Lanice narrowed her eyes in question, wondering what Koul meant by his words.

But Koul had already turned and started walking away so he couldn't see her expression. And if he did, he wasn't going to explain his words.

Actions would, and soon.

Koul returned back to the classroom first. Not because he wanted to, 'cause he actually wanted to go straight to his room. But he had to check up on Hera first.

When he reached, the classroom was being cleaned up and organized by some students. They saw Koul and averted their gazes, keeping silent.

This might actually be the first time ever they aren't gossiping about me to my face,  Koul stared at them with a lazy face.

And I'm glad they're cleaning up and not leaving it to me later.

Without a word, he turned back and left when he saw that Hera wasn't in the class. He thought of going to go meet her in her office but decided against it because that would only complicate things and raise suspicions.

He had already stood up for her in the class and even called her by her name in the heat of the moment.

Going to see her in her office when the issue was still on ground would only make things harder for Hera. And through this, the students with keen senses might catch on to their relationship immediately.

And that girl… he paused, thinking back to Marie.

I'm honestly quite surprised that she didn't go tattling about me and Hera. I'd only asked Shado to let her be because I wanted to see what she would do.

It didn't make sense that she purposely came to watch us, so I know it was by coincidence. If by any chance she slipped it out to the other students and I heard it circling, I would have taken her out.

"…."

His mind went blank the next second as he thought again on his decisions regarding Marie. To kill her just for something that wasn't that serious, he was baffled with himself.

Well, I kinda guessed she wouldn't, so… it is what it is.

As for Hera, he paused.

Koul was strolling down the hallway with hands in his pockets. He'd been sensing a present following him since he left the classroom but kept his calm.

The hallway was streaked with large windows so the outside could clearly be seen and the breeze freely brushed in.

He wondered if it was a mysterious figure again, but then he remembered he asked Kanstiv to kidnap a student.

He realized if Kanstiv had done it, then there would be no way for him to get in touch unless he came to his room.

And right now, it might be Kanstiv following him to get his attention for all he knew.

I'll sneak into Hera's room tonight to see how she's doing. For now, I should return to my room to see what's up.

I'll know by then if the eyes following are his or not.

Koul walked back to his room and bolted his door before he went to sit on his bed. Not long, a gentle knock came on his window, accompanied by a quiet voice.

"It is me, my Lord."

Koul's face remained straight. If anything, it simply contorted into exasperation.

So it is him.

"Didn't you say you'd find a way to come in without asking me to rise for you?" He asked.

Kanstiv went silent. He didn't know what to say to that. Although he somehow knew Koul was teasing him, he knew Koul wasn't wrong.

What was a knight that can't even keep to his words?

This deeply unsettled Kanstiv.

Knowing his nature, Koul could already guess the weight of not being able to fulfill his words was weighing heavily on him, hence his silence.

He rose and opened the window.

"Just come on in. Don't keep me waiting."

"Yes."

Kanstiv came in, locked the window and turned to bow politely.

"So? Have you kidnapped him?"

That was the only thing he was interested in at the moment so he put it out directly.

"Yes. I did this morning."

"This morning?" Koul echoed quietly as he dived into his mind.

This morning? Which means it's been hours already.

Hmm? Come to think of it, that Panen of a bastard came barging into our class like he had something urgent to announce or discuss.

Could it have been regarding the missing boy?

Koul raised his gaze back at Kanstiv.

"Where's he right now? Have you interrogated him?"

"I have, but he's refusing to cooperate. Right now, he's tied up at the local inn we rented when we arrived here in the capital."

"The inn?!" Koul exclaimed in surprise.

"Isn't that risky? An inn? What if he's found?! Especially now that you're out."

He was a bit freaked out. One mistake and their plans would be jeopardized.

"Rest assured, your highness. That inn is rarely frequented by visitors. Only the local commoners do and since our room is already occupied, they won't go in. I also tied the boy up to a chair and his mouth with a cloth, he can't scream or escape," Kanstiv explained calmly.

"But it still is risky," he admitted, earning a scolding glare from Koul.

His eyes silently questioned who put them in this situation.

"Haa… we need to find a hideout for things like this. I reckon this wouldn't be the last time we do something like this, so it's better we have somewhere safe to carry them all out."

Koul exhaled and sat back on his bed.

"Right! I'll do just that."

Koul's eyes rested on Kanstiv for a brief while, a bit amazed at how obedient he was. But he quickly shut out that thought, because Kanstiv was, after all, his knight so he thought it was no big deal that he was.

Loyalty was one of the trademarks of a knight.

Quietly, Kanstiv continued. His hands were clasped behind him and his posture was straight and rigid like a soldier reporting to their superior.

"Since the school has a detecting barrier with everyone registered, they likely already know the kidnapping was done by an insider," he said.

Huh?

This was the first time Koul was hearing this.

"What now?" He asked again for clarity.

"The school has a detective barrier that has registered every student, workers, teachers, and everyone living inside the academy through their mana. Whenever a new person visits the academy, there's always an alert to the operating workers. When students' parents come to visit, it alerts them and doesn't go off because their presence isn't threatening."

Koul listened attentively.

"Since no new presence was found entering, and no record of the boy leaving the school premises, they definitely know it was done by someone whose mana was already registered in the barrier."

"I see."

If I remember correctly, I don't actually have any mana, do I? It's blank on my profile page. Shouldn't I be unregistered then?

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