Solving the Problem

[Midday_Eclipse: Aurora has been kidnapped, however it is likely that this is within the expectations of Sir Theo. He has likely prepared a plan for such a scenario.]

On the shore, two individuals dressed in formal suits stood outside their car, patiently waiting. Before long, a boat appeared on the horizon, slowly approaching the shore. As it reached the land, two figures disembarked from the boat. One of them carried a large backpack filled with clothes, while the other held a small but elongated bag.

"Have you secured the target?" the two individuals outside the car inquired.

The two men nodded in confirmation and carried the bag into the vehicle. Once they placed it down, they noticed that the upper part of the bag was open, allowing for proper airflow. Within the bag, they caught a glimpse of an elf's face.

"Let's head back," one of them suggested.

Agreeing with serious expressions, they promptly got into the car and drove off, wasting no time in completing their mission. In a mere thirty minutes, they arrived at a small house located downtown.

The exterior of the house appeared modest, with just a single floor visible. However, upon entering, the space revealed itself to be more extensive. Inside, four additional individuals awaited their return.

The two operatives opened a hidden door in the house, leading to a basement. With their mission accomplished, they knew it was time to report to their boss. Without hesitation, they descended into the basement, revealing a large room divided into two sections. The first part was adorned with money, valuable items, and possibly illegal substances. The second part consisted of a simple room where a middle-aged man sat, surrounded by numerous papers and maps. It was evident that discussions about their target had taken place in this very location.

"Please take a look," one of the operatives said as he gently placed Aurora on a sofa within the room. Carefully, he opened the bag, revealing her restrained and unconscious form. Her mouth was gagged, her eyes blindfolded, and her body securely tied to prevent any sudden movements.

Satisfied with their work, the middle-aged man, referred to as the boss, expressed his approval. He possessed a long scar running across his left eye and cheek, giving him a formidable appearance. A pistol rested on the table nearby, hinting at his readiness to employ force if necessary.

"She shouldn't awaken for at least another hour," the operative who had administered the anesthesia informed the boss.

"Good, good," the boss responded, nodding repeatedly. "You two have done well in securing her. If we had to confront that teacher, it would have been troublesome. Although he is not particularly formidable in combat due to his illusory abilities, he could easily deceive us. Thankfully, you both took the opportunity wisely. Andreas, Virgo, well done."

"Thank you, boss," Andreas replied with a smirk.

"Our client must be highly satisfied with our performance this time," the boss added, his smile reflecting contentment.

Andreas playfully teased the boss, saying, "You should treat us for our accomplishment, boss."

"Haha, of course, of course," the boss chuckled, visibly pleased. "You two shall be rewarded. But first, you may leave. I will have a conversation with our client."

Virgo nodded while Andreas, seemingly recollecting something, looked up and asked, "By the way, boss, who was the client again?"

The boss's expression shifted, his eyebrows raising in surprise, as he turned around and made his way back to the table. Retrieving his gun, he pointed it directly at Andreas, glaring intensely. "Who are you? You are not Andreas!"

Andreas's body trembled with confusion, hastily raising his hands as he wore a bewildered smile. "Boss? Why are you aiming your gun at me?"

Virgo took several steps backward, creating distance between himself and the unfolding scene. Shock registered on his face as he exclaimed, "No, you are not Andreas. Who are you?"

"I..." Andreas began but found himself unable to finish his sentence.

"Speak up! Who are you, or I will shoot!" the boss threatened, gritting his teeth.

The boss menacingly approached Andreas, using Aurora as a shield and constantly shifting the gun between them. "No one apart from me should know about the client. Every member of my group should understand that rule!"

Andreas fell into silence, unable to respond.

"Andreas... you..." Virgo gasped, attempting to move behind the boss to support him. Horror gripped his features as he continued, "You're only pretending to be Andreas this whole time. Who are you?"

"I..." Andreas's voice trailed off, and the illusion surrounding him dissipated, revealing the true identity of the blue-haired teacher mentioned in their intelligence.

"You are Theodore Griffith," the boss gasped in realization.

"Yes, and I order you to lower your gun if you wish to avoid a grim fate," Theo threatened with a smile. "You should know that I possess a Royal Grade Demon. While you may possess some skill in combat, emanating essence from your body, it pales in comparison to the power of my Royal Grade Demon."

"Shut up! Even if you are stronger than me, it will be quicker to create a hole in your student's head," the boss retorted, pointing the gun directly at Aurora's head to counter Theo's threat.

"Oh, how terrifying," Theo taunted. "I'm rather curious about the individuals who sought to kidnap my precious student. Would you care to enlighten me?"

"I will kill her. Raise your hands and kneel on the ground if you wish to spare her life," the boss replied through gritted teeth.

"I suppose I will have to extract the information from you," Theo sighed.

"You—" The boss intended to unleash his fury and alert the others on the ground floor, but suddenly, his arms were severed.

"!!!" The boss's eyes widened in shock as a green light materialized before him, accompanied by Aurora's voice echoing throughout the room. "O' Spirit of Sound, bless us with your presence and grant us serenity."

