accusations without evidence," Elkario said, cutting off the dispute. "We all know Preceptor Seluvis's puppetry. His intelligence should be reliable."
"As improbable as it sounds, this assassin may still be in Liurnia of the Lakes. We need to heighten our defenses."
"Preceptor Chesterrow, Preceptor Seluvis, I'll leave the assessment of losses to you."
Everyone nodded. Among the Preceptors, Elkario's authority was unquestioned.
The Twinsage Conspectus accepted only the elite, and Elkario was the elite among the elite, the academy's finest scholar.
"As if remembering something, Elkario added, "By the way, where is Sellen now?""
"She's in the classroom. We've been keeping an eye on her. She hasn't stepped out all night."
Elkario nodded in satisfaction and left the library, a quiet sense of pleasure rising within him.
Whether this had anything to do with Radagon or not, it was good news.
If it had nothing to do with him, then it only meant Radagon truly no longer cared about the Carian Royal Family.
If it did, even better. Instead of a Golden Army, they had sent a nameless little assassin who dared not show his face.
His own situation must be dire, perhaps not so different from that of his ex-wife.
The thought almost made Elkario laugh.
The mask on his face constantly reminded him of the humiliation the Lord Consort had inflicted upon the sorcerers.
But they were scholars, not slaves.
Betraying the Queen of the Full Moon had clearly been the right choice. She was no longer fit to lead the academy.
...
Nolan never imagined that the trouble he caused could be seen as a good thing.
The incident had grown so large that the entire academy was stirred up. Sorcerers were chattering everywhere, debating what had happened.
Yet no one paid attention to this small classroom in the corner, leaving master and apprentice in an oddly peaceful isolation.
When the curtains were drawn, Sellen, who had seemed calm just moments ago, suddenly turned and asked urgently,
"How did you do it?"
It was simply unbelievable. Sneaking into the library at night was difficult enough. Killing two associate preceptors and returning unharmed was another matter entirely.
Nolan stored both of their belongings into his spirit ring, then took out the two notebooks. A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
"Master, aren't you going to ask whether I succeeded?"
"That doesn't matter!" Sellen answered without hesitation, but the moment the words left her mouth, she froze.