Chapter 308: Keep Cecilia Out Of This

Faye’s eyes widened at the aide’s words. “Another student?” she repeated, her voice filled with disbelief.

This wasn’t supposed to happen. They’d tightened security around the academy and were putting more eyes on the students. So, how…?

“Yes, ma’am,” the aide replied quickly. “The report just came in. The student hasn’t been seen since morning, but we just found out now.”

Without hesitation, Faye turned on her heel. “Show me.”

The staff member nodded, already hurrying down the hall. Faye followed after him, her long robes brushing the floor.

Noah and Arlo exchanged glances, the same thought passing between them. This was the Puppeteer. They’d decided to abduct another student while making sure they were busy fighting other corpses.

Or rather, making sure Arlo was busy. That way, Arlo wouldn’t be able to trace the abducted student in real time. It was rather clever.

They immediately followed close behind, ignoring Faye’s earlier warning.

The corridors blurred past as they hurried out of the building and through the academy grounds, cutting through the courtyards to the student dormitories.

The further they went, the louder the noise became, the air filled with the buzz of students gathering and the murmur of confusion and fear.

They reached one of the stone-tier dorm buildings, where a crowd had already formed. A faint column of smoke rose from one of the upper windows, curling into the overcast sky.

“This way,” the aide said, leading Faye towards the entrance.

Faye glanced back as Noah and Arlo came up behind her.

“Not another step,” she said sternly, raising a hand. “This is official academy business. Whatever your punishment was going to be, it can wait, but you’re not to interfere. Understood?”

Neither of them argued. Faye turned and disappeared inside with the staff.

Noah stood silently for a few seconds before looking at Arlo.

Arlo sighed. “We’re following, aren’t we?”

“Obviously,” Noah said.

They slipped around the side of the building as quietly as they could, keeping out of sight of the main entrance.

When they reached the side facing the rising smoke, Noah pointed upwards. “There,” he said. “That must be the room.”

The blackened window frame stood out starkly against the stone wall. The glass had cracked, and faint wisps of smoke still curled outwards, vanishing into the breeze.

“Same as before,” Arlo murmured, eyes glowing as the light of the sun hit them. “Signs of a struggle, then nothing.”

He scanned the area carefully, his eyes tracing invisible lines of mana through the air. But after a moment, he frowned. “The trail stops cold. Completely severed.”

Noah’s expression hardened. “Again.”

Arlo nodded grimly. “The Puppeteer’s learned. They’re cutting off their mana signature as they leave. If they used teleportation, there’d be traces, but there’s nothing. It’s like they never existed.”

Noah’s gaze drifted to the window again, his jaw tightening. “Whoever they are, they’re getting better at hiding.”

“Yeah,” Arlo said quietly. “Too good.”

They stood there in silence for a moment, the distant noise of the gathered students and staff reaching their ears.

Finally, Arlo exhaled slowly. “If we can’t track them by magic, we’ll have to think differently. But for now…”

Noah nodded. “For now, we wait.”

They both stood there, staring. More teachers arrived by the minute, along with several guards who began cordoning off the area.

From where they stood, Noah and Arlo could see the movement of staff members through the windows of the room, and the flashes of light from their spells as they tried to work out just what had happened there.

Arlo crossed his arms. “They’re not going to find anything,” he said quietly. “The puppets sent by the Puppeteer cleaned up after themselves again.”

“Probably,” Noah replied. His gaze lingered on the smoking window. “They’re always one step ahead.”

Arlo was silent for a moment before turning to him with a grin that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Then maybe we should check for ourselves. Tonight. After curfew.”

Noah looked at him, considering it. For a second, he was tempted, filled with the same old pull towards doing things his own way. But then he shook his head. “No.”

Arlo blinked. “No?”

“Not this time.”

Arlo grinned at him, wagging his eyebrows mockingly. “Since when do you care about curfew?”

Noah sighed. “Since I made a promise.”

Arlo raised an eyebrow, his grin widening. “To who?”

“Professor Cecilia,” Noah admitted. “She made me promise to be a model student this semester.”

Arlo laughed softly. “You? A model student? That’s a first.”

