Chapter 283: That’s The Pattern

Days passed quietly, but everybody in the academy could feel the tension in the air.

Rumors had begun to spread through the dormitories. Whispers of another student who hadn’t returned to class.

Jon.

The name passed from mouth to mouth in hushed whispers.

Some said he’d been seen leaving campus at dawn, and others claimed he’d fallen sick and been sent home. No one truly knew.

The staff kept their silence, and none of the students had the faintest idea about the fight that had taken place in Arlo’s room that night.

By morning, the damage had been repaired. The shattered window was replaced, the blood scrubbed away, and the entire incident erased with the efficiency that only the academy’s magic could manage.

A curfew had been imposed. No one was allowed outside the dormitories past the ninth bell, but otherwise, everything continued as if nothing had happened.

Classes resumed. Professors lectured, students complained, and the academy’s routine carried on.

But Noah and Arlo knew better.

Now, several days later, they sat in the cafeteria after classes.

The room was half full, the air buzzing with the chatter of students sharing dinner and gossip.

Noah sat with his tray untouched, his attention fixed on the notes spread before him.

“I’ve been reviewing the list again,” Noah said quietly.

Arlo leaned forward, his elbows resting on the table. “And?”

“The pattern is obvious, but at the same time, not,” Noah said. “All the victims were bronze or stone-tier students. No one higher. Not one silver, gold, or above.”

Arlo frowned. “Lower-tier students are easier to target. They don’t have as much training to defend themselves.”

“Exactly,” Noah agreed. “But there’s more. None of them had large friend groups. Either one close friend or none at all. The puppeteer’s targeting isolated students. People who could vanish for days without anyone noticing.”

Arlo’s expression darkened as he considered it. “That explains why no one raised the alarm sooner. By the time someone realized they were gone, it was already too late.”

Noah nodded, tapping his fingers thoughtfully on the table. “So I started looking into their routines. Where they spent most of their time, who they talked to, and what classes they took.”

“And?” Arlo questioned.

“They all had one thing in common,” Noah said, lowering his voice. “The library.”

“During the holidays, every single one of them made repeated visits there. Some of them even visited daily.”

Arlo blinked. “The library?”

“Yeah. I have no idea if it was for study or pleasure, but they spent a lot of time there.” Noah explained.

Arlo nodded in thought. “That’s not a coincidence.”

“No,” Noah said. “It’s not. Whatever’s happening, it’s centered there. The library’s the only place that connects all of them.”

For a moment, they sat in silence, listening to the clatter of dishes and the buzz of conversation around them.

Then Arlo asked quietly, “So what’s your plan?”

Noah folded the notes and tucked them into his coat. “Finding the puppeteer directly would be difficult. Whoever it is, they’ve been trained to keep themselves hidden. Instead, I’m going to focus on the corpses.”

Arlo tilted his head. “The corpses?”

“Yes.” Noah nodded. “They have to be stored somewhere. Somewhere near where they were attacked, which has to be near the library.”

“The puppeteer would need access to them to maintain control, so I’ll start from the library and search outwards. Once I find where the bodies are being kept, I’m sure it wouldn’t be too hard for your eyes to find the puppeteer then.”

Arlo nodded slowly, a flicker of admiration crossing his face. “You’re hunting the evidence, not the hand that moved it.”

“Exactly.”

Silence filled the air around them.

Arlo leaned back in his chair, pushing aside his empty plate. “I’ve been keeping track of things too,” he said, his tone thoughtful.

“Nothing concrete yet, but I’ve started noting every strange occurrence. Students with sudden mana drain, professors canceling lectures for no reason, odd schedule shifts. You’d be surprised how often it’s been happening lately.”

Noah looked up from his notes. “And?”

“So far, nothing connects,” Arlo admitted. “Every case looks isolated on its own. One student fainted in class, and it’s overexertion. Another lost control of her mana and had to take a day off, also normal exhaustion.”

“A few teachers have canceled classes, but only because of ’health reasons.’” He said the last words with air quotes, clearly skeptical. “Still, it’s too many small oddities in too short a time. It adds up to something.”

Noah nodded slightly, though his attention remained fixed on his notes. “Maybe,” he said. “Or maybe everyone’s just on edge.”

Arlo watched him quietly for a moment, eyes narrowing. His expression shifted, the usual hint of humor giving way to something more analytical.

“Noah,” he said suddenly.

Noah glanced up. “What?”

“There’s something different about you,” Arlo said.

Noah froze. “What do you mean?”

Arlo didn’t answer right away. He tilted his head, his eyes glowing faintly.

“Relax,” he said finally, a quiet chuckle escaping him. “I’m not accusing you of anything. But my eyes see… a few new things about you.”

Noah’s muscles tensed, but he kept his face blank. “And?”

“And you shouldn’t worry too much,” Arlo continued. “You’re one of the few people my sight doesn’t work on completely.”

“It’s like you’re hidden behind a curtain I can’t lift. To me right now, you’re mostly… blank.”

Noah’s fingers twitched slightly under the table. “Blank,” he repeated.

Arlo nodded, his tone light but his eyes serious. “Like a slate that’s been wiped clean. But what’s stranger,” he added, leaning forward, “is that the parts I can see don’t match what I remember.”

“You’re different. It’s like you’re not just Noah anymore.”

Noah met his gaze silently. For a moment, neither spoke.

Arlo tilted his head, studying him. “So tell me,” he said softly, “what changed?”

Noah opened his mouth, but before he could speak, a familiar voice reached their ears.

“Well, well. If it isn’t the academy’s favorite mystery duo.”

Noah turned, his expression going blank as he saw who was standing there.

Florian Kael, arms crossed, a smug grin on his face.

Arlo sighed under his breath, his good mood evaporating instantly.

“Here we go again,” he muttered.

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