"Aaaaahhhh!" the boss shrieked in agony as his arms fell to the ground. Simultaneously, the ropes and cloth restraining Aurora vanished, dissipating like mere illusions.

"Virgo, you..." The boss realized that the true enemy was Virgo all along. The previous Theo had disappeared, revealing that Andreas or the supposed Theo was merely an illusion.

Virgo's form glitched momentarily before returning to the original Theo. "Since you refuse to provide us with the necessary information," Theo smirked, extending his hand toward the boss's face and covering his eyes.

"Aaaaahhhh!" the boss screamed in horror, but to his astonishment, he found himself back in his room as if nothing had happened.

"Huh?" The boss looked around, finding himself alone in the room, with only the unconscious Aurora present. He cautiously raised both hands, checking if his arms were still intact.

"Was that... just a hallucination?" the boss questioned, his gaze shifting between Aurora and his right hand, which clutched the Lumina. "Ah, right. I was supposed to contact him."

Confusion clouded the boss's mind, yet he proceeded to make a call to the employer.

"Hello, sir... We have secured our target. Could you inform us where we should deliver her?"

"Bring her to Sixth Avenue. Stand near the intersection, and my associates will retrieve her. Hahaha, can you imagine what fate awaits her?" the employer on the other end of the line responded.

"I... I don't know," the boss replied hesitantly.

"Of course, I will pay you. Do you think I lack the funds to compensate you? Don't you know who I am?" the employer boasted.

"I... I apologize," the boss stammered.

"I suppose I must remind you of my identity once more. Now, tell me, who am I?"

"Y-yes. You are the mighty Marquis Olzakar," the boss acknowledged.

"Indeed, with my influence, payment is not an issue. Just deliver her, and you shall receive your reward," the employer assured.

"Y-yes," the boss replied, elated at the prospect of receiving a substantial sum.

Unbeknownst to him, it was all an illusion. Even parts of the conversation had been deliberately directed. In reality, the boss sat in his chair, muttering the words spoken during their conversation. Both of his arms had been severed, blood steadily flowing from his wounds, causing his complexion to grow pale.

Theo had stood behind him, his hand resting on the boss's head, subjecting him to this illusion. By his side stood Aurora, who appeared shocked by the revelations.

She clasped her hands over her mouth in disbelief. "No... Marquis Olzakar is behind this? He was supposed to support me, to be on my father's side during the exchange. Why would he want to kidnap me? Did he intend to force my return? This can't be happening," Aurora muttered through clenched teeth, struggling to comprehend the reasoning behind it all.

"There are various possible motives, such as scapegoating this group while exploiting your situation without anyone suspecting the true orchestrator. Or perhaps something entirely different," Theo explained, trying to provide some clarity. "In the end, I can only assist you to this extent. The illusion planted in his mind ensures he cannot lie. Thus, this man is unaware of the marquis's plans; he only knows his identity."

Aurora cast her gaze downward, her fists clenched tightly. She bowed respectfully to Theo. "Thank you, Teacher. If I were to involve my connections in handling this matter, these people would likely lose their lives without divulging any information. With this knowledge, I can inform my family and urge them to investigate the marquis. Please rest assured, I will do everything in my power to ensure your name remains unassociated with the investigation."

"I don't particularly concern myself with that. My involvement solely stems from the school's request to protect you. Considering I dislike wasting time and escalating the situation further, it is best to address this promptly," Theo shrugged. "However, I do have one question for you."

"What is it?" Aurora asked, tilting her head in confusion. "If you desire a separate reward, I can request money or even a valuable artifact to compensate you. After all, you have rescued a princess on the verge of being kidnapped."

"No, that's not necessary. If I require funds, this man should possess an ample amount," Theo stated. "What I want to know is whether you can trust me or not..."

"Ah!" Aurora recalled their agreement. If Theo managed to save her, she was supposed to trust him going forward. She couldn't help but smile. "Of course."

"Very well then. That is sufficient," Theo replied. "It's time to kill the remaining enemies. Can you ensure sound isolation?"

"Yes, I can create a barrier to prevent any sound from escaping," Aurora affirmed.

"Good. Wait for me here. I won't be long," Theo instructed.

…

On the ground floor, Andreas reappeared among his fellow teammates, returning to the main area where they gathered.

"Are you finished?" one of them inquired.

"Yeah," Andreas nodded and made his way toward the exit.

BANG!

A gunshot suddenly echoed through the room, startling the rest of the group. Their attention turned toward the voice of their boss, emanating from underground. "That's not Andreas. Kill him!"

"!!!" Everyone spun around, witnessing Andreas fleeing from the scene. "Kill him!"

Without hesitation, they gave chase, unknowingly exposing their backs to the so-called 'boss.'

In a swift succession of shots, the boss eliminated them, hitting their hearts and heads. Meanwhile, Andreas vanished like a mere illusion.

It turned out that the boss was Theo all along, employing his illusions to imitate the boss's voice. With ease, he had eliminated the entire group.

"It is finished," Theo smirked, addressing the readers. "Apologies for not responding earlier. I was rather occupied earlier. I will read and try to reply to all your previous comments."