“She’s serious about it,” Noah said. “After last semester’s… chaos, she doesn’t want any more trouble.”

Arlo’s expression shifted slightly, his amusement fading. “And why would she make you promise something like that?”

Noah frowned. “It’s self-explanatory. I cause trouble. She doesn’t want me to.”

But Arlo didn’t look convinced. His eyes narrowed in thought as he stared at Noah.

Noah noticed. His tone hardened. “Don’t tell me you’re starting to suspect her.”

Arlo didn’t answer. His silence said enough.

Noah crossed his arms. “It’s not her. I trust Cecilia completely.”

Arlo sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “It’s not that I don’t believe you, Noah. But she’s connected to too much for me to discount the possibility.”

“You know her position and her family. Not to mention this is a period after the King’s death. If I don’t check, I can’t rule her out. Who knows if the Puppeteer also has his eyes on her?”

“No,” Noah said immediately. “You’re not investigating her.”

Arlo’s tone stayed calm, but there was steel underneath. “You don’t get to decide that. I have to follow the evidence, wherever it leads.”

“It doesn’t lead to her,” Noah shot back. “She’s the one person I’m sure of.”

“Then let me confirm it,” Arlo countered. “Once I know she’s clean, I’ll stop.”

Noah shook his head stubbornly. “You don’t understand. She’s not just another teacher. She’s—” He stopped himself before finishing. “She’s not the enemy.”

The two of them stood in tense silence, the sounds of the guards and staff murmuring in the background.

“You know your stubbornness is simply making me more obstinate in looking into her, right?” Arlo said quietly.

Noah said nothing. He knew that he couldn’t stop Arlo from looking into Cecilia even if he wanted to.

He was sure Cecilia had secrets of her own in which she wanted to protect. Not to mention that she also knew some of his secrets.

But now, he knew the way Arlo’s eyes walked. It didn’t just see everything there was to see. Arlo could see surface level details but actually needed to make a conscious decision to want to know more in order to look deeper.

All he needed to do was control what Arlo was looking for.

Finally, Noah exhaled and said, “Fine. You can look into her. But only one thing.”

“You check if she’s the Puppeteer, and nothing else. You don’t go digging into her past, her research, or her life. You verify and leave it at that.”

Arlo studied him for a moment, then nodded. “All right. I can agree to that.”

“Good.” Noah’s eyes met his. “Because if you cross that line, I’ll stop you myself.”

Arlo smirked faintly. “You sound like you mean that.”

“I do.”

The tension between them eased slightly, though the unease didn’t fade entirely. Around them, the teachers were still working, their spells lighting up the window.

“I do have to say though, that you picked the wrong time to be a model student.” Arlo said. “We have to finish this fast before more students disappear.”

Noah simply nodded, saying nothing in response. He wasn’t doing this for any students, he was doing this for himself.

The Lady in Dark knew things about him. She’d gone through his head and seen every secret he had. He couldn’t allow that to stand.

Even if she never did anything against him ever again, he couldn’t forgive what she’d already done. And he’d make her pay. Whether she liked it or not.

Arlo glanced back at the dorm one last time as they turned away. “You know,” he said quietly, “if the Puppeteer’s this good at hiding, sooner or later we’ll have to stop playing by rules.”

Noah’s jaw tightened. “When that time comes,” he said, “I’ll decide which rules to break.”

Arlo nodded. “If you say so.”

They made their way to the cafeteria, silence falling between them. They grabbed their food and sat across from each other, eating in silence.

Then a familiar voice cut through the noise.

“Well, well, well.” Florian Kael drawled, a smug smirk on his face. “Look who’s still allowed to eat with the rest of us. I thought you’d be in the gutters where you belong by now.”

Arlo looked up, his expression flat. “And I thought you’d finally learned how to mind your own business. Guess we both overestimated you.”

Florian’s smirk widened. “Still hiding behind your new friend, cousin? Or did he teach you how to burn down dorms now?”

Noah didn’t react, but Arlo’s eyes narrowed dangerously.

Before either could say more, Florian chuckled. “Save it. The principal wants to see both of you. Now.”

He turned and walked away, still wearing that smug grin.

Arlo sighed, pushing his tray aside. “Great. What now?”

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